As I stated previously, Clutch gets some of their heavier mojo back on their new burner "Earth Rocker." The Maryland stoner crew will take some of that riffy goodwill on the road with them as part of a full assault attack on North America and Europe that will last them well into July. US dates kick off as soon as next week, and include a stop in NYC at Terminal 5 on May 2 as part of a string of dates with The Sword and Lionize. Tickets go on AMEX presale at noon on Wednesday (2/27) with regular sale hitting on Friday (3/1) at noon.

Clutch will release their new album, Earth Rocker, on March 19. All tour dates are listed, alongside a stream of the album's title track, below.

Continue reading "Clutch touring in 2013, playing NYC at Terminal 5 (dates) "

The Sword, currently on their run of dates with Gypsyhawk and fellow Austin band Eagle Claw, played Webster Hall on Wednesday (11/14) in celebration of their new LP Apocryphon. Check out the band's setlist below. The Sword continues on their journey through the US until middle December.

In the meantime, The Sword have released a brand new video for "Veil of Isis" from Apocryphon, which makes its debut here. Check out that video, the Webster Hall setlist and a live video from Wednesday, below.

Continue reading "The Sword release new video for "Veil of Isis" (watch), played Webster Hall (setlist/video)"

Gypsyhawk's new LP, Revelry & Resilience, is out now, and the band has a new baby to show off from it in the form of the video for "Hedgeking"! Check out the clip which is premiering in this post, and order your copy via Metal Blade.

As discussed, Gypsyhawk will spend their fall on the road supporting The Sword across the country, including Webster Hall on November 14. Tickets are still available.

Speaking of The Sword, the band is currently streaming the new song "Veil of Isis" from their forthcoming LP Apocryphon at Rolling Stone.

All dates and that spankin' new Gypsyhawk video are below.

Continue reading "Gypsyhawk made a new video, touring w/ The Sword (dates)"

The Sword at Terminal 5, 2011 (more by Greg Cristman)

Austin's The Sword will spend Halloween on the road as part of a US tour that extends to Thanksgiving and on until right before the holidays. The band is celebrating the release of their new baby Apocryphon, their fourth LP due on 10/22 which was produced by the great J.Robbins (Jawbox, etc). Join the celebration in NYC at Webster Hall on November 14. Tickets go on AMEX presale at noon today (9/5) with regular sale hitting on Friday (9/7). All tour dates, which include a stop at Fun Fun Fun Fest, are below.

Austin favorites Eagle Claw will join the band on multiple dates of the US tour (including NYC), alongside Cali hard-rock crew Gypsyhawk who released their latest LP Revelry & Resilience last week via Metal Blade. Stream a track from that below.

While we're on the subject of The Sword, did you catch them on Sunday's episode of No Reservations along with Sleigh Bells and Ume? If so, you might have caught a flash of Ume ripping out solos at the BV HotelVegan party during SXSW. Check out some clips from that episode, including Ume eating chicken testes (no shit), alongside all tour dates below.

Continue reading "The Sword ready 'Apocryphon,' schedule US tour this fall including Webster Hall (dates)"

After teasing folks with a few names here and there -- like Run DMC most recently -- Austin's annual Fun Fun Fun Fest (Nov 2 - 4) has revealed it's full line-up, including Public Image Ltd, De La Soul, Superchunk, Santigold, Refused, X peforming Los Angeles, and lots, lots more. 3-day passes go on sale at 10AM CST.

Full FFF Fest lineup is below.

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest full lineup (De La Soul, Refused, Fucked Up, Public Image Ltd, Santigold, Sharon Van Etten, Rakim, X, Converge, Japandroids & more)"

As mentioned, Orion Music & More happens this weekend in Atlantic CIty's Bader Field from June 23-24 and is being headlined by Metallica both nights, who play Ride the Lightning in full on Saturday (6/23) and The Black Album in full on Sunday (6/24). Other bands playing include Arctic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Hot Snakes, Fucked Up, The Gaslight Anthem, Titus Andronicus, Best Coast, Liturgy, A Place to Bury Strangers, and more, plus a heavy stage with Suicidal Tendencies, Sepultura, Torche, Red Fang, Kyng, Landmine Marathon, Black Tusk, Thy Will Be Done and others. The heavy stage (aka "Damage, Inc.") isn't the only place you can catch heavy bands though. The festival also includes Baroness on the Orion stage, The Sword on the Fuel stage, Liturgy on the Frantic stage, and Ghost on the Orion stage. You can check out the full schedule of both days and all four stages HERE.

Orion Music & More is the first NYC-area appearance for Hot Snakes since the reunited band played The Bell House and Maxwell's in December. They'll play another area show (also in NJ) at ATP I'll Be Your Mirror in September.

As mentioned, it's the first time in a while that Modest Mouse will be in the NYC area. They play Orion on Saturday (6/23) before heading to Randall's Island for Governors Ball, which also happens this weekend.

There's a ton of stuff going on at Orion other than live music too. You can pick up rock 'n' roll memorabilia at Ktulu's Rock 'N' Roll Emporium, check out film screenings hand-picked by Lars Ulrich at Hit The Lights Films, skate the Motorbreath Mini Ramp, have a glimpse into Kirk Hammett's creepy personal collection of horror film memorabilia at Kirk's Crypt, surf, nerd out at the ESP Guitar Experience, check out the Metallica Museum, show your support for a variety of charities, or check out the car show.

If you're heading out to Atlantic City for the fest this weekend, head here for directions. If you're driving, there's no on-site parking at the field, but there are a number of parking areas nearby and free shuttles that run from the lots to Bader Field. If you're taking the train, you can get there via the Amtrak or the NJ Transit Rail and there will be a free shuttle from the Atlantic City terminal to the festival. Once you're there, this map should help you get around. We're also told that it's about a 20-30 minute walk from the boardwalk.

Tickets for the festival are still available.

In related news," Kirk's Crypt" isn't the only place Mr. Hammett will be indulging in his love of all things creepy. He'll be publishing a book titled Too Much Horror Business - The Kirk Hammett Collection this October via Abrams Image with photographs of his personal collection of horror memorabilia. The book also includes Kirk's own handwritten captions for many of the photographs. He'll be putting out limited edition toys, like the ones he's been collecting his whole life, along with the book this October. You can pre-order the book at Kirk's online toy store. He'll be discussing the book at Kirk's Crypt at 4 PM each day.

Maybe his old friend Glenn Danzig will add it to his book collection...

Continue reading "Metallica's Orion Fest is in Atlantic City this weekend; Kirk Hammett releasing horror memorabilia book"

The rumored two-day NJ Metallica festival is true, and it's happening on June 23 & 24, 2012 in Atlantic City, NJ. 22+ artists (music and comedy) will play with Metallica headlining both nights with special setlists. Metallica will play the Black Album in its entirety on one of the nights "for the first time ever on US soil", and... Ride The Lighting on the other night! The venue is Bader Field (an abandoned airport).

Other bands are:

Arctic Monkeys • Avenged Sevenfold
Modest Mouse • The Gaslight Anthem
Cage The Elephant • Fucked Up • Best Coast
Hot Snakes • Titus Andronicus
Gary Clark Jr. • Lucero • Roky Erickson
The Black Angels • The Sword
A Place to Bury Strangers • Liturgy
+ more TBA

"More than just music, the festival will also feature a lifestyle element showcasing the band's individual interests - and allowing fans to interact directly with each of the band members. More details soon!"

The festival is in partnership with C3 who also does Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.

photos by Tim Griffin

The ongoing and ever-expanding Kyuss Lives!/The Sword tour hit Stubb's in Austin on Friday (10/1) (exactly one week after the Terminal 5 show). Here are some pictures from Texas. They continue, with the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Kyuss Lives!, the Sword & Monstro @ Stubb's (pics, setlist)"

by BBG

Kyuss Lives! at Terminal 5 (more by Greg Cristman)

After playing a string of dates through 11/8 with MonstrO including Terminal 5 last weekend, Kyuss Lives! and The Sword will loop back to the NYC area as part of a new string of dates with Black Cobra that will include Long Island at the Paramount Theater on December 9th and Monclair, NJ at Wellmont Theatre on December 10th. All dates are listed below. Presale tickets for all new dates are on sale HERE. Tickets for the Wellmont show go on sale at noon on Friday (9/30). And yes, Nick Oliveri is on board for all dates except when the band hits Canada (and possibly Mexico too?) according to their publicist.

In the meantime, gear up for the Black Cobra show with Invernal, the band's new album due on Southern Lord on 10/11. Check out the new track "Avalanche" at Metalsucks, and preorder it now.

All tour dates and some video from Terminal 5 is below.

Continue reading "Kyuss Lives! & The Sword announce more dates, Wellmont & Paramount w/ Black Cobra included"

photos by Greg Cristman

Kyuss Lives! @ Terminal 5

The Aquarian Weekly: You're doing rehearsals?

John Garcia: It's pretty much pre-production for the next record has already started and we're just trying to get all of our ducks in a row and whatnot.

Wow. That seems really quick. Do you have new material already, or is pre-production writing it?

Yeah, it's more pre-production writing it, sitting in the room and bouncing ideas back and forth, talking about tones and drum sounds, guitars, whether it be sitars or 12-string baritones or whatever it may be. We're kind of ironing out all the logistics of it all. It's an exciting time.

Is Brant taking the lead role in writing the music?

One thing for certain is it's everybody's responsibility to come to the table with something. This is a group thing, and Brant expects that. Brant expects that out of everybody. Whoever brings something to the table, music-wise, he needs to put his 25 percent in there, I need to put my 25 percent in there, and Bruno does, so we all have to. Nick does. So it's definitely a planned thing, where the song deserves everybody's input. That's the good thing about it. It's not just one person, it's the whole band thing, whether it be writing lyrics--Brant's gonna come to the table with melodies, I'm gonna come to the table with music. There's switched roles, and I look forward to that. It's definitely a group project, though.

...Now, obviously, a huge, integral part of Kyuss is not there, and it's going amazingly well without Josh. Now, a lot of people think that there's--a lot of people want there to be a lot of animosity between Josh and Kyuss Lives! The flipside of the coin is that there's no animosity. We all love and respect Josh, and it goes both ways, so it's very, very interesting, how the process is going.

The show was the first reunion show in NYC for touring quartet, which features John Garcia, Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri and Bruno Fevery in place of Josh Homme. The setlist, as you can see below, stuck to the classics (despite the new material discussed above).

If you arrived early, you may have seen support from The Sword and MonstrO, the latter of which is the new project from ex-Torche member Juan Montoya and Kyle Sanders of Bloodsimple (and brother of Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders). Their debut LP is out now via Vagrant Records.

More pictures from the T5 show below...

Continue reading "Kyuss Lives! lived @ Terminal 5 with The Sword & MonstrO (pics & setlist)"

3/4 of Kyuss (no Josh Homme) announced the creation of Kyuss Lives! last year. Original Kyuss members Brant Bjork, John Garcia, and Nick Oliveri, along with guitarist Bruno Fevery, have live dates scheduled this year in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South America and now North America too. So far it's just two U.S. shows, but more will be announced. One of those is at The Fox Theater in Pomona, CA on October 8th, and the other is at NYC's Terminal 5 on September 23rd (the same venue Queens of the Stone Age recently played). Both Kyuss shows are with The Sword, and tickets for both go on sale this week (Terminal 5 goes on sale Friday).

In semi-related news, stoner-blueshounds Clutch will hit the road with Corrosion of Conformity (Animosity lineup) to play a string of dates together that will include Brooklyn Bowl on 7/20 (tickets go on sale Friday). The following day, Clutch play a solo show aboard the Temptress on 7/21 (a Rocks Off Concert Cruise). Tickets for that show are not yet listed.

All tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading ""Kyuss Lives!" announces shows w/ the Sword +++ Clutch touring w/ Corrosion of Conformity (and playing a boat)"

Bonnaroo (June 9-12 in Manchester Tennessee) has announced the 2011 lineup (slightly early), and like the rumored Lollapalooza lineup, Eminem is among the headliners. Bonnaroo also has Grammy winners Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, in addition to Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, The Decemberists, Florence & the Machine, Girl Talk, Beirut (haven't seen them in a while), and many more. Full list below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 lineup is here"

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

The Sword at SXSW with the departed Wingo (more by Samantha Marble)

In the wake of the departure of Trivett Wingo, The Sword is now back on track with drummer Kevin Fender of Employer, Employee fame (no word on his actual status as a member). The band has rescheduled their previously cancelled US dates. The new NYC date takes place at Webster Hall on December 4th. Previously puchased tickets will be honored, and new tickets will be on sale soon.

All rescheduled dates and some video below...

Continue reading "The Sword get new drummer, rescheduled tour dates "

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.

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 "

by BBG

Trivett Wingo now EX-The Sword (photo by Sandy Carson)

"We wish Trivett nothing but the best, and it is with heavy hearts that we bid him farewell. He is a phenomenal musician and has been an integral part of this band's success. He helped to lay the foundation that we will continue to build upon, and we wouldn't be where we are without him. We wish he could continue the adventure with us, but we understand that the life of a touring musician is not for everyone. It's been a hell of a ride, and we're sad to see this part of the journey end. The show must go on, though, and will be back on the road as soon as humanly possible." - JD, Kyle & Bryan of The Sword

The Sword won't be in NYC on 10/16, so all the more reason to check out the return of The Gates of Slumber along with Hour of 13 (who will be making their US debut) and the incredible Disma at Union Pool that night instead (a BrooklynVegan/1000Knives production). The $10 show starts at 9PM, so get there!

A week after that (on 10/23), Union Pool will host the BV-BBG CMJ showcase with The Body, Cough, Inter Arma, and Royal Thunder. $5 gets you in, and the first 50 people in the door get a FREE set of earplugs courtesy of Earpeace (a $15 value). And trust me, you're gonna f'n need them.

Full statement from Trivett Wingo, as well as all cancelled tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Trivett leaves the Sword, all tour dates cancelled"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Sword - Tres Brujas (MP3)

The Sword at SXSW (more by Samantha Marble)

The Sword will kick it into hyperdrive in October following the release of Warp Riders, the band's new LP due via Kemado on August 24th. Webster Hall gets the look on October 16th and you can get your tickets via AMEX presale on 8/4 or regular sale two days later. Full dates are below.

Produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, etc), Warp Riders is the band's first foray in to concept album territory, "a psychedelic space opera that explores temporal themes of death and rebirth." Word. But does it kick out the jams? Judge for yourself with "Tres Brujas", available for free download above.

Full tour dates for The Sword, as well as some videos, are below.

Continue reading "new Sword MP3 & 2010 tour dates (Webster Hall) "

ACL 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

October 8-10, 2010 | Zilker Park, Austin, TX

"The Austin City Limits Music Festival began as a modest, two-day event and now, as it enters it's 9th year, has become a perennial American music experience. Taking place at the heart of Austin, Texas in the legendary Zilker Park, ACL Festival has grown to 3 days, 8 stages and over 130 bands."

Continue reading "Austin City Limits announces 2010 festival lineup (Eagles, Muse, Phish, Strokes, MIA, LCD, Spoon, Gayngs, more) "

photos by Samantha Marble

DOWNLOAD: Gators! - Dinner With the Band theme song (MP3)

The Sword @ IFC House in Austin

IFC House at SXSW this year was a venue dedicated to all things IFC. Bands performed in front of video cameras for webcasts and possible IFC channel tv coverage. They had everyone there from Neon Indian to Broken Social Scene to The Sword who played a show in conjunction with a Dinner With The Band party at the venue. Chef & DWTB show host Sam Mason, and show creators Greg and Darin Bresnitz, were among those in attendance at the packed metal and food event. Pictures from that show are above and below.

The IFC Channel's rock 'n roll cooking show, Dinner With the Band, kicks off its official first season, with ten new artists, on Tuesday, April 27th (it then airs on the cable channel every Tuesday at 10:30pm). That's still two weeks away, but another party in the show's honor will happen at Santos Party House in NYC tonight (4/12). The free event will feature DJ sets by Au Revoir Simone and Vega, and live performances by Gators! (they wrote the show's theme song - MP3 above), Bad Brilliance, and CX Kidtronik. Andrew WK, along with Sam and Thu Tran, host the night which simultaneously celebrates Thu's IFC show "Food Party" (whose new season starts in two weeks too). "There will be FREE Thu Tran inspired munchies, beer and Sam Mason signature cocktails from 7-8PM". The flyer, along with more pictures from the Austin show, below...

Continue reading "The Sword played an IFC party in Austin (pics), Au Revoir Simone & Vega DJ a free one in NYC tonight (flyer)"

photos by Eric M. Townsend, word by Black Bubblegum

Metallica played three NYC area shows in a row this past weekend, the final stops on their Death Magnetic US tour including Nassau Coliseum on 1/29 and a two night stay at the Prudential Center in beautiful Newark, NJ (on 1/31 and 2/1, the latter coinciding with the Superbowl). Machine Head and The Sword supported on all three nights, with The Sword adding a show at Bowery Ballroom on 1/30. The Metallica pics are from 1/31, I attended the 2/1 show.

I headed into the doors of the Prudential Center right around 6:45, settling into my GA "seats" (the floor) a few moments before The Sword hit the stage. My early arrival gave me a few moments to thoroughly inspect the unique "in the round" set-up. Placed in the center of the arena floor, with six mics positioned at various parts of the stage, members of the band were within ten feet of me at times, and on the opposite side at others. Overhead, seven sheet metal "coffins" the size of a Cadillacs containing lighting rigs and lasers rotated up and down and in a circular motion. On stage, located behind a short wall of amps was a line of pyro.... I guess James didn't learn his lesson? Later on, we would learn that Lars Ulrich's kit was also on a swivel. Low-budget, this show was not.

The Sword took the stage at 7PM, playing a shortened 25+ minute set and drawing from both of their Kemado releases. The Austin crew were simple and effective and it was truly surreal to see the band on THAT stage as opposed to the last time I saw them (Bowery Ballroom in 2007).

Machine Head were next, and even if I wanted to hear them (I didn't), I wouldn't have been able to. The mix was absolutely abhorrent, and if it wasn't for the metal-requisite whammy pedal, I probably wouldnt have been able to hear ANY guitars. My life-long Metallica fan friend commented:

"Those dudes are straight up corny".

Mostly. That said, the masses in Affliction/Don Ed Hardy tees, mohawks, and mock wallet chains were contented. Thankfully, guitarist/vocalist Rob Flynn is a good showman, spraying water about and leading the crowd in chants of "Ma-sheen-head" and "Machine-fuckin-head". At least he, unlike the music, held my interest.

Metallica took the stage a shade after 9PM, emerging with their usual intro music, "The Ecstasy of Gold" from Ennio Morricone's The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly soundtrack. Kicking off with "That Was Just Your Life" from the new LP, Death Magnetic, the band was accompanied a laser-light show of epic proportions.... Daft Punk is jealous. Although the concentration was on Death Magnetic material (six songs in total), the band did dip into the classics ("Master of Puppets, "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", "Blackened", Seek & Destroy"), the records that propelled them to the top ("Enter Sandman", "Nothing Else Matters"), and deeper fan favorites (a cover of "Die Die My Darling" by the Misfits, "Breadfan" by Budgie) over the course of the evening.

As a fan of the Cliff Burton & Justice era of Metallica, I would say this show was alot like a Jerry Bruckheimer film: loud, lots of explosions, an obscene amount of special effects, a little something for everyone, a touch on the dumb side, but big time entertainment.

More pictures from 1/31 and setlists for all three shows below...

Continue reading "Metallica @ Prudential Center - pics, a review, three setlists"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Vitamin X - "Deal With It" w/ John Brannon of Negative Approach (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Vitamin X - "You Suck" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hooded Menace - "Grasp Of The Beastwoman" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mammoth Grinder - "God is Stuck in a Black Hole" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Saros - "Reversion" (MP3)

Cattle Decapitation live @ Gilman, photo by Taija Lynn

Cattle Decapitation have announced dates in support of their new record, The Harvest Floor due on 1/20/09. Supported by Psyopus, Book Of Black Earth, and Gigan, full tour dates are below, but no NYC just yet.

Adding insult on top of insult to injury, Maryland Death Fest have added powerviolence bad-asses Despise You (with Phil Vera of Crom), as well as grinders Pigsty. This is on top of Mayhem, Bolt Thrower, Enslaved and soooo many others... Unfortunately, Repulsion have cancelled their appearance.

Need a fix of fun, skull-splitting hardcore? Vitamin X have dropped their new record, Full Scale Assault on Tankcrimes and it is one awe-inspiring slab of lightning riffery and old-school hardcore punk produced by none other than Steve Albini at Electrical Audio Studios. Sporting ultra-suh-weeeet artwork by John Baizley of Baroness, the band has been kind enough to drop off a pair of MP3s from the record... check out "Deal With it" featuring John Brannon of Negative Approach and "You Suck" downloadable above and pick up the album here.

How many times has a headliner you dug dropped off a bill, and you were actually pleased with the results? In a bit of shuffling, Doomriders have dropped off their bill with Tombs at Union Pool on 12/20 (frown), BUT Bloodhorse (who are working on a new record), Keelhaul(!), and Acid Tiger (Ben from Cave-in, Converge) have been added! So Keelhaul in NYC, huh? Exciting, and it sounds like they have more than just the show on their agenda...

We are going to Brooklyn to record another cd with Andrew Schneider in December. Yee haw.-[Keelhaul myspace]

Doomers My Dying Bride have revealed details of their new album, For Lies I Sire due in 2009 via Peaceville! Spanning nine tracks and recorded with producer Mags, vocalist Aaron Stainhorpe recently discussed the new record with Beyond The Dark Horizon.

Saros, the Bay Area blackened prog metal band contructed from members of the almighty Weakling and Amber Asylum, will drop their new album Acrid Plains on Profound Lore 2/17/09. Album art is below and check out the new MP3, "Reversion" available for download above.

Mammoth Grinder are scheduled to rage through the tri-state in the new year. The trio will be in town on Jan 3rd to double up.. playing shows at ABC No Rio (matinee) AND The Charleston (night) in support of their long-player Rage & Ruin and No Results 7" due together on Assassinated Records. Alternating between thundering doom and crusty hardcore, check out heavily doom-oriented "God is Stuck in a Black Hole " from Rage & Ruin, downloadable above.

Gracial death-doomers Hooded Menace are responsible for the massive Fulfill The Curse on Razorback Records. It's out NOW and it's absolutely frightening.. highly reccomended for fans of Coffins and death-doom in particular. Check out the track "Grasp Of The Beastwoman" from Fulfill The Curse and pray for your own safety that these Finns never make it to the US... it'll be a massacre.

More news on Intronaut, Pelican, The Sword, Krallice, Saint Vitus, Total Fucking Destruction and more as The Week In Metal continues...

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (11/20/08) "

by Black Bubblegum

Do you think he got it done after St. Anger?

In between the dates at Nassau Coliseum (1/29) and Prudential Center (1/31, 2/1), The Sword will opt to NOT go shopping around Soho (like Metallica might) in lieu of another date in the NYC area. Tickets go on AMEX presale 11/19 and regular sale on 11/21 at noon for a January 30th show by The Sword at Bowery Ballroom. It's one of a few shows the band added to fill in the holes between Metallica dates. Some of the added dates are also with Lamb Of God who is also on tour with Metallica. Others are with Year Long Disaster.

Lamb of God recently announced details of their new album, due in 2009. The Sword recently released a video for "How Heavy This Axe". That video, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "The Sword - 2008/09 tour dates (some Metallica, some not)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Kill The Client - "Divide And Conquer" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kill The Client - "Cleptocracy" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Planks - "Deluge" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Planks - "A Sunken City" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beehoover - "Dance Like A Volcano" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Elk - "Hospital" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Elk - "My Last Shred Of Decency" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Elk - "She Pulled Machete" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kowloon Walled City - Turk City EP (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: sunn o))) - Shoshin/GrimmRobes LIVE in Los Angeles, CA 10/10/08 (MP3, MEGAUPLOAD LINK)
DOWNLOAD: Deathwish Inc. Fall Sampler (ZIP FILE) *

Kill the Client

Let's kick this thing off the RIGHT way, an absolutely BRUTAL grind record out NOW on Willowtip.... no, not the new Phobia (though that is good, and out NOW) or the new Maruta (also out NOW)... it's Cleptocracy by unstoppable force known as Kill The Client! Blazing through eighteen tracks of searing grindcore, Cleptocracy is both destructive and engaging.... Check out "Cleptocracy and "Divide And Conquer" downloadable above!

* The above Deathwish sampler features songs by Trap Them, Blacklisted, Cold World, Narrows, 108, United Nations, The Hope Conspiracy, Victims, Rot In Hell and many others.

Graf Orlock have announced details of their upcoming cinemagrind monstrosity, Destination Time Today, along with a new track streaming at their myspace! Look for the record to land on Level Plane (Date TBD) possibly around the time that Graf Orlock hits the East Coast for a tour that is (not fully) scheduled for Jan 2009! Check out the basic itinerary below, and hold tight for details to come.

Mastodon have anounced details for Crack The Skye, their upcoming album due in 2009! As discussed, Brendan O'Brien will be on the boards for the seven track (listing below), fifty minute opus which was was recorded at Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the band has announced a handful of European dates with Metallica (find 'em below).

The sickening crusty hardcore of Planks are one my my latest obsessions, and their limited 12" (500 copies) is out NOW on Narshardaa. Pick it up here and check out "Deluge" from that LP, which the band has made available for download above and scoot on over to Aversionline, who has a second track for download! Also out now on Black Box, a split LP that Planks rocked with Tombs... a taste of which is above in the form of "A Sunken City". Speaking of Tombs, the band permenantly added Andrew Hernandez (ex-ASRA badass) on drums, and I must say that he absolutely KILLED it when I saw them lay waste to the Relapse showcase during CMJ.

Black Elk's Always A Six Never A Nine is available NOW over at Crucial Blast. Check out THREE songs from the record available for download above!

Cattle Decapitation have posted a new song from and announced a date for (Jan 20th, 2009- INAUGURATION DAY!) their new album, The Harvest Floor! Produced by Billy Anderson, The Harvest Floor will include contributions by Ross Sewage (Impaled/Ludicra), Dino Sommese (Dystopia/Asunder), Jarboe (Swans), Jackie Perez Gratz (Grayceon/Amber Asylum), and John Wiese. Check out the album cover below....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (11/03/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Jarboe - "The House Of Void" (MP3)

Lords... and they're angry! Typocracy)

I bid you good day kind sir and m'lady! May I also say Fuck All Y'all Motherfuckers! That is definitely one album that I have had on blast all this week... the new record by spazzy Louisville hardcore freaks, Lords! Check out "Blasphemy Act" from Fuck All Y'all... currently streaming over at their myspace. Of course it isn't all gravy for dem Kentucky boys. Let's cut to the chase:

Matt Jaha will not be playing bass in the band anymore, and rather than cancel the upcoming tour Eric and I decided to do it as a two piece...I just get some more amps to make up for the bass...

The mighty Anaal Nathrakh have finished writing their new album, the follow-up to the critically-lauded Hell is Empty, and All the Devils are Here from 2007! Mick Kenney is currently shaping the songs in the studio and hopes to have V.I.T.R.I.O.L.'s vocals done in February for an album release in June of 2009...

Victims

Deathwish has signed one of my favorite crusty European bands, Victims! Look for the band to re-release Killer on Deathwish later this year.

As we discussed earlier, Jarboe dropped Mahakali while Early Man dropped Beware The Circling Fin on The End Records. Want 'em both? Email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Early Jarboe) and win one of three sets of BOTH the Early Man EP on 10" vinyl and the Jarboe CD. Include your first and last name, winners will be contacted. Meanwhile, dig on Jarboe's "The House of Void" available for download above.

Whaaa? A surprise Saviours show at The Charleston?

Tickets for the previously mentioned Kreator tour that will swing through Nokia Theater on April 8th go on sale 11/01 at noon.

Watain LIVE from The Knitting Factory, Slayer, The Hellacopters, Genghis Tron, Cynic & The Sword, all as This Week In Metal continues....

Continue reading "This Week In METAL (10/16/08)"

by Black Bubblegum

Lars Ulrich with his best friend & helper...ProTools

Metallica have announced North American dates in support of their September 12th release of Death Magnetic. The Sword will open all dates with Lamb Of God, Machine Head, and Down opening select dates. The NYC area gets a pair of shows with Machine Head, January 29 @ Nassau Coliseum and Jan 31 @ Prudential Center in Newark. Ticket info is forthcoming.

In related Metallica news, the band "leaked" video of a new song, "Cyanide", as well as footage of the band blazing through a medley of Mercyful Fate classics with King Diamond from their performance at Ozzfest. Check it out, as well as the sphincter-like artwork below.

Down guitar player Kirk Windstein is going on tour in Kingdom of Sorrow with Gwar and Toxic Holocaust.

Metallica dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Metallica - 2008 Tour Dates with The Sword (and stuff)"