photos by BBG

Four stages and more. Fun Fun Fun Fest truly is non-stop fun of many varieties. BBG spent most of Friday at the Black Stage (the one Danzig headlined). His pictures, including Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Murder City Devils, Russian Circles and the afterparty at Red 7, continue below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 -- Day 1 in pics (part 1) -- Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Murder City Devils, Russian Circles & more"

by BBG

BrooklynVegan will return to Fun Fun Fun Fest this year and yes, we are hosting another bill of heavy music in Austin, Texas as part of the newly annointed Fun Fun Fun Nites (aka the afterparties)! The almost-fest-within-a-fest will feature some bands on FFF and others playing only the night shows, which run from the night before the fest (Thursday, 11/3) through the final night of the festival (Sunday, 11/6).

The BrooklynVegan show will go down at Red 7 on 11/4 over two stages with headliners Doomriders alongside From Ashes Rise, Phobia, Mammoth Grinder, and Mindless (ex-Hatred Surge) while the indoors will feature a headlining appearance from Powertrip with Touche Amore, Pianos Become Teeth, Dead End Path, and Miles Away. The show is all ages and FREE for FFF wristband holders.

Over the rest of the FFF Nites, bands like Ty Segall, Cold Cave, Glass Candy, Kool Keith, Trash Talk, Deafheaven, Russian Circles, Mates of State, Neon Indian, Purity Ring, Dom, Zero Boys, Death Grips, The Thermals, David Liebe Hart (who played 2 NYC shows yesterday), Toxic Holocaust, and many, many more will play the after-parties, all of which are listed below.

The actual fest schedule is HERE.

If you somehow don't have tickets to Fun Fun Fun Fest, then you are in luck! I have five pairs of THREE DAY PASSES (which includes all of the FFF Nites admissions) AND a Slayer prize pack to give away! In order to enter, you can try for a pair via the BrooklynVegan Faceboook (contest will be up soon), or you can follow the directions at the bottom of this post to try and win one of the other four pairs we have. Good luck!

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest is coming, afterparties too (WIN one of FIVE 3-day passes we're giving away!)"

photos by Markus Shaffer, words by BBG

Hull @ Mercury Lounge

Hull is currently on the road with The Fucking Wrath, and is also scheduled to play a Fun Fun Fun Fest Nite show in Austin with Toxic Holocaust and Pushmen at Red 7 on 11/3.

Hull have also been added to the previously mentioned Doomriders / Eyehategod show on December 4th at Europa with Knight Terror.

Hull recently played Mercury Lounge with Rwake as part of their Record Release celebration, and Union Pool as part of the Tee Pee CMJ Showcase. Time Out reports on CMJ:

By my count, my CMJ 2011 consisted of 13 metal sets. Not every one was great, but what impressed me overall was the willingness many of the bands displayed to cut across the genre's constrictive sub-borders. Locals Raspberry Bulbs and Tombs--whom I caught, respectively, at Saint Vitus on Tuesday and on Rock Off's East River-faring Jewel on Saturday--each drew on black metal; but while the former spiked the style with grimy punk, the latter took a more expansive and emotive path. Likewise, Norway's Kvelertak (who also played the Jewel) juxtaposed dire metalcore breakdowns with primitive, almost Queens of the Stone Age-ish rock & roll. Best of all, though, was Hull, a local quintet that toggled gracefully between doom and thrash stylings. On Friday night at Union Pool, the band's riffs, ground out by a trio of heavy-bearded six-stringers, rolled forth from the stage like massive boulders, and its stage presence oozed conviction; these were players who had clearly pored over everything from Sabbath to Mastodon, synthesizing their research into epic treatises on the nature of heavy. --Hank Shteamer

Continue reading "Hull played CMJ, added to Eyehategod show (here's a second set of pics from Mercury Lounge)"

by BBG

Eyehategod at Power of the Riff (more by Adam Murray)

Still no word on any new material, but Eyehategod will return to NYC on December 4th for a show at Europa with Doomriders, Knight Terror & more TBA. Tickets are on sale. The show is the band's only 2011 East Coast date thus far, but they have pair of shows scheduled at Sonar in Baltimore in 2012: A389 Anniversary and Maryland Deathfest.

They'll also be at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin in November. All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Eyehategod announce more shows, Europa again (dates)"

Slayer at Izod Center (photos by Samantha Marble)

Slayer, Thee Oh Sees, Public Enemy, Girls, Danzig Legacy, (Danzig + Doyle von Frankenstein playing Misfits, Samhain & Danzig), Hot Snakes, Diplo, Major Lazer, Henry Rollins, Ted Leo & The Phramacists, Spank Rock, Murder City Devils, Hum, Lykke Li, Passion Pit, Four Tet, Rakim, The Damned, Austra, Purity Ring, and Flynt Flossy are just a few of the acts announced today as part of the Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 lineup. Another amazing year! Check out the full lineup below and stay tuned for more announcements coming in August and September.

The new additions to the Austin, Texas festival, which takes place from 11/4 - 11/6, are in addition to the the previous "lineup leaks" that included Brian Posehn, Odd Future, Okkervil River, M83, X (performing "Los Angeles"), Reggie Watts, Flying Lotus, Tune-Yards, Ra Ra Riot, Kid Dynamite and others

2011 is the festival's sixth year, but first at its new home Auditorium Shores (no more Waterloo Park). Tickets are on sale now.

Slayer also has a NYC performance coming up with Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth as part of the "Big Four" show at Yankee Stadium on 9/14. Tickets are still available.

Fun Fun Fun 2011 flyer and almost-full lineup is below.

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 lineup (Danzig Legazy, Passion Pit, Slayer, Lykke Li, The Damned, Henry Rollins & much more)"

photos by Jonathan McPhail, words by BBG

Sweet Cobra had a helluva welcome at their very first NYC appearance on February 12th. A few short moments after the Chicago band took the Union Pool stage, the show sold out. It helped that they were the first band on a serious bill that included the heavyweight left-right punches of Thin-Lizzy-worshipping skate-punks Doomriders & dark-doom-lords Unearthly Trance.

The room was packed to the gills with moshpits breaking out during Unearthly Trance that were only later outdone by the crowdsurfing during Doomriders. More pictures and some videos from the incredible Saturday show are below.

Continue reading "Doomriders, Unearthly Trance & Sweet Cobra played Union Pool (pics & video)"

photos by Al Mojica, words by BBG

Scott Kelly @ Viper Room

Two greats of the heavy underground kicked off their unplugged tour together at The Viper Room in Los Angeles on Feb 5th (pictures from that show adorn this post). The trek is a short one. Wino and Scott Kelly (Neurosis) will play Baltimore's Sonar tonight (2/11) before closing up shop in NYC at Mercury Lounge on 2/12 with Man's Gin and Hunter of Liturgy. Tickets are still available or you can try your luck at winning a pair below.

If you're looking for something with a little bit more crunch, dont forget that Doomriders will team up with Sweet Cobra and Unearthly Trance to play Union Pool that same night. Though advanced tickets are no longer available, the show is not sold out. Doors are at 9PM and will cost you $12, or you can try to win one of two pairs below.

More pictures from the Viper Room in LA, which clearly show that the two greats collaborated on stage, and details on how to win tickets, below...

Continue reading "Scott Kelly & Wino on tour, Doomriders Saturday too (win tix)"

by BBG

Doomriders at Brooklyn Masonic Temple (more)

BrooklynVegan and 1000 Knives are proud to present Doomriders with Sweet Cobra and one more TBA at Union Pool in Brooklyn on February 12, 2011. Tickets are on sale.

Doomriders have kept a relatively low profile as of late, but recently opened for Sleep at Brooklyn Masonic Temple. The Union Pool date will be one of at least two they will play with Sweet Cobra who they are releasing a split 7" with via Hawthorne Street Records in March. Dates we know about so far are below.

Sweet Cobra recently dropped Mercy via Black Market Activities earlier this year, and will also play New Years Eve at Abbey Pub in their native Chicago with Pegboy. The band also recently finished ew songs for a split 7" with Get Rad.

The Brooklyn show flyer, all dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Doomriders & Sweet Cobra are playing Union Pool, other dates"

Sleep night 1 photos by Greg Cristman
A Storm of Light/Lichens by BBG, Sleep night 2 by Justina Villanueva

Sleep (by Justina Villanueva)

Sleep played their second and final show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Wednesday (9/8, first show was two days earlier), this time with an assist from A Storm of Light and Lichens. As with the previous night, support was fantastic though in much different ways. A Storm of Light featured Zohra Atash (Religious To Damn) on vocals, new drummer RJ from US Christmas, and Will Lindsay (Indian, Wolves In The Throne Room) on second guitar, which added tremendous depth to the already massive sound that the band has cultivated and on the PA at the Masonic Temple, it only sounded larger. Lichens followed, and although technical difficulties truncated Rob Lowe's set to a paltry 15+ minutes, his vocal and primitive synth harmonies were enthralling in those brief moments. Excellent set.

Thirty minutes earlier than the night before, Sleep launched into their set with the opening bars of "Dopesmoker".

Your primary document tonight is 1993's Sleep's Holy Mountain, a churning monolith wherein tunes like "Aquarian" change tempo and velocity in a real casual, nonchalant way, a nice balance of dirge and thrash, narcotics and histrionics. "Traveling toward the atomic sky!" Cisneros growls on "Inside the Sun," and verily you soon feel like you're standing in it yourself. (The Brooklyn Masonic Temple remains a fantastic place to hear these bands, your Sunn O)))s and Mastadons and Neuroses, thanks to the high ceilings, the grimy feel, the liberal approach to volume, the conservative approach to stage lighting, the words "Masonic" and "Temple.") The miniseries-length "From Beyond" is like a portable natural disaster, ebbing and flowing, a super-brooding trudge that powers down to a soft, almost gentle interlude (Roeder tapping cymbals with his bare hands) and then inevitably supernovas into an extinction-level event, with Pike's wildest and most eruptive solo of the night as punctuation. The cops didn't even bother showing up to gawk at this one, most likely because they were completely terrified. Their loss, your hearing loss. -[Village Voice]

Continue reading "Sleep played Brooklyn Masonic Temple again (pics) "

words & photos by BBG

Sleep @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple Monday night

Back before Boris and Sunn O))) took over the place, Sleep played their first of two NYC shows at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Monday night, Labor Day (9/6). Unearthly Trance and Doomriders opened the show, and the legendary stoner band will do it AGAIN TONIGHT (9/8), this time with different openers: Lichens and A Storm of Light. The show, which WAS sold out, will now have tickets available when doors open at 7PM TODAY.

Sleep's reunion tour so far also included shows at ATP NY and at FYF Fest out west.

Unearthly Trance's next NYC show is at Union Pool on 9/29 with Swedish doom destructors SUMA and NJ's Pharoah. The show is part of a short stint of dates for the duo and doubles as their record release party for the forthcoming V due on Relapse Records at the end of this month. Unearthly Trance and SUMA will share a collaborative EP on Throne Records in the coming months, not to be confused with their previous, and now sold-out, split 10".

If you miss them tonight, Lichens also have another show coming up soon:

Wednesday September 15th @ SHEA STADIUM

:: INTERNATIONALTAPES.COM & TODD P present:

:: Janka Nabay ----------------- solo
:::: Highlife -------------------- Doug Shaw, Social Registry records
:::::: Ali Kamiya Dit Ba aka Ali Baba -- from Mali, w/ Adrian Orange of Thanksgiving
:::::::: Lichens ------------------ Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe

:: special guests: CLOUDLAND CANYONS
:: International Tapes djs

| SHEA STADIUM |
20 Meadow St btwn Waterbury St & Bogart St | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Grand, G-Metropolitan | 8pm | all ages | $8
| MYSPACE |-- http://sheastadiumbk.blogspot.com

Continue reading "Sleep played Brooklyn (pics, setlist), do again (TONIGHT)"

by BBG

Matt Pike of Sleep, on stage with High On Fire (more by Markus Shaffer)

I get my fair share of emails, but lately the number regarding a single issue has trumped all others: the sold-out Sleep show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on 9/8. Unfortunately, those tickets are completely gone - relegated to the black market (not that I condone...). Luckily though, BrooklynVegan and Osiris Productions are proud to announce a SECOND show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on September 6th, this time with support from Doomriders and Unearthly Trance! Tickets are on sale.

The show takes place the same day that Young Widows, Helms Alee, and Marching Teeth will take on Cake Shop as part of a BrooklynVegan/1000 Knives event. Tickets are on sale.

It's not the first time that Matt Pike and the boys from Unearthly Trance have shared a stage. It also happened when High On Fire played Music Hall of Williamsburg in late July with Natur.

Current Sleep dates and tons of videos are below...

Continue reading "Sleep add a 2nd Brooklyn show (the 1st one is sold out) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Red Sparowes - "Giving Birth To Imagined Saviors" (MP3)

New band member. New sound. And just like an abbreviation of the first track on their last LP, the new Red Sparowes represents a "Great Leap Forward".

As expected, the LA band's recent addition of guitarist Emma Ruth Rundle and the amicable departure of Josh Graham has left a indelible mark on their upcoming LP, The Fear is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer. But it's not for the worse; soaring and heartbreaking melodies are still the primary (and fulfilled) objective and that achy-breaky pedal steel will still get you every time. In a nutshell, it's a Red Sparowes record, filled with expansive, emotional pieces like "Giving Birth To Imagined Saviors", downloadable above. Hanky not included.

Red Sparowes are scheduled to take the stage with Doomriders over two nights at Mercury Lounge: April 13 (tix) and April 14 (tix)

Full Red Sparowes dates and an album trailer are both below....

Continue reading "Red Sparowes (w/ new lineup) releasing new record (MP3)"

by BBG

Red Sparowes w/ Brendan Tobin of Made Out of Babies (more here)

Red Sparowes and Doomriders will team up for a pair of NYC dates at Mercury Lounge on April 13th (tix) and 14th (tix). Tickets go on sale at noon on Friday (2/5).

Red Sparowes will be another species of bird entirely, Mockingbirds, when the band support Imaad Wasif at LA's Spaceland on 2/4. Confused? Let the band explain:

For those of you in the Los Angeles area, we are playing a mostly-improvised set of songs this Thursday night, February 4th at Spaceland under the name Mockingbirds. This is not a set of Red Sparowes songs. There will be no visuals. It's just a chance for us to play around with some musical ideas. We'll have a special guest doing vocals on one song.

Doomriders have a few dates on their calendar as well, including a few with Skeletonwitch. All Doomriders dates are below. Meanwhile Nate Newton of Doomriders' other band, Converge, was recently mentioned in an interesting tweet/twitpic by Coalesce...

If this is a real tour, please someone kindly remove my jaw from the floor...

As pictured in the Fun Fun Fun fest pic on top, Brendan Tobin of Made Out of Babies occasionally fills in for Bryant Clifford Meyer (Isis) on guitar in Red Sparowes. MOoB will be at Union Pool with Unsane, United Nations, and Dark Vibe on 2/12 (a BV Presents prodiction). Tickets are still available, but get 'em now, this show WILL sell out.

All dates and that video below...

Continue reading "Red Sparowes (new LP soon) & Doomriders playing 2 NYC shows together & other dates"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Doomriders - "Lions" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Portal - "Omenknow" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Javelina - "Step Child" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Karma To Burn - Live at Lit Lounge 4/20/09 (Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: 20 Buck Spin Label Sampler (Mediafire, Zipped MP3 via)
DOWNLOAD: Kowloon Walled City - Gambling On The Richter Scale (Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Converge - "Axe To Fall" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Power Pellut - "Black Molly" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Skies - "Smoke and Mirrors" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Yoga - "Seventh Wind" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sleep - Live at ATP 5/9/09 (MP3)

Javelina @ the Northside BV-BBG Showcase (more by Jason Walker)

Alright! I get it. Doomriders rules. Revocation is up there. There's a new Converge and Baroness on the way. But even with all of those great releases, it suprises me that Javelina isn't near some of the top of those lists. The band's filthy debut was a monster and their new one, Beasts Among Sheep, only adds to their considerable reputation. If you are a fan of the last LP, this one is a must have. Dig on "Stepchild" above and preorder the limited edition LP version of Javelina's Beasts Among Sheep via Brutal Panda Records and the CD version via Translation Loss.

Speaking of that Doomriders album, Darkness Come Alive is out NOW via Deathwish Records. Though the party vibe that permeated through Black Thunder is mostly gone, it has been replaced by a propulsive punk rock fury and, at times, a Misfits-era Danzig croon (see "Come Alive")! There are quite a few killer moments on this long-player, but we present to you the most "fuck you" of them all, the galloping "Lions" downloadable above!

In our last round up, we shined a light on into the deepest fathoms of Australia and the truly frightening Portal. The band's claustrophobic and positively frightening new death metal LP, Swarth, relies as much on freak-out atmosphere as it does killer discordant riffery. Swarth is due out on 10/20 via Profound Lore and we have a second taste in the form of "Omenknow" above.
Misery Index have completed four new songs and are looking to enter the studio in early 2010 to record their follow up to Traitors! Stoked.

Iron Age @ Cake Shop (more by Jason Walker)

I still remember that kick ass Cake Shop show with Iron Age, Mind Eraser, and Sex Vid, and walking out of that show wanting more. Thankfully, I can add to those great memories with a PAIR of Iron Age shows in the coming weeks! First up, the rowdy Texans will team up with the great Mother of Mercy (profiled here) for a show at Cake Shop (10/16). The next day (10/17), look for the band to pull a double header with a day show at Generation Records and a night show at The Charleston with Brain Killer, Naam & Descender. Speaking of Mind Eraser, the band will team up with the kick ass Iron Lung for a string of east coast dates which will include Cake Shop on 11/8! Full Iron Age and Iron Lung dates are below.

Black Skies will release the limited edition vinyl from their 2008 EP Hexagon on I'm Better Than Everyone Else Records. The Chapel Hill doom trio is currently on the hunt for drummer #5, but not before blessing us with some seriously killer riffage in the form of "Smoke & Mirrors" above. Preorder Hexagon here.

Power Pellut is also releasing their debut LP via I'm Better than Everyone Else Records. Preorder that here and dig on "Black Betty" from that LP above!

Church of Misery will release a live record culled from their recent set at Roadburn 2009! More details are to come, but look for Burning World to do the honors in November/December of this year. In the meantime, dig on this killer live video from Roadburn 2009!

That video, news on Kowloon Walled City, Boris, Asphyx, Struck By Lightning, Ringworm, Repulsion and more!

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (09/30/09)"

by Black Bubblegum

Charles Maggio of Rorschach

June 1993 at ABC No Rio with Assuck & Scrog.

That's the last time that the mighty Rorschach blessed NYC. The band called it quits shortly after, splintering into projects like Gern Blandsten Records, Beautiful Skin, Deadguy, Kiss It Goodbye, and tons more, but those great successes only highlighted an undeniable fact: Rorschach were innovative and before their time.

After deciding to reunite earlier this year in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Remain Sedate LP, Rorschach announced a short east coast tour. The band is currently in the midst of that tour, which impacts Asbury Park in their native New Jersey tonight (9/24) and Santos Party House TOMORROW (9/25, tix here).

We spoke with the mighty Charles Maggio (Vocals, owner Gern Blandsten Records) to get to the bottom of the reunion and what we can expect going forward....

Continue reading "an interview w/ Charles Maggio of Rorschach (who are in the middle of their short run of reunion dates)"

words and photos by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Moutheater - "Swallowed Whole" (MP3)

Doomriders

While I managed to catch most of the "North America is Doomed" show on 8/9, I did scoot over to Union Pool just in time for the mighty Doomriders and Converge-related breathren/new Deathwish signees Acid Tiger. That means that I missed Moutheater (mems-Jesuit) as well as I Hate Our Freedom (mems-Pilot To Gunner, Milhouse).

Fortunately, I was able to catch up with the Moutheater guys prior to Acid Tiger, picking up a copy of their newest LP, Ornament. This noise-crust-core band's long-player sits comfortably in a groove between the Albini-produced greats of yore (Jesus Lizard, Neurosis, Shellac, et al) and in fact, Mr Albini lent his considerable weight to the band's debut 7", Lot Lizard. That LP is out now via Thrashed Records, and you can grab a hold of an MP3 from it above!

Acid Tiger is cut from a similar cloth as Doomriders. Featuring Ben Koller of Converge on drums, the band's vaguely hardcore, vaguely sludge, vaguely punk chug carries less of the party vibe that ran through the center of Black Thunder, but a good portion of the power. Besides the catchy riffs, J Rattlesnake is a riveting frontman and Acid Tiger has the energy to make their debut worth a listen.

New Doomriders material seemed to be the focus of the show on Sunday, and from the sound of it, their upcoming LP Darkness Comes Alive will be less "the soundtrack to chugging beers" and more "the soundtrack to smashing a bottle over another man's head". Great set as usual from this foursome, who closed with "Black Thunder" which ignited a mosh pit (in Union Pool!) but... GUYS! Whats up with being more amazing on Sunday than you were at Europa? Gr.

Converge will join Mastodon, High On Fire, and Dethklok at Hammerstein Ballroom on 10/30. The band's new LP, Axe To Fall, is due via Epitaph on 10/20.

More Union Pool pics below...

Continue reading "Doomriders & Acid Tiger played Union Pool (pics)"

by Black Bubblegum

Saviours at Union Pool (more by Paul Birman)

Saviours have been added to all three previously announced Saint Vitus dates, which include Europa on 10/16 (tix). In addition, the band will play Summerstage for FREE on Aug 16th with Dinosaur Jr and The Walkmen.

Saviours have also jumped on the previously discussed Kylesa tour, replacing Doomriders who can't make it due to Nate Newton's commitments with Converge (meaning, their impending tour with Mastodon & High On Fire):

"We've gotten alot of messages regarding our dropping off of the Kylesa tour and yes....unfortuately the news is true. Due to scheduling issues between Doomriders and Nate's other band, Converge, we had to pull out of the tour. Our deepest apologies go out to our friends in Kylesa, and also to anyone who had planned on coming to see us play on the tour. We love Kylesa, and we love our brothers in Saviours who have taken our spot on the tour and encourage everyone to go to these shows and have a blast! It's going to be a great tour and we're all very sad that we won't be a part of it. We will hopefully be announcing some exciting tour plans for later in the year very soon. We're sorry everyone! We'll see you next time!" -[Lambgoat]

Continue reading "Saviours added to Saint Vitus shows, replace Doomriders on Kylesa tour (because Converge is touring w/ Mastodon)"

by Black Bubblegum

Doomriders @ Europa (more by Kason Walker)

August 9th isnt even here yet, and now we have a second Doomriders show to look forward to in the coming months. They're scheduled to play with Kylesa, Red Fang, Tournament, and Bison BC at Santos Party House on Oct 19th (a date that is awfully close to CMJ 2009). Stoked!

UPDATE: The lineup of this show is unconfirmed, and will not include Kylesa who reportedly "pulled all their East Coast dates". Stay tuned.

NYC's Tournament recently dropped their new LP, Years Old, on Forcefield Records and, as usual, these tireless punks have a few other NYC dates on their schedule including August 16th at Union Pool with Night Horse & Orphan, as well as August 21 at The Charleston with Cannabis Corpse.

Doomriders recently announced the release date for their new LP, Darkness Come Alive.

Kylesa is scheduled to play Oya in Oslo on August 12th, as well as the Planet Caravan Festival with Wino, Pentagram, and Yob.

Red Fang are currently "in the basement cranking out new songs" to follow up their self-titled LP from earlier this year.

Bison BC is currently on tour with Lazarus AD and Woe of Tyrants. Full tour dates for them, Red Fang, and Tournament are below...

Continue reading "a Doomriders show @ Santos ++ other tour dates"

by Black Bubblegum

Jebb Riley of Doomriders (& Disappearer) on stage at the BV-BBG Showcase during the Northside Festival (more by Jason Walker)

Though Doomriders are directly responsible for throbbing neck pains due to the head-nodding whiplash incurred on June 14th at the BV-BBG showcase, the band is determined to punish the tri-state further when they hit the road for a handful of dates including Union Pool on August 9th. Along for the ride are recent Deathwish signees Acid Tiger (featuring Ben Koller of Converge), Moutheather (featuring Nate Newton's bandmate in Jesuit, Brett Mathews), and I Hate Our Freedom (who are also scheduled to play Mercury Lounge with errortype:11). Full tour dates are below.

Meanwhile, bassist Jebb Riley of Doomriders' other project, Disappearer, have recently made their new LP The Clearing available for free download (much like their last EP). Disappearer are scheduled to support the reunited Cave In at their reunion show THIS WEEKEND in Allston, MA (7/19). More on Disappearer here.

Sourvein also played the BV-BBG show at Europa, and will be at Union Pool in the coming weeks as well.

Continue reading "Doomriders announce a few shows (including 1 in Brooklyn)"

photos by Jason Walker, words by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Pollution - "Tiny Black Burns" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Unearthly Trance - "Diseased" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Defeatist - "Isolation Tactics" (MP3)

Unearthly Trance

Call me greedy, but when I recently posted the Show No Mercy/BV-BBG lineup of Keelhaul, Minsk, and STATS, followed by that lonely "+1 TBA"... I got a little sad. Why just one? Luckily, Brandon Stosuy & I (we came up with the lineup together) were on the same page, so that +1 TBA is now +2, AND we are proud to announce the addition of Unearthly Trance and Defeatist to the August 2nd lineup at Public Assembly!

Defeatist, which contains members of the much lamented Anodyne (with Mike Hill of Tombs), recently dropped Sharp Blade Sinks Deep Into Dull Minds on Willowtip. The LP is actually a compilation of previously released EPs and splits that will have to sate us while we await the arrival of Sixth Extinction, featuring 19 new tracks recorded by Colin Marston. The band is scheduled to take on the destructive Texas duo of Mammoth Grinder (who we profiled here) and Hatred Surge (who I loved at SXSW) on July 17th at The Charleston.

Unearthly Trance recently played the BV-BBG bash at Europa, and are scheduled to take on Lit Lounge on Monday (7/13) with the mighty Harpoon, one of two dates for Harpoon (they headline The Charleston on 7/14). Full Unearthly Trance & Harpoon dates are below.

In possibly related news, Pollution, a band that may or may not contain members of Unearthly Trance and/or Villains, has been added to the kick-ass Harvey Milk/Torche shindig at Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 26. Tickets are still available. The band is also scheduled to play Don Pedro's on Saturday (7/11) with The Choke and Bukkake Boys. Pollution dropped the nasty.DNA cassette, which will reportedly surface on LP via Feast of Tentacles. Check out "Tiny Black Burns" from that release above. Feast of Tentacles is responsible for the recent 2LP of another fave, Cough.

More pics and some thoughts on Unearthly Trance, Cough, Howl, Javelina, Doomriders, Sourvein, and Clouds at the BV-BBG at Europa on 6/14, as well as tour dates for Pollution and Harpoon are below....

Continue reading "bands added to BBG Show No Mercy show (@ Pub Assembly), more pics from the BBG show @ Europa (Northside Fest)"

by Black Bubblegum

Wetnurse in front of the downstairs bar @ Europa last night (Sunday, June 14, 2009)

A sincere thanks goes out to all that attended, supported, or otherwise big-upped last night's (6/14) BV-BBG Showcase at Europa (part of the first-ever Northside Festival). Special shouts go to the out-of-towners (Doomriders, Clouds, Javelina, Howl, Cough, Sourvein) and the mighty Unearthly Trance for filling in for the fallen Zoroaster at the last minute. More pics will be up soon, but until then, here are a few videos from the show of Doomriders performing three new songs, as well as the classic "Black Thunder" courtesy of our peeps at MetalInjection...

Continue reading "BV-BBG took over Europa last night - live Doomriders videos & thanks to all"

by Black Bubblegum

Nate Newton of Doomriders, mean-muggin' (photo by Cerebus Photography)

With supreme f'n excitement, we are pleased to announce the Official BrooklynVegan-BBG Showcase on June 14th at Club Europa as part of the inaugural Northside Festival! Hide your wallet, lock up your daughter, and scoot on down for the following lineup of miscreants, rapscallions, and ne'erdowells:

* Doomriders
* Zoroaster
* Clouds
* Sourvein
* Javelina
* Cough
* Howl
* Wetnurse
* and more TBA!

Stokeage! Tickets are only $12 and go on sale Wednesday 5/20. You can also get in with a Northside Festival badge.

Note: you won't find The Tallest Man On Earth at Europa on 6/14 (you'll find him at MHOW two days earlier at the first BV Northside showcase), but you may find some of the loudest (men on earth).

Doomriders recently completed recording their new album Darkness Come Alive due this summer via Deathwish. Europa is one of three shows that the band has scheduled so far, and the only NYC area date.

Zoroaster are touring off of their new album Voice of Saturn, and playing a string of dates with Mouth Of The Architect, followed by some dates this summer with Serpentcult and The Gates Of Slumber.

Doomriders, Zoroaster, and Sourvein tour dates, as well as a Zoroaster video from their last trip to Europa, below...

Continue reading "BV-BBG Northside Fest showcase announcement (Doomriders, Zoroaster, Clouds & more metal) "

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)"

by Black Bubblegum

Don Caballero

Don Caballero have announced a new set of dates including four NYC-area shows: Dec 6th at The Polish Club in Poughkeepsie (with Casket Architects), Dec 7th at Maxwell's with their Relapse labelmates Tombs (tickets here), Dec 8th @ Europa, and Dec 9th in New Haven at Cafe Nine. The band is currently scooting around Europe promoting their new record Punkgasm, out now on Relapse. Full Don Cab tour dates are below.

In other Tombs news, the band posted the song "Gossamer" to their myspace (from their upcoming record Winter Hours due in 2009), started a blog named after a Black Flag record (thats my guess), added a KICK ass drummer, will share the stage with Doomriders at Union Pool on 12/20 (just in time for Christmas!) and have a new split LP with badasses Planks.

Tombs also recently played CMJ, and MetalInjection has the video to prove it. You can watch them below..

Casket Architects recently played the Beasts Of The East Fest with Harvey Milk and Bison BC (Bison BC pics here).

Dates and videos below....

Continue reading "Don Caballero & Tombs - a show together & other Tour Dates"

DOWNLOAD: Cynic - "Integral Birth" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Darkthrone - "Hiking Metal Punks" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Architect - Death & Taxes (Rough Mix) (MP3)

Cynic

We kick things off with the reunited prog-death of Cynic and their new record, Traced In Air, due on Season of Mist on Oct 28th. Traced In Air is Cynic's first album in 15 years, since the release of the now cult classic Focus. Comprised of founders Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert, both members of the legendary Human-era Death members, "Integral Birth" (downloadable above) is the first song to emerge from Traced In Air. Metalkult has posted a pretty extensive interview with Paul of Cynic.

Darkthrone have posted a new song from their upcoming album Dark Thrones and Black Flags, due Oct 20th on Peaceville. The record will be released on three formats: a regular edition in jewel case, a vinyl edition, and a special edition in a slipcased jewel case package with exclusive new video footage. Check out "Hiking Metal Punks" available for download above and head on over to their mini-site to stream two others!

Keelhaul have announced a handful of midwest & southern dates, though no NYC dates so far. The band is currently working on new material for a new record, the follow up to 2006's massive Subject To Change Without Notice, "and quite possibly a dvd". No word as to the details of when that record would emerge but when pressed, the band offered that they "are old & slow".

YOB, who recently reformed, have signed to Profound Lore and added a new bass player Aaron Reiseberg.

Doomriders

Doomriders & Disfear will team up for a split seven-inch available via Deathwish Records. A "Tour Edition" of the split will be available from the bands during their upcoming European tour with SSS, but the rest of us will have to wait for the preorder. Doomriders have a new album due next year.

As we discussed before, Neurosis is curating the "Beyond The Pale" event at Roadburn 2009, and last week they announced four of those bands... The Young Gods, Guapo, Akimbo, and US Christmas.

The Roadburn Flyer, Brutal Truth, The Gates Of Slumber, Gojira, YOB, and more as The Week In Metal continues....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (10/09/08)"