by BBG

Dark Castle guitarist Stevie Floyd takes a step into a different realm with Taurus, her new project with Ashley Spungin of Purple Rhinestone Eagle fame. The duo explore some of the same darkness and odd guitar tones that made the Dark Castle material so unique, yet they visit it in a more drone/experimental fashion on their debut LP Life. Stream all of the first side below. You can order a copy at their Bandcamp.

Taurus will hit the road for a string of dates with Agalloch this summer (including Music Hall of Williamsburg on 7/26, tickets), but they'll also be in NYC on July 14, blessing Rockwood Music Hall's bigger Stage 2 at 10pm that night. UPDATE: Due to a glitch in the Bandcamp app in Facebook, this is NOT the same Taurus scheduled for Rockwood Music Hall on 7/14.

All tour dates and that stream, below...

Continue reading "Taurus releases debut LP "Life", stream one side; catch them on tour w/ Agalloch (dates)"

by BBG

Monarch at Union Pool (more by Greg Cristman)

Intercontinental doom destroyers Monarch return to a four-piece configuration with Omens, the band's latest rumbling LP due on Feb 28th via At a Loss. It's their first with Dark Castle drummer Rob Shaffer behind the kit. Shaffer replaces Robert MacManus on Omens, the follow-up to their 2010 release Sabbat Noir which hit via Heathen Skulls and was followed-up with a string of US dates. Stream all of Omens below for the first time.

We recently cornered bassist MicHell Bidegain of Monarch to ask him a few questions regarding the new LP, playing in a band where members are scattered across the globe, the (official) addition of Rob Shaffer to the band, and more. Check out said interview, the album stream, their EU tour dates with Altar of Plagues, and the previously posted video teaser for Omens below.

Continue reading "Monarch unleashes 'Omens' --- Full LP stream & interview"

Monarch at Union Pool (more by Greg Cristman)

Monarch are preparing to release their new LP Omens via At A Loss Recordings. The new LP was recorded in Japan in February 2011, Australia, in March 2011, Montreal in April 2011, and finailzed by Sanford Parker in Chicago at Engine Studios. So far no album release date, but you can view an album teaser below.

In related news, it is thus far unclear as to whether Monarch drummer Rob Shaffer (also of Dark Castle) will be on the road with Yob this time around, but regardless, you can catch Yob on an upcoming tour that includes a show with Tool at Izod Center on February 1st. Tickets are still available for that NJ gig.

Monarch video is below, alongside a full show by Year of No Light who share a member with Monarch...

Continue reading "Monarch announce 'Omens' LP, release teaser video"

photos by Greg Cristman, words by BBG

Batillus @ Le Poisson Rouge

It's a a triple threat of events at Saint Vitus this weekend. Things kicks off Friday (7/22) with Hull/A Generation of Vipers/Marching Teeth, continue with Batillus/Mutilation Rites/Phantom Glue on Saturday and end with Dreams Were Made for Mortals, a collective art show on Sunday (7/24).

The art show features the work of Karlynn Holland (responsible for art that has appeared on LPs by Krallice, Dysrhythmia, many others) among many others. Karlyn describes it like this:

"My dreams, frequently, are broadcast across neural pathways in vibrant color. They are so vivid, the dreams feel more real than my waking life. It haunts me. Life feels like the dream, a series of passing moments. As I rise from paralysis, they evaporate from memory. How could something so real fade so quickly? I often find myself asking this question. Exploring the dawn hours of your fervent mind, please choose or create work that exposes our perishable nature and echoes human frailness so often deified by gods of rock and roll."

Batillus is currently on tour with Mutilation Rites and will return back to NYC on Saturday. Their last show was at LPR with Yob & Dark Castle. The NY Times was there:

[Mike Scheidt of YOB] did several things at once, singing in grunts and high precise wails, working bits of melody and middle-register guitar cries into the music without breaking the flow of the chord riffs. But there was also a feeling of conscious restraint: he didn't actually solo, in the usual sense, until nearly the end of the show. His chord repetitions were composed, micro-arranged, and they pulled you down, down, down; Mr. Scheidt uses a baritone-guitar tuning on a standard guitar, a perfect fifth lower than usual. You feel this music a lot; it's body-centered, in its rhythm and its mass. -[New York Times]

Continue reading "more pics from Yob @ LPR, 3 reasons to head to Saint Vitus this weekend (Hull & Batillus included)"

photos by Markus Shaffer, more YOB photos & words by BBG

YOB (by Markus)

YOB and Dark Castle played Le Poisson Rouge last night (7/12) with help from local doom faves Batillus. The show, part of a larger tour for YOB/DC, featured Dark Castle skinsman Rob Shaffer behind the kit for the final two band's sets. Dark Castle's set focused primarily on newer material like "Seeing Through Time" from their current LP Surrender To All Life Beyond Form, but also closed with faves from their breakthrough Spirited Migration like "Awake in Sleep" and "Into The Past". YOB's set, which was a bit too bass-heavy in the mix for my liking (and yes I know their sound has tons of low-end), covered favorites like "Burning The Altar" and "Grasping Air" (with guest vocals from DC's Stevie Floyd") as well as new burners like "Prepare The Ground" and the title track to the new LP, ATMA.

A full set of pictures from LPR last night and some videos below...

Continue reading "YOB, Dark Castle & Batillus played LPR (pics & video)"

photos by Carmelo Espanola, words by BBG

YOB @ Subterranean in Chicago

Doom fans, its finally here. That approaching rumble you hear is the Yob/Dark Castle tour which crash lands in NYC TODAY (7/12) at Le Poisson Rouge with Batillus (tickets). It's gonna get loud. In celebration of the show, we are proud to offer a MEGA-prizepack at our Facebook page including a pair of tickets to the show AND the soundcheck(!) and much much more! Head on over for more details.

The Yob/Dark Castle tour hit Subterranean in Chicago on 7/8, teaming with the great Indian. Pictures from that show are below, along with all updated tour dates!

Continue reading "YOB & Dark Castle are here (NYC TONIGHT - win tix), played Subterranean in Chicago (pics)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Hatred Surge - "Brutal Tyranny" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Scapegoat - "Jailed" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: STAB - "Blinded By Force" (MP3)

Disma at Union Pool last year (more by BBG)

Save the date folks. August 6th will unleash the most holiest of lineups as part of a record release for Disma's brand new tower of destruction, Towards The Megalith (due via Profound Lore in July). Disma will celebrate their record release at Saint Vitus with the return of Coffinworm (!), an exclusive east coast appearance from Loss (who I recently interviewed), and the mega-destructive Oak from Baltimore (who killed it at MDF)! Ticketing information is forthcoming, but the show will be $15 and kick off at 8PM. More details as they come available. The show is one of a few scheduled for Coffinworm this summer, and one of only two East Coast dates so far.

Indian team up with Bloodiest and Hallux at Union Pool TONIGHT (6/25) Win a pair of tickets at our Facebook page.

--
Dark Castle at Scion Rock Fest (more by Adam Murray)

There are a few must-see shows this summer, and Yob/Dark Castle/Batillus (yep! thats right... Batillus just added) is definitely one of them. The trifecta of doom killers at Le Poisson Rouge on July 12th is one of the biggest doom shows of the year, as the Yob/Dark Castle tour checks into the tri-state area as part of a larger US tour that preceeds a European one. Tickets are still available. Both Yob and Dark Castle played Scion Rock Fest (the former in 2010, the latter in 2011) and if you missed the LA show (like I did) then live vicariously through videos of the band at the fest, which make their debut below.

Batillus play NYC again 11 days later (7/23) with Mutilation Rites and Phantom Glue at Saint Vitus. The tour is part of a larger set of dates for Batillus & Mutilation Rites in celebration of their split 7" with Shinebox Recordings. All tour dates are below.

Painkiller have a few new releases including the new Scapegoat LP, the Brutal Supremacy 2x7" (with Mind Eraser, Hatred Surge, Scapegoat), a Stab cassette, and various represses by Vaccine and others. Check the webstore for more details, and download tracks from those releases above. In addition, Painkiller also has a new 7" by Put To Death, which features members of Mind Eraser and Hatred Surge playing "some good old fashioned No Comment style PV".

Pollution has called it quits. Bum. Out.

Sourvein have a new LP in Black Fangs (out now) , and the band will hit the road for a string of dates that will include Saint Vitus on July 8th. Full tour schedule is below.

More suggested NYC shows, tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Evillive (Disma, Indian, Dark Castle, Batillus, Scapegoat, YOB, Pollution, Sourvein, STAB & more)"

YOB in Texas (more by Samantha Marble)

As we were saying, BrooklynVegan is a proud sponsor of a YOB/Dark Castle tour that comes to NYC's Le Poisson Rouge on July 12th. What we didn't have in the initial post were any of the other dates. Now here they are, all listed below...

Continue reading "YOB & Dark Castle --- 2011 Tour Dates"

by BBG

Yob at Full Metal Texas 2011 (more by Jonathan McFail)

NYC, the time has come! I am happy to announce that after calling it quits, reforming, and teasing us with festival appearances, Yob will return to NYC to play Le Poisson Rouge on July 12th with Dark Castle as part of a larger US tour for the pair. Tickets are on sale.

Though the entire tour routing has yet to be revealed, the Yob/Dark Castle campaign of doom-destruction includes dates in every region of the US, including a bunch that the band hasn't played since reforming (read: pretty much everywhere but the West Coast). BrooklynVegan is the proud sponsor of the entire Yob/Dark Castle trek, including the Blackened Music Series-presented NYC stop. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.

Dark Castle is preparing to release their upcoming LP Surrender To All Life Beyond Form via Profound Lore on May 17th. I recently interviewed vocalist/guitarist Stevie Floyd (happy birthday!) about the LP, and Dark Castle recently played the Profound Lore/BrooklynVegan day party at Lovejoys during SXSW.

Yob is currently prepping their new LP and follow-up to the collossal The Great Cessation, one of my favorite LPs of 2009.

photos by Samantha Marble & BBG, words by BBG

Tombs @ Lovejoys

After a day of mayhem and floorpunches with Ringworm on Friday (3/18), the BrooklynVegan/Profound Lore Records day show on Saturday at Lovejoys centered more on the metal side of things. The 3/19 show featured nine bands in total, of which four called the label home. The amazing Tombs headlined, and I couldn't help but feel a large share of local (NYC) pride since three of the nine bands call Brooklyn home (Tombs, Castevet, Batillus).

more below....

Continue reading "BV/Profound Lore Day Party @ Lovejoys - pics & video (Tombs, Bruce Lamont, Mike Williams, Batillus, Dark Castle & more)"

photos by Adam Murray, words by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Dark Castle - "Seeing Through Time" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dark Castle - "Awake In Sleep" (MP3)

It's been a whirlwind couple of years for Florida's Dark Castle. After self-releasing the Flight Of Pegasus EP in 2007, Rob Shaffer and Stevie Floyd followed the release up with their debut LP for At A Loss Recordings, Spirited Migration. The LP was well-received, and the duo hit the road to tour behind it. And tour. And tour.

Following that relentless touring, the band took some time off at the tail end of 2010 to concentrate on other projects (Rob became drummer for French/Aussie doomers Monarch!), refocus, regroup, and plot their return to the studio where they made Surrender To All Life Beyond Form. Uber-producer Sanford Parker was on the case.

Dark Castle played Scion Rock Fest over the weekend, and are now plotting their return to SXSW for a series of shows that include the BV/ProfoundLore show at Lovejoys on 3/19 (with Tombs, Castevet, The Body).

Next move? Prepare for the May 17th release of Surrender To All Life Beyond Form via their new home, the venerable Profound Lore Records. Check out the first track to emerge from that LP, "Seeing Through Time", premiering here, in addition to the album art (below). "Seeing Through Time" (download above, stream below) is the same blackened doom that Dark Castle is known for, chockfull of directional shifts and off-kilter chord-progression drenched in an ocean of queasy reverb.

We sat down with vocalist/guitarist Stevie Floyd to discuss the new LP and plans for 2011 (like touring with YOB!)...

Continue reading "an interview w/ Dark Castle (and a song premiere too) "

photos by Adam Murray and Genie Sanchez, words by BBG

Morbid Angel

Two outdoor tents, a club, and a theater hosted 26 bands. Perhaps by design, the premises lacked alcohol (except for the theater). So bad behavior was scarce. Fans happily bounced from venue to venue, queuing for some bands (Wormrot, Floor, Atheist, Obituary, Morbid Angel), and eating burgers from the Grill 'Em All trucks. To order the Witte Burger (beef, bun, cream cheese, deep-fried bacon, beer-and-Sriracha-soaked onions, malt vinegar aioli), my friend Robert merely pointed several feet away, where Dave Witte himself was standing.
-[Invisible Oranges]

Kvelertak were supposed to play too. but their passports and visas were stolen at the airport moments before they boarded the plane to the US. As a result, they'll also miss some days of the Weedeater/Zoroaster tour, but should "be in the states by Friday" (3/11). That means they should have no trouble making it to SXSW where they're on board to play Full Metal Texas. The band was replaced in Pomona by Black Cobra.

More pictures and some videos from Scion Rock Fest 2011, below...

Continue reading "Scion Rock Fest 2011 in pics & video (Morbid Angel, Obituary, Integrity, Agalloch & more) (but not Kvelertak)"

by BBG

Flyer, with art by Glyn Smyth of Scrawled Design

I am ecstatic to announce my partnership with the great Profound Lore Records for an Austin day party at Lovejoys (604 Neches St, right downtown) on March 19th! The free day show (lineup above) will run from noon-7pm and include Dark Castle, The Body, Deafheaven, Wolvhammer, Grayceon, Castevet, Batillus, Altaar from Norway (!), and the blasting NYC killers Tombs. Set times and more details are forthcoming but in the meantime save the date!

Altaar @ by:Larm 2010

March 19th is the last of FOUR BV DAY PARTIES catering to fans of heavy music, including the previously discussed Full Metal Texas show on 3/17 at Emo's with Trap Them, Rwake, Hull, All Pigs Must Die, and the recently added Kvelertak! Details on March 16th and 18th are still to come.

Moments after the BrooklynVegan/ProfoundLore day party comes to a close, the official Profound Lore SXSW showcase will begin at Valhalla! That show kicks off at 7PM and will feature a headlining set from Slough Feg, as well as performances from KEN Mode, Castevet, Grayceon, Bruce Lamont, and Wolvhammer. Check out the incredible show poster below and get a screened copy of it at the show from the artist, Glyn Smyth of Scrawled Design.

Bruce Lamont plays Union Pool in Brooklyn on SUNDAY (2/27) with Lichens, Kevin Hufnagel & Cocaine & Abel. Union Pool will also host The Body TONIGHT (2/22) with Braveyoung & Elks.

Show flyers, a stream of Deafheaven's awesome demo and more pictures of the mighty Altaar from Norway's by:Larm 2010 are below!

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan & Profound Lore present a Free Day Party @ Lovejoys (lineup, related shows, live Altaar pics & more)"

photos by Greg Cristman, words by BBG

Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth, and Dark Castle played their second of two NYC dates at Knitting Factory on 9/19 (the first show was four days earlier at The Studio at Webster Hall). Now they're back on the road. You can catch them at Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia tonight.

More pictures from Knitting Factory, and some new videos from The Studio at Webster Hall show, below...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth & Dark Castle played Knitting Factory (pics & video) "

photos by Markus Shaffer, words by BBG

Blake Judd, saluting the horned one

Long Island Press: I've heard some traditionalists who deride Nachtmystium as populist black metal-does that mindset ever influence your artistic choices?

Blake Judd of Nachtmystium: I don't care what anyone says about my band. Nachtmystium is my life, it's all I do, and any f**king asshole black metal douche bag who wants to question me or my integrity can feel free to do so right to my face if he feels so inclined. I and the four people who travel with me six to seven months out of the year are total extremists in our lifestyles and there is nothing "fancy" or "glamorous" about our lifestyles as members of Nachtmystium, We just happen to get paid enough these days to keep gas in our van (note, VAN) and the wheels on it turning and maybe pay a month or two of rent each after a tour. If someone thinks that is like living some rock star lifestyle, think again.

In related news, the great Dark Castle have completed recording their new LP at Electric Audio in Chicago with Sanford Parker. The follow-up to Spirited Migration will be released by Profound Lore on CD, with At a Loss (their former home) doing the vinyl honors. Spirited Migration is FINALLY out now on vinyl and available on all of their tour stops. Look for it!

More pictures and video from the Studio are below...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth & Dark Castle played The Studio (pics & video) "

by Kim Kelly w/ photos by Samantha Marble

Zoroaster at The Khyber

Writer Kim Kelly has completed her (epic) journey on the road with the Summer Southern Burn Tour aka the indomitable team of Zoroaster, Black Tusk, and Dark Castle. She kept a diary along the way, revealing the first part a few weeks ago, and now the conclusion! (below) - BBG

Continue reading "Tour Diary: Kim Kelly on the road w/ Zoroaster (part 2)"

by BBG

Nachtmystium at Europa (more by Samantha Marble)

Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth, and Dark Castle are going to tour, and BrooklynVegan and 1000 Knives have teamed up to present the Manhattan show at The Studio at Webster Hall on September 15th! Tickets are on sale. It's one of two NYC shows on the trek. The foursome also play Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on September 19th. Tickets are on sale for that too. All dates are below.

In other news, Zoroaster and Dark Castle's recent tour mates, Black Tusk, are scheduled to play NYC on with Fu Manchu at Santos Party House on 9/4. Support will come from the great It's Casual, along with Vagina Panther. Tickets are on sale. The show is part of a larger set of dates for Fu Manchu and It's Casual; dig on those below too.

Continue reading "Nachtmystium touring w/ Zoroaster, the Atlas Moth & Dark Castle ++ Black Tusk touring w/ Fu Manchu (2010 dates) "

words by BBG, photos by Markus Shaffer

"Watching Zoroaster. Their singer has terrible posture. #srsly -ReignInBlonde

"God damn last night was EPIC!! Dark Castle killed it!!" -s11bryant11d

"At Hull and Black Tusk at Webster. You should be too. Heavy as fuck" -goes cube

Black Tusk, the grimmest of the grim

Black Tusk, Zoroaster, Dark Castle, and Hull formed a fantastic quadruple bill at The Studio at Webster Hall on July 9th as part of a larger tour for the BV-sponsored trio of Zoro/BT/DC. Earth-shaking riffs abounded, fog-machines and lighting where on blast. Hull was the best I have ever seen them. We heard a new black metal influenced Dark Castle song. Chloe Puke (Atakke) guested vocals with Zoroaster. Zoroaster played mostly material from their upcoming Matador (it rules). Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle) guested vocals with Zoroaster. And Black Tusk could not contain the good times. I'd have to say it was a good night.

Tons of ragin' pics and some video from the show is below...

Continue reading "Black Tusk, Zoroaster, Dark Castle & Hull played The Studio (pics & video) "

by BBG

Dark Castle at Lovejoys (more here)

It's already way obvious that the next month is gonna be NUTS! Zoroaster are up there ruling as we speak -[GrimKim, Tuesday night in Birmingham, Alabama]

BV will have reports from Kim Kelly, aka Grim Kim, from the road on the Summer Southern Burn Tour.

As if the tour isn't grueling in itself, Dark Castle have added some solo dates on the off days. Updated tour dates for the trek, as well as Dark Castle's new dates and some video are below.

Continue reading "Zoroaster, Dark Castle, Black Tusk are on tour - updated dates"

by BBG

Zoroaster at Hoeks Death Metal Pizza (more by Diana Zadlo)

The Summer Southern Burn tour will team up three behemoths of the southern metal underground this summer: Black Tusk, Zoroaster, and Dark Castle! Featuring rotating headlining slots by Black Tusk and Zoroaster and support from one of my favorite young heavy bands (Dark Castle), this promises to be a serious set of shows and BrooklynVegan is proud to be on board as a sponsor.

We've also teamed up with with 1000 Knives to present the NYC show on July 9th at The Studio at Webster Hall. Black Tusk will headline the night and tickets are on sale.

Zoroaster have announced the release date of July 13th for their upcoming LP, Matador, due at their new home, E1 Records. The LP follows their self-released Voice Of Saturn which featured "White Dwarf" and it's accompanying video. Dig on the album art and the tracklisting below. The band recently decimated Hoeks Death Metal Pizza along with The Atlas Moth, The Funeral Pyre, Coffinworm, Trash Talk, and many notable others.

Black Tusk have a record of their own on the way, Taste The Sin, due on 5/25 via Relapse Records. The band directly supported Weedeater on their recent trek with The Gates of Slumber and Struck By Lightning, making quite an impression when they played The Studio at Webster Hall.

Despite parking issues and general SXSW malaise Dark Castle played the Emo's day show on 3/17 during SXSW, the BV-sponsored 20 Buck Spin/Profund Lore showcase, and a surprise show at Lovejoy's the following day. The band absolutely destroyed Union Pool with The Atlas Moth in November of last year.

Full tour dates, tour flyer, and Matador album art/tracklisting is below...

Continue reading "Zoroaster, Dark Castle & Black Tusk - 2010 tour dates"

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble

TONIGHT (Friday, 4/9) caps off an unfucwitable weekend of killer shows starting with the sold out(!) High on Fire / Priestess / Black Cobra / Bison BC show at Gramercy. Saturday (4/10) during the day means Louisiana's Thou will destroy you at ABC No Rio, while the Weedeater / Black Tusk / The Gates of Slumber / Struck By Lightning extravaganza rolls into town Saturday night. Tickets are still available (get'em here). And Sunday (4/11) means avant-garde (Kayo Dot playing Coyote at Union Pool) or brutal/spanish-speaking (Brujeria at Webster, tickets) as the final nail in the coffin.

Want to go to Weedeater? I have TWO pair up for grabs! More details are at the bottom of this post.

Both High on Fire (at the Action PR showcase) and Weedeater played SXSW, and previously discussed, Weedeater teamed up with Dark Castle and The Roller for a surprise show at Lovejoys on 3/21, the last night of SXSW. A second set of pics from that show (like the one above), and current tour dates, continue below...

Continue reading "it's a busy weekend for metal in NYC - win Weedeater tix (which are still on sale) ++ new pics & more dates"

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble, BBG

Coffinworm (by BBG)

If there was a single SXSW show that intrigued from top to bottom, it'd have to be the Profound Lore/20 Buck Spin official showcase at minuscule Headhunters on 3/19 (we were proud to be a sponsor). With an estimated capacity of no more than 100 people (and probably considerably less), the show was packed from top to bottom with a wide palette of heavy music that dabbled in doom, noise, powerviolence, and everything in between. All my favorites were present and delivered predictably blistering sets (Salome, Dark Castle, White Mice, Liturgy, others), and there were other bands on the lineup that delivered to the fullest (Yakuza, Coffinworm).

By the time their set rolled around at Headhunters, I had already seen Coffinworm once (one day earlier) at the BV show at Hoeks Death Metal Pizza. Promises offered on their demo were delivered, and the band played a punishing set that realized all of the bite of their recorded output. The theme of focused and taught blackened doom continues on their new album, When All Became None, which is a contender for one of my favorite debuts of the year. Must.

Another band that I hadn't caught in the flesh, Yakuza, is a bit of a peculiar character. This Chicago band's progressive metal is punishing live, with seriously heavy and catchy riffage that, in itself, would be very distinctive.... and in comes the saxophone! Frontman Bruce Lamont's replaces guitar leads/solos with a saxophone that, despite what you are thinking, sounds nothing like a metal Dave Matthews Band. Though it was admittedly off-putting the first time I heard it, I have come to find the sax to be a crucial part of their sound, with all of the parts tailored around it compelling and awesome. Yakuza ripped it at Headhunters.

More pics from the show (except The Atlas Moth and Liturgy ones which are forthcoming) are below, as well as a few videos of Coffinworm, White Mice, Hatred Surge, and Salome...

Continue reading "Coffinworm, Yakuza, Dark Castle, Hatred Surge, Salome, Endless Blockade & White Mice @ Headhunters (SXSW) - pics"

words and photos by BBG

Weedeater

One of the greatest things about South by? Surprise shows! As I pondered my limited choices for the evening of 3/21 in Austin, I received a text about a FREE and last minute show at Lovejoys. The bill included notables like Green & Wood (who I missed), local doom killers The Roller, Dark Castle, and the mighty Weedeater who killed the previous night (3/20) at the Tone Deaf Showcase!

I was in, and naturally a lineup like this in a tiny venue like Lovejoys was not disappointing. More pics from the killer show that ended my South By Southwest experience are below.

Weedeater are currently on tour and are scheduled to hit NYC on 4/10 at The Studio at Webster Hall with The Gates of Slumber, Black Tusk, and Struck By Lightning. Tickets for this killer (BV/Osiris-presented) four way are still available. Weedeater also added more headlining dates in April and May. Their updated schedule is also below...

Continue reading "Weedeater adds more tour dates, played a surprise Austin show w/ Dark Castle & the Roller @ Lovejoys (pics) "

words & photos by BBG

Matt Pike of High on Fire @ the Mohawk

Want to make my life simple? Put two killer showcases in the same venue. Well, unfortunately it wasn't three showcases in the same venue (Relapse was going on over at Red 7 - pics coming soon). Following the big bang of the BrooklynVegan day party at Emo's, I hightailed it over to the Mohawk on 3/17 (right next door to our quieter official BrooklynVegan showcase going on at Club DeVille...) (editor's note: ...that was often drowned out by the metal sounds blaring over the wall while bands like the The Middle East were playing soft sets...) for a double bill of mayhem with the Action PR Showcase on the outdoor stage and the Prosthetic Records showcase on the indoor. The night at the Mohawk show was marked by competing headlining sets: the great Landmine Marathon (who played the BV day party that day) and none other than High On Fire (one of their only appearances at the fest).

Also along for the ride were such notable greats as The Gates of Slumber, Withered (who also played Emo's), Zoroaster, Naam, Priestess, The Funeral Pyre, and many others. Not a single bad apple in the bunch. Of those, I had never seen The Funeral Pyre or Clinging To The Trees of A Forest Fire - both were impressive. TFP did blackened death with such intensity, it was hard to not be compelled to head nod. Clinging did abstract and atonal grindcore in the best way.

Although I missed Landmine Marathon (who would probably be in the running), best performance of the night goes to High On Fire who blazed through new material and old including the epic "Baghdad" (!) from their debut The Art of Self Defense. As their set progressed, it seemed that the band got looser on their instruments, and as a result, much tighter and more cohesive.

In related news, High On Fire recently dropped the new video for "Frost Hammer". View it, as well as other vids and some pics from the epic show, below...

Continue reading "new High on Fire video, pics from the Action PR & Prosthetic Records SXSW showcases, more "

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble, Tim Griffin, Brian Reilly

"Emo's Jr. is way too tiny to handle [Torche and] their enormous sludge, enormous hooks, enormous energy, enormous crowd." - Rolling Stone.com

Landmine Marathon (by Tim Griffin)

While Fucked Up and six other bands were causing a ruckus on the bigger stage at Emo's (3/17), the BrooklynVegan day party began early and STRONG with a hot blast of Kill The Client at noon on the indoor stage. The newly Relapse-d and semi-local (partial Austin/Dallas) grinding four piece was a metallic triple-espresso to kick start the day.

Trophy for busiest metal band goes to The Atlas Moth, who booked a whopping seven shows in Austin during SxSW. Their trek began with Emo's and a killer set from their new album A Glorified Piece Of New Sky. Jovial singer Steve was all smiles at the show, and the band's epic sound echoed throughout Emo's.

Philadelphia's Javelina followed The Atlas Moth with their positively pummeling sludge filth, keeping momentum going. Bands like Buzzoven, Eyehategod, and others come to mind when listening to this quartet, but their driving sound is decidedly more punk rock in it's gallop but just as "fuck you" in it's 'tude. A big thank you goes out to the band, who also went on to fill in for the broken Nebula at Red 7 on Saturday (3/20). They rule, and can't wait to see them again on Wednesday (3/25) at Cake Shop with Howl, Sea of Bones, and Flourishing.

Though the band spent a good hour circling Emo's, Dark Castle did manage to squeak into the venue and be only a touch late for their designated set time. Again the Florida duo impressed. Dark Castle's sound is positively mammoth, and through the large PA at Emo's they sounded bigger than ever.

Salome was similarly massive, and I felt fortunate to have the band booked for their only unofficial appearance at SXSW. With the band having issues unloading gear due to street closures and general parking malaise, it seemed like vehicular frustration bred more stage-side fury. The trio's sludge doom caused numerous screams of joy and lots of recitations of the word "amazing". Agreed, and I truly believe that Salome was one of the best bands at SXSW this year.

Grace Perry may have been given the dubious ranking of one of the "hottest chicks in metal" according to Revolver (even though I agree), but don't think that Landmine Marathon's success is attributable to anything but hard touring. This band's strength is in the live show, which was firing on all cylinders at Emo's and leading to circle pits, including one with Perry on vocals! Video of that is below.

Withered's icy blasts were the antithesis of Torche's pop bliss, but the band were as sinister and powerful. I caught them again at Mohawk later that night (pics coming). I was honestly worried about Withered and Dark Castle's lighting rigs, and their ability to translate on stage during the day time, but I forgot about the most important part of those bands: both have intense and kinetic live shows, whether with or without a fancy stage setup.

Torche closed out the room with an assist from a fill-in drummer in the absence of Rick Smith (who broke his hand while touring with his side project Shitstorm). Although Smith's theatrics were missed (you rarely ever see anyone standing and jumping down TOWARD the kit, save for Rob Shaffer of Dark Castle and a few others), the band played a well-executed set of bubblegum pop which contained one song from their upcoming split with Boris, and a ton of thundering but sugary classics. The band closed with my favorite Torche track ever, the sickeningly heavy "Tarpit Carnivore" from their killer In Return EP.

More pics and some videos from the show are below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan Emo's day party pics (SXSW 2010 - Torche, Withered, Salome, Dark Castle, Landmine Marathon, more) "