Recently renovated classic venue Irving Plaza in New York City is the scene for the finale of the US leg of At The Gates most popular album, Slaughter of the Soul. Enforced opened the night. They’re an interesting group to me. They sound like a mix of Death Metal/Thrash with a some hardcore-tinged vocals. Whatever they’re going for, it’s working for them. I dig it.
RPM Fest… three days in the woods at Millers Falls Rod and Gun Club in Montague, Massachusetts of Western MA with all of the homies, great food, great drinks, yard games, drag bingo, metal yoga, karaoke, and more metal, punk, and ska music than you can shake a battle vest at. It’s been two years since RPM Fest happened due to the ongoing pandemic. But this year it was able to make its mighty return as the official end-of-summer send-off party that it is known to be, this past Labor Day Weekend.
Gorguts at MDF 2014, photo by Hillarie Jason Photography
In a statement posted on social media, Maryland Deathfest has announced they will return! After a hiatus for 2023 the fest will return from May 23rd to May 26th, 2024. In a message to fans the co-founders of MDF discussed the hiatus and the the return as well as new dates for 2024. MDF 2024 will be their 20th fest in Baltimore. They did announce that aftert the upcoming London Desertfest, they are discontinuing all other festivals they have put on, Netherlands Deathfest, California Deathfest, and more will be no more. You can read a statement from the co-founders Ryan and Evan, below. MDF has operated for almost 20 years, put on 19 fests, and expanded to a global footprint, all while giving a greater voice to Death Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Stoner Doom, and more genres, perhaps as much or more than any fest in the world. Continue reading
Gorguts at MDF 2014, photo by Hillarie Jason Photography
In a statement posted on social media, Maryland Deathfest is going on hiatus after the next MDF event in May 2022. That means in 2023 all of their related festivals are going on hiatus, including MDF, Netherlands Deathfest, California Deathfest, and more. You can read a statement from the co-founders Ryan and Evan, below. MDF has operated for almost 20 years, put on 19 fests, and expanded to a global footprint, all while giving a greater voice to Death Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Stoner Doom, and more genres, perhaps as much or more than any fest in the world. Continue reading
House of Blues, Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV 8/18/19
The 70000 Tons Of Metal is right around the corner, kicking off next week, and have confirmed some late additions to the cruise. Setting sail with the current bands on the bill and the fans are Vio-Lence, Ross The Boss, Seven Witches, Toxik, Aeternam and Brujeria. Round X (10) of 70000 Tons Of Metal will sail January 7 to January 11, 2020.Continue reading
Yes! Technical metal pioneers Atheist have signed a worldwide record deal with Agonia Records, and will release a new studio album in mid to late 2018!Continue reading
I think I finally found an instance when it’s cool to use the term avant-garde. If any band falls under that most radical of musical distinctions it’s probably going to be Tombs with their fourth full-length, The Grand Annihilation (Metal Blade). I suppose Atheist or Candiria could be filed under avant-garde as well, but that’s a discussion I don’t want to find myself in, particularly with the metal élite.Continue reading
Chicago blackened death grinders Immortal Bird will be doing an upcoming US tour. They will be doing songs off of their new album Empress/Abscess, out in late June. The album was tracked by Pete Grossman (Weekend Nachos, Harm’s Way, Dead In The Dirt) at Bricktop Recording in Chicago, Illinois earlier this year and mixed and mastered by Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice, Nader Sadek, Atheist, Origin etc.) at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves in Queens, New York. Empress/Abscess includes a guest appearance by John Hoffman of Weekend Nachos and finds former drummer/vocalist, Rae Amitay, trading in her drum stool for a full-time position at the mic with longtime live drummer, Garry Naples (Novembers Doom) taking her place.
Immortal Bird 2015 Western Migration Tour:
Apr 27: Diamond Pub – Louisville, KY
Apr 28: Turn One – Nashville, TN
Apr 29: Vino’s – Little Rock, AR
Apr 30: Ozzie Rabbit Lodge – Fort Worth, TX
May 02: Lost Well – Austin, TX
May 03: Nesta – San Antonio, TX
May 04: Sandbox – El Paso, TX
May 05: Flagstaff Brewing Company – Flagstaff, AZ
May 06: Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ
May 07: The Hub – Colton, CA
May 09: All Star Lanes – Los Angeles, CA
May 10: Moonlight Lounge – Albuquerque, NM
May 11: Flux Capacitor – Colorado Springs, CO
May 12: The Bourbon – Lincoln, NE (w/ Inter Arma, Yautja)
May 13: Hexagon – Minneapolis, MN
May 14: The Wisco – Madison, WI
Empress/Abscess Track Listing:
01: Neoplastic
02: Saprophyte
03: The Sycophant
04: To A Watery Grave
05: And Send Fire