by crustcake gerf (NYC)
No sense beating around the bush here-- this is the best record I've heard in the 2008 calendar year so far. Hands down. Torche is the only band in the world that's successfully heavy and catchy at the same time. There, I said it. And not only that-- when Torche is heavy, Torche is fucking heavy; and when Torche is catchy, well I'll be damned if those songs don't plant themselves firmly in your stream of conscious and stay there for a few days. And that's a good thing.
As with last year's In Return EP, Meanderthal opens up with an instrumental 'intro' track of sorts: "Triumph of Venus" is fast, bright, and proggy, immediately setting a different tone from In Return's lumbering opening barrage, "Warship." "Venus" gives way to the album's first single (or, at least, the first song on the album with single potential), "Grenades." After a hopping intro, vocalist/guitarist Steve Brooks launches into the first verse as he, along with guitarist Juan Montoya and bassist Jonathan Nuñez, pound away at a one-note, slow slow fastfastfastfast riff.
"Pirana" picks up the pace, riffing and pounding its point home in a mere minute and a half and before you know it you're into the comparatively slower (and heavier) "Sandstorm." This album is just absolutely fucking relentless... Hit after hit after hit; riff, riff, riff, hook, hook, riff. How the fuck do they do it?!
Next up is "Speed of the Nail" (I'm convinced its main riff was inspired by Missy Elliot's "Get Ur Freak On"). What is the speed of the nail, you ask? It's fast. And heavy. And catchy.
Can it get any better?
YES.
"Healer" (MP3 below) is the best song of 2008. At least so far, but it will be hard to top. I have no idea why, but it's just that fucking good. FUCK.
Some review this is turning out to be, huh? So much for 'journalism' and 'integrity' and all that shit. Ah, fuck it. I'll leave that crap to Pitchfork and just continue being the fanboy that I am.
After "Healer," we get the radio rocker "Across The Shields." I don't remember where I read this or I'd link to it, but "Across The Shields" is what mainstream hard rock should sound like.
"Sundown" is the weakest cut on the album, but, though it seems like a bit of an afterthought, it's still a solid song. After the sprightly and brief "Little Champion" comes "Without A Sound," which reminds me of something that I can't quite put my finger on... But it's something good.
Meanderthal closes with three solid cuts-- "Fat Waves," which, after a short intro, vamps for a few minutes on a tom-heavy jam, followed by "Amnesian," a song reminiscent of the band's self-titled debut, and then finally the title track, which contains the only use of the band's signature bombstring on the entire album. And boy is it a welcome sound.
Let's get to the physical record. In what is one of the most creative presentations for an LP I've ever seen, the high-gloss cover folds out like wings and then down like an accordion, revealing a three-panel, 36-inch spread (for comparison's sake, your dick is only three inches) of weird cartoony creatures hangin' on a mountain road.
[front]
[front, 'wings' opened]
[front, full spread]
The vinyl itself, protected by a slip cover, is visible through the back of the jacket:
[back]
The LP is available in black (above) or as a picture disc, which I don't have a picture of unfortunately.
In short, Meanderthal is 13 songs over a mere 36 minutes and you'll find yourself wanting to relive those 36 minutes over and over and over again. Get the vinyl version at one of the band's upcoming shows, or wait for it to turn up online.
10/10 [Audible]
9.5/10 [Physical]
Download: Torche - "Healer" [MP3]
Listen: Torche [MySpace]
Buy: Torche - Meanderthal [Amazon]
July 15, 2008
Crustcake Reviews: Torche - Meanderthal
July 14, 2008
Boris, Torche, Clouds @ Webster Hall
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
Boris, Torche, and Clouds hit Webster Hall last week. I wrote a bit about it already, but Brooklyn Vegan had a photographer at the show (and a damn good one at that). You can see Jason Bergman's fantastic photos of Boris here and check out Black Bubblegum's write up on the show (with photos of Torche and Clouds) here.
Remaining dates for the Boris/Torche trek after the jump. This is one tour you do not want to miss.
Boris, Torche - Remaining 2008 Dates:07/14/2008 Lee’s Palace - Toronto, ON *
07/15/2008 Tralf - Buffalo, NY *
07/16/2008 Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH *
07/17/2008 Diesel - Pittsburgh, PA *
07/18/2008 St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI *
07/19/2008 Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI *
07/20/2008 Pitchfork Music Festival / Union Park - Chicago, IL *
07/22/2008 The Waiting Room - Omaha, NE %
07/23/2008 Granada Theatre - Lawrence, KS %
07/25/2008 Marquis Theater - Denver, CO %
07/26/2008 Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT %
07/29/2008 Neumo’s - Seattle, WA %
07/30/2008 Vancouver, BC, Canada %
07/31/2008 Thu Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre %
08/02/2008 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall %
08/03/2008 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex %
* w/ Nachtmystium
% w/ Lair of the Minotaur
July 11, 2008
I Fucking Did It
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
After a shot of espresso and a stop into the bookstore to kill time (I picked up The Triumph of Evolution and the Failure of Creationism by Niles Eldredge and a copy of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, which I've really been meaning to read practically forever, especially since I'm a Hoosier), I headed to Webster Hall. When I got there (shortly after 7pm), Clouds were already playing (!), and Torche followed shortly at a quarter to eight or so. Talk about an early show... as one member of Clouds (Adam, I think) mused, "they make more money on the dance club."
Torche was just as good as they were the last time I saw them, though the mix wasn't quite as clear (thankfully it wasn't as bad as the sound at Blender). I picked up a copy of Meanderthal on vinyl, so you can expect a review of that next week, finally (I've been watching the Robotic Empire store like a hawk for this damn record-- it's still not up there, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna import the thing).
Boris and Mr. Kurihara eased into "Flower Sun Rain" around 9pm, and I knew from theseseans' report last night that At The Gates wouldn't take the stage until an hour later (and thankfully The Fillmore is literally a five minute stroll from Webster Hall), so I was able to catch probably about half of the Japanese dream weavers' set before Black Bubblegum and I made a break for it. (thanks for the bev, Chris!)
Minutes later we were at The Fillmore, which was, natch, packed to the brim and emanating the distinct odor of schweaty heavy metal dude armpit. I asked for a 'cheap' beer, having spent nearly all my cash at Webster (and I'll be damned if I'm paying a fucking ATM fee), and was served a $6 Budweiser. I love New York.
At The Gates slaughtered souls for more than an hour-- they were extreeeeeeeme... for 1995-- and though I didn't totally geek out, I did enjoy the chance to catch a glimpse of history. ATG were the masters-- the founders of a movement, the innovators of a sound, a sound so ubiquitous (and so often and poorly counterfeited) today it's hard to imagine the world without these Gothenburg heavy metal heroes.
Sorry for lack of photos. Going to pour myself a glass of whiskey. Goodnight. \m/
July 10, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 7/10 - 7/16
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
As if you didn't know it already, At The Gates are in New York City at this very moment. Tomas and his friends are probably bogged down in endless interviews and press-related events today... That or they're still sleeping. The melodic death metal inventors played the first of two NYC shows last night, and Blabbermouth has the setlist. The second long-soldout show is tonight, but you can still find tickets at face value on Craigslist. Oh, and Municipal Waste is warming up the stage, but get there early-- the neo-thrashers hit the downbeat at shortly after 8pm last night.
Hopefully, though, you saw ATG last night in order to clear your schedule today for Torche, Boris, and Clouds at Webster Hall. If you're not going to see At The Gates tonight, go see Torche and Boris! I cannot stress this enough-- GO SEE TORCHE. It's required for all crustcake readers. Have a full report on my desk in the morning-- six pages, single spaced, 10-point font-- or you get an F.
Make the jump for more, and please let us know if we missed anything.
On Saturday, friend of the site Jaclyn Sheer will be showcasing her photography at Death By Audio. Why should you give a shit? Because Ms. Sheer has secured a kickass lineup of four of New York's best metallic ensembles for you to enjoy while guzzling brews from DBA's semi-legal bar: Krallice, Wetnurse, Bloody Panda, and Tombs. It's only $7, and it's not like you have anything better to do on Saturday.
NYC show picks 7/10 - 7/16:Thursday 7/10 - At The Gates, Darkest Hour, Municipal Waste @ The Fillmore at Irving Plaza [sold out]
Thursday 7/10 - Torche, Boris, Clouds @ Webster Hall [$18]
Saturday 7/12 - Tombs, Bloody Panda, Wetnurse, Krallice @ Death By Audio [$7]
July 8, 2008
Crustcake Reviews: Floor - Dove
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
We're going old school with this one. Before forming Torche in 2005, Steve Brooks (vocals, guitar) and Juan Montoya (guitar) spent most of the 90s and early 2000s in their South Floridian stoner/doom/pop band Floor. It was in Floor that Brooks and Montoya pioneered the use of the 'bombstring,' a guitar string tuned so slack that it emits a low, growling rumble that's not even a recognizable pitch.
Floor released a series of vinyl-only EPs throughout the 90s, but it wasn't until 2004 that their 1994-recorded LP, Dove, was officially (and finally) released. Dove is a six track, 34-minute doom-pop assault, and early seedlings of future Torche greatness are abundant and obvious. The CD version of this No Idea release includes an extra track, the 16-minute-long "I Remember Nothing."
The first five songs go by quickly, the longest, "Floyd," being just over four minutes long. The LP's fourth cut is an early version of "Figured Out," which appears on the band's first 'official' full-length, 2002's Floor. Here the song goes by a slightly different name-- "Figure It Out"-- and it's significantly faster, not to mention tuned a whole step higher than its later incarnation.
Vocals on Dove stand out for their distinct difference from later Floor and Torche-- they have a decidedly lo-fi, punky aesthetic, which is at least partly due to the early-mid-90s production style.
The physical album itself is fairly standard-- just a simple sleeve with a gray marble LP.
[cover]
[vinyl]
Along with Floor's self-titled full-length, Dove is a must-have for any Floor or Torche fan. It's a classic cult record that pairs nicely with a bottle of cheap American beer, a spliff, and a warm summer afternoon. Dove is available from No Idea Records.
8.5/10 [Audible]
6.0/10 [Physical]
Download: Floor - "Namaste" [MP3]
Listen: Floor [MySpace]
Buy: Floor - Dove [Amazon]
June 23, 2008
Monday Metal Update 6/23
Doom metal from Indianapolis? Who knew? Gates Of Slumber have been on our radar for awhile around here, we've just been waiting for a good opportunity to mention them. And a free MP3 is just about the best excuse to mention a band on an MP3 blog, so here ya go. Solid old school doom.
Download: Gates of Slumber - "Ice Worm" [MP3]
Yo LA people, listen up. That Torche show we told you about will be limited to 150 people, so get your ass over to Relax Bar tonight early. It will probably be the best show you see all year.
Make the jump for more.
We don't take back anything we said about Josh Homme last week, but the Queens of the Stone Age frontman's response to many in the blogosphere calling him a homophobe is pretty rad:Member of the Peanut Gallery: Some journalists and citizens on the Internet are wondering: Q? Am I a homophobe because I included a slang for gay in with other 'acceptable' curse words during a verbal lashing I gave a young concertgoer, after being hit by his shoe, during a show the other day? A= Nope. My gay family and friends, as well as myself, KNOW I am not a homophobe. For years now I've known gay is not a choice; one's skin color doesn't determine one's intelligence level; and red hair doesn't mean you're someone's stepchild.
You see, it's not the words, it's their intent. I never said, nor suggested, that being gay is wrong, but apparently, based on your outrage to my flu-infused rant, you do! By that logic... I also told that young whipper snapper I'd have anal sex with him... how can I possibly reconcile these opposing viewpoints? I called him a pussy too. Does it mean I hate our one worlds' collective vagina? I never have been nor intend to be politically correct. That's your cross to bear. To me, that PC world would suck more shit than the porta-potty truck at Glastonbury.
Homophobic? I'm in QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, for crissake... You say, 'So. Your band name doesn't prove anything.' Maybe not. But it's a helluva lot more definitive than the logic of some watchdog... (sorry canine-American, canine-European, canine-African, canine-Australian and canine-Asian) moralist, keeping score from pure perfectionville?
If your glass house is squeegeed that clean and you need to do something, do what the great philosopher Bill Hicks once suggested — forgive me. Or don't. I'm not asking for either, OK? I think you should let both of your cheeks go loose so the stick will drop out. Either way I expect that you'll soon find another injustice from your chair, then roll to your bullhorn and point it out to the rest of us... Because you're so above it all. Or If you'll allow me to translate a wish of mine into your PC lingo: Will you please go have, consensual, sex with yourself. Pretty please with all natural, carbon offset sugar on top.
[The Funeral Pyre]
The Funeral Pyre will be hitting the road, sharing some dates with Prosthetic labelmates Antagonist. Check out "Black Earth" over at The Funeral Pyre's MySpace page.
The Funeral Pyre - 2008 Dates:6/23 Hollywood, CA – Knitting Factory (with Cattle Decapitation, Phobia, Skarp)
Antagonist - 2008 Dates:
7/10 Hollywood, CA – The Relax Bar (with Thou, Leech, more)6/28 Salinas, CA – Jump n’ Around (with Arsonists Get All The Girls, Moria)
The Funeral Pyre, Antagonist, Sea of Treachery - 2008 Tour:7/12 Oklahoma City, OK – The Factory
The Funeral Pyre released Wounds on May 27th.
7/13 Dallas, TX – Fat Daddy’s
7/14 Austin, TX – Emo’s
7/15 Amarillo, TX – The War Legion Underground
7/16 El Paso, TX - TBA
7/17 Albuquerque, NM – Launch Pad
7/18 Scottsdale, AZ – Vertical Venue
7/19 Rancho Cucamonga, CA – Nitty Gritty
7/22 Los Angeles, CA – The Whisky
7/23 Palmdale, CA – Palmdale Vets Hall
7/24 San Marcos, CA – Jumping Turtle
7/25 Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction (with Conducting From The Grave)
7/27 Bakersfield, CA – The Dome
7/28 Fresno, CA – The Exit
7/29 Soledad, CA – The Castle (The Funeral Pyre headlines)
7/30 San Jose, CA – San Jose Skate
And lastly, as if you haven't heard already, George Carlin is dead at the age of 71 from heart failure. He will be missed.
June 19, 2008
Crustcake Picks - LA Shows 6/19 - 6/25
by beatmasterspeech (LA)
Oh shit shows for real this time!!!! June 23rd @ The Relax Bar – Torche & Clouds, OH SHIT! Tonight @ The Echo – Earth, OH SHIT! Tonight @ The Smell – Lesbians. Honorable mention goes to June 23rd @ Knitting Factory – Cattle Decapitation, Phobia, Skarp, The Funeral Pyre and many more.
Let’s break it down. You should not miss Torche and Clouds in the intimate setting of the Relax Bar. No, they do not have a pro stage set up there, but Torche will most likely be set up on the floor so you can be face to face with the bomb string explosions. I’m pretty sure this show will sell out so get their early. Larry from Pelican will be DJ’ing between bands. Earth will be cool and Lesbians are always a trip. And you can always get down with the grind if you aint feelin’ the Torche show. Now everyone together, repeat after me... OH SHIT!
LA show picks 6/19 - 6/25:Thursday 6/19 - Earth @ The Echo [tix]
Thursday 6/19 - Lesbians @ The Smell
Monday 6/23 - Torche, Clouds @ Relax Bar
Monday 6/23 - Cattle Decapitation, Phobia, Skarp, The Funeral Pyre and more @ Knitting Factory [tix]
May 26, 2008
Monday Metal Update 5/26
As previously mentioned, Boston's Clouds 
(feat. Adam McGrath, ex-Cave In) will be releasing their debut full-length, We Are Above You (cover art at right), via Hydra Head on June 17th.
Clouds have been added as support for the first third of the Boris/Torche summer tour.
[Clouds]
Clouds - 2008 Dates:Jun 19 2008 Canal Club Downstairs Richmond, Virginia w/ HARVEY MILK
Atlanta extreme metallers Withered, who
w/ Torche and Boris:
Jun 24 Casbah San Diego, California
Jun 25 Clubhouse Tempe, Arizona
Jun 27 Rubbergloves Denton, Texas
Jun 28 the Mohawk Austin, Texas
Jun 29 White Rabbit San Antonio, Texas
Jul 1 Spanish Moon Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jul 2 Common Grounds Gainesville, Florida
Jul 3 the Social Orlando, Florida
Jul 5 the Earl Atlanta, Georgia
Jul 6 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, North Carolina
Jul 8 Black Cat Washington DC, Washington DC
Jul 9 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jul 10 Webster Hall New York, New York
Jul 11 Middle East Downstairs Cambridge, Massachusetts
are currently on tour with The Ocean, Kylesa, and Lair of the Minotaur, will be releasing their second LP, Folie Circulaire, on June 24th via Prosthetic Records. Folie Circulaire was produced by Phillip Cope (Kylesa, Baroness) and features artwork by Paul Romano (Mastodon, Hate Eternal) as well as guest vocals from Napalm Death's Barney Greenway. Check out a track from the album:
Download: Withered - "The Fated Breath" [MP3]
Bludgeoning Sacramento, CA hardcore quartet Trash Talk are set to deliver their Steve Albini-produced debut full-length on July 8th via their own Trash Talk Collective label.
Trash Talk - 2008 Dates:US w/ The Carrier
05/21: Hutchinson, KS @ McGraws
05/22: Denver, CO @ Underground
05/23: Boise, ID @ Myrtle Morgue
05/24: Tacoma, WA @ Rain Fest
05/25: Tacoma, WA @ Rain Fest
Europe w/ The Mongoloids
06/19: Steenwijk,HOL @ Trash Fest
06/20: Newcastle,UK @ TBA
06/21: Hull,UK @ Ringside
06/22: Birmingham,UK @ TBA
06/23: Newport,UK @ Le Pub
06/24: London,UK @ TBA
06/25: Paris,FR @Le Klub
06/26: Saarbrucken,GER @ TBA
06/27: Sint-Niklaas,BEL @ T Verschil
06/28: Rosswein,GER @ Juha Rosswein
06/29: Essen,GER @ Pressure Fest
06/30: Vienna,AU @ Shelter
07/01: Florence,IT @ Ulisse
07/02: Madrid,SP @ Sala Baracuddas
07/03: Nice,FR @ TBA
07/04: Raesfeld / Rurhr,GER @ Jugendhaus Raesfeld
07/05: Eindhoven,HOL @ Bar 51
07/06: Tessenderlo,BEL @ JH Tessloo
US w/ Cold World and Iron Age
07/11: Boston, MA @ TBA
07/12: New York, NY @ Knitting Factory
07/13: Pittsburgh, PA @ Subculture
07/14: Baltimore, MD @ Talking Head
07/15: Harrisonburg, VA @ VFW Hall
07/16: Mauldin, SC @ Ximenos Skatepark
07/17: Orlando, FL @ Backbooth
07/18: Atlanta, GA @ Treehouse
07/19: Birmingham, AL @ Cave 9
07/20: Nashville, TN @ Muse
07/21: Dallas, TX @ Red Blood Club
07/22: San Antonio, TX @ Crossing
07/23: Tucson, AZ @ Living Room
07/25: Santa Barbara, CA @ Earl Warren Showgrounds @ Sound and Fury Festival
[Cancer Bats]
Black Market Activities will be releasing Hail Destroyer, the second LP from Toronto's Cancer Bats. Cancer Bats' brand of raw, pummeling post-hardcore marks a bit of a departure from BMA's usual fare of 'short-hair death metal' and deathcore.
Cancer Bats have dates scheduled in Europe, and US dates will be announced shortly have been announced. The US dates are with Bullet For My Valentine, our favorite band ever, right after Jeff Killed John.
Cancer Bats - 2008 Dates:May 19 2008 ROCK CITY *venue change* Nottingham
Earache neo-thrashers Bonded By Blood will be embarking on their first US tour this summer, joined by Merciless Death and Fueled By Fire. And according to the press release, "[t]here may even be some special surprises along the way!" Maybe those 'special surprises' will include some cameos by first-wave thrash bands to show these kids how it's really done.
May 20 2008 Corporation Sheffield
May 21 2008 Satan’s Hollow Manchester
May 22 2008 Camden Barfly London UK
May 24 2008 Spring and Airbrake Belfast, Northern Ireland
May 25 2008 The Hub Dublin Ireland, Dublin
May 28 2008 Magnet Berlin
May 30 2008 Underground Koln
May 31 2008 X Herford
Jun 1 2008 Treibhaus Luzern
Jun 2 2008 Rockhal Luxembourg
Jun 4 2008 Boule Noir Paris
Jun 5 2008 Helling Utrecht w/ The Black Dahlia Murder
Jun 6 2008 Melkweg Amsterdam
Jun 7 2008 Waterfront Rotterdam
Jun 9 2008 007 Prague
Jun 10 2008 Arena Vienna
Jun 11 2008 Cafe Schlachthaus Dornbrim
Jun 14 2008 Rock Planet Ravenna
Jun 15 2008 Traffic Rome
Jun 17 2008 Le Caravan Serail Toulouse
Jun 18 2008 AVV Arrebato Zaragoza
Jun 19 2008 Porto Rio Oporto
Jun 20 2008 Ritmos Y Compas Madrid
Jun 21 2008 Mas Guinada Barcelona
Jun 22 2008 Casino Royale Palma De Mallorca
Jun 29 2008 SCENE FEST St. Catharines, Ontario
Jul 14 2008 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Jul 15 2008 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Jul 16 2008 Minneapolis, MN The Myth
Jul 19 2008 Billings, MT The Shrine
Jul 21 2008 Spokane, WA The Big Easy
Jul 22 2008 Seattle The Sodo
Jul 23 2008 Portland The Roseland
Jul 24 2008 Sacramento, CA The Boardwalk (* NO BFMV)
Jul 25 2008 Los Angeles The Wiltern
Jul 26 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
Jul 27 2008 San Diego House of Blues
Jul 29 2008 Phoenix, AZ The Marquee
Jul 31 2008 Dallas, TX House of Blues
Aug 1 2008 Houston Verizon Wireless Center
Aug 2 2008 Austin, TX Stubbs
Aug 5 2008 Baltimore TheRams Head
Aug 6 2008 Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues
Aug 7 2008 Lemoyne, PA The Championship (* NO BFMV)
Aug 8 2008 NYC Hammerstein Ballroom
Aug 9 2008 Hampton Beach Hampton Beach Casino
Aug 10 Holyoke Waterfront Tavern (* NO BFMV)
Aug 11 208 Montreal The Metropolis
Aug 12 Toronto The Kool Haus
Aug 13 Dayton, OH The Attic (* NO BFMV)
Aug 14 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
Aug 15 Grand Rapids, MI The Orbit Room
Aug 16 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Aug 23 2008 READING FESTIVAL LOCK UP STAGE Reading
Aug 24 2008 LEEDS FESTIVAL LOCK UP STAGE LEEDS
Thrashing Like A Maniac Tour feat. Bonded By Blood, Merciless Death, Fueled By Fire:Sat June 14th San Fransisco, CA – Thee Parkside
Bonded By Blood's debut album, Feed The Beast, will be out June 9th via Earache Records.
Tue June 17th Sacramento, CA – On The Y
Sat June 21st Kelso WA – Kelso Theater Pub
Sun June 22nd Lakewood, WA – Maggie O’Toole’s
Tue June 24th Hoquiam, WA – The Building
Wed June 25th Everett, WA – Jimmy Z’s
Fri June 27th Salt Lake City, UT
Sat June 28th Billings, MT
Sun June 29th Denver, CO
Thu July 3rd Austin, TX– Head Hunters
Sat July 5th Baton Rouge, LA – The Darkroom
That's it for use, head to Brooklyn Vegan where Black Bubblegum has more metal morsels for ye. Happy Monday, and happy Memorial Day!
May 19, 2008
Monday Metal Update 5/19
Good fucking morning. Team crustcake-NY saw Torche and The Sword on Saturday, and Torche fucking ripped us a new one. They assaulted the sold-out Music Hall with a one-two... three-four-five-six punch of the first half dozen songs off Meanderthal, hardly stopping to breathe, and then proceeded to pummel for another thirty-odd minutes of thunder-pop glory.
[Torche]
Towards the end, Steve Brooks and Jaun Montoya pulled out their bomb-stringed axes and laid waste with "Meanderthal" and "Tarpit Carnivore." We felt like little kids again. And, unlike the last time, the sound for Torche was fantastic. Full-bodied and well-balanced, like a good beer.
Now that that's out of the way, let's start the week off right with-- what else?-- a Black Sabbath cartoon, courtesy of Iann Robinson:
[Harvey Milk]
Thanks, Relapse, for reissuing all those old Harvey Milk records. That was, like, super nice of you. And thanks to Hydra Head for putting out their new one, The Best Game In Town, which will be available on June 3rd (or earlier, if you're into sharing and stuff).
The Milk-- the other gay man from Athens, GA-- will be touring this summer with label-mates Clouds (who's new album will be out June 18th) and a few other bands.
Harvey Milk - 2008 Dates:Jun 17 2008 The Earl Atlanta, Georgia w/ Pride Parade and Major Stars
Remember those Anaal Nathrakh Canadian dates? Cancelled.
Jun 18 2008 The Milestone Charlotte, North Carolina w/ Pride Parade and Major Stars
Jun 19 2008 Canal Club Richmond, Virginia w/ Clouds
Jun 20 2008 Knitting Factory NYC, New York w/ Growing, Clouds, Bloody Panda
Jun 21 2008 Great Scott Boston, Massachusetts w/ Clouds and 27
Jun 22 2008 The Elevens Northampton, Massachusetts
Jun 23 2008 Europa Brooklyn, New York w/ Growing and Clouds
Jun 24 2008 Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania w/ Clouds
Jun 25 2008 Otto Bar Baltimore, Maryland w/ Dianogah and Clouds
Jun 26 2008 Soapbox Wilmington, North Carolina
Jun 27 2008 40 Watt Athens, Georgia w/ Pride Parade
Jun 28 2008 Bottle Tree Birmingham, Alabama w/ Pride Parade
Jul 7 2008 Club Schocken Stuttgart
Jul 8 2008 Festaal Kreuzberg Berlin
Jul 9 2008 Hafenklang Hamburg
Jul 10 2008 Worm Rotterdam
Jul 11 2008 Recyclart Brussels
Jul 12 2008 Supersonic Festival Birmingham
Jul 13 2008 Glasgow Stereo / ABC 2
Jul 14 2008 The Ruby Lounge Manchester
Jul 15 2008 Underworld London
Jul 16 2008 La Maroquinerie Paris
Jul 17 2008 FZW Dortmund
Jul 18 2008 Dour Festival Dour
Hyper-political deathcore band Architect is heading into the studio to record the follow-up to last year's All Is Not Lost.
Death metal legends Nile will be touring Europe this fall with Severe Torture and Grave.
Nile, Severe Torture, Grave - 2008 European Dates:25/09 Haarlem, Netherlands @ Patronaat
More tours...
26/09 Vosselaar, Belgium @ Biebob
27/09 Essen, Germany @ Turock
28/09 Eindhoven, Netherlands @ Effenaar
29/09 Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle
30/09 Aalborg, Denmark @ Studenterhuset
01/10 Orebro, Sweden @ Satin
02/10 Oslo, Norway @ Maiden
03/10 Goteborg, Sweden @ Musikens Hus
04/10 Malmoe, Sweden @ KB
05/10 Berlin, Germany @ K17
Warbringer, Gama Bomb - UK Dates:06/09 London, UK @ Underworld
Ignite - Australian Dates:
06/10 Glasgow, UK @ Ivory Blacks
06/11 Edinburgh, UK @ Studio 24
06/12 Bristol, UK @ The Croft
06/13 Plymouth, UK @ White Rabbit
06/14 Milton Keynes, UK @ The Pitz
06/15 Poole, UK @ Mr C's7/16 Brisbane @ Club 299
Blacklisted, This Is Hell - North American Dates:
7/17 Sydney @ Bald Faced Stag
7/18 Adelaide @ Enigma Bar
7/19 Melbourne @ Arthouse
7/20 Perth @ Amplifier6/13 Syracuse, NY @ Klub Polski
That's it for us. Feel free to head on over to Brooklyn Vegan, where Black Bubblegum has some tasty bits for you, but please come back! We'll be here waiting for you, like some insecure friend who you only hang out with because you feel bad.
6/14 Amherst, MA @ TBA
6/15 Montreal, QC @ @ Club Lambi
6/16 Quebec City, QC @ L'Anti
6/17 Ottawa, QC @ TBA
6/18 Hamilton, ONT @ TBA
6/19 Toronto, ONT @ Reverb
6/20 Windsor, ONT @ TBA
6/21 London, ONT @ The Embassy
6/22 Erie, PA @ Forward Hall
May 15, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 5/15 - 5/21
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
It's being reported that Saturday's Torche/Sword show is already sold out. A bummer if you didn't get tickets in advance, but a boon for the bands, especially Torche who deserve all the recognition and support in the world after the masterstroke that was Meanderthal. The show will be opened by Priestbird (read our interview) spin-off Lapdog of Satan.
One show (or rather, two) that you can still grab tickets for is the Progressive Nation double-header at Terminal 5 next week. In addition to headliners and creators Dream Theater, the tour features Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, and 3.
And now, a special announcement from crustcake hip-hop dilettante Scott Roc:
Come Saturday I'll be knocking back tacos and beers with friends out in the desert, but if I was in New York I'd go see Yo Majesty at South Paw. The Miami booty bass group has been blogged about pretty extensively, so I won't go into it much here other than to say you don't have many opportunities to see a group of lesbians rock a show topless ("Your boy 50 Cent does his show with his shirt off. Why can't I?" - JWL B of Yo Majesty), rapping about kryptonite pussy over the kind of beats the famously misogynistic 2 Live Crew used.Download: Yo Majesty "Club Action" [MP3]
Download: Yo Majesty "Kryptonite Pussy" [MP3]
Upcoming show details and ticket info after the jump.
NYC show picks 5/15 - 5/21:
Saturday 5/17 - The Sword, Torche, Stinking Lizaveta, Lapdog of Satan @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [sold out]Continue Reading...
Saturday 5/17 - Yo Majesty, Does It Offend You, Yeah? @ South Paw [tix]
Wednesday 5/21 - Dream Theater, Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, 3 @ Terminal 5 [tix]
Thursday 5/22 - Dream Theater, Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, 3 @ Terminal 5 [tix]
May 12, 2008
Monday Metal Update 5/12
The previously announced Boris/Torche North American tour has been updated. After Wolves In The Throne Room dropped off the tour, Nachtmystium and Lair Of the Minotaur have been confirmed to pick up some of the slack.
[Nachtmystium]
Dates and much more after the jump.
Boris & Torche - North American Dates:06/24/2008 Casbah - San Diego, CA
Swedish post-metallers Cult of Luna have posted a new song from their upcoming album Eternal Kingdon (due out June 16th in the UK/Europe and July 8th here in the states). The band will be touring Europe this summer in support of Eternal Kingdon.
06/25/2008 The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ
06/27/2008 Rubber Gloves - Denton, TX
06/28/2008 The Mohawk - Austin, TX
06/29/2008 White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX
07/01/2008 Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA
07/02/2008 Common Grounds - Gainesville, FL
07/03/2008 The Social - Orlando, FL
07/05/2008 The Earl - Atlanta, GA
07/06/2008 Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro, NC
07/08/2008 Black Cat - Washington, DC
07/09/2008 First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA
07/10/2008 Webster Hall - New York, NY
07/11/2008 The Middle East - Cambridge, MA
07/12/2008 La Sala Rosa - Montreal, QC *
07/13/2008 Barrymore - Ottawa, ON *
07/14/2008 Lee’s Palace - Toronto, ON *
07/15/2008 Tralf - Buffalo, NY *
07/16/2008 Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH *
07/17/2008 Diesel - Pittsburgh, PA *
07/18/2008 St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI *
07/19/2008 Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI *
07/20/2008 Pitchfork Music Festival / Union Park - Chicago, IL *
07/22/2008 The Waiting Room - Omaha, NE %
07/23/2008 Granada Theatre - Lawrence, KS %
07/25/2008 Marquis Theater - Denver, CO %
07/26/2008 Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT %
07/29/2008 Neumo’s - Seattle, WA %
07/30/2008 Vancouver, BC, Canada %
07/31/2008 Thu Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre %
08/02/2008 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall %
08/03/2008 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex %
* w/ Nachtmystium
% w/ Lair of the Minotaur
Cult of Luna - 2008 Dates:17 June 2008 Berlin, Germany - Magnet
18 June 2008 Warsaw, Poland - Progesja
19 June 2008 Wroclaw, Poland - Firlej
20 June 2008 Chemnitz, Germany - AJZ Chemnitz
21 June 2008 Trier, Germany - The Ultimate Summerblast Festival
22 June 2008 Brittany, France - Hellfest
24 June 2008 Munich, Germany - Feierwerk e.V.
25 June 2008 Vienna, Austria - Arena Vienna
26 June 2008 Prague, Czech Republic - RockCafe
27 June 2008 Marburg, Germany - KFZ
28 June 2008 Leeds, UK - Ghostfest
29 June 2008 Birmingham, UK - Carling Academy
30 June 2008 Brighton, UK - Brighton Barfly Club
01 July 2008 London, UK - SCALA
03 July 2008 Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
12 July 2008 Joensuu, Finland - Ilosaari Rock
Deicide's new album, Till Death Do Us Part, is currently streaming on their MySpace. The special edition version of the release comes with-- get this-- a "Glen For President" patch. We can't make this shit up people. Well, we could, but it wouldn't be as funny.
[End of a Year]
Deathwish announced the addition of Upstate NY hardcore band End of a Year to their ranks. The band is currently working on their first release for Deathwish, and has several European tour dates scheduled.
End of a Year - 2008 European Dates:5/23: Hessen, Germany @ AK 44
That's it for us today, happy Monday!
5/24: Freiburg, Germany @ KTS
5/25: Esslingen, Germany @ JH Komma
5/28: Barcelona, Spain @ Miercoles
5/29: Palma de Mallorca, Spain @ Jueves
5/30: Madrid, Spain @ Nastl
6/01: Lisbon, Portugal @ Domingo
6/02: Asturias, Spain @ Lunes
6/03: Getaria, Spain @ Martes
6/04: Toulon, France @ Rock Live Cafe
6/07: La Spezia, Italy @ RDA Mayday
6/08: Vienna, Austria @ Tuwl
6/09: Prague, Czech Rep @ Chateu Rouge
6/10: Budapest, Hungary @ Kuplung Klub
6/11: Bayern, Germany @ Kafe Kult
6/12: Mannheim, Germany @ Juz
6/13: Berlin, Germany @ Subverslv
6/14: Aalborg, Denmark @ 1000 Fryd
6/15: Kiel, Germany @ Schaubude
6/16: Hamburg, Germany @ Rote Flora
6/17: Ibbenburen, Germany @ JKZ Scheune
6/18: Utrecht, Germany @ Acu
6/19: Gent, Belgium @ Frontline
6/20: Hannover, Germany @ Sturmglocke
6/21: Steenwijk, Netherlands @ Trashfest
6/25: Santa Barbara, CA @ Earl Warren Showgrounds
6/26: Santa Barbara, CA @ Earl Warren Showgrounds
6/27: Santa Barbara, CA @ Earl Warren Showgrounds
April 25, 2008
Boris, Torche - North American Tour
Download: Torche - "Healer" [MP3]
Download: Boris - "Statement" [MP3]
When Boris drummer Atsuo told us in our interview with him that his band would be back in the US this summer for a string of dates, he failed to mention that said dates were with Torche. The creators of two of the year's best albums on a bill together? Not ten, not twenty, but twenty-seven dates? Wolves in the Throne Room supporting? Check, check, and check.
Torche's latest, Meanderthal is already out and slaying eardrums worldwide, while Boris' Smile hits stores in the US this coming Tuesday.
Pre-order: Smile [Southern Lord]
Tour dates after the jump.
Let's hope Michio Kurihara decides to grace this tour with his presence like he did for Boris' recent NYC gig.
Boris Boris Boris - Tour Tour Tour:04-25 Bielefield, Germany - AJZ *
Listen: Torche - Meanderthal [Full Album Stream]
04-26 Copenhagen, Denmark - Loppen *
04-27 Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall *
04-28 Gothenburg, Sweden - Sticky Fingers *
04-29 Oslo, Norway - John Dee *
04-30 Stockholm, Sweden - Kagelbanan Sodra Teatrn *
05-02 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia *
05-03 Turku, Finland - Klubi
05-06 Leipzig, Germany - UT Connewitz *
05-07 Berlin, Germany - Magnet Club *
05-08 Wroclaw, Poland - Firlej *
05-09 Prague, Czech Republic - Palace Akropolis *
05-10 Budapest, Hungary - A38 ^
05-11 Vienna, Austria - Szene *
05-12 Munich, Germany - Feiewerk *
05-13 Innsburck, Austria - PMK *
05-14 Milan, Italy - Garage *
05-15 Rome, Italy - Circolo Degli Artisti Club *
05-16 Ravenna, Italy - Bronson *
05-18 Winterthur, Switzerland - Salzhaus *
05-19 Stuttgart, Germany - Club Schocken *
05-20 Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique *
05-21 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino *
05-22 Nantes, France - Olympic *
05-23 Poitiers, France - Le Confort Moderne *
05-24 Toulouse, France - Vents du Sud *
05-26 Porto, Portugal - Porto Rio *
05-27 Lisbon, Portugal - Zedobois *
05-29 Barcelona, Spain - Parc del Fòrum (Primavera Sound)
05-30 Clermont, France - La Cooperative de Mai *
05-31 Dudingen, Switzerland - Kilbi Festival
06-24 San Diego, CA - Casbah !
06-25 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse !
06-27 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves !
06-28 Austin, TX - The Mohawk !
06-29 San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit !
07-01 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon !
07-02 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds !
07-03 Orlando, FL - The Social !
07-05 Atlanta, GA - The Earl !
07-06 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle !
07-08 Washington, DC - Black Cat !
07-09 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church !
07-10 New York, NY - Webster Hall !
07-11 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East !
07-12 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rosa !
07-13 Ottawa, Ontario - Barrymore !
07-14 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace !
07-15 Buffalo, NY - Tralf !
07-16 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop !
07-17 Pittsburgh, PA - Diesel !
07-18 Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall !
07-19 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall !
07-20 Chicago, IL - Union Park ^
07-22 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room !
07-23 Lawrence, KS - Granada Theatre !
07-25 Denver, CO - Marquis Theater !
07-26 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge !
07-29 Seattle, WA - Neumo's !
* with Growing
! with Torche, Wolves in the Throne Room
^ Pitchfork Fest with Spoon, Dinosaur Jr., Spiritualized, M. Ward, Ghostface and Raekwon, Les Savy Fav, The Apples in Stereo, Dirty Projectors, Cut Copy, Dodos, King Khan & the Shrines, El Guincho, Fuck Buttons
Buy: Torche - Meanderthal [Amazon]
April 10, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 4/10 - 4/16
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
With so many badass records hitting your ears recently, you may have let Disfear's early 2008 barnburner Live The Storm fall by the wayside. It's time to give Torche's Meanderthal a rest and start rockin' it D-beat style again, because Disfear will be hitting the road in North America starting next Wednesday in New York where they will be joined by Boston rockers Bloodhorse.
Download: Disfear - "Get It Off" [MP3]
Download: Disfear - "The Cage" [MP3]
Disfear - "Phantom" (live):
Bloodhorse - "I'm Burned" (live):
Also this week, Allentown, PA's Pissed Jeans. They don't have a website. Or a MySpace. The New York Times won't print their name, because they're a bunch of sissies. Wait... the New York Times wrote up Pissed Jeans?[Pissed Jeans] brings back ’80s memories of hard, slovenly noise, when punk bands realized they could slow down and let their music fall apart a bit. It triggers a deep behavioral response of that era too, before mosh pits became codified.
The Times' Ben Ratliff did indeed write a feature on the enigmatic punk band, which you can and totally should read right here.
Pissed Jeans (live):
NYC show picks 4/10 - 4/16:Thursday 4/10 - Man Man, These Are Powers, The Extraordinaires @ Bowery Ballroom [tix]
Friday 4/11 - Man Man, Yeasayer @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple [sold out]
Friday 4/11 - Pissed Jeans, AIDS Wolf, 2up @ Knitting Factory [tix]
Tuesday 4/15 - Dead Meadow, The Parlor Mob @ Maxwell's (Hoboken) [tix]
Wednesday 4/16 - Disfear, Bloodhorse, Attake, Parasytic @ Knitting Factory [tix]
April 8, 2008
Meanderthal Men
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
[UPDATE] Stereogum has an MP3 for "Healer," which just so happens to be the best song on the album. Grab the track here.
So, there's this record label you may have heard of. They're called Hydrahead and today they released Meanderthal, the second full-length from Miami's Torche. We mentioned it briefly yesterday, and once I get my grubby little hands on a vinyl copy (which is actually being released by Robotic Empire, not Hydrahead) you can bet your britches we'll have a review.
Not only does Hydrahead put out kick ass records, they also happen to have a swell sense of humor:
One night some months ago we had a dream. Not like a Martin Luther King-type dream, with little kids of all races and nationalities holding hands and shit like that. No, we had a more realistic dream—okay, okay, it was the middle of the day and we were high and maybe jerking off, so technically it was more of a fantasy—but the dream we had was that one of our favorite bands would be on our label and together we would release one of the most satisfying records in the history of forever. And the heavens would part, the Billboard charts would collapse under the sheer sonic awesomeness, and the world would become a better place—a place where everyone had free health care and a money tree in their backyard and a hot trophy wife or strapping young houseboy or whatever.
And that band, ladies and gentlemen, was Torche. And wouldn’t you know it, that shit totally came true (we’re waiting on the health care, the money tree, the houseboy and the Billboard thing, but still). And that record—in case you’re having trouble keeping up here—is Meanderthal. Call it the band’s second official full-length (after their 2005 self-titled debut via our good friends at Robotic Empire) and follow-up to last year’s six-song mini-epic In Return, released exclusively on hallucinogenic vinyl. Call it the latest and greatest bomb-string stoner pop/thunder rock/doom pop classic from Torche mastermind Steve Brooks and his fellow hook heroes. Call it the sweetest, catchiest, hugest riff colossus since Sky Valley. Shit, call it Album Of The Year if you want. That’s what we’re going with, anyway.Hey, Hyrdrahead? I might just take up on that 'Album of the Year' offer. I guess we'll find out in eight months or so.
PaperThinWalls has Meanderthal streaming in full, as well as a track-by-track breakdown from frontman Steve Brooks and guitarist Juan Montoya. Check it all out here.
Download: Torche - "Grenades" [MP3]
Listen: Torche - Meanderthal [Full Album Stream]
Buy: Torche - Meanderthal [Amazon]
Continue Reading...
April 7, 2008
Crustcake Picks - New Music 4/8
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
First off, a little disclaimer/explanation. Regular readers will have noticed that here in crustcake land music that leans towards the heavy end of the spectrum is our bread and butter. We generally leave most of that 'indie rock' stuff to the 'experts' over at Pitchfork and Stereogum (and the hundreds upon hundreds of other indie blogs out there), but from time to time a band will stand out in the crowd and draw our attention away from our beloved blast beats, riffs, and growls, if only temporarily. So, for all you metalheads that are wary of that sort of thing, we'll try to be as clear as possible, but rest assured that we only post non-metal stuff here that we really like and that we really think is worth your time.
With that out of the way, on to our new music picks for this week. Priority numero uno is Torche's Meanderthal, a 13 track thunder-pop (translation: heavy guitars, catchy songs) masterpiece. Meanderthal is a different animal from Torche's previous recorded output-- it's more focused and song-oriented. Their signature bombstring is absent from all but the final, title track and the album doesn't have the same concentration of heavy moments of In Return, but the band's intentions are clear and their evolution is apparent. Torche is really in a class of their own.
Shoegaze duo Nadja's latest LP, Desire In Uneasiness, is out tomorrow on Crucial Blast. No audio treats from this one available yet that we know of-- we'll be hearing it for the first time tomorrow like everyone else. And we expect greatness.
Japanese melodic hardcore heroes Envy have a DVD out tomorrow, Transfovista.Transfovista is the first long-form video documenting the long and winding history of Envy's sound and vision. Presented here are seventeen of the band's most notable live performances, spanning a dozen years and countless pieces of murdered equipment. Beautifully edited from a variety of sources culled from hundreds of live shows, Transfovista is a perfect documentation of where the band started, where they've been, and where they are now. From tiny basements to massive outdoor stages and back, this is how the first fifteen went for a band that is becoming more legendary with every passing moment.
For these last two, I'm gonna have a go at beatmaster's 'two word' game. Fleet Foxes = heavenly harmonies; Man Man = weird circus. Two words really ain't enough though, so head to each band's MySpace for your own sonic sample: Fleet Foxes' MySpace; Man Man's MySpace.
Download: Fleet Foxes - "Sun Giant" [MP3]
Man Man - Feathers and Engrish Bwudd (live):
Our picks:
Envy - Transfovista (DVD) [Amazon]
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP [Amazon]