FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Note to all progressive, dual-drummer, indie-sludge enthusiasts: If you’re gonna show up after 10 for the Kylesa gig tonite, better bring your dancing shoes. The Annex Wreckroom is a venue that knows which side its bread is buttered, and as such, tonite’s gig is an early show–doors @ 7, Kylesa @ 9. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
A little on the short side, and lacking in any memorable tunes, Jason… The Dragon is only somewhat satisfying. That being said, I won’t object to another Weedeater tour, provided that it stops somewhere close by.
Although I’ve got no grading scale or any reference points when it comes to acoustic folk, I will say that if you worship Wino, you’ll want this.
While it obviously wasn’t some Spinal Tap tribute show, I was nonetheless intrigued by this poster for a gig called Four Corners II. At first, I wasn’t sure how you could have four bands all play at 11, unless it was one of those “every band is awesome, so we won’t tell you who’s on first” type of deals. As it turns out, this concert was the second installment of a series conceived last summer, in which four bands each set up in one corner of a room, and take turns playing tunes…
Whereas other sludge bands who deal in cosmic themes, like Zoroaster and The Atlas Moth, use harsh black-metal vocals to get their message across, Abrams’ warm, clean tones give Blue Aside a big boost. Their deftly executed blending of sludgy doom grooves with spacy guitar (and occasional synth) passages provides the missing link between Sleep and Hawkwind, YOB and Captain Beyond, Sons of OTIS and Secret Saucer… You get the idea.
A couple months back, on what woulda been my third-latest trip to Rotate This, I noticed a sign in the empty storefront next door: “NEW PUNK/METAL RECORD STORE OPENING SOON.” I had to admire the audacity of opening a record store right next to NOW Magazine’s runner-up for Record Store of the Year (which I’m sure they’ve won in the past), and made a mental note to check this place out once they opened.
Well, it turns out that Hits ‘n Misses isn’t that new, having moved SXSE from the Bloor and Ossignton area…They moved into the new space in November, and I haven’t bought anything but tickets at Rotate This since.
After taking part in all the Hellbound year-end stuff, I’ve gone one step further in uploading my third annual Year in Review on TooHighToGetItRight, with my Top 10 albums and concerts of the year, as well as my Top 5 EPs. Check it out!
A heavy foursome from a college town (Columbus, OH) named after a character from a Kurt Russell movie (Big Trouble in Little China), Lo-Pan had been going on five years before they caught the ear of Small Stone Records, who have remastered and re-issued the band’s debut album.
It’s been a couple weeks now, but I still can’t get my head around the cryptic message that took over the legendary heavy rock site on December 3rd… A mixture of clouded accusations and defeated resignation, this “final statement” is a doozy, to say the least. So what the hell happened?
With their latest effort, Earth toys with the idea of heaviness. Angels of Darkness… isn’t an album that pounds and pummels you into submission, but lightly glides on by, taking you along for the ride. This record exudes mellow vibes, so light a candle and close your eyes as it takes you away…