J Mascis with Dinosaur Jr at Coachella (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

One of the best things about summer is all of the free live music, and one of the great series in NYC is Union Pool's Summer Thunder! This year the series is even bigger, going every weekend from early June until September. The shows begin at 2PM, are 21+, and will feature drink specials all afternoon. The shows are FREE, and two of them are presented by BrooklynVegan and Invisible Oranges respectively.

Summer Thunder kicks off the season on June 1 with Rocksteady Yeti DJ Crew. BrooklynVegan will present the second Summer Thunder event set for June 8 featuring Heavy Blanket (featuring J Mascis) and Love as Laughter. Invisible Oranges will present the June 15 Summer Thunder, with Inter Arma and more TBA.

Heavy Blanket released their self-titled debut last year on Outer Battery Records and you can stream that below. Love is Laughter also play Shea Stadium on Saturday (5/18) with Starlight Girls, Honduras, Birthdays and more.

More details on the rest of June's lineup of Summer Thunder, including shows with Jonny Fritz (aka Jonny Corndawg), Endless Boogie and more, is below. See you there!

Continue reading "Union Pool free Summer Thunder June 2013 show lineup (BV show w/ Heavy Blanket, IO show w/ Inter Arma & more)"

Putting a bird in your ear: Torche 7" art

More sunny sludge from Torche, who have released the new track "Keep Up," which will be found on the fothcoming Volcom Entertainment Vinyl Club 7. Stream it below and look for the 7" to surface in physical form in July.

As mentioned, Torche will perform at 285 Kent on June 14 with Lo-Pan, KEN Mode and Inter Arma as part of an Invisible Oranges presented Northside showcase. Tickets are still available or you can try and get in with your Northside badge.

Continue reading "Torche ready new 7" (stream a track)"

Torche at Saint Vitus in March (more by Harriet Roberts)

Invisible Oranges have announced their inaugural Northside Festival showcase for June 14 at 285 Kent. The punk venue will return headliners Torche back to their roots, and they'll be joined by stellar support from KEN Mode, Lo-Pan and Inter Arma! Tickets are on sale or you can get in with your Northside badge The show is a stop on Torche and KEN Mode's tour, dates of which are listed below.

Additionally, keep your eyes peeled for an announcement regarding a day show on June 15 at a space TBA. Promises to be a rager. In the meantime, check out a Torche video below.

Continue reading "Torche & KEN Mode announce US tour, playing IO Northside showcase with Lo-Pan and Inter Arma"

One of the most eclectic lineups in the US, Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh, NC, will be back for 2013 on September 5 -7. Pulling from all genres, this year's line-up includes names like Big Boi (who plays NYC tonight), Spiritualized, Sleep, Wolf Eyes (who have a new video), The Breeders (performing Last Splash), John Cale, Kurt Vile & the Violators, Gorguts, Inter Arma (who play NYC on Saturday), Double Negative (who played NYC this past weekend), Swearin' (them too), Pissed Jeans, Dan Friel, Waxahatchee and many many others. Three-day wristbands are on sale now with individual day tickets going on sale in June. Full lineup is below.

Continue reading "Hopscotch announces 2013 lineup (Big Boi, Sleep, Spiritualized, Kurt Vile, Wolf Eyes, John Cale, more)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Batillus at the InvisibleOranges day party, SXSW 2013 (more by Greg Cristman)

After finishing up a string of Invisible Oranges-sponsored dates with Mutilation Rites (who play with Black Breath this weekend), sludgy-doom crew Inter Arma will head back out on the road for a set of dates with thrashy Richmond crew, Earthling. The dates include stops along the Northeast, including NYC for a show at Public Assembly on April 27. Tickets are on sale.

The show will also double as a record release party for the mighty Batillus, who is celebrating the release of their new album Concrete Sustain. The band recent toured the US on the strength of the new LP, and both Batillus and Inter Arma played the Invisible Oranges day party at The Jr while on their respective tours (pics here).

As discussed, Inter Arma will play Scion Rock Fest in Memphis this year, and have been added to the previously discussed bill featuring Intronaut and Mouth of the Architect at Saint Vitus on June 15 (tickets).

Tour dates  are listed, along with related album streams, below.

Continue reading "Inter Arma & Earthling announce East Coast dates, add Batillus record release show"

White Fence

As mentioned, White Fence's new album, Cyclops Reap, is out this week on John Dwyer's Castle Face label. Tim Presley doesn't seem to be running out of songs and this is another quality batch of paisley-scented psychedelia. You can stream "To The Boy I Jumped In The Hemlock Alley" below and hear the whole record over at Pitchfork.

White Fence will be in Brooklyn for the Northside Festival in June, playing two shows: the Panache showcase at Brooklyn Bowl on June 13 and then a late show at Knitting Factory on June 14. Tickets to the Knitting Factory show are on sale now; no word on Brooklyn Bowl tickets just yet.

The whole Panache showcase line-up is still forthcoming but we do know its being headlined by Mac DeMarco and we have updated dates for him below as well.

These are just a couple of the additions to the 2013 Northside line-up that includes that free Walkmen show in McCarren Park. Other new additions, Kylesa, Torche, Sonny & the Sunsets, Nü Sensae, Kisses, The Luyas and more. Northside line-up as it stands now is below.

Continue reading "White Fence streaming new LP, added to Northside Fest line-up (Mac DeMarco, Nu Sensae, Kylesa, Torche & more too)"

John Baizley at Invisible Oranges 2013 SXSW showcase (more by Greg Cristman)

When Baroness, who suffered from a tragic bus crash last year, were announced for Bonnaroo and Chaos in Tejas this year, the signs looked pretty good that the band would finally tour again. Then frontman John Baizley issued a statement that their bassist and drummer would no longer be touring with the band (and they found musicians to take their places), and now Baroness have finally announced a full tour surrounding those festival dates!

There's no NYC date scheduled yet, but the tour kicks off in John Baizely's "adopted hometown" of Philly on May 24 at Union Transfer and continues through their slot at Bonnaroo in June. Support on select dates comes from Inter Arma (who play NYC soon), True Widow, and Coliseum. Hopefully a NYC date will be added to the tour (maybe House of Vans, where they would have played last summer?).

All dates are listed, along with the "Take My Bones Away" video, below...

Continue reading "Baroness finally announce full North American tour (dates)"

Inter Arma at Invisible Oranges SXSW 2013 day party (more by Greg Cristman)

After part of the docket was revealed last week, Scion Rock Fest have announced the entirety of their 2013 lineup which happens in Memphis Tennessee on June 1. Testament and Melvins claim the top slots, while additional bands announced for the fest are Municipal Waste, Whitechapel, The Obsessed (!), Corrosion of Conformity, The Casualties, Negative Approach, Pallbearer, Six Feet Under, Impaled, Vision of Disorder, Royal Thunder, Vektor, Arsis, A Life Once Lost, Touché Amoré, Code Orange Kids, The Gates of Slumber, Hot Lunch, Rotting Out, The Shrine, Ice Dragon, Call of the Void (who recently played NYC), Subrosa, Gigan, Anciients, Dirty Streets, Inter Arma, Complete Failure, Indian Handcrafts and Noisem.

SRF is free but RSVP (which opens on April 10) is required.

In related news, Inter Arma, who recently played the Invisible Oranges Day Party at The Jr (pictures HERE), have been announced, along with Sannhet, as support for the NYC date of the Intronaut tour, set for Saint Vitus on June 15. Tickets are on sale.

If you missed it, pictures from the official Invisible Oranges SXSW night showcase are available HERE, featuring shots of Pallbearer, John Baizley with Mel from Royal Thunder and Bruce Lamont, Mutilation Rites, Full of Hell, KEN Mode and Homewrecker.

Check out a video from Inter Arma's daytime set below...

Continue reading "full lineup for Scion Rock Fest announced; Inter Arma and Sannhet added to Intronaut's NYC show"

by Bill Pearis, Fred Pessaro and Andrew Sacher

Savages @ CMJ 2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

SXSW gets underway today (3/13) in earnest, with 83,207 bands* playing SXSW this year. Trying to figure out who to see can be an overwhelming feeling. (Actually, just standing on 6th St. on Friday night is an overwhelming feeling.) Hopefully this post will give you some inspiration if you're among the throngs of people. Or maybe just some new stuff to listen to if you're not there.

Of course you could just hang out at all our day parties (our first starts at noon today!) and evening showcases, as we're really proud of our line-ups. But there are bands who we are pumped to see who aren't playing too. So here are 40 bands we're genuinely pumped to see in Austin this week. We made a Spotify playlist of all the bands (at least the ones on the service) you can stream below.

Check out our list below...

*not the actually number of showcasing bands. But it feels accurate.

Continue reading "40 artists we're excited to see at SXSW"

As you know, BrooklynVegan is returning to Austin for SXSW this year and throwing four days of day parties at The Main & The Jr aka 603 Red River Street at the corner of 6th aka the old Emo's location. Those happen Wed (3/13), Thurs, Fri and Saturday (3/16). All shows are 100% FREE with RSVP.

We announced Saturday and Thursday, and now HERE IS FRIDAY...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan free SXSW 2013 Friday day party lineup (Polyphonic Spree, Thermals, Akron/Family, Shout Out Louds, Diamond Rings, TOY, Half Moon Run & more)"

by Fred Pessaro

Today is the Day at Maryland Deathfest 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Invisible Oranges, in association with BrooklynVegan and my forthcoming Noisey video show Heavy Dicks, are proud to present the first annual Invisible Oranges day party during SXSW 2013! IO & HD take over the indoor stage at the old Emo's at 6th & Red River aka The Jr on March 15, as part of the four days of two-stage BV parties at the venue. The free show, running from noon until 6PM, will feature the following bands:

March 15, 2013 @ The Jr, Austin, TX
Today is the Day
Pallbearer (also playing the official IO/BV showcase)
KEN Mode
Royal Thunder
Inter Arma
Batillus
Baptists

We also want to thank M for Montreal, mophie, Onkyo, Vox, Blackstar, Korg, Redigi, Zico, ASCAP, Mirrored Media, and Mail Chimp for assistance in making this a FREE event. RSVP for the show HERE. SXSW Badges are also welcome.

Today is the Day, Black Tusk and KEN Mode are currently on a North American tour, and will play Saint Vitus tonight (3/6) and 3/8 at The Studio at Webster Hall. The package tour also puts Fight Amp on both NYC dates.

"Heavy Dicks" is a new show premiering on Noisey in the coming months that is centered around metal. (Full disclosure: I'm one of the hosts.) Check out the trailer for the show alongside a new Today is the Day video for "Sick of Your Mouth," below....

Continue reading "Invisible Oranges Presents a SXSW Day Party (at BV venue) w/ Today is the Day, Pallbearer & more PLUS: Heavy Dicks!"

Inter Arma are readying the release of their Relapse debut, Sky Burial. Due on March 19, the Richmond crew have created their most fertile and organic release yet, mining familiar territory like Neurosis and epic black metal, all mixed with a southern groove. Check out the new track "'sblood," streaming below.

Invisible Oranges is proud to sponsor the forthcoming Mutilation Rites/Inter Arma tour (no NYC date, unfortunately). Check out that new song stream, some video, the tour flyer and all dates below.

Continue reading "Inter Arma ready 'Sky Burial' (stream a new track)"

Bastard Sapling at The Charleston, April 2010 (more by Samantha Marble)

Bastard Sapling is another one in a long line of young and promising bands from Richmond, VA. Featuring members of CR, Celebrity Murders and Inter Arma, the band recently released their debut LP Dragged From Our Restless Trance via Forcefield Records. Bastard Sapling mixes in their fair share of crust with their epic black metal jams, and are streaming the entirety of their LP below.

Bastard Sapling has only one date on their calendar at this point, a Richmond show at Strange Matter on December 7 as part of the Vomitor / Negative Plane trek. Until more dates surface, check out the LP stream below.

Continue reading "Bastard Sapling released debut album (stream it)"

words and photos by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Brett of Pallbearer at Knitting Factory, 9/11/2012

The Pallbearer/Royal Thunder steamroller came into town on Tuesday (9/11), hitting Knitting Factory as part of their set of BrooklynVegan-sponsored dates together. Joining the pair were Richmond favorites, sludgy-black metal crew Inter Arma and NYC's Kings Destroy, the former of which used the NYC date as a tour kick-off. Pictures and video of all bands from Knitting Factory are below.

As before, Pallbearer's set focused on their lone LP Sorrow & Extinction, and included a final jam to close out the evening. Royal Thunder was similarly, and some ways more, impressive in their showing, with frontwoman Mel alternating between belting out blues vocals and ripping a primal scream. The CVI songs, which I love in the first place, sound much more regal and powerful live.

The remainder of the bill was similarly great. Inter Arma, as usual, played a taut set of entirely new material that will appear on their forthcoming Relapse debut. Look for that. And Kings Destroy, who have just returned from a tour in the EU, set the standard for the evening by playing their ozzy-influenced doom jams to open things up.

All pictures and video is below.

Continue reading "Pallbearer and Royal Thunder played Knitting Factory with Inter Arma and Kings Destroy (pics/video)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

FALSE

As mentioned before, Minnesota black metal team False will hit Acheron on Saturday (9/8), flanked by Brooklyn's own Mortals, False's tourmates Bellow and the great Yellow Eyes. The show is False's only area date and a rare, one, so make it out if you can. Audio streams are below.

Brooklyn's Kings Destroy have replaced Samothrace at the Pallbearer show at Knitting Factory on 9/11. Tickets are still available. Also on board is the great Royal Thunder and Inter Arma.

A list of all suggested shows for the next two weeks, as well as a few audio streams, are below. What did I miss?

Continue reading "Evillive (FALSE, Pallbearer, Kings Destroy, Yellow Eyes, more )"

by Fred Pessaro // BGG

Inter Arma

Inter Arma have signed to Relapse Records. The band is planning a new LP for the label in the new year, and will head out on a string of tour dates that will kick off with their appearance supporting Pallbearer at Knitting Factory on September 11 (tickets). Full tour schedule is listed at the bottom of this post. Inter Arma played our 2010 CMJ showcase alongside another great young band, Royal Thunder (who will also play the Knitting Factory bill).

Barn Burner will head out on a string of dates supporting Gallows that will include a stop at The Studio at Webster Hall on November 3. Tickets are on sale and all other dates are listed at the bottom of this post. The band recently released the new NSFW video for "Scum of the Earth," which you can watch below.

And finally, Akimbo have called it quits. The band has "half of a record completed" but so far no plans to release that material... who will step up to the plate?

All suggested shows for the next two weeks are below along with other listed tour dates and videos. What did I miss?

Continue reading "Evillive (Inter Arma, Barn Burner, Akimbo RIP, more)"

Pallbearer at Acheron (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)


BrooklynVegan is the proud sponsor of a string of East Coast dates for southern doom gods Pallbearer, who will join forces with the amazing Royal Thunder (who have a new LP and recently played Mercury Lounge) and Samothrace (who have a new LP too). The dates, also sponsored by Scion A/V, include a stop at Hopscotch and a September 11th stop in Brooklyn at Knitting Factory with Richmond black metal/southern groove favorites Inter Arma. Sure to be a night to remember. Tickets for that show are on sale.

Pallbearer's last visit to NYC was back in May at a sold-out Saint Vitus with Loss, which was quickly followed by a boozy late night appearance at Acheron (as we tweeted). Pictures from that epic night are HERE. You may remember we interviewed the band in January.

Tour flyer and a list of all tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Pallbearer touring with Royal Thunder & Samothrace (dates), add Knitting Factory show with Inter Arma"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Altar of Plagues at The Studio at Webster Hall, 2010 (more by Samantha Marble)

Surrounding their appearances at Hopscotch 2012, Irish black-metal crew Altar of Plagues and Chicago's psychedelic-blues killers The Atlas Moth will embark on a short co-headlining tour of the East Coast/Midwest that will include a stop in NYC. Look for the pair to join Richmond's Inter Arma and NYC's Sannhet as part of a killer four-way bill at Saint Vitus on September 5th, a BrooklynVegan/BBG production. Tickets are on sale.

In related news, you can catch The Atlas Moth at Pitchfork this weekend in Chicago, along with bands like The Psychic Paramount, Iceage, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Big K.R.I.T, Feist, Vampire Weekend, and many many more.

All tour dates, the tour flyer and the NYC flyer (available in screenprints at the show!) are below.

Continue reading "Altar of Plagues & The Atlas Moth going on tour (dates), playing Saint Vitus"

by BBG

Batillus @ Acheron

Batillus headlined Acheron last night, their last show of the year on their homebase of NYC and a primer for their forthcoming West Coast dates with The Atlas Moth and Kowloon Walled City. Batillus's appearance featured a new song, one of several that band has already written for their follow-up to Furnace, the band's celebrated debut with Seventh Rule. Details on that are forthcoming.

Richmond crew Inter Arma were the lone touring band on the bill, joining locals Belus at the Acheron. Inter Arma linked up with Balaclava on earlier dates. Balaclava played Acheron a few days earlier.

Acheron will host another noteworthy show (that I booked) TONIGHT (10/27) at 9PM with Thrones, Danava, Caltrop, and Psychic Limb (who recently played a boat). It's one of two Thrones/Danava dates in NYC. The second is Thursday at Union Pool with La Otracina and Ben von Wildenhaus at 8PM.

More pictures and videos from last night and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Batillus, Inter Arma & Belus played Acheron (pics & video), Danava & Thrones kick off 2-night NYC run there tonight"

by BBG

Inter Arma at Union Pool (more by Keith Marlowe)

Inter Arma will hit Acheron on 10/26, joined by Batillus and Belus. The $10 show is part of Inter Arma's East Coast/Mid-West tour in late Oct/Early-Nov. Full tour dates are below.

Also Richmond-ites Balaclava have welcomed their new LP Crimes of Faith via Forcefield/Southern Lord, and will hit the road for some East Coast dates next week including a stop in NYC at Acheron on 10/23 with Gang Signs. This show is FREE and open to the public, with a donation accepted at the door. Stream music from Balaclava at their Facebook site. Recommended for fans of downtuned, negative hardcore.

Elitist are in town this week, and will play NYC at Acheron on 10/24 with Sea of Bones, Alkahest, and Sannhet (who support Bison BC on Monday). Don't miss them. They ripped at Cake Shop with Gaza in their last go-around.

No Statik (mems Artimus Pyle, Scrotum Grinder, Look Back And Laugh) released a killer LP this year with We All Die In The End, out now on Prank Records. The band will bring their brutal live show to the East Coast for a set of dates that will include NYC on 1/7 at Acheron. Don't miss it. Check out some live video below for further proof.

Support has been added to BOTH previously discussed Thrones/Danava shows. Caltrop and Psychic Limb (who play a boat for CMJ on 10/22) will support at Acheron on 10/27, while 10/28 at Union Pool will mean Ben von Wildenhaus and La Otracina.

Obituary have added a string of East Coast dates, including NYC at Santos Party House on 11/19 with Denial Fiend. Ticketing info is forthcoming.

If, for some reason, you still follow Fu Manchu, look for them and Santos on 11/15 with Honky (J.D. Pinkus of Butthole Surfers) and Shrine. The band will performing all of In Search Of in its entirety. Tickets are on sale.

Kim Phuc will release their new LP Copsucker via Iron Lung Records. Check out a new song below.

Agnostic Front is back with a gang of tough guys at Santos Party House on 11/4. Support will come from Setback, Naysayer, Mongoloids, and Incendiary. Tickets are on sale.

Brain Killer will headline a Nick Poot Memorial on 11/26 at Tommy's Tavern with Green Beret, which features members of Social Circkle.

More suggested NON-CMJ NYC shows (look for a CMJ guide momentarily), some flyers, and some video below....

Continue reading "Evillive (Inter Arma, Balaclava, Elitist, Obituary, Agnostic Front & more)"

by BBG

Bastard Sapling at The Charleston (more by Samantha Marble)

Richmond's Bastard Sapling and Inter Arma share a few members, but more importantly they share that very-Richmond, punk rock ethos that makes their scene so fertile. The black metal-tinged pair are on the road in May and will play a string of shows including NYC twice: May 7th at Mother Pugs in Staten Island and a BrooklynVegan presented show on May 8th at Acheron with Castevet.

Inter Arma's last release was the groove-sludge black-metal LP Sundown, while Bastard Sapling's blastingly powerful last effort was the V: A Sepulcher to Swallow the Sea 7" for Tension Head Records. Bastard Sapling is currently working on a full length and Inter Arma have a new EP in the works.

Both Inter Arma and Castevet are BV showcase veterans, as Inter Arma played the official BV-BBG CMJ showcase last year at Union Pool and Castevet played the BV/Profound Lore show at Lovejoy's during SXSW 2011.

All tour dates and a few videos below...

Continue reading "Inter Arma touring w/ Bastard Sapling (NY show w/ Castevet)"

photos by Keith Marlowe, words & RT photos by BBG

The Body

A big thanks go to all the bands who played the BrooklynVegan-BBG CMJ showcase at Union Pool on Saturday night (10/23), and to everyone who made it out the sold out show. Early entries were treated to free Sailor Jerry's, Bushmills, Firefly Vodka, and earplugs courtesy of Earpeace while Salome's Terminal burned on the system.

A blistering set from Royal Thunder provided the first excursion of the evening, and their killer blues-y jams were quickly followed by the punishing doom of Batillus. The double Richmond attack of Inter Arma and Cough victimized the crowd next, each bringing a different perspective of destruction; Inter Arma's blasting black metal cleansed the palette before Cough battered the crowd with their snail's-pace doom punishment. The Body, who was sporting a third member on noise/keys/samples, sealed the deal with low-end thump and screeching vocals, drawing from their recent All The Waters Of The Earth Turned To Blood.

Union Pool tonight, 10/27, means another BrooklynVegan production, this time with the great Eugene Robinson (of Oxbow) and the awesome Man's Gin supporting. Doors are at 9, and $10 gets you in. Get there!

More pictures from the CMJ show, below...

Continue reading "the BV-BBG CMJ show @ Union Pool in pics (The Body, Cough, Inter Arma, Batillus & Royal Thunder)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Body - "A Curse" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cough - "A Year of Suffering" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Inter Arma - "Epicenter" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Royal Thunder - "Mouth of Fire" (MP3)

The Body at Acheron (more here)

It's with pride that I present to you my official BV-BBG CMJ showcase lineup, going down at Union Pool on Saturday, 10/23 at 7pm:

The Body
Cough
Inter Arma
Royal Thunder
+more TBA!

And most importantly, every band on the bill have an INCENDIARY live show, so it'll be worth the measly $5 it'll cost you to get in. Limited CMJ badges will also be let in the door. Drink specials TBA.

If you are a fan of heavy music and particularly the heavy underground, I hope to see you there.

If you aren't a fan of heavy music (or even if you are), check out the other official BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase happening at MHOW two nights earlier. Day parties TBA.

Tour dates for all bands, as well as a bunch of videos, below...

Continue reading "official BV-BBG CMJ showcase announcement & other dates"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Altar of Plagues - "Atlantic Lights" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Breath - "Children Of The Horn" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Celeste - Morte Nee(s) (Zipped LP)
DOWNLOAD: Get Rad - "Life Without A Plan" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Get Rad - "Honest Man/Wild Man" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Inter Arma - "Epicenter" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ufomammut - Eve Snippets (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nachtmystium - "No Funeral" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Yakuza - "Stones And Bones" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sayyadina - "Razor Discipline" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Culted - "Spirituosa" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Year of No Light - "Hierophant" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Castevet - "Grey Matter" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Deathwish MMX Spring Sampler (Zipped MP3 files)

Twilight

Surprise! After a few CDs made their way into record stores accidentally (I am told) Twilight, the Blake Judd/Wrest project that now features N. Imperial (Kreig), Aaron Turner (Isis), Stavros Giannopoulos (The Atlas Moth) and Sanford Parker (Minsk) is out NOW on CD via Southern Lord! The record was engineered by Sanford Parker, who also contributed synths, and features eight tracks with Robert Lowe (Lichens) contributing vocals to three of them. No official word on a release date for the LP, but get out and order a copy... I think I may enjoy it more than the new Nachtmystium. Speaking of the new Nachtmystium, Stereogum recently premiered the keyboard heavy "No Funeral" from the forthcoming Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II. Dig on that above.

Call me obsessed, but the new Black Breath, Heavy Breathing, is on serious rotation lately- much like their previous EP Razors To Oblivion was last year. The new LP has Kurt Ballou's dirty little fingers all over it, bringing their rich early Swedish death metal meets hardcore sound to life, as exhibited in "Children of The Horn" available above. Get Heavy Breathing now via Southern Lord. Black Breath will open the BV/1000 Knives/AEG Live Converge extravaganza at Santos Party House on 5/6 along with Touche Amore and Lewd Acts. Make sure and get their early (their live show is worth it), and get your tickets in advance (it WILL sell out). Seriously brutal and fun stuff... you gotta love a band that screams "reject Christ, spit on the cross" at the top of their lungs. Or am I alone on that one?

Though it only lasts two tracks (but conversely- 35 minutes), the new EP from Altar of Plagues, Tides, is every bit as powerful as White Tomb, one of my favorite LPs of last year. AoP's new Tides EP is currently up for pre-order via Burning World Records (cop it), but until that package arrives, make sure and dig on "Atlantic Lights" from the EP (50% of the record!) , which makes it's world premiere here!

An LP from last year that was just too good to be free was Celeste's Misanthrope(s). With a potent mix of black metal, furious hardcore, and even melody, it was a seriously underrated record that deserved much more attention than it got. Even though Misanthrope(s) is barely in the rear view, the band has released their new LP, Morte Nee(s) for FREE download (get it above). Make sure and order a copy of the LP for yourself via Denovali as well though, it's one to keep for posterity.

Richmond's Inter Arma totally floored me at The Charleston with their furious mix of black metal, southern stoner style and Neurosis-style imperial riffage. Besides being a jawdropping live band, Inter Arma has also put together a pretty memorable record as well in the form of Sundown, out soon on Forcefield Records. Featuring members of another great Richmond band, Bastard Sapling, check out the band when they hit the road in July, but until then, check out Sundown!

A darkness has settled over the land... details on Watain's new album have been revealed! Entitled Lawless Darkness, the effort was recorded at Necromorbus Studio (Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist, Ondskapt, Nominon, Unanimated et al) in Alvik, Sweden, and is due on June 7 with the below cover art and the tracklisting as listed down below. The release follows their picture disc EP Reaping Death which quickly disappeared, though the CD single is currently available.

That Watain cover, plus news on Blood Revolt (Primordial + Revenge), Loss, Man Is The Bastard, Hail of Bullets, Woe, a new Inquisition LP, and more as Short Wave Warfare continues....

Continue reading "Short Wave Warfare (04/20/10)"

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble, BBG

Battlemaster, summoning the darkness

Richmond spread a little darkness at The Charleston as Bastard Sapling, Inter Arma, and Battlemaster teamed up with the Brooklyn's own Mutant Supremacy for a night that tipped the scales back from holy to balanced on an Easter (4/4) evening. From Battlemaster and Bastard Sapling's blackened thrash attack, to Inter Arma's thundering post-metal crunch, all three bands destroyed and made me think... what is in the water down in Richmond? (Is every heavy band down there incredible?)

Unfortunately due to the late hour, Samantha and I had to skip out before Mutant Supremacy (who thrash/kill/destroy), so no photos of the great locals, but pictures of all the other bands are below...

Continue reading "Battlemaster, Bastard Sapling & Inter Arma @ The Charleston in NYC - pics "