The Shred Report – July 31st 2009
The Most Underground News in the Pit
In this report: (Click on a picture to go straight to news about that band)
Kaos have certainly earned their moniker as of late; unfortunately it's from the business side rather than the musical side. Last November, the band said good-bye to guitarist Keven Albert, drummer Burton Ortega, and bassist Jay Figeroa. Making the situation worse was the fact that their new album, The Pits of Existence, was finally ready to go. Although it remains on hold to date, the lineup is complete once again with the additions of bassist Paul Cowan and drummer Shane O'Brien. Rounding things out on a temporary basis is guitarist Steve Brumbaugh. As Kaos gears up to release the aforementioned disc, they will be playing select live dates in their native NorCal, including appearances with Sadus and Hirax (August 1st @ Modesto Virtual) and Death Angel and Skinlab (August 29th @ Oakland's Uptown).
http://www.kaosamongus.com/
http://www.myspace.com/kaosamongus
Whether or not it is related to SPV/Steamhammer's recent filing to begin insolvency proceedings (roughly equivalent to a US Chapter 11 filing), the bottom line is that Swedish Viking warriors Unleashed have signed a new deal and joined the Nuclear Blast family. The signing comes just as the band celebrates their 20th anniversary, and what better way to usher in a new era of Viking death metal than to find a new port of call? Wait - that's a pirate term. What the hell did Vikings call it? Nevermind. They'll start work on their tenth studio album this fall. As they proved with 2008's crushing Hammer Battalion, there are still plenty of tales to tell and skulls left to crush.
http://www.unleashed.se
http://www.myspace.com/666unleashed
On this month's episode of "As the Head Bangs," we present none other than thrash legends Anthrax. After a high-profile vocalist search put relative unknown Dan Nelson into the vocalist position, things were finally starting to look up for Anthrax, following the ill-fated reunion with Joey Belladonna. But then, as the release of their new album Worship Music began to break over the horizon, Anthrax has once again found themselves without a vocalist - but why? Word from the band first was that an illness would keep Nelson off of a string of European dates, a claim that he would later refute in a press release of his own. Shortly after that, word from the band was that Nelson had left the band and that they were actively seeking a replacement, a claim that he would also quickly refute (the leaving part, anyway).
Will we ever know the true story? Probably not. What we do know is that on August 1st, Anthrax will once again take the stage with former vocalist John Bush for a one-off performance at the Sonisphere Festival. We can only hope that all parties will love it so much that it will become permanent. The release of Worship Music has of course been pushed back, but with no word if Nelson's vocal tracks will remain or be rerecorded with whomever the new vocalist turns out to be.
Be sure to tune in next month for the potential continuation of "As the Head Bangs."
http://www.anthrax.com
http://www.myspace.com/anthrax
Punk/thrash metal act Fattooth has announced a number of Canadian dates as part of their Natural Disaster Tour in support of their self-titled debut EP on Reversed Records. Why should you even care about Fattooth? Probably because their lineup includes none other than Gene Hoglan on drums. That's a pretty solid stamp of quality right there. The EP also features a guest vocal appearance by The Heathen (Zimmer's Hole). They look like The Devil's Rejects and sound like a cross between Gwar and Ludichrist. That's all the makings of a great party!
http://www.fattoothmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/fattooth
Norway's Karisma Records has announced the signing of The Brimstone Solar Radiation Band. Their first release for their new label, Smorgasboard, will be their first release in three years and is currently scheduled to street in Norway in September and worldwide in October. Their stoner sound owes more to bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Queens of the Stone Age than anything metal, but it's quite catchy, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to tell you all about a band with a name like that.
http://www.brimstone.no
http://www.myspace.com/brimstonesolarradiationband
Proving once again that I really don't know a damn thing about what's happening in my native NorCal, Ironclad Recordings (the label owned by Unearth vocalist Trevor Phipps) has signed Chico-based Armed For Apocalypse. The band, which features in its rank ex-members of Will Haven, The Abominable Iron Sloth, and
Ghostride, will release their debut album Defeat in the US and Canada on September 15th (European release duties will be handled by SOAR.) An undeniably heavy hybrid of death, doom, and sludge, listening to Armed For Apocalypse just might result in a full internal collapse.
http://www.myspace.com/armedforapocalypsesludge
It's been awhile since we heard new material from Hypocrisy, so I was pleased to find out that they will be releasing A Taste of Extreme Divinity on November 3rd in North America (October 23rd in Europe). I wonder how my sister will feel that I'll be late to her party because I'll be out buying this. Their last studio album Virus was a sleeper hit in 2005, but I expect this one will go straight for the throat. Looks like they'll also be providing support on Ensiferum's upcoming fall/winter tour. I'm sorry, but I just don't think it's right that a band like Hypocrisy is supporting anyone. They've been around long enough and accomplished enough that they should be headlining.
http://www.hypocrisy.tv
http://www.myspace.com/hypocrisy
Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of Sweden's Istapp! Yeah, that excitement may be a little over the top, as I don't know a damn thing about this band, but hell, with all the Swedish I'm about to regurgitate from the press release, how can you not be excited to at least hear what they have to offer?
"Hailing from Blekinge, Sweden on the frozen coasts of the Baltic Sea, are the three warlords that form Istapp. Mordechai von Renvaktar, C. Ashuck von Renvaktar and Fjalar have set out on a campaign to destroy the sun and all of its followers. To this end, Istapp has joined forces with Metal Blade Records to unleash their next vicious assault, Blekinge."
In addition, their discography includes Ma det aldrig toa (2005), Ljusets Förfall (2006), and Köldens Union (2007). I can already feel the cold northern winds blowing this way, bringing their "unique, powerful, and catchy brand of black metal" stateside.
http://www.istappofficial.com
http://www.myspace.com/istapp
Finnish folk metallers Ensiferum have set From Afar as the title of their fourth album, slated for a US release on September 8th (September 9th for the rest of the world) via Spinefarm Records. The band will embark on a European headlining tour in support of the album in October with a return to the states (after a successful albeit limited run on the second half of the Summer Slaughter tour) beginning November 5th. Support on the US trek will come from Hypocrisy, Ex Deo, and Blackguard. Also look for a reissue of 2007's Victory Songs with US-exclusive bonus material on October 13th.
Another banner year for folk metal: Tyr, Alestorm, Fejd, Eluveite, Korpiklaani, and now Ensiferum. I can't wait to get involved is this latest battle.
http://www.ensiferum.com/
http://www.myspace.com/officialensiferum
True metal shall never die! To that end, Prosthetic Records has signed Los Angeles-based Holy Grail. Not only do they take their musical influence from the classic metal acts, their entire sound is straight from classic metal's 1980s glory days. Accordingly, their lyrics tackle such tough issues as chicks, Vikings, Conan, dinosaurs, and UFOs. They've caused quite a stir in the LA scene and will now release their debut EP Improper Burial (containing 2 originals and 2 covers) this fall, in conjunction with a west coast tour that will precede the recording of their first full-length album. It's good to see some denim-and-leather on the rise in a part of the world better known for hairspray-and-spandex.
http://www.myspace.com/holygrailofficial
Then, as if to prove just how eclectic their roster can be, Prosthetic Records has also signed Seattle's Trap Them, a band which combines elements of old school Swedish death metal, punk, and d-beat (don't worry, I don't know what that is either). However, before entering the studio to record their label debut, due in the first half of 2010, the band will be releasing an EP through Southern Lord Records. I have a feeling that I've dismissed this band in the past because I just didn't have the time. I also have a feeling that I won't be making the same mistake again next year. Looks like I may have to go track down 2008's critically acclaimed Seizures in Barren Praise because I don't think I'm going to last on the few tracks available on their MySpace page.
http://www.myspace.com/trapthem
What sort of band would be so daft as to combine metal, opera, swing jazz, and spaghetti-western soundtrack influences? The same sort of band that would dub themselves The Diablo Swing Orchestra. Following the success of 2007's The Butcher's Ballroom, their new album Sing-Along Songs for the Damned & Delirious has been licensed by Sensory Records for North American release on September 22nd. They'll also be playing their first shows on the continent, starting with an appearance at Progpower USA X, which takes place September 11th-12th in Atlanta, GA. They have a unique sound for sure that has to be heard to be fully comprehended. However, I am inclined to NOT believe their rather elaborate back story.
http://www.diabloswing.com
http://www.myspace.com/diabloswingorchestra
San Francisco's monstrous duo Black Cobra have completed work on their new album, Chronomega, which will be their first release as part of the Southern Lord Recordings family. Set for release on September 29th, Chronomega will contain nine Billy Anderson-produced tracks (well, 10 if you buy it in Japan or on vinyl) of fuzzed-out, sonic heaviness. Oh goody - I love this kind of stuff. It makes me want to go on a berzerker rampage! (HUSS! HUSS!) In fact, I'm having great difficulty controlling that urge just listening to preview track "Negative Reversal." They have a couple of tours scheduled for Japan and Australia, so I guess they'll get to experience it live before the rest of us.
http://www.blackcobra.net
http://www.myspace.com/blackcobra
Swedish black metallers Marduk are currently holed up in Endarker Studios in Norrköping, Sweden wrapping up their new album, Wormwood, which will see a September release via Regain Records. Of equally as great an interest to US fans, they have scheduled a handful of East Coast dates in August (with support from Withered and Black Anvil) and are working on a full winter tour that will cover all the areas they missed due to the highly-publicized visa issues that resulted in their non-appearance on Blackenedfest. Good to see the Panzer Division rolling on after all that shit went down.
http://www.marduk.nu
http://www.myspace.com/truemarduk
The Accused's long awaited new full-length, The Curse of Martha Splatterhead, is scheduled for release on August 18 via Southern Lord Records. Billy Anderson had a hand in this one too. I'm sensing a pattern here. For those not in the know, the band originally formed in 1981 before taking a hiatus in the 90s and reforming in 2003 and are considered to be one of the originators of the punk/thrash crossover sound. After releasing the comeback album Oh, Martha! in 2003, this new one will be the first to feature the revamped lineup assembled after the 2005 departures of vocalist Blaine Cook, bassist Alex Sibbald, and drummer Steve Nelson that left founding guitarist Tommy Niemeyer as the sole link to the band's past. Leading up to the album's release, The Accused will play several dates in support of labelmates Sunn O))). How the hell is that going to work?
http://www.myspace.com/kingsofsplatter
http://www.splatterrock.com
http://www.southernlord.com
Speaking of legendary bands, Subhumans were at the forefront of the UK anarcho-punk scene in the early 80s, and should not be confused with the decidedly lesser Canadian band of the same name. Recently, the label founded in 1983, Bluurg Records, announced plans to reissue the band's entire back-catalog in remastered, digipak form. This will give the younger punk kids and teenage hipsters something to chew on as they rediscover one of the great bands from the genre's glory days and before emotions came along and turned too many punks into whiny little emo bitches. Of course, it will also allow the older crowd to finally file away their precious vinyl for posterity and listen to them in a more easily replaceable format.
http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/Subhumans/subhumans_home_page.htm
http://www.myspace.com/subhumansuk
Leave a Reply