by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Belgian atmospheric sludge crew Amenra are currently streaming their slow-burning Mass V in full. Pensive, dark, yet burning brightly like a flame to magnesium, check out the record in its entirety below.

Amenra recently added a London show with Cult of Luna (who have a new album coming) on January 22nd. Still no word on an NYC date, but we'll let you know if that changes. All other dates and the album stream are below.

Continue reading "Amenra streaming 'Mass V' in full"

by Fred Pessaro

Belgian favorites Amenra have loose ties to bands like Oathbreaker, Integrity, Rise & Fall and others, and use elements from those bands along with Acme, Neurosis, and post-rock in their unique approach to post-hardcore/sludge. After a few mostly-European releases, the band is welcoming their new LP Mass V, which will be their debut LP for Neurot Recordings. The long-player, recorded by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Eyehategod, Swans), will hit via the label on November 27. Stream the first song from that LP, "Dearborn and Buried," below.

So far no, US dates have been scheduled for Amenra, but those in the EU can catch them at the dates below.

Continue reading "Amenra welcome 'Mass V' (stream a new track)"

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)"

DOWNLOAD: Warning//Warning - "Ghosts" (MP3)

Black Cobra at The Studio at Webster Hall (more by BBG)

In addition to their tour with Kyuss Lives! and The Sword that includes 12/9 at the Paramount in Long Island and 12/10 at the Wellmont Theatre in NJ, Black Cobra have added a round of dates that include Saint Vitus (the venue) on 12/11 with Zoroaster and The Body. Tickets are on sale. The full slate of dates are below. Black Cobra recently released Invernal.

France's Warning//Warning are touring the US and will hit Acheron on 11/20 with Nomad and more TBA. Check out a song from the bands new record There's Nothing Left above and look for them on the road at the dates below.

Saint Vitus (the band) have signed to Season of Mist and will release a new album.

Relapse signed the great New Zealand band Ulcerate. If you havent heard of them, make sure to check out their LP Destroyers of All which dropped this year, not to mention their highly recommended 2009 album Everything is Fire. It's great to see this band's audience growing in the US.

It seems that Seein Red/Larm cancelled their Chaos in Tejas 2011 appearance for a damn good reason... hearing damage. And now Seein Red have called it quits! R.I.P. Seein Red, I posted a live video in tribute below.

That video, a stream of the Pallbearer demo, a stream of a new Rise & Fall song, a new Pulling Teeth video, a new Oathbreaker video, and a live Monarch! video is below along with more suggested NYC shows...

Continue reading "Evillive (Black Cobra, Saint Vitus, Ulcerate, Pallbearer, Oathbreaker, Pulling Teeth & more)"

by BBG

Jucifer at Union Pool (more by Samantha Marble)

Jucifer will hit the road for a string of tour dates that will include NYC at Union Pool on July 15th. There they'll intersect with a Mocking Bird tour with a third band still to come. $10 gets you in.

Also in the coming couple weeks is Bongripper! The tour will be their first trek through the NYC area, and they'll play two nights of shows... July 10th at Acheron with Wizardry and July 11th at Lit Lounge with Bezoar. Stream some awesome indtrumental doom from the band below, and head out to the shows!

Yob and Dark Castle are on the road.

Cannabis Corpse, who have a new album, has been added to the previously discussed Sourvein show.

Northless, who put out the killer Clandestine Abuse, has added an NYC show at Lit Lounge on August 15th as part of an East Coast tour.

The now-on-Matador Ceremony play 538 Johnson tonight (7/1). Cro-Mags are at Bowery Ballroom with Wisdom in Chains, Death Threat, and Razorblade Handgrenade.

I am definitely feeling this new Oathbreaker LP, Mælstrøm which is out NOW via Deathwish and streaming below in full. The Belgium band features members of Amenra, and the LP was recorded by none other than Kurt Ballou. Highly reccomended!

The stream, more suggested NYC shows and some video below.

Continue reading "Evillive (Jucifer, Bongripper, Cannabis Corpse, Northless, Oathbreaker & more)"