HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHINO “SUGARBEAR” LOPEZ

R.I.P. PETRUS T. RATAJCZYK “PETER STEELE” of TYPE O NEGATIVE

Peter Steele, one of metal’s best vocalists, passed away April 14th, 2010. He was the lead singer and bassist of the gothic metal band, Type O Negative. He cretaed (in my opinion) one of the best funeral doom metal songs of all time: “Bloody Kisses” (A Death in the Family). He shall be missed, rest in peace motherfucker.

THE BRONX @ THE BLUEBIRD THEATRE 4/16/10 DENVER-CO

L.A.’s The Bronx are coming back to Denver bringing their mix of hardcore-punk and rock n’roll. They’re a really good live band – full of energy. But the real reason to go to the show is the opening band, Mariachi El Bronx. This band is the alter-ego of The Bronx in full mariachi outfits, with big guitars and trumpets. They play Regional-Mexican mariachi music in english. Also playing is Sean Wheeler (Throw Rag), Zander Schloss (Circle Jerks) – acoustic west coast roots music, and Violent Soho – a grunge rock band from Brisbane Queensland.

OVERKILL “25th ANNIVERSARY TOUR” @ THE GOTHIC THEATRE 4/13/10-ENGLEWOOD-CO.

New Jersey thrash metal legends will bring their mayhem to Colorado April 13th 2010. They are on tour supporting their new release “Ironbound”.  Nothing new just track after track of pure thrash metal. This is for fans of  early Slayer, early Anthrax, Death Angel and early Metallica. Other bands playing:

Vader-death metal from Poland, God Dethroned-death metal from The Netherlands, Warbringer-thrash metal from Ventura, CA, Evile-thrash metal from the U.K. and Woe of Tyrants-progressive death metal from Ohio.

VNV NATION @ THE MARQUIS THEATER, DENVER, CO 4/09/10

VNV Nation are back in North America touring behind their latest release “The Great Divide EP.” This is a remix of last year’s album, “of Faith, Power & Glory.” A number of artists contributed and it includes some unreleased tracks.  This UK/Irish duo formed by Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson, play a more accesible style of Industrial/EBM/electro-rock – “futurepop” they call it, for fans of Assemblage 23, Depeche Mode, Velvet Acid Christ and Wolfsheim. They usually play larger venues but this time it will be a more intimate show. Do not miss it if your a fan of this genre – great visuals!

Also playing is System Syn from LA. – Industrial/electro-goth and Revolution State from Colorado – Industrial/rock.

GODFLESH REUNION!

Godflesh, the masters of Industrial Metal, will be reuniting for a one-time show @ Hellfest in Clisson, France – June 18th 2010. Justin K. Broadrick and Ben G.C. Green are back together, they will be playing along side of  KMFDM, Fear Factory, Infectious Grooves, Sick Of It All, Deftones and many others.

NEW MUSIC

TRIPTYKON – “Eparistera Daimones” released in the U.S. 3/23/10. Thomas Gabriel Fischer, the man behind such legendary bands  as Celtic Frost, Hellhammer and Apollyon Sun, is back with his new band. Members include Norman Lonhard on drums, V.Satura on guitars and vocals and Vanja Slajh on bass. An Avant-garde style of metal that will satisfy fans of the last album from Celtic Frost  – “Monotheist”, that was released in 2006 (in my opinion one of the best metal albums of all time.)  This album should have been called “Monotheist II” because it is a continuation of a very dark and experimental journey into the deepest parts of hell. Do not download this, buy it, the album artwork is by the great H.R. Giger.

BURZUM – “Belus.” Fresh out of jail in 2009 for murder and burning churches, Varg Vikernes is back with his style of Black metal/Dark ambient.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN – “Option Paralysis.” Spazz/Metal veterans are sounding more like NIN and Faith No More with each new album, not a bad thing at all.

VIRGIN SNATCH – “Act of Grace.” Thrash metal from Poland, pretty good.

MANOREXIA – “The Mesopelagic Waters.” JG Thirlwell’s (Foetus) experimental instrumental project.

BARREN EARTH – “Curse of the Red River.” Melodic death metal from Finland which includes members of AMORPHIS, SWALLOW THE SUN, MOONSORROW and KREATOR.

OV HELL – “Underworld Regime.” Norwegian black metal featuring Shagrath from Dimmu Borgir and King Ov Hell from Gorgoroth.

THE BREATHING PROCESS – “Odyssey.” (Un)Dead-Symphonic blackened death metal from Connecticut.

HAWKWIND – “At the BBC 1972.” English psychedelic space rock band formed in 1969.

GALLHAMMER – “Gloomy.” Japanese all female exteme metal band, mixing doom metal and crust punk.

AT THE GATES – “Purgatory.” Unleashed live @ Wacken-Sweden’s legendary melodic death metal band live at Germany’s Wacken festival.

MISERY INDEX – “Pulling out the Nails.” Death metal/grindcore from Baltimore for fans of Dying Fetus.

SNOG – “Last of the Great Romantics.” Industrial/ambient/experimental band from Australian artist David Thrussell.

IN VAIN – “Mantra.” Norwegian progressive blackened death metal.

VIVE LE VILE EVIL – “Vile Evils.” Industrial/rock group from former members of Pop Will Eat Itself, Graham Crabb and Adam Mole.

ACID KING – “Early Years.” Stoner/doom metal from San Francisco,this album contains their first two releases which both are out of print.

MERZBOW – “13 Japanese Birds in a Bay.” Masami Akita is Tokyo’s king of noise and dark ambient.

GORGOROTH – “Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt.” Norwegian black metal, not very original.

HELLOWEEN – “Unarmed Best of 25th Anniversary.” 80’s German speed metal band re-recorded 10 of their best songs in different musical style.

HOODED MENACE – “Never Cross the Dead.” Death/doom metal from Finland.

CULTED – “Of Death and Ritual.” Blackened psychedelic doom metal from Sweden.

BRUTAL TRUTH – “Evolution in One Take: For Grind Freaks Only! Vol.2” Experimental grindcore metal from NYC.

CATHEDRAL – “Guessing Game.” Legendary English doom metal band.

NECROMANDUS – “Orexis of Death and Live.” UK’s 1970’s metal band, considered the “second Sabbath” but with a more progressive edge.

MAMMOTH GRINDER – “Extinction of Humanity.” Death metal/hardcore/punk band from Texas.

DEMONICA – “Demonstrous.” American/Danish brutal old school thrash metal.

THE GATES OF SLUMBER @ THE LARIMER LOUNGE-DENVER,CO. 4/01/10

The Gates of Slumber are coming to Denver! They’ll be bringing their traditional style of Doom Metal to the Larimer Lounge. Formed in 1998 these road warriors from Indianapolis have been touring non-stop for years, playing all over the world. Better known in Germany & most of Europe, they are touring for their 2009 release “Hymns of Blood and Thunder.” In my opinion, one of the years best metal albums. These members of “The Circle of True Doom” make this is a show not to be missed.

Headlining that night is Weedeater, sludge/stoner metal from North Carolina. They are self descibed “weed metal” for fans of Melvins, Down, Eyehategod & Crowbar.

Also playing is Black Tusk, a good thrash metal band from Georgia & Struck by Lightning crustpunxs from Ohio.

SOULFLY/PRONG @ BLUEBIRD THEATER-DENVER,CO. 4/25/10

Soulfly will be back in Denver for the first time since October 2009, playing there metal/Brazilian tribal/world music. Max Cavalera & the boys have a new album coming out in May/2010:  “Omen.” It is said they are going back to their roots and shouldn’t disappoint. Always a good live band, expect to hear some Sepultura songs & some of their classics. Also playing that night is Prong, industrial metal from NYC. Prong has been playing on & off since the mid-80’s influencing everyone from Trent Reznor of NIN to Jonathan Davis of Korn, they are now signed to Al Jourgensen’s label, 13th Planet Records. Also on the bill is Incite, a metal band known for the singer who is Max Cavalera’s step-son. And rounding things off: Rotting Corpse, a good, old-school thrash metal band from Dallas,TX.

PENTAGRAM @ THE MARQUIS THEATER 3/17/10 DENVER, CO.

The great Pentagram will be back in Denver on St. Patty’s Day bringing their doom metal to the masses! One of the first doom metal bands to come out in the early 70’s influenced by Black Sabbath. Through the years, they have had about 25 different band members – the only original member left being vocalist, Bobby Liebling. Later this year, (we hope) they will release a new album of new material: “Last Rites.” So keep an eye out for it. Meanwhile, check out LPs: “Be Forewarned” and “Pentagram,”  the latter now re-issued as “Relentless.” If you like The Obsessed, Witchcraft, St. Vitus or Spirit Caravan, then you’ll like Pentagram.

Also playing that night, local metal band Kingdom of Magic and psychedelic rockers, Space In Time. Keep doom alive!!!