photos by Sarah Coulter, words by BBG

The parade of post-Chaos-in-Tejas touring brought Origin of M to The Charleston on Friday night (6/17). The Japanese hardcore band played their final East Coast show before shipping to Portland for two final US dates. Pictures from their appearance in NYC with Brain Slug and Agitator adorn this post.

Friday was a busy one in NYC for fans of punk and heavy music. While Origin of M was bloodying themselves, Deafheaven was at Cake Shop, Iceage/Prurient was at Public Assembly, Clean Teeth, Colossus & Wizardry played Acheron all while Northside Festival and a normal Friday in NYC was going on.

Speaking of Wizardry, they play again today (6/21) as part of Make Music NY.

More pictrues from The Charleston are below.

Continue reading "Origin of M, Brain Slug & Agitator @ The Charleston (pics)"

pics & words by BBG, Archon pics by Ilya Blokh

Unearthly Trance

Unearthly Trance headlined a night of doom-y destruction at The Charleston with the ridiculous Coffinworm, along with Archon (who will play Acheron with Wolvserpent) and Syphilitic Lust. Unfortunately, I only caught the tail end of dueling-vocal doomers Archon from afar, and missed SL entirely. The show was one of a short set of shows for Coffinworm, as the band drove directly from Indianapolis (their home) to Philadelphia on Friday before damning The Charleston on Saturday night.

Coffinworm was a four-piece for the evening, as the recent departure of Tony McGuire on guitar left guitarist T Garrett O'Sha on double duty. Though some complementary parts were missing, the band was nothing less than ferocious and the next time that the Indy band swings through it'll be as a five piece; Coffinworm will replace him with When All Became None cover artist Josh 'Chubbs' Shrontz on drums and current drummer Carl Byers moving from behind the kit to guitar (Josh also plays in World Eater with Coffinworm vocalist Dave). Coffinworm kicked things off with the driving and acidic punk tones of "Start Saving For Your Funeral" before moving into faves from the new LP like "Blood Born Doom", "High on the Reek of Your Burning Remains" and the set closer "The Sadistic Rites Of Count Tabernacula". A pit erupted multiple times during their incredible set.

Unearthly Trance was last up, closing out the evening with two new nods ("The Horsemen Arrive in the Night" and "Solar Eye") to their upcoming LP V due on Relapse this fall. In addition to the new horned beasts, the NYC band burned through UT faves like "Raised By Wolves", "God is a Beast" (the encore) and their cover of Winter's "Servants of the Warsmen" (viewable below). As usual the band delivered a searing set of fiery doom, and I already can't wait to see them with Doomriders and Sleep at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Septmeber 6th (one of two Sleep shows, 9/8 is sold out)

More pictures and videos from the show below...

Continue reading "Unearthly Trance, Coffinworm & Archon played the Charleston (pics, video) "

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble

"After a lot of waiting, Torche were utterly enormous at The Charleston last night. Hope they raised some cash to replace their stolen gear." - HeavierThanAir

Torche with touring guitarist Matt @ The Charleston

In light of the recent jack move done on their van, Torche played a surprise intimate show last night (5/26) with Tournament and Passive Aggressor at The Charleston. The trio (previously a four piece) featured a touring guitarist, "Max from Miami", who helped further fill out the band's sound, and add to the general mayhem at the show (and make them a four piece again).

Torche plays NYC again TONIGHT (5/26), this time with Coheed & Cambria and Circa Survive at Rumsey Playfield.

In addition, the pending Boris/Torche split FINALLY has a release date, July 16th. Current Torche dates and more shots from The Charleston are below...

Continue reading "Torche played as a four-piece @ the Charleston (pics) "

words and photos by Ilya Blokh

Ingrowing at The Charleston

Friday marked the beginning of pre-MDF madness in NYC, with 15+ metal shows in the next week. Picking my battles carefully, I figured the grindcore massacre at the Charleston was a good place to start: Buckshot Facelift, Backslider, The Communion, Ingrowing and Flourishing.

Buckshot started off strong with their porn-grind blast and songs like "Giving Acid to a Gorilla That Knows Sign Language". Backslider quickly replaced them for an equally short set of guitar and drum powerviolence, with each song around 30 seconds at best.

This was my first time seeing The Communion (who are changing their name to Kanalbrigade), but count me converted - their filthy grind/crust/sludge mix should go over well at MDF, although it's a shame they're playing so early on Friday (3:30). This has obviously been a hard month for the band, so it's good to see them soldier on. They'll be back in Brooklyn for two shows with Bastard Noise (6/26 @ Cake Shop, 6/28 @ Death by Audio), where they'll collaborate with Blood of a Zombie: "to create a grind/noise big band befitting such an event. This will be a more experimental chaotic performance, bridging the gap between THE COMMUNION and KANALBRIGADE, our next phase."

Czech deathgrind bastards Ingrowing played a furious, but groovy set, proving that music (and not English) is the universal language; I have absolutely no idea what the singer said between songs. Catch them again on Wednesday, 5/26 at Fontana's (with the almighty Gorod! + Demilitia, Jesus Crost and Rompeprop) and hopefully the crowd will be a bit more lively. They play MDF on Saturday.

Flourishing closed things out with their trademark disharmonic intensity, the sonic equivalent of grinding your teeth til your gums bleed. The manic guitar and and drums obliterate any possible groove every few seconds, leaving no room to breathe, let alone mosh or headbang. Unforgiving. They'll be at Lit on June 7th with Castevet, Woe and Batillus.

Some more pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Ingrowing, The Communion, Flourishing, Backslider & Buckshot Facelift played the Charleston (pics) "

by BBG

Torche at Beerland during SXSW (more here)

After their recent van robbery in Chicago, Hydra Head Records said that, "Torche is already sorting out potential DIY gigs in the states...tentatively for Vermont, Providence, and Wilkes-Barre, PA". Add NYC to that list. Torche have scheduled a benefit show on May 25th show at The Charleston in Brooklyn with Tournament and Passive Aggressor! The band plays Rumsey Playfield with Coheed & Cambria the next day (5/26, tickets) and previously had 5/25 listed as a day off.

All dates, their recently-released video for "King Beef", and the full list of items missing from their van, below...

Continue reading "Torche made a list of their missing stuff, booked a small show"

words by BBG, photos by Wilfredo Suarez

Tiger Flowers

Twas a late night, but a successful one. Meek Is Murder intersected with the ongoing Tiger Flowers/March of Echoes tour, adding in Flourishing (mem-Wetnurse) and the great My America for a show at The Charleston on 2/19. I unfortunately had to skip out before Meek Is Murder played their set, but caught all of the stellar support....

Continue reading "Tiger Flowers, March of Echoes, Flourishing & Meek is Murder @ The Charleston - pics & video "

words by Ilya Blokh, photos by Samantha Marble

Dysrhythmia

Though the band played ashow in early November at Union Pool, it was a treat to see Dysrhythmia at a recent show at Union Pool on 12/17 with support from The Austerity Program, DBCR, and Bad Girlfriend.

I got to the venue just in time to catch the 3-piece Bad Girlfriend, missing DBCR aka Drunken Belligerent Confrontational Rock. Bad Girlfriend is clearly a vehicle for Aubrey, who steals the scene with her soulful, bluesy rasp, then turns to shrieks and growls on a dime. Unfortunately, the guitars muddle the overall sound and distract from the singing; I would be curious to hear these guys with vocals/drums only.

The Austerity Program - a guitar/bass duo backed by a drum machine - were up next. The prominent bass, dissonant guitars, industrial beats and clean vocals ooze Godflesh influence - a sound we don't hear often these days. I wonder if live drums could still work here and add a little more sonic variety. Nevertheless, the thick, overwhelming sound was a good match for the grimy, claustrophobic confines of the Charleston basement. When asked to play "two more", lead singer Justin commented that "tumors" were not a laughing matter.

Last up were Dysrhythmia - a local band we barely get to see because of all the other projects the members are a part of (Krallice, Byla, Behold...the Arctopus, etc.). A perfect mix of musicianship and good songwriting, the songs swirled in long, tense passages of complex guitars, jazz influence and strange time signatures, without losing focus or devolving into full-blown technical masturbation; the crowd was in motion the entire time. There were apparently some issues with girls and amps, but I wasnt able to determind the issue from my vantage point. All in all, a night out and a great chance to see some locals acts that don't play too often.

More pictures of all four bands below...

Continue reading "Dysrhythmia, Austerity Program, Bad Girlfriend & DBCR @ The Charleston in Brooklyn - pics "

photos by Chloe Rice

Early Man

Priestess couldn't make it, but Early Man, Naam and La Otracina still played sets at The Charleston on December 12th. More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "Early Man, Naam & La Otracina (but not Priestess) @ the Charleston in Brooklyn - pics "

words by BBG, photos by Chloe Rice

Savannah's Black Tusk, ruling

Special guest Black Cobra headlined with an all-star supporting cast of Black Tusk, Javelina, and Batillus as part of a BrooklynVegan/Chronic Youth Presentation at The Charleston on 11/18. The Batillus show was the first for the quartet in a month, as drummer Geoff Summers has been on the road with A Storm of Light (who also added Will Lindsay of Wolves In The Throne Room for the tour). Summers did double duty that night, leaving shortly after his performance with Batillus to hold down the kit for ASoL at their Record Release party at Ace of Clubs with Goes Cube and Biclops.

Batillus were on first, and this band has gone from good to reeeeaally good since my last experience with them. The addition of Fade (Inswarm, Jarboe's backing band with Eric of Cobalt and Man's Gin) changes this band from really great instrumental band to full-on juggernaut, and I am excited to see what their next move is. With a little luck and a few more tours under their belt, this band could be headed for great things.

Javelina is the perfect name for these Philadelphian sludgesters; the band is ferocious and violent, and tore through their set like a charging beast. It was another incredible showing from this foursome who opened with "You're Gonna Hate This" (I didn't) from their latest (and possible end of year favorite?) Beasts Among Sheep before barreling through other selections from that LP as well as their previous monster.

Black Tusk were the band that I was probably most excited to see. The Savannah crusty-thrashers, who recently signed to Relapse Records, mowed down the crowd with material from their recent LP Passage to Purgatory as well as material from recent splits with ASG and The Holy Mountain. Great band; fans of Kylesa, southern metal, and general badass-ery, take note.

San Francisco duo Black Cobra finished the day with serious downtuned High-On-Fire-y riffs and BIG drums. I have seen my share of bands, and with the exception of Jason Roeder (Neurosis) and a select few others, I have not seen a drummer hit quite as hard as Rafael Martinez. Seriously killer band that you can see again on 11/30 when they play with Pelican and Disappearer at Highline Ballroom. Tickets here.

More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Black Cobra, Black Tusk, Javelina & Batillus @ The Charleston in NYC - pics "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "Bison Eyes" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "Strange Waves" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Quest For Fire - "The Hawk That Hunts The Walking" (MP3)

Naam at a BV-CMJ Day Party (more by Paul Birman)

Toronto's Quest For Fire have announced a short stint of dates which include NYC with Weird Owl, Chyld and BV CMJ alums Naam at Pianos on 12/4. Full tour dates are below. Quest For Fire, which features former members of The Deadly Snakes & Cursed, recently dropped their self-titled full length on Tee Pee Records. Dig on some tracks above.

Word has it that another band on Tee Pee Records has scheduled a show in NYC on 11/20 with Tournament at The Charleston as part of the Chronic Youth series of shows. We have no confirmation on the "who", but the show will feature 20+ minute jams and will sound "out of this world".

Baroness kicks off their tour with Earthless in Washington DC on Wednesday. Tickets are still on sale for the NYC show at Bowery Ballroom on Friday (11/20).

Tournament is also scheduled to play NYC as part of the BV-Sponsored Coalesce + A Storm of Light + Coliseum show at Europa on 12/30. Tickets are still available. Coalesce recently played a show in Austin. Check out the pics and some free MP3s from their new EP.

Chronic Youth and BV have teamed up to present Javelina, Black Tusk, Batillus and a Special Guest at The Charleston on 11/18. The flyer for that show and a list of more killer shows this week, and all tour dates, below....

Continue reading "Quest for Fire tour dates, another secret show at The Charleston, Baroness & Earthless tour kicking off & more "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Javelina - "Step Child" (MP3)

Javelina @ the BV-BBG Northside Fest Showcase (more by Jason Walker)

As if that week wasn't insane enough... BrooklynVegan, in association with Chronic Youth, present Javelina + Blacktusk + Batillus + a secret guest headliner (*coughsouthernlordcough*) at The Charleston on 11/18. No tickets, but the door will only cost you $10.

Javelina recently dropped the must hear Beasts Among Sheep, and it's definitely one of my favorite records of 2009 (much like in 2008). The band recently replaced their drummer and returned from a larger tour to promote the smashing new LP.

Blacktusk hails from Savannah, and their swampridden take on crusty thrash was heavily apparent on their great Passage Through Purgatory LP as well as their recent splits with the great Fight Amp, ASG, and Holy Mountain (one of their last recordings). The ASG and Holy Mountain splits are available through Ebullition, and you can pick up that Fight Amp split via Brutal Panda.

Batillus are cooling off after a killer tour with Salome and Hull, but the band's drummer Geoff Summers is currently touring Europe with A Storm of Light along with Will Lindsay of Wolves In The Throne Room who joins on as a second guitarist. A Storm of Light plays it's album release party on 11/18 at Ace of Clubs with Goes Cube (who we just interviewed) & Biclops.

The Javelina/Blacktusk/Batillus show caps an unreal week of great metal in NYC:

Continue reading "Blacktusk touring (dates), playing Brooklyn w/ Javelina, Batillus & special guest (during a crazy week)"

words by BBG, photos by Chloe Rice,

Iron STOMACHS?

Before any of this CMJ nonsense, Iron Age played (?) The Charleston along with Brain Killer, Naam, Dustheads, Descender, and The Banner, part of a two day stint that the Austin band was doing in NYC. Our photographer Chloe sent in the following report from the show:

"Iron Age took forever to set up, bragging about polishing off a bottle of scotch and making out with random ladies in between disappearances to a room behind a curtain. As they finally got ready to play, Iron Age realized they had not only drunkenly lost a guitar, but also guitar PLAYER. The crowd was getting more and more anxious while their tech searched for him, and once he was found, he was almost too wasted to stand, let alone play! Eventually, they started to play (borrowed Naam's guitar?) but took breaks to stumble through some bad jokes and to tell some PMS'ing broad to fuck off. The playing was shortlived; one guitar amp blew out, the second guitar player broke a string (and proceeded to restring mid-song), which left the drummer and bass player carrying the song. I think they played four songs within the hour or so that they were on."

Naam played the BrooklynVegan Day Party on 10/23 along with Ume, Goes Cube, Crystal Antlers, and Nebula. Pics from that show will be posted very soon.

Continue reading "Iron Age, Naam & friends @ The Charleston in NYC - pics "

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

"Charleston show was hands down the best show I have ever seen. I still cant comprehend it. It was so jam packed, that if you made it on top of the crowd you were just kinda up there for a bit. Played essentially the same set too but in different order and a bit shorter I think. Hellbastard headlined too.

Rorschach opening with "Raw Nerve" at Santos Party House and later doing "Mandible" right into "In Ruins" blew my fucking mind. Un fucking real." [p @ theB9]

Psychic Limb opened the show at The Charleston. Unfortunately, Ryan Muir and I both missed them (I was at Santos & Europa, he at Julian Plenti), but Klaus Kinski affectionately referred to them as sounding like "old Napalm Death".

Then came Rorschach. Though they had only left the stage at Santos less than two hours earlier, none of their energy had dissipated. In fact, (and I could be biased here) I feel like Rorschach, considering their salad days at ABC No Rio and similar small venues around the tri-state, was probably more in their element at the basement of The Charleston. The crowd in the packed room, which included Ted Leo (who sang at the first show) and Tim Harrington among many others, enjoyed a somewhat shorter set than Santos, but a powerful one. People even crowdsurfed despite the the low 10 foot ceilings above. Amazing show, amazing setlist, and any doubters can check out the video below.

After a mix-up with the Hellbastard folks that caused a delay in their already-late-show start time, the UK band eventually hit the stage and burned out a set of crust-meets-early-Celtic-Frost pummel to the remaining spectators (the room was still about 2/3 full). They definitely won over some of the unconverted.

Reformed U.K. thrash metal/crust punk band HELLBASTARD has inked a deal with Poland's Selfmadegod Records. The label will issue "The Need to Kill" on CD, as well as the newly recorded "Eco-War" CD EP, in late October 2009. "The Need to Kill" features six re-recorded HELLBASTARD ragers, while the six-track "Eco-War" release includes a track originally on the band's 1986 demo as well as a SLAYER cover. [Blabbermouth]

Continue reading "Rorschach, Hellbastard & Psychic Limb played a late show @ The Charleston - pics & video "

by Black Bubblegum

The scene of the crime (via Bridge & Tunnel Club)

BrooklynVegan and Chronic Youth (the people behind the recent secret Weedeater show) are proud to present.... well.... I can't say! What I can say is that on September 25th, one band that the hardcore faithful have waited a looong time to see will team up with another very influential band for one show at The Charleston. Both bands are also headlining other shows in NYC on the same night. One date. Two bands. Three shows. One that they're both playing at the Charleston.

The first band recently resurrected, despite having already undergone an Autopsy. The second band is what you might call Hellboy if he was born out of wedlock. Save the date.. More clues on the flyer below.

BrooklynVegan is also proud to sponsor Burnt By The Sun/Tombs/Black Anvil/Bloodhorse at Cake Shop on 10/2, Woe/Aluk Todolo/Malkuth/Castevet at Union Pool on 10/4, and Shrinebuilder @ Le Poisson Rouge on 11/15 (tickets here)! We will be giving away tickets to ALL of these shows, so look out!

Shrinebuilder is currently streaming a new track at their myspace.

Continue reading "BV co-presents a secret show w/ 2 bands @ The Charleston"

photos by Paul Birman

As we made kind of obvious and then confirmed yesterday, Weedeater were the special guest at last night's Laptop of Satan / Naam show at The Charleston in Brooklyn (9/10). Weedeater are currently ona tour with Down, The Melvins and Evil Army which hits Nokia Theatre in NYC TONIGHT (9/11). From there the tour continues, but without one of the bands on Saturday (sorry Philly). That's when The Melvins make a pitstop in upstate NY to perform at ATP. On Sunday they all rejoin in Boston.

Naam have more NYC shows coming up too - one for CMJ, and other with Om.

More pictures from last night's intimate show, below...

Continue reading "'special guest' Weedeater joined Naam & Lapdog of Satan @ The Charleston (pics), play w/ Down & Melvins TONIGHT"

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"

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: The Devil & The Sea - "Monolith" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Devil & The Sea - Demo (Zipped MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Music Hates You - "Spotless Lab" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Music Hates You - "Thanks For Nothing" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Music Hates You - "Thanks For Nothing" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Descender - "From all Sides" (MP3)

Music Hates You @ SSS day show in Austin @ Room 710 - March 21

As mentioned before, The Devil & The Sea and Music Hates You, two KILLER young bands from the south, will be in NYC on March 31st (TONIGHT) to play The Charleston along with locals Descender. The show are part of a short east coast tour that ends a few days after The Charleston, with Music Hates You continuing on into the Carolinas for another few days.

Music Hates You played the Slow Southern Steel day show at Room 710 on March 21st (more pics are below), the first of a long line of great bands that also included Hex Machine (who we profiled here), The Roller, and headliner Rwake (pics previously posted). The band currently has only one recording to their name, the aptly titled Send More Paramedics, but recently signed on to Zoroaster's label Terminal Doom Records and will release a split EP with the band which incorporates both tracks above.

The Devil & The Sea (mems Icepick Revival & Collapsar) played Snake Eyes Vinyl during SXSW on March 20th (pics below). The Louisiana trio recently dropped their Sanford Parker produced debut, Heart Vs Spine, on Acerbic Noise Development. Check out "Monolith" from that record above, and pick it up at the show, their myspace, or via their label.

Pics and dates below...

Continue reading "The Devil & The Sea and Music Hates You - played SXSW (pics), on tour (dates) & in Brooklyn (tonight)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Sons of Tonatiuh - "Chain Up The Masses" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Anvil - "Ten Talons Deep" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Unearthly Trance - "Permanent Ice" (MP3)

A southern darkness has rolled in from Atlanta, GA... It's Sons Of Tonatiuh! The thundering crust crew (featuring ex-members of Leechmilk) are on the road, and March 9th the band will hit The Charleston with Black Anvil and Unearthly Trance (flyer is below). Sons of Tonatiuh currently has a seven inch and a 4 song CD demo to their name, but you can check out one of those songs, "Chain Up The Masses", which is available for download above. Ordering information for those releases are here.

In other Black Anvil news, their debut LP, Time Insults The Mind, is out on vinyl. Unearthly Trance has multiple split 7"s and 12"s on the way with the likes of Endless Blockade, Minsk, SUMA and others... Dem boys is busy! More details are here.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Sons of Tonatiuh - 2009 Tour Dates (Brooklyn tonight)"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Toby Tenenbaum

Kylesa

Kylesa played the first of two NYC shows in the humid, obscenely packed basement of The Charleston on 1/28, supported by Tombs, Tournament, Clean Teeth, and The Brass. Due to a family emergency, Clean Teeth (mem Made Out of Babies, ex-Destructo Swarmbots) replaced Black Anvil (hope everything is OK, my dudes). I arrived late to catch part of Tournament's set (The Brass & Clean Teeth were finished), and while I thought they sounded great, it's hard to truly enjoy a performance when you're standing in the back of a room and can't see the band. I made sure that didn't happen for Tombs & Kylesa, but Tournament requires further investigation.

Though this was my umpteenth experience seeing Tombsin the past few months, it was my first chance to hear the Winter Hours material in a live setting (and recognize it as such). The Brooklyn trio stuck to the script and delivered their usual pummeling performance, but what I found most fascinating was the fact that Winter Hours engineer Ian Whalen had done gone and done it.... The record definitely captures some of the raw emotional and destructive power of the live show. Winter Hours is definitely an early contender for record of the year, so look for it Feb 17th dammit!

Tombs

Kylesa was next, mayhem ensued. Maybe I should have realized it when the Tombs guys could barely get their equipment off "stage" in the crush of people. Move it people!

"OK everyone, there isn't enough room to play. I need everyone to take three steps back..."

Vocals/Guitarist Laura Pleasants yelled to the back of the room. It wasn't enough.

"OK. Two more steps."

With the crowd a full five steps more "contained", the amplifier tubes-a-glowin', and both drum kits set up diagonally and semi-facing each other, Kylesa launched into their set, sending the packed audience into a oceanic ebb & flow with a "lucky" few in front acting as riot police. For the first few songs I managed to stay up front, and it was definitely a combination of fear and utter jubilation: fear of being smashed forward into the metal hardware of the drumkit and a herd of stampeders falling behind and on top of me, and utter jubiliation because, well, they destroy. A really lot.

My worst fears were semi-realized though... halfway into their second song, a rogue tsunami pushed me head-first into the mic stand, pushing Laura Pleasants back a bit, disconnecting the mic cord, and making me personally responsible for an instrumental first verse of "Scapegoat" from Static Tensions.

continued with more pictures below...

Continue reading "Tombs & Kylesa @ The Charleston, Brooklyn, NY - pics "

by Black Bubblegum

As we sit idly with Static Tensions awaiting the release of the new Kylesa LP, the band have dropped off a few new tour dates and are streaming the new track "Said & Done" at their myspace.

Skeletonwitch (who recently played Public Assembly as part of Show No Mercy) and Black Tusk will team up with Kylesa for a few dates sandwiched between Kylesa's appearance at the Scion Rock Fest and their upcoming tour with The Haunted, Nachtmystium, and Intronaut (that hits BB Kings on 4/19 and tickets are still on sale).

The new dates include a stop at SXSW in Austin, with Skeletonwitch & Black Tusk, but also with Rwake, Warship, and Dixie Witch as part of the Tone Deaf Touring Showcase on March 20th @ Red 7.

If for some god-forsaken reason you have forgotten about the Kylesa show TONIGHT (1/28) at The Charleston with Tombs, Tournament, Black Anvil, and The Brass, let this serve as a reminder. Lots of heavy riffing and bowel-shaking pleasure lies ahead.... but get there early... doors at 8PM. New (less secretive) flyer below.

Kylesa will also be at the equally earth-moving show tommorrow (1/29) at the Bowery Ballroom with crust legends Amebix, Thought Crime, & Atakke.... but unfortunately, that show is now sold-out.

Skeletonwitch played the last edition of Show No Mercy. The Feb 15th edition at Public Assembly will feature Ocean, Salome, Riff Cannon & Batillus.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Kylesa (in NYC) adds dates, SXSW w/ Skeletonwitch, Rwake"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Lori Baily

Graf Orlock

"Check it out... independently targeted particle beam phalynxes... WAP! We got tactical smart missiles, base plasma pulse rifles, we got sonic electronic ball breakers! We got nukes... we got knives... sharp sticks"

Wetnurse was first, drawing mostly from their latest record, Invisible City. Gene is a madman on "stage" (read: dirt floor) and the band sounded as unpredictable as ever, even though guitarist Greg Kramer was barely audible in the mix. From my poor vantage point, I literally had to check and see if they were missing a guitar player. They weren't.

Lewd Acts were up next, and although it was my first experience with the band (and likely Lori Baily's last.. a casualty of Tyler Lewd's "dancing"), their firebrand style of hardcore was simple, direct, and just plain great. Kurt Ballou (Converge) is on the boards for their upcoming LP, so I would imagine that this is one for hardcore fans to look out for when it drops.

Continued below...

Continue reading "Graf Orlock, Lewd Acts & Wetnurse @ the Charleston - pics "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Graf Orlock - "Run Over By A Truck" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Graf Orlock - "A Shocking Interrogation" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wetnurse - "Not Your Choice" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lewd Acts - "Play Me Something That I Know" (MP3)

Sweeeet undies, GOrlock!

What do you get when you cross a metal band with a serious case of ADD and multiple personality disorder, spazzy-grinders with a Point Break fetish, and a crew from a whale's vagina with a Deathwish? A f'n good show, that's what!

Wetnurse, Graf Orlock, Lewd Acts, and 26 Beers will redline the RPH meter (that's riffs per hour) when they team up to destroy The Charleston in Brooklyn on Sunday Jan 18th. The shindig kicks off at 9.

Graf Orlock and Lewd Acts are in the midst of an East Coast tour that also brings the band to New Brunswick, NJ on Saturday Jan 17 and completes in Atlanta on Jan 24.

As we reported in July, Graf Orlock is prepping Destination Time Today, due on March 3rd via Level Plane. Decibel proclaimed it one of the most anticipated albums of 2009. I gotta agree.

Wetnurse recently released Invisible City, garnering heaping shit-tons of end-of-year accolades, including by John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats...

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats' Best of 2008:
Wetnurse, Invisible City (Seventh Rule)
Larkin Grimm, Parplar (Young God)
Tata Young, One Love (Sony/BMG)
Kaki King, Dreaming of Revenge (Velour)
Aura Noir, Hades Rise (Tyrant Syndicate)
Cece Winans, Thy Kingdom Come (EMI Gospel)
Killer Mike, I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind 2 (SMC Recordings)
Planet Asia & DJ Muggs, Pain Language (Gold Dust Media)
the Breeders, Mountain Battles (4AD)
Enslaved, Vertebrae (Season of Mist)

Lewd Acts recently signed on with hardcore heavyweights Deathwish Inc, and are finishing up their LP with Kurt Ballou at God City Records. Until that drops, the band has a few 7"s including their latest one, Lung Patrol, on 16oh Records... check out "Play Me Something That I Know" from the Lung Patrol 7" above and pick one up at the show!

By the way, I'm not usually one to point out merch, but one gander at Graf Orlock's merch from past and present is good for a chuckle.

All dates and Sunday's flyer below...

Continue reading "Graf Orlock & Lewd Acts -2009 tour dates (Wetnurse Sunday)"

by Black Bubblegum

Kylesa @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg (More By Tim Griffin)

Do you enjoy the hard rockin sounds of southern metal but have an un-natural fear of crust punk legends? Want to see a certifiably badass band tear you a new one in a room the size of someone's basement? Well friends, you are in luck! It looks like Kylesa have scheduled a show at The Charleston (!!!) with Tombs (!!), Tournament, and Black Anvil(!) as part of Hardcore Night on Jan 28th, the day before they take the stage opening for Amebix (tickets for that show here). Charleston flyer and Kylesa's full tour schedule below. That includes the previously mentioned dates with The Haunted.

In other Kylesa news, the band recently announced their new album Static Tensions, due in March on Prosthetic with 20 Buck Spin doing the honors on the vinyl tip. Look for the vinyl to be released in two versions: a regular edition with a single LP with an eight-page LP-size booklet and a "deluxe", a limited-to-500 gatefold 2xLP on colored vinyl mastered at 45 RPM! Fellow Savannah madman John Dyer Baizley of Baroness will do the
artwork honors. That's it to the right.

Kylesa also announced they are on board for the holy shit fest, I mean, the Scion Rock Fest at The Masquerade in Atlanta, GA on Feb 28th with Mastodon, Neurosis, High on Fire, Boris, 1349, Cryptopsy, Torche, Nachtmystium, Wolves in the Throne Room, Baroness, Harvey Milk, Zoroaster, Withered, Krallice, Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch, Rwake, A Storm of Light, Warbringer, Salome, Suidakra, Tyr, and Alestorm. That shit is FREE. More info forthcoming.

Kylesa, as well as Rwake, Zoroaster, and many other luminaries, will be featured in Slow Southern Steel, a documentary profiling the southern metal scene. Details about screenings up north are sketch, but we'll let you know if anything arises. Slow Southern Steel is directed by CT, aka the razorblade throat behind Rwake.

Tip o' the hat to Invisible Oranges, who recently spotted a flickr page belonging to Laura Pleasants of Kylesa.

Skeletonwitch will be here on Sunday 1/11 with Cannabis Corpse and Attake. Attake is also playing the Amebix/Kylesa show.

A Storm of Light will headline Europa on 2/15 with Amenra and Scion-ers Zoroaster. Tickets are still on sale.

Charleston flyer and tour dates below...

Continue reading "Kylesa playing the Charleston & Scion Rock Fest (so is Neurosis, Mastodon, High on Fire, Torche, Boris...)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Cloak/Dagger - "Runways" (MP3)

Cloak/Dagger will headline a night of hardcore and pop-punk when they host Psyched To Die, Young Hearts (ex-Dear Tonight), Used Kids, and Pollution on Dec 6th at The Charleston in Brooklyn. The show is 21+ and tix are $8, flyer is below.

Psyched To Die is a new band featuring Mike Yannich of the fallen pop-punks The Ergs! along with members of the like-minded For Science. For Science recently announced their final show at Maxwell's on Feb 7th 2009 as part of a Don Giovanni Records showcase. Ticket info is forthcoming. The Ergs! recently dropped That's It... Bye, along with a repress of Jersey's Best Prancers on Don Giovanni... pick it up here.

Meanwhile, Pollution are doing double duty this week, prepping to cavort with local badasses Orphan when the band plays Union Pool two days earlier (12/4).

Cloak/Dagger are still ragin' off of their 2007 throttler We Are on Jade Tree Records, and have scheduled a few dates besides just Brooklyn. Check out a recent interview with Jason Cloak/Dagger. Check out all tour dates for everyone below...

Continue reading "Cloak/Dagger, Psyched to Die - Charleston, other tour dates"

photos by Tim Griffin, words by Black Bubblegum

Coliseum just left NYC and ALREADY have a new pair of upcoming shows... First up, the band will play an unannounced show on MONDAY 11/24 at The Charleston in Brooklyn! Coliseum. That tiny basement. Along with Violent Bullshit (ex-Orchid, Panthers), Tombs, and Said Fury. 'Nuff said...

The second show sounds pretty damn great too, as Coliseum will team up with Philly hardcore faves Blacklisted at Europa on Feb 27th. Ticket info is forthcoming... we'll keep ya posted. Full Coliseum tour dates, as well as video from their appearance at Europa in May (the FULL set) is available below.

Coliseum played Bowery Ballroom in NYC Saturday night (11/23) as part of a Relapse triple bill with Baroness and Minsk. Like a freight train, the band barrelled through songs from their Relapse debut No Salvation including "Defeater", "No Benefit", "Seven Cities", and "The Burden" as well as selections from their massive double 7" Goddamage.

Front-man Ryan Patterson's candor and obsession with "rock mortality" makes it's way into damn near every interview I have read with him... and he didn't disappoint between songs as he reflected on the current economic crisis and his friends (seriously) who work on Wall Street: "I eek out a living playing music and making punk rock tee shirts. I know this isnt going to last forever... but when it's all done, I'll know I gave it my all." Ryan and Coliseum DID give their all... A clearly sweaty, nasty, spitting Patterson let loose the riffs as bassist Mike Pascal skipped around, gnashed his teeth, and let his fist fly (in the air). Drummer Chris Maggio matched their energy with sick fills, standing at times to do his best Tommy Lee (pointing his drumstick at the crowd and doing a twirl of the drumstick in his hand).

At one point Ryan said, "The last few weeks have been fucking amazing. Tonight is our last show with Minsk and tomorrow is our last show with Baroness. Quit your job, kill your family and come see us up in Boston". As much as I love rock n' roll, I decided to pass on their offer, but they are a great band with a live-wire stage show...

And from what I saw, their energy was matched by the following band, Baroness, but I didn't see a lot because I decided to leave and catch Grails who were headlining over at Knitting Factory. More Coliseum pictures and that video below...

Continue reading "Coliseum played Bowery Ballroom (pics), playing the Charleston TONIGHT & other tour dates"