Wừu - 888

Wừu

888
Grindcore Karaoke

The so-called 'Wormrot Effect' is in full swing. Their explosion in the Western world has led to an increased focus on the subcontinent and on South East Asia, and one beneficiary of this appears to be

Wừu, hailing from Vietnam. Even five years ago, you'd be hard pressed to believe the Vietnamese had any sort of an alternative scene, let alone a grind band capable of caving your head in with as much if not more intensity than their Western counterparts.

Retox UK Tour

Recent Ipecac signees, hardcore punk mob Retox, are heading to the UK for a short tour. Featuring members of gonzoid mathcore crew The Locust among others, this four-piece are getting plaudits everywhere for their abrasive and energetic performances on record and on stage. Here's your chance to catch them and have yourself a rowdy night in the pit, as they play songs from their blistering debut, 'Ugly Animals'. Tour dates as follows:

Tuesday 22nd: Flapper, Birmingham
Wednesday 23rd: The Croft, Bristol
Thursday 24th: The Well, Leeds
Friday 25th: Camp Basement, London

If you're after a taster of what's to come, check out the videos after the jump. Make sure your belongings are at a safe distance.

Peter Clegg

Trash Talk - Awake EP

Trash Talk

Awake EP

True Panther Sounds

In just a few short years, Trash Talk have quickly made a name for themselves with their blend of hardcore punk and powerviolence-style aggression, and an explosive live show to boot. Their new five-track EP, 'Awake', sees them just a little more expansive, but still packing immeasurable rage and power in its eight and a half minutes.

'Kin Hell Fest set to destroy - full press release

 

The year is coming to a close, and the live music schedule is absolutely racked up with cracking gigs. One of the standout ones for sure is the inaugural 'Kin Hell Fest, due to take place a week on Saturday (the 19th of November) at Leeds' premier gig venue, The Well. Below we have the press release from fest organiser Paul Priest:

'kin Hell Fest is an all day event happening in Leeds in November that aims to bring the metal festival spirit to Yorkshire the darker months of the year. Some of the best bands currently on the UK metal circuit have been assembled all in one place, and there will be tons of giveaways and free stuff to everyone who buys a ticket / pays on the door, brought to you from various awesome sources.

Today is the Day - Pain is a Warning

Today Is The Day

Pain Is A Warning

Black Market Activities

What is certain about Today is the Day supremo Steve Austin is that he can't be accused of ever resting on his laurels. Over the last 20 years he has provided some of underground metal's most influential, uncompromising and in-your face releases, either through their abrasive nature or through the band's ability to morph with every release, through noise rock/metal, grindcore and more in the process.

Live Review: Melvins @ The Irish Centre, Leeds, 02/11/2011

 
At around 9 o'clock in Leeds at the Irish Centre, the stage, which the crowd have been loitering around drinking for a fair while now due to lack of support bands, is invaded by 4 weird looking fuckers. The one with a guitar appears to have a neck-warmer on below a huge fuzz of hair, and an odd throw with multi-coloured horses under a black silk robe of some sort. Next to him are two drum kits which are now occupied, one of the percussionists sporting what looks like half a gimp suit, his fellow stick wielder, the only one that wouldn’t stand out in a crowd. To the right of the kits, more spherical hair nearly makes the stage look like a mirror image.

Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination

Skeletonwitch

Forever Abomination

Prosthetic

Without question Skeletonwitch were one of the best things to come out of the thrash renaissance. Though never truly a thrash band, they successfully rode the hellcart to prominence with a blend of thrash, black metal funnelled through an 80's NWOBHM lens, delivering killer slabs of vehemence with 'Beyond The Permafrost' and the blistering 2009 release 'Breathing The Fire'.

Visions: Megadeth - Public Enemy No. 1

A video featuring car chases, card games & Wild West style shootouts sounds like a great idea for a music video. What if all those scenes were perpetrated by chimps? Yes, that sentence is true. Megadeth have here not only delivered a fantastic cut from their new album 'Th1rt3een', but have actually given to the world a superb new video featuring all those aforementioned things! For those four minutes, I was happy as a pig in shit. Worthy for repeated viewing, fo' sho'.

Peter Clegg

Wiht - The Harrowing of the North

Wiht

The Harrowing of the North

Doomanoid

To the majority of you, Wiht will be an unfamiliar name. But to those of you among the UK stoner/sludge/doom underground, the Leeds three-piece are a burgeoning force. Having had the pleasure of sharing a bill or two alongside them, I can vouch for their vast potential and incredible live performances that are starting to get them noticed. 'The Harrowing of the North'.

'The Harrowing of the North' comprises only two tracks, but over a running time of roughly 33 minutes. It's a concept EP, as the bands puts it:

"Taking influence thematically from the subjugation of the North of England by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it tells the troubled history of doomsday-era Yorkshire- the king massacred it's people and destroyed the land to ensure it held no economic or cultural worth and would remain under his subservient rule."

The title track, which opens proceedings, weighs in at a hefty 20:46 on the clock, but isn't weighed down by it at all. It takes a good three and a half minutes before there's any sign of the drums, preceded by a tolling and ominous intro, but soon rolls into action with a storming riff. The song twists and turns through numerous different passages, ranging from thunderously heavy to psychedelic and even minimal. The S/T EP was good but this is a major step up, incorporating all kinds of influences and melding together for one satisfyingly heavy jam.

Track two, 'Orderic Vitalis', gets on the front foot a little quicker, a bass intro soon leading into a mighty big riff. It soon heads back to the prominent bass riff with some psychedelic guitar and ambience effects, and minimalistic drums. This continues on this route for some time, taking you on a journey through a chasmous place, eventually building back up at about the 4:25 mark. The riff that soon follows is huge, backed up by bass and thunderous drums. Psychedelia filters back in around six minutes in and there's a huge astral riff around 6:50 to get your head around. The remainder of the song continues down this path, mixing heavy stoner rhythms and echoey guitars frequently as the song heads for the sky, fading to synth at the very end.

'The Harrowing Of The North' is a masterclass from start to finish, and despite the huge song lengths, it's entirely attention-keeping throughout, thanks to plethora of ideas placed on show. Fans of bands such as Neurosis, ISIS, Pelican, etc. would be far worse off for not checking out this band. And as a pay-what-you-like download, you owe it to the band to go check them out and discover one of Yorkshire's best-kept secrets - which surely won't remain that way for too much longer.

Peter Clegg

Download 'The Harrowing of the North' here (name your price)

Or, buy a physical copy here

MySpace

Facebook

Last.fm

Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu

Lou Reed & Metallica

Lulu

Warner Bros/Vertigo


Before I start, it should be noted that 'Lulu', the much discussed Lou Reed and Metallica collaboration, is that its not a Lou Reed record, or a Metallica record - its a collaboration. A team effort. Expect it to be different. A lot of people can't get their head round that little fact, spouting outrage on par with the daily affront from the Daily Mail. With that in mind, I made sure I went into this with a blank slate. Yes, I'm a Metallica fan. No, I'm not a massive Lou Reed fan. But I'm open to change and I really wanted to give this record a chance to see if 'Lulu' was the furore. If you're genuinely interested, then give it a spin and see if it floats your boat. Just don't expect 'Ride The Lightning'.