photo by Scott Irvine

Admittedly, I am not the resident doom expert at MetalSucks, but for my money, the genre is not having a terrific year. To wit: I have heard two doom releases which really knocked my beard off: Rwake’s Rest, and Batillus’ Furnace (my review here). I’ve spoken plenty about the former in the past few weeks, but it’s been a minute since I’ve had a good excuse to praise the latter; but now Batiullus have announced a new tour, so I get to come here and tell you once again CHECK THIS BAND OUT.

‘Cause not only is Furnace a fucking heavy, heavy, evil, evil, scary goddamn record, but this band is really a sight to behold in a live setting. My balls quiver with fear just thinking about it, y’know? And most of these tour dates feature at least one other super-awesome band — including The Atlas Moth, Kowloon Walled City, and Yakuza — so the likelihood that they’re going to be fun is, like, 99.9%. Seriously, don’t miss these dates.

Here’s the tour itinerary:

Click to read more…

It seems like we’re getting a ridiculous amount of good new music today, doesn’t it? It’s almost overwhelming. It’s also pretty much, like, the best problem to have ever.

So. Next up on the docket is “Beyond the Lightless Sky,” the title track for the new album from Brooklyn’s own Hull. And, yeah, it’s fucking great. As the cover art suggests, it’s totally off-the-wall stoner metal that’s somehow fun and scary at the same time. In fact, if you get stoned, put the song on repeat, and just stare at that cover art, you could totally get lost in it and suddenly realize you’ve been trying to write about it for the past half-hour. I’m not speaking from experience or anything. My, uh, friend, who is also a blogger, told me that.

So yeah what were we talking about? Right. Hull’s “Beyond the Lightless Sky.” Check it out here. The album comes out October 11 on The End. It has guest appearances from Jarboe and Batillus’ Fade Kainer, so be twice as excited as you already were.

-AR

Last year (and the year before) I got way too busy with this thing called life and missed out on a lot of quality music. I am here to rectify the error of my ways, month by month.

Here are the releases from the first half of the year 2011 that I missed for whatever reason that got under my skin, burrowed their way into my brain, made my ears bleed, or simply tickled my unmentionables:

Click to read more…

Photo by Scott Irvine

Last week, we were only too happy to learn that one of our most favoritest doom bands on the planet, Batillus, have a new split 7″ with Mutilation Rites coming out July 12; now the two bands have announced a tour together, which will kick off just days before said split’s release.

And I implore you to go to a show if they’re coming to your area. Honestly, I can’t speak to the quality of Mutilation Rites live, because I’ve never seen them before; but Batillus MUST be experienced in a concert setting. They are just so… fucking… crushing. And if they’re doing all this stuff with Mutilation Rites, I’d be willing to wager that that band is pretty frickin’ cool, too.

Get dates after the jump, courtesy of Metal Underground.

Click to read more…

I somehow missed the news that Batillus have a split 7″ with Mutilation Rites coming out next month; I thought their album Furnace, which is one my favorites of the year so far (read my review here), was all we was gettin’ from the doom crew in 2011.

But I was wrong! And gloriously so, if “Cast,” the new Batillus track streaming over at Stereogum, is any indication. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Kat Katz (ex-Salome, still Agoraphobic Nosebleed) lends some guest vocals to the song, but even if she wasn’t on it, it would still be a great example of Batillus firing on all cylinders.

Headbob here, then come back and let us know what you think. There’s also a Mutilation Rites song, “Golitath,” streaming in the same location. The split comes out July 12 on Shinebox.

-AR

If I might, I’d like to examine a very specific section from the song “Deadweight,” which appears on Furnace, the new release from Batillus.

The section in question begins at roughly the 4:14 mark, when vocalist Fade Kainer commands us to “FALL ON YOUR KNEES!” with enough force that no one would blame listeners if they did just that. The accompanying riff — one of my favorites on the album — just fucking ROCKS, and Batillus, being a doom band, repeat it several times, and then repeat a slight variation of it several times. But they don’t beat it dead into the ground; there never comes a moment when you’re like, “All right, ENOUGH already!” (This is a problem which, if you have ears you already know, plagues most doom bands.) They avoid this pratfall of their peers in two ways: 1) by just knowing when it’s time to play a different riff (duh), and 2) by making constant changes to the riff so that, even if technically the same notes are getting played over and over again, it really never sounds the same way twice. They change the emphasis of where certain guitar strokes land; at one point I think there’s some palm-muting going on; there’s a moment where it actually feels like, somehow, they make all of time slow down, even if just for a few bars. Batillus are so skilled at creating these variations, in fact, that when they do transition to the next section of the song, you have a moment of “NO! DUDES KEEP GOING!” In other words, they actually leave you wanting more, which, again, is a concept lost on so, so many doom bands.

But despite your protests, that transition will transpire. In the case of “Deadweight,” the next section of the song is a guitar solo that is, well… ”filthy” wouldn’t really do it justice… it’s diseased, is what it is. Putrid and rotting and diseased. In other words, just a great fucking guitar solo.

And these two sections of this one song on Furnace perfectly exemplify why I love this album so much that it made my penis explode. Batillus can write a crushing tune like nobody’s business, but, more than that, they can write a crushing tune that demands you pay attention and listen again and again and again (and with good headphones or quality speakers). Furnace may seem neanderthal in its rage, but it’s incredibly intelligent — and downright introspective — in its execution.

Click to read more…

This is your penis:

This is your penis on Batillus‘ Furnace:

Any questions?

(four out of five horns)

-AR

Batillus’ Furnace is out now on Seventh Rule. You can order a CD or vinyl copy here or name your price to download it here. Your penis will thank you.

This week sees new releases by Graveyard, Periphery, Blut Aus Nord, Septicflesh, Winds of Plague, and tons more. MS new release expert Vic Vaughn takes a looksee at each after the jump!

Click to read more…

Welcome to “Question of the Week,” a (sometimes) weekly debate amongst the MetalSucks staff regarding a recent hot button issue.

This week’s query was suggested by reader Yevgeniy Reznichenko:

IS ELITISM IN METAL A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?

The MS staff’s answers after the jump.

Click to read more…

[Read my recaps of Day One, Day Two and Day Three. -Ed.]

No Austin excursion for me and Kip is complete without another round of savory, tasty meat courtesy the Salt Lick, but due to our inability to find a ride out to Driftwood we had to get our BBQ on elsewhere. Rudy’s just outside of town came highly recommended by this trusted guy, so we piled into two cabs and headed out to… a gas station.

Click to read more…

It’s that glorious time of the year when all the bands who have braved the unknown and trudged down to Austin for FXFW triumphantly (one hopes) return to rock their hometowns one more time before fucking their own girlfriends and crashing in their own beds…

And in these here parts we can celebrate another successful run for Hull and Batillus, who both never fail to bring the thunder and ride the lightning.

I’ll be representin’ for our homies; will you??

Caltrop and Horseback will further fuel the fire…

Rock Hull on th’interweb

Blast Batillus on th’information superhighway

-KW

Not as painful as missing this tour.

Speaking of NYC Sucks: two of the bands appearing on that collection, proggy stoner rockers Hull and crushing doomsters Batillus, are doing a tour together starting next month. If you read MetalSucks on the regular, you already know that we love these bands. And I’d wager that these shows will result in lots and lots of broken bones. Not so much from the moshing, ’cause I don’t think these are really mosh bands, but just from the sheer fucking weight of the music.

And as if the fact that the shows themselves are gonna be killer wasn’t enough to get you off your ass, know this: Batillus will be selling a special tour-only vinyl pressing of their new album, Furnace, limited to 55 copies, each with with a silk-screened jacket. And these shows will be the only place you can get ‘em.

And as if the the fact that the shows themselves are gonna be killer AND Batillus will be selling the Furnace vinyl STILL isn’t enough to entice you, well, know THIS, friends: Hull have just announced a vinyl release of their abso-fucking-lutely EPIC 2005 EP, Viking Funeral, via Science of Sleep Records, and they’ll be selling that on the tour as well. That will feature a blood red/black swirl vinyl with the song on one side, and a laser etched image on the other, PLUS parchment insert with the detailed Viking Funeral saga, PLUS a sticker and digital download info, PLUS a Viking Funeral poster, AND it will be wax-stamped with the band’s logo. Phew!

So, yeah. Go to these shows. And bring your wallets, motherfuckers.

Here are dates…

Click to read more…

We seem to have great luck with Batillus and songs with the word “night” in their title. Last month, the band’s “The Children of the Night Make Their Music” appeared on volume one of our free NYC Sucks comp; now we’re debuting the first track from their forthcoming album Furnace, entitled ”…And the World is as Night to Them.” Coincidence?!?

Who cares? We’re just glad these dudes talk to us! In a short time, Batillus have established themselves as one of the premiere young doom bands on the scene, and every single moment of Furnace is testicle-tormentingly heavy, disgusting dirty, and uniformly excellent. If you don’t dig this song, check your pulse.

Furnace comes out April 19 on Seventh Rule; a limited edition (only 55 copies!) vinyl tour pressing, featuring art silk-screened by hand, will be available from the band directly at shows prior to that date. Keep up with Batiullus’ tour itinerary here.

NOTE: Due to some bizarre audio player snafu, you need to hit play, then pause, then play again to listen. Sorry! The crushing doom of Batillus has overwhelmed our puny player.

[this streaming promotion has ended]

IT’S HERE! IT’S FINALLY HERE!!! Volume 1 of NYC Sucks, the completely free comp we’ve compiled to spotlight some of the best metal bands currently dominating the New York metal scene. This volume features fourteen songs by as many bands, who run the gamut of genres, from death to tech to prog to grind to black to hardcore to doom and more. We truly feel that this is a great sampling of all that New York’s thriving metal scene has to offer, and we’re beyond proud to be sharing it with you — absolutely, 100% free of charge.

You can stream, or, better yet, just download the comp below. It contains high-quality 320kbps MP3s, and as well as a PDF of digital liner notes with information about all the bands. Please help get the word out… send the comp to your friends, put it up on torrent sites, submit it to .rar Mediafire blogs… just spread the friggin’ music by any means necessary!

And don’t forget that Volume 2, featuring thirteen more great bands and songs, will be out on February 22nd!!!

—> DOWNLOAD NYC SUCKS VOLUME 1 HERE <—
(includes 320kbps MP3 files, Album Cover, PDF Liner Notes)

1. East of the Wall, “The Ladder”
2. Made out of Babies, “Invisible Ink”
3. Tiger Flowers, “Cuts”
4. Black Anvil, “The Evil of All Roots”
5. Naam, “Frosted Tread”
6. Batillus, “The Children of the Night Make Their Music”
7. Meek is Murder, “Sundowners” (demo)
8. The Binary Code, “Encircled”
9. Castevet, “Stones”
10. Hung, “Desert of Sad”
11. Wizardry, “The Falconer”
12. Pyrrhon, “King of All Tears”
13. Mutant Supremacy, “Epitaph”
14. Incendiary, “Victory in Defeat”

photo by Tommy Kearns

I think I can safely speak for both Vince and myself when I say that Batillus have to be one of our favorite doom metal bands on the planet right now, AND one of our favorite local bands. Vince just sang their praises a few weeks ago, and then the band abso-fuckin’-lutely CRUSHED at one of our two CMJ showcases. They opened the show, actually, and believe you me when I say that they set the bar real, real high for every act that followed.

Now Batillus have announced that they’ve signed with Seventh Rule Records, who will release their new, Sanford Parker-produced debut full-length, Furnace, sometime in the spring of 2011. You may recall that the band wrote some exclusive studio blogs for us when they were recording the album earlier this year; if you don’t recall that, well, read ‘em now. Get to know this band. They kill, kill, kill, and then kill some more.

Batillus are also doing a handful of live shows this month. Like I said, they’re a force to be reckoned with live, so definitely go check ‘em out if you can. Here are dates, courtesy SMN:

Click to read more…

Izzy Stradlin is not actually from Memphis. He’s not actually the writer of this song, either.

Okay, let’s keep this roadshow a-rollin’, shall we? Today MetalSucks reader Ian Youkin has recommended some bands from the Memphis area. I chose Ian’s e-mail today because none of the bands’ names sounded like the monikers of “core” outfits, but I could be wrong. Let’s find out together, shall we?

Click to read more…

If you aren’t yet hip to NYC doom crushers Batillus then you’re missing out on some serious metal. Axl and I were toking on some super-potent mega-Chronic he happened to score recently and we popped on the vinyl of their Vendetta Records split release with Maine’s Hallowed Butchery. The pounding, slow, and decimatingly crushing tones that washed over us were the perfect compliment to the perfect high, and coupled with a glass of Knappogue Castle Whiskey put us in just the right mood for that night’s show (Valient Thorr, Junius, and Howl). Batillus’ side of the split features the same tracks that were on their second EP (the Beard Destroyer Tour EP, recorded last summer by Brendan Tobin of Made Out of Babies). Live, the band crushes just as hard as they do on record; even MS commenter / uber-elitist Ziltoid copped to liking Batillus, but that was like two years ago already and they’re probably too popular for him now or something.

Three of the four members of Batillus wrote exclusive studio blogs for us this past Spring when they trekked to Chicago to record with esteemed producer Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Rwake, Pelican, etc); we can’t wait to hear the combined efforts of that pairing at some point in 2011.

In the meantime Batillus are playing one of our two CMJ showcases, Saturday, October 23rd at Fontana’s, along with Powerglove, Wetnurse, The Binary Code, Pack of Wolves, and Meek is Murder (4pm / $10 / 21+). Sailor Jerry Rum is providing free booze from 4-5pm and drinks for only $3 after that, so come on out early on your Saturday to get your fix of doom. They’re also doing some dates around the Northeast this fall, posted after the jump.

-VN

Click to read more…

The 2010 incarnation of the CMJ Music Marathon is almost upon us! A solid week of booze, partying and music in the streets and clubs of New York City makes us all just a little bit crazy every year, but there’s just so much fun shit happening all week that impossible not to heed its beck and call. Fortunately for you and for us, there’s plenty of metal at this year’s festival including some killer shows that aren’t even officially sanctioned by CMJ. Here’s a list of MetalSucks-approved events happening next week:

• Mon, Oct. 18: The Syndicate Conflict of Interest Party feat. Nada Surf, Reggie Watts, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and more. Drink specials. 7pm at Club Rebel. RSVP only.
• Mon, Oct. 18: Cattle Decapitation, Son of Aurelius, Devourment, Knights of the Abyss and Burning the Masses at Santo’s Party House. 7pm, $13 advance, 18+. This is not a CMJ-sanctioned event.
• Tues, Oct. 19: Nevermore, Warbringer, Blackguard and Hatesphere at The Gramercy Theater. 6pm Doors, $32.25, tickets available here. This is not a CMJ-sanctioned event.
• Wed, Oct 20: The MetalSucks / Metal Injection / 1000 Knives Official CMJ 2010 Showcase! Featuring A Life Once Lost, Car Bomb, This or the Apocalypse, Baptized in Blood and Last Chance to Reason at Club Europa, Brooklyn. 7pm, All Ages, and tickets are only $10 (buy them here).
• Thur, Oct 21: Metal Insider’s Mosh Potatoes book release party! Release party for the forthcoming metal cookbook Mosh Potatoes and listening party for the new The Damned Things album Ironoclast, with drink specials and yummy treats of recipes from the book. Idle Hands Bar, 5-8pm. Private event (if you think you should be invited, you should know who to contact).
• Thur, Oct 21: Skateboard Marketing / Nova Entertainment CMJ Showcase featuring SuperMetal Records / Megaforce artists Misery. 5:30-7:30pm, Bowery Poetry Club. Budweiser and Jaeger drink specials. First hour is RSVP only, second hour is open to the public and CMJ badges.
• Thur, Oct 21: Doomsday Mourning, Hivesmasher, The Judas Syndrome, Fin’amor at the Charleston in Brooklyn. 7:30pm doors, show starts at 8:30pm, 21+. This is not a CMJ-sanctioned event.
• Thur, Oct 21 – Sunday, Oct 24: The Grill ‘Em All burger truck guys will be here all the way from L.A. without their truck, making special guest chef appearances at area restaurants!! Get details here.
• Fri, Oct 22: Smell the Glove Party / Holy Grail Crisis in Utopia CD Release Party at St. Jerome’s (155 Rivington). No cover, 21+, 9pm.
• Fri, Oct 22: Tee Pee Records / Metal Insider Showcase: Naam, Priestess, Quest for Fire, The Atomic Bitchwax, Mirror Queen, Hopewell, and Weird Owl. 6pm, Union Pool, Brooklyn, $10/adv and $12/dos. Tickets available here.
• Sat, Oct 23: MetalSucks and 1000 Knives present: Powerglove, Wetnurse, The Binary Code, Pack of Wolves, Meek is Murder and Batillus. Free drinks courtesy of Sailor Jerry Rum from 4-5pm, and $3 drinks after that ’til they run out! 4pm, $10, 21+.
• Sat, Oct 23: Helmet, Intronaut and Fight Amp at the Gramercy Theater. 7pm, 16+, $29 (tickets available here). This is not a CMJ-sanctioned event.
• Sat, Oct 23: Brooklyn Vegan / Black Bubblegum CMJ Showcase featuring The Body, Cough, Inter Arma, Royal Thunder + more TBA. Union Pool, Brooklyn, 7pm, $5, 21+.

Whew… it’s going to be a punishing week! See you out there.

Earlier this week Vince discussed the Inspector Gadget theme, his most beloved cover from the new Powerglove album, Saturday Morning Apocalypse; now I’d like to discuss my own personal favorite track from that record.

Tim Burton’s 1989 version of Batman was a seminal moment in my moviegoing life. We waited on a line down the block to see the movie; the audience started cheering as soon as the lights went down even though absolutely nothing had happened yet; and then Danny Elfman’s now-classic march kicked in, and as soon as the main title came up, the crowd applauded with such force that I thought there might be a riot. At that point in my life, I’d never had that movie-as-a-rock-concert experience before. So even though the flick hasn’t aged very well, I will always have a soft spot for it in my heart.

And Danny Elfman’s score is still the best part of the whole thing. That music gets me pumped every time I hear it.

So Powerglove’s metallicized version of the song is something of nerd heaven for me. I might need to make it my ringtone, even.

Saturday Morning Apocalypse is out now on E1. As Vince mentioned, Powerglove are headlining the second of two MetalSucks CMJ Music Marathon showcases; this one will take place during the afternoon of Saturday, October 23rd at Fontana’s in NYC, and will also feature Wetnurse, The Binary Code, Pack of Wolves, Meek is Murder and Batillus. Sailor Jerry Rum will be providing rum mixed drinks for free from 4-5pm and for only $3 after that. That means that we’re all gonna be really, really, really drunk before nightfall, and then watch six totally kick-ass metal bands tear a small room to shreds. Holy shit I am so excited. Is it October 23 yet?

-AR

Yesterday Axl reminded you why you should attend the MetalSucks / Metal Injection / 1000Knives CMJ showcase featuring A Life Once Lost, Car Bomb, This or the Apocalypse, Baptized in Blood and Last Chance to Reason. And guess what? We’re doing two CMJ showcases this year! ‘Cause we love you like that, and we also love seeing our name on top of a flyer. Since the aforementioned showcase features a smattering of bands from across the metal record label spectrum, we decided to devote this one to honoring the best and brightest of NYC’s metal bands, with a few special friends as well. The lineup:

POWERGLOVE
Wetnurse
The Binary Code
Pack of Wolves (Austin, TX – ex-At All Cost)
Meek is Murder
Batillus

Saturday, October 23rd
Fontana’s – 105 Eldridge St., New York
4pm / 21+ / $10 (a limited number of CMJ badge-holders will be admitted, but event is open to the public)

As if that killer lineup isn’t enough to convince you to spend your Saturday afternoon headbanging, Sailor Jerry Rum will be providing complimentary cocktails from 4-5pm, and mixed drinks will be $3 thereafter so even the brokest of the broke can get their buzz on. See you at the show.