The day will come up that we all wake up Hearing the shouts of joy And shouting together with the freaks Loud, loud, loud, loud Costas Ferris Any discussion of the pantheon of modern rock music must include England’s Killing Joke. Their sound has inspired countless other bands, and defies exact categorization; a blend of … Continue reading Killing Joke: Live at Bottom Lounge
You are engaging in madness. I feel obliged to accompany you. Alejandro Jodorowsky Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Italian psychedelic doom trio Ufomammut toured the United States throughout April and into May, treating U.S. audiences to a setlist spanning their mind-altering catalog. That catalog contains eight full-length albums thus far, the most recent of which is … Continue reading Ufomammut at Reggies Rock Club
It’s a dangerous thing to say what a picture is. If things get too specific, the dream stops. There are things that happen sometimes that open a door that lets you soar out and feel a bigger thing. Like when the mind gets involved in a mystery. It’s a thrilling feeling. When you talk about … Continue reading SUNN O))) at Rockefeller Chapel
It’s as much fun to scare as to be scared. Vincent Price The Decibel Magazine 2019 Tour Winter 2019 brings us the eighth annual Decibel Tour, which has provided metal fans across the U.S. with a variety of lineups over the years to get their live metal fix. High on Fire, Napalm Death, Abbath, Behemoth, … Continue reading Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Necrot, and Blood Incantation at Concord Music Hall, March 4, 2019
I deal in volume. Harry Triguboff Since the 2018 release of their album No Cross No Crown, Corrosion of Conformity have been relentlessly playing gigs. Not many bands want to tour during the cold months, but C.O.C. are headlining a winter 2019 North American tour alongside fellow heavy hitters Mothership, Crowbar, and Weedeater, with The … Continue reading Corrosion of Conformity at Bottom Lounge, February 9, 2019
I’ll let the racket do the talking. John McEnroe North Carolina’s masters of sonic bottom-heavy sludge Weedeater have been steadily touring ever since the release of 2015’s Goliathan. They hit the road once again for a winter 2019 tour along with Mothership, Crowbar, and Corrosion of Conformity. After the tragic passing of drummer Carlos Denogean … Continue reading Weedeater at Bottom Lounge, February 9, 2019
Prayers are to men as dolls are to children Samuel Butler Incantation has always stood out in the world of death metal. Whereas many bands have opted to dial everything up to be as fast and intricate as possible, Incantation’s sound displays a keen sense of dynamics. They are one of the few death metal … Continue reading Incantation at Bottom Lounge, September 23, 2018
Musicians should not play music. Music should play musicians. Henry Rollins Of the sixteen times I’ve seen Neurosis in concert, the 2018 Muddy Roots Festival was the first time I’d seen them at a festival. Neurosis have built a diehard following over the years with their dedication to heavy, psychedelic sound, so it is obvious … Continue reading Neurosis at Muddy Roots, September 2, 2018
I associate heavy metal with fantasy because of the tremendous power that the music delivers. Christopher Lee With a sound that is the aural equivalent of a bison stampede, High on Fire have ascended over the last decade to become the quintessential metal band. Devoid of any pomp or frivolity, they are a stripped-down machine … Continue reading High on Fire at Muddy Roots, September 1, 2018
Music has its own depths, and I let it take me where it takes me, even if it means stripping all my clothes off. Grace Jones Kudos to the organizers of the Muddy Roots Festival for inviting Oxbow, who might seem, at a glance, odd man out in a punk/country/metal-centric festival; they’re not a genre … Continue reading Oxbow at Muddy Roots, Sept 1, 2018
Sleep is the best meditation. Dalai Lama On April 20, 2018, heavy music fans made haste in search of Sleep’s new album, The Sciences. The release of the record was a surprise; there had been hints in recent years, but no exact date had been given. In support of the record, Sleep has been touring … Continue reading Sleep at Muddy Roots, August 31, 2018
Don’t Panic Douglas Adams Californian riff masters Fu Manchu brought their fuzzed-out sound to the Muddy Roots Music Festival over Labor Day weekend just outside Cookeville, Tennessee. They were a great addition to the lineup; typically their sound is associated with the “desert rock” scene, and their high-energy set was a nice counterpoint to Friday’s … Continue reading Fu Manchu at Muddy Roots, August 31, 2018
