Noisecreep

Slough Feg Want to Resurrect Heavy Metal

Kim Kelly — 2010-11-11T18:00:00+00:00

Profound Lore

According to their bio, Slough Feg left the cultural wasteland of Central Pennsylvania about a decade ago and moved West in
order to resurrect American heavy metal. Whether it was manifest destiny or never-ending sunshine that drew them there, the band -- formerly Lord Weird Slough Feg -- have built themselves a home and a dedicated following in California. While their bio got the facts a bit skewed, Mike Scalzi was happy to give Noisecreep the real story.

"it's not true that I came out here to resurrect the metal scene. That wasn't really on my mind. I just wanted the band to be more successful and just live on the West Coast and experience life," he explained. "Although I can say that perhaps we have helped resurrect metal in a sense, whether we meant to originally or not. By the time we were out here for a couple years, we were definitely trying to resurrect metal. I think it really came back though because people were sick of lame '90s music. Let's face it, the '90s really sucked, and music was shite. A lot of it still is, but the '90s was the true cultural wasteland."

Satanic Warmaster Speak Cryptically About National Socialist Leanings

Kim Kelly — 2010-11-08T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

Satanic Warmaster + Werewolf Records

Satanic Warmaster are polarizing, even within the black-and-white world of black metal. On one hand, there is the music: cold, catchy, fiendishly-well-executed odes to Satan and darkness from the Finnish wilderness. On the other, there is the pervasive question about the project's rumored National Socialist political leanings. Are they or aren't they?

Noisecreep communicated with the Tyrant himself to get an answer, and was met with not only hostility, but ambiguity. Can the man who released a split with the notorious Aryan Blood and an album entitled 'Gas Chamber Kommando' -- who has also sampled Nazi rallies and written lyrics about the Third Reich -- be as innocent and apolitical as he claims?

Salome's Aaron Deal Talks Gear and Gets 'Terminal'

Kim Kelly — 2010-10-21T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Brandon Wu

Virginia's premier phantom power-abusing trio, Salome, are gearing up to drop their second full-length next month, and boy are drummer Aaron Deal's arms tired. When he's not pounding the skins or slyly heckling the crowds, Deal busies himself writing music, collecting guitars and loving the hell out of his kitty cats.

Unlike your typical sticksman, he has a heavy hand in writing and producing Salome's music. The band's latest release, christened 'Terminal,' is no exception. Due out Nov. 9 on Profound Lore, 'Terminal' is just as bowel-squashingly heavy and utterly entrancing as their 2007 debut -- but it features a few surprises, as well. Deal gave us the down low on what went into the record.

Earthride, 'Something Wicked' -- New Album

Kim Kelly — 2010-09-15T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Earthride

Maryland doom has become a hallowed institution within the international heavy music scene. Whether it's the crabs, the crime or the salty sea air, whatever the magic ingredient is that inspires so many sweet riffin' bands to form is alive and well within the hairy chests of Dave Sherman and his merry band of bikers. Earthride are fresh from the studio, with a spankin' new record in hand.

With 'Something Wicked,' they more than prove that the proud tradition of Maryland doom will continue on. "I think it's in the water," Sherman told Noisecreep. "And because a lot of the music that comes out of here is inspired by Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General, Pentagram, the Obsessed and Asylum!"

Christian Mistress to Tour With Thrones

Kim Kelly — 2010-09-10T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Tours

Johnny Delacey

Traditional metal can be a cruel mistress indeed; newer bands are painted with the 'poser' or 'retro' brush, while older acts fade away into obscurity. There is a right and a wrong way to do it, but Olympia, Ore.'s heavy metal cult Christian Mistress do it in the best way possible.

Armed with a powerhouse vocalist and a fresh, innovative take on a classic sound, the band melds traditional NWOBHM harmonies and a full-force gallop with touches of West Coast thrash -- with a pure heart and soul all their own. Their debut six-song record, enitled 'Agony and Opium,' unleashed by the ever-innovative 20 Buck Spin and poised to become one of the most talked about releases of the year.

Krieg, 'The Isolationist' -- New Album

Kim Kelly — 2010-09-09T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Jeff Marcheski

The U.S. black metal legends have returned! Spearheaded by main man Imperial, Krieg have been terrorizing audiences and throwing a defiant middle finger in the air to all that oppose their nihilistic, anti-human views and vicious take on the blackened art since 1995.

Candlelight Records will be releasing the seminal act's sixth full-length recording, 'The Isolationist,' on Oct. 26. The album was recorded at Volume Studios in Chicago with producer Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican, Yakuza) and features performances from guitarist Joseph Van Fossen (Noctuary), bassist Wrest (Leviathan) and drummer Chris Grigg (Woe).

Soulfly Announce Winter Tour Dates

Kim Kelly — 2010-09-07T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Tours

Roadrunner Records

Modern metal giants Soulfly will be returning to North American soil this winter in support of their critically acclaimed seventh album, 'Omen.' The tour will kick off in Hollywood, Calif. and hit select cities across the nation before looping back to Houston.
Frontman and metal icon Max Cavalera will be joined by his longtime bandmates and new bassist Johnny Chow (Cavalera Conspiracy) for the Soulfly tour dates.

The album was hailed by Revolver as "harder, angrier and catchier than its predecessors," and featured guest appearances by Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato and Prong's Tommy Victor.

Cauldron Begin Recording New Album

Kim Kelly — 2010-09-06T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: New Music

The Canadian music scene is a pretty intriguing beast. Whether you're banging your head to Woods of Ypres or choking down Alanis Morisette's jagged little pills, there's something for everyone in the Great White North. Heavy metal hell-raisers Cauldron are no exception.

The denim and leather-loving metal maniacs have entered Rogue Studios in their hometown of Toronto to begin recording their new album for Earache Records. Entitled 'Burning Fortune,' the new jam will be released in 2011 and comes hot on the heels of Cauldron's 2009 Earache debut, 'Chained to the Nite.'

Woe, 'Quietly, Undramatically' -- New Album

Kim Kelly — 2010-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Earsplit PR

Philadelphia probably isn't the first place you'd think of when you're talking about extreme metal, but bubbling beneath the City of Brotherly Love's grimy surface lies a viciously potent underground. It's spearheaded by the efforts of a small number of die-hard individuals -- many of whom spend time in the same bands and practice spaces, playing the same shows.

Take, for instance, up-and-coming black metallers Woe. They were originally conceived as a one-man project, but then Woe's debut full-length, 'A Spell for the Death of Man,' garnered rave reviews from media and fans alike, prompting Chris Grigg to assemble a live lineup that has slowly morphed into a permanent band. Noisecreep had a quick chat with the founder and main man to see just exactly who Woe are these days.

The Atlas Moth Reveal 'The Art of Touring' Mini-Doc

Kim Kelly — 2010-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Movies

Diana Lee Zadlo

Stavros Giannapoulos of Chicago psychedelic sludge troupe the Atlas Moth is no stranger to the touring life, logging thousands of miles across the U.S. with his band at every opportunity and surviving the rigors of the road with positive attitude (and dapper facial hair) intact. A jack of many trades, Giannapoulos' most recent endeavor saw him wandering through the world of film and creating the most honest rock 'n' roll mini-documentary you'll see all year.

He explained, "I was given a video camera to document our time at SXSW since we were playing so many shows. It sounded like a fun idea to me so i gladly went ahead with it. Fast forward a few months, my friend Anna runs a gallery here in Chicago called Johalla Project, told me about this gallery they were putting together about being in a touring band. I mentioned I had this footage laying around and she convinced me to edit it together and submit it."

Atlas Moth Frontman Has One of Chicago's Best Mustaches

Kim Kelly — 2010-08-06T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Diana Lee Zadlo

The indomitable Stavros Giannopoulos, throat and axeslinger for Chicago psychedelic sludge fiends the Atlas Moth, was recently named in the Chicago Reader as the Best Mustache in a Local Band, a category one might suspect was creatd entirely with him in mind. A quote from the article describes his sweet 'stache as a "classic handlebar mustache, often waxed into neat curls at the ends, that makes him look like a medicine-show huckster flogging bottles of Hadacol out of a suitcase. Because he wears his hair short -- with a fresh cut, his style is a tad 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' -- he could almost pass for the tenor in a heavily tattooed barbershop quartet."

He was also mentioned as part of the Best Metal Supergroup writeup for his work in Southern Lord black magic devotees Twilight, and it's hard to say which award he was more stoked about.

Atlas Moth Covers EP Was Inspired by the Radio -- and Metallica

Kim Kelly — 2010-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Diana Lee Zadlo

The Atlas Moth have had a busy couple of years. Their Candlelight debut, 'A Glorified Piece of Blue Sky,' was recently released to an immensely positive response from press and doomheads alike, and the perpetually-moving quintet have notched quite a few high-profile tours under their belts since then, sharing dates with EyeHateGod, Harvey Milk, Coalesce and more. They recently announced a nationwide tour with fellow Chicago psych-fiends Nachtmystium, Atlanta doomhaulers Zoroaster and repeat tourmates Dark Castle. And now they're hard at work on a very special project. Deep below the floorboards of Atlas Moth World Headquarters (i.e. vocalist/guitarist Stavros Giannopoulos' house), the five men of the Moth have been up to no good. Giannopoulos gave Noisecreep the scoop on their upcoming covers EP.

"As far as the EP in concerned ... we have been writing a new record, we have a few songs almost done and a ton of ideas still to go through. With all the touring going on, it's been hard to focus on finishing it, and our eagerness to get in the studio has not subsided. So this was a fun way to get back to recording stuff. We're using this as pre-pre-production for our next album. We only had a radio in our van for a long time, so we would constantly be changing stations and hearing tracks that we would talk about covering," he explained. When asked about the track listing for this forthcoming beast, though, he was reluctant to spill the beans.

Devourment Ripped Off Van Halen and Don't Care About Deathcore

Kim Kelly — 2010-07-29T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Tours

Relapse Records

Recent Relapse signees and veteran brutal death metallers Devourment are one of the most well-known examples of the style, and have undoubtedly inspired countless others within the ranks of the slam nation. It's not much of a stretch to assume that many of the modern deathcore bands have taken some cues from their trademark ultra brutal approach.

Devourment spew out plenty of slow, grinding breakdowns and bass drops, but throw these Texas gorehounds on a stage and you'll watch 'em blow the heads off any stray Suicide Silence or Job for a Cowboy fans unlucky enough to wander in. Vocalist Mike Majewski weighed in, telling Noisecreep that, "It would be pretty arrogant to assume any band is influenced by us just because it's a similar style. We didn't invent that style, so who knows? I personally don't listen to much deathcore or whatever, but I have no problem with it; each his own. S---, I ripped off a Van Halen song on 'Anal Electrocution' [from 2005's 'Butcher the Weak' LP]."

Ramming Speed's Van Broken Into in Italy

Kim Kelly — 2010-07-21T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News

Ramming Speed

Life as a touring musician is far from easy. Forget the endless drives, stomach-destroying fast food and scummy promoters -- one of the most constant, looming fears of anyone who tours for a living -- or at all -- is getting equipment or a vehicle stolen. There have been a rash of incidents just this year (remember poor Torche?), and now the plague has spread overseas and hit some of Boston's native sons pretty damn hard.

Beantown thrash/crust/grinders Ramming Speed are currently pounding the pavement on a massive European tour, and all was going just dandy until earlier this week. Their van was broken into in Florence, Italy, and all of the band's money, passports and personal effects were stolen. Drummer Jonah posted an account on the band's Facebook page explaining the situation and shedding some light on how the band plans to recover. Instead of asking for donations, Ramming Speed will be creating a limited-edition merch pack and selling them to fans in hopes of raising enough money to cover their heavy losses.

A Forest of Stars, 'Opportunistic Thieves of Spring' -- New Album

Kim Kelly — 2010-06-22T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: New Music

A Forest of Stars are about as far from 'ordinary' as you can get before turning into Lady Gaga. This U.K. quintuplet have been raising eyebrows and banging heads in equal measure throughout their short career; though the band itself came to life in 2007, its members seem wholly stuck in the past, with a decidedly Victorian take on aesthetics. A look at their Myspace page reveals band members in steampunk garb, entreaties to "please use your electronic mail daemon" to contact the band and a top friends section that shouts out Queen Victoria and Nikola Tesla. Their influences? "Her Majesty Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India."

They describe themselves as "a bunch of inebriated, soporific wastrels pissing about," but this writer's more inclined to believe that A Forest of Stars are more interested in taking the piss out of uber-serious metal bands, especially those of the blacker persuasion. The page headline of "To the gallows with your lack of humour!" provides satisfyingly damning evidence.

Hostile City Deathfest Death Metal to Philadelphia

Kim Kelly — 2010-06-21T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Festival

As soon as we'd recovered from the metal mayhem of Maryland Deathfest, a new presence has risen to darken the horizon. Hostile City Deathfest has entered its second year of existence, after last year's baptism in blood from Absu, Deicide, Anal C---, Master and more. The Philadelphia-based festival is committed to bringing the brutality to an already ugly, violent city and has lined up an extensive lineup with enough big names, up-and-comers and local talent to bring out metal brethren from far beyond Philly's borders. Heavy hitters like Incantation, Origin, Hate Eternal, Mortician, Exodus, Destroyer 666, Enthroned, Malevolent Creation, Black Anvil and Putrid Pile are a definite draw, as are local bruisers Mortal Decay, Her Virgin Womb, Nightfire and Sapremia.

Spanning three days at North Philly's Club Polaris and offering such perks as re-entry, on-site bars and food services, the fest kicks off on Aug. 27 and rages on until the wee hours of Aug. 29. Come spread the hate in the City of Brotherly Shove!

Christian Mistress, 'Agony & Opium' -- New Album

Kim Kelly — 2010-06-18T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, New Music

When both Fenriz of Darkthrone and the Yob guys are flipping out about your band, odds are you're doing something right. Endorsements from cult album artist Dennis Dread and, uh, NPR can't hurt, either. Extreme tastemakers 20 Buck Spin clearly agree, singing a deal in blood to release Christian Mistress' highly-anticipated new opus. The Olympia, Wash. quintet have made it their business to immerse themselves in the classic sounds of the '80s -- and business is good!

Promising six slow-burning songs of vintage heavy metal thunder and whispering about touring plans for the latter days of 2010, 'Agony & Opium' is poised to become one of the most interesting (and hesher-approved) albums of the year, making a place for itself on 20 Buck Spin's notoriously eclectic roster.

Enthroned Tour Dates With Destroyer 666

Kim Kelly — 2010-06-17T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Tours

There's more to Belgium than great beer and mouth-watering chocolate -- a lot more -- and some of it is a great deal scarier than the price of a pilsner. Legendary black metal horde Enthroned also rose from the soil of this peaceful nation and are now returning to North America to reap what they have sown.

With a nine-year absence from our shores to break and a vicious new album to promote, the sinister black metallers have a hell of a lot to prove, and legions of ravenous fans awaiting their return. They're even bringing along black/thrash metal hessians Destroyer 666 to fuel the flames. The U.S./Canadian leg of the Pentagrammaton World Tour 2010 will begin in Brooklyn, N.Y. at Europa and decimate nearly two dozen cities before ending its cross-country death march at the Hostile City Deathfest in Philadelphia on Aug. 29. 'Pentagrammaton,' Enthroned's ninth studio offering, was released earlier this year via Regain Records.

Blood Revolt Unite Members of Primordial, Revenge, Axis of Advance

Kim Kelly — 2010-06-16T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, New Music

There are supergroups, and there are supergroups. When this writer first heard tell of a project that was to feature members of Revenge, Conqueror, Axis of Advance and Primordial into one entity known as Blood Revolt, the initial reaction was, "Whoa, awesome!!!" followed quickly by, "Er, how will that work?" Those of us familiar with the first three groups -- Conqueror, whose primitive war metal gnashings evolved into Revenge's tightly-controlled grinding black chaos, and Axis of Advance, whose deadly black assault took no prisoners and left none breathing -- know just how far along the outer reaches of extremity they dwell.

Celtic dark metallers Primordial, on the other hand, are known better for its majestic pagan melodies, achingly evocative doom odes, far-reaching emotional heft and frontman A.A. Nemtheanga's distinctly grandiose vocals. It was a risky experiment, but one worth undertaking, at least as far as band members J. Read (Conqueror/Revenge,), C. Ross (Axis of Advance) and A. A. Nemtheanga were concerned. Profound Lore, Invictus, and Metal Blade U.K. have joined forces to unleash the Revolt upon the globe this July -- you have been warned.

Cough Sign to Relapse Records, Prepare to Unleash 'Ritual Abuse'

Kim Kelly — 2010-06-15T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, New Music

This writer is incredibly excited to see that Richmond, Va.'s heaviest psychedelic doom lords, Cough, have announced a new partnership with Relapse Records to unleash the band's next negative opus, entitled 'Ritual Abuse.' Their first two releases (2007's 'The Kingdom' EP and 2008's 'Sigillum Luciferi' LP) were unleashed by Forcefield Records, and those of us that walk the doomed path have been anxiously awaiting fresh blood from these criminally talented troublemakers.

This time around, Cough enlisted the considerable talents of metal mercenary Sanford Parker to act as midwife for the undoubtedly long, hard, bloody birth of 'Ritual Abuse.' Slated for a fall 2010 release, the band's Relapse debut is already doomed to greatness. As the band themselves said, "'Ritual Abuse' is the result of all the s--- and suffering we put ourselves through to continue to write this music. Hopefully you all feel as miserable listening to it as we did creating it."