Presenting what you haven't heard but should.
VON has been long recognized as one of America’s first black metal bands. And while co-founder Jason Ventura, known as VENIEN!!!, has remarked that that was really never the original intent of the band’s mission, VON remains squarely rooted in the history of USBM, whether they like it or not. Musically, today’s iteration of VON, …
Continue reading "Exclusive video and podcast premiere: VON’s Architects of Death"
This time on the podcast, I chatted with Mike Hill of Tombs and all the members of Vattnet Viskar (Chris Alfieri, Seamus Menihane, Nick Thornbury and Casey Aylward) before their Metro Gallery show with Pallbearer on October 30, 2014. We talked about Halloween, podcasting, wrestling, bad interviews, coffee and how Lover Boy may influence modern …
There are many bands labeled as American black metal, but few in the USBM scene that present a full-fledged occult ritual the way Pact does. The Moribund Cult Records group perfectly blends traditional black metal aesthetics and symbolism with the pummeling grind and growl of death metal. The Erie, PA group will headline Metallomusikum's first-ever …
Cemetery Piss are a raw, blackened heavy metal outfit out of Baltimore. They play tonight at 11:30 p.m, May 22, in a free show at the Sidebar as part of the Maryland Deathfest VII festivities. Here's the event link. The first time I saw Cemetery Piss, I went in not knowing what to expect, as …
Continue reading "Cemetery Piss: spreading that vulture love tonight at Sidebar"
The Oracle from Maryland brings the collective musical influence and experience of four well-established performers to create something unique that they hope will challenge the elitist attitudes of all the metal subgenres they meld together. It's a little bit sludge, a little bit doom, a little bit black metal and maybe even a little bit …
Continue reading "The Oracle thumb their noses at your elitist metal attitudes"
Ever-evolving metal purveyors Abigail Williams will celebrate a decade of plying their dark arts with a 30+ city US headlining tour and a new portfolio of songs. Although many thought the band had officially called it quits, remaining original member, songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Ken Sorceron says his black metal renegades shall ascend once more. …
Continue reading "More than 30 reasons why Abigail Williams refuses to call it quits"
Dark Funeral is apparently still looking for a vocalist. No joke, here is what Lord Ahriman – the founder, guitarist and songwriter of the Swedish Black Metal band  posted on his Facebook page just last week: "If you've got what it takes to tour intensely and be the front man of the ineffable Kings of …
Continue reading "Would you want to be vocalist for Dark Funeral?"
Four of my favorite regional black metal bands gathered at The Sidebar Tavern November 15 for what I'd like to call my own personal "kvltsgiving". The show merged the tail end of the two-week "No Souls, No Minds" tour of Pittsburgh's blackened avant-grinders Dendritic Arbor and Philadelphia's ritualistic Haethen with Baltimore's black metal practitioners Xeukatre …
Continue reading "‘Tis the season of thankfulness for black metal"
Under the name Black Witchery, vocalist/bassist Impurath and his horde have been offering up some of the most aggressive, brutal and primitive black metal on the American scene since 1999. This month, the group reconfigured their lineup with a new man on guitar. They continue to play one-off shows and fests across the country, including …
Continue reading "Black Witchery forges on with blasphemous new axeman"
Friday night I ventured into the darkened back room at Guido's Speakeasy in Frederick to see/hear Dweller in the Valley, Sloth Herder and Horde of the Eclipse. These three are among my favorite local black metal bands and so to have them all together was a treat. Today, I want to talk a little about …
Continue reading "Horde of the Eclipse: blackened impurity from central PA"