Saturday, June 11, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Oaths and Black Blood
I haven't written very much about my personal life on here, for two very simple reasons. Firstly, because I don't really like anyone knowing what I'm up to non-metallically speaking, and secondly, since my personal life essentially is my work life essentially is my metal life, there's not much call for me to unravel the tangled web I inhabit. Every facet of my life is tied up with my love, respect, and diehard dedication to extreme metal, so at this point, it's more or less impossible to talk about myself without bringing that element into play.
So, whatever. my boyfriend's in a couple reasonably well-known metal bands, I work in metal, and we're having a couple very un-metal issues. Love is grim.
So what do girls do when they're having guy issues? Buy shoes.
What do I do when I'm having guy issues?
Buy records,
plugs,
and band shirts.
I feel a bit better.
So, whatever. my boyfriend's in a couple reasonably well-known metal bands, I work in metal, and we're having a couple very un-metal issues. Love is grim.
So what do girls do when they're having guy issues? Buy shoes.
What do I do when I'm having guy issues?
Buy records,
plugs,
and band shirts.
I feel a bit better.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
KRALLICE Video Retrospective:
A collaborative effort between (((unartig))) and myself.
Go HERE for the amazing live footage & full writeup: http://unartignyc.com/2011/05/13/krallice/
Here's the text on its own...
The first time I laid eyes and fresh ears on Krallice was in a conceptual artist’s oversized studio, framed by boxes of wire and sticky with someone else’s blood. It was a rainy night in Queens. The Manhattan skyline stood slick and weary in the humid air, and the Hudson slithered by as languidly as a sated python. As summer light died away sweetly and darkness stole quietly into its place, the scent of burning flesh wafted by. A skinny man in a leather jacket brushed past me, and a woman in yellow tip-toed behind him. It was July in the year 2008, and with Dagon in tow, Inquisition had brought their occult black rituals to New York. An intriguing new band from the outer boroughs was slated to open the proceedings. A massive art space nestled on the banks of the river had been called into duty, and an unlikely mélange of leather jackets, cheap beer, silver necklaces and ballerina flats populated this alien slice of the city. Flanked by an upscale restaurant and a loading dock, the “venue” seemed as out of place there as its temporary residents, and no one was quite certain of what to expect. As longhairs and curious passersby gnawed bones and snuck swigs from carefully stowed bottles, a great rumbling came from inside the warehouse’s cavernous depths – a harbinger of things to come. As bodies trickled in, four men fiddled with instruments and twiddled knobs, preparing. And then – it began.
The juxtaposition of corpse paint, bemused and be-V-necked voyeurs, and a severed pig’s head lent an air of surrealism to that arresting, monumentally cathartic performance that that young band with the strange name and even stranger aesthetic had chosen to unleash. Whether or not we realized it then, Krallice had arrived.
Krallice have come a long way since that muggy night by the river. Making the jump from “promising upstarts” to “New York’s best metal band” was not easy, and every ounce of success that they’ve enjoyed has been earned. It’s all been worked towards, paid for in blood, and is now deeply appreciated. Their first album served as an introduction; their second, a statement of intent. Their third opus, the newly released Diotima, is nothing short of a declaration of war. Now, we’re not talking guns-blazing war metal here – there are no panzers splashed across the album’s cover, and there’s certainly nothing bestial about the intricate compositions within. Krallice’s fight is more subtle; a sea change, rather than an invasion. Remember a few years ago, when their self-titled debut dropped – and jaws throughout the American metal scene dropped with it? USBM, the bastard son and redheaded stepchild of black metal tradition, had suddenly become a force to be reckoned with. Weakling planted the seeds, Wolves in the Throne Room relit the torch, but Krallice were one of the first of an eventual wave of American bands that had decided, for whatever reason, to embrace the beauty in brutality, and look beyond the freezing moon into not what black metal is, but what it could be.
It’s been a fair few years since the first wave of USBM hit, and many of the old guard have fallen or paled into wistful imitations of their former strength. For some, the power remains, but regardless, the game has changed. The unimaginable has happened – the meek have inherited the earth. USBM has grown into an entirely different beast than its puritanical beginnings would have predicted, and become an entirely unique entity unto itself. American black metal bands eschew the corpsepaint and spikes of their European brothers in favor of a more human approach. This new breed’s descriptors – organic, progressive, atmospheric, experimental, expansive, earthy, technical, multi-faceted – are a far cry from the European hordes’ focus on occult aggression and Satanic orthodoxy. American black metal cannot draw upon the ancient spells of the fjords, the steppes, the Black Forest. Instead, its inspiration springs forth from the forests of the Northwest, the rolling hills and hidden homes of Appalachia, the urban blight and suffocation that plagues our cities, the wide-open skies out West and frantic pace out East, the poverty-stricken South and economic nightmares up North – our land, our history, our daily struggles breathe life into this darkest expression of musical malady. Maybe we’re all still victims of that “melting pot” mentality so many of our forebears picked up alongside their brand-newAnglicized names at Ellis Island. We as a nation are rather fond of recycling, reimagining, and rebuilding what we’re given to create our own realities. Why would our take on ravishing grimness be any different? A bit of post-rock here, some hardcore there, a pinch of crust, a dash of noise, a hint of folk, a snippet of thrash and a helluva lot of ambience…Call it what you will (“post-black metal” seems to be gaining ground) and point fingers towards its influences all you like, but this scene, this community, this movement couldn’t have come from anywhere else. Krallice couldn’t have come from anywhere but New York – and Abbath’s bombastic winterdemoncy has no place in Queens.
The members of Krallice are musicians and fans, purveyors of the heavy, the filthy, the complex. Their sonic template is as varied and diverse as a packed subway car, and the aural pictures they paint prove that there are many, many shades of black. Their skill levels are practically obscene, ranging from Colin Marston’s technical ecstasies to Mick Barr’s ingenious fretboard wrangling, to Nick McMaster’s flying fingers and Lev Weinsteins apocalyptic drumbeats, and the luxury of having a world-class recording engineer and access to Marston’s cavernous studio within their ranks hasn’t hurt ‘em a bit. Combining a mutual desire to progress, experiment, and explore with a shared love of the blackest of arts, Krallice exploded onto the scene and the aftershock rippled through scores of curious and appreciative eardrums across the world. They were new, they were interesting, but above all – they were damn good.
The debut was a stunner, but its follow-up was more of a grower. Dimensional Bleedthrough was a brave album, one that greatly revealed the band members’ backgrounds in uber-technical, complex music. This time, it really sounded like the dudes from Dysrhythmia, Bloody Panda, and Orthrelm were involved. The difficult second album was just that – a challenging listen, but a rewarding one, and a startlingly mature offering from a band that, for all their chops and know-how, were still pretty new. The material for Diotima was written with dizzying speed, and was already ready for release by the time its predecessor dropped. This album is their most cohesive effort yet, and makes it crystal clear that Krallice have grown into themselves, found their comfort zone, and then immediately, characteristically, pushed those boundaries to the breaking point.
By now, Krallice have grown used to press accolades, top ten lists, and fanboys, but that doesn’t mean they take it for granted; if anything, it seems to push them further.
Each member has settled into his respective role, comfortable with his past and his future in the band. In such a pedigreed project, stacked as it is with the combined resumes of Barr, Marston, and Weinstein, it’s been interesting watching bassist and vocalist McMaster stepping into a more prominent role as a vocalist and songwriter. His budding contributions to the band’s artistic direction (coupled with the visionary work of NYC-based artist Karlynn Holland) only serve to emphasize the fact that the man is a true talent in his own right. With time comes growth.
As you can see for yourself, Krallice are a formidable live band. For being such a complex band, not only do they pull it off in a live setting, but the intensity and raw power emanating from their speakers, strings, and selves amplifies the experience – turns it up to 11, even. The band is selective when it comes to playing shows, and have managed to make every gig and tour count, from their North American runs with Ludicra, Withered and Wolves in the Throne Room to appearances at events like Fall Into Darkness, Maryland Deathfest, and Scion Rock Fest. Less is more, after all, and while road dogs bust their ass and generally get their due, there’s something to be said for moderation as well. A Krallice show is an event, and a special one at that. The live footage that (((unartig))) has so artfully captured is testament enough to that, and says more about the band than words ever could.
Kim Kelly | New York City, May 2011
Go HERE for the amazing live footage & full writeup: http://unartignyc.com/2011/05/13/krallice/
Here's the text on its own...
The first time I laid eyes and fresh ears on Krallice was in a conceptual artist’s oversized studio, framed by boxes of wire and sticky with someone else’s blood. It was a rainy night in Queens. The Manhattan skyline stood slick and weary in the humid air, and the Hudson slithered by as languidly as a sated python. As summer light died away sweetly and darkness stole quietly into its place, the scent of burning flesh wafted by. A skinny man in a leather jacket brushed past me, and a woman in yellow tip-toed behind him. It was July in the year 2008, and with Dagon in tow, Inquisition had brought their occult black rituals to New York. An intriguing new band from the outer boroughs was slated to open the proceedings. A massive art space nestled on the banks of the river had been called into duty, and an unlikely mélange of leather jackets, cheap beer, silver necklaces and ballerina flats populated this alien slice of the city. Flanked by an upscale restaurant and a loading dock, the “venue” seemed as out of place there as its temporary residents, and no one was quite certain of what to expect. As longhairs and curious passersby gnawed bones and snuck swigs from carefully stowed bottles, a great rumbling came from inside the warehouse’s cavernous depths – a harbinger of things to come. As bodies trickled in, four men fiddled with instruments and twiddled knobs, preparing. And then – it began.
The juxtaposition of corpse paint, bemused and be-V-necked voyeurs, and a severed pig’s head lent an air of surrealism to that arresting, monumentally cathartic performance that that young band with the strange name and even stranger aesthetic had chosen to unleash. Whether or not we realized it then, Krallice had arrived.
Krallice have come a long way since that muggy night by the river. Making the jump from “promising upstarts” to “New York’s best metal band” was not easy, and every ounce of success that they’ve enjoyed has been earned. It’s all been worked towards, paid for in blood, and is now deeply appreciated. Their first album served as an introduction; their second, a statement of intent. Their third opus, the newly released Diotima, is nothing short of a declaration of war. Now, we’re not talking guns-blazing war metal here – there are no panzers splashed across the album’s cover, and there’s certainly nothing bestial about the intricate compositions within. Krallice’s fight is more subtle; a sea change, rather than an invasion. Remember a few years ago, when their self-titled debut dropped – and jaws throughout the American metal scene dropped with it? USBM, the bastard son and redheaded stepchild of black metal tradition, had suddenly become a force to be reckoned with. Weakling planted the seeds, Wolves in the Throne Room relit the torch, but Krallice were one of the first of an eventual wave of American bands that had decided, for whatever reason, to embrace the beauty in brutality, and look beyond the freezing moon into not what black metal is, but what it could be.
It’s been a fair few years since the first wave of USBM hit, and many of the old guard have fallen or paled into wistful imitations of their former strength. For some, the power remains, but regardless, the game has changed. The unimaginable has happened – the meek have inherited the earth. USBM has grown into an entirely different beast than its puritanical beginnings would have predicted, and become an entirely unique entity unto itself. American black metal bands eschew the corpsepaint and spikes of their European brothers in favor of a more human approach. This new breed’s descriptors – organic, progressive, atmospheric, experimental, expansive, earthy, technical, multi-faceted – are a far cry from the European hordes’ focus on occult aggression and Satanic orthodoxy. American black metal cannot draw upon the ancient spells of the fjords, the steppes, the Black Forest. Instead, its inspiration springs forth from the forests of the Northwest, the rolling hills and hidden homes of Appalachia, the urban blight and suffocation that plagues our cities, the wide-open skies out West and frantic pace out East, the poverty-stricken South and economic nightmares up North – our land, our history, our daily struggles breathe life into this darkest expression of musical malady. Maybe we’re all still victims of that “melting pot” mentality so many of our forebears picked up alongside their brand-newAnglicized names at Ellis Island. We as a nation are rather fond of recycling, reimagining, and rebuilding what we’re given to create our own realities. Why would our take on ravishing grimness be any different? A bit of post-rock here, some hardcore there, a pinch of crust, a dash of noise, a hint of folk, a snippet of thrash and a helluva lot of ambience…Call it what you will (“post-black metal” seems to be gaining ground) and point fingers towards its influences all you like, but this scene, this community, this movement couldn’t have come from anywhere else. Krallice couldn’t have come from anywhere but New York – and Abbath’s bombastic winterdemoncy has no place in Queens.
The members of Krallice are musicians and fans, purveyors of the heavy, the filthy, the complex. Their sonic template is as varied and diverse as a packed subway car, and the aural pictures they paint prove that there are many, many shades of black. Their skill levels are practically obscene, ranging from Colin Marston’s technical ecstasies to Mick Barr’s ingenious fretboard wrangling, to Nick McMaster’s flying fingers and Lev Weinsteins apocalyptic drumbeats, and the luxury of having a world-class recording engineer and access to Marston’s cavernous studio within their ranks hasn’t hurt ‘em a bit. Combining a mutual desire to progress, experiment, and explore with a shared love of the blackest of arts, Krallice exploded onto the scene and the aftershock rippled through scores of curious and appreciative eardrums across the world. They were new, they were interesting, but above all – they were damn good.
The debut was a stunner, but its follow-up was more of a grower. Dimensional Bleedthrough was a brave album, one that greatly revealed the band members’ backgrounds in uber-technical, complex music. This time, it really sounded like the dudes from Dysrhythmia, Bloody Panda, and Orthrelm were involved. The difficult second album was just that – a challenging listen, but a rewarding one, and a startlingly mature offering from a band that, for all their chops and know-how, were still pretty new. The material for Diotima was written with dizzying speed, and was already ready for release by the time its predecessor dropped. This album is their most cohesive effort yet, and makes it crystal clear that Krallice have grown into themselves, found their comfort zone, and then immediately, characteristically, pushed those boundaries to the breaking point.
By now, Krallice have grown used to press accolades, top ten lists, and fanboys, but that doesn’t mean they take it for granted; if anything, it seems to push them further.
Each member has settled into his respective role, comfortable with his past and his future in the band. In such a pedigreed project, stacked as it is with the combined resumes of Barr, Marston, and Weinstein, it’s been interesting watching bassist and vocalist McMaster stepping into a more prominent role as a vocalist and songwriter. His budding contributions to the band’s artistic direction (coupled with the visionary work of NYC-based artist Karlynn Holland) only serve to emphasize the fact that the man is a true talent in his own right. With time comes growth.
As you can see for yourself, Krallice are a formidable live band. For being such a complex band, not only do they pull it off in a live setting, but the intensity and raw power emanating from their speakers, strings, and selves amplifies the experience – turns it up to 11, even. The band is selective when it comes to playing shows, and have managed to make every gig and tour count, from their North American runs with Ludicra, Withered and Wolves in the Throne Room to appearances at events like Fall Into Darkness, Maryland Deathfest, and Scion Rock Fest. Less is more, after all, and while road dogs bust their ass and generally get their due, there’s something to be said for moderation as well. A Krallice show is an event, and a special one at that. The live footage that (((unartig))) has so artfully captured is testament enough to that, and says more about the band than words ever could.
Kim Kelly | New York City, May 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Musings on Metal's Nuclear Fixation
I wrote this for Metalsucks, and wanted to post it on here because, well, I like it. It's something I may expound upon someday, time and luck willing.
"EVERYBODY’S DOIN’ THE TOXIC WALTZ: MUSING UPON METAL’S NUCLEAR FIXATION"
Ever since the dawn of the nuclear age, mankind has been fascinated with The Bomb and its terrifying capabilities. Even before The Manhattan Project bore fruit, countless nuke-themed songs, movies, books, and of course, good ol’ propaganda flooded the American consciousness and captivated our over-reactive imaginations. Some truly masterful books (Level 7, Alas, Babylon, A Canticle for Liebowitz) and truly abominable pulp fiction novels were written, the government cheerfully advised its citizens to build bomb shelters out back and stockpile creamed corn “just in case!” (better an oblivious populace then a nation of protestors, right?), and Bert the talking turtle advised kiddies on the best way to protect themselves during an atomic blast (hide under your desk and cover your head, and everything will be swell!).
These catchy little ditties, cheesy sci-fi flicks, and government-sponsored nonsense planted seeds of fear and xenophobia, and left lasting scars upon the children of the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. Ask your parents and grandparents if they remember being told to “duck and cover,” or the feeling that they got when they heard the air raid sirens scream, or the impenetrable dread that settled over the country during the Cuban Missile Crisis as JFK and Krushchev toyed with the idea of apocalypse. My granddad’s voice shook as he described it (and he’s a 6”4 ex-Marine who goes bear-hunting in Alaska on the regular). Our current administration grew up during this time, and one can only wonder how their childhood memories may someday impact their nuclear decisions.
A few decades of that will leave one hell of an impression on a young country like ours, and on the places across the globe wherein similar scenarios played out. Eastern Europe trembled when Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor blew, and the aftermath of that disaster can still be seen in the radiation-rich swaths of land as far as Siberia that some impoverished people still call home. In WWII, the United States’ destruction of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as a nightmarish introduction to the horrifying consequences of intentionally pushing that red button. The world has never reclaimed its pre-atomic innocence, or lost its morbid curiosity about what goes down after the bomb goes off.
The psychological remnants of this period inadvertently went on to inspire many, many more works of art, music, and literature, and has provided a creative spark for struggling extreme metal lyricists everywhere. Heavy metal has held a long-term love affair with Armageddon, and the genre itself was born barely a decade after the Cold War thawed. It’s only natural that the twain should meet. It’s possible to find references to nuclear war, fallout, and post-apocalyptic wastelands within nearly any subgenre (hell, even power metal pansies Primal Fear have a record called Nuclear Fire, and Erik Wunder of Man’s Gin penned a dark alt-country ode to his “Nuclear Ambition”). Insect Warfare, Angelcorpse, Mutant Supremacy, and the immortal warmongers Bolt Thrower have all referenced the topic within their lyrics, and that’s just the result of a two-second brain scan on my part. The theme of nuclear annihilation has been embraced most by the anti-lifers in black metal and sociopolitical edge of thrash (and about a thousand crust bands like the incredible Nuclear Death Terror). Sodom imagined “Nuclear Winter” in 1987, while Voivod lamented the onset of “Nuclear War” in 1984, and crossover bands especially had their fingers on the pulse. Nuclear Assault have been flying the atomic flag since 1984, Cryptic Slaughter envisioned a “Nuclear Future” on 1986’s Convicted, and nowadays, we’ve got Toxic Holocaust keeping that dangerous flame lit (Joel Grind kicked things off with 1999’s Radiation Sickness demo and hasn’t looked back). As far as the black legions go, the list verges upon endless thanks to the likes of Impaled Nazarene, Nuclear Desecration, Parabellum, Aanal Beehemoth, Bestial Holocaust, Black Witchery, Nuclearhammer, Bestial Mockery… even war metal OGs Blasphemy were preaching nuclear desecration in between dripping blood upon the altar. The mere existence of cult label/distro Nuclear War Now! says it all, really, and their roster is prime territory for apocalyptic metal.
When I was at this year’s NWN! Fest in Berlin a few months back, I heard so many nuclear song titles and hails to the apocalypse that it was almost funny. It all seemed bit ironic, too, that these sweaty, leather-clad musicians, with their gas masks and bandoliers of ammunition, would be calling for war in the middle of a city that has seen so much of it, and especially one that played such a crucial role during a time when WWIII seemed just around the corner. Extreme metal’s warlike nature will never be tamed, and as time goes on and mankind continues to flirt with its own extinction, bands like Nuclear Desecration may end up providing the most fitting soundtrack to whatever’s coming next.
-KK
"EVERYBODY’S DOIN’ THE TOXIC WALTZ: MUSING UPON METAL’S NUCLEAR FIXATION"
Ever since the dawn of the nuclear age, mankind has been fascinated with The Bomb and its terrifying capabilities. Even before The Manhattan Project bore fruit, countless nuke-themed songs, movies, books, and of course, good ol’ propaganda flooded the American consciousness and captivated our over-reactive imaginations. Some truly masterful books (Level 7, Alas, Babylon, A Canticle for Liebowitz) and truly abominable pulp fiction novels were written, the government cheerfully advised its citizens to build bomb shelters out back and stockpile creamed corn “just in case!” (better an oblivious populace then a nation of protestors, right?), and Bert the talking turtle advised kiddies on the best way to protect themselves during an atomic blast (hide under your desk and cover your head, and everything will be swell!).
These catchy little ditties, cheesy sci-fi flicks, and government-sponsored nonsense planted seeds of fear and xenophobia, and left lasting scars upon the children of the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. Ask your parents and grandparents if they remember being told to “duck and cover,” or the feeling that they got when they heard the air raid sirens scream, or the impenetrable dread that settled over the country during the Cuban Missile Crisis as JFK and Krushchev toyed with the idea of apocalypse. My granddad’s voice shook as he described it (and he’s a 6”4 ex-Marine who goes bear-hunting in Alaska on the regular). Our current administration grew up during this time, and one can only wonder how their childhood memories may someday impact their nuclear decisions.
A few decades of that will leave one hell of an impression on a young country like ours, and on the places across the globe wherein similar scenarios played out. Eastern Europe trembled when Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor blew, and the aftermath of that disaster can still be seen in the radiation-rich swaths of land as far as Siberia that some impoverished people still call home. In WWII, the United States’ destruction of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as a nightmarish introduction to the horrifying consequences of intentionally pushing that red button. The world has never reclaimed its pre-atomic innocence, or lost its morbid curiosity about what goes down after the bomb goes off.
The psychological remnants of this period inadvertently went on to inspire many, many more works of art, music, and literature, and has provided a creative spark for struggling extreme metal lyricists everywhere. Heavy metal has held a long-term love affair with Armageddon, and the genre itself was born barely a decade after the Cold War thawed. It’s only natural that the twain should meet. It’s possible to find references to nuclear war, fallout, and post-apocalyptic wastelands within nearly any subgenre (hell, even power metal pansies Primal Fear have a record called Nuclear Fire, and Erik Wunder of Man’s Gin penned a dark alt-country ode to his “Nuclear Ambition”). Insect Warfare, Angelcorpse, Mutant Supremacy, and the immortal warmongers Bolt Thrower have all referenced the topic within their lyrics, and that’s just the result of a two-second brain scan on my part. The theme of nuclear annihilation has been embraced most by the anti-lifers in black metal and sociopolitical edge of thrash (and about a thousand crust bands like the incredible Nuclear Death Terror). Sodom imagined “Nuclear Winter” in 1987, while Voivod lamented the onset of “Nuclear War” in 1984, and crossover bands especially had their fingers on the pulse. Nuclear Assault have been flying the atomic flag since 1984, Cryptic Slaughter envisioned a “Nuclear Future” on 1986’s Convicted, and nowadays, we’ve got Toxic Holocaust keeping that dangerous flame lit (Joel Grind kicked things off with 1999’s Radiation Sickness demo and hasn’t looked back). As far as the black legions go, the list verges upon endless thanks to the likes of Impaled Nazarene, Nuclear Desecration, Parabellum, Aanal Beehemoth, Bestial Holocaust, Black Witchery, Nuclearhammer, Bestial Mockery… even war metal OGs Blasphemy were preaching nuclear desecration in between dripping blood upon the altar. The mere existence of cult label/distro Nuclear War Now! says it all, really, and their roster is prime territory for apocalyptic metal.
When I was at this year’s NWN! Fest in Berlin a few months back, I heard so many nuclear song titles and hails to the apocalypse that it was almost funny. It all seemed bit ironic, too, that these sweaty, leather-clad musicians, with their gas masks and bandoliers of ammunition, would be calling for war in the middle of a city that has seen so much of it, and especially one that played such a crucial role during a time when WWIII seemed just around the corner. Extreme metal’s warlike nature will never be tamed, and as time goes on and mankind continues to flirt with its own extinction, bands like Nuclear Desecration may end up providing the most fitting soundtrack to whatever’s coming next.
-KK
Friday, January 21, 2011
AMEBIX Announce New Album Title & Release Date
This is the most important announcement of my career, and one that means a lot to me as a friend to and massive fan of the band. Please spread the word.
AMEBIX Announce New Album Title & Release Date
The darkest hour is upon us. The legends have returned.
AMEBIX, one of the best-loved and most influential bands in heavy music, have spent the last two years working towards this, a defining moment in their storied career - the release of their first collection of all-new material since 1987.
On September 20, 2011, upon the cusp of the autumnal Equinox, the new AMEBIX album will be released. Entitled Sonic Mass, these nine songs represent the past, present, and future of the band, and will enthrall and inspire longtime fans and new converts alike. As dark, crushing, and honest as anything on their classics Arise! and Monolith, but imbued with a lifetime of hardship, raw emotion, and eternal hope, Sonic Mass is the album AMEBIX have always wanted to create.
The album was recorded at Rock Cottage in Derbyshire and The Lodge Studios in Northampton, England, and engineered, mixed and produced by AMEBIX drummer Roy Mayorga. Sonic Mass will be released digitally and on CD by Alternative Tentacles, with a deluxe 12" vinyl edition from Profane Existence.
Formed in the late seventies and hailed as the godfathers of crust punk and extreme metal, AMEBIX had long lain dormant until the addition of drummer Roy Mayorga (Nausea, Crisis, Soulfly, Stone Sour), a DVD release, and a string of 2009 reunion shows reignited the flame. The band's resurrection first resulted in the release of 2010's Redux EP, which features live and rerecorded versions of several of the band's best-loved classics, including "Winter," "Chain Reaction," and the immortal battle cry, "Arise." The songs were remixed by Mayorga and Redux is available from Profane Existence on CD, 12" LP and digitally.
Now, the time has come to finish what they started. A whole new chapter in the AMEBIX saga has begun.
AMEBIX IS
Rob Miller: Vocals/Bass
Stig C Miller: Guitars
Roy Mayorga: Drums/Keyboards/Mandolin
Photos from the recording sessions for Sonic Mass can be viewed HERE. All photos by Fin MacAteer.
http://amebix.net/
http://www.profaneexistence.org/
http://www.alternativetentacles.com/
AMEBIX Announce New Album Title & Release Date
The darkest hour is upon us. The legends have returned.
AMEBIX, one of the best-loved and most influential bands in heavy music, have spent the last two years working towards this, a defining moment in their storied career - the release of their first collection of all-new material since 1987.
On September 20, 2011, upon the cusp of the autumnal Equinox, the new AMEBIX album will be released. Entitled Sonic Mass, these nine songs represent the past, present, and future of the band, and will enthrall and inspire longtime fans and new converts alike. As dark, crushing, and honest as anything on their classics Arise! and Monolith, but imbued with a lifetime of hardship, raw emotion, and eternal hope, Sonic Mass is the album AMEBIX have always wanted to create.
The album was recorded at Rock Cottage in Derbyshire and The Lodge Studios in Northampton, England, and engineered, mixed and produced by AMEBIX drummer Roy Mayorga. Sonic Mass will be released digitally and on CD by Alternative Tentacles, with a deluxe 12" vinyl edition from Profane Existence.
Formed in the late seventies and hailed as the godfathers of crust punk and extreme metal, AMEBIX had long lain dormant until the addition of drummer Roy Mayorga (Nausea, Crisis, Soulfly, Stone Sour), a DVD release, and a string of 2009 reunion shows reignited the flame. The band's resurrection first resulted in the release of 2010's Redux EP, which features live and rerecorded versions of several of the band's best-loved classics, including "Winter," "Chain Reaction," and the immortal battle cry, "Arise." The songs were remixed by Mayorga and Redux is available from Profane Existence on CD, 12" LP and digitally.
Now, the time has come to finish what they started. A whole new chapter in the AMEBIX saga has begun.
AMEBIX IS
Rob Miller: Vocals/Bass
Stig C Miller: Guitars
Roy Mayorga: Drums/Keyboards/Mandolin
Photos from the recording sessions for Sonic Mass can be viewed HERE. All photos by Fin MacAteer.
http://amebix.net/
http://www.profaneexistence.org/
http://www.alternativetentacles.com/
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Castevet, Lake of Blood, Seidr, Falls of Rauros played two blocks from my house.
And I wrote about it for Brooklyn Vegan.
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2011/01/castevet_played.html
CASTEVET, LAKE OF BLOOD, SEIDR, FALLS OF RAUROS Played the Acheron
It was bitter cold outside,. A starless sky and biting wind provided the perfect setting for a black metal ritual, as soiled snowdrifts hugged the sidewalk and surely made load-in a nightmare for the quartet of bands slated to perform. Those that braved the winter chill and got to the Acheron in time for the first band were richly rewarded.
Falls of Rauros’ set unfolded over a series of long, gorgeously-crafted atmospheric black metal compositions. Their sprawling odes to the wilderness and man’s primal past recalled the power and delicacy of Drudkh and Agalloch, with a taste of Ulver’s Kveldssanger and a hungry intensity all their own. Unfortunately they’d already sold out of CDs by the time they rolled through Brooklyn, but this Maine collective are working on new material for an upcoming release that will undoubtedly surpass even my high expectations.
Louisville, KY’s black/doom cult Seidr have long been a favorite of mine, and did not disappoint. The band, which includes Austin Lunn of Panopticon, was unafraid to allow beautiful melodies to shine through the thick black fog that envelops their funereal dirges. Their performance was absolutely riveting – total catharsis, and the strongest set of the night.
California black metallers Lake of Blood commanded our attention, and got it. While their imposing frontman roared and raged down on the floor with a whiskey- and blood-drunk crowd, the rest of the band closed their eyes and hammered away, churning out riff after riff of darkness and light. They managed to sound melodic and refined without sacrificing any of the barbarity and speed that keep underground black metal dangerous – impressive, to say the least. Look for a new album from these guys as well.
Castevet still stand out as one of NYC’s most engaging live acts, and closed out the evening with a bang. If you haven’t seen them yet, you’re fucking up. Luckily, they’ll be back at the Acheron with Phantom Glue and brother band Defeatist – don’t miss out.
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2011/01/castevet_played.html
CASTEVET, LAKE OF BLOOD, SEIDR, FALLS OF RAUROS Played the Acheron
It was bitter cold outside,. A starless sky and biting wind provided the perfect setting for a black metal ritual, as soiled snowdrifts hugged the sidewalk and surely made load-in a nightmare for the quartet of bands slated to perform. Those that braved the winter chill and got to the Acheron in time for the first band were richly rewarded.
Falls of Rauros’ set unfolded over a series of long, gorgeously-crafted atmospheric black metal compositions. Their sprawling odes to the wilderness and man’s primal past recalled the power and delicacy of Drudkh and Agalloch, with a taste of Ulver’s Kveldssanger and a hungry intensity all their own. Unfortunately they’d already sold out of CDs by the time they rolled through Brooklyn, but this Maine collective are working on new material for an upcoming release that will undoubtedly surpass even my high expectations.
Louisville, KY’s black/doom cult Seidr have long been a favorite of mine, and did not disappoint. The band, which includes Austin Lunn of Panopticon, was unafraid to allow beautiful melodies to shine through the thick black fog that envelops their funereal dirges. Their performance was absolutely riveting – total catharsis, and the strongest set of the night.
California black metallers Lake of Blood commanded our attention, and got it. While their imposing frontman roared and raged down on the floor with a whiskey- and blood-drunk crowd, the rest of the band closed their eyes and hammered away, churning out riff after riff of darkness and light. They managed to sound melodic and refined without sacrificing any of the barbarity and speed that keep underground black metal dangerous – impressive, to say the least. Look for a new album from these guys as well.
Castevet still stand out as one of NYC’s most engaging live acts, and closed out the evening with a bang. If you haven’t seen them yet, you’re fucking up. Luckily, they’ll be back at the Acheron with Phantom Glue and brother band Defeatist – don’t miss out.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Albums I'm Looking Forward To Hearing In 2011:
Adorior – TBA 3rd album
Antediluvian / Adversarial – split album
Ascended / Helcaraxë – split 7″
Bastard Sapling – TBA debut album
Burial Invocation – TBA debut album
Cruciamentum – TBA MLP
Gallhammer - TBA album
Gates of Slumber - The Scourge of Drunkenness
Gospel of the Horns – TBA mCD
Katharsis / Teitanblood – split
Kerasphorus – TBA 7″
EYEHATEGOD - TBA
Morbid Angel – TBA “I” album
Petrychor - TBA
Repugnant – TBA second album
Revenge – Scum.Collapse.Eradication
Revenge / Black Witchery – TBA split
Sanguis Imperem – TBA debut album
Scythian / Kawir – split 7″ (spoiler alert: the Scythian track rulezzz)
and probably a million more I'm forgetting about.
A couple upcoming releases that I can PROMISE you are awesome:
Altar of Plagues - Mammal
Amebix - Sonic Mass
Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand
Necros Christos – Doom of the Occult
Antediluvian / Adversarial – split album
Ascended / Helcaraxë – split 7″
Bastard Sapling – TBA debut album
Burial Invocation – TBA debut album
Cruciamentum – TBA MLP
Gallhammer - TBA album
Gates of Slumber - The Scourge of Drunkenness
Gospel of the Horns – TBA mCD
Katharsis / Teitanblood – split
Kerasphorus – TBA 7″
EYEHATEGOD - TBA
Morbid Angel – TBA “I” album
Petrychor - TBA
Repugnant – TBA second album
Revenge – Scum.Collapse.Eradication
Revenge / Black Witchery – TBA split
Sanguis Imperem – TBA debut album
Scythian / Kawir – split 7″ (spoiler alert: the Scythian track rulezzz)
and probably a million more I'm forgetting about.
A couple upcoming releases that I can PROMISE you are awesome:
Altar of Plagues - Mammal
Amebix - Sonic Mass
Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand
Necros Christos – Doom of the Occult
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Tumblr
Hi!
I just figured out how Tumblr works (sort of) and decided to make one for my PR company, Catharsis PR. Once I caught myself posting non-work stuff on there like five seconds after I made it, I decided to make another one just for me to dick around on. Here are the links, let's be friends.
CATHARSIS PR
GRIM KIM
TODAY'S PLAYLIST:
ASCENSION - With Burning Tongues demo
BOLT THROWER - Realm of Chaos
APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT - It's Far From Fucking Over
STEVE VON TILL - A Grave is a Grim Horse
JOHNNY CASH - American V: A Hundred Highways
THE GAULT - Even As All Before Us
I'm making a mix CD for my boyfriend, thus the more mellow stuff near the end of the evening. Yeah, I'm aware that I am 1. a massive sap, and 2. stuck in the early 2000's. Come at me, bro.
I just figured out how Tumblr works (sort of) and decided to make one for my PR company, Catharsis PR. Once I caught myself posting non-work stuff on there like five seconds after I made it, I decided to make another one just for me to dick around on. Here are the links, let's be friends.
CATHARSIS PR
GRIM KIM
TODAY'S PLAYLIST:
ASCENSION - With Burning Tongues demo
BOLT THROWER - Realm of Chaos
APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT - It's Far From Fucking Over
STEVE VON TILL - A Grave is a Grim Horse
JOHNNY CASH - American V: A Hundred Highways
THE GAULT - Even As All Before Us
I'm making a mix CD for my boyfriend, thus the more mellow stuff near the end of the evening. Yeah, I'm aware that I am 1. a massive sap, and 2. stuck in the early 2000's. Come at me, bro.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
To Separate Flesh From Bone - Happenings and Discoveries
The above photo was snapped by my beloved friend Samantha Marble to accompany a piece that ran on NPR.org this past week as part of the Record's "The Year in Music" retrospective series. Entitled "2010's Best Writing About Metal," the post rounded up a handful of pieces that its author thought particularly exemplary, and I'm pretty chuffed that my "Metal Etiquette: A Ladies' Guide to Concert-going" (Metalsucks) was chosen. Many thanks to Lars Gotrich for the honor. You can read the writeup and find a link to the original article here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2010/12/30/132413390/the-year-in-music-2010s-best-writing-about-metal
Sam, my roommate Karlynn Holland and I spent a good couple hours Immortal-izing my face, shooting in the snow outside Sam's apartment, spooking unsuspecting passersby,, and breathlessly giggling at the sight of my dumb ass in full-on Abbath mode. You can see a couple more photos here - I look like a dude, but am totally okay with it. Talk about ravishing grimness. Hah! http://samanthamarble.tumblr.com/
NEWS FROM THE DEPTHS (THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION):
Clandestine Blaze released a new album on longtime allies Northern Heritage at the tail end of 2010, and it completely snuck under my nose! I haven't gotten my mitts on it yet, but according to the NH website,
"2010 album of Clandestine Blaze underlines the core of black metal as it has been interpreted by it. Utmost focus on the core elements of riffs, melody, song structures and lyrics, leaving out everything unnecessary. In stripped down simplicity of sound, music and artwork it continues logical journey since Church Of Atrocity, with more distorted, lethal and fierce sound."
There's a new Mgla on the way, too! Stoked.
Fans of Cruciamentum should hit up Metal Ireland and check out a cool new interview with Dan, conducted by Andy from Dublin doom titans Wreck of the Hesperus: http://www.metalireland.com/2010/12/26/cruciamentum-interview/ Cruciamentum's 2009 EP 'Convocation of Crawling Chaos' is a proclamation of intent and an essential listen for anyone who gives a damn about the current state of underground metal ov death.
Listen and worship: http://www.last.fm/music/Cruciamentum
Negative Plane have a brand-new record due out on Ireland's truly barbaric Invictus Productions in early 2011. Invictus will also be releasing an LP for Canadian black/death warriors Antediluvian, who are planning a split with brothers in arms Adversarial as well.
Altar of Plagues have completed their new album for Profound Lore, which is currently being mastered by the immortal Necromorbus. Can't spill any more details, but trust me - this will be the one of the best albums of 2011.
Much-loved Necros Christos affiliates Drowned have come to their senses and gotten together to record new material, though no hope (as of yet) of catching the Teutonic death/doom beasts live:
"11/2010
A new line-up has been coagulated earlier this year, involving Tlmnn on guitar, G.ST (also in Essenz) on bass and T.E. (also in Essenz and Android Empire) on drums. We are currently working on material for an upcoming full-length album.
MDR will remain available for future vocal recordings, albeit his participation in live shows is unlikely due to the ever more time-consuming nature of Necros Christos.
Because of this circumstance and also in order to focus on songwriting, Drowned will not play live in the near future."
My good friends Craven Idol will be releasing their debut EP Ethereal Altars on Hammer of Hate/Vengeful Atakkk - black/thrash supremacy! Speaking of the London scene, my mates Scythian (warlike black/thrash) will be releasing a split 7" with Greek horde Kawir in the coming months.
PLAYLIST FOR THE DAY:
Some new discoveries have hit my headphones today; I'm taking advantage of my newfound downtime to greedily devour as much new-to-me (and underappreciated) UGBM/UGDM as possible. Lots of demos, lots of new blood and surprisingly, lots of American stuff.
SKITSYSTEM - Stigmata (2006)
SOMBRES FORETS - Royaume De Glace (2008)
GOAT HORN - Trinza After Sunset demo (1999)
CASTLE OF PURITY - s/t demo (2009)
ETERNAL DIRGE - Morbus Ascendit (1992)
GAROTTE - Count the Almounds (2010)
ROMAN CROSS - Rain rehearsal (2008)
GRAVE MIASMA - Realm of Evoked Doom rerelease (2010)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
OMG, OSDM! & Bestial Raidz
For whatever inexplicable reason, OSDM (old school death metal, duh) has gotten way popular over this past year, and while some bitter assholes (like me) may complain about the trendiness (the horror, the horror1) of it all, I've got to admit, it's resulted in a marked increase in the amount of my kinda death metal being released. I've never been much for modern death metal, preferring to dwell within the fetid Florida swamps and spik'n'span Swedish art spaces that the birthed the old guard, and have made a point of thoroughly shunning all things technical, proggy, or "djenty'.
*On a side note, I just found out what "djent" means - it's music nerd for "shit mid-range riffs with no balls." Hateful.*
Out with wankery, in with necromancy!
CRUCIAMENTUM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZkMiukoxuc
GRAVE MIASMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GOs92bYO5w
SONNE ADAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyQA88S3wRM&feature=related
DEAD CONGREGATION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWrN3yw-3t4
NECROS CHRISTOS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zg_682VU4E
DROWNED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B44PVJxzbQ
MIASMAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahehhU3shpI
EMBRACE OF THORNS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTlpVg5JVSw
CRAVEN IDOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq8x6sJs5AQ
VANHELGD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq5ebnSwK90
FATHER BEFOULED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8AkYUobtA0
MORBUS CHRON
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ash-jnX0DLU&feature=related
The other big thing, at least on the other side of the pond (hail to England, as always) has been an explosion in not only tolerance for but downright slavish devotion to all that is bestial. Primitive, uncompromising black/death grinding noise and war metal assaults, Goatfago bands and Nuclear War Now! have pretty much dominated the leather jackets and pre-gig conversations of all my London mates for the past few years, and with the arrival of the now-annual NWN! Fest in Berlin, Germany (WHICH FUCKING RULED), the goat worship has reached a fever pitch. It seems like the Yanks are finally catching on, too.
BLASPHEMOPHAGHER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSXlEn4bPL0
GRAVE DESECRATOR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6RRsKl3nGE&feature=related
TEITANBLOOD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh7v9Ei5avk
NOCTURNAL BLOOD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n38K_KCNgA
KERASPHORUS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEGPh9IdJDE
BLASPHEMY (HAIL THE MASTERS!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpJLnUCnZPo
SADOMATOR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkrUHAxS7No
VASAELETH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNqf6EFTlsE
PROCLAMATION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p29Dqxojvs0&feature=related
Sunday, December 19, 2010
UPDATE: Tour, Travel, Upcoming Projects, Assorted Babbling
This is how six months of near-constant travel will leave you: dirty, mean, haggard, and hungover. Since my college graduation on June 12th, I've moved from wild West Philadelphia to a delightfully grimy little pocket of Brooklyn, been on four US tours, spent time in five other countries, logged god knows how many airline miles, drank the devil only knows how much whiskey, been to countless gigs (at least a hundred), made some money, spent some money, written a hell of a lot about metal, promoted some killer records, fallen in love, and made a few additions to my arsenal of body modifications. Not bad for half a year, and the next six months are due to be even crazier.
I'm currently in Palm Beach City, Florida, listening to a band called Parabellum sing about whiskey and swamps through gritted teeth. My only other thought in regards to those particular fellows is that they should've considered taking a peek at the Encyclopedia Metallum and maybe not jacking Parabellum's name. I'm here because this is the last date of the tour I've been on since the beginning of the month, and my road brothers Black Tusk are up next.
We've been hitting the North/Southeast hard with the almighty Crowbar, and it's been an absolute fucking pleasure. Kirk, Pat, Tommy, and Matt were a force to be reckoned with, and absolutely decimated the stage every night with vintage Crowbar riffs and a few hot new licks off their upcoming album, Sever the Wicked Hand. I've heard the whole record, and trust me - it's absolutely great. I had a ball bonding with Kate, Kirk's fiancee, behind the merch table, hassling Troy, the tour manager/driver/possessor of the thickest Cajun accent this side of Billy Madison, and poking fun at Meatball the hyperactive drum tech. My boys done good too - but them again, they always do. I've seen Black Tusk at least 75 times now, and am always excited to see them hop onstage.
That's fucking saying something, I think - that after living, drinking, fighting, and sleeping next to these three Georgia boys for roughly three months this past year, I still love them, and their music, to death. They're taking a break from touring the US for a few months (and hitting up Europe/Japan instead!), but next time they (we) roll on through, do yourselves a favor and check that shit out. As for Crowbar - they'll be back in March, on a tour package that will quite literally amaze anyone who worships the riff - and knows their doom history...;)
Many thanks to all that came out, bought merch, gave us a place to crash, bought us drinks, fed us, talked to us, and filled up my tip jar. Y'all make those lonely nights far far from home a lot easier for a traveler's weary bones and heavy heart.
I also spent about five weeks overseas, dividing time between Ireland, England, and Germany. In England, I spent a couple weeks in London hanging out with my mates there, pestering my boss lady at the Terrorizer office, catching a handful of gigs - Live Evil fest, Shining, Metsatoll - and also made a trip up to Northampton, where I spent some time with my dear friends and clients Amebix. In between glasses of scotch and episodes of Man Vs. Wild, I got to hear a few new tracks off their upcoming album, which was an experience unto itself, and talk business with the boys. Expect to be hearing a lot from me about Amebix in the coming year - this album is going to be an EVENT. In Germany, I hit up Nuclear War Now! fest in Berlin to soak up as much bestial war metal horror as I could stomach (two days' worth, and I left wanting more!) and spend some quality time with my errant Aussie friend Griff, who as of now is probably somewhere entirely different. Buddy guy makes me look like a homebody - and is an amazing photographer, at that. The bulk of my time in Euroland was spent in Dublin, Ireland, where my boyfriend Johnny resides. Long-distance relationships are a bitch, but you fight for what you love. If it weren't for this absurdly illogical heavy metal gypsy life that I lead, I'd have never met him, and if he weren't in touring bands he wouldn't understand it as well as he does, so everything sort of works out. He drums for Altar of Plagues, who are currently working on a new record for Profound Lore, and from what I've heard so far, will be releasing one of the deepest, most gorgeously dark black metal records of 2011. He also mans the kit for crusty deathgrinders Abaddon Incarnate, who will be releasing a split 7" with Phobia soon, and hitting South America for a month-long tour (that I am of course trying to figure out a way to accompany them on!) this summer. I'll be promoting the split (mixing business with pleasure, oops) so keep an eye out for updates on that as well.
I'm heading back to Dublin in February, and will hopefully have a tour waiting for me when I get back in March, and by then, it'll be time to get ready for Roadburn, and the wheels keep on turning...
As far as stuff I'm working on - I've written about a billion year-end lists for various websites/magazines, so I'll post links to those as they surface. My post for Metalsucks is already up: fight me about it.
I'm fleshing out the concept of one book and have just had someone approach me with the concept for another, so there's something to work towards. I'm going to be aiming to complete the first issue of my zine Plague Ritual during the first couple months of the new year - more on that as it takes shape. I'm booking a tour for Atlanta doomhaulers Let The Night Roar. I've got a ton of new releases to promote and have entered into agreements with Ireland's mighty Invictus Productions and Boston's gnarly PATAC Records to work some of their upcoming releases, and will be working on new joints from Amebix, Aelter, Panzerbastard, Anal Cunt, and more in the works. There are probably a few other things too, but it's too loud to think in here. Black Tusk have just hit the stage running, and I'm not about to miss out.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
A Quick Chat With ADVERSARIAL
This band fucking rules, and carry the torch for true soul-defiling Canadian war metal. Their new record, All Idols Fall Before the Hammer, is out now on Dark Descent Records; cop that shit here.
1. Canadian extreme metal is becoming more and more recognized within the global metal scene. What are a few bands you feel are still overlooked, or that you'd like to recommend?
1) Well to name a few in no particular order Dead Of Winter, Witchmark, Lych, Sentient,
Antediluvian, Mitochondrion, Nuclear Hammer and Horde Of Worms…
2. Canadian war metal (Revenge, Conqueror, Blasphemy etc) is incredibly highly-regarded in the underground. How closely do you as a band identify with that particular group? You share a similar sound and aesthetic to many of the bands that fall under that umbrella.
2) While we don’t consider ourselves part of any group (simply because of our ideology)
we are proud to come from this country’s underground. We are glad if in time we slowly
become and are considered part of Canada’s extreme (and extremist) musical legacy.
That being said we strive for originality and tried to develop our sound and lyrical
aesthetic away from any outside influence including being part of ANY scene. The name
Adversarial was chosen for a reason…
3. Tell me a bit about the writing and recording process for All Idols Fall Before the Hammer!
3) Ok, well the writing was done by me over a period of about a year (other than the re-
recorded demo tracks which were done before) in which the songs changed constantly
until they ended up roughly as what was finally recorded.
During band rehearsals a few more changes were made stemming from suggestions by
E.K and M.M, recording began soon after.
Decisions were made about how we wanted to record and the resulting abrasive, fuck off,
claustrophobic sound was born.
4. What would you say is the band's main purpose as a musical entity? What is your message?
4) This band stands as an affront to almost everything and everyone alive today. This
band is war.
It’s the outcome of our characters and ideals, and personally it’s an outlet for my own
battle and beliefs.
The message is there for all who care to read our lyrics…
On a final note, thanks for the interest man, and for those who care be on the lookout for
future releases very soon including a split with the mighty ANTEDILUVIAN (on NWN!)
and a re-release of our demo plus some extras on Dark Descent.
C.S
www.myspace.com/adversarialmusic
Thursday, September 30, 2010
We Are The Road Crew
Tour's winding down. It's week six, and feels like I've been gone for years. It'll be nice to get home and get a real shower and make dinner and gossip with my roommates and drink cheap whiskey at my favorite spots and catch up on writing. Luckily for my wanderlust, I've got a whole lot more traveling to do before 2011 hits. A few days after I get back to Brooklyn, I'm flying out to Portland for Fall Into Darkness fest, indulging my Cascadian hunger with Fauna, Witch Mountain, Black Cobra, Worm Ouroboros, Krallice, Via Vengeance and more, seeing some dear friends, then turning right back around. One week at home, with Resistant Culture and Wolvserpent gigs included, then heading overseas. a week in London pounding pints and raging at Live Evil fest, Electric Wizard, and Bison BC with the lads, two and a half in Dublin with my sweetheart, a week in Berlin for Nuclear War Now! Fest, a couple days in the studio in Northampton with Amebix to check out the new record and talk business, a couple days back in Ireland with Johnny, then back to NYC on December 1st. The next day I'll more than likely be flying out to meet up with Black Tusk and head out on a two week tour with...(secret super awesome band). After THAT...bedtime.
See y'all on the road.
See y'all on the road.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Get In The Fucking Van
Heading back east, little by little. Trekking through the goddamn desert on our way to Dallas, then rolling through the Dirty South and playing with some killer bands - Weedeater, Radio Moscow, and fucking BUZZOVEN!!!! Sticking with the tour a little longer than planned - I'm hopping off in Richmond after we rage with Hellbastard, Cannabis Corpse, and Ramming Speed, then making my way back up north via DC and Philly/NJ. There's a possibility I'll be bouncing out to Portland for Fall into Darkness Fest 10/7-10/10 if I can rustle up plane fare, then I'm sticking around NYC until i leave for Europe.
Here's what we got left. Come hang out, do a shot, buy some merch, or let us crash on your floor.
9/21 Dallas, TX @ Nightmare
9/22 Little Rock, AR @Downtown Music
9/23 Nashville, TN @ The Muse w/ WEEDEATER
9/24 Johnson City, TN @Hideaway
9/25 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall w/ BUZZOVEN
9/30 New York, NY @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise Aboard the Temptress w/ BUZZOVEN
10/1 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar w/ BUZZOVEN
10/2 Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz w/ Cannabis Corpse, Hellbastard, Ramming Speed, Parasytic, Occultist
Here's what we got left. Come hang out, do a shot, buy some merch, or let us crash on your floor.
9/21 Dallas, TX @ Nightmare
9/22 Little Rock, AR @Downtown Music
9/23 Nashville, TN @ The Muse w/ WEEDEATER
9/24 Johnson City, TN @Hideaway
9/25 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall w/ BUZZOVEN
9/30 New York, NY @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise Aboard the Temptress w/ BUZZOVEN
10/1 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar w/ BUZZOVEN
10/2 Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz w/ Cannabis Corpse, Hellbastard, Ramming Speed, Parasytic, Occultist
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Doomed to Suffer Presents: COUGH, Ghloas, Sadgiqacea, Hollenlarm
September 26, 2010 @ 09:00pm - Doomed to Suffer & Philly F/M Fest Present:
COUGH
Doomed at heart but with a healthy appreciation for filthy sludge and bong-ripping psychedelia, this drugged-out quartet draw upon the power of the almighty riff to unleash their crushing odes to the infinite. Even their name is a dead giveaway – ever really listen to the beginning of “Sweet Leaf?” There you go. This year will see the recent Relapse signees releasing a split with UK doom heroes The Wounded Kings on the always-excellent Forcefield Records, embarking on their first-ever European tour this spring, then rolling across the USA in November. Thank Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath, and a LOT of weed for making this band possible.
myspace.com/cough666
GHOLAS
"This New Jersey-based quartet shares members with local heavyweights Deathbeds, but has carved out its own niche within the city's heavy music scene, blowing eardrums and dropping jaws with their spaced-out progressive metal compositions. Equal parts Mogwai, Mouth of the Architect, Russian Circles, Jesu, and Sonic Youth, Gholas are a rare and compelling sort of band, one with its own aesthetic, sound, and raw, beating heart."
www.myspace.com/gholas
SADGIQACEA
Heavy, slow, and atmospheric progressive doom from one of the Philly underground's rising stars. SADGIQACEA (sad-juh-kay-shuh) is a ferocious and epic power duo from the Philadelphia/South Jersey Shore area, using detuned guitars and thundering percussion to create a shape-shifting foundation of dripping darkness, while soaring vocals and echo-drenched strings pierce through the toxic sludge, painting a face-melting lucid dream of metaphysical pain and ecstasy.
www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fsadgiqacea&h=4739a
HOLLENLARM
Bleakest doom, crushing black. Amber, PA.
myspace.com/derhollenlarm
at Millcreek Tavern
3200 Chester
$8 / 21+ with ID
Monday, September 6, 2010
Doomed to Suffer Presents:
October 24, 2010 @ 09:00pm -
Doomed to Suffer Presents:
Ramming Speed
Boston thrash-grind-crust-party dudes!
myspace.com/officialrammingspeed
Deathbeds
Heaviest band in Philly.
myspace.com/indeathbeds
Vulcan
West Philly thrash dudes.
www.myspace.com/vulcanthrashers
Coffin Dust
Grave-robbing old-school death metal from Downingtown/Philly dudes.
www.myspace.com/coffindust
at JR's
22nd & Passyunk
$p / 21+ with ID
20 Buck Spin's WOLVSERPENT (formerly PUSSYGUT) Announce US Fall Tour
Boise, ID's most intriguing export, the newly-christened WOLVSERPENT (known previously as PUSSYGUT) have revealed the details of their first-ever major North American tour. During the month-long trek, the ghostly duo will will be playing their upcoming opus Blood Seed in its overwhelming entirely, unraveling their haunting gothic tapestries of violin and doom, ambient and pathos, upon an army of strangers. WOLVSERPENT will be joined along their left-hand path by their friends and allies in Velnias, Locrian, Ehnahre, Javelina, Subrosa, and more.
Blood Seed, the group's fourth full-length (and first under the WOLVSERPENT name) will be released on 500 slabs of virgin vinyl by the ever-evolutionary 20 Buck Spin on October 5, 2010.
It would be awesome to get the band some coverage in their home state. Would you be interested in running a show preview, or doing a live review? Adding the Boise show to your event listings? Maybe an interview with the band? Let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Kim Kelly
WOLVSERPENT FALL TOUR DATES
Sept 25 Boise ID @ V.A.C Record release and US tour kickoff!
Sept 30 Denver CO @ The Further Shop w/Velnias
Oct 2 Milwaukee WI @ Borg Ward
Oct 3 Chicago IL @ Enemy w/Locrian
Oct 5 Brooklyn NY @ Archeron w/ Archon & Bezoar
Oct 7 Somerville MA @ Starlab w/Ehnahre
Oct 8 Greenfield MA @ John Doe Jr. w/Ehnahre
Oct 9 Ithaca NY @ Warehouse w/Ehnahre
Oct 10 Far Rockaway NY @ Red Light District w/Ehnahre
Oct 11 Baltimore MD @ Golden West w/ OAK, & Ehnahre
Oct 12 Chapel Hill NC @ Nightlight w/Clang Quartet, Mountains Named for Murderers and Ehnahre
Oct 13 Charlotte NC @ The Milestone w/Ehnahre
Oct 14 Atlanta GA @ Eyedrum w/Ehnahre
Oct 15 Nashville TN @ Little Hamilton w/Loss, & Ehnahre
Oct 17 Little Rock AR @ Downtown Music w/Pallbearer & Ehnahre
Oct 20 Austin TX @ Red 7 w/Javelina
Oct 21 Las Cruces NM @ The Trainyard w/Yazata
Oct 22 Phoenix @ PHX w/GOG
Oct 24 Las Vegas NV @ Brass Lounge w/Dead Neon
Oct 25 Salt Lake City UT @Burt's Tiki w/Subrosa
Oct 29-31 Boise ID @ VAC
Nov 4 Seattle @ The Comet w/(a) Story of Rats
Visit: www.wolvserpent.com for up to date info on Wolvserpent and Aelter
Tribal Grinders RESISTANT CULTURE Announce North American Tour
Tribal Grinders RESISTANT CULTURE Announce North American Tour
The enigmatic tribal grind/anarcho-crust collective known as Resistant Culture have announced plans to take their message to the masses on a North American tour this fall. The predominantly Native American quartet are known for their ingenious blend of raging grindcore, chaotic crust punk, death metal intensity, and traditional chants & instrumentation. Based in LA and dedicated to the fight for equal rights, environmental issues, and recognition of the issues that face Native Americans and other minorities, Resistant Culture have been a strong voice within the underground for many years. Formerly propelled by the incendiary riffs of the late great Jesse Pintado (Terrorizer Napalm Death), the band has returned in full force, recording a new demo and preparing for a full-scale US tour that will wind through the entire country. The Sacred Fire 2010 U.S. Tour will be in support of the first pressing of the band's classic All One Struggle on clear vinyl, with a gatefold, and 24x36 full color poster and the third pressing of their debut album, Welcome to Reality.
RESISTANT CULTURE US Tour Dates:
9/30 Wandering Goat
Eugene, OR
10/1 Satyricon
Portland. OR
10/2 The Morgue
Seattle, WA
10/5 Roman's
Rapid City, SD
10/7 Rathole
Minneapolis, MN
10/9 The Black Hole
Chicago, IL
10/12 Token Lounge
Detroit, MI
10/13 Hexagon Space
Baltimore, MD
10/14 Millcreek Tavern
Philadelphia, PA
10/15 The Lake Underground
Brooklyn, NY
10/16 AS220
Providence, RI
10/17 Cambridge Elks Lodge
Cambridge, MA
10/19 Volume 11 Tavern
Raleigh, NC
10/20 Lenny's
Atlanta, GA
10/21 Marauders
New Orleans, LA
10/22 Broken Neck
Austin, TX
10/23 No Thanks Fest
Emory, TX
10/24 The White Swan Live
Houston, TX
10/26 Blast O Mat
Denver, CO
10/27 One Mind Studio
Salt Lake City, UT
10/28 Lucky Lady
Las Vegas, NV
10/29 Gilman
Berkeley, CA
11/6 Common Ground
Riverside, CA
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