by BBG

Seven Sisters of Sleep at A389 2011 (more by BBG)

Seven Sisters of Sleep (mems Tafkata) are two for two with releases in 2011, dropping both their excellent debut and their similarly crushing split with Children of God this year. Get both at A389. Though no full East Coast trek has been planned, Seven Sisters of Sleep will join the great All Pigs Must Die, labelmates Low Places, and NYC's Grudges for an NYC date at Acheron on 1/20, just a few days after the always awesome A389 Anniversary show at Sonar in Baltimore with Eyehategod, Gehenna, and many others.

All Pigs Must Die was recently given an "honorable mention" in Pitchfork's top metal of 2011 list (though no shout out for Seven Sisters of Sleep). Check out the full list, along with some streaming APMD material and a few videos below...

Continue reading "Pitchfork lists the best metal of 2011, All Pigs Must Die & Seven Sisters of Sleep schedule a Brooklyn show"

by BBG

John Cobbett, always METAL.

Ludicra's current tour (which impacts NYC on 4/18 at Europa with Krallice, Castevet, and Atakke - tix) is dubbed the Decancellation Tour in honor of their desire to soldier on post Mayhem's cancellation. And even though adversity has again reared it's ugly head, Ludicra is soldiering on...

As the tour began, the second day in the tour, guitarist John Cobbett (also the mastermind in HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE of course) felt a pain in his stomach/abdominal area and it was revealed he had appendicitis and that his appendix had burst, along with having an abscess growing inside his body which, in a weird twist of fate, actually helped him. Prior to the tour, before the Pentagram show in SF which LUDICRA recently played, Cobbett felt the symptoms of such a sickness and went to get checked out. Even though he went to get checked out though, the ever reliable and helpful (sarcasm) doctors at San Francisco General Hospital simply dismissed it and told Cobbett there was nothing wrong with him.

So in Olympia WA, Cobbett had to be rushed to the emergency room to be tendered to. He is currently still in the hospital in Olympia and is awaiting word on the doctors of when he can re-join his band mates and is recovering really quickly. - Ludicra

The band's message continued below...

Continue reading "John Cobbett is in the hospital, but the Ludicra tour goes on (and Hammers of Misfortune sign to Metal Blade)"

words and photos by BBG

Laurie & John of Ludicra!

This sounds like a highly appropriate tweet from guitar great John Cobbett:

just spent approx 12 hours working on one riff. It divided like a fractal into 4 riffs, an intro and a multi-part verse. fascinating eh?

Though I can't guarantee it, there's a good chance that Cobbett was referring to riffs written for Bay-Area black metal greats Ludicra, who have announced completion of their new LP The Tenant due in March 2010 via Profound Lore!

The Tenant will be the band's first LP since 2006's Fex Urbis Lex Orbus, a record that I still go back to from time to time. Highly recommended. In August, Ludicra descended upon NYC with Hammers of Misfortune, Ludicra, Villains, and Liturgy for their first EVER appearance in their ten+ year history. After hearing my west coast brethren rave on about their outstanding live show, it felt like a big sigh of relief to finally catch the Bay Area black metal band in action.

Ludicra vocalist Laurie is a very watchable front-woman with amazing vocal prowess; her powerful screeching bellows were just as impressive live as they are on LP. Searing/soaring solos by John Cobbett, killer fills from Aesop Dekker (Agalloch), and Ross Sewage (also of Impaled, Ghoul, ex-Wolves In The Throne Room, etc) laying down the low end added to the unbelievable performance from the Ludicra. Fantastic show, but eleven years from existence to NYC appearance is unacceptable! Here's to hoping the band hits the road again in celebration of the new LP.

Guitarist John Cobbett of Ludicra is also one of the masterminds behind Hammers of Misfortune, a prog-power-folk metal band that released the double LP Fields / Church Of Broken Glass. "Prog-power-folk metal" is usually not my cup o' tea unless it was timestamped 20+ years ago, but Hammers of Misfortune is one of those rare exceptions. Majestic, powerful, and plush with memorable twin guitar riffage from Cobbett and ex-Pansy Division-er Patrick Goodwin, melodic passages were just as compelling and anchored by vocalist/keyboardist/Amber Asylum contributor Sigrid Sheie (check out an AA MP3 here) and vocalist Jesse Quattro. The occasion marked Hammers of Misfortune's second NYC appearance, and the performance was brief (30ish minutes?) but powerful nontheless.

Local faves Villains and Liturgy opened the night with a predictably awesome sets from both. Villains are currently gearing up to play the Nuclear War Now! Fest this weekend in Berlin along with faves like Bone Awl, Revenge, Dead Congregation, Abigail, and many esteemed others. For more on that fest, head to NWN.

Liturgy are scheduled to play two big shows this weekend: Union Pool this Friday (11/13) with Krallice, Malkuth and Orphan and the BV sponsored Shrinebuilder / Rwake on Sunday at LPR (11/15, tix). Both shows are part of a killer week of shows that includes TWO BV shows: Dark Castle / The Atlas Moth / Wetnurse / Tiger Flowers at Union Pool on 11/17 and a Special Guest (Southern Lord), Javelina, Black Tusk, and Batillus on 11/18 at The Charleston in conjunction with Chronic Youth.

More pictures of Ludicra guitarist Christy Cather's mic/beer stand, as well as pics of her and her band, as well as Villains, and Hammers of Misfortune, below...

Continue reading "Ludicra announced new LP, played NYC in August w/ Hammers of Misfortune & Villains (pics)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Hammers Of Misfortune - "Rats Assembly" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hammers Of Misfortune - "Church of Broken Glass" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ludicra - "One Thousand Wolves" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ludicra - "In The Greeenest Maze" (MP3)

Hammers of Misfortune

Bay Area metal staples and two sides of the John Cobbett coin, prog-power-metal gods Hammers of Misfortune and blackened killers Ludicra, are hitting the road in August. On the EAST COAST. That's right, the pair have lined up an East Coast tour in August including an NYC date, August 11th, at Santos Party House! Ticket info is forthcoming, as well as (we hear) more dates as well.

Hammers of Misfortune dropped their double LP, Fields / Church Of Broken Glass, via Profound Lore/20 Buck Spin in the tail end of 2008. Ludicra's last release was 2006's Fex Urbis, Lex Orbis on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles imprint.

John Cobbett, formerly of Slough Feg, has also contributed to Amber Asylum. Ampber Asylum has a new LP and recently dropped a new MP3.

Dates below....

Continue reading "Hammers of Misfortune & Ludicra - 2009 Tour Dates & MP3s"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Morne - "Machine" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hey Colossus - "Tight Collar" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hammers Of Misfortune - "Rats Assembly" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hammers Of Misfortune - "Church of Broken Glass" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grails - "Reincarnation Blues" (MP3)

MORNE (members of Grief)

Influential doomers Grief are back from the dead! This time, the band have lined up a show in Baltimore (@ The Nowarehouse on 10/24) and Philly (@ The Khyber Pass on 10/25 with Black Cobra) in preparation for a European tour with the mighty Trap Them (European tour dates forthcoming). Meanwhile, guitarist/vocalist Jeff Hayward (formerly of the equally menacing Disrupt) is touring with his new band, the oh-so-crusty Morne, who are poised to attack the east coast and as far as Minneapolis during a ten-city tour (dates below) including one date at Cake Shop on Sept 28th with Attake, Cop On Fire, and Lost Cause. Morne will be promoting their recently released demo (out now) and the band was kind enough to drop a taste here! Check out "Machine" downloadable above, and check them out on tour.

Earth have added a few shows including a date at Columbia University (10/17), another at Wesleyan University (10/18), and a date at Union Pool (10/14), in addition to the previously announced date at the Knitting Factory with Arbouretum (10/19, tickets here).

Pelican announced a show at the Bowery Ballroom on 11/2 and some other tour dates.

From The Nursery Records, current home of locals Orphan, will drop 12" of Melvins tracks recorded during the Nude With Boots sessions. Look for it hopefully by the end of this year.

Jarboe, Dillinger Escape Plan, Hammers of Misfortune, Nachtmystium, Hellshock, Landmine Marathon and more below...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (09/05/08) "