by BBG

Saint Vitus @ Irving Plaza in 2011 (more by BBG)

Chaos in Tejas (May 31-June 3 in Austin) have announced ANOTHER batch of bands to add to their ridiculous lineup including Saint Vitus, Church of Misery, No Statik, Toys That Kill, Pegasus, Martial Canterel, Anasazi, Bloodwing (mems of The Spits, who are on tour soon), Harm's Way, Hatred Surge, the Hex Dispensers, John Wesley Coleman, Joyce Manor, and many many others. The current full lineup and flyer is below and tickets are FINALLY going on sale TODAY (1/31).

Doom legends Saint Vitus are currently preparing their new LP Lillie: F-65 for Season of Mist. The record, their eighth and first in seventeen years (!), is tentatively set for release at the end of March. More details are forthcoming.

In related news, members of Mind Eraser also serve as personnel in Magic Circle, another Chaos in Tejas band. Look for Magic Circle to team with Pilgrim (who we recently interviewed), Windhand, and Natur at Public Assembly on March 1st.

The updated Chaos in Tejas lineup is below along with the flyer.

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2012 expands again; tickets on sale today"

by BBG

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists at Bell House (more by Erik Erikson)

The Chaos in Tejas lineup expands more with another round of additions including the first Breakdown show in 25 years with the 87 demo lineup, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists (one of two upcoming Austin shows for Ted), the Clean (first Texas show ever), Deviated Instinct, Death Evocation (1st show), Mass Grave, Pierced Arrows, Australian garage rockers Royal Headache, No Fucker, New Orleans Bounce artist Katey Red, the Impalers, Cold World, Creem, Avon Ladies, Backtrack, Bi-Marks, Phobia and many others. Full list of new additions and the latest flyer is below.

The additions joined previously announced bands like Antisect, Winter, The Mob, Varukers, Best Coast, Moss Icon, Dropdead, Ringworm, Midnight, and many more.

Chaos in Tejas will add another 40+ bands in the coming weeks and tickets will go on sale on January 31st. More details are forthcoming.

Show flyer, video, and the list of all new additions below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas lineup expands again"

by BBG

Aaron with Defeatist at their last show (more by BBG)

I previously posted my highlights of 2011 but my opinion is obviously just one of many. To try and get a better feel for the year, we cornered some of our favorite artists and heavy music industry friends to ask them about 2011 in music, art, and memories. We have so many responses that we needed to split it into three posts. Here is the first. Head below to hear from members of Noisear, Monarch!, Mammoth Grinder, Pulling Teeth, Sulaco, Bloodiest, and many more...

Continue reading "The Year in Heavy 2011 according to artists & friends (part 1)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Mammoth Grinder - "Surveilled" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hatred Surge - "Invega" (MP3)

Innumerable Forms @ Acheron (more)

Yet ANOTHER MDF-related tour to get excited about, as Hatred Surge, Mammoth Grinder, and Innumerable Forms (who all toured together last year) will hit the road with Miasmal (mem Martyrdöd) for a string of US dates that will include shows at Maryland Deathfest and Chaos in Tejas. Those dates kick off in Austin and include a Brooklyn show at Acheron on May 24th.

Meanwhile, Mammoth Grinder and Hatred Surge (who now have Rahi of Insect Warfare on vocals) have a split LP on the way via Cyclopean Records. The split is currently on preorder via the label, and features three songs from Mammoth Grinder and four from Hatred Surge. Download a pair of tracks from that record above and stream the entire thing below. Both Mammoth Grinder & Hatred Surge, as well as Scapegoat & Iron Lung will be featured on the upcoming Brutal Supremacy double 7" compilation due via Painkiller Records.

In related news, Cyclopean will also release the final (?) recordings by Iron Age:

The last Iron Age release will be available on March 1st. It will be a 2 song demo tape, and limited to 300 copies. The "Saga Demos" are essentially excerpts taken from our unfinished album "Fate in the Shadow of Eluvimal". They were recorded in our practice space last October and will finally see the light of day before we play our last couple of shows this Spring/Summer. Stay tuned for more info.

Continue reading "new tracks from Hatred Surge/Mammoth Grinder split, tour dates with Innumerable Forms & Miasmal"

by BBG

Floor at Red 7 for the BrooklynVegan Fun Fun Fun Fest After-Party

Robotic Empire dropped the exhaustive Floor box set earlier this year and now Chunklet will release a Floor DVD entitled Sight & Seen, a two disc compilation on the mighty Floridian band that spawned also-greats Torche and Dove. The DVD includes multi-angle video from both Floor renunion shows at The Earl in Atlanta (pictures here) as the centerpiece, the set also includes a featurette on the band with more live footage and interviews, audio from both shows, and older video that spans Floor's original run. If it's anything like the Harvey Milk Anthem DVD, you'll want to get your hands on it... Get your copy via Chunklet, but hurry; only 700 will be released in varying colorways. Look for it the first week of December 2010.

Not-surprise guest Floor headlined the BrooklynVegan FFF Fest afterparty at Red 7 in Austin on Sunday (11/7) alongside Landmine Marathon, Mammoth Grinder, and Ratking.

After a long day of incredible performances Sunday at Fun Fun Fun Fest (pictures are on the way), I was a bit worn out (not just from the day, but from Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday too). But the energetic performances from all bands- Ratking is brutal crusty noise/hardcore featuring Coop from Made out of Babies, Mammoth Grinder is a personal fave, and Landmine Marathon was especially great with their new drummer- got my heart racing. Even though I caught Floor earlier that day at the fest, I enjoyed them much more as my final band of the Fun Fun Fun trek.... just incredible. Thanks to Transmission and all that filled Red 7!

More pictures from Red 7, and the Sight & Seen trailer, are below...

Continue reading "Floor played Red 7 w/ Landmine Marathon, Mammoth Grinder & Ratking (pics), releasing DVD (trailer)"

by BBG

Devo, Crocodiles, and Dum Dum Girls have all cancelled their appearances at Fun Fun Fun Fest in the past few days. Sucks, yes. But the evil geniuses at the Austin, Texas Festival (November 5-7, 2010) have already drummed up some replacements. New bands include Cults, and Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos (who were originally on the fest, but had to drop off a few weeks ago and were replaced by The Antlers, and now are back but on a different day). Washed Out also recently replaced Cold Cave, and the Nortec Collective was a recent addition too. Oh, and to replace Devo: new headliner Descendents!

"I really can't believe it. The Descendents were one of those bands on my dream list that I thought I would never get to book" Says Graham Williams, FFF Founder. "A week ago, we had no idea what we were going to do, and now we couldn't be more happy".

Speaking of Cults, they recently played a gang of shows during CMJ, and their only other show at the moment is with The Morning Benders and Twin Sister at Webster Hall in NYC on 11/18 instead of Oberhofer (tickets).

I'm preparing to head down to Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin next weekend as well, and along with all of the incredible heavy music that's already going on at the festival (Mastodon, Floor, Snapcase, High on Fire, Kylesa, Municipal Waste, Suicidal Tendencies, Hatred Surge, Ringworm... the list is endless) we'll be hosting an event of our own. On Sunday, November 7th BrooklynVegan will host a killer after-party at Red 7 (doors at 9) with incredible secret guests, along with Landmine Marathon, Mammoth Grinder, and Ratking (mems MOoB, Gorilla Biscuits). The show will be FREE to Fun Fun Fun Fest wristband holders and a measly $5 at the door for those of you without.

Not into metal or need something to do on the other nights of that weekend in Austin? Not to worry. Like the lineup of the festival itself, the selection of bands playing other afterparties on each night of the fest is diverse. There are plenty of options including a November 5th Gorilla Vs Bear shindig (also with secret guest), and many more.

BrooklynVegan show flyer, some video of those bands in action, info on the fest's 2010 Circus Stage, and more, below...

Continue reading "the Descendents, Antlers, Cults & a BrooklynVegan afterparty added to Fun Fun Fun Fest!"

words by Lindsay Maharry, photos by BBG

Mammoth Grinder

Last night (7/29), Mammoth Grinder and Innumerable forms shredded The Acheron. There weren't enough people there, but it didn't matter.

Mammoth Grinder is another great band out of Austin's thriving metal scene. Despite their van breaking down in Jersey the night before, they made the trek with a rental, thanking the show's promoter Ian Dickson. Viva Hardcore Gig Volume! They began with a track off their new EP Obsessed with Death, put out by Hell Massacre/Painkiller. Vocalist/guitarist, Chris Ulsh (Hatred Surge), growled through pummeling riffs and heavy breakdowns, forcing the relatively mild crowd to move. Drummer, Brian Boeckman, fucking killed it; fast as hell.

After their set, MG members backed Justin Detore (Mind Eraser, Righteous Jams, Mental), and became Innumerable Forms. Detore, who's progressed from straight edge hardcore to death metal in the past years, writes all Innumerable Forms material, using fill ins for shows. While on tour with Mammoth Grinder (until their Montreal date on the 31st), they back his vicious vocals. Mammoth Grinder's set was great, but Detore's presence was harder, though the set was much shorter. Innumberable Forms played the driving, unrelenting new EP Dark Worship (also put out by Hell Massacre/Painkiller) start to finish. A faulty mic marred what was an otherwise seriously fantastic performance.

Looking forward to hearing more from Innumerable Forms (maybe an LP?) and seeing Mammoth Grinder, as they seem to play Brooklyn on every tour.

More Mammoth Grinder/Innumerable Forms pics (we missed Longpigs and Naughty Girls), as well of some video of Innumerable Forms and Mammoth Grinder doing a new song from their upcoming split with Hatred Surge, is below.

Continue reading "Mammoth Grinder & Innumerable Forms @ the Acheron (pics)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Slaughter Strike - "Unspeakable" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Slaughter Strike - Demo (Mediafire)

From some of the off-kilter folk that brought you The Endless Blockade comes Slaughter Strike, a horde of Canadian death metal miscreants that are prepping two releases in the coming months. In the distance, the band will release their debut LP via Profound Lore/20 Buck Spin (handling the CD/vinyl respectively), but more imminently, look for their new EP At Life's End due on Cyclopean Records in early August. Preorder it, and check out the first track to trickle out "Unspeakable" available for download above.

For the unaware, Cyclopean Records is run by Jason of Iron Age, who released both his band's newest record The Sleeping Eye before it got picked up by Tee Pee Records as well as Mammoth Grinder's last LP, Extinction of Humanity before it was picked up with Relapse. Besides releases from LA's Green & Wood and Sungod (new LP First Matter due end of august), the label is also prepping to release a split LP with Mammoth Grinder and Hatred Surge (!) and a new LP by The Roller. Stoked. More details are on the way.

Mammoth Grinder recently played The Charleston, but have been added to the brutal show at Acheron with Innumerable Forms (mem Mind Eraser, Funebrarum) on July 29th. Innumerable Forms + Mammoth Grinder = do not miss.

Updates Mammoth Grinder dates and some video are below...

Continue reading "new Slaughter Strike MP3 +++ Mammoth Grinder tour dates "

Landmine Marathon photos by Taylor Keahey, words and photos of Failures & Mammoth Grinder by BBG

Landmine Marathon at Kimo's

Salome and Landmine Marathon are in NYC, and are ready to tear the roof off of Union Pool TONIGHT (7/13) as part of a two night campaign of obliteration. Wetnurse, who have been on the low this year to work on new material, will get the assist on tonight's shindig, while Batillus will support the pair two days later (7/15) at Cake Shop (unfortunately, Cleanteeth had to cancel their appearance). Want tickets? I have THREE pairs available for giveaway for EACH show. Details on how to win are at the bottom of this post.

The Landmine/Salome dates are two of three BV shows scheduled for this week. The Funeral Pyre will team up with Early Graves, Mutilation Rites and the recently added Valdur(!) play Union Pool on July 17th (Sat). Valdur, who shared a split with the great Lightning Swords of Death (check out our interview), are in the NYC area to play a second show as well. The Cali black metal crew will also take on Precious Metal at Lit on Monday (7/17) alongside Mutilation Rites (again) and Syphilitic Lust.

Landmine Marathon recently played Kimo's in San Francisco on their way out east, a trek which would eventually lead them to Dudefest (pics from Dudefest) where they crossed paths with Failures and Mammoth Grinder. Failures played Acheron on Sunday (7/11) with Vaccine, Raw Nerves and Rats In The Walls, and though I missed all the support. Pics from that show are below.

Mammoth Grinder played the Thrasher party during SXSW, and a set of unpublished pics from their appearance are below as well. The band plays The Charleson on July 15th as part of a tour that was originally supposed feature Lewd Acts, who have now officially called it quits...

Lou Dax succumbed on June 20th, 2010 to the coma brought on by a head wound sustained in New York City on May 6th. Lou is survived by his 4 sons. In lieu of flowers, pick up a Lou Dax memorial shirt or record at www.lewdacts.bigcartel.com or www.deathwishinc.com to help his legacy live on. Thank you to everyone who ever listened, saw, helped, or cared about Lou. - [Facebook]

Continue reading "Landmine Marathon & Salome are here (win tickets) ++ LM, Failures & Mammoth Grinder live pics, Lewd Acts & more"

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble

Mike Hill, who wasn't the only guitarist in Tombs at SXSW...

While I was thrashing my rear off between the two stages at Mohawk on 3/17, Samantha Marble was also nodding away at the Relapse showcase at Red 7 down the street. She managed to capture shots of Kill The Client, Howl, Mammoth Grinder, Graves of Valor, and Tombs who were playing with a second guitarist (!) before scooting back to Mohawk to catch High on Fire (like I did). Ah, the lure of the Pike is just too great.

High on Fire's new album, Snakes For The Divine is out NOW, and the band is hitting the road with Bison BC, Priestess, and Black Cobra is celebration. Tickets are still available for the 4/9 date at Gramercy.

Tombs are scheduled to team up with a dream team of heavy music greats on 6/12, as Eyehategod, Nachtmystium, Brutal Truth, and Black Anvil will team up at Europa as part of a BV/Osiris production. Tickets are on sale monday (3/29) at noon.

More photos from Relapse & High on Fire are below...

Continue reading "High on Fire, Kill The Client, Howl, Mammoth Grinder, Graves of Valor & Tombs @ SXSW (pics) "

by BBG

Rorschach at The Charleston (more by Ryan Muir)

Last year's jaw-dropping lineup at Chaos In Tejas was sick, and 2010 is proving to be no different. For four days across four different Austin venues, May 27th to the 30th at Emo's, Mohawk, Red 7 and Beerland, the festival will offer some of the most impressive names in the independent/underground scene including the indestructible Rorschach, the first ever US appearance from Australian punk greats X, a one-time reunion of Japanese crust-core band Bastard, the quirky cutesy indie pop-punk of Grass Widow, Gehenna (who just played A389), Subhumans, Bastard Noise (who have a new record), Bone Awl, BV faves Jeff The Brotherhood, The Spits, Psychedelic Horseshit, Ty Segall, The Ponys, Iron Lung (who recently played Cake Shop), Poison Idea, Inquisition, and many many many others.

In addition to the obvious mayhem that will ensue over the four days, Chaos in Tejas will also showcase art from some of the scene's most interesting names including Tim Kerr (of Big Boys), Winston Smith (responsible for tons of collage work, including the Dead Kennedys best album art), and Bryan Ray Turcotte (best known for his book Fucked Up and Photocopied).

The full (and intimidating) list is below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2010 (May 27-30) - intial lineup (Rorschach, Bastard reunion, Spits, Bone Awl, Ty Segall, much more)"

words by BBG, photos by Chloe Rice

Mammoth Grinder

Although they only fired away for a shade under twenty minutes, Mammoth Grinder played their second NYC show in a week at The Charleston on 1/12 with Dead City and Divider. The date was part of overall East Coast campaign towards beligerence and destruction, as well as a vehicle to promote their new LP, Extinction of Mankind.

Mammoth Grinder are currently scooting their way back towards their native Austin, Texas to close shop on their jaunt at Beerland on 1/20. After a month away from the stage, the band will re-emerge at the same Austin venue (on 2/25) with Shitstorm, a side project featuring members of Torche and Kylesa.

More pictures & MG dates, below...

Continue reading "Mammoth Grinder, Divider, Dead City @ the Charleston - pics "

by BBG

Misery Index at BV-BBG CMJ (more by Samantha Marble)

In lieu of my forthcoming Short Wave Warfare column (formerly known as This Week in Metal), I figured I would present a short blast of interesting shows coming up - for the dark side in you.

The biggest news of the pack is that Death metal greats Deceased will team up with the defenders of the filth, Superchrist, for the Slaves To The Grave tour which includes Union Pool on April 17th. Deceased is scheduled to make an appearance at MDF this year, while Superchrist is recovering from the release of Defenders of The Filth last year.

All Deceased tour dates and many more upcoming shows, continued below...

Continue reading "upcoming shows & dates (Deceased, Misery Index, AxCx, Magrudergrind, Mammoth Grinder, Naam & more) "

by BBG

Laura of Kylesa (more by Paul Birman)

Earlier I discussed my favorite LPs of the year, but why leave the fun to just one? I asked some of my favorite artists and promoters for their 2009 highlights. The responses were great. You already saw some of them. Justina listed some quotes, Liam Wilson talked about Philly, and Josh Graham listed good things about 2009. They continue below. You'll find lists of favorite songs and albums of the year, not to mention answers to crucial questions like:

• What are Coalesce's favorite pizza toppings?
• Which one of my top 20 artists of the year tried to get in a cab with Kirsten Dunst?
• What is the #1 sauce/condiment of 2009?

Continue reading "The Year in Metal continued (BBG asked countless others to make lists... and here they all are)"

by BBG

Mammoth Grinder at The Charleston (more by Justina Villanueva)

Not even one day, guys? One look at Mammoth Grinder's tour dates a week ago showed a single day off, Jan 7th, which they would spend in NYC. Scratch that. The Austin band has added a new show in Brooklyn on that day, with Chronic Youth (the badass punk band), The Men, Polygon, The Cannomen @ 538 Johnson (#201, not Stolen Sleeves). More details are below, $5 gets you in.

The band will be back in NYC a few days later to hit The Charleston with Dead City.

Mammoth Grinder recently re-released their LP Extinction of Humanity on Relapse Records. The bands shares Alex from Iron Age, who is also coming to NYC in Feb.

Full show details, tour dates, and a few videos are below....

Continue reading "Mammoth Grinder add a NYC show - updated tour dates"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Arckanum - "Þursvitnir" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Impetuous Ritual - "Ceremonial Disembowelment" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Amenra - "Wear My Crown" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fistula - "Bi-Polar Bear" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fight Amp - "Be Safe" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: KEN Mode - Holiday Sampler (Zipped MP3s)
DOWNLOAD: Elder - "Friendly Fire" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Struck By Lightning - "False Hope" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ludicra - "A Larger Silence" (MP3)

Dark Castle @ Union Pool (more by Sam Marble)

In recent months, the upswing in metal coverage on BV has rendered the moniker "Week In Metal" unnecessary. Small blurbs in "WIM" (as we call it around here) about Dark Castle have given way to photosets from their shows and posting of tour dates as they happen. Chalk it up to progress.

Starting this week, we will introduce a bit of a new direction for the old Week In Metal column, but without straying too far from the previous. The new column, entitled Short Wave Warfare, will scale back a bit, focusing on news that falls below the radar as well as shining a spotlight on new bands and upcoming shows in the NYC area. It won't be weekly. I hope you enjoy it.

Stay tuned for more upcoming shows in addition to Coalesce at Europa, Magrudergrind at Cake Shop, and The Hope Conspiracy at Union Pool, as well as a year-end best of 2009 post from myself and some of my favorite artists.

Thanks for reading. News on Portal, Oxbow, Master's Hammer, a collaboration between sunn O))) and Ulver, a new Haiyaino Daisuki & Gridlink, Amenra, Earthride, Kreator, Mammoth Grinder and so much more as (the new) Short Wave Warfare continues below....

Continue reading "Short Wave Warfare (12/9/09) (formerly This Week in Metal)"

by BBG

Wetnurse at the BV-BBG Showcase at Europa (more by Zach Dilgard)

As if Dark Castle and The Atlas Moth wasn't enough, we have now added the awesome Wetnurse to the previously announced bill at Union Pool on 11/17! One last band to go, details are to follow.

Wetnurse is hitting the road for a string of dates that will team the band up with other faves like Complete Failure (who played the BBG/Relapse Showcase), Lord Mantis (we premiered their track here), Javelina (who are poised to destroy The Charleston with Blacktusk, Batillus, and a secret guest), The_Network (we premiered their track too), and many notable others. Full tour schedule below.

Sepaking of The Charleston, another fave by way of Texas, Mammoth Grinder, has announced more tour dates with Dead City to promote Extinction of Humanity, including a date at The Charleston on 1/12. Full tour dates are below. We premiered two songs from Mammoth Grinder here, and caught the band when they opened for Hatred Surge at The Charleston.

Alex of Mammoth Grinder also plays with Hatred Surge and Iron Age. Iron Age recently "played" The Charleston.

All tour dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Wetnurse on tour, playing shows w/ Atlas Moth (Union Pool) ++ Mammoth Grinder touring too (Charleston) - dates, videos"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Portal - "Larvae" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pelican - "Strung Up From The Sky" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heims - "W.O.F." (Edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heims - "Heims" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Merrimack - "In The Halls Of White Death" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gnaw Their Tongues - "Rife With Teeth" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mammoth Grinder - "Frozen" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mammoth Grinder - "Total Extinction" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Converge - "Dark Horse" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kowloon Walled City - "Clockwork" (MP3)

Yes, that is a clock on his head.

Portal is currently prepping their new album, Swarth, for release via Profound Lore on 10/20. For the unaware, Portal is definitely an odd duck (in the best way possible!), as the Aussies employ discordant chord patterns ala French BM masterminds Deathspell Omega, and a generally discomforting atmosphere abounds. Dig on the extremely promising "Larvae" from Swarth available above! The abstract blackened death metal band from Australia is also one of a few bands that have already been announced for Maryland Deathfest 2010 along with additions like Gorguts, Asphyx, Wolfbrigade, Gridlink, Impaled, and many many noteable others! Full MDF list is below.

Mammoth Grinder has released their new LP, Extinction of Humanity, which is available via Cyclopean Records. The band, which (as we know) shares members with Hatred Surge & Iron Age, combines an old school death metal approach of Entombed / Dismember with the charge of hardcore. Their new LP delivers on the promises made on No Results. Check out a pair of MP3s from Extinction of Humanity available for download above!

As previously discussed, Gnaw Their Tongues are releasing All The Dread Magnificence Of Perversity on 9/8 via Crucial Blast. Check out a song from the LP above, "Rife With Teeth".

In case you somehow missed it, the new Converge track, "Dark Horse" premiered on Stereogum last week. Axe To Fall has been in heavy rotation since I received a copy of this bad boy a few weeks ago, and I think that this could be their best record since Jane Doe. Check out the MP3 above and judge for yourself.

Pelican

Their show with sunn O))) / Earth / Eagle Twin is little more than three weeks away (tix), and now Pelican has dropped a new MP3 for download from their LP, What We All Come To Need. Dig on "Strung Up From The Sky" above. Helmed by Chris Common (These Arms Are Snakes) in July and featuring appearances from Greg Anderson (sunn O))), Goatsnake, etc), Aaron Turner (Isis), Ben Verellen (Harkonen, Helms Alee), and Alan Epley (Life And Times), the new album is set to blast off at their new home, Southern Lord. Look for Pelican to hit the road with Black Cobra and Disappearer for a fall tour. Black Cobra also recently signed to Southern Lord.

As previously discussed, Kowloon Walled City, is currently prepping their new LP Gambling On The Richter Scale for release 9/29 on The Perpetual Motion Machine. Preorders for the new Kowloon Walled City are up here, but meanwhile, dig on one of the tracks from the LP, "Clockwork", above.

More on Teitanblood, Heims, Slow Southern Steel, Rise & Fall, Municipal Waste, Circle Of Dead Children, and many more as This Week in Metal continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (09/01/09)"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Justina Villanueva

Hatred Surge

Hatred Surge played a Brooklyn show at The Charleston on July 17th. And they were bigger, badder, and boiling over with a fury that was only hinted at when I saw them at SXSW in March, possibly due to Brooklyn's more diverse powerviolence/grind/d-beat bill that was together as part of the ongoing Hardcore Gig Volume series.

Mammoth Grinder (more about them here) provided direct support, and although 2/3 of the lineup came from the headliner (Alex Hughes and Chris Ulsch), the band lacked the same punishing power of Hatred Surge. That's not to say that Mammoth Grinder were anything less than great, it's just that Hatred Surge was just that much more massive.

I've heard many things about Disnihil in the past, and all of it is true. The band's frenzied, crusty d-beat was intense and fun, and I'm already looking out for the next chance to catch them.

Defeatist was the first band that I caught, having missed Seasick completely. The thing that struck me immediately about the band was the severely brutal guitar tone of Aaron Nichols, with much more low end than I was used to as compared to their comp LP. I can't wait for their next appearance, at the Show No Mercy show at Public Assembly on Aug 2nd (with Keelhaul, Minsk, Unearthly Trance, STATS)!

More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Hatred Surge, Mammoth Grinder, Disnihil, Defeatist @ Seasick @ The Charleston in Brooklyn - pics"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Iron Age - "Dispossessed" (new MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Iron Age - "The Way Is Narrow" (MP3)

With a maladjusted hardcore assault that's part galloping Motorhead and Clevo Hardcore's Ringworm but with the strength of High On Fire, Iron Age have announced that their new album will be released by Tee Pee Records. The Sleeping Eye, which was completed late last year, is currently available on 2LP (in limited numbers) via Cyclopean Records, but look for Tee Pee to release the CD and LP on August 4th. In the meantime, check out "Dispossessed" from the album available for download above!

Iron Age's last release, The Way Is Narrow 7" has just been repressed by Painkiller Records. Pick that up here, and dig on the title track (another version appears on The Sleeping Eye) also downloadable above.

Iron Age, along with many others involved in Chaos In Tejas next weekend, will be playing other dates before and after the show. Look for Iron age to join hardcore faves Sex/Vid and Mind Eraser on a short Northeastern tour that includes two NYC shows in one day, June 6th... Cake Shop early and Death By Audio late.

Alex Hughes, guitarist for Iron Age and ex-member of Insect Warfare, will also be busy with his other projects in the coming months. Look for Hatred Surge and fellow Texans Mammoth Grinder (who we profiled here) to tour the east coast as part of a cam-pain through NYC on July 17th at The Charleston with Defeatist (mems Anodyne) and Disnihil.

I caught Iron Age and Hatred Surge in their hometown of Austin during SXSW. All tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Iron Age signs to Tee Pee - first MP3 & 2009 Tour Dates"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Vitamin X - "Deal With It" w/ John Brannon of Negative Approach (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Vitamin X - "You Suck" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hooded Menace - "Grasp Of The Beastwoman" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mammoth Grinder - "God is Stuck in a Black Hole" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Saros - "Reversion" (MP3)

Cattle Decapitation live @ Gilman, photo by Taija Lynn

Cattle Decapitation have announced dates in support of their new record, The Harvest Floor due on 1/20/09. Supported by Psyopus, Book Of Black Earth, and Gigan, full tour dates are below, but no NYC just yet.

Adding insult on top of insult to injury, Maryland Death Fest have added powerviolence bad-asses Despise You (with Phil Vera of Crom), as well as grinders Pigsty. This is on top of Mayhem, Bolt Thrower, Enslaved and soooo many others... Unfortunately, Repulsion have cancelled their appearance.

Need a fix of fun, skull-splitting hardcore? Vitamin X have dropped their new record, Full Scale Assault on Tankcrimes and it is one awe-inspiring slab of lightning riffery and old-school hardcore punk produced by none other than Steve Albini at Electrical Audio Studios. Sporting ultra-suh-weeeet artwork by John Baizley of Baroness, the band has been kind enough to drop off a pair of MP3s from the record... check out "Deal With it" featuring John Brannon of Negative Approach and "You Suck" downloadable above and pick up the album here.

How many times has a headliner you dug dropped off a bill, and you were actually pleased with the results? In a bit of shuffling, Doomriders have dropped off their bill with Tombs at Union Pool on 12/20 (frown), BUT Bloodhorse (who are working on a new record), Keelhaul(!), and Acid Tiger (Ben from Cave-in, Converge) have been added! So Keelhaul in NYC, huh? Exciting, and it sounds like they have more than just the show on their agenda...

We are going to Brooklyn to record another cd with Andrew Schneider in December. Yee haw.-[Keelhaul myspace]

Doomers My Dying Bride have revealed details of their new album, For Lies I Sire due in 2009 via Peaceville! Spanning nine tracks and recorded with producer Mags, vocalist Aaron Stainhorpe recently discussed the new record with Beyond The Dark Horizon.

Saros, the Bay Area blackened prog metal band contructed from members of the almighty Weakling and Amber Asylum, will drop their new album Acrid Plains on Profound Lore 2/17/09. Album art is below and check out the new MP3, "Reversion" available for download above.

Mammoth Grinder are scheduled to rage through the tri-state in the new year. The trio will be in town on Jan 3rd to double up.. playing shows at ABC No Rio (matinee) AND The Charleston (night) in support of their long-player Rage & Ruin and No Results 7" due together on Assassinated Records. Alternating between thundering doom and crusty hardcore, check out heavily doom-oriented "God is Stuck in a Black Hole " from Rage & Ruin, downloadable above.

Gracial death-doomers Hooded Menace are responsible for the massive Fulfill The Curse on Razorback Records. It's out NOW and it's absolutely frightening.. highly reccomended for fans of Coffins and death-doom in particular. Check out the track "Grasp Of The Beastwoman" from Fulfill The Curse and pray for your own safety that these Finns never make it to the US... it'll be a massacre.

More news on Intronaut, Pelican, The Sword, Krallice, Saint Vitus, Total Fucking Destruction and more as The Week In Metal continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (11/20/08) "