GUEST POST: Thieves Top Albums Of 2016


Ghost Cult once again brings you “End Of Year” lists, memories, and other shenanigans from our favorite bands, partners, music industry peers, and other folks we respect across the world. Indie pop-punk up and comers Thieves have had a big 2016, releasing their new album No Motive on Revival Recordings and are touring like crazy all of 2017. Billy, Nathan, and Chris from the band shared with us their favorite music of the last year, in no particular order.Continue reading


New England Metal And Hardcore Festival 17: Day 3


new england metal and hardcore april 2 2015

 

Day 3 of The New England Metal And Hardcore Fest drew to a close with a lot of diehards in attendance, but a little less of the fanfare of the previous two days. When you go to a music festival or any show really, typically you are familiar with the bands that you go to see. But just like tape trading was back in the 80s, and downloading a decade ago, a music festival is a great place for music discovery, checking out new bands, and getting outside your comfort zone for fun. A lot of this happened today.

 

By day three of anything, a comic-convention or a destination music festival, people are spun out a little from the last few days of action. Industry folks, (most of) the photographers and the vendors were a lot more relaxed on day 3 with the lighter crowd. I chatted with Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall/Act of Defiance) about his new venture, Manshark Entertainment. It was cool catching up with him and other people from the scene I usually see at these things. At the same time you have to give it to the staff of a venue that has seen an endless stream of people come in and go out in a weekend, metal fans from all walks, and still have them keep their shit together, and do a great job. I gotta give it up to the staff of the Palladium for the work they put in keeping everything moving and everyone safe.

Exalt, by Meg Loyal Photography

Exalt, by Meg Loyal Photography

Sunday is traditionally the “hardcore” day at NEMHCF and the the early bands brought that vibe. There were some killer early performances on Sunday from the likes of the more hardcore bands such as Oath, Living Laser, and Ghost X Ship, the nu-metal stylee-o of Gift Giver, and the phenomenal performance of Lorna Shore. They had their own crew of fans repping New Jersey in the house and I even saw some WSOU shirts on a few people that got me open! Also of note was a killer showing from New York’s Brick By Brick, now fronted by Ray Mazzola (Full Blown Chaos), for a sick set of ignorant (in the best way possible) hardcore and metal. Their set truly was a moshfest!

Brick By Brick, by Meg Loyal Photography

Brick By Brick, by Meg Loyal Photography

 

Later in the day following excellent performances from Sworn In, Vanna, The Color Morale and Cruel Hand on the small stage, Motionless in White took the stage as the final band of the weekend. Putting on a show that an amazing visual spectacle, stellar goth rock showmanship, the band owned the night. Their fans, many I met whom waited all day and checked out all of the bands before them, fell rewarded by a captivating show. The fans sang every word, jumped up and down when Chris Motionless said to jump, and generally yelled fuck you at all the appropriate moments, two middle fingers to the sky. It was a fitting close to a fun weekend. See ya next year Metalfest!

Motionless In White, by Meg Loyal Photography

Motionless In White, by Meg Loyal Photography

 

Motionless In White, by Meg Loyal Photography

Motionless In White, by Meg Loyal Photography

Motionless In White, by Meg Loyal Photography

Motionless In White, by Meg Loyal Photography

 

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WORDS BY KEITH CHACHKES

PHOTOS BY MEG LOYAL PHOTOGRAPHY


Turnstile, Eternal Sleep and Jagged Visions Added To New England Metal and Hardcore Festival


new england metal and hardcore april 2 2015

The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival has added Baltimore hardcore outfit Turnstile for the Saturday lineup, and Eternal Sleep and Jagged Visions for the Sunday lineup. The event will be at The Palladium in Worcester, MA on April 17, 18 and 19, 2015.

The updated lineup is:

Friday April 17th
Between The Buried And Me
The Red Chord
Cavalera Conspiracy
Corrosion of Conformity
Jasta
Code Orange
Overcast
On Broken Wings
Within The Ruins
Fit For An Autopsy
The Atlas Moth
The Banner
Black Mask
Homewrecker
Discourse
Phinehas
Downpour
Boris The Blade

Saturday April 18th
Testament
Exodus
Nuclear Assault
Nails
Turnstile
Indecision
Incendiary
Suburban Scum
Incantation
Vital Remains
Allegaeon
Rivers of Nihil
The Agonist
Wisdom In Chains
Disgrace
Gods Hate
Thy Will Be Done
No Zodiac
Extinction AD
Vice
Absolute Suffering
Shattered Sun

Sunday April 19th
Motionless In White
For Today
The Color Morale
Vanna
Death Before Dishonor
Cruel Hand
Sworn In
Lionheart
The Plot In You
I Declare War
These Streets
My Ticket Home
Rude Awakening
Lorna Shore
The Last Ten Seconds of Life
World of Pain
Shark Ethic
GhostXShip
Living Laser
Brick By Brick
Nasty
Gift Giver
Oath
Exalt
Unity
Eternal Sleep
Jagged Visions

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Worcester, MA. – Worcester, Massachusetts-based concert promotions company, MassConcerts, is pleased to announce…

Posted by New England Metal Fest on Thursday, April 2, 2015


Cancer Bats – Exalt – Gozu – Rozamov: Live at The Middle East Upstairs


cancer bats headline tour poster

It’s Friday, you’re out of work, and everyone’s either at the bar or out on a date. What’s a girl to do? Make her way down to Cambridge, MA to catch a show at the Middle East Upstairs with her friends, obviously.

Homegrown trio Rozamov took the stage first. I was familiar with them in name, but not in sound. I’m sure fans of doom would have enjoyed them but things require a little more energy and variety to keep my short attention span engaged. It wasn’t until the final song in their set that I started to get into things. I don’t remember what it was called but I believed the band mentioned that it was going to be featured on an upcoming split so keep an eye out for that.

Gozu, Photo by Meg Loyal Photography

Also hailing from Boston, MA were my favorite surprise of the evening; Gozu. Again, I was familiar with their name but not their music. I can’t say enough great things about this band and I’m actually listening to their album Locust Season (Small Stone Records) as I write this. It’s some dirty, stoner rock that makes you want to knock back a few beers and maybe one of your friends. In my case, the evening involved a lot of shaking my friends due to my excitement and an inability to shut up about their bassist. So, business as usual, really.

Exalt (12 of 12)

Exault, Photo by Meg Loyal Photography

Exalt brought their brand of metalcore to the stage next. I have never been much of a metalcore fan and as such, there were bits and pieces of songs that I enjoyed but nothing that I could really get into overall. It may prove to be a different story for fans of the genre. They were interesting to watch if anything and I can appreciate the hard work put into their performance even if it wasn’t really my thing.

cancer bats (16 of 35)

Cancer Bats, Photo by Meg Loyal Photography

Headlining this little shindig in the tiny show space were the one and only Cancer Bats. I had seen them three times before, as they have a habit of playing with bands I love, but this was my first time having the chance to see the boys headline their own tour in the US. Anyone who has had the chance to see the Bats live before knows that they always bring a lot of energy to their performances. Vocalist Liam Cormier is like a fire cracker in tight pants bouncing around the stage and it’s impossible to avoid getting swept along with him. The set list for the evening primarily revolved around songs in support of their latest release, Searching for Zero (Metal Blade Records). They play some of my favorites off of the album including ‘True Zero’, ‘Arsenic in the Year of the Snake’, ‘Beezlebub’, and ‘Buds’. I would have liked to have heard ‘Cursed with a Conscience’ as well, maybe next time. The set also included fan favorites such as ‘Bricks and Mortar’, ‘Hail Destroyer’, and everyone’s favorite Beastie Boys cover; ‘Sabotage’. I ran into a few bohabs during the course of the evening and even more made themselves known once the band’s tribute to Dave Brockie a.k.a. Oderus Urungus of GWAR, ‘All Hail’, began.

Cancer Bats, Photo by Meg Loyal Photography

Cancer Bats, Photo by Meg Loyal Photography

cancer bats (18 of 35)

Cancer Bats, Photo by Meg Loyal Photography

All in all, it was a great show. My main complaint was that Cancer Bats’ set seemed unusually short for a headlining band. I would have liked to have gotten at least another half hour out of them. The sound for the show in general was quieter than I would have expected as well but that may have been because there was another show going on downstairs at the same time. Apart from that, I’d say it was a job well done and now I get to go back to complaining about them needing to tour again until the next one!

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WORDS BY ALEIDA LA LLAVE

PHOTOS BY MEG LOYAL PHOTOGRAPHY


New England Metal and Hardcore Festival Takes Over Austin TX Announces Lineup


new england metalfest sxsw uh7y_0301metalfestsxsw11x17WEB

New England based concert promotions company, MassConcerts will be holding New England Metal and Hardcore Festival Takes Over Austin TX on March 20, 2015 at the Des Moines Embassy (on the corner of Sixth and Red River) in Austin, TX.

The event is open to the public, with no wristband or badge needed, all ages and is free to get in beginning at 6 pm.

New England Metal and Hardcore Festival Takes Over Austin Texas
Des Moines Embassy
FRIDAY MARCH 20th @6PM – Free Show / All Ages
(corner of Red River & 6th)

Eternal Sleep 6:10 6:30
Outline In Color 6:40 7:00
Phinehas 7:10 7:30
Exalt 7:40 8:05
Lorna Shore 8:15 8:40
Fallujah 8:50 9:15
Cancer Bats 9:25 9:55
Harms Way 10:05 10:35
Code Orange 10:50 11:20
Bat Sabbath 11:30 12:00

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