Thursday, May 17, 2012

Back on the road.

May 17, 2012
Black Tusk tour.

 It's about eleven o'clock and we're in the van, driving down a lonesome highway in Alabama. Outside our rumbling, self-contained universe, the air presses down, hard and humid. Everything is black and grey. No light, no nothing, just brief flashes of garish light as billboards swim in and out of view. We're listening to a Townes van Zandt covers record that Scott Kelly, Steve Von Till, and Wino have put together. Weeping acoustics, scratchy throats whispering a dead man's thoughts, velvety strings shimmering underneath. It's haunting, subtle, dusky music, made for lonesome nights and quiet thoughts. Nights like these really underline how far I am from home, and how alright that is by me.

Tomorrow, we carry on into Louisiana to meet up with our friends Down and haarp for a string of shows through the South. We are staying in some no name hotel in Mobile tonight, all four of us curled up in one room like stray dogs. Road dogs - it's more apt of a description than a cursory reading will reveal. Roaming the earth like hungry wolves, sticking close to our pack, relying on the kindness of our far-flung tribe to get by. It's a life built on love, and muscle, and bullheaded determination. Many others know as well as I do how hard this can be, but, it is worth the sweat and bruises and aggravation to find a place that feels like home - even if that place is a creaky old Ford van stuffed with boots and wayward sunflower seeds.

 It's good to be home.

 : BLACK TUSK
 With Down and Haarp
 5/18: Broussard, LA @ The Station
 5/19: Huntsville, AL @ Crossroads
 5/21: Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
 5/23: Little Rock, AR @ Juanita's Cantina Ballroom
 5/25: Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theater *

*5/24-5/27 I will be in Baltimore for Maryland Death Fest, and will rejoin the tour 5/28**

 With Municipal Waste
 5/27: Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox Laundrolounge
 5/28: Atlanta, GA @ 529 5/29: Orlando, FL @ The Social 
5/30: Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
 6/2: Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
 6/3: Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
 6/5: Tempe, AZ @ 910 Live

 With Municipal Waste and 3 Inches of Blood
 6/11: Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
 6/12: Hollywood, CA @ The Key Club
 6/13: Oakland, CA @ Oakland Metro Operahouse
 6/15: Seattle, WA @ Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room 
6/16: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
 6/21: Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club
 6/22: Columbus, OH @ Screamin' Willies

 "Orion Music + More Festival" 6/23: Atlantic City, NJ @ Bader Field

 With Municipal Waste and 3 Inches of Blood
6/24: Albany, NY @ Bogies
 6/25: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
 6/26: New York, NY @ Santos Party House


Friday, May 11, 2012

MDF X Playlist:


Here's a downloadable playlist of a few bands I'm really stoked to be seeing at this year's Maryland Death Fest X.

-I-

MORTUARY DRAPE - "Obsessed by Necromancy"
HORNA - "Vihan Tie"
NASUM - "The Engine of Death"
DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT - "Volcanic Birth"
ARCHGOAT - "Goddess of the Abyss of Graves"
DEVIATED INSTINCT - "Disciples of the Storm"
HELLBASTARD - "Massacre"
EYEHATEGOD - "Dixie Whiskey"
BLACK WITCHERY - "Apocalyptic Carnage"
DEMIGOD - "Tears of God"
MORBID ANGEL - "Chapel of Ghouls"
SARGEIST - "Black Fucking Murder"
SAINT VITUS - Look Behind You"
GHOUL - "Splatterthrash"
EXTERMINATION ANGEL- "Whirlwind Killing Spree"
INFERNAL STRONGHOLD - "Snorting the Ruins of Sodom"

http://www.sendspace.com/file/5sw1ti


-I-

Friday, May 4, 2012

Mutilation Rites

I fucking love these dudes. Doing a tiny piece on them for the next issue of Terrorizer; here's the full interview. Short and sweet.

 - Tell me about Empyrean. It's been getting sick reviews already, and is a marked progression from the band's earlier demos. You guys have really come into your own.

 Thanks. We're excited about the record. This album was much more of a group effort than any of the other recordings we've done. I think we've really fleshed out how to work with each other and put it all into Empyrean.

 - You guys stay away from the occult gobbledegook that so many black metal bands jock, show up on stage in whatever you wore that day, and generally give zero fucks about "image." It rules. Your lyrics and aesthetic seem to fall into that realm, too - there's definitely evil brewing, but it feels more genuine. Can you give me some insight into the philosophy and goals behind the band?

 Yeah I don't really understand why you would put on a bunch of fake blood or makeup when you're just some dude from the US. I understand aesthetics are important to an extent but you shouldn't pretend to be something you aren't. We're just dudes making music for us, we don't need to put on a bunch of costumes to prove how legit we are. We don't have a message for you. I'm not trying to preach eternal war, blasphemy blah blah. My lyrics are personal and the band just makes music that feels natural.

 - How sick are you of people asking you about Brooklyn by now? Who are a few bands from there that people should be paying attention to?

 Hahahaha I'm so sick of it! I think people assume all Brooklyn metal bands have weekly meetings or something. As far as local Brooklyn bands? Ruin Lust, Trenchgrinder, Syphilitic Lust, Mutant Supremacy all totally fucking rip and should get a lot more attention.

 - You guys are always, always on tour. What are your favorite places to play? Where do you get the best reaction, and what's the weirdest gig you've played recently?

 We love playing Chicago. Shaman records always gets us badass shows. Usually with crusty bands, which is a safe bet for a good time. Wisconsin is always good to us too. The Midwest in general seems to be where we get the best reception so far. Doing DIY shows all over, you tend to play a lot of basements, restaurants, warehouses. Nothing too out of the ordinary in that realm lately.