Not exactly the most prolific of bands, Swedish black metal act Dark Funeral have been around for virtually three decades but their latest album We Are the Apocalypse (Century Media) is only their seventh full-length studio release in that time. With more former members than overall releases, it’s easy to see why there has been so much inconsistency over the years. The only remaining original member is guitarist Jan Michael Svanberg (aka Lord Ahriman).
Just when you thought there were no genres left to combine, up pops Ohio act Untamed Land with Scandinavian riffs and a cowboy hat, delivering an album that sounds like the soundtrack to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly if it had been written by Satyricon.
Common wisdom would have you believe that most bands approaching their third decade, and / or seventh album, will have found either a comfortable groove, or a furrow that they like to plough, and that the desire to challenge themselves and their supporters, to expand or revitalise their sound, has probably been dissipated to some degree. The cycle begats the (album) cycle and the artist, conscious of the desired output, sates the audience even if they do make token refinements to keep their own creative beasts content. For while there may be tweaks and tinkerings, there are, deep-down, a forest path of a woodland much explored, not often adventures anew.
In a story we have been following, Psycho Las Vegas has announced that bands such as Mayhen and Satyricon have dropped off the upcoming metal festival later this month. This is due to ongoing travel/work visa and pandemic related issues. To their credit, the fest has been dealing complaints and addressing on social media, and in emaisl to ticket holders. Other bands still hoping to gain entry into the USA to perform include Efforts are continuing for Emperor, Watain, Crippled Black Phoenix, Cult of Fire, and Psychlona, and we’ll keep tracking this story. Continue reading
The reignited interest in distinctly eighties-sounding metal styles, and more specifically, the thrash revival of the 2000s, has brought with it a handful of blistering new acts, alongside a slew of respectable releases from its originators. However, as a general scene, it has also suffered from a lack of innovation and compositional creativity. Often bands of this scene are perfectly content to just emulate classic sounds long-established by Sodom, Kreator, Venom, Bathory, and Slayer. Oftentimes, I find it a dull guessing game of which thrash bands are being ripped off whenever I listen to these bands. But there are nevertheless a handful of acts that in addition to paying tribute to the old guard’s sound manage to capture that fury, excitement, and blasphemous spirit of heavy music during the proto-extreme metal era. James McBain, the singular creative force behind Hellripper, clearly loves the style of first wave black metal and Teutonic thrash but is also creative enough to blend them to create something that sounds completely fresh. The result here is The Affair of the Poisons (Peaceville Records), a sophomore effort to the more straightforward Coagulating Darkness, and a release of blackened thrash/speed metal fury that will leave you yearning even more for a destructive live experience in 2020.Continue reading
Psycho Las Vegas has announced their return in the summer of 2021. If you had tickets for this year, you are in luck! Most of the lineup will return next year, except Rebel Motorcycle Club, Ty Segall & The Freedom Band, and Crowbar. This still looks like one of the best festivals in the world next year, in a year overpacked with re-scheduled events and tours. See the full lineup below.Continue reading
Psycho Swim, Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV 8/15/19
Psycho Las Vegas has shared the bad news that they have canceled the 2020 festival that was set for August due to ot the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Psycho Las Vegas 2021 has been scheduled to August 19-22, 2021. “Nearly all the bands” have agreed to return for the 2021st dates. The full announcement is expected after they confirm those last bands. Continue reading
Psycho Las Vegas is returning for another round in the desert of Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay this summer on August 14th to 16th. Headlining will be Danzig, Emperor, Mercyful Fate, The Flaming Lips, Down, Mayhem, Satyricon, Blue Oyster Cult, Warpaint, Blonde Redhead, Ty Segall, Watain, Ulver, Thursday, At the Gates, Poison The Well, Cursive, Pinback, Boris, Windhand, Brutus, Mgla, boysetsfire, This Will Destroy You, Kaelan Mikla, Bombers, Mephistofeles and many more. High Roller 3-day VIP is already sold out, but general 3 -Day and pre-party Psycho Swim passes are on sale now at these links:
Satyricon bassist Anders Odden has revealed that he has been diagnosed with Colon Cancer and will have surgery next Monday, January 6th. According to Odden’s post to Instagram, the surgery is expected to remove the malignant tumors and any nearby lymph nodes. He was diagnosed on December 28th, the anniversary of Odden’s hero Lemmy of Motorhead dying. Overall, the prognosis so far is good, according to Odden. Continue reading
