Monthly Archives: January 2013

//January

Carcass to headline Damnation Festival 2013

Damnation festival 2013 carcass

 

English extreme metal legends CARCASS will return to headline the ninth Damnation Festival for their only UK appearance following the release of their first album in 17 years.

 

The death and grind standard bearers have promised another historic set which will feature cult classics alongside unexpected old gems and brand new material when they take the stage at Leeds University Union on Saturday, November 2, 2013.

 

And after helping to sell out Damnation Festival in advance back in 2008, guitarist Bill Steer is looking forward to performing to a packed house on their return to the event...

 

 

By |2013-01-14T00:00:00+01:00January 14th, 2013|Gig News|0 Comments

Top 60 releases of 2012 by Gary Lukes

Metalgigs top 60 albums of 2012

 

2012 was the year the world didn’t end. It was the year many a young guest on “Jim’ll Fix It” breathed a sigh of relief that all he gave them was a trip to Blackpool and a gaudy badge. It was the year Justin Bieber tragically kept his testicles while the world unfortunately lost the likes of Joey Lombard, Trondr Nefas and Steeve Hurdle.

2012 was a year that I saw out perched on my porcelain throne, cursing the norovirus and delaying my list even further. 2012 also saw me somehow missing stellar releases from Black Magician, Weapon, A Forest of Stars, Incantation(!) and Maveth amongst others. January will be the month I stop throwing up and attempt catching up. In the meantime, take from this list what you will...


By |2013-01-12T00:00:00+01:00January 12th, 2013|Top Tens & More|0 Comments

Album Review: Marduk Dark Endless Reissue

Marduk Dark Endless reissue review

This was the debut album by these Swedish black metal stalwarts. Now 20 years old, yes it has been that long! Listening to it over again brings back all of the feelings of the early 90’s style of music. This reissue has the original album plus some live tracks from 1991 and some early rehearsal recordings.

This album has a solid foundation. Ripping fast, thrash tinged black metal broken down with almost death metal style slower sections. This all tied together with mid range hoarse screamed vocals that have that faint echo effect which is a great touch. Take ‘The Sun Turns Black As Night’ with it’s chaotic fast ripping opening that breaks into a more death metal sinister plod. A section of guitar melody builds to machine gun drumming and a trad black metal guitar lead. Then you have ‘Within The Abyss’ that starts slow and brooding, menacing in feel only to break into a more traditional black metal pace. This once again turns down a few notches with a sinister...

By |2013-01-12T00:00:00+01:00January 12th, 2013|CD Reviews|0 Comments

Maveth – Coils Of The Black Earth

Maveth Coils Of The Black Earth Review

Finland is no stranger to either black or death metal with the country's burgeoning 80's and 90's scene having produced genre titans in regards to both, baring the weight of bands such as Beherit, Barathrum, Demilich, Convulse & Demigod who later left the black metal torch (at least) to be carried by the mighty Horna, Baptism & Behexen among others. Indeed the onslaught continues into 21st century and the last few years in particular has borne witness to the reformation of Purtenance, the announcement of Convulse's first release in just short of 20 years being put out at the beginning of 2013 along with reissues from Abhorrence and Depravity. Not only this but we see a consistent introduction of new blood and formulation of upcoming contenders to the throne. One of these upcomers is Maveth. Releasing their 2012 debut full-length through Dark Descent Records, "Coils of the Black Earth" is a near hour long onslaught of filthy blackened death metal, worshipping at the altar of Incantation...

By |2013-01-07T00:00:00+01:00January 7th, 2013|CD Reviews|0 Comments

Saint Vitus announce UK tour for March 2013

Saint Vitus UK tour March 2013

Doom legends Saint Vitus have announced a UK tour around their Hammerfest appearance.  Tickets for shows go on sale on Friday 11th January and support comes from self professed Seventies Rock preservationists Mos Generator.

Dates are as follows:

11th March The Haunt, Brighton

12th March The Cellar, Southampton

13th March O2 Academy 2, Birmingham

14th March The Cathouse, Glasgow...

By |2013-01-07T00:00:00+01:00January 7th, 2013|Gig News|0 Comments

Top 15 Albums of 2012 – Colum Bell

Top 15 metal albums of 2012

When Colum isn't turning up late to review gigs in his home town of Brighton you'll generally find him hidden in the darkness of the crowd on the lower floor of the Camden Underworld.  A lover of all things Japanese, his tastes in metal are as wide as his world travels, but regardless of genre it's the impeccable pick of the crop.

Top 15 albums of 2012

Conan’s first full length debut is certainly the primal barbarian riff fest that we were all hoping for. You can’t just can’t help headbanging to tracks such as Battle in the Swamp! The albums success has helped propel them to being one of the most talked about underground bands around! Slay some orcs and raise your tankards to Conan...

By |2013-01-03T00:00:00+01:00January 3rd, 2013|Top Tens & More|0 Comments

Top 10 Metal Albums of 2012 by Rich Price

Top 10 Metal albums of 2012

Rich is normally behind the lens for metalgigs covering gigs "oop North" and you can check out his photography work here.

2012 Top 10 albums by Rich Price

10) Lazarus Blackstar - Hymns for the Cursed

Glad to see these releasing a new album, not many come close to being as slow and bowel evacuatingly heavy as these lot. Now if only they'd play gigs outside of Bradford I'd be a happy man. 

9) Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas

It's Anaal Nathrakh doing what they do best, another one to get...

By |2013-01-01T00:00:00+01:00January 1st, 2013|Top Tens & More|0 Comments