Monday Metal Update 6/9

Our favorite party thrashers, Municipal Waste, have released a video for the song "Sadistic Magician" off their 2007 album The Art of Partying.

[T]he clip features the band performing "Sadistic Magician" inside an extremely volatile nuclear power plant. The plant can't handle the manic energy of MUNICIPAL WASTE and starts falling apart, causing absolute gory mayhem to befall the citizens and wildlife of the areas surrounding it.

There's plenty of toxic green ooze in the video (probably from the above barrels), and that's never a bad thing.

Municipal Waste - "Sadistic Magician":



The Waste will be tearing it up on the road next month with At The Gates.

Earache's other throwback thrashers, SSS, have some dates scheduled in Europe.

SSS - 2008 Dates:

21 Jun 2008 Manchester, UK - Central Skatepark #
26 Jun 2008 Manchester, UK - Star & Garter $

10 Jul 2008 Newport, UK - Le Pub *
11 Jul 2008 Brighton, UK - Hobgoblin *
12 Jul 2008 London, UK - Old Blue Last *
16 Jul 2008 Sheffield, UK - Casbah %
17 Jul 2008 Nottingham, UK - Cameleon Cafe *
18 Jul 2008 Leeds, UK - Joseph's Well *
19 Jul 2008 Boston, Lincs, UK - Indian Queen *
20 Jul 2008 Birmingham, UK - Ben Johnson *

25 Jul 2008 Prague, Czech Republic - Fluff Fest

# w/ Gentlemens Pistols
$ w/ Negative Approach
* w/ Down and Outs & Cold Ones
% w/ H20 and Cold Ones

We've said it before and we'll say it again-- Boston's Have Heart are picking up right where Modern Life Is War left off. The hardcore quintet just posted a new track on their MySpace, "Hard Bark on the Family Tree," which comes off their forthcoming album, Songs to Scream at the Sun (July 8th, Bridge 9). They've got a ways to go before they are in the same league as MLIW, but they're on the right track.

We've made our love for Dethklok known around here, and now the New York Times is getting in on the action. Check out their poorly-written and utterly uninteresting feature on Metalocalypse creators Brendan Small and Tommy Blacha here (thanks Kelli).



We mentioned it briefly before, but here's the trailer for Lemmy: The Movie:



"Rock n' roll is Lemmy. Lemmy is rock n' roll!"


[Wetnurse]

Seventh Rule Recordings has announced a September 30 release date for the new full-length album by New York's Wetnurse, Invisible City. The album was recorded and mixed by Martin Bisi (Swans, Helmet) at B.C. Studio in Brooklyn, NY, and was mastered by Alan Douches (Converge, Mastodon) at West West Side Music. Check out a track and the album's cover art here.

New York readers mark your calendars-- Wetnurse will be appearing with Intronaut, Behold... The Arctopus, and Mouth Of The Architect at the Knitting Factory on August 8th.

UK drone-doom death-ritual conjurers Moss will release their new album, Sub Templum, on July 8th via Rise Above Records.


[The Roller]

Austin, TX old-school doomsters The Roller will be releasing their first full-length on June 17th via Monofonus Press. Check out a track off the record:

Download: The Roller - "Rattle of the Shaman" [MP3]

The Roller are rolling into your town the summer, head to their MySpace for the dates.

That's it for us, happy Monday!

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Brooklyn Has Heart

We here at crustcake are big Modern Life is War fans and were sad to see them embark on their recent farewell tour.

With that in mind, this weekend could be just what we need. Boston's Have Heart are playing in Brooklyn at 1054 Willoughby Ave ("Fortress of Solidudes") this Friday the 9th. If you are not familiar with Have Heart, we think now is just about the right time to check them out.

Their new album Songs To Scream At The Sun is scheduled for a July release, and their latest song "Bostons" (available on their myspace page) sees the band leaving their straight-ahead hardcore approach and picking up right where Modern Life is War left off.

After the Brooklyn gig, they'll be heading back up to Boston and Connecticut before heading down under for a few dates in June. Tour info after the jump.



Have Heart - 2008 Dates:

May 9 - Fortress of Solidudes - Brooklyn, New York
May 10 - ICC Church - Allston, Massachusetts
May 16 - AS ONE FEST - Waterbury, Connecticut
Jun 5 - Thebarton Theatre - Adelaide
Jun 6 - Billboard - Melbourne
Jun 7 - Billboard (all ages) - Melbourne
Jun 8 - Metro City (all ages) - Perth
Jun 8 - Capitol - Perth
Jun 12 - High School - Byron Bay
Jun 13 2008 - RNA Showgrounds - Brisbane
Jun 14 2008 - Roundhouse - Sydney

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Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 4/3 - 4/9

by crustcake gerf (NYC)

Download: Explosions In The Sky - "Your Hand in Mine (live in San Francisco 3/21/08) [MP3]

I don't have anything interesting or witty to write about this week's shows, so a simple list will suffice. The cheapest show on my radar is $17 though, so this week might be a good time to go easy on the wallet and skip the live music, for once. You gotta catch up on your record buying anyway, dontcha?

[UPDATE] Holy shit, how could I possibly have forgotten this? Iowa's Modern Life is War is currently on their much-too-soon farewell tour, and they'll be making their NYC stop this Sunday at Knitting Factory. Buy your tickets right fucking now.

NYC show picks 4/3 - 4/9:

Thursday 4/3 - Titan, Bassoon, MegaNeura, Hell's Hills @ Europa [tix]

Sunday 4/6 - Modern Life Is War (Last NYC Show Ever), Sioux City Pete and the Beggars, Celebrity Murders, Pregnant @ Knitting Factory [tix]

Sunday 4/6 - Testament, Full Blown Chaos, Nethereal, Martyrd @ BB King's [tix]

Monday 4/7 - Minus the Bear, The Big Sleep, Portugal the Man @ Webster Hall [tix]

Tuesday 4/8 - Explosions in the Sky, Lichens (members of 90 Day Men) @ Terminal 5 [tix]

Modern Life Is War - Live @ CBGB - Jan. 4 2004 Part 1-3:





Ok, turns out I do have something to say. It's no revelation that BB King's isn't exactly the best place to see live music in the city, but they do book certain metal tours that other venues won't touch, so they deserve credit for that. But, seriously... Ok, check it out-- here's the ticket info for the Testament show from their website:

$25.00 Advance
$30.00 Day of Show
$60.00 VIP ticket includes first entry into room at door time and autographed poster.

Now, $25 is probably too expensive for this show, but that's not really what I'm concerned with. What's the fucking deal with these 'VIP Tickets'? More than double the standard ticket cost and you get:

1.) First entry at door time? Wow, that's a real selling point, guys. Honestly, who the fuck is so eager to get in the goddamn place that early and wait around for an hour anyway? Estimated value: $0.

2.) A signed poster? That's swell and all, and sometimes I am happy to pay up to $20 or so for a nice silk-screened gig poster, but not without seeing it first! For all you know, this could be a shitty 11x17 promo poster (you know, the kind with space to write in show dates). It is signed though, so... Estimated value: $5 - 15.

So, what's the total estimated value of this dubious 'VIP Ticket'? Giving BB's the benefit of the doubt, somewhere around $40 ($25 for the ticket itself, $0 for first-entry, and $15 for poster). Fuck that, $60 bucks should at least get you a few drinks or, for the younguns, a meet-and-greet with the band or something. Throw us a freakin' bone, BB's!

[end rant]

P.S. fuck Times Square.

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Monday Metal Update 3/3/08

by crustcake gerf (NYC)

Both of us here at crustcake come from a metal background, albeit very different ones. We didn't grow up with hardcore. Now I can't speak for beatmasterspeech, but to me personally Iowa's Modern Life Is War are a diamond in the hardcore rough (and I'm not alone amongst metalheads in my love for this band). Or were, I should say. As you may have heard, the band has decided to call it quits. Thankfully, their upcoming US tour still has the green light.


(Modern Life Is War)

Modern Life Is War - Final Tour:

3/28 Milwaukee, WI
3/29 Madison, WI @ Madison Fest W/ The Repos, more
3/30 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen W/ The First Step, more
3/31 Detroit, MI @ Ritz
4/1 Bath, NY @ Murphy Lanes
4/2 Syracuse, NY @ Westcott CC
4/3 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
4/4 Boston, MA @ ICC
4/6 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory [tix]
4/7 New Jersey
4/8 Baltimore, MD
4/9 Richmond, VA
4/10 Jacksonville, FL
4/11 Orlando, FL
4/12 Atlanta, GA
4/13 Jackson, MS @ The Ink Spot Gallery
4/14 Memphis, TN
4/15 Louisville, KY
4/16 Indianapolis, IN
4/17 North Pekin, IL @ Planet X Rollerworld W/ Trash Talk, Desperation
4/18 St. Louis, MO @ Lemp Arts Center
4/19 Des Moines, IA
4/20 Cedar Falls, IA @ The Reverb W/ Grave Digging Shovels, Beat Strings
4/21 Waterloo, IA @ Amvets Post 19 W/ Brooks Strause
4/22 Iowa City, IA @ Picador W/ Brooks Strause
4/23 Sioux Falls, SD
4/24 Fargo, ND
4/25 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock W/ Holding On
4/26 Marshalltown, IA @ Moose Lodge W/ Quick Fix, Holding On, more

Here's to you, MLIW, we'll miss you. Good luck and godspeed!

Download: Modern Life Is War - "Clarity" [MP3]
Download: Modern Life Is War - "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S." [MP3]
Download: Modern Life Is War - "Screaming at the Moon" [MP3]

Boston metallers Bloodhorse have a couple NYC dates on their calendar, including a gig in south south Williamsburg this Friday with Brooklyn's own Hull as well as an opening bid for Disfear on April 16 at the Knitting Factory. Tickets for the latter are on sale now.


(Bloodhorse)

Download: Bloodhorse - "Bloodhorse" [MP3]

In other Boston metal news, Clouds (members of Cave In, 27, Hope Conspiracy) have a couple new tracks up on their MySpace page for your ear holes. The band, which released Legendary Demo last year, will release their proper debut album on June 18th via Hydrahead. Keeping with the pretentious and/or tongue-in-cheek theme of Legendary Demo, the album will be called We Are Above You. Beginning this Friday in Ohio, the band will be making their way down to SXSW before heading back up to the northeast for a few dates.


(Clouds)

Clouds - Spring Tour '08:

March 7 - Oberlin College Dionysus - Oberlin, Ohio
March 8 - Howard’s Club H - Bowling Green, Ohio
March 9 - House Cafe - DeKalb, Illinois
March 10 - The Picador - Iowa City, Iowa
March 11 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, Missouri
March 12 - SXSW - Austin, Texas
March 13 - SXSW - Austin, Texas
March 14 - SXSW Hydrahead Showcase - Austin, Texas
March 17 - Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner - Worcester, Massachusetts
March 29 - Matchless - Brooklyn, New York
May 17 - The Church - Boston, Massachusetts
May 25 - Great Scott - Allston, Massachusetts

Download: Clouds - "New Amnesia" [MP3]

Speaking of SXSW, the Hydrahead SXSW showcase (Pelican, Jesu, Big Business, Daughters, Oxbow, Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum, Clouds) and the Solid PR SXSW showcase both look awesome, as does the Relapse showcase (and its flyer):



Besides playing the Relapse showcase, Kentucky's Coliseum, who I dug when I saw them with High On Fire, are coming to a city near you. Head to their MySpace for all the dates.


(Coliseum)

Download: Coliseum - "Fall of the Pigs" [MP3]

For more metal news head over to Brooklyn Vegan, where Black Bubblegum is holding it down.

That's it for today, happy Monday!

Download: Modern Life Is War - "Clarity" [MP3]
Download: Modern Life Is War - "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S." [MP3]
Download: Modern Life Is War - "Screaming at the Moon" [MP3]
Download: Bloodhorse - "Bloodhorse" [MP3]
Download: Clouds - "New Amnesia" [MP3]
Download: Coliseum - "Fall of the Pigs" [MP3]

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Crustcake Picks - CMJ 2007: Tuesday

Welcome to the first-ever Crustcake CMJ Spectacular! CMJ is bringing a shit ton of bands to New York this week. Let crustcake help you decide what's worth your time (and money).

Tomorrow kicks off this year's CMJ Music Marathon with a whole slew of shows (36 to be exact), but we can only go to one. We suggest checking out Iowa's Modern Life Is War, supporting power-pop outfit Lifetime and pop-punk favorites (no, not that kind of pop-punk) Bouncing Souls.

Crustcake CMJ Spectacular! Tuesday:

    10/16 - Bouncing Souls, Lifetime, Modern Life Is War
    @ Webster Hall

Modern Life Is War [MySpace] [MP3]
Midnight in America [Amazon] [iTunes]

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