Back by popular demand is the uber-kitschy Descendents sweater, which features the band's mascot with crossbones amidst a grid of musical notes Available in two colors, this bastion of ridiculousity is on sale now for the Milo in your family.

Similarly, Slayer, the obvious go-to for holiday merch, has a Christmas sweater of their own on sale now. Because nothing says holiday cheer like a chest full of skulls and pentagrams.

This of course isn't the first time that Slayer has been juxtaposed against the holiest of days. Check out some of our favorite videos of Christmas lights below.

Don't like Slayer or Descendents? How about a David Bowie sweater? Or a Morrissey one? Or New Kids on The Block? Check out a few different ideas at Buzzfeed.

Lets keep on, keepin' on with spreading the holiday cheer by letting everyone know that King Diamond's holiday classic "No Presents for Christmas" will see a picture disc release for the first time in 25 years. Get yours today, Black Friday at your nearest participating record store.

Deck the halls, and reign in blood.

Continue reading "Festive holiday sweaters & a Slayer & King Diamond Christmas"

Kirk of Down/Crowbar at Irving Plaza, 2011 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

New Orleans sludge-doom supercrew Down, frontman Phil Anselmo included, are on tour and have arrived in NYC to bless Best Buy Theater tonight (9/28) and Starland Ballroom in NJ Saturday (9/29). They'll be joined by Saint Vitus (who played the similarly-named venue this week), Warbeast and Haarp. Tickets are still available. An updated set of tour dates is below.

Down is touring off of their new release Down IV Part I -- The Purple EP which features "Witchtripper". Check out the new video for that song, along with a stream of the full EP, and those dates, below...

Continue reading "Down is here with a new EP, released a new video (watch)"

by BBG

Slayer at Nassau Coliseum (more by Matthew Eisman)

Why are metal fans so demanding? We demand our clothes in one color (black). We have our own section on BrooklynVegan. And now we have our own version of Record Store Day:

The Music Monitor Network, largest of the independent record store coalitions with stores in both the US and Canada --is proud to announce the launch of Metal Club. Metal Club is a group of record stores throughout the US and Canada that work to connect the vibrant metal community with their local record store. Fans will be able to visit their local Metal Club store for special metal promotional pieces, exciting in-store events, and a series of exclusive Metal Club releases, starting with ...Metallica.

Metallica will release a live LP, Live at Grimey's, on standard CD/limited-edition 2x10" vinyl with a gatefold jacket on 11/26/10 ("Black Friday") which will only be available at "Metal Club" stores (which include J&R Music World in NYC and Vintage Vinyl in NJ - full list of stores here). Additional releases available on "Black Friday" will include a reissue of Queens of the Stone Age's debut on vinyl, The Sword's "(The Night The Sky Cried) Tears of Fire" on Hexagonal 12" Picture Disc, and Pantera's "Cowboys From Hell: The Demos" on 180 gram vinyl, among many others.

To celebrate Metal Club, and record stores in general, I have up for grabs the limited edition Slayer vinyl box set, The Vinyl Conflict (a $150 value!), which includes almost their entire recorded output (everything from Reign in Blood on) on 11 LPs. Details on you can win a copy are at the bottom of this post.

Some video, the Metallica tracklisting, and contest details, below...

Continue reading "Metal Club = Heavy Metal Record Store Day -- exclusive releases + a chance to win a Slayer box set "

before Courtney Love arrived @ Best Buy last night (mybodystory)

Courtney Love @ Best Buy last night (mybodystory)

tonight in NYC
* Asa Ransom @ The Cameo
* Cruel Black Dove @ Fontana's
* Jenny Scheinman @ Barbes
* Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
* Devotchka @ Bowery Electric
* Hanson @ Gramercy Theatre (again!)
* Gogol Bordello @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Gipsy Kings @ Radio City Music Hall
* Jamie Lidell, Twin Shadow @ Bowery Ballroom
* Hole, Little Fish, The Love Loves @ Terminal 5
* Goes Cube, Pistola, Toys in Trouble @ The Bell House
* Hellyeah, Black Water Rising @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Think About Life, Light Pollution (late) @ Mercury Lounge
* Class Actress, MNDR, Keepaway @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Pink Noise, The Art of Shooting, Bronze, Casey Quilty @ Pianos
* Mike Bones, Mark Trecka & Beth Remis, Elephant Micah @ Union Pool
* Tiberius, Monuments, Multitudes, Birthing Of Millions @ Cake Shop
* Franklin Bruno, Jay Sherman-Godfrey, Pete Galub & The Annuals @ Union Hall
* Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Magical Beautiful (early) @ Mercury Lounge
* Zach Hill, Anamanaguchi, Soft Circle, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Death By Audio

Seventh Void, a band featuring 50% of Type O Negative, cancelled their opening slot at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight in light of Pete Steele's recent passing (Black Water Rising took their place). Seventh Void's debut album was recently released by Big Vin Records aka Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul's record label. Vinnie's brother Dimebag Darrell was murdered on stage right in front of him while they were performing with their post-Pantera band Damageplan in December of 2004. After that Vinnie went on to join "supergroup" Hellyeah (the headliner at Music Hall tonight). Big Vin Records hasn't actually released much. One of their only other CDs is the self-titled Rebel Meets Rebel which is three members of Pantera (Vin and Dimebag included) backing David Allan Coe. Coe plays Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 11th (with Jonny Corndawg opening).

Writer and musician Franklin Bruno appears at Union Hall tonight with his band The Human Hearts ("me + Matt, w/ Pete, above, sitting in for a couple"). "Above" refers to openers Jay Sherman-Godfrey and Pete Galub. "We have new songs, which, by my lights, bite Big Flame, ABC, Code Blue's 'Whisper Touch,' and The Clean. At least one song by a bald post-punk will be covered."

Hole kicked off their trip to NYC with an in-store at Best Buy last night. Tonight is the first of two shows at Terminal 5.

Devotchka and Gogol Bordello each have last minute shows in NYC tonight and then a free afterparty at Brooklyn Bowl (which is where Gogol is playing)

Tonight's MNDR show at the Studio isn't listed in the tour dates we posted yesterday which included last night's benefit at the Bell House and the VV Brown show tomorrow at Bowery Ballroom.

Think About Life!

Cruel Black Dove finishes up an April residency at Fontana's tonight. Kurt Braunohler, Dave Hill, and other funny people perform at the LES venue on Wednesday.

Micachu & the Shapes performed at Bruar Falls' one-year anniversary party Saturday night (while the Morning Benders were playing at MHOW). Punkcast video from their performance below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Nathaniel Shannon

Down recently released the following statement:

"This past week Philip Anselmo did an interview with writer Dave Wedge of the Boston Herald... Within the article Mr. Wedge made some statements that are falsehoods and we wanted to clear it up before the rumor mill starts turning.

First off, Mr. Wedge states that 'Down has no plans to record after this tour.' This is absolutely untrue. The band will be writing and recording for a release in 2010.

Secondly he states, 'Rex Brown, who also played in Pantera, has left the band for personal reasons.' This is categorically and unequivocally untrue. As you all know Rex did not join this tour due to imminent health concerns. As Philip states on stage every night, Rex is the bass player in Down and will continue to be...

"We hope this clears up any questions anyone may have had." -[Blabbermouth]

Down played Nokia Theater as part of their ongoing trek with Melvins, Weedeater, and Evil Army on 9/11/09, a tour that also yielded appearances by Weedeater at The Charleston as well as Melvins at ATP. Rex Brown (ex-Pantera) is recovering from surgery removing his gallbladder and polyps on his pancreas, and was replaced by Danny Theriot on bass.

Unfortunately, no pics of Weedeater or Evil Army from this show, but dig on more Down & Melvins shots below. Full tour dates, as well as a video of Down performing the Van Halen classic "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love" also below...

Continue reading "Down played Nokia Theatre w/ Melvins (pics), writing & recording for a release in 2010 & stuff"

by Black Bubblegum

EyehateAnselmo: Mike "IX" Williams and Phil Anselmo at Hellfest in France (vivosi8)

They should call this tour Eyehatebigbusinesspornconformity with a crowbar, ritually.... As discussed, Down is hitting the road with the Melvins. That tour will hit NYC on September 11th with a show at the Nokia Theater in Times Square. Tickets go on AMEX presale today/Wednesday 6/24 at 10am, with regular Joes/Janes gettin' theirs on Friday at noon. All dates, with more likely to be announced, below.

Although there is no official indication that the Down tour will also feature long-rumored touring partner Weedeater, their merch company (which also happens to be Ryan Patterson of Coliseum) writes that "WEEDEATER joins MELVINS and DOWN for an incredible package tour in July". Maybe they meant September. We'll let you know when we get official word! In the meantime, Weedeater is playing NYC on July 9th at Cake Shop (CANCELLED), one of a few confirmed dates that the band has laid out for the coming months. All dates below.

In related news, Phil Anselmo's ex-bandmate in Superjoint Ritual and Arson Anthem, Hank III, is currently on the road with his band Assjack and will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wed 6/24. Tickets are still available. Assjack (Hank III's death metal band) is touring to promote their upcoming debut album due via Curb Records on Aug 4th. All dates below.

Just one day after Melvins play the stages of Nokia, the band will play to an entirely different crowd up at Kutscher's for ATP New York. ATP New York's lineup also includes Autolux and Sleepy Sun, as well as Boredoms, Boss Hog, Deerhunter, No Age, and many more. Tickets are available here.

Down recently played Hellfest in Clisson, France along with Eyehategod, Torche, Amebix, and many many others. Phil Anselmo (of Down, Pantera) joined Eyehategod on stage to perform "Sisterfucker" from their classic LP Take As Needed For Pain.

Kylesa also played Hellfest SANS founder/guitarist Philip Cope, who is having passport issues and will join the band by next week. Video of that Cope-less performance is below.

Torche are coming to NYC soon too, and with Harvey Milk. Tickets are still available for their show at Music Hall Of Williamsburg on July 26th.

All tour dates and live videos of Weedeater and Down below...

Continue reading "Melvins tour w/ Down (and Weedeater?), play NYC (tix) before ATP NY ++ Hank III tour w/ Assjack (dates) & more"

by Black Bubblegum

an Exhorder fan

Some say they created groove metal, a sound that Pantera later perfected. I say that Exhorder never got the respect they deserved and in a year of unbelieveably awesome reunions, add this one to the list!

And the 2008 lineup will be....

Continue reading "Exhorder - reuniting & writing new material"

by Black Bubblegum

Nadja's and their undulating waves of dis/pleasure (heicktopiertz.com)

Experimental doom/droners Nadja will celebrate the re-release of amazingly badass "Skin Turns to Glass" (cop it April 1 via The End, sample "Sandskin" here) tonight (March 7th) with a show at Europa in Brooklyn - a show that is also celebrating the NWOBHM (that stands for New Wave of BROOKLYN -not British- Heavy Metal, nyc-ers). Special guests include the mighty Bloody Panda, Tombs (who have a new song and are playing Europa again in May), Tournament (playing with Trap Them), as well as And This Army....

Tickets are still on sale and only $6! The show is part of a greater tour, which includes dates at SXSW with Made Out Of Babies, Giant, and Jarboe. More on Nadja here.

Speaking of Jarboe, scoot on over to Metalkult for a multi-part video interview with the ex-Swan as she reveals details on her frightening new EP collaboration with Justin Broadrick called J2. She spills the beans on her time as a sex worker, being a woman in extreme music, and her new record which includes guest appearances by Phil Anselmo, Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Josh Graham and many unnamed others!!!

Some live Nadja video below...

Continue reading "new NADJA song streaming, Europa Tonight; JARBOE video interview, new album w/ Attila Csihar AND PHIL ANSELMO"