by BBG

Crosses is a new crew that features Shaun Lopez of FAR and Chino Moreno of Deftones, and the trio (Chuck Doom rounds it out) have released a new EP for download. Get it for the price of your email address. Though the pedigree of this might indicate something on the heavy side, Crosses definitely resembles Chino's Team Sleep or with moments of (gulp) witch house present. No word on what is next for the trio, but one thing is for sure, Ritualz, AKA †‡†, is not pleased. He tweeted "only thing i can think of right now is that if you have a blog post about that fat fuck stealing my shit to let people know please" and "woke up to attacks by deftones fans. basically they're mad because i came up with the crosses first and they hate everything not deftones?" No word on a response from Chino

Meanwhile, Dave Witte has gathered up an impressive crew of musicians for his latest project Argonauts. Witte will join The Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Dimitri Minkanakis, East of the Wall bassist Brett Bamburger, and fellow Burnt By The Sun member John Adubato. Though the band has yet to post a new song (they will in the near future according to a recent Facebook post), they are scheduled to play the Gwar-B-Q in Richmond, VA on September 17th. There they'll join Gwar (duh), Darkest Hour, Kepone, Mensrea, DBX, Groundscore, Battlemaster, White Cross, The Occultist and Bloody Crackdown as part of the day-long affair.

by BBG

Black Army Jacket Demo Tape cover

Black Army Jacket was an American grindcore / power violence band... Their ex-members can now be found in bands like Hope Collapse, Municipal Waste, Matt Pond PA, Burnt By The Sun and Birds of Prey.

The band was started by Andrew Orlando (ex-guitarist of Milhouse and owner of Reservoir Records) and Carlos Ramirez... both fans of bands like Terrorizer, Assück and Napalm Death and wanted to create a band in those styles. ...Queens, NY-based Chainsaw Safety Records would go on to release the band's The Path of Two Swords As One 7" and the band started to tour regionally shortly after... [Soon after] Dave Witte joined the band on drums. Now a four piece, they toured with California's Benumb and Noothgrush.

In 1998, BAJ... wrote throughout the year and entered the studio with Dean Rispler (Killing Time, 25 Ta Life) in the producer chair. The resulting album, 222, saw the musicians incorporating hints of death and black metal along with some more traditional elements of hardcore to their sound. They toured extensively to support their debut.

... Rob Lawi and the band parted ways shortly afterwards. Bassist Carlos Ramirez then became their vocalist and New Jersey native Tom Hayden joined in to fill the bass slot. Another native Jersey musician, John Adubato, was also asked to join to make Black Army Jacket a two guitar unit.

They came home from tour in mid 1999 and began to write newer, more technical material... [but] after a tough show in Worcester, MA the band decided to break up. Adubato and Witte then formed Burnt by the Sun, whilst Ramirez started melodic rockers Lakota a few years later. Andrew Orlando went on to join Anodyne and then Disnihil in the early 2000s. - [Wiki]

The show is one of two lined up for the great Black Army Jacket with the second being Best Friends Day in Richmond, VA on Aug 19 - 22:

Continue reading "Black Army Jacket reuniting to play Cake Shop & Best Friends Day in Virginia (lineup) "

by Black Bubblegum

They say that the clothes make the man, but in the music world, the drummer makes the band. That's the only way to explain the string of successes that have followed Dave Witte since he first sat behind the kit as a member of the influential yet under-appreciated Human Remains. Since then, Witte has played with some of the greatest bands in the heavy underground, laying the back beat to names as powerful as Municipal Waste, Discordance Axis, Anodyne, Black Army Jacket, Melt Banana, and we can't forget about Burnt By The Sun.

Burnt By The Sun recently released their swansong, Heart of Darkness, via Relapse Records. In celebration of this last LP, the band will embark on final tour of Europe in October with only one US date scheduled: October 2nd at Cake Shop with Tombs, Black Anvil, Bloodhorse, and Torchbearer. Considering the band members' current undertakings, it isn't out the question to say that this could be their last show for a very very long time.

With that as a primer, I fired some questions at Dave Witte about Municipal Waste, the end of Burnt By The Sun, and the possiblity of him returning to the kit for Human Remains, Discordance Axis or Black Army Jacket. The conversation is below....

Continue reading "an interview w/ Dave Witte (of Burnt by the Sun, Municipal Waste, Human Remains, Black Army Jacket...)"

by Black Bubblegum

Municipal Waste and the mighty Phobia are going on tour and teaming up with Brutal Truth and Cauldron for a string of dates along the way. Those include a NYC show at Gramercy Theatre on 12/9. Tickets are on sale.

Phobia, who dropped 22 Random Acts Of Violence via Willowtip last year, are currently working on a video for "Rise Up". Look for that soon.

Meanwhile, Municipal Waste drummer Dave Witte will be in NYC this Friday (10/4) at Cake Shop when he will join Burnt By The Sun in their only scheduled US show brought to you by 1000 Knives and Brooklyn Vegan! Support will come from none other than Tombs, Black Anvil, Bloodhorse, and the recently added Torchbearer. There are no advance tickets... you can only get 'em at the door... unless, of course, you were to win one of TWO FREE PAIRS. For more on how to win those tickets, look at the bottom of this post.

The show is one of two BV sponsored shows for the weekend, the second being Woe, Aluk Todolo, Malkuth, and Castevet at Union Pool on 10/4. Tickets are $8 at the door.

Dave Witte has also been known to join the live incarnation of Melt Banana, though his schedule dictates that he won't be playing with them during their upcoming North American tour.

Full Municipal Waste tour dates, and their "Gore Version" of the video for "Wrong Answer", below...

Continue reading "Municipal Waste & Phobia touring (some dates w/ Brutal Truth), Burnt by the Sun @ Cake Shop Friday (win tix)"

by Black Bubblegum

Thursday @ Terminal 5

Thursday is devoted to tour dates. Not only here at BrooklynVegan every Thursday (and really, every day), but the New Brunswick post-hardcore band Thursday who will hit the road in September with The Fall of Troy, tagging Bowery Ballroom (a venue much smaller than their most recent shows at Terminal 5 and Nokia Theatre) on 9/20. Support will rotate, but Bowery will get BV-SXSW 2009 vets Young Widows and the post-rocky Moving Mountains. Full tour dates are below, with all shows currently on sale via Thursday's Doves Club (general sale kicks off 8/7). Thursday is touring off of their current LP, Common Existence, which was released earlier this year on Epitaph.

Young Widows recently issued an update on new releases and some details with respect to their tour with Thursday:

...we'll be playing Best Friends Day 8 in Richmond this year! There is somewhat of a twist as Jeremy will be in Finland on the day of the fest... Instead, our very good friend Dave Witte (of Burnt By The Sun, Municipal Waste, Melt Banana, etc...) will be filling in for the show! We are excited to be playing with Dave and making him an honorary Young Widow!

We have two releases to announce, both on Robotic Empire and both to be released in the next couple of months. The first is Evan's project Bad Secrets, which was born out of improv jam sessions between him and Kodan Armada's Dan Davis. ...[Their] debut will be released on 9"+CD! The second is a Young Widows live record! We had the privilage to play live on WMUC Radio back in April and it was all recorded... [and] it will be released on 12"+CD of a limited number.

Best Friends Day 8 takes place in Richmond from August 20th -23rd and features a killer lineup of heavy, including Torche (who just played MHOW), Strike Anywhere, Coliseum, Brainworms, Magrudergrind, Off With Their Heads (who are coming to Europa), Asshole Parade (who are coming to The Charleston), Cannabis Corpse (them too), Ultra Dolphins, and many more. Flyer is below with all Thursday tour dates...

Continue reading "Thursday & The Fall of Troy touring (dates include Bowery) with Young Widows (who are playing Best Friends Day 8)"