by Fred Pessaro // BBG

United Nations at Union Pool, Feb 2010 (more by Paul Birman)

United Nations, the shrouded supercrew containing vocalist Geoff Rickly at the helm, are playing shows in middle January, including one at Saint Vitus on January 18 with support from Brooklyn crews Primitive Weapons, Descender, and Black Clouds. Tickets are on sale. Look for the rest of UN to be comprised of Ben Koller (Converge), Lukas Previn (Thursday, Regents), and Jim Carroll (The Hope Conspiracy).

In related news, The Hope Conspiracy have stepped out of hiding to announce work on new material. No details on said material or when/where it will emerge yet.

Also, Descender will join Ghostlimb and Old Wounds at Precious Metal on Monday (January 7). The show will be one of the final PM events, and will feature yours truly (Fred Pessaro, BBG) on DJ duties.

More United Nations tour dates and some streams are below.

Continue reading "United Nations are back, touring East Coast (dates); Hope Conspiracy working on new material"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

My best guess is that you'd probably call Bay Area band Comadre's sound an offshoot of screamo, but that dirty word is far from fitting for a band this adventurous. On their fourth and self-titled effort, due via Vitriol Records in January 2013, the band mixes bits of emotional hardcore with post-punk, Murder City Devils-style punk-n-roll, and all manner of rocking to come up with tracks like "Cold Rain", "Summercide" and the latest to slip out of the gate, "King Worm," which makes its debut here. Order yours via the label and stream it below, along with a few other tracks and live video.

Don't forget, Vitriol's Ghostlimb will play one of the last Precious Metal shows ever on January 7 at Lit Lounge, alongside The Year is One, new addition Old Wounds (who last played NYC with Gaza) and myself, Fred Pessaro, on the wheels of steel.

Streams are below...

Continue reading "Comadre welcomes new album (stream some tracks)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Black Breath at Precious Metal, May 2009 (more by Paul Birman)

I can't tell you how many great bands I have seen over the years at Precious Metal at NYC club Lit Lounge on Mondays. The series, curated by Wetnurse/Today is the Day member Curran Reynolds, is responsible not only for the first appearances from some favorite bands but also many many personal friendships forged in that dingy basement. Now after more than six years as a series, Precious Metal is coming to an end:

Friends, I am proud to announce the Grand Finale of Precious Metal. After 6.66 years and over 300 events, the series I started in May of 2006 will come to an end on January 21, 2013.

We had a good run! Monday after Monday, we brought all sorts of heaviness from across the city and around the globe (Iceland, Italy, Australia...) into the den of Downtown grime and glamour that is Lit. These forces combined and added up to something special. I like to think we played a part in the resurgence of a New York City metal scene, one which now looks stronger than ever.

Upcoming events at Precious Metal include this Monday (12/17) with Tiger Flowers, Meek is Murder, I am Heresy and Black Table;  January 7 with Ghostlimb & The Year is One and yours truly on DJ duties; January 14 with Jar'd Loose, Gentlemen, End it and DJ Mike SOS; and the finale on January 21, a benefit for South Sound featuring Hivesmasher, Fashion Week, Flaming Tusk, SOS and DJ Zeena Koda. Make sure and get to the shows and wave goodbye to metal in the Lit Lounge basement. It will be missed.

Head below for the full statement on the end of Precious Metal NYC.

Continue reading "'Precious Metal' at NYC's Lit Lounge coming to an end in January with South Sound benefit"

Ghostlimb features Justin Smith, the deviated mind that brought you the "cinematic grind" favorites like the Destination Time trilogy, Los Angeles and the engineering achievement that is Graf Orlock's Doombox EP. But Ghostlimb is an entirely different animal. While both practice in skewed hardcore, Ghostlimb eschews humor in favor of a more focused brutality and more straight-ahead punk rock on Confluence, the follow-up to Infrastructure which ill be out via Vitriol Records on July 10th.

Ghostlimb's latest LP spans a taut 23 minutes over twelve tracks, four of which are streaming below -- including "Canidae", which makes its first appearance here. Head below for a stream of the tracks, lyrics to "Canidae," and Justin Smith's interpretation of the song.

While Ghostlimb currently have no tour dates, Graf Orlock does as part of a European tour. A listing of all of those dates, the song streams, lyrics and interpretation are below.

Continue reading "Ghostlimb readies 'Confluence' (stream new tracks)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Ghostlimb - "Construction" (MP3)

Justin Smith (or is it Jason Schmidt?) is a bit of a hardcore virtuoso. He writes fist-pumping riffs for Dangers, mixes comedy with brutality in Graf Orlock, and writes thought-provoking lyrics that aren't just to accompany the "mosh parts" on the latest Ghostlimb.

Smith is also head puppet-master of Vitriol Records, and is readying the release of Infrastructure, the new LP from Ghostlimb on April 4th. Following recent splits with Perth Express/Zann and Fischer, Infrastructure is the band's first long-player in more than two years and dabbles in post-hardcore while keeping the ferocity of 2008's Bearing & Distance. Check out "Construction" which makes its first appearance here. Download it above or stream it below.

Ghostlimb's Infrastructure is currently up for presale in two different vinyl colorways, silver and black. The packaging isn't quite the engineering marvel that was the last Graf Orlock, but with these riffs... who cares.

That song stream, the album art and the tracklist is below.

Continue reading "Ghostlimb releasing 'Infrastructure' (new song premiere)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Dangers - "I'll Clap When I'm Impressed" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dangers - "Under The Affluence" (MP3)

Justin Smith is a knowing and smirky smartass in Graf Orlock , but besides serving as a member of the perennial cinefreak grinders as well as the comparatively more straight-faced Ghostlimb, the guitarist also has the fires burning for another venture, Dangers.

The first Dangers LP Anger crash-landed in 2006 (stream it) and four years the later the band is preparing to unleash their second LP, Messy Isn't It (pictured above). Names after a suicide note by writer Richard Brautigan, Justin Smith will release the record via his own Vitriol Records imprint. Pre order that record now. Dangers recently dropped "Under The Affluence" at Decibel and have dropped a second track called "I'll Clap When I'm Impressed". Get both above.

In addition, download both the Dangers self-titled EP, as well as their demo for free.

Dangers isn't currently touring, but both Graf Orlock and Ghostlimb are.... in Japan. Their tour dates, as well as a few videos are below...

Continue reading "Dangers releasing new album (MP3)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Minsk - White Wings from The Ritual Fires Of Abandonment (mp3)
DOWNLOAD: The Ocean - Eoarchaean from Precambrian (Link to mp3)

The Ocean live in Milan, Nov 4, 2007 (nerochiaro)

Deutchlanders The Ocean have announced a date (May 26) at the Knitting Factory in NYC with Kylesa, AND Lair Of The Minotaur! New Prostethic signees Withered will also be on hand to start off the night. Tickets are on sale. No word on a full tour, but there is one in the works. The Ocean is currently in Europe with Trap Them. Lair Of The Minotaur have a new album out March 25th.

Illinois' Nachtmystium have released details on their new LP... and EP! Yepper, thats a double whammy from the Chicago dudes with the killer "Instinct". Check out the new song "Your True Enemy" from full-length Assassins and "Depravity" from their Worldfall e.p. at their myspace.

One group heavily influenced by the newly reformed Amebix (along with Hellhammer/early Celtic Frost) is Gallhammer, who have released the limited edition gatefold 2LP of last year's triumphant Ill Innocence. Pick that up at Peaceville and look for the recently announced DVD for "Ruin Of A Church", documenting their 2007 tour with production/audio mix by Justin Broadrick.

Don't miss the pre-sale for the recently-announced At The Gates reunion tour dates.

Much more below.....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (03/10/08)"