Upcoming Shows *UPDATED*

Talk about too good to be true! I would burn candles to every God I know just to see Summer Slaughter. That line up is beyond sick.

 

Meanwhile, Metal U-Night will be presenting East Bound And Death tour at Malarky's in Albuqurque on the 17th, featuring local bands Defleshment and Fallen Prophets. 

Don't miss Four Corners Metal Festival in Farmington, NM. Over 15 bands will be playing all day long, and it's an all ages event. 

 Hating Nate (formerly known as HN-88) are calling it quits after countless years of providing Santa Fe with some much needed Punk. They will be joined by locals Almost A Lie and Rockin' Rascals from Denver. 

Speaking of bands calling it quits, I hope you didn't miss As In We's swan song at the Santa Fe Bandstand on 07/15/14. That was one hell of a show. They are splitting up indefinitely, but who knows? Besides, at least you can check them out on Bandcamp, Reverbnation, or their official website.

Santa Fe Bandstand is an ongoing event, and you can check out the schedule here. This is not necessarily Metal, but a diverse array of genres and plenty of Rock n' Roll. 

Last but not least, The Santa Fe Reporter will be hosting the annual Best Of Santa Fe Block Party at the Railyard this Saturday. The top 3 bands voted by readers will be performing, so there's a pretty good chance that we'll be seeing some heavy fuckin' Metal. Even if not, it's a good excuse to grab a drink at 2nd Street Brewery. See you there, my friends.

*UPDATE* 

This is going to be Oscillation's final show, at least for the time being. In other words, yet another band is breaking up indefinitely. Frankly, I'm starting to lose count.  Let's make this last show a good one, with support from Torn Between Worlds, Carrion Kind, and 3 Weeks Later.

Upcoming Shows

 

Tonight at the Underground! Check out all these Fear And Loathing references. More importantly, note that this music is featured on Board To Death Vol. 3.  

 

If you live in Albuqurque, The Gasworks are hosting another Metal event tonight. Come check it out!

 

 As you can infer from the flyer art, this is gonna be a retro-style Power Metal show. However, Oscillation is more of the Death Metal persuasion (Think along the lines of Autopsy.)  Heavensake also performs an incredible Helloween cover. You can buy discounted tickets from the bands, but hurry up cuz this is happening tomorrow!

 

An all-ages Metal show at the Gasworks, courtesy of Joe Angel Productions. 

 

Holy crap! Vader fuckin' rules! They're straight up legendary. And they're sharing the stage with Execration to boot! The rest of the line up is pretty cherry, but Vader and Execration are the REAL DEAL. 

 

This Metal show is taking place in El Paso, Texas. You should probably arm yourself.

 

What a line up! Six hours of Metal in Shiprock, NM. Note that drugs and alcohol are not allowed. Also note that they're not responsible for injury, death, or theft. Yikes.

 

Another Texas concert. Vital Remains is the crown jewel of this one.

 

There's no flyer for this show, just a picture of a ticket. $5 on Oct 12 will grant you access to a Rock showcase, sponsored by Primal Panic and Rock U-Night. 

 

Here we go! This is the show at the Traditions building complex off the highway. Another sexy line-up and an even sexier flyer. For those of us who were unceremoniously shooed out of the Hell In July show, this is the show to make up for it. Bring your old Hell In July ticket and it will be honored.

Only $4 to see all these cool Grind/Death bands? Fuck yeah. Count me in. Meathook, Impaled Offering, Defleshment, Deforme, and A Malicious Plague. See you there, my friends.

Intronaut Concert Review

Metal is described as many things, but seldom as serene. Prog Metal line ups such as this defy preconcieved notions of the genre while still remaining TRVE and heavy. Nationally renowned bands Intronaut and Scale The Summit headlined this show, but it was immaculate from start to finish. In the beginning....

Distances of Albuqurque NM is defined by a dichotomy of overwhelming heaviness with intense beauty. You know those pictures of outerspace, where the nebulae look so striking but there is no rhyme or reason to their appearance other than the basic laws of physics? That's like this band, making chaos seem gorgeous. The riffs, percussion, and vocals are all extremely harsh, but there is something intriguing and deep about their caustic sound. On the rare moments when your own head isn't banging, it's lots of fun to see the band thrashing around on stage.  

As In We  is a gem of high octane music, immaculately composed and expertly performed. They just returned  to Santa Fe to a loyal fanbase, after being on tour earlier in the year. Although I consider them Metal, this band transcends genres, and is indeed an experimental blend of different styles. I would say Post-Prog-Instru-Metal, but that just makes me sound like a douche.

In a night dominated by Prog, Torn Between Worlds stood out as the only Grind band. Each fast-paced, aggressive track is introduced by a sound clip, then the musicians proceed to violate the audience's eardrums. Out of the whole line up, this was the only band to incite a mosh pit. As usual, they fuckin' killed it. 

Scale The Summit offered a stark contrast to the relentless fussilade of Torn Between Worlds. This band has a musical style so smooth that it borders on jazzy.  Although  they were very smooth and ambient, they still had the virtuosity and intensity that defines Metal. The guitarists are very talented, and there are some moments of Satriani-esque shredding.  This would make a great soundtrack to sipping brandy out a human skull by the fireplace, wearing your burgundy velvet robe and reading Chaucer. This is a pristine example of melodic instrumental music, with a variety of influences that extend beyond the Hard Rock circuit. 

Intronaut makes some stunning music, and their sublime melodies were given a cutting edge by their thunderous percussion. This is another group that balances intensity with precision. Their formidable stage presence was amplified by projected images. The visuals morphed from soaring eagles to burning embers to abstract kaleidoscopic effects, and so on. I overheard one audience member muse: "I don't know if I like them or if I was hypnotized into liking them." Unlike that dude, I know for a fact that I love this band, but the trippy visuals didn't hurt. 

So there you have it. That was about 5 hours worth of hard-hitting, crowd-pleasing, ass-kicking music. Five stars outta five for sure!

Concert Review: Metal At Warehouse 21

Unfortunately, Anomaly broke down and were unable to make it to this gig. Those of us who just had to see them got a second chance tonight at Hooligan's Nightclub in Albuqurque. Anyway, the incredibly talented Savage Wizdom took their place at the last minute, and drew in a huge audience of loyal fans. 

The night was started off by Exalt, who play a fusion of Hip-Hop and Metal. Their musical style is in the vein of Rage Against The Machince, Faith No More, and pretty much all the other Nu-Metal bands ever. They were decent, considering the fact that I don't care for Nu-Metal. If you're into that kind of thing, more power to you. Exalt is pretty great, just not my cup of tea. 

Colossal Swan Dive was more to my liking, with heavier riffs, aggressive drumming, harsh vocals, and a more crusty musical style in general. This was Metal to which I could headbang in all good conscience. There's not much more I could say here... They have no gimmicks or novelties. Colossal Swan Dive is just three dudes playing good ol' Metal. 

I don't even remember Gutwrench playing at all. They must have cancelled at the last minute as well. This is very unfortunate, since they are a throwback to old-school 80's Doom Death Metal. Then again, they are from a completely different country (Mexico), so maybe red tape prevented them from playing last night. That really sucks, I bet they could put on one hell of a show! 

Headlining in the place of Anomaly was Savage Wizdom, a local favorite. If you don't know by now, they are the best Power Metal band in New Mexico. So think catchy riffs, clean vocals, lyrics about dragons, and  a front row full of headbanging fans. Like all Savage Wizdom concerts, this one was glorious. 

The afterparty was pretty sick too. Or so I assume, since I don't really remember it.  This morning, I woke up next to a Chihuahua in Savage Wizdom's studio. Things went from good to better when I realized there was tons of booze left over. Hair of the dog!  

So it was a pretty good night, full of drunk metalheads and uncertain circumstances. The bands who performed were all talented, but I must admit that I am disappointed that Anomaly and Gutwrench didn't make it. I would love to see them both in concert in the near future. 

As it stands, I give the night a rating of four stars outta five. 

Upcoming Shows: Nationwide Edition

I'm going to try something new: Instead of focusing on New Mexico's local shows, I'm going to post flyers for shows throughout the country. Simply scroll down until you see your region, then check out what shows are coming to a bar/warehouse/slum near you. The U.S.A is a pretty big place, so this will be broken up into two parts: Part 1 will focus on the West and it's various sub-regions, and Part 2 will tackle the rest. You ready? Me neither. Let's do this.

West Coast:

Ghoul is fuckin' ace. The rest of the line up is pretty good too, but let's face it. Most of us would pay the $30  just to see Ghoul. 

So-Cal goes old-school. This show is happening in Ponoma, CA. Having never been there, I can't give you directions. I hope it's literally in a Glass House. 

Southwest: 

Holy crap, that's alot of bands in one day. I'm proud to say that Defleshment hails from my home state of New Mexico, and they have even been interviewed by Native Entertainment magazine. They will be sharing the stage with tons of talented bands at the Rocky Point Cantina in Tempe, Arizona.  Brutal Fest is happening this Saturday, so get your tickets before they sell out!

Speaking of Arizona, that's the place that Anomaly calls home. They will be playing at Warehouse 21, Santa Fe's only all-ages venue. I thought that this show was tomorrow, but since it's currently 2 A.M, I guess it's technically tonight!!

Later on, in the fine month of June, Warehouse 21 once again hosts an epic Metal show. Scalafrea from Colorado is one hell of a band, and Eat A Helicopter is Experimental DeathCore. Basically, if you come, expect some insane mosh pits. Not to mention the rest of the line up, which is comprised entirely of shredders.

This one is in Albuqurque's own Hooligans nightclub. Once again, the line up is pretty righteous, but I have a feeling that Torn Between Worlds will be the band that draws a crowd like moths to a flame. 

Torture Victim is releasing their new album! It's about damn time, too. Not for the faint of heart, lest you have a faint heart attack. 

Northwest:

This beast of a concert will take place in Studio Seven of Seattle, Washington. Fun Fact: Seattle is also home to the brilliant Stoner-Metal group Serial Hawk!

Midwest:

Goat Entertainment presents Shawn Whitaker at The What's Up Lounge in Mankato, Minnesota. I wish I could post more flyers in this region, but it took me about an hour just to find this gem. 

Wow, this is harder than I thought. And I'm not even half-way done! Iron-clad deals suck. Stay tuned for Part 2: Eastern America.  

Last Minute Update

Holy shit! You know what sucks? When you love a certain band to death, and they would be the perfect puzzle piece to complete an amazing line-up, and then they instantaneously break the hell up. Rest in pieces, Obelisk. I miss you already. However, being a trooper, I decided that the proverbial and literal show must go on. Behold my mediocre photoshop skills:

 

You know the drill. Tell your friends, arrange an afterparty, support your local scene and bring your damn skateboard. Now about the line-up:

Michael Lee Ostrander is what Joe Satriani would sound like if he had a dark acid trip. This is not your typical shredder: His musical style is simultaneously morbid and psychedelic. With an axe, amp, and FX in his arsenal, he's gonna make a pre-emptive strike on your eardrums. 

Monostereo is another solo force to be reckoned with. His Indie/Electronic compositions have very strong influences of David Gilmore, so expect some Pink Floyd-esque moments of musical genius. Heavy Metal this is not, but the music is well written and professionally executed. 

Some other third band will be there too, but my standards are high, so expect absolutely no shmucks at this show. 

...See you there, mere mortals. 

Upcoming Shows

I love being 21. Nothing is better than getting smashed and listening to awesome, insane, loud music. For instance...

              If that's not your thing, slightly more marketable/mainstream music is coming to the Sunshine Theater on the 30th.

  

                                     Or, you can check this out, and Scream It Like You Mean It. AAAAHHHH!!

This Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Joe Angel Productions presents Destroy It All Tour, featuring Epiphany, Carry Your Ghost, and some other crazy Metal bands. Doors open at 7 PM, cost is $7, location is the Gasworks.

Tomorrow, Warehouse 21 is hosting an all-ages show featuring HN-88, as well as up-and-coming band The Regulars. I've never heard of any of the other bands, but since I know the aformentioned artists are both Pop-Punk, I'll assume the whole line-up is similar. Besides, their flyer is an elephant in a suit. Anyway, doors open at seven, the cost is  $5, and no drugs or violence.

The fuck is with the deficit of flyers? Well, I guess I'll just tell you beautiful people all you need to know, sans visual aid. Sorry.

July 10th, HN-88 will be playing again, only this time at a bar. The Underground at Evangelos is a pretty cool venue, and the alcohol helps too. To the best of my knowledge, HN-88 will be the only band performing that night, and shows tend to cost $5, doors tend to open at 7 PM.

Saturday, July 14th, awesome Punk band Dead On Point Five is making their comeback at Hooligans Nightclub. Also playing will be Michael Lee Ostrander(think Joe Satriani on acid) and Skulldron (Think Iron Maiden on some dank weed).  Show starts at 7, I have no idea what the cover charge is but $5 is still a good bet.

Th-th-that's all, folks.

A Blessing With A Curse

I was kind of bummed out because my posts are half-assed and lame, so I was worried about what to write today. Then I realized I could just post more flyers and call it a day.

Tonight W21 is hosting the annual Get Awesome Fest, aptly titled because it's FREE and features tons of bands from different genres. I don't recognize any Metal bands in the line up. However, I know that HN-88 is a flashback to 90's Pop-Punk, and that we Santa Fe girls go wild for them. Think what Green Day or Sum 41 would be like if they had more personality. State Of The Mingo is outta-this-world Hip Hop. If you've never experienced  an astronaut rapping, this is kind of a must-see. My favorite album of theirs is the fabulously titled Revenge Of The Synth. These Charming Cobras are ridiculously catchy Punk, somewhat Surf-Rock in their style. Mono Stereo is still a mystery to me. They are "Indie",whatever the fuck that means. And I don't know anything about the remaining bands either. Hey, it's a free show, what's the worst that can happen?

If you're in stupid Albuqurque this Sunday, check out the awesome Punk show at the Gasworks. I don't know any of these bands except for Domestic Violence, self-proclaimed Super Punk Rock, which sounds about right. Their reverbnation doesn't quite do them justice, as their stage presence is, quite frankly, phenomenal. For lack of a better description, I would compare them to Rancid but with a hot chick as the lead singer. That's not even mentioning the other 3 bands who are playing, and it's only $5. This is an all-ages show, so don't fuck it up by getting swilly at the venue. You can drink yourself to sleep when it's over.

Another Gasworks show, eh? This one is on Sunday, July 1st. This Is Hell has shared the stage with the likes of Unearth and Within The Ruins, so they are obviously a force to be reckoned with.The Greenery describe themselves as "sexy dudes making sketchy music." Yeah, that's accurate enough. Ecophagy is a bunch of teenagers wreaking havoc on your sense of hearing. I usually don't like chaotic Hardcore, but I have to admit that these dudes are pretty awesome.  Xerxes is kind of mysterious.

This one is on my 21st birthday, so it's my gift to myself. Only $4 to see A.P.D?! That's nothing short of scandalous.  Not to mention four other amazing Punk bands. That's less than a dollar per act. Take, for instance, Doomed To Exist. They've been described as everything from Grimecore to Crust to Thrash. Regardless of the genre, they are fucking amazing. Duke City Bombers are pretty crazy. They're basically old school "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Punk rock. There are approximately infinity Punk bands called Intoxicated, so I'm not sure which one this actually is. Bad Engrish is yet another Colorado Punk band. And unlike most shows, this one will most likely involve heavy drinking. See you there, my loves.  

Upcoming Shows

I'm a slacker and a half. This is super last minute, and yet it must be done. Apparently there's a benefit for W21 tonight, but only one of the bands is Metal (Until Chaos is freaking epic, by the way.) So support your local scene and bring your skateboard. Like all Warehouse 21 shows, doors open at seven and it only costs five bucks. Also, don't show up with drugs or a crappy attitude. Not even cool, bro.

So much for that biz. Tomorrow, things get heavier with the Slaughter Survivors Battle Of the Bands.  Atypical Night is a sublime taste of Melodic Death Metal. Of All Forms is just plain heavy.  Futilitarian is thrashy Instru-Metal.  Eulogies Of The Forgotten is best described as Blackened Thrash. I have no idea what the other bands sound like, which only makes me more excited to go. $10 at the door, show starts at 6 PM, and 9 bands in all. Location is Albuqurque's own Amped Performance Center.

If you happen to be in Nevada this Saturday, check out the amazingly talented Machine Gun Vendetta, sharing the stage with legendary Leftover Crack. This show will be awesome, no joke. I wish I had this flyer hanging in my room.

Now here's a show I've been anticipating for a while... Motherfucking GAZA. These crazy dudes have performed at the (now defunct) Little Wing venue, featured in Terrorizer Magazine, and reviewed in The Living Doorway blog. Good stuff. Not to mention their sharing the stage with local bands, including Immortal Prophecy, Saberwulf, and Harsh Words. I don't know what the cover is, and frankly, I don't care. I'd sell my soul to see this. Also, I wish I had this flyer hanging over my bed.

That's so cherry that it hurts. Anyway, more shenanigans are to ensue on the 8th, now that Scattered Hamlet are back in town. Blinddryve hails closer to home, coming from Albuqurque.And uh, two other bands that I never heard of. This is all going down at Hooligans Nightclub at 7:30. Only $8.

Yeah, I don't have the motivation or artistic integrity to conclude this properly, so... Bye.