Category Archives: Pittsburgh

Descendants of Crom III – Pittsburgh, September 2019

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Next month, Descendants of Crom returns to Pittsburgh, bringing you a weekend jam-packed with doom and sludge and more — for the third year in a row!
 

Sponsored by Blackseed Records, Riff Relevant, and Stoner Rock Lives

 

Descendants of Crom III

 

Pre-Gala: Friday 20 September 2019 8:00 pm

Howlers – 4509 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh (Bloomfield) PA 15224

 

Saturday 21 September 2019 | Sunday 22 September 2019 | 4:00 pm each day

Cattivo – 146 44th Street, Pittsburgh PA 15201

 

$12 for Friday; $30 each for Saturday or Sunday; $65 for Saturday AND Sunday; and only $70 for ALL THREE (tickets here)

 
 
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Sub Alpine Metal Fest – Turtle Creek (Pittsburgh) PA, November 2018

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Sub Alpine Metal Fest

 

Friday 02 November 2018 (doors 4:00 pm | music 4:30-11:00)

Saturday 03 November 2018 (doors 3:00 pm | music 3:45-11:00)

at the Sub-Alpina Society – 108 9th Street, Turtle Creek PA 15145

$10 each day at door (no advance sales)

 

 
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Descendants of Crom – Pittsburgh, September 2018

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The city of Pittsburgh has already hosted one major multi-day metal music festival this year. Would you believe there’s going to be another one? Or that it’s happening this weekend?? Well… believe it.

Featuring a packed line-up spread across two dueling stages at Cattivo in Lawrenceville, Descendants of Crom brings you two full days of doom and sludge and more!

 

Descendants of Crom

Friday 28 September 2018 4:00 pm | Saturday 29 September 2018 4:00 pm

Cattivo – 146 44th Street, Pittsburgh PA 15201

21+ ONLY | $35 each day or $70 for both (tickets here)

 
 
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Ufomammut – Ecate (2015), 8 (2017)

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Ecate

Ufomammut – Ecate (Neurot Recordings, 31 March 2015)

Ufomammut – 8 (Neurot Recordings, 22 September 2017)

 

The name Ufomammut seems to be one that we Americans tend to struggle with. But fortunately the band has been kind enough to explain its origin: “ufo” (OOH-foe) is the Italian word for “UFO,” while “mammut” (MAMM-utt) means “mammoth.” Therefore the correct pronunciation of the name would be “OOH-foe-MAMM-utt.” Got it?

The etymological origin of their name is also one of the most accurate descriptions a band has ever given itself, as this trio combine the mysterious spaced-out vibe of a flying saucer with the earth-shaking immensity of a prehistoric pachydermic behemoth.

And now, for the first time in two years, they are bringing this spectacle to North American soil: hitting Maryland Death Fest this weekend, as well as Northwest Terror Fest in early June, and then surrounding these dates with a month-long loop around the whole country that kicks off TONIGHT (Wednesday the 23rd) in Providence. Of course we’ll supply you with details about all these shows later. But first, an introduction to the band’s music for the uninitiated …

 

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Live Music Alert! GHOST and MELVINS in Pittsburgh this Weekend

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That’s right, these two titans of (the music) industry will be making an appearance in Pittsburgh: Ghost (who were here exactly five years ago today and gave one of the more memorable performances I’ve ever witnessed) TONIGHT, Friday the 18th; and (the) Melvins (who also came through town five years ago this month, with what was quite possibly THE best show I’ve seen) TOMORROW night, Saturday the 19th!

Stick around for more details on this weekend’s shows, as well as a bit of a walk down memory lane…
 
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Holy Rivals – Self-titled (2016)

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Holy Rivals – Holy Rivals (self-released, 25 May 2016)

 

Hey folks, remember all the way back to yesterday, when we talked about a pair of Howling Giant releases from 2016 and 2017? If not, make sure to go check it out! Anyway, way down at the end of that post you might notice that the Tennesseans are heading out on a tour of the eastern United States tomorrow night (Thursday, the 10th of May) and swinging through Pittsburgh soon after (Saturday, the 12th).

Well as it turns out, one of the local bands performing at that show also happens to be someone whose music we’ve been meaning to share with you for a while — in fact, their self-titled debut EP came out two years ago this month. So before any more time passes, today let’s listen to the self-described “three sludge/grunge dudes from Pittsburgh” known as Holy Rivals!

 

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Howling Giant – Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1 (2016), Part 2 (2017)

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Howling Giant – Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1 (self-released, 12 August 2016)

 

Howling Giant – Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2 (self-released, 25 August 2017)

 

Starting this Thursday (the tenth of May) and then lasting for the next two-plus weeks, Nashvillian trio Howling Giant will be traipsing all over the eastern USA in what they’re calling their “Escape from the Lab” tour. We’ve got details down below, and on your way there we’ll be covering the first two portions of the band’s planned trilogy Black Hole Space Wizard. That way, once you get to the list of dates you’ll either be very excited if you find your city included or very disappointed if you find it omitted. Either way, though, you’ll be treated to some great music — which you’ll have the opportunity to download for as cheap as you’d like. Win-win!

 

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Video News: Argus, Dying Fetus, Graveyard

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Video News Update for 02 April 2018

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Slaves BC – Lo and I am Burning (2018)

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Slaves BC – Lo and I am Burning (The Fear and the Void Recordings, 16 March 2018)

The new record from Pittsburgh’s blackened hardcore doom juggernaut Slaves BC officially hit the streets about a week and a half ago. Considering this writer’s lengthy history of covering the band, it’s pretty shameful that I haven’t gotten around to writing about this one much sooner. Especially in light of their last album All is Dust and I am Nothing landing so high on my list of 2016’s top releases. And yet, “The world is an ugly, ugly place. Virtually everything and everyone in it is awful.” I used that line in a different review just a few days ago, but that axiom is a terrific way to succinctly summarize why I haven’t managed to write more often over the past few months.

Coincidentally, it also describes Lo and I am Burning to a “T” (as well as the general underlying themes upon which the album is based). Two quick spoilers: first, Lo marks a huge step forward for a band that has essentially dropped all the other descriptors that used to follow “blackened”; and also, this is going to be a strong contender once again when year-end rolls around. Here, we’ll take a look at the album in slightly more detail, and that’ll be followed by the info about the band’s record release show — which will be coming up in just a couple weeks here in Pittsburgh, featuring Vile Creature (whom we’ve also discussed quite recently) and Imperial Triumphant (who you can expect to hear much more about on this site in the near future)!

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Huntsmen – American Scrap (2018)

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Huntsmen – American Scrap (Prosthetic Records, 23 February 2018)

 

“Storytelling is the great, albeit fading, American pastime. It predated writing and in many instances, was told in song. In modern times, many musicians have approached their music from a storytelling point of view: Dylan, Springsteen and Waits to name a few. Chicago’s Americana metal outfit, Huntsmen, are carrying the torch for heavy bands to be added to that list.”

So begins the press release for this band’s debut LP, which came out about a week ago. Bold words? Sure. A little presumptuous? Maybe. But the self-described Heavy Americana band caught my attention, and the fact that they were kicking off the Prosthetic Records release of American Scrap with a short excursion across the mid-west and mid-Atlantic with label-mates Livid (with whom our readers ought to already be familiar) especially got me to check out this album.

That tour actually wraps up tonight (Sunday, 4th March) — see the details listed way down below — but first let’s talk a little about the band and their songs …

 

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