On August 10th OTTTO and Bastardane – both prominent groups within the modern hard rock scene – came to Chicago in light of their current Reconquest Tour. The two rock outfits are no strangers to touring together, as both bands played together the previous summer as well. The Reconquest Tour sees both Bastardane and OTTTO in new fashions, but when it comes to each group’s signature sound, talent and onstage energy – those matters remain the same.Continue reading
In this new episode, we chatted with the new Chicago-based extreme metal duo Wretched Blessing released their debut self-titled EP! Featuring members of Yautja, Immortal Bird, Coliseum, and other projects, the duo of Rae Amitay and Kayhan Vaziri are united by their love of all things, heavy, and complex, but also curious to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves. In this wide-ranging chat with Keefy about the formation of the group, the writing process, a track-by-track breakdown, the artwork, hot takes about Chicago living and much more!Continue reading
The expert, intricate and intriguing Today Was Yesterday (Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group) finds the eponymous duo spreading their wings, unboxing various goodies and displaying many talents, in cahoots with guitar greats Alex (Rush) Lifeson, guesting on six of the 10 tracks, and Robby (The Doors) Krieger, on another.Continue reading
Hey kids! Do you like having a really bad time? Well, meth. are here to grind your face right down into the dirtiest pit of despair (or possibly drag you down into the pit of despair they already found themselves in). And they look like such a carefree bunch in their promo photos!Continue reading
Whenever The Plain White T’s come up in conversation, it is seemingly impossible to get in more than a few words before their magnum opus “Hey There Delilah” is mentioned.
Turnstyle Productions and Riot Fest Presents Cultivate Festival, Chicago’s First Festival Celebration of Cannabis Culture, August 25-27th at new outdoor venue in the West Loop, The Nursery! This 3-day celebration of cannabis culture includes a diverse line-up of rock, hip-hop, reggae, and punk, with Crumb, The Record Company, GZA, Graveyard, Julian Marley, Pharcyde, Fishbone, Earthless, and more (full lineup below). The festival will feature well-curated food trucks, cannabis education and a shuttle to local dispensaries.
After a few out-of-genre collaborations with Lume and Catchechism, REZN’s third proper album returns to their signature Electric Wizard meets Elder on Quaaludes style. Chaotic Divine (Off The Record Label) is right in line with its predecessors, for the most part, pairing the sprawling length of 2017’s Let It Burn with the broadened atmospherics and instrumentation of 2018’s Calm Black Water. However, the heightened Ambient and Post Rock influences have resulted in what is easily their most ambitious effort so far.
Considering the lengthy silence between Chrome Waves self-titled EP in 2012 and 2019’s A Grief Observed, it’s great that the group has been so prolific since their comeback. Their second full-length album, Where We Live (Disorder Recordings), picks up where its predecessor left off while featuring its own set of changes. Dustin Boltjes (ex-Skeletonwitch, Sacred Leather) is on drums in place of the tragically passed Bob Fouts, and the eclectic influences behind the band’s melancholic sound are given room to expand even further.Continue reading
High Spirits’ endearing sincerity has always been a shining contrast to the often-sour realms of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, and that feelgood brightness is needed now more than ever. While it’s been four years since the release of their last album, 2016’s Motivator, the Chicago project’s fourth full-length doesn’t skip a beat and their established blend of AOR and Classic Metal is well intact. You always know what you’re getting but it’s presented with far too much enthusiasm to ever feel stale.
Coming off a self-titled demo in 2019, Midnight Dice’s first EP, Hypnotized (Underground Power Records/Hoove Child Records), sees the Chicagoans continuing to build their momentum. Comparisons to the musicians’ previous band Satan’s Hallow remain inevitable as Hypnotized rides on a similarly anthemic Classic Metal style. However, there are also developments that show the band beginning to carve out a more distinct identity.Continue reading