by Fred Pessaro

Phil Anselmo with Down at Best Buy Theater (more by Greg Cristman)

With all of the many many projects that Phil Anselmo has been involved in over the years (Down, Pantera, Superjoint Ritual, Arson Anthem, etc), its not entirely shocking to hear that the vocalist/guitarist/songwriter has taken on another . His latest, called Philip Anselmo & The Illegals, is being billed as his first "solo" venture, despite writing all of the music on the first Viking Crown EP. The band is preparing to release their new record, Walk Through Exits Only, via his own Housecore Records, for a July 16 blast off. Stream a new track below.

As discussed at InvisibleOranges, the release of new material also comes packaged with live dates dubbed "Technicians of Distortion" tour, where the band will be joined by perennial tourmates/Housecore bros Warbeast and most interstingly, the great industrial/metal oddity Author & Punisher! Look for the tour to hit NYC on August 16 at Best Buy Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday (5/24) at noon.

As discussed at InvisibleOranges, Author & Punisher are readying the new LP, Women & Children, released on June 11. Stream that title track below.

And, as mentioned, Anselmo & Co will also play Austin, TX with Goblin soon too.

All other tour dates are listed, along with that song stream, below.

Continue reading "Phil Anselmo & the Illegals ready new LP, touring with Warbeast and... Author & Punisher? (dates)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Never say never. A band that I thought I personally would never be able to see in my lifetime was Italian horror-prog band Goblin.

Formed in 1972, Goblin's roots lie in several other Italian prog-rock bands of the time... the group initially dubbed itself the Cherry Five and played British-style progressive rock in the vein of Yes, Genesis, and ELP. They signed with the Italian Cinevox label, and issued a self-titled debut in 1975, which performed disappointingly. However, it caught the ear of film director Dario Argento, who contacted Cinevox after growing dissatisfied with the jazzy work being done on his Profondo Rosso by composer Giorgio Gaslini. the Cherry Five rechristened themselves Goblin (in keeping with the horror movie theme), kept a small portion of Gaslini's work, and completely redid the remainder of the score in a heavier, harder-rocking style. The results helped make the film a hit, and the soundtrack album topped the Italian charts... [Argento] put Goblin to work creating a new soundtrack; this time, he shot the film only after hearing the music. The result, 1977's Suspiria, became Goblin's most acclaimed work, combining the band's heavy riffing and busy drum work with more eerie electronics than ever before, plus sinister, experimental vocal effects. The film and soundtrack were both hits once again, and the Goblin/Argento partnership was firmly established -[Allmusic]

That all changed today when the previously discussed Housecore Horror Film Festival announced that Goblin's Maurizio Guarini and Claudio Simonetti will perform a live score of the classic film Suspiria during the Austin, TX festival! The appearance, which will occur at Emo's between October 25-27, is the band's first-ever performance in the U.S. The appearance will join the previously announced performers Down, Crowbar, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, EyeHateGod, Warbeast and Void ov Voices (aka Attila of Mayhem), who will perform "a live soundtrack for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Tickets are on sale.

Head below for the trailer for the legendary Suspiria.

Continue reading "Goblin to play first-ever U.S. show at Housecore Horror Festival, performing 'Suspiria' score"

photos by Greg Cristman

Down at Best Buy Theater, 9/28/2012

Louisiana took over downtown Manhattan on Friday (9/28) when sludge superheroes Down played Best Buy Theater alongside Saint Vitus (Dave Chandler hails from New Orleans), Warbeast and Haarp. Pictures from the show are below. For Saint Vitus, it was their second NYC date of the week, which included a headlining show at the bar somewhat named after them (pictures).

The Down and Haarp dates are in support of recent releases for both bands. Down dropped the first in a series of EPs with DOWN IV Part One: The Purple EP. Haarp's Husks LP recently surfaced on Down vocalist Phil Anselmo's Housecore Records. Stream a recent Haarp track below.

Continue reading "Down played Best Buy Theater with Saint Vitus, Warbeast and Haarp (pics)"

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)"

Pepper Keenan with Down at Best Buy Theater (more by Nathaniel Shannon)

NOLA metal supercrew Down have announced a September tour that kicks off in Fort Worth, TX and visits the NYC-area for two shows: Best Buy Theater in NYC on September 28th and Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ one day later. All dates are listed below.

After a triumphant pairing at Scion Rock Fest last month, it's not that much of a surprise that Down will team with another band that shared that stage in Tampa, Saint Vitus who are opening the NYC show along with with Housecore Records (Phil Anselmo of Down's label) signees Warbeast and Haarp. Tickets for that show go on AMEX presale July 11th (Wed) at 10AM and regular sale on Friday. Same deal for the NJ show (minus Saint Vitus).

Saint Vitus, who only seem to be opening the NYC show, released their latest LP Lille F-65 in May. All known tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Down announces tour, playing NYC with Saint Vitus (dates)"

by BBG

Gwar at MHOW (more by Chris LaPutt)

Gwar will take their pus-ridden tour on the road with Every Time I Die, Warbeast, and Ghoul(!), hitting Irving Plaza on October 23rd. Tickets for that show go on sale today (August 12) at 10AM.

The tour, dubbed the "Return of The World Maggot Tour", will kick off in middle October in North Carolina and loop the country, eventually heading back to the East Coast by the end of November. Full tour schedule is below. Gwar is also headlining the Gwar-B-Q, which will feature the debut of Argonauts, as well as performances from Darkest Hour, Battlemaster, and many others.

Ghoul (who may or may not contain members of Impaled, Ludicra and Engorged) will perform material from their forthcoming eleven-track Transmission Zero LP, due on Tankcrimes. The band will also dip into that new LP at the California Discord Fest in Los Angeles, alongside Rattus, Dropdead, Lack of Interest, Despise You, Magrudergrind, and many many notable others on 9/24 and 9/25 at the Vortex. Tickets are still available.

All tour dates and some classic Gwar video on Joan Rivers and Jerry Springer is below.

Continue reading "Gwar announce Fall Tour w/ Ghoul & others (dates)"

by BBG

Heavy music fans! If TONIGHT (3/26) in NYC isn't reserved for Hull/Horseback/Batillus/Caltrop at The Studio at Webster Hall (tickets), Sick Of It All/Snapcase at a sold-out Webster Hall, or Nunslaughter/Disma at Acheron, then you're more than likely heading out to see Off! with Trash Talk at Santos Party House. Tickets are still available.

Off! & Trash Talk both appeared at the Vans SXSW showcase at Emo's on 3/16, alongside Bad Brains, Talib Kweli, and Black Lips. Meanwhile on the other stage, Housecore Records was leading a southern metal charge with appearances from Arson Anthem (with Mike of Eyehategod, Phil of Down/Pantera, but no Hank III), Haarp (who were incredible), Warbeast, Skrew, and others. Pictures from both stages are in this post and continue below...

Continue reading "Off! & Trash Talk are here (lots of other heavy shows in NYC tonight too), played Emo's w/ Black Lips, Haarp & more (pics)"