words by BBG, photos by Keith Marlowe

The problem with most contemporary metal is that it just isn't heavy: Pristine digital editing, onstage drum triggers and other depressing innovations have sapped the genre of its primal force. Fortunately, there will be no such chicanery afoot at this walloping bill.

Cleveland's Keelhaul makes a habit of flouting convention. Some of its pieces last less than a minute, others nearly nine; vocals may enter three fourths of the way through a song, or not at all. The common denominator is an ultradisciplined brand of riff worship: The quartet builds diabolical obstacle courses out of asymmetrical phrases, then proceeds to run them with visceral gusto.

Headliner Unsane favors a much more straightforward bludgeon-anguished noise-blues that still sounds as obstinately primitive as when the local outfit formed two decades ago. As with the trio's billmates, no additives or preservatives are necessary. - [Time Out NY]

As stated before, Keelhaul destroyed Santos alongside a similary brutal duo of Pigs (mem-Unsane) and Disappearer. But what was missing from that previous post was photos of the main event, NYC noise-rock greats Unsane barrelling through a pair of sets: a front to back cover of Scattered Smothered & Covered followed by a second "hits" set that spanned their recording career. Photos from the tail end of the show incuding more Keelhaul, and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Unsane, Keelhaul, Pigs & Disappearer @ Santos (pics & video) "

words by BBG, photos by Meghan McInnis

Keelhaul

Keelhaul played Santos last night (8/5), and damn if they weren't dizzying, jaw-dropping, amazing, [insert superlative here]. Good news: Keelhaul will play a late show at The Acheron TONIGHT. It kicks off at 12 with My America. $8 gets you in. The show is the official afterparty for The Blackened Music extravaganza at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Boris/Torche/Russian Circles (get yer tix, almost sold out).

As stated in the previous gushing paragraph, Keelhaul metled faces and ruled places (specifically, Santos) last night with headliner Unsane, Pigs, and Disappearer. Pics of of the support bands are below, Unsane is on the way...

Continue reading "Keelhaul played Santos w/ (Unsane and) Disappearer & Pigs (pics), playing the Acheron TONIGHT (after Boris)"

by BBG

Unsane at Union Pool (more by Paul Birman)

So far there have been a few contenders for my favorite show of 2010, but definitely on that short list was the return of the gods of NYC noise rock, Unsane, to Union Pool earlier this year (with a stellar supporting cast in Made Out of Babies, United Nations, and Dark Vibe).

Now I am pleased to announce that Unsane will return again, and this time the band will perform ALL of their landmark Am-Rep classic Scattered Smothered & Covered for one set, before returning to play a second set of material from their other releases. Supporting them will be none other than the Cleveland madmen Keelhaul (who played a BV show almost exactly a year before), Pigs (featuring Dave Curran of Unsane), and Disappearer. The whole shindig goes down at Santos Party House on August 5th (the day BEFORE Boris/Torche/Russian Circles at MHOW) . Tickets are on sale.

The NYC gig is one of eight shows where Unsane will perform the full album in August...

"We're really looking forward to the Unsane shows in August," Chris Spencer comments. "The idea of performing "Scattered, Smothered and Covered" in its entirety is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time. To do an album that I like that much from start to finish is going to be incredible. We've never done this before, and it's going to be both challenging and very exciting. The thought of being able to also do this at the AmRep anniversary show really kicks it up a notch!"

The AmRep anniversary show is August 27th at Grumpy's Bar in Minneapolis, MN. All dates (most of which Keelhaul is also playing), the NYC show flyer, video from Union Pool, and some classic Unsane videos are below...

Continue reading "Unsane playing classic album in its entirety at shows in August w/ Keelhaul (Santos Party House included) "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Black Cobra - "Negative Reversal" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pelican - "Strung Up From The Sky" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Disappearer - "A Skull Full Of Bats" (MP3)

Black Cobra's therapist recommends meditation to cure their anger. We recommend full stacks.

A month after their appearance at an unofficial Southern Lord showcase (the sunn O)))/Earth/Eagle Twin show at Brooklyn Masonic - tix), Pelican will hit the road in support of their new LP, What We All Come To Need. Those fall & winter dates include a December 2nd NYC show at Highline Ballroom with Black Cobra and Disappearer. Tickets go on sale Friday, 9/4 at noon. All dates below.

Black Cobra is also gearing up to drop their debut for Southern Lord, Chronomega, due on 9/29. Chronomega was produced by the legendary Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Buzzov*en, High On Fire, soo many others) and features nine tracks, the first of which, "Negative Reversal" is available for download above! Dig on the cover art below. For the unaware, Black Cobra is a (massive) guitar-drums duo consisting of ex-members of Cavity (which at one point featured Juan & Steve of Torche), -16- (who reunited and dropped an LP this year), and Acid King (fun fact: Dale Crover's ex-wife Lori is on vox/guit). Black Cobra is two weeks away from touring Japan and Australia - full tour sched is below.

Speaking of bands that contained Juan Montoya and Steve Brooks of Torche, Floor recently announced that they will release their discography via Robotic Empire.

Disappearer recently dropped their new LP The Clearing for FREE DOWNLOAD. You should probably download that mammajamma.

Jebb Riley's other undertaking, Doomriders, recently made an audioplayer for Darkness Come Alive available here. That album drops 9/29 on Deathwish. The band has only one date on their calendar thus far, 9/26 in Allston, MA supporting Rorschach.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Pelican, Black Cobra & Disappearer - tour dates, MP3's, stuff "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Orcustus - "Asphyxiokenisis" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Subrig Destroyer - "God Of Furnace" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Disappearer - "A Skull Full Of Bats" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Roller - "Rattle Of The Shaman" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gnaw Their Tongues - "Rife with Deep Teeth Marks" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Velvet Cacoon - "Funeral Noir" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Arrows Of Filth & Impurity - "Damn, Girlfriend, That Napalm Exfoliates As It Burns" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Arrows Of Filth & Impurity - "If Shit Were Gold, The Poor Wouldn't Have Assholes" (MP3)

Orcustus

Orcustus, a vile and caustic black metal crew that at one point featured Infernus and Tormentor of Gorogoroth, have released their long-time-coming LP via Southern Lord. Try and choke back the vomit while you check out "Asphyxiokenisis" above, and pick up the LP here.

While we're on the BM tip, a misanthrope who released my second favorite record of last year, Leviathan, has dropped a new split entitled Sic luceat lux with Greek black metallers Acherontas. Pick it up at Zyklon-B Productions.

Converge is currently in the studio recording their new album, fingers perched with on twitter. Meanwhile, Nate of Converge dropped some details on the new Doomriders record, Darkness Come Alive, which he professes to be "not as [much of a] party record" and a "little more serious". More in an interview here.

Speaking of Doomriders, Boston's Disappearer (also featuring Jebb Riley) have released The Clearing on Magic Bullet Records in CD and 2LP formats. Pick it up here, and dig on the MP3 for "A Skull Full Of Bats" above!

20 Buck Spin is repressing one of their greatest releases, the Graves At Sea / Asunder split. Pick that up here.

Red Sparowes have announced that they will hit the studio in August to record their LP follow-up to Amorphisms EP. Follow Red Sparowes on Twitter.

UK doomers Moss have a new 10" EP, Tombs Of The Blind Drugged, due this month via Rise Above Records. Preorder info isn't available yet, but when it is, you can pick it up here.

Black Arrows of Filth & Impurity. I know, the name is kind of a mouthful... but the names of the bands that are associated with this death/grind/ambient crew are pretty common around these parts: Demiricous, The Dream Is Dead, and Racebannon. BAOFAI drop their new album 1984 (Eternal) on Gilead Media and are streaming four tracks at their myspace, but have dropped off "Damn, Girlfriend, That Napalm Exfoliates As It Burns" and "If Shit Were Gold, The Poor Wouldn't Have Assholes" above! Pick up 1984 (Eternal) here.

Call me a loyalist, but I had the feeling that after being somewhat disappointed by In The Absence Of Truth, Isis would come back as strong as ever. Make sure and check out Wavering Radiant on May 5th or now, if you are a record fiend or feel like streaming it all at their myspace. Look for Isis at Irving Plaza on June 2nd with Tombs & Pelican (tickets here), and check out the video for "Holy Tears" below!

That video, Subrig Destroyer, Beherit, Velvet Cacoon, sunn 0))), Nattefrost, and more, as This Week in Metal continues!

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (05/02/09)"