In addition to Jeff Wilson's undertakings (pardon the pun) in Wolvhammer and Chrome Waves, the guitarist has announced another new death-rock/gothic project in Liar in Wait. The band, which also features members of Mourner, Iron Thrones and more, have released the first track from their forthcoming EP for Profound Lore, Translations Of The Lost. Stream that below in full.

That EP will be released while Wilson is out on the road with Wolvhammer, part of a trek with Glorior Belli in late May/early June which sponsored by Invisible Oranges. Union Pool gets the look on May 24. Check out the tour flyer below.

Continue reading "Liar in Wait (mems Wolvhammer, Nachtmystium, Mourner) announce new EP (stream a track)"

Eyehategod at Saint Vitus, Dec 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

As discussed, Corrections House is a supergroup of sorts, comprised of Scott Kelly (of Neurosis), Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod), Sanford Parker (producer/engineer, Nachmystium/Minsk) and Bruce Lamont (Yakuza, Bloodiest, etc). The upcoming tour will feature "solo sets of spoken word, acoustic and experimental music with an end times collaboration to close out the night." What we didn't know was that recorded material was also on the way...

Corrections House have produced a video for "Hoax the System," a new track that will appear on a forthcoming 7" on War Crime Records, a collaborative effort between Parker and Lamont. The flip will feature a second track, "Grin With A Purpose," though no additional recordings have been reported. Fingers crossed.

In the meantime, swoop below for a look at the new video and all tour dates. And if you want to see it live, Corrections House hits Saint Vitus on Jan 21 (tickets).

In related news, Neurosis plays a sold-out Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Saturday, the same day as the mega-Catharsis/Deathcycle/Gehenna/Withdrawal show at The Acheron (tickets).

Video and a list of tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Corrections House release new video, announces single"

photos by Fred Pessaro // BBG; words by Lauren Jackson

Nachtmystium @ Saint Vitus, 11/19/2012

On Monday night, Chicago's Nachtmystium exercised a sonic assault on a packed St. Vitus, which was one stop on a BV-sponsored tour. The band found support from local favorites Batillus, Mutilation Rites and Sannhet, as well as fellow Chicago metal outfit, Lord Mantis.

Sannhet started the night off at a properly late hour, complete with light show and white noise projections during their set which, incidentally, fit their extreme performance perfectly. Straddling the line between clear riffs and static, Sannhet's songs were highly structured, but drenched in a top layer of noise--much like the garbled images one can almost make out under TV snow.

Batillus carried through that same noisy sensibility, with frontman Fade Kainer's harsh vocals, manipulated to a point where they could have been confused as something inhuman and otherworldly. The band's industrial sensibility lent an edge to their doom-influence dirges and, while slower than all the other bands on the bill, made Batillus equally brutal as next band Mutilation Rites' most unforgiving riff.

Raw and fast as hell, Mutilation Rites brought down a set that seemed to make everyone at Vitus grind their teeth and brace themselves for the two remaining bands--Lord Mantis and headliners Nachtmystium. And by the time the headliners took to the stage, Vitus was packed, humid, and frenetic with the furious energy from each unbelievable performance.

To attend a show so consistently brutal and so consistently good, with band after band bringing all the energy they could to bolster up American black metal favorites, Nachtmystium, was a true treat for the metalhead's soul. And, as usual, Nachtmystium did not disappoint, and punctuated the night with an assaulting set that lasted just over an hour.

By the end of the set, the hooded black figures who had filed in at the start of it all came out sweaty, some with fogged glasses, and all with grins because everyone had gotten what they wanted: blackened brutality.

Check out more pictures and video from the show below, including video of Batillus performing a new track "Mirrors."

Continue reading "Nachtmystium played Saint Vitus with Lord Mantis, Mutilation Rites, Batillus & Sannhet (pics, video)"

Salvation at Power of The Riff East, August 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

With their  dates with Night Sins now behind them, Salvation have plotted a course back to NYC for a show on January 13 at Saint Vitus. There the band will join NYC black metal favorites Raspberry Bulbs and noise terrorist extraordinaire Pharmakon. Tickets are on sale.

Similarly, support for the previously discussed Nachtmystium show has changed yet again, this time with Mutilation Rites, Batillus, Sannhet and Lord Mantis. Tickets are still available for the 11/19 show at Saint Vitus.

Meanwhile, support for the previously discussed Eyehategod shows at Saint Vitus have been announced, with Magrudergrind, Clean Teeth and The Communion taking on 11/27 (tickets) and Mortals (Record Release), White Widows and one more TBA taking on 11/28 (tickets).

In other Saint Vitus show news, look for the great Pinkish Black to team with Naam for a show at Saint Vitus on December 1st (tickets).

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Nachtmystium at The Studio at Webster Hall, Sept 2010 (more by Markus Shaffer)

"Nachtmystium, regretfully, has to reschedule its upcoming US tour due to an unavoidable family emergency. The band (and Nachtmystium co-horts Lord Mantis) will still be able to perform the last four dates of the tour on the east coast, but all other dates will be rescheduled for the near future. Nachtmystium apologizes to all the fans and promoters as this was an unavoidable circumstance and we wish that things were different. However, we are beyond excited to come play for you soon. To those fans who will still be able to see us in November, we can't wait to destroy your eardrums. See you soon!"

In the meantime you can also catch both Bruce Lamont AND Batillus this weekend, though at different shows. The latter will perform at 285 Kent as part of the Show No Mercy showcase while the former will be on stage as part of Yakuza's exclusive NYC showing at Saint Vitus (aka the BV-BBG showcase). Tickets for the latter show are still available or use your CMJ badge (a limited number allowed in). Entry includes PBR, Sailor Jerry's and Mercy drink while supplies last.

All tour dates and the BV-BBG showcase flyer is below.

Continue reading "Nachtmystium cancels some shows, Weapon drops off & Lord Mantis added to tour(updated dates)"

Sky Burial, the one-man electronics project of Michael Page (not the Tennessee band of the same name), is preparing to release a new LP in There I Saw The Grey Wolf Gaping. Encompassing elements of ambient, power-electronics, shoegaze and industrial, the eight-track release is bursting with guest appearances from names like Danny Hyde (Coil), Bridget Wishart (Hawkwind), Xiphoid Dementia and more.

The opening track, "Incantare," features both Troum and Jarboe and you can check out a video for that track below, along with a stream of "Silence Moves." Look for the the CD release of the album on November 17t which is available for preorder now via Small Doses.

As we've mentioned before, Jarboe is on the road with Nachtmystium this fall, a tour that hits Saint Vitus on 11/19 (tickets).

Album art, said video, and the tracklisting is below.

Continue reading "Sky Burial collaborates with Jarboe & Troum on new album (stream and video)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

If you were wondering about the third band on the upcoming Wolvhammer / Krieg / Doomsday tour, you aren't alone. Doomsday is yet another project from Jeff Wilson, current mastermind behind Chrome Waves and also-guitar-player behind Wolvhammer. He'll be serving as a member of all three bands during said tour, and joining his Chrome Waves bandmate Bob Fouts for Doomsday, a new black metal project.

Chicago-based Doomsday is preparing to drop their debut EP on Disorder Recordings, a blasting whallop of a release that speeds along six songs in 20+ minutes and includes a cover of GG Allin favorite "I Kill Everything I Fuck." Currently slated for release on CD/digital on November 6, the EP's fury is evident in the first song to emerge from the LP, aptly titled "The Punishment" which makes its debut in this post.

Don't miss Doomsday when they hit the road this fall at the tour listed dates below (including 11/3 at Union Pool -tickets), and while your down there stream the new track, check out the album art and tracklisting as well.

Continue reading "Doomsday preps debut EP (stream a track)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Nachtmystium at BV-SXSW 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

Dates are starting to trickle out for the previously-discussed, in-the-works Nachtmystium/Jarboe/Weapon tour. Though the full tour-sched is forthcoming, a chunk of dates have been released and are viewable in handy list form below. Those dates include the previously-mentioned stop at Saint Vitus on 11/19 (tickets).

BrooklynVegan is proud sponsor of the Nachtmystium/Jarboe/Weapon jaunt. More details are on the way. If you missed it, make sure and check out the interview/new song stream with Weapon.

All known dates are listed below along with the tour flyer.

Continue reading "Nachtmystium, Jarboe and Weapon tour confirmed (dates)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

"We do our own thing, on our terms or not at all. Kvlt can suck my fucking dick. I want it all. Evil has no boundaries" - Vetis Monarch of Weapon

Weapon at Rites of Darkness 2011 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Canadian black metal horde Weapon have made a few major transitions of late, moving from a staunchly independent black metal label (The Ajna Offensive) to one of the bigger labels in the genre (Relapse) and taking their show from recording-only to full-on tour mode. The occasion? The release of their third LP, Embers and Revelations, due on October 9th. Stream the new song "Vanguard Of The Morning Star," which we're premiering below, and you can order your copy at Relapse.

Weapon see these transitions as opportunites (as they should) and as such, we cornered the creative mind behind Weapon, Vetis Monarch, for a few interview questions which you can read below.

Don't forget that Weapon will be in NYC on 11/19 at Saint Vitus with Nachtmystium and Jarboe. Tickets are still available.

Song stream and Q&A are below.

Continue reading "An interview with Weapon ++ stream a track from their new album 'Embers & Revelations'"

Nachtmystium at BV-SXSW 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

Nachtmystium, Jarboe and Weapon are hitting the road for a string of dates this fall surrounding Blake & Co's appearance at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin in early November. The confirmed dates have the bands in Portland, ME on 11/10 and then at Saint Vitus on 11/19. Tickets are on sale. The shows are in celebration of the Chicago band's new LP Silencing Machine.

In semi-related news, Jarboe's old band Swans recently added some new dates including 10/28 at Bowery Ballroom and 10/29 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The band's new LP The Seer is out now.

All known tour dates are listed below along with a Nachtmystium video.

Continue reading "Nachtmystium playing shows with Weapon and Jarboe as part of a growing tour (dates)"

photos by Greg Cristman, Pallbearer photos & words by BBG

Alcest @ Lovejoys

By the time that Hull hit the stage at around 2:20pm, the deal was sealed; intimate Austin bar/venue Lovejoys was officially one-in-one-out until we closed the doors. The Saturday BrooklynVegan day show during SXSW included the awesome lineup of Alcest (their only Austin show), Nachtmystium (with Will Lindsay and Sanford Parker in tow), The Atlas Moth, Pallbearer, Speedwolf, Hull, Bruce Lamont with Man's Gin (their only show), Mutilation Rites and Vestiges. All of the bands ruled and I can't thank them enough.

Vestiges opened the party at 12:15 to a relatively large crowd of people (considering the inevitable hangovers from the night prior), and proceeded to wake us all with their spacey hybrid of black metal, hardcore, doom, and crust. A truly amazing band that is definitely worth looking out for. Mutilation Rites followed with new bassist Ryan Jones (Wetnurse/Today is The Day) in tow, but seemed no worse for the changeover; the band's punk-y black-metal-thrash ripped as usual.

Bruce Lamont and Man's Gin collaborated next, using everything from guitar, sax, and bass ukelele in their renditions of Man's Gin songs. It was a special one-off collaboration during the festival, and one that I was grateful to be hosting in such a small space. Hats off to Erik, Josh & the Man's Gin crew, as well as Bruce Lamont.

After that relatively low-key set, of course Hull brought it up a few notches with their thundering post-metal stomp, the first of three shows for the band that day. The rattling doom power of Hull live cannot be denied, but neither can the Motorhead-y beer-swilling pummel of Speedwolf who followed directly after. Speedwolf is currently on a US tear, so look for them at a town near you (including NYC).

Pallbearer @ Lovejoys

Pallbearer, one of my favorite bands from SXSW this year, are undeniably great and just destroyed after Speedwolf. Their melodic doom riffs and soaring vocals owe a lot to the doom-fathers of yesteryear but still reimagine some of those approaches on their stunner of an LP Sorrow & Extinction. Pick it up if you can, and don't miss them when they come to NYC with Loss!

The Atlas Moth and Nachtmystium, out on tour together, played the following two sets with the latter featuring Sanford Parker on keys and Will Lindsay (Indian, Middian, etc) on bass. The Atlas Moth was also in a different configuration, with Andrew Ragin out with medical issues and replaced with his brother-in-law and former member of Stabbing Westward Marcus Eliopulos. Despite configuration changes, both bands were fantastic.

Alcest, who in no way resembles a metal band other than in pedigree, closed out the night. The French quartet's focus is on shoegaze-influenced beauty and were a perfect way to end the hectic and brutal day at Lovejoys. Alcest are on the road in the US, and will play NYC at Public Assembly next week with another BV-SXSW-show-alumnus, Deafheaven (I'll be DJing).

Yet another successful year at Lovejoys in Austin, and I'd like to send a big thank you to the staff, Jester King for the free suds, all of the bands, and most importantly all of the fans who came for the day. Thank you so much, and I can't wait until next year!

More pictures from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "pics from the Saturday BV show @ Lovejoys (Alcest, Nachtmystium, Atlas Moth, Pallbearer & more)"

by BBG

Alcest at Gramercy Theater (more by Greg Cristman)

On March 17th, 2012 (Saturday), BrooklynVegan will return to the scene of the crime (where we hosted two shows last year) for a FREE show at Lovejoys in Austin during SXSW! From noon until just before 7PM we'll host a lineup that includes:

Alcest (their ONLY appearance during SXSW)
Nachtmystium
The Atlas Moth
Pallbearer
Speedwolf
Hull
Bruce Lamont
Mutilation Rites
Vestiges

The show is one of several shows that BrooklynVegan is hosting during SXSW including four days at Hotel Vegas, and our back-to-back day party as part of Converse/Thrasher Deathmatch followed by one of our (with an exclusive appearance from Black Breath) three official SXSW showcases. Stay tuned for more details on Hotel Vegas and the other two showcases.

Nachtmystium is currently in the studio sawing away at their new LP Silencing Machine due on July 31st via Century Media. The band will be hitting the road for a set of Midwest dates right around the album release, with an assist from Krieg and Murmur. Details are on the way.

The Atlas Moth and Pallbearer will both play an upcoming Scion showcase in LA on March 31, and for free! RSVP now. Pallbearer recently released their monster new LP Sorrow & Extinction via Profound Lore and are heading to NYC with Loss for a rare one-off show.

Alcest is heading out on the road for a string of dates with Deafheaven (who play our Deathmatch day party in Austin) including NYC at Public Assembly on 3/31 with Vaura (who have a new album) and yours truly on the turntables. Tickets are still available.

All Alcest dates and some streams and video below...

Continue reading "announcing the BV-BBG day party at Lovejoys on 3/17 with an exclusive appearance from Alcest & much more!"

Andy Nelson with Paint it Black at Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by BBG)

Mamiffer, Tombs, Locrian, Thou, Fuck The Facts, The Atlas Moth and many more contribute to the second part of our continuing series where we asked some of our favorite artists about their 2011 highlights. Part One HERE. Part Two below...

Continue reading "The Year in Heavy 2011 according to artists & friends (part 2)"

We previously discussed Phily's Riot Fest East that will feature an appearance from the mighty Descendents and The Suicide Machines who they also play with in NYC. Riot Fest East, an offshoot of the Chicago festival, happens on September 24th.

The Chicago version of the festival, October 5-9, previously announced that Weezer, Social Distortion, Descendents, 7 Seconds, ALL (two different eras!), Helmet, and X (playing Los Angeles) were all on the lineup, but left one big announcement for today...

On Friday October 7, 2011 Danzig will headline Riot Fest and perform a career spanning show featuring sets of Danzig, Samhain and Misfits songs with none other than Doyle joining on guitar the Misfits set. We've waited years for this and we can't wait to see the inside of the Congress Theater turn into a churning sea of humanity.

Tickets are now also on sale for the Descendents show at Roseland Ballroom that Suicide Machines and H20 are opening.

X are performing Los Angeles at both Riot Fests AND on two nights at Irving Plaza in NYC. Tickets are on sale for those shows too.

Riot Fest show flyers and some videos is below.

Continue reading "Riot Fest Chicago completes lineup with "Danzig Legacy"! Descendents East Coast shows on sale too"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Avichi "Under Satan's Sun" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Disma"Spectral Domination" (MP3)

Only in Japan will you find the unique combination of bratty punk rock, crust, doom, and drone all rolled into one. After releasing the well-received Ill Innocence in 2007, Gallhammer is back albeit without founding member Mika Penetrator. The now-duo hit the studio late last year to record their follow-up LP, The End, which will see its release via Peaceville on May 31st. Recorded by Maniac (Skitliv, Mayhem), the new LP (thats the art to the left) visits familiar blackened themes from their previous Fenriz-approved debut, like the riot-grrl inspired new song "Aberration". Stream that below and preorder a copy at Peaceville.

Reminder, Inter Arma will link up with Bastard Sapling, and Castevet on May 7th at Mother Pugs in Staten Island and at Acheron on May 8th with new addition SALO (Saturday & Sunday).

And you can make Sunday a day of heavy music, as Woe has added a last minute show in NYC, and its an early one. The show goes down at 3PM at Semi-Legit (6 Charles Place in Brooklyn) and will also feature appearances from Primitive Savagery, and MAD. $5 gets you in to the early 3PM show. Flyer below.

Bastard Sapling at BV-BBG CMJ (more by Keith Marlowe)

Check out some snippets from the upcoming Autopsy LP Macabre Eternal at their mini-site. We recently posted the first track, "Always About To Die".

Dark Castle is streaming a new song from their forthcoming Surrender to All Life Beyond Form at Invisible Oranges. The band will go on tour with YOB (with Rob Shaffer of DC on drums) and hit Le Poisson Rouge on July 12th (tickets). Invisible Oranges is also hosting a pair of interviews with Earth.

Stereogum is currently hosting a new track by Premonition 13 due on the forthcoming 13 via Summer Solstice/Volcom on 6/21.

Blake Judd admits that Nachtmystium's Addicts was inspired by his own battle with heroin, and that he is working on new Nachtmystium material with members of Avichi as well as Sanford Parker. Judd is also scheming new material with Von! Speaking of Avichi, look for their new LP, The Devil's Fractal, via Profound Lore on 7/19 (thats the art work). Check out "Under Satan's Sun" available for download above.

Last but not least, Disma will release their new LP Towards The Megalith via Profound Lore Records. Check out the new song "Spectral Domination" available for download above and look for the LP on 7/19. More brutal death from these long-time metal/hardcore vets.

That Gallhammer stream and some suggested NYC shows are below...

Continue reading "Evillive (Avichi, Gallhammer, Bastard Sapling, Woe, Disma...)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Nachtmystium - "A Seed For Suffering" (live) (MP3)

Nachtmystium at The Studio at Webster Hall (more by Markus Shaffer)

While Nachtmystium may experiment with different directions from LP to LP, there is always one constant, an unstoppable live show. Now that punk ethos and those icy blasts are the focus of a new release, Nachtmystium Live at Roadburn due on Feb 17th via Roadburn Records (on 2LP) and currently available for pre-order in Europe and at select US distros.

Nachtmystium has been known to feature different configurations on the live stage. Their Roadburn appearance not only featured Ron van Herpen from The Devils Blood/Astrosoniq and Teun van der Velden from Astrosoniq on guitar/keys respectively, but it was the first time they played with them following the abrupt departure of Jeff Wilson mid-tour:

"For your information, ...these two guys had THREE HOURS of practice with us EVER, on the day of the show none the less. We had not met them in person previous to the day of the show. They'd been asked to help us out (due to some unfortunate circumstances with a member of Nachtmystium having to leave for home mid-tour) about nine days before our performance at Roadburn. Both of them learned the entire set from the album recordings of the songs we played in these nine days, and then had a three hour window in the afternoon on show-day to rehearse with us as a full band.

Nachtmystium will hit the road with Cradle of Filth, playing Best Buy Theater in NYC on March 3rd and Starland Ballroom in NJ on March 5th as part of the "Creatures From The Black Abyss Tour". Tickets are still available. All dates are reposted below.

The song stream and the tracklisting/art for the new release are down there too...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium releasing 'Live at Roadburn' -- MP3 & tour dates"

by BBG

Brian Gibson and Jason Kendall of Megasus at Acheron (more)

After releasing their punishing self-titled LP with 20 Buck Spin (and playing an equally punitive live show at Acheron), Megasus is back to release a new 5" mini-EP with Brutal Panda Records. The Menace of The Universe 5" features a pair of new tracks from the Providence beatdown artists including "Damned Hammer" and the title track, which is streaming below. Guitarist Ryan Lesser is responsible for the (impressive) artwork duties on the release, which will include die-cut six-panel packaging. You can see the art and pre-order the EP at Brutal Panda's site.

Megasus, the only band that has the distinction of having a record on Brutal Panda and 20 Buck Spin all while having a song in Rock Band 2, currently have no dates on their calendar. Neither does Lightning Bolt who share drummer/bassist Brian Gibson.

In between working on his fretwork and art for the upcoming release, Ryan Lesser also found time to tell us what his favorite things were in 2010. Check out that list while you listen to the song stream for "Menace Of The Universe" below.

Continue reading "Megasus releasing an EP (listen to a track), Ryan Lesser told us his 20 Favorite Music Things of the year (check it out)"

by BBG

Cough at CMJ (more by Keith Marlowe)

Did I book this show and not realize it? Cough will team up with Naam and Batillus to play The Charleston on 12/11. If you missed them at the BV-BBG show, this is an excellent chance to catch Cough in a small (and suuuper loud) environment. Must.

The previously discussed Incantation-plays-all-of-Onward to Golgotha show with Mortician, Funerus, and Fatalist has a new home :Europa on 11/20 (tickets) (a BrooklynVegan/1000Knives production). The show is the day before Gaza teams up with Tiger Flowers and Meek is Murder at Cake Shop.

Nachtmystium will hit Best Buy Theater on March 3rd, 2011 supporting Cradle of Filth, with Turisas and Daniel Lioneye as part of the "Creatures From The Black Abyss Tour" which also hits Starland Ballroom on March 5th . Tickets are on sale. All dates below.

Those looking to get away from their families after Christmas can scoot on down to Best Buy Theater to join Gwar with The Casualties, Infernaeon, and Mobile Deathcamp on 12/26. Tickets are on sale. Both Gwar and The Casualties will also play this weekend at Fun Fun Fun Fest (11/5 - 11/7, tickets). Gwar's new album, Bloody Pit of Horror hits store shelves next week via Metal Blade. They recently appeared on Fallon. Video of that with all dates below.

Speaking of FFFF, Suicidal Tendencies are on tour and will play the fest this weekend and are scheduled to play Terminal 5 on 11/14 with Cro-Mags, Underdog and Death Before Dishonor. Tickets are still available or you can try your luck at winning a pair! Details are at the bottom of this post with updated dates.

Dub Trio will play Mercury Lounge with CSC Funk Band on November 10th. Tickets are on sale.

Great day show at ABC No Rio on 11/13 with Cali killers Punch and Loma Prieta teaming up with the great Vaccine and Death First. Shows start early, and this is a pretty killer bill so get there!

Kayo Dot will support Newspeak at a record release party for the band's new album Sweet Light Crude. loadbang will support at the Littlefield shindig on November 14th. Tickets are on sale for $8 or you can buy entry with a CD for $15.

All tour dates, details on how to enter the Suicidal Tendencies contest, and some video is below.

Continue reading "Cough, Nachtmystium, Suicidal Tendencies, Gwar, Incantation, Kayo Dot, Punch & other upcoming shows & tours"

photos by Greg Cristman, words by BBG

Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth, and Dark Castle played their second of two NYC dates at Knitting Factory on 9/19 (the first show was four days earlier at The Studio at Webster Hall). Now they're back on the road. You can catch them at Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia tonight.

More pictures from Knitting Factory, and some new videos from The Studio at Webster Hall show, below...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth & Dark Castle played Knitting Factory (pics & video) "

photos by Markus Shaffer, words by BBG

Blake Judd, saluting the horned one

Long Island Press: I've heard some traditionalists who deride Nachtmystium as populist black metal-does that mindset ever influence your artistic choices?

Blake Judd of Nachtmystium: I don't care what anyone says about my band. Nachtmystium is my life, it's all I do, and any f**king asshole black metal douche bag who wants to question me or my integrity can feel free to do so right to my face if he feels so inclined. I and the four people who travel with me six to seven months out of the year are total extremists in our lifestyles and there is nothing "fancy" or "glamorous" about our lifestyles as members of Nachtmystium, We just happen to get paid enough these days to keep gas in our van (note, VAN) and the wheels on it turning and maybe pay a month or two of rent each after a tour. If someone thinks that is like living some rock star lifestyle, think again.

In related news, the great Dark Castle have completed recording their new LP at Electric Audio in Chicago with Sanford Parker. The follow-up to Spirited Migration will be released by Profound Lore on CD, with At a Loss (their former home) doing the vinyl honors. Spirited Migration is FINALLY out now on vinyl and available on all of their tour stops. Look for it!

More pictures and video from the Studio are below...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth & Dark Castle played The Studio (pics & video) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Deathbeds - "Danny Husk" (MP3)

Nachtmystium at Europa (more by Samantha Marble)

Ask any two heavy music fans about some of the best metal releases of the year, and chances are you'll get responses that include bands that play NYC tonight (9/15) and Thursday (9/16). Tonight, Nachtmystium (who released the controversial Addicts: Black Meddle Part II earlier this year) will team up with Zoroaster (who released Matador), The Atlas Moth, and Dark Castle will play The Studio at Webster Hall. Tickets are still available to buy, OR you can try your hand at winning one of FOUR pairs.

Thursday NYC will get a piece of The Body, who released one of my favorite LPs, All The Waters Of The Earth Turned To Blood earlier this year. The Providence band will play The Acheron with Deathbeds and Bad Dream and though there are no advance tickets to this all ages show ($10 gets you in), I have THREE pairs available for giveaway. Details on how to win a pair of tickets to a show or both are below.

The Atlas Moth have a new covers EP, The One Amongst the Weed Fields, due at the end of this month via Candlelight. The digital only release features the Chi-city band revisiting classics by Pink Floyd, The Doors, and even "California Dreaming"!

Dark Castle recently began work on the follow-up to their breakthrough LP Spirited Migration for At A Loss Recordings. Sanford Parker is behind the boards, and though a release date is still forthcoming, expect an announcement soon.

Deathbeds will appear on the upcoming second installment of the Anthropic Records compilation, featuring some of Philly's heaviest. Alongside the brutality that is "Danny Husk" (downloads it above), bands like Ladder Devils and The Green Evening Requiem (mems Woe) will strut their stuff. The comp is free with any purchase on the label, and the tracklisting is below.

Details on how to win tickets and some videos are below too...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium tonight, The Body tomorrow (win tix) "

by BBG

Nachtmystium at Europa (more by Samantha Marble)

Nachtmystium, Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth, and Dark Castle are going to tour, and BrooklynVegan and 1000 Knives have teamed up to present the Manhattan show at The Studio at Webster Hall on September 15th! Tickets are on sale. It's one of two NYC shows on the trek. The foursome also play Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on September 19th. Tickets are on sale for that too. All dates are below.

In other news, Zoroaster and Dark Castle's recent tour mates, Black Tusk, are scheduled to play NYC on with Fu Manchu at Santos Party House on 9/4. Support will come from the great It's Casual, along with Vagina Panther. Tickets are on sale. The show is part of a larger set of dates for Fu Manchu and It's Casual; dig on those below too.

Continue reading "Nachtmystium touring w/ Zoroaster, the Atlas Moth & Dark Castle ++ Black Tusk touring w/ Fu Manchu (2010 dates) "

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble

Brian of Eyehategod/Soilent Green

It'd be easy to mistake the Eyehategod/Brutal Truth/Nachtmystium/Black Anvil/Tombs throw down as a full on assault on the audience. And while in a sense it was, to the metal fans in attendance, it was a more of a big party. Songs like "Sister Fucker", "High on Hate", and "Filled With Secrets" don't outwardly point to a celebratory vibe, but in the context of that show, beers were hoisted and invisible oranges were raised.

Tombs kicked off the evening at a ridiculously early 6PM with a set that seemed to be filled with new tunes making full use of their new guitarist. It was my first experience with Tombs as a four piece, and the addition definitely adds a fuller sound.

Black Anvil followed with a set that also relied heavily on newer material from their upcoming Triumvirate. The band's relative cooling to the the live stage in 2010 (to write and record mostly) meant a heaping dose of brutality... of course then again, maybe it's the whole "don't know what you've got, til it's gone" factor. (I missed their set opening for Immortal, and only caught them briefly at Scion Rock Fest)

Nachtmystium was up next, and aside from brainchild Blake Judd, the band was sporting a wholly new lineup made up of members of Lord Mantis and a new guitar player (Jeff Wilson recently left the band). Their set contained little of the controversial elements from their new LP Addicts (meaning, no keyboards, overly-compressed snares, etc) and instead concentrated on the melodic black metal blasting. "High on Hate" from the new LP sound particularly impressive live.

Brutal Truth followed, pulling from across their groovy grind catalogue, as barefooted vocalist Kevin Sharp barked out vocals at the crowd. Their set was good, but I found my eyes glued to drummer Richard Hoek for almost the entire set. Hoek is infinitely watchable/listenable, as he alternates between precision blasting, goofy faces, and making ridiculous remarks at the crowd.

After all that lightning-quick pummel, it was nice to have Eyehategod on stage to take it nice and slow. The band pulled out all of the classics for their shortened set (a shade over an hour), and whipped the crowd into a fever pitch. Pit action, stage dives, and sing-alongs were a-plenty, and the band seemed genuinely more excited to be in Brooklyn than they were just seven months prior. Incredible set.

More Eyehategod dates HERE. Tons of pics, and some videos from the Brooklyn show, below...

Continue reading "Eyehategod, Brutal Truth, Nachtmystium, Black Anvil & Tombs played Europa in Brooklyn - pics & video"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Nachtmystium - "Every Last Drop" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nachtmystium - "Addicts" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nachtmystium - "No Funeral" (MP3)

Eyehategod at Europa (more by Samantha Marble)

Saturday (6/12) marks the massive Eyehategod / Brutal Truth / Nachtmystium / Black Anvil / Tombs show at Europa. The uber-stacked bill still has tickets available but if you are lucky, you can win one of FOUR sets for free! Details on how to win are at the bottom of this post.

Of all of the above touring bands, only Nachtmystium have a freshly minted album under their wings (Black Anvil's Triumvirate impacts on 9/28). The followup to the critical/fan smash Assassins: Black Meddle, the highly controversial LP Addicts: Black Meddle Part II, is out now via Century Media. Check out a few tracks from that LP available for download above.

In an recent interview that I did for Metalsucks, Blake Judd of Nachtmystium revealed that the Twilight project (featuring Aaron Turner of Isis, Sanford Parker of Minsk, N. Imperial of Kreig, Wrest of Leviathan, and Stavros Giannopolous of The Atlas Moth) was working on new material and might have a new member:

There are talks that somebody from Sonic Youth might be playing with us as well. Sanford's [Parker] partner is Jeremy Lemos. He's Sonic Youth's sound technician live. So we're pretty closely connected to them through him. Thurston Moore is a big black metal fan, so we've been in talks with him about getting him involved and doing something on the next record, which we're all really hoping will happen.

Some videos and contest details are below...

Continue reading "Nachtmystium play w/ Eyehategod Saturday (WIN TIX), Thurston Moore to play on Twilight album? (not that Twilight!)"

words by Kim Kelly, photos by Erik Luyten

Eyehategod

It's been a long few days for Kim Kelly, who is currently gallavanting around Europe with Mike Scheidt and YOB, but the metal maven filed the below Roadburn report to tie up the rest of her time at the 2010 edition of the epic festival that took place during an equally historic time. If you're just joining us, check out Kim Kelly's report from Day 1 before continuing below... - BBG

Continue reading "Roadburn Festival 2010 in review"