Countdown to MDF X: (33) Deviated Instinct

Deviated Instinct is credited with inventing the term "stenchcore," another way of saying crust punk. The crust punk lifestyle, in case you were not aware, involves minimal bathing, living on the streets or sqautting in abandoned homes and of course, listening to this extreme anarcho-punk-metal. The crust punks have essentially carried on the "traditions" and …

Countdown to MDF X: (34) Haemorrhage

Any fears you may have ever had about going to the doctor or being admitted to the hospital should be reinforced once you hear (or see) Haemorrhage, a 5-piece goregrind act from Spain. With song titles like "Splatter Nurse," "Open Heart Butchery" and "Doctors of Malpractice," you would think that every single band member had …

Countdown to MDF X: (35) Looking For An Answer

I will avoid the obvious puns that one could make from the name of this band, Looking For An Answer, and just tell you that they kick some major blast-beat butt.  This five-piece from Madrid, Spain includes members Iñaki (Vocals), Félix (Guitar), Makoko (Guitar), Ramón (Bass), and Moya (Drums).The group's most recent record, Eterno Treblinka, which you can download …

Countdown to MDF X: (36) Dragged Into Sunlight

Sometimes you hear music that makes your jaw drop. I did that the first time I heard Dragged Into Sunlight (DIS). The second time I listened to them, I knew I would never be the same. Dragged Into Sunlight will perform mid-day at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest on Saturday, May 26. I hope they are …

Countdown to MDF X: (37) October 31

Get your "invisible oranges" ready. Underground legends October 31 play true, uncompromising, epic heavy metal in the vein of more well known acts such as  Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, but with a decidedly thrashy flavor. They perform mid-day on Saturday, May 26 at the Maryland Deathfest.October 31 has weathered numerous line up changes since its …

Organizers want concert goers to enjoy the ‘Sweetlife’

What’s big, “green,” tastes delicious and comes with a sound track of some of the music industry’s most innovative and up-and-coming artists? It’s the second annual Sweetlife Festival coming to Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, April 28. The all-day extravaganza has expanded its musical performances, enhanced its food choices and even added some elements to …

Danish ‘Artillery’ finally landing on US shores

The Danish thrash metal pioneers, Artillery, will be coming to the US for the very first time in their three-decades-long career this summer to play just a couple of shows. One of those stops will be at the Maryland Deathfest. Via email, I interviewed one of the group's founding members, guitarist Michael Stützer. Together with his …

Scott "Wino" Weinrich performing "Hold On Love"

Scott "Wino" Weinrich is among Maryland's most talented and well respected musicians. I recorded this clip during a Feb. 11, 2011 acoustic only performance at Sonar in Baltimore, MD. This was among one the best "small" shows of last year for me.Wino has contributed to a dozen bands in his career so far including The …

Worshipping the riff with Infernal Stronghold’s Gunslut

As part of my series on every single band playing at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest, I have also tried as often as possible to get a few comments from some of the bands. Usually, I send them an email and see what happens. Gunslut, drummer for Internal Stronghold, was kind enough to reply to some …

Countdown to MDF X: (38) Infernal Stronghold

Philadelphia's Infernal Stronghold delivers unadulterated blackened thrash that neither apologizes for its no-holds-barred sound or blasphemous lyrical content. Founded in 2002, Infernal Stronghold somehow seems to have crawled out of the  same hellish void that spawned bands like Mayhem, Darkthrone and Bathory.With songs like "Your Soul Stinks Like Shit" and "Crashing Trucks Into Churches," there really is no …