by BBG

Laura of Kylesa (more by Paul Birman)

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

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

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

Baroness @ Bowery Ballroom - 11/20/2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

BBG will publish his own list of the best metal albums of 2009, but in the meantime here's what Decibel Magazine had to say:

Continue reading "Decibel's Top 40 Metal Albums of 2009 "

by BBG

Bobby Leibling @ Webster Hall (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

Godfathers of doom Pentagram are getting on the road in January. A few select US dates, including a NYC show on Jan 17th 2010 in NYC at BB King's, have started popping up While that alone is enough to send doom fans' hearts-a-racin', it looks like the band is bringing one of the current greats of traditional doom, The Gates of Slumber, along for the ride! NYC tickets go on sale Saturday, 11/14 at 10am. All currently known dates below.

The show marks the second appearance for Pentagram in a year, with their last NYC appearance taking place at Webster Hall in March of 2009 with Priestess and The Devil's Blood. The Gates Of Slumber also recently played NYC, in August they decimated the Studio at Webster Hall with Zoroaster and Serpentcult.

The Gates of Slumber was also recently added to the killer lineup at Roadburn 2010.

All known dates as well as a few videos are below...

Continue reading "Pentagram touring w/ The Gates of Slumber (2010 dates)"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Justina Villanueva

DOWNLOAD: The Gates Of Slumber - "The Bringer of War" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Zoroaster - "White Dwarf" featuring Brent Hinds of Mastodon (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Serpentcult - "The Weight Of Light" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Zoroaster - "Brazen Bull" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Zoroaster - "Bullwhip" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Gates of Slumber - "Ice Worm" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Gates of Slumber - "Trapped In The Web" (MP3)

"North America is", or rather WAS, "Doomed" when the tour of the same name rolled on through NYC, hitting Studio at Webster Hall on August 9th. Packed with the mind-melting lineup of Zoroaster, The Gates of Slumber, and Serpentcult, the trio are closing up the final days of the campaign. Zoroaster and The Gates of Slumber will meet again in the very near future though, as part of the Planet Caravan Fstival in North Carolina along with a veritable all-star line up of doom heavyweights.

The Gates of Slumber's new LP, Hymns Of Blood & Thunder is due on 9/29/09 via the mighty Rise Above Records. Dig on the tracklisting below and the first taste of the LP, "The Bringer Of War", above!

Zoroaster are also scheduled to join Gojira and Burst for a few dates surrounding Gojira's appearance on the Metallica tour. Those dates include Music Hall of Williamsburg on 9/21 (tickets here). The tour is part of Burst's farewell tour (which is also their first US tour).

Following Zoroaster's US dates, the Atlanta band will hit Europe for a gang of dates with Absu, Nachtmystium, and Razor of Occam. To the outsider, this may seem like an odd match for Zoroaster (three bands of black metal descent, and Zoroaster, who are clearly more in the doom vein) unless you keep in mind that Black Judd of Nachtmystium issued Zoroaster's first LP and EP via his Battle Kommand imprint.

More pictures from the Studio show, and all dates, below...Pictures and dates below...

Continue reading "Gates of Slumber & Zoroaster - Studio pics, MP3s, tour dates"

by Black Bubblebgum

sunn o))) @ Knitting Factory (more by Damien Neva)


Ya hear that rumble? Thats the sound of great records perched in the distance waiting to descend on 2009 (more on that later). While this year will bring about great music and another set of "next big things", let's take the time to be thankful for 2008 and all of it's memorable records and shows. Here are my favorite records of 2008:

Continue reading "the year in Metal (Best of 2008, what's coming in 2009)"

DOWNLOAD: Cynic - "Integral Birth" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Darkthrone - "Hiking Metal Punks" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Architect - Death & Taxes (Rough Mix) (MP3)

Cynic

We kick things off with the reunited prog-death of Cynic and their new record, Traced In Air, due on Season of Mist on Oct 28th. Traced In Air is Cynic's first album in 15 years, since the release of the now cult classic Focus. Comprised of founders Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert, both members of the legendary Human-era Death members, "Integral Birth" (downloadable above) is the first song to emerge from Traced In Air. Metalkult has posted a pretty extensive interview with Paul of Cynic.

Darkthrone have posted a new song from their upcoming album Dark Thrones and Black Flags, due Oct 20th on Peaceville. The record will be released on three formats: a regular edition in jewel case, a vinyl edition, and a special edition in a slipcased jewel case package with exclusive new video footage. Check out "Hiking Metal Punks" available for download above and head on over to their mini-site to stream two others!

Keelhaul have announced a handful of midwest & southern dates, though no NYC dates so far. The band is currently working on new material for a new record, the follow up to 2006's massive Subject To Change Without Notice, "and quite possibly a dvd". No word as to the details of when that record would emerge but when pressed, the band offered that they "are old & slow".

YOB, who recently reformed, have signed to Profound Lore and added a new bass player Aaron Reiseberg.

Doomriders

Doomriders & Disfear will team up for a split seven-inch available via Deathwish Records. A "Tour Edition" of the split will be available from the bands during their upcoming European tour with SSS, but the rest of us will have to wait for the preorder. Doomriders have a new album due next year.

As we discussed before, Neurosis is curating the "Beyond The Pale" event at Roadburn 2009, and last week they announced four of those bands... The Young Gods, Guapo, Akimbo, and US Christmas.

The Roadburn Flyer, Brutal Truth, The Gates Of Slumber, Gojira, YOB, and more as The Week In Metal continues....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (10/09/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Opeth - "Lotus Eater" (edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Gates Of Slumber - Ice Worm (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Gates Of Slumber - Trapped In The Web (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Leviathan - Made As The Stale Wine Of Wrath (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lurker Of Chalice - I (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wold - Frost Crystal Symmetry (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ascend - Ample Fire Within (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wolfbrigade - "Prowler" (MP3)

Intronaut Live in Barcelona, 2007 (buckyrocks)

New Century Media signees Intronaut will be back in town in August 8th at the Knitting Factory (on sale NOW), this time bringing Behold... The Arctopus and Mouth Of The Architect! Following up last year's excellent yet grab-baggy The Challenger sort-of-EP, the boys will head back into the studio in April to record a new LP. Mouth Of The Architect have a new album on the way as well, Quietly, and you can preview first single "Hate And Heartache" at the Translation Loss MySpace.

Speaking of Colin Marston, the new record for his black metal project with Mick Barr, Krallice, is in the can and is due in July via Profound Lore. Mick Barr's Ocrilim are on board to play a Todd P show opening for the mighty Thrones at Death By Audio on May 22nd. Thrones, aka Joe Preston of Melvins, High On Fire, and many other esteemed projects was spotted playing guitar with the mighty Harvey Milk at SXSW and WFMU has the whole thing available for download.

more...........

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (05/02/08)"