FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
For 90-plus minutes the band unhurriedly manipulates and tweaks their sound. With many songs bleeding into one another, Ulver constructs a show that takes you on a skillfully paced, sweeping and euphonious voyage—where the pitch and sway, the crescendos and hypnotic undercurrents, guide you through a raft of emotive states.
Misery Wizard is the first full-length release from this Rhode Island trio, though it’s clear from the first note that they’ve taken a few classes at the University of Doom Metal.
Beyond All Reckoning is a solid album throughout, and the fact that you can’t completely pin down the sound of Aggressor is exactly what makes them so good. This is an album best experienced beginning to end, though you couldn’t go wrong picking any one track to listen to. For my money, that’s the mark of a great album.
“The entire floor of the Phoenix eventually became a pit, the area right on front of the stage was like a maelstrom, with little eddies and whirlpools breaking out all the way to the very back wall. The venue eventually threw the rear doors open to ease the infernal heat, and people’s bodies near the exit gave off visible steam when the cool air hit them. It was exhausting and sweaty and exultant, the most love concentrated into a single performance that I have seen in a long time. ”
Natalie Zed reviews the sold out performance by Lamb Of God at Toronto’s Phoenix on January 27th. Live photos by Adam Wills
Kevin Stewart-Panko plays the word association game with Liberteer’s Matthew Widener on the eve of the release of his new project’s debut album, Better to Die on Your Feet Than Live on Your Knees, set for release on Relapse Records on January 31st.
I gotta say, I’ve been pretty stoked for Slow Southern Steel ever since I first heard of the concept a couple years back. A documentary on the southern sludge scene starring Kylesa, Eyehategod, Sourvein, Zoroaster, Dixie Witch and Weedeater, to name but a few, directed by CT from Rwake, sure sounds like it’s right up my alley. And now that the film’s finally ready for release, they’re taking the show on the road, with screenings in 19 US cities opening for Zoroaster and sludge supergroup Hail! Hornet (feat. Dixie Dave, T.Roy et al). To say that I’m awfully tempted would be an understatement…
On Friday, January 20th RIOT played their final warm up show for the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise and Hellbound was there to take it in. Here is Sean Palmerston’s review of the show, with photos by Albert Mansour.
Mark Reale of Riot passed away on January 25th. We will have a review of their January 20th show on Friday on the site,…
The words “retro” and “throwback” get used a lot when describing music, especially in the rock and metal realm. In the case of Christian Mistress it goes way beyond that, sonically speaking anyway. Every single track on Possession is steeped in classic metal awesomeness.
By Jason Wellwood, Witchfinder General Last week marked the big PIPA and SOPA blackouts in the U.S. in opposition to bills being passed south…