1928 – 2012

Maurice Sendak, author of Where The Wild Things Are, died this morning due to complications of a stroke.  He was 83 years old.  Looking back on his life’s work, I realize I only knew him for Where The Wild Things Are, which serves as quite a testament to how strong of an impact that book had on my life.  That (extremely) short story, along with it’s incredible illustrations, was introduced to me when I was in Kindergarten, and it hasn’t left me in the 30 years since.  It might be too much to believe Where The Wild Things Are was the catalyst for me seeking out darker, more meaningful art (whether it be literature, music or film) throughout my life, but on the other hand, it is very possible.  At any rate, Maurice Sendak’s life is being celebrated around the world today, all for a children’s book he wrote almost 50 years ago — that’s pretty incredible.

Now, if people who have influenced my youth could stop dying, that would be great.  Junior Seau, Adam Yauch and Maurice Sendak complete the rule of 3′s…hopefully we’ll get a break now.

1964 – 2012

Adam Yauch has died.  He was 47 years old.  The man known as MCA was diagnosed with cancer back in 2009 and today he succumbed to the disease.  Yauch was one third of the Beastie Boys — the group who started out punk before enraging parents in suburbs all over the country with Licensed To Ill, an album and time I will never forget.  I still remember my parents making me change the channel when they saw these white boys onstage, rapping about girls, with giant dicks surrounding them — fighting for their right to party!  But what could have ended up just another dirty joke that wouldn’t escape the 80′s, actually went on to define the 90′s with a much more mature sound — mixing rap, r&b, jazz and alternative rock elements into something completely original.  No Beastie Boys song would ever be mistaken for anything but the Beastie Boys.  I was lucky enough to catch the band no less than 5 times — Lollapalooza ’94, back-to-back shows in San Diego and Sacramento in ’95, the Beastie Boys-curated Tibetan Freedom Concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and most recently, with Rancid in 1998.

The loss of Adam Yauch isn’t only a tragedy to those who knew and loved him, but it’s also the loss of MCA and the group that formed 33 years ago — a group who should have gone down in history as a joke, but instead continued to prove the naysayers wrong, decade after decade.  Last year’s Hot Sauce Committee Part Two was critically acclaimed and the group was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in December.  Beastie Boys will go down as one of the best groups of my generation, just as MCA will be remembered as a true icon.

Abel Tesfaye and his new band stopped off at the Center Stage in Atlanta for yet another sold out show.  The Weeknd have joined the likes of M83 and James Blake in record ticket sales for relatively small acts.  Tickets for the San Francisco show at The Fillmore are going for as much as $200 each.  I think it’s safe to say that the enigma that starting posting tracks on YouTube in 2010 has become an overnight sensation thanks to a trilogy of mixtapes and a highly praised performance at Coachella.  Depending on where you stand, this could be a really good thing, or a really bad thing.  After last night’s performance, I will admit I have mixed emotions.

Let me start out with the positive.  Tesfaye was on it!  Working the young crowd like they were putty in his hands, a simple crotch grab had the girls screaming like he was the second coming of Micheal Jackson and Tupac all rolled into a one package.  Not that the adorning fans in the front row would have even noticed, but the band was incredibly tight as well.  Especially for having just come together recently.  Bathed in a pale blue light, the trio not only brought an element to The Weeknd’s stage presence that would have been lacking with a DJ, they also knew their place — in the background.  No one goes to a Prince show to watch the Revolution — it’s all about the man up front.

The venue was perfect as well. Just over 1,000 in capacity, there was enough standing room in front of the stage for anyone who wanted it and just enough seats to accommodate those who wanted to watch in comfort.  The sound was excellent, and the lighting engineer must have studied the setlist, because every strobe, flash and transition matched the soundtrack with absolute precision.  In fact, the whole show was precise.  It seemed like this young artist and his crew had been doing this for years, not weeks.

So what didn’t I like about the show?  Well, the truth is, I don’t think I wanted to see The Weeknd live…ever.  When House of Balloons was released, I didn’t know who Abel Tesfaye was and I liked it that way.  It was so dark, so twisted, so real — the black-and-white cover of a naked chick in the bathtub with balloons all around her.  It was more than a mixtape, it was an invitation to the party, and more importantly, the after party — the place where naked chicks end up passed out (or worse) in bathtubs with balloons.  If you have been there, you knew it wasn’t supposed to be funny.  If you haven’t been there, then it allowed you to observe from a safe distance.

This was not Jodeci.  This was not Keith Sweat or D’Angelo.  The House of Balloons was something as dangerous as it was mysterious. So once Tesfaye’s identity was made public and Thursday was released, I had my doubts about the future of this project, but then Echoes of Silence followed and all doubt was cast aside as the Internet practically crashed as everyone rushed to download the latest. At this point, we knew the man behind the music, but it was the nameless women who still graced the covers.  Most images of the artist himself were black-and-white — keeping with this air of mystery — setting him apart from others in this contemporary r&b space.  That was all destroyed the moment he walked on stage.  It’s something that could not be avoided.  Once The Weeknd becomes a person, it all changes.  And that’s why I shouldn’t have been at the show last night.  To see kids screaming his name, chanting ‘XO‘ with phones in the air, singing along with every song (this ain’t no fuckin sing-along, so girl, what you singing for?)…it just shattered the mystery like a girl falling through a glass table top, leaving us with nothing more than another r&b show — transforming The Weeknd into just another r&b act, albeit a damn good one, but one just the same.

I will keep my fingers crossed that Tesfaye’s face doesn’t mark the cover of the next album.  I will hold onto a world where he won’t be playing some Summer Jam next to Drake and Chris Brown.  But I have a feeling I’m going to be disappointed.

Emily Wells – Mama (Partisan, 2012)

Emily Wells has been making music since she was almost as little as the toddler rockin’ the Mama album cover. A classically trained violinist, Wells is also proficient on the piano, glockenspiel, guitar, banjo and other, nontraditional instruments.  Take all the tools at her disposal, throw in a mixing board and a voice that ranges from Joanna Newsom to Macy Gray, and you could have a disaster on your hands, but somehow Wells floats through folk, hip-hop and pop on a minimal breeze — never straying too far off track from start to finish. To make something so complex sound so simple, yet so moving, is a testament to the talent that is Emily Wells. In a month full of good releases, Mama stood out from the rest.

Emily Wells -Passenger

Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls (ATO, 2012)

It’s a little strange to be recommending Alabama Shakes debut album this month. First off, almost half these tracks were on the Alabama Shakes EP that I recommended back in September of last year, so they’ve been on heavy rotation for awhile now. Second, I witnessed the remaining tracks performed live back in February. And third, this album leaked months ago, so it’s not exactly new to my ears.  But all that aside, Boys & Girls gets much closer to the intensity of the live show than the EP did.  Alabama Shakes are revivalists, they unabashedly channel soul classics from the 60′s and 70′s, and like anyone who mines sounds from the past, they are going to have detractors — mix that with their seemingly sudden rise to fame and the haters will be lining up.  But don’t let them get you down, Alabama Shakes are for real — go see a live show and tell me they’re not.  And in the meantime, give Boys & Girls a shot.  It will do more than hold you over until Alabama comes to your town.

Alabama Shakes – Hold On

BADBADNOTGOOD – BBNG2 (self-released, 2012)

The second album from the Canadian experimental trio takes their hip-hop-infused jazz to another level with quite a bit of original material mixed in with the Odd Future, Kanye West , James Blake and Gucci Mane interpretations.  While BBNG was a great album, I feel like it could have been a one-off.  But with BBNG2, the band showcases a level of maturity that makes me wonder where this project might go next.  BADBADNOTGOOD prove to be talented jazz musicians, taking the genre to places it hasn’t been before.  Purists will probably be turned off right away, but if you can open up to what these guys are doing, I think you’ll be surprised at how powerful it is.

BADBADNOTGOOD – Bastard / Lemonade

Death Grips – The Money Store (Epic, 2012)

It’s hard to think of hip-hop as dangerous music in a time when the President is a Jay-Z fan, Snoop and Dre headline Coachella with a (it’s not a) hologram of Tupac, and not only are rap songs prevalent in children’s shows and movies, but actual ‘gangster’ rapper star in those productions.  That’s not to say there arn’t legitimate players in the game, but it’s rare to come across an artist who ‘shocks’ like so many did in the late-80′s/early 90′s.  That’s why Death Grips are so important.  Sure, The Money Store is already overrated — the praise being heaped upon this release is more about the fact that Epic Records would allow something like this to see the light of day than about the actual material contained within.  Don’t get me wrong, I love this album.  I’ve been a Grips proponent ever since stumbling across the extremely abrasive Ex-Military mixtape last year, and the live set I caught in Austin is something I will never forget.  The Money Store proves that there will be no censoring MC Ride.  It also proves they are an actual ‘hip-hop’ band and tracks such as “Get Got”, “Hustle Bones” and “I’ve Seen Footage” are better than anything they’ve done before.  I’m happy this album exists and I highly recommend checking it out, I just don’t think it deserves the near-perfect scores it has received.

Death Grips -I’ve Seen Footage

Dry the River – Shallow Bed (Red Ink, 2012)

Dry the River first came to my attention when a buddy saw them open for The Antlers on their European tour. Described as British Americana, they bring to mind Shearwater, Wild Beasts and The Antlers more than Mumford & Sons, The Civil Wars or Fleet Foxes, but I know what you might be thinking, ‘do we really need another one of these bands?’  A truly valid question.  The answer to which is ‘probably not’, but Shallow Beds is a pretty powerful argument that Dry the River are better than their native counterparts in this newly crowded scene.

Dry the River – No Rest

Elephant & Castle – Transitions (Plug Research, 2012)

Elephant & Castle is the moniker under which Oakland-based producer David Reep created his latest collection of material, Transitions.  I’m not quite sure where I came across this album, but I do remember walking through a crowded airport when it came across my headphones for the first time.  I was immediately transported into a scene from a movie being shot with an invisible crew.  I walked well past my gate and into another terminal before I remembered that I had an actual destination.  It’s not often an electronic album, especially one with hints of jazz, world and techno, can drown the constant cinema in my head, so for no other reason than that, I have had this album on repeat whenever traveling for work.

Elephant & Castle ft. tune-yards – En Memoria

Daughn Gibson – All Hell (White Denim, 2012)

The name Daughn Gibson meant nothing to be just a few days ago, but now the ex-truck driver’s voice haunts my thoughts long after the music dies.  Part Stephin Merritt, part Johnny Cash, Gibson makes country music like you’ve never heard it before — if you can even call it country music.  Baritone vocals flow like think syrup over loops and samples from old gospel songs — telling stories of love lost, youth forgotten and rain on the highway.  Only someone who has spent countless hours, days and years on the road could write songs this honest and convincing.

Daughn Gibson -In the Beginning

High on Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis (E1, 2012)

My metal intake for the month of April was on the light side, but the ten new tracks from High on Fire gave it the weight of thousand suns.  De Vermis Mysteriis means ‘The Mysteries of the Worm’, and apart from being the title of HoF’s latest stoner opus, it is also a fictional book of magic created by Robert Bloch.  This grimoire has been referenced in a great many works by H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, F. Paul Wilson and others.  In all reality, HoF’s reference here is highly irrelevant to your listening experience, as is the concept that spans the songs on the album. As with most of Matt Pike’s work, this is loud, dirty, hairy, grimy, stoner metal — everything else is window dressing.  If you’re a fan of High on Fire and Sleep and Motörhead and and and…then you’re going to love this album from the new masters of their domain.

High on Fire -Fertile Green

Joyce Manor – Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired (Asian Man, 2012)

Being a veteran of the 90′s SoCal (pop)punk scene, I’m always on the lookout for bands continuing down the path forged by so many before them.  Honestly, I am usually bored by the ‘Blink-182 wannabes’ before the second track, but every once in awhile one of these bands will grab my attention, as so happened with Joyce Manor.  Coming straight outta Torrence, CA, Joyce Manor’s latest has eight original tracks and a cover of “Video Kill The Radio Star”, all over 13 minutes.  Granted, there is nothing on this album that’s going to blow your mind, but if you’re looking for a quick dose of catchy punk and you don’t have a copy of The Longest Line handy, this should do you just fine.

Joyce Manor -Comfortable Clothes

Moonface – With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery (Jagjaguwar, 2012)

When I spoke with Spencer Krug back in October, he was more than excited about this collaboration with Siinai.  Being a huge fan of the Finnish band, he essentially turn over all instrumentation to them, freeing him up for what he does best — lyrics and vocals.  Those that have a hard time with Krug’s almost schizophrenic way of changing direction with every project/band/release shouldn’t expect any relief here.  Heartbreaking Bravery sounds nothing like Organ Music, and even less like anything else he has done.  Looking for similarities is a fool’s game though.  Moonface is not a band.  It’s not even a project.  Moonface is essentially Krug’s alter ego.  Everything released under Moonface will probably be completely different than what came before.  Part of the reason Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown don’t exist anymore is because this particular artist needed absolute freedom to follow his muse down the rabbit hole.  As much as I miss those bands, I applaud the man for the decisions he’s made, and Heartbreaking Bravery is proof that he continues to be one of the most interesting artists alive.

Moonface – Teary Eyes And Bloody Lips

Screaming Females – Ugly (Don Giovanni, 2012)

Having never heard of Screaming Females before SXSW this year, I now seem unable to escape them.  Evidently Ugly is their 6th studio album?  Crazy.  But now that they are on the radar, the trio from New Brunswick, New Jersey seem to be everywhere.  A quick search will provide countless positive reviews referencing Sleater-Kinney, Dinosaur Jr., Smashing Pumpkins, Led Zeppelin, and of course, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  Marissa Paternoster might look more like Alice Glass than Karen O, but the comparison is sure to come to mind with every first listen of Ugly.  This album took me awhile to get into.  I even went as far as deleting it from my playlists a few times, but there was a familiarity about it that I couldn’t get over — it wasn’t Yeah Yeah Yeahs either.  It took weeks for me to realize Screaming Females remind me of a band called Tilt.  They were on Fat Wreck Chords and based out of Berkeley.  Til It Kills was an album I had on repeat in ’95 and Ugly sounds like a lovechild between lead-singer Cinder Block and Jack White.  Once I made this connection in my own mind (as off as it might be), I decided I really liked this album.

Screaming Females -It All Means Nothing

Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light (Fat Possum, 2012)

The album cover might ask ‘huh?’, but the name of Jason Pierce’s seventh Spiritualized album is Sweet Heart Sweet Light — a phrase repeated throughout the album’s first proper song, “Sweet Jane”. The question on the cover refers to Pierce’s drug-induced confusion during the creative process that led to this release. The chemotherapy and the chemical cocktails that accompanied it were successful in combating Pierce’s liver disease, but they also acted as a muse for another incredible Spiritualized album.  Critics are calling it a return to form, and I guess that’s accurate, but I thoroughly enjoyed Songs in A&E as well, so I’m not sure a return to anything was needed.  These tracks do seem more personal in nature when compared to those released in ’08 — maybe more grounded in this world — but overall, it’s just another Spiritualized adventure, and I’m happy to be along for the ride.

Spiritualized -Hey Jane

Jack White – Blunderbuss (XL / Third Man, 2012)

What can I say about Jack White’s debut solo album?  It’s pretty much what you would expect.  It sounds like a Jack White solo album.  So why do I like it so much?  I have never been a huge White Stripes fan, although I did enjoy White Blood Cells and Elephant alright.  I could take or leave the Raconteurs and Dead Weather.  Off the top of my head, I’d have to say “Portland Oregon” with Loretta Lynn is my favorite Jack White song.  So why did Blunderbuss grab me on the first listen?  Why do I still have it on repeat weeks later?  To be honest, I don’t know, but if hard pressed I would say it’s because his vocals takes center stage.  I do like his voice quite a bit.  And these songs seem more personal.  They sound warmer than anything he has done before.  Coming from someone who hasn’t even given Jack White more than a passing thought, I believe this just might be his most solid collection of material…ever.

Jack White – Love Interruption

Zambri – House of Baasa (Kanine, 2012)

Jessica and Cristi Jo are sisters from New York.  Zambri is their collaborative project.  House of Baasa is their impressive debut album.  On first listen, it’s hard not to think of Tegan & Sara.  The sisters’ wordplay is as seamless as you would expect from two girls who have spent their entire lives together, but they are much more than just a pretty voice — this sibling chemistry goes beyond the vocal.  On every subsequent listen, new layers fold back on themselves to reveal an intricate collage of perfect pop music, noise and electronic architecture — creating a playful, yet dark atmosphere with a level of authority rarely seen on a debut album.

Zambri – ICBYS

Rewind: (pre-April albums on heavy rotation)
KA – Grief Pedigree (Iron Works, 2012)
Lord Mantis – Pervertor (Candlelight, 2012)
THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE (Sub Pop, 2012)
Whirr – Pipe Dreams(Tee Pee, 2012)

RR: 04.12

Nas is one of the best rappers alive.  I am happy to say I never gave up on him.  In fact, I just saw him perform a couple years ago and he killed it like it was 1994.  Sure, not everything he’s released since Illmatic has been newsworthy, but if I’m not mistaken, Nas has never done anything to embarrass himself.  Not every cut can be a classic, but to be consistently good and to stay true to who you are, makes all the difference in this game.  Nas will be 40-years-old next year, which is ancient in the hip-hop arena, but instead of making children’s movies or recording tracks wtih Skrillex to stay relevant among the kids, he has been releasing straight-up old school gangsta shit that evokes the past while setting a new bar for the future.  But when you’re almost 2 decades into your career, have a family and are so far removed from the hood that birthed your style, it can’t be all streets, all the time.  It seems every emcee eventually records a song for their children, and usually it’s a cheeseball throw-away track that doesn’t deserve a place on the album, much less single treatment.  That cannot be said for “Daughters”, the latest from Nas’ tenth LP, Life Is Good.  It’s personal, honest and heartfelt, but it’s also gritty and real — my guess is the majority of Nas’ fanbase have daughters of their own, but even if they don’t, the No I.D. production and Nas flow should win over the kids growing up in the shadows of the golden age.

Listen to “Daughters” at Rap Radar

…and the year continues with the start of the (mediocre) Red Rocks season.

05.01 The Black Keys & Arctic Monkeys @ 1st Bank Center
05.01 Delta Spirit @ Fox Theatre
05.02 Portugal. The Man & The Lonely Forest @ Ogden Theatre
05.02 Lotus Plaza @ Larimer Lounge
05.05 MINI FEST @ Hi-Dive/3 Kings
05.06 MINI FEST @ Hi-Dive/3 Kings
05.07 Roger Waters: The Wall Live @ Pepsi Center
05.08 Alcoholic Faith Mission @ Hi-Dive
05.08 The Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Bluebird Theater
05.08 Destruction & Warbringer @ Casselman’s
05.09 Suckers @ Hi-Dive
05.10 Social Distortion & Toadies @ Dox Theatre
05.11 Meshuggah & Baroness & Decapitated @ Ogden Theatre
05.11 Emily Wells & Portland Cello Project @ Fox Theatre
05.12 Joe Pug & The Lumineers @ Bluebird Theater
05.12 Schoolboy Q &Ab-Soul @ Fox Theatre
05.13 Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul @ Larimer Lounge
05.13 Deer Tick @ Bluebird Theater
05.13 Joey Cape & Chad Price @ 3 Kings
05.15 Plants and Animals @ Hi-Dive
05.16 Curren$y @ Fox Theatre
05.17 Curren$y @ Bluebird Theater
05.18 Pennywise & Guttermouth @ Summit Music Hall
05.19 Active Child & Balam Acab @ Larimer Lounge
05.20 Mark Lanegan Band @ Bluebird Theater
05.20 Fear Factory & Shadows Fall @ Summit Music Hall
05.21 Here We Go Magic @ Hi-Dive
05.23 The Civil Wars @ Ogden Theatre
05.23 Xiu Xiu & Dirty Beaches @ Bluebird Theater
05.23 Jamey Johnson @ Grizzly Rose
05.24 Van Halen @ Pepsi Center
05.26 Reno Divorce @ Marquis Theatre
05.26 Best Coast & JEFF the Brotherhood @ Fox Theatre
05.26 Horse Feathers @ Bluebird Theater
05.28 Toxic Holocaust & Midnight @ Marquis Theater
05.28 Of Monsters And Men @ Ogden Theater
05.29 Santigold @ Ogden Theatre
05.29 The Shins & The Head And The Heart @ Red Rocks
05.29 Jane’s Addiction @ Fillmore Auditorium
05.29 Blitzen Trapper @ Bluebird Theater
05.30 The Cult & Against Me! @ Ogden Theatre
05.31 Bon Iver & Feist @ Red Rocks

The Heritage Hunter Tour brought three metal heavyweights back to Denver on Monday night.  The sea of black shirts could be seen migrating down Colfax to the Fillmore Auditorium before the sun began to set.  With a start time of 7:00pm printed on the tickets, those familiar with the Satanic stylings of Swedish revivalists Ghost made sure to arrive early for the ritual.

The five masked, hooded, nameless ghouls took the stage at exactly 7:30pm, followed moments later by the master of ceremonies, Papa Emeritus.  Ghost are known as much for their costumes and stage presence as they are for their throwback, sing-along metal anthems.  Having just witnessed a ritual back in January at Marquis Theatre, I think I’ll just refer to my previous words here…

I have seen quite a few ‘satanic’ bands in my time, but Ghost are something different.  First off, I don’t believe they are Satanists.  I believe it’s all part of the show.  Just like GWAR arn’t really aliens and the dude from Dimmu isn’t really from Stars Wars, the costume and lyrical content remind me of a traveling art troupe.  Erik Danielson covers himself in animal blood because he truly believes each show is a type of black mass, Ghost have Hollywood quality costumes and make-up because it’s a show.  There is a big difference there.  If you read interviews with Papa Emeritus, you realize there is a script.  The idea is to spread the word of Satan through attractive means — spread it through entertainment.  Their album cover is a rip-off of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot and their message is around humankind’s obsession with the dark side of things — serial killers, war, black magic, etc.  They are playing on those themes and creating an image that can appeal to the masses.  But none of this would work if they didn’t have the musical skills to back it up…

Without the musical skills, Ghost would never have been invited to join the likes of Opeth and Mastodon on their dual-headlining tour, but what both those bands probably didn’t realize is that these cloaked Swedes would steal the show.  Now, don’t get me wrong, Ghost were not the best band to take the stage Monday night, but they were the most exciting.  They brought the audience something unique and unexpected.  Where I doubt Opeth or Mastodon gained any new fans, I’m sure there were many people going home to download Opus Eponymous after the show.  The large stage, lighting and sound really brought a new level of intensity to their set as well, blowing away even those of us who saw them just a few months ago.  The ritual ended at 8:00pm on the dot, leaving us wanting more.

This would be my first time seeing Mastodon where they were not performing Crack The Skye in its entirety (which I saw three times), so I was pretty excited about their set.  Being one of those on the positive side of The Hunter, I was really looking forward to some new material as well.  But I will say, I was hoping they’d mix it up a bit more.  After kicking things off with “Black Tongue”, we were treated to a dual-kick to the head with “Hand Of Stone” and “Crystal Skull” from Blood Mountain, but then it was 10 songs from their latest, with only “Crack The Skye” to break them up.  I’m all for new material, but does it have to be all at once?  That being said, “Aqua Dementia” and “Blood and Thunder” almost made me forget everything that came before, as the pit grew tentacles, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.  “March of the Fire Ants” would have been a great closer, but after an hour and ten minutes, Mastodon were done.  Brann Dailor came to the front of the stage to thank the audience (the first words spoken since the band took the stage) and that was that.  It was an amazing set when it is comes to technical, ferocious metal music, but Mastodon could use a little more personality and a little more variety in their set.

Opeth were just in town in October.  They played mostly their new (polarizing) album, Heritage, at the Ogden Theatre.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the progressive (non-metal) sound of that album, but having never seen the band, and being prepared for a softer set, it ended up being on of my best live experiences of the year.  When I heard they were coming back on the Heritage Hunter Tour, I figured this would be my opportunity to see the death metal side of this incredible band.  Well, I was right and I was wrong.

The set started out with about 20 minutes of Heritage material.  It was 420 all over again, as the majority of the crowd baked their skulls in clouds of smoke, but even dulled senses couldn’t make up for the mellow atmosphere Opeth was creating in a venue who just witnessed a skull smacking Mastodon set.  People started talking amongst themselves while the band was in jeopardy of losing the already dwindling audience.  As much as I was enjoying the new material, as well as the slow stuff from Damnation and Watershed, by the time we were halfway into “Folklore”, I was losing interest.  It had already been a long night of music and I was just tired and a little bored.  When Mikael joked about the altitude making him feel drunk, but promising to give at least 40%, we all laughed, but impatience for something headbang worthy started to take its toll.  Most of us had already been to this show, at the Ogden late last year, we needed something else.

“If you’re not patient, I’m going to play the song Patience“

It was another jab at those who were visibly upset by all the new material, but for those of us who stuck around, we got our metal!  The show closed with “Demon of the Fall” and “The Grand Conjuration”.  It was my first time seeing the death metal side of Opeth.  It was worth the wait.  But in the end, it just made me hungry for more.  When the show came to a close, I walked out to Colfax a satisfied man, but since then I can’t help thinking about how much better it could’ve been.  With Ghost, Opeth and Mastodon, this show should have been beyond epic!  Instead, it was just a good show by some great bands.

Ghost:
Con Clavi Con Dio
Elizabeth
Prime Mover
Death Knell
Satan Prayer
Ritual

Mastodon:
Black Tongue
Hand of Stone
Crystal Skull
Dry Bone Valley
Thickening
Octopus Has No Friends
Blasteroid
Stargasm
The Hunter
Crack the Skye
All the Heavy Lifting
Spectrelight
Curl of the Burl
Bedazzled Fingernails
Aqua Dementia
Blood and Thunder
The Sparrow

Opeth:
The Devil’s Orchard
I Feel the Dark
Slither
Windowpane
Burden
The Lines in My Hand
Folklore
Demon of the Fall
The Grand Conjuration

Heritage Hunter Tour

Saturday turned out to be one of those days when I truly feel for those who do not live in Denver, Colorado.  The morning started out in line for Record Store Day at Twist & Shout.  This was my third RSD at my favorite mile high record store and once again the crowd was much larger than the year before.  Personally, I have my doubts that a day of binge shopping is going to save these independent institutions, but it’s still great to see so many people line up to show their support for something we will all miss when it’s gone.

Later in the afternoon we spent some time down off Parker & Valencia for Copper Kettle Brewing Company’s 1 Year Anniversary.  Copper Kettle is one of the many neighborhood breweries to open their doors in 2011, adding to an already incredible scene being called the ‘Napa Valley of Beer’.  Day 3 of the four-day event included a beer garden in the parking lot, live bluegrass music, excellent food from The Biscuit Bus and a special tapping of an Anniversary Barleywine.  At 13% abv, it felt a little strange to be drinking it out of a plastic cup in the middle of a sunny day, but I’m not complaining, it was a damn good beer.  The Belgian Golden Strong, the Black Belgian Quad and the award winning Mexican Chocolate Stout provided the perfect buzz for a Saturday afternoon.  After that, it was time for a short rest before heading down to 3 Kings Tavern for the Love Hope Strength Bone Marrow Drive with Arliss Nancy, Micheal Dean Damron and Micah Schnabel.

Although none of the bands on the bill are actually based out of Denver, I consider them all local.  Anyone on Suburban Home Records is local in my eyes.  If you live in Denver and are even the least bit interested in music and/or craft beer, you are familiar with Virgil Dickerson.   The man behind Suburban Home Records also promotes live music at various establishments around the city — merging the best of music and beer, whenever and wherever possible.  It’s rare that one of his artists will come to town to play a single show and then move on.  This weekend was no exception.  Mike D, Micah and the boys from Arliss Nancy not only played at 3 Kings, they also had a gig in Colorado Springs, an acoustic set at Illegal Pete’s and a daytime set at Denver Beer Co.

I can’t speak for all the performances, but those of us at 3 Kings were witness to another great showcase of some of the best in this alternative country music scene.  Ft. Collins-based Arliss Nancy split the night right open with a set comprised almost entirely of tracks from the ‘best of the year’ contender, Simple Machines.  I’ve been following this band for awhile now and I have to say I’m shocked by how much they’ve grown in the past couple years.  Watching them on this particular night, I couldn’t help but think they have the potential to be the next Lucero or Drive-By Truckers.  Cory and GB have the same chemistry as Cooley and Hood as they take turns leading the band.  And their unrestrained energy is infectious.  The sound might not have been great, and Micah’s guest spot on “The Crease” drowned out, but none of that mattered — it was all about getting out there, having some fun, kickin’ some ass and pounding beers.  Just like the aforementioned bands, Arliss Nancy arn’t trying to be cool, they just are.

For those of you who don’t know, Michael Dean Damron is from Portland, OR and is the frontman for I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House.  Mike D (as he’s known by his friends) is a long haired, burly looking dude who would make you shit your pants if you ran into him in a dark alley, but looks can be deceiving.  This is a guy who will pick up a guitar, pour his heart out to you, sell you a t-shirt/album/CD for whatever you can afford to pay, and then buy you a beer with the money.  Every time I’ve seen Mike, he’s silenced a drunk crowd with confessional songs about the rough life on the road, the rough life at home and the rough life growing up.  Throw in an ‘angry-at-the-fucked-up-world’ political point of view and you’ve got Mike in a nutshell — a big man with a powerful voice to express his personal stories.  On Saturday night he split his set with material from across his career, along with a cover of Concrete Blonde’s “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)”.

Micah Schnabel from Columbus, OH is one of the frontmen for Two Cow Garage, but he’s also a brother in this Suburban Home family.  Schnabel comes through our fine city quite a few times a year and it’s always a treat.  No matter where Schnabel is performing, it always feels like you’re in a friend’s living room.  Do you know how it’s usually irritating when someone in the crowd is singing louder than the person on stage?  Well it’s never like that when the audience is singing American Static (5,4,3,2,o000ne!) over Micah’s raspy voice.  It’s a family affair.  GB, Mike D, people from the audience, all on stage — it’s all within the boundaries of having a good time.  Covering Gin Blossoms and Prince arn’t even off limits!  Just Micah, his friends, his family and his guitar — I have to say, I have never put $6 to better use!

London musician/producer Aaron Jerome brought his masked alter-ego SBTRKT to Boulder last night.  Along with his partner in crime, lyricist Sampha, SBRTKT did exactly what you would expect him to do — he turned the nearly sold-out Fox Theatre into a sweltering dance party resembling the UK garage scene that help spawn this brand of electronic music.  Running the gamut of subgenres, including (but not limited to) dubstep, future garage, house and techo, SBTRKT could easily be drown out by the thousands of subpar projects riding this new wave of EDM if it weren’t for the unique vocal stylings of Sampha and other guests such as Yukimi Nagano and Jessie Ware.  Unfortunately, the only female presence to grace the stage last night was the occasional dancer, but SBTRKT and Sampha more than made up for the recorded samples with their live performance.

Just two half-masked men, some equipment, a drum kit, a mic and a bare backdrop in which to project the consonants that make the name, SBTRKT are more about feeling than presentation.  Essentially, nothing more than larger than life shadows hunched over mixboards conducting a sea of revelers ready to move on command.  “Hold On”, “Trials Of The Past”, “Something Goes Right” and “Living Like I Do” were all highlights, while the Drake remix of “Wildfire” felt a little forced with the lack of either Drake or Yukimi Nagano on the stage, but it was “Never Never” that took the set to another level — the teeth jarring bass reverberating to the very back of the venue and out into the streets of Boulder.

I saw SBTRKT a few weeks ago at a daytime set at SXSW and I thought they were ok.  The set at the Fox Theatre was much better due to lighting and the right atmosphere for this type of music.  That being said, I think Sampha is the real talent of the team.  Sure, he sounds a lot like James Blake, but when he is onstage he is his own person, and the purely instrumental tracks prove to be lacking substance without him.

But the real star of the night came before SBTRKT even took the stage.  Willis Earl Beal had the crowd clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and wondering where the hell this guy came from!

Sauntering through the crowd with sunglasses on and cocktail in hand, Willis Earl Beal was in no hurry to start his set, despite the clicking of flashlights beckoning him to the stage, but once he positioned himself behind the mic and in front of his reel-to-reel tape device, there was no doubt we were in for a show.

‘I’m Willis Earl Beal, I’m with you for 8 songs…gonna try to thump through this without making an ass of myself‘

Without taking the sunglasses off, or putting the cocktail down, Beal busted into an acapella version of “Wavering Lines” — immediately silencing the growing crowd, while they migrated from all sides to claim a spot closer to the stage.  With a voice so crisp, so powerful and so unique, it was hard to believe this was the same man who released the extremely lo-fi Acousmatic Sorcery.   It was even harder to believe that tracks like “Cosmic Queries”, “Swing On Low” and “Away My Silent Lover” could sound so damn good (and original) in a live setting, when on the album they sound like someone in a basement with a shitty tape recorder  trying to find his way by imitating his idols.

For someone so new to the stage, Beal demonstrates an insane amount of confidence, at one point commenting on the thin air that affects so many who travel through Colorado, ‘they told me high altitude would fuck with my voice, but I feel good!‘  Pausing in between songs only long enough to stop, start or rewind his tape, Beal was in a constant state of movement, whether is was standing on top of various objects, holding the mic stand high above his head, or leaning over the audience to emphasize a point, he never turned off the ‘entertainer’ for a second.  The only negative was when he kept fidgeting with a sheet he had drawn on, I’m still not sure what the point of that was.

“Evening’s Kiss” might be his best known song, and for that he took a seat and pulled out a guitar.  Once again, the live version sounded so much better than the recording.  While it was a treat for those of us in attendance, it is a shame that his album doesn’t reflect his talent.

After his 40 minute set, Willis Earl Beal bid us farewell with a plug for his merch booth ‘my CDs are for sale in the back, think of it as my collection plate..it will save your soul…they got me out here prostituting myself…buy my CD‘  It was comments like these, along with some of the rants in a few songs, and the whole sheet thing, that had me wondering what he is so angry about.  It also made me think he’s still got a ways to go before he figures out what type of artist he wants to be.  But all that aside, this was a performance I will not soon forget — a performance by an artist who seems out-of-place and out-of-time, not just at a SBTRKT show, but in the world of music today.  And to me, that’s something worth talking about.

Willis Earl Beal:
Wavering Lines
Don’t Leave Me Hanging
Sambo Joe From The Rainbow
Cosmic Queries
Swing On Low
Away My Silent Lover
Evening’s Kiss
Same Old Tears

SBTRKT: (this might not be 100% correct)
Go Bang
Hold On
Living Like I Do
Something Goes Right
Heatwave
Ready Set Loop
Trials Of The Past
Pharaohs
Step in Shadows
Wildfire (Remix ft. Drake)
Never Never

As the first chords of “Autre Temps” opened the Alcest show, much the way they open their latest album, Les Voyages de l’Âme, I found it unsettling that we shared the room with less than 100 people.  Hailing from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France, Alcest are arguably the best in the subgenre of musicians combining the density and beauty of shoegaze with the ferocity of black metal.  With a sound so much larger than the Larimer Lounge, I would have expected the place to be packed.  The low attendance could be blamed on the timing of the show (the Monday after Easter), but I think it has more to do with the fact that this band has been mistakenly associated with a very sensitive black metal scene.  The true black metal crowd will shun Alcest for the simple fact that they come from a place of light and positivity, something frowned upon in the black clad kvlt masses.  On the flipside, those who associate themselves with bands that are much more comparable (Sigur Rós, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai) will be scared away by the occasional blast beat and shriek that accompany the crest of a few Alcest tracks.  So, Alcest is stuck somewhere in the middle — too melodic for the hardcore and just a touch too frightening for the rest.  Maybe that’s the reason the project’s sole permanent member, Neige, told us that he plans on pursuing a dreampop/shoegaze direction in the future, forgoing the metal form that birthed the band in the wake of certain esoteric experiences he had as a child.

After an inspired/slightly disjointed set from local black/doom/goth metalheads Stoic Dissention, Alcest (as a four-piece touring band) took the stage just after 11:00pm.  The atmosphere was set with a thick layer of fog and low blue lighting as Neige and his band took us on a journey through a reality that can only be expressed through sound.  Based on our conversation before the show, I spent most of the set with my eyes closed, allowing songs like “Là où Naissent les Couleurs Nouvelles” and “Les Voyages de l’Âme”  to make me nostalgic for places and people I have never seen or known.  Having no clue what the lyrics mean doesn’t make a difference when it comes to Alcest, both Neige and backing vocalist/guitarist Zero have a way of expressing feelings without a need for translation.  In a live setting it becomes very evident that even the black metal screams are just another way of expressing the powerful emotional impact Neige’s childhood visions had upon him.  These screams do not make this a metal band.  There was no pit, there was no pushing or shoving or headbanging (ok, maybe a little slow-motion headbanging), it was mostly just a bunch of people literally shoegazing while swaying back and forth to the music.  “Écailles de Lune – Part 1″ and “”Percées de Lumiere” were my personal highlights — when they closed out the main set and the band walked from the stage, it was somewhat like waking from a dream.

The encore wasn’t asked for, it was demanded.  The screams of Vive la France and for “Élévation” were slightly out of place, but when Neige returned to the stage and announced ‘you will probably know this one‘, the title track from 2007′s debut, Souvenirs d’un autre monde, closed out the night right.  The whole set lasted about an hour, which was way too short in my opinion, but they did cover material from all three albums and it was a great show.

Before the show Brian H and I sat down with Neige to talk about the concept behind Alcest, their current tour, SXSW and the future of the band.  In a one-on-one conversation Neige is very humble and very soft-spoken. He also speaks with a heavy French accent.  In transcribing the interview, I’ve tried my best to keep it in his voice…

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.  How’s the tour been going so far?

The tour is going well.  Depending on the show, sometimes it’s very good, sometimes it’s less good, but overall it’s been fine.

You’ve been on the road with Deafheaven for awhile now.  I realize their lyrical content is very much rooted in this world, while yours is more esoteric, but the form in which you express your music seems to fit together perfectly.  Was this the case in a live setting?

It has been great.  We became friends very quickly.  They are guys just like us.  It was very fun and very cool.  They are great musicians and great guys.  It’s a very good band.  I hope we can tour again together.

You made it to SXSW for a single performance at Lovejoys for Brooklyn Vegan.  It seems like a lot of work for a single set.  How was your SXSW experience this year?

For the show, everything went very quickly.  We had a very short time, only like 40 minutes to play, so everything went very quickly.  No soundcheck, nothing, no lights, very bad conditions – so we just played.  People were enjoying the show and same for us.  That’s all.  And for the festival itself, it was really very good.  We arrived some days before and we walked into the festival to see the people.  It was very interesting.

Was this your first time at SXSW?

Yes.

Did you catch any bands you wanted to see or had never heard of?

Ah, it was more just walking the street and seeing the people and the mood and the festival.  We don’t have anything that can be compared to this in France.

You have mentioned you like to give interviews because you want people to understand what Alcest is all about.  You talk about a life altering experience as a child acting as the catalyst for Alcest.  What was this experience?  And how did it lead to Alcest?

All that you need to know is the basis of the concept of the band is I believe the realities are more complex than what we see with our eyes of flesh.  This body that you have, that I have, is just a subjective way to perceive the reality.  But we don’t know what reality is.  I think that maybe some people, in some kind of state of mind, could have another access to something.  When I was a child I had a very special sensibility or a way to see things – and yeah, I had some very precise visions.  I know what is a dream, I am not crazy, I know this was not a dream.  It’s impossible to describe.  It’s impossible to prove. Impossible to explain to the people.  So I decided to make this band for this reason – to be able to express myself with just the music and some lyrics.

Is the world of Alcest a different perception of the world we live in?  Or is it an entirely different world/reality?

It is completely different.  Other colors, other shapes, other sounds.  As I said just before, we know extremely few things about this world – about the universe.  Maybe it’s like some radio frequencies – some animals can hear sounds we can’t hear, but it doesn’t mean the sounds don’t exist – they are here.  Maybe it’s similar for the visions.  Maybe there are several realities at once.  Maybe there is a life after life.  Maybe (the visions) are where I was before being here.  So, it can be many things.  I do believe in life before life and life after life.

The music of Alcest is full of beauty and positivity.  Does this mean the visions were positive?

Yeah.  Some of the melodies of Alcest were taken directly from these visions.

Wolves in the Throne Room also speak about how their music is not of this world, even going so far as skipping over traditional venues on their last tour – playing mountaintops, wooded areas, warehouses, art spaces, etc.  Any thoughts of taking Alcest to areas where the music might feel more at home?

Ahh, I don’t know, because nothing in this world can represent what I am trying to explain.  So I think just a regular bar full of punks is just the same.  It works just as well because I bring something up on stage and the stage can be almost anything.  But of course, I would like to play in the forest in the springtime with very good weather.  Something like this. In a field or in a clearing or just by the sea, because I love the sea.

You spread yourself over several different projects (that may or may not be active today), how do you decide when to write for each project?  Or do you just write and decide where the material fits afterwards?

Now I don’t compose for any other bands.  Back then when I had Amesoeurs I divided my creativity.  Alcest and Amesoeurs were very open.

What can we expect in the future from Alcest? 

A new kind of style.  I really want to go away from metal. I am going to dream pop and shoegaze, so I guess it will be some of those kind of influences.

Ok, looking forward to it. Thank you for your time.

Thank you.  Maybe after the show we can drink.

Setlist:
Autre temps
Les Iris
Là où naissent les couleurs nouvelles
Les voyages de l’âme
Printemps émeraude
Écailles de lune – Part 1
Percées de lumière

Souvenirs d’un autre monde

- K Martini

The Scion Label Showcase made its way to Pomona, California once again to the delight of metalheads all around.  And though the festival was on a much smaller scale than 2011′s extravaganza, it was no less full of quality bands from rising star label Profound Lore.  Being relegated to one venue gave the festival more of a “big summer tour” feel as opposed to a festival, but in a way it was much more enjoyable simply for the fact that I was able to focus solely on every band I wanted to see and unlike last year, I didn’t have to pick and choose which bands I’d have to pass on.  If the theme of last year’s metal fest was metal mayhem, then this year’s theme was certainly DOOM!

The first band of the day was the one I wanted to see the most, young Arkansas upstarts, Pallbearer.  They launched their first beast of an album earlier this year, Sorrow and Extinction, and have been rightfully receiving heaps of praise ever since.  Despite the fact the show was set to start at the ungodly hour of 1pm, I made sure I arrived on time to catch their set.  Normally with early starts the crowds don’t start filtering in until much later, but for Pallbearer, a lot of people had the same thoughts I did…this was THE band to see on the bill, and they did not disappoint!

For me, the one thing that sets Pallbearer apart from the multitude of great doom bands I enjoy are the soaring vocals of Brett Campbell.  He doesn’t have quite the death growl of many others, he actually sings with more of a lower to mid-register tone which sounds similar to Mike Scheidt of Yob.  Their songs lurch between crawling and mid-pace and while they throw down some monstrous, powerful riffs, it’s the dynamics of their songs that really resonate with me.  They keep things moving and the songs never seem to stagnate.  Since the show was scheduled to end at 6pm, all the sets were limited on time and unfortunately we were only treated to 3 songs from Pallbearer.  Personal favorite, “Devoid of Redemption”, got the festivities started in crushing fashion with Brett’s vocals sounding even more imposing in a live setting.  “The Legend” started off with the slow, somber bass rumblings from Joe Rowland and proceeded to build into the mournful epic mountain of doom that it is, knocking the audience out like a wild haymaker, leaving everyone hungry for more.  The thunderous rhythm section of Joe Rowland and Zach Stine was LOUD and tight while rhythm guitarist Devin Holt showered the crowd with punishing, epic riffs.  Pallbearer executed to perfection and I can’t wait for these guys to come back and do a full set.  For me, this was hands down the best set of the day.  If you haven’t yet heard Sorrow and Extinction, run out and get it now, better yet, if you get a chance to check them out live, do so before these guys really blow up!

Next up were the Minnesota blackened sludge crew, Wolvhammer.  This band has progressed nicely from their initial primal offerings of Dawn of the 4th and Black Marketeers of WW III to last year’s surprisingly mature The Obsidian Plains.  I have to admit I wasn’t much of a fan of theirs until their latest.  Adding ex-Nachtmystium guitarist Jeff Wilson to the fold led to a huge improvement of their songwriting.  It really launched Obsidian to a much higher level, so I was pretty excited to get a chance to see them perform.  Starting off with album opener “The Gleaming” was promising, with Adam Clemans’ raspy screams coming across powerful and full of rage while the blackened riffs coated the crowd with their sickly sludge.  I don’t know if they had much in the way of technical support, but it seemed like drummer Heath Rave had a hell of a time getting his drums placed just right.  He was constantly fidgeting with them, never seeming comfortable.  Unfortunately you could tell he was just a little off.  In fact, at one point during “A Defiled Aesthetic”, the kick drum mic fell over for about a minute before anyone bothered to come and fix it.  After ending the set with the “The Sentinels”, he stormed off the set, confirming his frustrations.  Their performance was good, a welcome change of pace after the monolithic doom of Pallbearer, but it didn’t seem like anyone were paying any attention to the needs of the band and unfortunately, through no fault of their own, their performance came off a bit sloppy.  I didn’t let that take away from my enjoyment however, and I still look at Wolvhammer as a promising new band that continue to develop. I really like their blend of sludgy, blackened punk metal and look forward to see what they come up with next.

The third band up were probably the most anticipated of the day, epic doomsters, Loss.  There certainly was a buzz among the people in the crowd who all seemed to be talking about them and their merch table was swamped.  Last year’s Despond was highly praised pretty much across the metal spectrum, most people loved it to death.  But there’s always a minority of those who are not in agreement and yes, I am one of them.  Now before you go and get all riled up, I will say that I feel they have some of the most beautiful and haunting melodies in their music, and they certainly set a very downtrodden, morose mood that makes one wallow in despair and sadness, which is certainly the sign of a great doom band.  However, it’s not their music that I find bad, it’s their delivery.  I just feel the pace is exactly the same across each song with no dynamics or variations in theme, and it just doesn’t quite capture my attention easily.  I feel like clean vocals would do wonders for their songs, ala 40 Watt Sun, or even Pallbearer.  They take this approach with the song “Silent and Completely Overcome” and it shows they have room to grow, but otherwise I just didn’t enjoy the album as much as most others did…

But on to the show.  Unfortunately for Loss, their set up was as slow as their songs.  They had technical difficulties that delayed the start of their set at least a half hour.  When they finally got everything settled, they rumbled into opener “Open Veins to a Curtain Closed”.  The plodding crusher got the audience swaying and nodding, hypnotized by their heavy thunder and beautifully, dreary melodies.  You could tell lead singer/guitarist Mike Meacham was slightly frazzled by the long delay, though his passion never swayed.  “Cut Up, Depressed and Alone” took the hypnotized crowd deeper into the pits of despair as this heavyweight monster rolled over the audience like a steamroller.  Small bouts of feedback broke up the trance here and there but the audience didn’t seem to care, they were so entranced by Loss’ punishing riffs.  By the time “To Pass Away” came on, it was already time to wrap up their set.  Despite my criticisms, I could certainly see why people are so enamored with Loss.  They’ve got a heavy, hypnotic beauty to them that envelops the listener, it’s just too bad the technical issues really overrode their all too brief set…a shame because I was enjoying their performance.  Hearing the songs live seemed to resonate with me much more than listening to the album at home.  I will certainly go back and give Despond some more serious spins.

Next up were a band I’d had the misfortune of missing multiple times now, The Atlas Moth.  I really loved their first album A Glorified Piece of Blue Sky, and since this was to be my first time seeing them, I was pretty excited. Although their latest album, An Ache For the Distance, was critically acclaimed as well, it took me quite a while to warm up to it as it was a pretty big departure from their original sound, but the more I’ve listened to it, the more brilliant I think they are.

In a live setting, The Atlas Moth’s psychedelic 60′s influences were displayed with imagery as well as music, with thousands of laser dots illuminated the stage.  As the band have morphed from black metal band with some psychedelic atmosphere in the background to one with the black metal aura now the background, so has their delivery morphed.  Now the shrill black metal screams of Stavros alternate back and forth with David Kush’s lower register, cleaner vocals, which I have to say is a killer complement to their vocal style.  It adds a lot more layers to their songs.  Songs like “Holes in the Desert”, “An Ache for the Distance” and my personal favorite, the mesmerizing “Perpetual Generations”, displayed a real passion and fluidity, each song flowing with an ease and grace that showed me they really love what they’ve created.  And make no mistake, they can still bring the heavy when they want, it’s just done in calculated moments that really blow doors when they decide they want to drop the hammer.  But as with all the other sets, this one was much too short, leaving everyone wanting more.  One of these days I’ll get to see this band perform a full set in all their glory.  I can’t wait to hear some older material as well.  The Atlas Moth have really created something unique and are diving headlong into uncharted territory.  If you like your metal experimental and on the cutting edge, then look no further than these heavyweights.

Finally, it was time for the mighty Oregonian doom merchants to take the stage. Yob is a band I’ve had a long up and down relationship with.  There’s no doubting their talent.  They’ve written some serious doom classics.  But I’ve often found them a little inconsistent.  While some of their material just obliterates everything in its path, some of their other stuff is just incredibly long-winded.  Sometimes I really like Mike Scheidt’s shrill vocal style, other times it just grates on me like someone dragging their nails down a chalkboard.  One thing is for sure though, no one has ever denied their talent or their powerful live performances, so I was curious what to expect from them.  Would they capture my metal heart?  Or would they continue to fuel my apathy towards them?

Well right off the bat Yob came out and dropped a ton of bricks over my head with vicious opener “Prepare the Ground”, from latest album “Atma”, burying any doubts I had whether I would enjoy them or not.  Watching Mike Scheidt rock back and forth, as though in some psychotic trance, really spoke volumes to me about their hypnotic approach to their music.  He really immerses himself into each riff of each section of each song, so I can see why some songs might meander a bit.  It’s really like losing yourself in the moment.  Now I finally understood their music much better.  Travis Foster was a beast behind the drum kit, pounding away like a furious primate.  He and bassist Aaron Reiseberg laid down a thunderous, rock solid foundation over which Mike could riff away into oblivion.  Next song up was a punisher called “Upon the Sight of the Other Shore” that continued to beat the audience down (willingly) into metal submission.  Even a malfunctioning amp head couldn’t stop the mountainous riff assault, as one had to be replaced mid-song.  This didn’t stop the band one bit, Mike kept playing and singing as if everything was ok, even at reduced volume, and when it was fixed the crowd were even more fired up when the guitar came roaring back.  Continuing on with slow build up of “Adrift in the Ocean” the crowd were subdued until once again we were all toppled over by yet another set of giant metal waves crashing over us.  It was glorious being thrown about by the power of Yob.  It was at that moment I was truly convinced this band deserved all the praise they’ve gotten.  Even the finale, a very old song called “The Mental Tyrant”, which for me did drag on quite a bit, couldn’t change my mind.  Even though I may not worship every thing this band does, I now realize that when they are on, they are one of the true heavyweights of the doom landscape.  I was really impressed with their short live performance.  It was actually quite brilliant in my opinion.  On this night Yob definitely converted me into a believer.

And then just like that it was 6pm…the end of the line for the Profound Lore showcase.  Scion continues to baffle me with their seemingly undying support for underground metal.  And not only that, they seem to know who the real up and coming players in the scene are.  Profound Lore really hit it big with this showcase, showing just how strong their stable of metal mares really are.  It was a great lineup, much smaller this time around but no less lethal in it’s delivery.  I’ll certainly be looking forward to the next big Scion metal event and even more so to what else Profound Lore have in store for the unsuspecting masses. Now where are those old Yob LPs?