Monthly Archives: June 2018

Jun 28 2018

Spotlights Join Quicksand and Glassjaw for July Tour

Spotlights, the ethereal-meets-heavy rock trio who continue Ipecac Recordings’ legacy of championing unique and artistically captivating rock bands, will join post-hardcore heavyweights Quicksand and Glassjaw for a two-week U.S. trek before rounding out the month with doom outfit, Pallbearer.

 

The tour announcement arrives as the band prepares for a hometown show this Saturday at Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus, celebrating the release of Hanging By Faith, a five-song addendum to their Ipecac full-length debut from late last year, Seismic. The EP includes a stirring rendition of The Cure’s “Faith” as well as the cinematic song, “The Hanging (Hang Us All)”

Spotlights tour dates:

June 30 Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus +

July 7 Pontiac, MI The Crofoot ++

July 8 Chicago, IL Concord Music Hall ++

July 9 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater ++

July 10 Kansas City, MO The Riot Room ++++

July 11 Denver, CO The Ogden Theatre ++

July 12 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex ++

July 14 Portland, OR Roseland Theater ++

July 15 Seattle, WA Showbox ++

July 17 San Francisco, CA The Regency Ballroom ++

July 18 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades ++

July 20 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory ++

July 22 Phoenix, AZ The Van Buren ++

July 24 Austin, TX Mohawk ++

July 26 Hamden, CT The Outer Space +++

July 27 Syracuse, NY The Lost Horizon +++

July 28 Cambridge, MA Middle East +

July 29 Philadelphia, PA Voltage Lounge +

July 31 Amityville, NY Amityville Music Hall +++

  • = headlining date

++ = w/Quicksand and Glassjaw

+++ = w/Pallbearer & SUMOKEM

++++ = w/Extinction A.D.

Spotlights is a Brooklyn-based trio featuring married couple Mario and Sarah Quintero alongside drummer Chris Enriquez. The band released Seismic in the fall of 2017 via Ipecac Recordings. Revolver said the outfit “balances delicate atmospherics” and “crushing sounds” on the Aaron Harris (ISIS/Palms) produced release, while Loudwire noted Spotlights’ knack for “letting songs breathe, taking their time in building up a track’s strength and beauty simultaneously.”. Treble Zine named the album one of the Top 20 metal releases of 2017, saying “Seismic is an atmospheric sludge odyssey that lives up to the earth-moving implications of its title.”

Jun 28 2018

Glanville – First Blood (Fat & Holy Records)

Formed by childhood friends Philipp Michel and René Hofmann, Glanville is a brand new heavy rock band from Germany. Having played in groups like Wight, Foh, The Earwix and Milking the Goatmachine, Hofmann and Michel are experienced musicians and quickly wrote some songs that demanded to be played by a real and full-grown band in front of a crowd.

The search for the right partners took more than a year, but finally the line-up was completed with the entrance of Peter-Philipp Schierhorn (Fallen Tyrant) on bass, Thomas Hoffmann (Bushfire) on drums, and Chris West (Trippy Wicked, Stubb and Landskap) on second guitar.

Looks like heavy metal is still very much alive. I don’t mean the classic metal bands putting out material. Don’t get me wrong, i love when Maiden or Priest come out with new material, but what about new bands making heavy metal in 2018? German heavy rockers Glanville have shown that they got what it takes to carry the heavy metal torch. First blood has managed to bring a fresh sound to the table, and its pretty damn good. The cover art itself makes me want to listen to it. Right away the opening track “God is Dead”, pulls me in. First, because of the name of the song. Secondly because of the killer riffs and amazing vocal work. The flexibility of the vocal range is impeccable. The way the music carries its melodies with the guitar and the bass of the drums gives it that classic, yet unique heavy sound. Its as if I’m hearing the riffs from Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden.

There is a similar sound in the riffs that brings you back to the heavy metal days. I love the polished sound of the bass as well. This is truly something you would show someone that says dumb shit like “heavy metal is dead” or “ Its all dad metal”. Glanville have shown on EVERY song on this album that heavy metal is very much alive. There is honestly not one song that I don’t enjoy on here. My favorite song on the album is “Durga The Great”. The best way I can describe this song is…well imagine that Ronnie James Dio did vocals for Iron Maiden. Its a pretty big thing to compare Glanville to Maiden and Dio, but honestly they executed everything to perfection on their debut. I am going to spend my money on this band’s music. I advise you all do the same. 9.5/10

God Is Dead
Dancing On Fire
Durga The Great
Demons
Time To Go

___________________________________________________­

Author: AJ Guzman

Jun 27 2018

Relapse Contamination Tour Featuring Dying Fetus, Incantation, Gatecreeper and Genocide Pact Announced

Relapse Records is excited to announce the return of the Relapse Contamination Tour headlined by death metal heavyweights DYING FETUS with support from label-mates INCANTATION, GATECREEPER and GENOCIDE PACT! The tour will kick off September 19th in Flint, MI and travel through 35 cities across North America, ending October 29th in London, ON. All confirmed dates are available below. Continue reading →

Jun 27 2018

ASHRR Release Official Music Video for Dark Synth Masterpiece

Newly formed, unique musical collective ASHRR, made up of Singer – Songwriter Steven Davis and Artist / Producers Ethan Allen and Josh Charles, is slowly creeping onto the music scene with a huge history and incredibly polished avant-garde aesthetic in the form of debut single, “Medicine Man.” Streaming below, “Medicine Man” was directed by William Morrison and is the first taste of the trio’s upcoming, debut EP. Continue reading →

Jun 26 2018

Concert Photo Review: Slayer at Papa Murphy Park – Sacramento

Slayer Slaughters Sacramento One Last Time

All photos courtesy of Conrad Melendez @ action photography by conrad

Slayer 

Lamb Of God

Anthrax

 

Testament

Jun 24 2018

Void Vator Release  Music Video for “Until It’s Gone” and Announce Summer 2018 Tour

Los Angeles, CA based heavy metal rock band VOID VATOR has announced their SOUTHWEST 2018 TOUR. Launching July 19th in Las Vegas, the tour will wind through Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico before winding down Phoenix on July 28th. The band has also released the official music video for “Until it’s Gone,” off of their 2017 released, debut EP, Dehumanized. “Until it’s Gone” is the new Void Vator music video that showcases the Los Angeles quartet’s high energy rock and metal show. Void Vator will be bringing their show on the road this summer 2018 on the Southwest Express tour from LA to Houston and back.”

 

Jun 23 2018

New Video From Psychedelic Fuzz/Heavy Rock Troupe Black Elephant

Cosmic Blues, the impending new full-length from Italian psychedelic fuzz/heavy rock troupe BLACK ELEPHANT, will see release next month via Small Stone. In advance of its release, One would be hard-pressed to come up with a better descriptor for BLACK ELEPHANT‘s Cosmic Blues full-length than the title of the album itself. Based in Savona, Italy, the four-piece have conjured ghosts of ’70s heavy fuzz and ’90s riff mongering offering up a sonic brew that’s both potent and thoroughly modern.

Leaving their own tracks in the footsteps of bands like Small Stone’s own Isaak, BLACK ELEPHANT hits a new level of craft with Cosmic Blues, and if the righteous drive of opener “Cosmic Soul,” the flowing progression of the LP that ensues, and the name they’ve given the whole affair are anything to go by, they know it for sure. All the better

Jun 21 2018

INCITE Announces “Burn and Shred” North American Headline Tour Dates

Heavy metal purveyors INCITE are thrilled to announce their upcoming North American “Burn & Shred” headline tour, featuring support from Aethere (8/10-9/8) and Lody Kong (9/14-9/28). The two-leg tour will begin on August 10 in Austin, TX and visit several major North American cities, ending on September 28 in the band’s hometown of Phoenix, AZ. Tickets will be available via each individual venue. See below for all current tour dates, and stay tuned for more dates coming soon!

Vocalist Richie Cavalera says, “Were fired up to be hitting every corner of North America on what will be our most extensive headline tour yet! Bringing the metal with us will be Aethere and Lody Kong, so come rage with us. You might even hear a new song or two! Keep it heavy and get ready to “Burn & Shred”!

INCITE also just finished the recording process on their next full-length album, which is set to be released soon. Fans should stay tuned for more information on the impending release. Cavalera says, “The new album is a wrap! It’s all about keeping it brutal for all the metalheads. We’ve got an album full of ragers – it’s definitely heavy as sh*t with some new surprises in the guitar shredding department, and our special guest vocalists – which you’ll hear about soon – killed it. We’re pumped to release this album to the world.”

INCITE Burn & Shred Tour
Leg One w/ Aethere
8/10 – Austin, TX – Barracuda
8/11 – Dallas, TX – Curtain Club
8/13 – Lawrence, KS – Replay Lounge
8/14 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
8/16 – Lansing, MI – Mac’s Club
8/17 – Cleveland, OH – Now That’s Class
8/19 – Rochester, NY – Bugjar
8/21 – Portland, ME – Geno’s Rock Club
8/22 – Providence, RI – Alchemy
8/23 – Manchester, NH – The Jewel
8/24 – Montague, MA – RPM Fest
8/25 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bazaar
8/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
8/28 – Richmond, VA – Strange Matter
8/29 – Raleigh, NC – The Maywood
8/30 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade (Purgatory)
9/04 – New Orleans, LA – Santos
9/07 – Cave In Rock, IL – Full Terror Assault *
9/08 – Omaha, NE – Lookout Lounge
*no Aethere

Leg Two w/ Lody Kong
9/14 – San Diego, CA – Space Bar
9/16 – Oakland, CA – Elbo Room Jack London
9/17 – Sacramento, CA – Blue Lamp
9/19 – Portland, OR – High Water Mark
9/20 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon (Funhouse)
9/22 – Boise, ID – The Shredder
9/25 – Denver, CO – Streets of London
9/27 – Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar
9/28 – Phoenix, AZ – Club Red