The Last Trollfest Post, I Swear! (Before the New Album is Released)

 
So okay, I know there’s been an awful lot of attention paid to the “True Norwegian Balkan Metal” collective known as TrollfesT. There’ve been video trailers, free songs to download, and all kinds of other stuff floating around. Well, here’s one more update about the band, where I’ve collected some of the latest bits of information and news, as we inch closer to the official release of their fifth album, Brumlebassen (out via Noise Art Records on the 24th of August — that’s tomorrow!)…

 
Just the other day, the band released a track-by-track video guide to the new record, which can be seen below:

 
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Music Makes Miserable Monday Mornings More Manageable

Good morning, Readers!

I hope you are doing well today. Personally, I’m really not sure yet, really not quite conscious enough to even have a general positive or negative impression of today, so far.

But regular visitors here might be familiar with my often-stated opinion — an opinion that I understand is a bit controversial and unconventional (although I think many people secretly agree with me, but I just happen to be the only one brave enough to come right out and say it) — that Mondays completely suck.

But fortunately, there’s also a correllary to that particular theory, which is that Mondays suck just a little bit less when there’s good music, so I’ve found a few songs I’d like to share with you on this Monday morning, to try and ease the pain somewhat!

 
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Some Incredible Events Today In Pittsburgh And Kent, Ohio! (18 August 2012)

Hey readers! Did you see my post yesterday about the Lady Beast record release show? Just curious, because that was absolutely the most pathetic excuse for writing a post that I’ve ever done. Like a sentence and a half and a “here, check the Facebook event for more details”…

For that, I apologize. I know I’m always going on and on about being so busy and not having enough time to write as much as I want to, and it probably gets annoying to read, but it’s true — and I wish there was something I could do about it. Maybe I should leave the “What to do in Pittsburgh” stuff up to The Pittsburgh Scene, or MoshPittsburgh. I dunno. But, there are two HUGE events happening today, one right in town, and the other just about two hours away, and I couldn’t possibly neglect my duties to inform you about these!

As always, I’m sorry if I missed anything, please be sure to let me know in the comments (or send me a message on Facebook), and also as always, stay tuned because –honestly– there are more reviews and stuff forthcoming!

 
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What To Do In Pittsburgh Tonight (17 August 2012)

 

Cobra Cabana Records Presents:

Lady Beast Official Record Release!

with Zeitgeist, Molasses Barge, Murderess

 

at Gooski’s Bar

3117 Brereton Street, Pittsburgh (Polish Hill)

 

Friday 17 August 2012 | 9:00 pm

 
This will be an amazing show — the Lady Beast debut full-length is finally here! Check out the Facebook event page here for more details…

Michale Graves – War of Information Tour Update + Drug Bust News

 
Good morning, my dear friends and faithful readers! I’ve got more news to report and more album reviews to share, and it’ll all get published eventually so bear with me — it just happens to be a pretty busy time of year for corporate office job slaves such as myself (what with everyone around me taking week-long vacations constantly, leaving me with piles of excess crap to deal with).

Anyway, I wanted to remind you about the Michale Graves “War of Information Tour” that’s still going on (read my earlier post about the tour here or just catch a summary of the remaining dates at the end of this one). Particularly for western or central Pennsylvania readers — note that there’s a stop in Altoona tonight, and once again The Cheats will be enlisted as an opening act!

While we’re on the subject, though, I also wanted to pass along a little tidbit of news (courtesy of Screaming Crow Records) that you might have missed hearing about…

UPDATE – 18 September 2012 – click here to see the latest additions to the War of Information Tour dates!

 
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What To Do In Pittsburgh Tonight (13 August 2012)

 

Allure of the Earth Productions Presents:

Goatwhore, Exhumed, Cerebral Bore, Wrought Iron

 

at the 31st Street Pub

3101 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh (end of the Strip)

 

Monday 13 August 2012 | 10pm | $10 | 21+ only

 
Well, the Summer Slaughter Tour won’t be stopping in Pittsburgh this year — they’re going straight from yesterday’s Heavy TO Festival in Toronto to Cleveland’s House of Blues tomorrow (full list of dates here).

However, some of the bands associated with that tour — and, I might add, some of the ones that I’d be most interested in seeing! — have decided to take advantage of their downtime today, by putting on an abridged version of Summer Slaughter at the 31st Street Pub!

Tonight’s show will feature Goatwhore — whom some people neglect to take seriously on account of them having a sort of goofy name, but believe me, these New Orleanians are the real deal, blackened as a Cajun catfish. The tourmates accompanying them will be Californian goregrind legends Exhumed and Scottish female-fronted brutal deathcore band Cerebral Bore. To kick off the festivities, local support will be provided by Pittsburgh’s own blackened-grind miscreants, Wrought Iron.

 
Find more details on the show, and RSVP, here and here.

What To Do In Pittsburgh This Weekend (10 – 12 August 2012)

Hey Pittsburgh, it’s Friday! The weekend is just about upon us, so of course everyone is looking for something to entertain themselves with over the next few days, right? I’ve got all the answers RIGHT HERE!

 
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Upcoming Shows: Chrome Waves Tour Starts Tonight!

 
Okay, folks, listen up. Here’s another tour you need to know about. It’s only nine days long and only covers the north-eastern quadrant of the United States, but if you live in or near any of the cities listed below (including Pittsburgh!) you won’t want to miss Chrome Waves. How’s this for a super group: Stavros Giannopoulos (The Atlas Moth), Jeff Wilson (Wolvhammer, ex-Nachtmystium), and Iron Bob Fouts (The Gates of Slumber)!
 
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Currently Touring: The Catalyst

 
Here’s another announcement about a current U.S. tour, which somehow slipped past me until after it actually got underway. If you live in Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, or Texas, then I am very, very sorry.

Just like Windhand, whose summer tour I wrote about yesterday, The Catalyst also come from Richmond, Virginia, and also are with Forcefield Records. These folks are really starting to make waves with their grunge/noise-rock/hardcore sound (Decibel Magazine mentions the “multi-directional weirdness of their AmRep-meets-Melvins-meets-thrash-meets-Lollapalooza-when-it-was-cool sonic soup”).

Their new album Voyager is set to be released on 04 September, in a 12″ vinyl format with full-color gatefold. However, you can get your hands on it earlier: during their tour, the band will have an advance limited run of the LP on clear and orange haze vinyl (limited to 200 pieces) available.

If, however, The Catalyst aren’t coming to your city (or if you live in one of the places they’ve already played), you can also pre-order a copy from Forcefield (here), limited to 100 copies in an orange and yellow swirl with black and red splatter. The pre-orders will ship on 13 August, so you’ll have it very soon — and around three weeks before the official release date!

 
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Damnit! Windhand Tour Started Last Week! Anyway, Here’s the Details…

 
In reviewing their self-titled debut album, Cvlt Nation calls Windhand “way more than a band that you should be on the look out for, they are a group of humans that will change the way you hear doom.”

With members who’ve also done time in bands like Alabama Thunderpussy, The Might Could, and Facedowninshit, Windhand are gaining enough recognition and accolades to stand out in what sometimes seems like a pretty crowded field of female-fronted occult doom, and rightfully so.

…Which is why I was pretty pissed off when I came across this announcement about their month-long U.S. tour, a week after the tour had already started — particularly when I discovered that they had already been to Pittsburgh last weekend and I hadn’t even heard anything about it until now! Clearly, I’ve been spending way too much time dealing with less-important bullshit (work, for example), and not enough time paying attention to goings-on in the world of good quality music!

So anyway, all of us folks who live in the northeast, and some parts of the midwest (Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan earlier this week) have already missed out — unless some of you readers have been more perceptive than me, and managed to catch one of those shows. But for the rest of you, who live all over the middle of the country or in the southeast, you’ve still got a chance. A full list of tourdates can be found below.

 
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