Monthly Archives: April 2013

//April

Album Review: Usnea – s/t

Usnea self titled Usnea reviewIf there was a band that has impressed me so much and had me hooked from the very first minute of listening, that band would have to be Usnea. And these guys have left me in pure awe.

And their music is oh so hard to describe, lots of funeral doom influence, actually a mixture of doom styles. Black metal has a big impact on the vocal delivery and the feeling and atmosphere of the music. There is also a fantastic range of drone and experiments of noisy unstructured phrases that do add dynamic and dimension to the songs.

What does the...

By |2013-04-30T00:00:00+00:00April 30th, 2013|CD Reviews|0 Comments

Win a pair of tickets to see Audrey Horne

Audrey Horne UK Tour 2013 competition

We've got a pair of tickets to giveaway to see Norwegian rockers Audrey Horne who are heading back to the UK and Ireland. The tour is in support of their fourth album "Young Blood" which was released in February on Napalm Records.  

Support for the tour comes from The Mercy House and Sahg.

We have a pair of tickets for the London show on 2nd May so you and a lucky friend could be in with a chance to win if you...

By |2013-04-23T00:00:00+00:00April 23rd, 2013|Competitions|0 Comments

LIVE REVIEW: Primitive Graven Image Ninkharsag and Wode Liverpool Lomax

Primitive Graven Image Lomax Liverpool

Owing to a flat tyre I arrived at this gig just in time to hear the very last chord of Crypt Lurker’s set. Walking into a fifty strong crowd who were obviously well satisfied with the set they had just seen. After speaking to several it seemed that Crypt Lurker had just pulled off their best set to date. I’m genuinely gutted to have missed it.

Next up and the first act playing were Manchester based Wode. They were according to their tumblr site formed in 2010 and play Atmospheric Black metal/crust. I’d not heard of them before so Wode were an unknown commodity and when they...

By |2013-04-17T00:00:00+00:00April 17th, 2013|Gig Reviews|0 Comments

Desertfest Seven Churches stage preview

Bong Seven ChurchesThink Desertfest, think desert bands, right? Wrong! Whilst the festival gears itself towards the stoner and doom scene there is alot more diversity with the line up than you'd perhaps first think from the title.  This year on the Saturday Seven Churches will be curating the Black Heart stage and organisers Matt and Josh have gathered a truly inspired selection from the cream of the underground spanning all...

By |2013-04-12T00:00:00+00:00April 12th, 2013|Featured Gigs|0 Comments

Ninjafest Hardcore Festival returns to London in October 2013

Knuckledust London Koko

Yes it may say metalgigs at the top but we cover all forms of heavy music on the site so when Louise sent me through the news that Ninjafest was coming back for 2013 I had to get this up.  Here's all the official info that's been sent through: 

NINJAFEST 2013... BACK FROM THE DEAD 

Putting on its first edition in 2002 at The Dome in North London, Ninjafest became a European Hardcore staple over the next six years. From its humble beginnings as a two-day festival headlined by Heaven Shall Burn and Liar, the two girls behind Ninjafest – May and Rachel – took their idea of starting an annual hardcore festival in the UK and turned it into the unmissable yearly party it eventually became. 

Playing host to bands such as Champion, No Redeeming Social Value, Terror...

By |2013-04-10T00:00:00+00:00April 10th, 2013|Featured Gigs|0 Comments

Desertfest preview – Human Disease Promo When Planets Collide stage

Human Disease Promo When Planets Collide Desertfest Camden Underworld

Following on from a quite alarming but funny thread on the Metal Hammer facebook there was an abnormal amount of people commenting about how many bands they didn't know on the Desertfest line up. We figured it was about time we posted up one of our regular festival/gig preview pieces so you can check out all the bands in one place. First up is the Human Disease Promo/When Planets Collide stage which features on the Sunday in the Underworld. Desertfest tickets are on sale now but selling fast so click here to insure you secure your ticket. Stay tuned for preview pieces on the rest of the stages/days over the next few days...

By |2013-04-07T00:00:00+00:00April 7th, 2013|Featured Gigs|0 Comments

LIVE REVIEW: Cannabis Corpse, Ghoul and more Camden Underworld

Cannabis Corpse Camden Underworld

Irish upstarts Visceral Attack are already laying siege to The Underworld as we arrive, and doing a damn fine job by the sounds of it. An energetic shot of thrash/punk that ends far too soon for my liking. It’s been a few years since the plucky five-piece last trod English soil. Don’t be strangers.

This feel-good factor is swiftly shat upon, with crust-fucks Bastard Hammer here to ruin your day. Reduced to a three piece on the night, the band lose nothing in battering ram intensity. The primitive crusty groove of songs like...

By |2013-04-06T00:00:00+00:00April 6th, 2013|Gig Reviews|0 Comments

LIVE REVIEW: Swans at Concorde 2 Brighton

Swans Brighton Concorde 2 live review

Swans took to the stage whilst country music was still blaring out of the PA system.  4 unassuming middle age gentlemen stepped forward and picked up their stringed instruments as 2 younger drummers took their seats hidden behind a wall of kit.  Tubular bells, mounted raised floor toms, giant gongs, they had it all.  Following a quick tune up they started playing whilst the PA was still going, but it was quickly turned off and "To Be Kind" gave Brighton it's first glimpse of Gira and co.  This new song is yet to be put down and released as a studio version, and starts with a minimal feedback loop...

By |2013-04-04T00:00:00+00:00April 4th, 2013|Gig Reviews|0 Comments

LIVE REVIEW: Long Distance Calling, Solstafir, Sahg, Camden Underworld

Long Distance calling london camden underworld review

Due to full time work commitments I arrived disappointingly late and Sahg were already playing to a somewhat small but enthusiastic crowd in London's Underworld club.  It was great to see a band going for it regardless of the lack of audience, head banging side by side, throwing their guitars skywards, they fully rocked out.  By set closer "Echoes Ring Forever" their enthusiasm was rewarded, the 40-50 people that had made the effort to get down early were...

By |2013-04-01T00:00:00+00:00April 1st, 2013|Gig Reviews|0 Comments