NUTS, BOLTS & METAL
SHAVINGS
by Diane DeMeter
It’s a new year and already I’ve done things I never
thought I would: given a rat a bath, relapsed slightly on the smoking,
averted a nervous breakdown and enjoyed another surprise thunderstorm!
What’s ahead? Read On…
LOW TWELVE
(Bloomington, IL) sign with Chicago’s Rotting Corpse Records.
This Side Toward Enemy (recorded, mastered and produced by
the band) will be released Feb. 14th.
Gary Meskil
of Pro-Pain will add some additional vocals to the gruesome story
of a serial killer on death row. A graphic novel (also titled,
This Side Toward Enemy) will also be out to elaborate on the
killing spree of over 200 women, across the country. Happy Valentines
Day!
Ron Drake,
president of Rotting Corpse Records issued this statement, “These
guys (Low Twelve) have already elevated the scene to a whole new level
and we are proud to back them and their release.”
Pretty cool concept of 12 demons/voices and 12
songs/chapters. Be on the lookout for the movie to go with the book and
CD, in the future!
This thundering 3-piece outfit is guitarist Les Aldridge,
drummer Wes Pollock and bassist Pete Altieri (founder of
Heavycore). They have done over 200 live shows (including a
Midwest BEAT Bash last year at McCool’s) and are having a CD release
party February 18 at The Phoenix in Champaign, IL and on February 24 at
the Illinois Brewing Company, Bloomington, IL.
Get the lowdown at:
www.lowtwelve.com
CENTRAL ILLINOIS METALFEST 2006...
Central
Illinois Metalfest 2006
has been booked for July 20-22! Mark your calendars damnit!
July 20th kicks things off with a pre-fest party (5-6
bands), that so far includes: Low Twelve, Skeptik, Ominous and
Cemetery Rapist. The party is FREE with purchase of a 2-day
pass at The Canopy Club, Urbana, IL. It’s an 18 & Over show.
Friday the 21st’s headliner is Chicago’s own, Macabre.
The rest of the line-up includes: Human Artifacts, Waco Jesus,
and Black The Sky (Illinois); Devourment and Exulcerate
(Texas); Incinerate (Minnesota);, Victimas (New Mexico);
Gutrot (Michigan); Mortal Decay and Unhallowed (New
Jersey); Malignancy (New York); Rottenness (Mexico); and
Immersed In Blood, who will be making the journey across the big
pond from Sweden.
Saturday the 22nd’s headline act is yet to be determined.
But the line-up features: Deaden and Lividity (Illinois);
Decrypt (Indiana); Guttural Secrete (Nevada), Prophecy
(Texas), Putrid Pile and Jungle Rot (Wisconsin);
Domination Through Impurity and Lust Of Decay (North
Carolina), Embalmer (Ohio); Lapidate (Canada); and
Bloody Sign, who are flying in from France.
The metal fest is still booking vendors, labels,
distributors or sponsors.
For further information and updates go to the festival’s
official website at:
www.xwarp.net/fest/fest.html
I’ll be there on Saturday, July 22. I’m looking forward to
seeing Jungle Rot and all of the bands from outside the U.S
In the meantime, get your metal fix from these newly
released discs – The Crown has just offered up 14 Years of
No Tomorrows , a 3-DVD set. Cannibal Corpse will finally
get new music out on March 21st when their Kill album hits
the racks.
DEMETER’S TEASERS
EXODUS
Shovel Headed Kill Machine
~ (Nuclear Blast
)
This gem was released last fall (2005) and if it slid under
your radar, it’s your duty as a metal-head to check this out!
The Bay Area Thrash Masters called Exodus, have inspired so
many other bands and for damn good reason. The drumming is relentless
and the riffs are a plenty.
After 9 albums and numerous line-up changes, this 10-song CD
will leave you recharged and refreshed!
The newest line-up includes: Paul Bostaph/drums
(ex-Slayer and ex-Forbidden), Rob Dukes/vocals, Lee Altus/guitar
(ex-Heathen), Gary Holt/guitars, and Jack Gibson/bass.
All the songs are incredible but stand-outs are:
“Deathamphetamine”
with riffs so remarkable it will bring a tear to your eye and the doom
influence will force you to hit play again and again,
“Shudder To Think”,
“I Am Abomination” and
“Altered Boy”(crisis in the Catholic Church, as you
might have guessed).
This is a keeper! I’ve listened to it at least 30 times.
Shovel Headed Kill Machine and Exodus get a 9 out of 10!
CRYPTOPSY
Once Was Not
~ (Century Media)
Crytopsy fans rejoice as Lord Worm is back in the
saddle doing vocal duties again. This is one of the bands that make
listening to metal such an adventure. You can’t listen to this passively
and besides that would be a so wrong.
The label says, “Acid-jazz infused extreme technical
metal…”
If you dig Dillinger Escape Plan, Morbid Angel and
Cannibal Corpse, this is the band for you.
DARKANE
Layers Of Lies
~ (Nuclear Blast)
This quintet from South Sweden is complex and technical
with versatile vocals. Influenced by basic Death Metal, Floridian Death
Metal and American Thrash. Think Meshuggah only heavier.
Darkane has been around long enough (since the late 1980’s)
to really gel and have a solid style. The Swedish sound is apparent on
Layers Of Lies and that’s part of the reason is so
compelling!
OLD MAN’S CHILD
Vermin
~ (Century-Media)
Old Man’s Child is comprised of two artists, Galder
doing vocals and assorted instruments and Reno Killerich (ex-Dimmu
Borgir, Vile and Exmortem) on drums.
They are known as “Black Metal Pioneers” that hail from
Norway.
This 9-song album is their sixth release overall and is
pretty intense and passionate for just two players. How can you one up
that? Well you call in a guest guitarist, Eric Peterson
(Testament /Dragonlord). Yeah baby...now they are slammin’.
Till Next time…ONE
NATION UNDERGROUND!
|
