FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Eyehategod Live is ugly, abrasive, and a bit of a mess, but fans of the band wouldn’t have it any other way. And seeing how Eyehategod will likely never play a show north of the border, this is a live set for Canadian fans to savour, not to mention seethe with envy of their neighbours to the South.
If you were paying attention, you would’ve noticed that TooHighToGetItRight.com went offline last weekend. I don’t know the exact time of death, but I cancelled my hosting plan on Saturday morning before hopping on a bus to Rochester. It was still online when I left, but not when I got back, so there ya go. RIP THTGIR, 2007-2011. That said, you haven’t seen the last of me yet…
“While the Stanley Cup Riot of 2011 will be neither forgiven nor forgotten any time soon, it was heartening to see Vancouver’s metal scene step up and do their part to help soothe some of the sting the city’s been feeling since that night. I also got my eyes opened – there are a lot of incredible bands in this city”
Rob Hughes and Kyle Harcott review the July 13th RIFFS NOT RIOTS festival that happened in Vancouver. Concert photography by Ted Reckoning.
I’m not one to mince words, nor to give perfect-10s, but I gotta say, last nite’s gig at the Courthouse was the best show I’ve seen in Toronto this year. The rock-solid triple-bill held its own with a coupla festival gigs I’ve seen elsewhere–and in terms of quality over quantity, it definitely takes the cake.
Tomorrow nite, Rhode Island sludge/doom duo The Body are playing, fresh from their appearance at Montreal’s Mountains of Might fest. The gig was supposed to be at The Garage (The Body’s in The Garage!) but being weary of Sunday nite noise complaints, they switched venues. Thing is, The Shop was already booked, so this one’s an early start. Doors at 5 pm, and the gig’s done by 9, unless you wanna stick around for whoever’s scheduled to go on afterwards…
These guys (and gal) frolic in the post-metal fields ploughed by Neurosis, though they definitely do their own thing. That being said, their thing is a little too weird for me.
By Gruesome Greg Despite the most pretentious band bio I’ve seen in a little while, I decided to check out NYC’s God Ox. These…
The Roller offer no apology for their crust-laden brand of hatesludge. They don’t care if you like ‘em or hate ‘em; they’re going to keep on bulldozing everything that gets in the way regardless.
While this is a pretty decent record in its own right, I’m somewhat saddened that Zoroaster has moved away from its own unique take on
southern sludge towards a sound that can be filed next to Farflung, The Atlas Moth, and countless other bands.
Mares of Thrace played last on the bill, and brought the night to a thunderous close. I am profoundly interested in the aesthetics of constraint and the way art can be produced by limitation. Mares of Thrace plug directly into this particular obsession. Consisting only of vocals, baritone guitar and drums, this two-woman force of nature produce a wall of sound: intense and varied, deep and resonant, pulsating and urgent, and shockingly complex.