Ghost Cult continues our “End of Year Guest Post Extravaganza” with a slew of posts from bands, industry, PR pros, and more! We’ll be sharing lists, memories, and other shenanigans from our favorite bands, partners, music industry peers, and other folks we respect across the globe. In this edition, Omar of Moths (PR) chips in his Top 10 list. The band shared their recent split EP with The Stone Eye, which you can buy and stream now!
Following on from Part 1 of our celebration of the very best albums of the year, we continue to uncover those albums that made the biggest impression over the course 2020.Continue reading
SHUT IT DOWN – A Benefit For The Movement For Black Lives has been launched, raising money and awareness at this crucial time. Priced at $10 dollars for 46 songs, ALL proceeds from SHUT IT DOWN will go to the organization the Movement for Black Lives (m4bl.org), which strives to end the criminalization and dehumanization of black people in the United States. Full transparency for all donations will be posted. The compilation was organized by Mani Mostofi of Chicago hardcore outfit, Racetraitor, and features 46 metal, hardcore, punk, and noise acts that have come together to raise funds for the Movement for Black Lives. The comp features tracks by many heavy hitters including Sunn 0))), Xibalba, Misery Signals, and Modern Life is War, Thou, Primitive Man, Racetraitor, Amygdala, and the first new music from Rwake in 9 years! Stream the entire compilation now at Revolver, watch the trailer, and donate now!
Despite the intense hostility of Californian Death / Hardcore bruisers Xibalba, the Hispanic heritage of most of its members, coupled with predominantly Latin lyrics, give a sense of mystique – some may say fatal romanticism – to the music that adds to the magnetism. Fourth album Años en Infierno (Southern Lord Recordings) sees the band delve further into its more brutal side for what is rumoured to be its last album for some time, if not ever.Continue reading
Decibel Magazine’s Decibel Metal & Beer Fest was, to put it simply, stacked. Fourteen bands across all variants of Death, Grindcore, Prog, and Doom, descended onto Orange County for a weekend of heart-pounding jubilation. The two-day event was held this year at The Observatory, a large yet paradoxically intimate standing-room-only venue, intelligently designed to put the audience at three different heights across the entire space, offering uninhibited views of the stage beyond the perils of the pit.Continue reading
Decibel Magazine has revealed that Carcass will headline day two of the second edition of the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: L.A. at the Observatory in Santa Ana on December 13-14, 2019. Intronaut (performing for the first time in over two years) and Xibalba also join an already-stacked bill featuring Possessed, Nails, Vio-lence, Cadaver (in their U.S. debut performance), Schammasch (also in their U.S. debut performance), Gatecreeper, Evoken, Spirit Adrift, Visigoth, Mortuous and Graf Orlock. Featured Breweries include Unibroue (Canada) and Metal Monkey (IL), Three Floyds (IN), Burial (NC), Wake (IL), Hoof Hearted (OH), Stone (CA), Three Weavers (CA), Societe (CA), Modern Times (CA) and Brimming Horn Meadery (DE).Continue reading
Biohazard by Anne Spina Photography
On Saturday at This Is Hardcore we got an awesome all-day lineup with Brooklyn’s Biohazard killing it still. Pennsylvania’s own Wisdom In Chains played, who are a fan favorite and a gift every year. Mad Joe even gave us the gift of telling us he was going to be a father again. New Jersey’s Lifleless is a band that is making the east coast look amazing again for hardcore. If you haven’t heard Dream it’s a must to own.
Lifeless, by Anne Spina Photography
Sand of Japan came close to stealing the show. Makoto, their lead singer is wilder than Greg Puciato of Dillinger Escape Plan. It was sad to see Philly’s Rock Bottom come to an end, but they were amazing. The guys basically threw a party and chucked a bunch of toilet paper around the Electric Factory the whole set. It was actually pretty fun. Xibalba from Los Angeles is the band that is bringing hardcore and metal to the extreme. I think to me they remind me of the 90’s Swedish Death Metal bands. Turnstile killed it. In my mind Nonstop Feeling is the best album of 2015. Bane, those Boston boys, will always hold this festival night down. They “won” This Is Hardcore 2K15 to me. It’s sad to see a band who mattered in hardcore to me since 2000 call it to an end.
Foreseen (HKI) by Anne Spina Photography
Twitching Tongues, by Anne Spina Photography
On Sunday the winners for the fest were Foreseen (HKI) from Finland. If you are a D.R.I. & Municipal Waste fan, bands like Foreseen are the best. I definitely thrashed like an athlete. You also had Twitching Tongues who to me is the most metallic hardcore band out there. Tongues also recently signed to Metal Blade Records. They are a game changer in heavy music. All Out War also played Sunday and featuring some songs off the new EP which I have to say is heavy. All Out War is a great band. Their moshers are wild and as a band they are a must to see. H2O killed Sunday night for me. Toby Morse playing a 20th Anniversary set and getting friends and family to come up and sing with him on songs. Of course The Exploited from the U.K. who I say kicked arse. They still are there to prove “punk is not dead.”
H2O, Anne Spina Photography
The Exploited, by Anne Spina Photography
Besides the music at This Is Hardcore, you have food trucks all over the fest. Distros of all kinds like Shop Shogun, Bridge Nine, Deathwish, Fast Break Records, and Harvcore Records. And even apparel like American Straight Edge Apparel. There’s also SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) Demo Fighting in the parking lot so if you want to fight like a knight or a viking. it’s the right place to do it. This is Hardcore is a fest that is important to this city. The fact that this fest moved from a small venue to the biggest venue in Philly, proves something. It was even heart-warming to hear that Joe Hardcore proposed to his longtime girlfriend Jessica Parr here. I have to say that this fest has something for everyone. It’s cool to see how packed it was for days like Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. When I look back at all the fests I’ve gone to, this is the one I approve at all costs. If you haven’t been here you’re missing out.
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WORDS BY MATT O’TONIC MCGROARTY
PHOTOS BY ANNE SPINA
Snapcase, by Anne Spina Photography
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city of brotherly love, cheesesteaks. Rocky Balboa, and the almighty This Is Hardcore Fest, the biggest music festival on the east coast that supports the hardcore and punk. Joe Hardcore McKay started this fest 9 and he still does not disappoint. The first day of the fest this year was held at Union Transfer in Philly. The other three days were held at The Electric Factory (very close to The Transfer). Day one the fest had reunions and goodbyes. Buffalo New York’s Snapcase headlined this day. Singer Daryl Taberski said to the crowd Thursday Night “It’s great to perform to old fans and new fans”. The great vegan/straight edge band Chokehold from Canada also had reunited at This Is Hardcore. Not only did they co-headline the first day, but they also played an after show at the Voltage Lounge the next night. The sad part about Thursday was saying goodbye to Foundation, probably one of the most promising hardcore bands in this decade.
Chokehold, by Anne Spina Photography
We also some great friends and hometown heroes in Agitator. They were ready to call it quits and I for one say it was great Joe Hardcore put them on this bill. I heard Joe say a month ago on The Post America Podcast “It wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t put them on”. One band who stole the show that to me was Code Orange. Code Orange is one of the best bands out of the keystone state. The album I Am King (Deathwish Inc.) is a must own. The fact they came off Mayhem Festival and played this and not to mention all surprise guest vocalists to sing including Jeremy Tingle of Lifeless. It was a must see show. It will be amazing when Sunny Singh of Hate5six.com posts that set.
Code Orange, by Anne Spina Photography
On Friday there were a lot of main event heavy hitters especially the main event. Another reunion that is very important to talk about here. Boston’s American Nightmare (AKA Give Up The Ghost) headlined and made it beautiful. The band played probably one of their greatest sets out of all the reunion shows they’ve done so far. I’ve seen some footage of the Boston and New York shows they played, but tonight they amazed me. Being an American Nightmare fan since my junior year of high school, and now getting to see them thirteen years later, I felt like a kid again.
American Nightmare, Anne Spina Photography
Cruel Hand, by Anne Spina Photography
Another band that impressed me was Seoul, South Korea’s The Geeks. One of the best hardcore bands to graceful the U.S. surface in a minute. They definitely know how to get a crowd going. So does Cruel Hand of Portland Maine. They are that metallic hardcore band who can take the heaviest breakdown into the most thrashy beat to blast. It’s very much it’s a party when they play. Friday also featured power violence band Nails, who also made me a fan.
The Geeks, by Anne Spina Photography
Nails, by Anne Spina Photography
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WORDS BY MATT O’TONIC MCGROARTY
PHOTOS BY ANNE SPINA
Temple Of Dagon. Photo Credit: Paul Lee / Organ Donor
California crust conjurors Temple Of Dagon is streaming “The Wandering Spirit,” off of Revelations Of The Spirit, out June 9, 2015 via Black Voodoo Records here. The EP was recorded by Alex Estrada (Xibalba, Touche Amore, Silver Snakes) at Earth Capital Studios in Los Angeles, CA et al) and at Mammoth Sound in Alameda, CA. The band has a string of June shows coming up.
Jun 06: East 7th Punx Warehouse – Los Angeles, CA
Jun 14: House Show – Oakland, CA
Jun 15: Blackwater Bar – Portland, OR
Jun 16: The Mix – Seattle, WA
Jun 18: Club Scum – Denver, CO
Jun 19: Hexagon Bar – Minneapolis, MN
Jun 20: TBA – Madison, WI
Jun 21: Mousetrap – Chicago, IL
Jun 23: Spitfire – New Orleans, LA
Jun 25: The Lost Well – Austin, TX
Jun 26: TBA – Phoenix, AZ
Jun 27: The Music Hall (Cruststock 2015) – Anaheim, CA
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Irish Voodoo Records Official Site
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