(12/12) Epica at Emo's

Epica hits Austin on Sunday, Dec. 12. This is a rare opportunity to see this orchestral hair metal band from The Netherlands. The video I posted above is for their single "Unleashed" off of their 2009 release, Design Your Universe. It will be cool to get out to Emo's and hear something out of the ordinary. Get there at 7:00pm to catch openers Blackguard and Symmetry. General admission tickets and even VIP Meet & Greet tickets can be purchased here.

(7/18) Pack Of Wolves at Mohawk

Metal at Mohawk? Yup. That's not a misprint. You were thinking it should have said Red 7 right? Me too but it is indeed Mohawk. I'm glad to see the indie heavy venue get a little "heavier" for this one. Anytime you have Pack Of Wolves, you have a solid line up and a damn good Sunday night show. What else are you going to listen to after church right? Check out this epic music video from Pack Of Wolves:



Mohawk is located at 912 Red River between 9th and 10th street. Also on the bill are Burials and Curse The Heavens (Manchurian Candidate anyone?). Get there at 10:00pm and bring some cash to pick up some vinyl. Support Austin's metal scene.

2/24 Kill Switch Engage at Stubb's: KSE with different lead singer!

 

Kill Switch Engage

Metal heavy hitters, Kill Switch Engage (KSE), are set to play Stubb's Wednesday with The Devil Wears Prada. I got word of some interesting news today.  KSE vocalist Howard Jones had to unexpectedly leave the band’s current headlining tour, leading to a flurry of rumors and questions about the status of the tour and the band. The band has further issued the following statement addressing the matter, saying: “It became overwhelmingly obvious to all of us around Howard that he is in no condition to be on tour right now and that he needed to get off the road and get himself better. It’s a personal matter and while we understand everyone’s curiosity and concern for Howard and the band, we appreciate everyone respecting Howard’s privacy at this time.”

Quick clip from Anvil last night at Emo's

Ever seen Lips from Anvil rock a pocket rocket on the guitar? I wouldn't watch this at work or in front of small children. Tom Morello never did this...

1/13/10 Wednesday show pick: Behemoth at Emo's

Oh dear God, this kind of metal scares me. Still, I can't not listen. It's intense like a horror or thriller movie. There must be something about Poland that makes Behemoth do death metal better than most. They've been around a long time despite line up changes and over wear and tear touring puts on your body after a certain age. Still, Behemoth has not lost a step or slowed down one bit. Touring to support their latest album, Evangelion, the Polish metal monsters take the stage Wednesday at Emo's for the Evangelina Amerika Tour.

You should get there early as door are at 8:oopm and the show starts at 9:00pm with local old school thrashers, Pack of Wolves. Septicflesh and Lightning Swords of Death round out the bill under Behemoth. It is going to be cold and dark Wednesday night, just like death! Muahahahaha! Okay...that was cheesy. I couldn't resist.


Oh, remember that part about this kind of metal being scary? Check out this video from Behemoth for their song "Ov Fire and the Void" off of Evangelion. Don't watch around small children or while at work, unless of course you don't care one way or the other. Don't say I didn't warn you. This video is sick.



For ticket info, visit ticketweb here.

New Tour Dates for The Sword

The Sword (photo by Jack Thompson)

My favorite band of all time is and always will be Rage Against The Machine, but The Sword challenges that crown every time I listen to their music or see them live. The Austin metal Gods rocked Fun Fun Fun Fest in November and are currently working on a new album. If you were at Fun Fun Fun Fest, you heard a few of their new songs. For those of you who weren't there, don't worry. They are still epic and rock your face off. Their new stuff sounds just as good if not better than what they've done thus far. They just announced some new tour dates, which appear to be strictly regional for now. There isn't an Austin or San Antonio date, which is a real bummer, so I may be driving to Corpus, Houston or Denton for one of their shows. Here are the dates and cities:

January 23 Corpus Christi, TX House of Rock
January 24 Houston, TX Warehouse Live Studio
January 25 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
January 27 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Café
January 28 Oklahoma City, OK Conservatory
January 29 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves

Did I mention they rocked Fun Fun Fun Fest? Here is a video someone captured in decent quality of one of their new songs entitled "Tres Brujas", which translates as "Three Witches". Check it out.



For more info about what's coming up in 2010 from The Sword, check out my interview with bassist Bryan Richie at Fun Fun Fun Fest in November 2009.

Halloween Pick: Pack of Wolves at Trophy's

With so much going on downtown tonight, and so many people to watch, it can be difficult to decide what to do. I'm not into the whole "being seen" scene. If you see me at an "it" event, it is because there is a band or DJ I want to see. Otherwise, I can do without the photo booths and hipsters. I am not speaking ill of that stuff, I'm just saying it isn't my thing.

My thing really is and has always been hard music, whether it be hard rock or hip hop. Even though I don't really consider myself a metal head, I love a lot of metal. I think metal is the perfect genre for a holiday like Halloween, which is supposed to be about scary stuff and horror movies, not hipsters and zombies. The best Halloween show in my humble opinion, is happening at Trophy's tonight with non other than Pack Of Wolves.

The members of Pack Of Wolves are no "Johnny Come Latelys" to the scene. Lead singer and guitar player, Trey Ramirez, was once a member of At All Cost. Alec Padron, bassist, is actually the bassist for Latin indie group, Maneja Beto. Adrian Carillo, drums, also plays with the western-indie band Western Ghost House. Tyson, the other guitar player, used to be in Games In Theory.

Recently Pack Of Wolves opened a show at Mohawk for one of my favorite bands, The Sword, in which they impressed many a metal heads. With a new album in the works, their 2010 should be better than their 2009. They do have a few shows left this year after tonight, but Trophy's is such a cool spot that it is worth taking advantage and avoiding the down town crowd. Many who go out tonight, aren't the people who typically go downtown for shows anyway. They are there to see the freak show and check out the chicks in slutty costumes. Go to Trophy's and enjoy some good metal if that's your thing.

Here's the music video for "Concession" of their album Betrayer:



Playing tonight at Trophy's with Pack of Wolves will be Curse The Heavens, Newlywed and Baron God. Trophy's is located at 2008 South Congress Ave. Doors at 9:00pm and show starts at 9:30pm. $5 gets you in. For more on Pack Of Wolves, check out my interview the band I did for Austin Vida here:

Pack of Wolves Interview

Tuesday Night Show Pick: Trivium, White Chapel & Darkest Hour at Emo's

Typically Austinites have to wait for No Control on Friday nights to get this much metal in one night. Local promoters DAG Presents is bringing a kick ass metal show featuring heavy hitters Trivium, Dirge Within, White Chapel, and Darkest Hour. Make sure to put on your best black t-shirt and call in Wednesday morning. Metal heads will not want to miss this.

 

Darkest Hour

www.myspace.com/darkesthour

Although Trivium may be the main attraction and headliner, I am more excited about checking out Darkest Hour. I missed them during SXSW this year and have been eagerly awaiting their return to Austin. I figured if they did tour Texas after SXSW, they'd hit up San Antonio at the very least. Austin, although it has been a little better this year, isn't the metal haven San Antonio or Dallas are. When it comes to metal touring acts, Austin gets skipped over a lot. Hopefully that nonsense stops sooner than later. As I see more hardcore shows pop up online, the more I see that starting to change little by little.

 Darkest Hour is touring to support their current album The Eternal Return.Categorized by most as a melodic death metal band, Darkest Hour is no Johhny Come Lately. With five albums in their catalog, there seems to be no slowing down anytime soon for Darkest Hour. The Eternal Return is my favorite album of theirs as they sound more polished, faster and even darker than on previous albums. As far as good older material from Darkest Hour, check out Deliver Us as well. That album was almost what The Eternal Return is, but not quite. If you haven't checked them out yet, then you're clearly not into metal.

Something else cool about tonight' show for Trivium fans especially is with each purchased ticket, you will be able to download a full soundboard quality recording of Trivium live from the show. All one has to do is use the ticket barcode on Trivium's website to redeem it. I only wish they'd let us download a full live album. Still, not a bad give away for a show you'd be buying a ticket for anyway. Doors are at 6:30, so get there early.

I have posted some helpful links about the groups and about tonight's show specifically. Also, check out this video of Darkest Hour performing at Red 7 during SXSW this past March. They're performing "Doomsayer" off their album Deliver Us.


SXSW#9: Darkest Hour-Doomsayer from Denman C Anderson on Vimeo.

Helpful Links:

Trivium Myspace

White Chapel Myspace

Dirge Within Myspace

Purchase Tickets Here

New Video From The Devil Wears Prada

I just got wind of a brand new video from The Devil Wears Prada. The video is for a song titled "Danger:Wildman". I saw these dudes at Warped Tour for a bit, but wish they'd come through Austin. From what I saw on their Myspace calendar, it's not happening anytime soon. Buzzkill. Oh well, enjoy the video metal fans.

The Devil Wears Prada - Danger: Wildman

Chuck Loesch's Album Review for "Betrayer" by Pack of Wolves

My man Chuck Loesch from No Control , Austin's metal authority, provided a guest review for us on Austin Vida. Chuck reviewed the new album from Pack of Wolves, Betrayer. If you dig pack of Wolves, check out the interview and live video we captured from their vinyl release show at Red 7. Many thanks to Chuck for what he does not only for metal, but for the Austin Music scene.

You can listen to No Control every Friday at 11 pm to 1 am and to Midnight Metal every night at midnight, of course on 101x.

Click here to read Chuck's review on Austin Vida

Cool New Music Video from Set Aflame

So I was online today looking up some band info for Pack of Wolves, a band I interviewed for Austin Vida recently, because I wanted to see when their next show was. As I was scrolling through their comments and what not, some dude left a video comment on their page. The video was for an Austin metal band called "Set Aflame". Why I felt compelled to watch the video or check it out, I don't know. I'm glad I did because not only was it a cool video, but the song was bad ass. It has been a while since I last discovered a new metal band that I liked. It made me even happier to learn that they were from right here in Austin, Texas. The video s for a song called "Bloodoath". I look forward to hearing more of their music and checking them out live, maybe interviewing them in the future. Who knows? Anyway, check out the video for yourself and form your own opinion. If you aren't into metal or anything hard core, don't bother watching. Thanks for reading anyway.

SET AFLAME "Bloodoath" (Based on "the dark days of James CRANK" Indie Film Horror) from SpoonYOURfilms ENTERTAINMENT on Vimeo.

Make Way For Pack of Wolves

Pack of Wolves is my favorite new metal band not only in Austin, but my favorite new metal band period. Being that they are from right here in Austin and Latinos only adds to my enthusiasm for them. Having been a fan of their former bands, such as At All Cost or their other side projects,it was great to see this group come together to take the metal scene to new heights in Austin. Having received some Spins already on No Control, hosted by Austin's metal guru Chuck Loesch, their success will only continue. I got to sit down with Trey Ramirez and Adrian Carillo to talk about the band coming together, the Austin metal scene, and even Hall and Oats. After all, there's nothing more metal than Hall and Oats.

Click here to read the interview and watch a live video exclusive on Austin Vida

Kalua Interview on Austin Vida

Last month I sat down with Andres Delgado and Juan Diaz from Kalua. They were a fun interview to say the least. I spoke with them about their new album, a new video,The World Cup, The Police, Latin Music in Austin, and even heavy metal.

Check out the interview with Kalua on Austin Vida.