Happy 2017(?)

2017

 

Well folks, here we are, starting another new year. 2016 was quite an eventful one, both on a personal level (Valley of Steel headquarters has relocated within the past few months! — which is why we’ve been so quiet for a little while; we’ve been hella busy between finding a place to move to, moving there, getting settled in, etc. — although for those who may be worried: we’re still in a valley in a former industrial area outside Pittsburgh, so the website title is still accurate, it just happens to be the valley of a different river than our former location), as well as on a sociocultural level (politics, both domestic and foreign, has really been a mess lately, hasn’t it??).

Of course, like every year, tons of great music got released in 2016 as well — and like every year, I’ve failed to write about everything I’ve wanted to share with you folks (or even half of it). We’ll be diving back into the reviewing and sharing of new (and some fairly not-so-new) music very soon. But today, I’d like to hit a few other items as we briefly glance over the year that was…

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Sonic Unrest Tour: Periphery / Chon / Sikth / Toothgrinder Coming to Pittsburgh!

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The Sonic Unrest Tour

Featuring Periphery, Chon, SikTh, and Toothgrinder

at Mr. Smalls Theatre

400 Lincoln Ave, Pittsburgh (Millvale) PA 15209

Saturday 27 August 2016

7:00 pm | $20 adv – $22 at door | All Ages

More Details: http://www.facebook.com/events/2069430906614728

Buy Tickets: http://www.ticketweb.com/mrsmalls

 

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Win FREE Tickets for GHOST BATH in Pittsburgh!!

 
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Steel Bridge Promotions Presents:

Ghost Bath

with Numenorean, Frosthelm, and Slaves BC

Friday 16 September 2016

at The Smiling Moose, 1306 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh (South Side) PA 15203

21+ only | 10:00 | $10

 
Tickets are on sale NOW at this link… OR you can WIN a pair of tickets FREE, courtesy of Steel Bridge Promotions and Valley of Steel! Keep on reading to learn more about the show and to enter for your chance to win …
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Win FREE Tickets for FULL OF HELL in Pittsburgh!!

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Steel Bridge Promotions Presents:

Full of Hell

with Bleak, Joey Molinaro, CHOIR, Pregnant Nun

Saturday 06 August 2016

at Black Forge Coffee House, 1206 Arlington Ave., Pittsburgh (Allentown) PA 15210

All Ages (BYOB for 21+), 8:00 show / 7:30 doors, $10

 
Tickets are on sale NOW at this link… OR you can WIN a pair of tickets FREE, courtesy of Steel Bridge Promotions and Valley of Steel! Keep on reading to learn more about the show and to enter for your chance to win …

 
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Steel City Fest (July 2016, Pittsburgh PA)

steelcityfest

 

Steel City Fest

Saturday 23 July 2016

at Cattivo

146 44th St., Pittsburgh PA 15201

All Ages | doors 3:00, show 3:30 | $13 ADV, $15 DOS

 
More details | Buy tickets

 
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Derkéta – In Death We Meet (2015 Reissue)

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DerkétaIn Death We Meet (originally self-released 2012; remixed/remastered CD and vinyl edition Ibex Moon Records, April/December 2015)

 

Named for a goddess of death in the mythology of the fictional kingdom of Stygia (analogous to Egypt in the Hyborian era setting of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories), the band Derkéta are widely regarded as Pittsburgh’s own goddesses of death/doom metal. You remember Derkéta, don’t you? Formed almost three decades ago, active on and off throughout those years with many of the same core members rotating in and out of the line-up; released a number of demos and EPs but then finally put out their debut album in 2012?

For a quick refresher, you could get a more complete history by checking out this interview that I did with founding guitarist/vocalist Sharon Bascovsky about three and a half years ago, when the band was about to perform at the Winter’s Wake festival in Pittsburgh.

Since that time, In Death We Meet was remastered for a vinyl release via Ibex Moon, and during that process they went ahead and polished up the recordings for a new CD version as well — which (in my opinion) was a vast improvement to the overall mix (generally sounding louder and heavier, wider and more spacious, with a more even blend of all the instruments rather than having the cymbal crashes dominating everything else) and warranted an “Honorable Mention” on my Top 15 of 2015 list.

And now — tonight, in fact — the band will be appearing in Pittsburgh once again, this time alongside the legendary Deströyer 666 at the Smiling Moose. You can find the relevant details about that right here if you happen to be in the area, but first, whether you’re planning on going to the show tonight or not, this seemed like a perfect opportunity for us to discuss In Death We Meet

 

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Win FREE Tickets for BIG BUSINESS in Pittsburgh!!

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Opus One Productions Presents:

Big Business

with Andy the Doorbum

Sunday 10 July 2016

at Club Cafe, 58 S. 12th St., Pittsburgh (South Side) PA 15203

21+ ONLY, 8:00 show / 7:00 doors, $12 adv. / $14 day of

 

Tickets are on sale NOW at Ticketweb… OR you can WIN a pair of tickets FREE, courtesy of Opus One Productions and Valley of Steel! Keep on reading to find out how (and while you’re at it, don’t forget about our other contests we are currently running!) …

 

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Win FREE Tickets for DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT / PRIMITIVE MAN / CULT LEADER in Pittsburgh!!

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Steel Bridge Promotions Presents:

Dragged into Sunlight / Primitive Man / Cult Leader / Wilt

featuring Slaves BC & Pregnant Nun

Monday 04 July 2016

at The Mr. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh 15224

ALL AGES, 7:00 pm (doors 6:30), $10

http://www.facebook.com/events/935142499872537/
 

After a long holiday weekend full of fireworks and partying (and, perhaps, checking out a bunch of bands Sunday night), surely the last thing anyone needs would be ANOTHER show Monday night — when all of us will already have a tough enough time dragging ourselves back to work the next morning as it is. Especially one that features a whopping THREE FOUR(!!) co-headliners (any one of which would be a huge deal if they came to town on their own) who are pretty much guaranteed to smash your brains to bits. And when you throw in two perennial local favorites, plus a special holiday menu of vegetarian fare available from Onion Maiden? Yeah.

Anyway, so Steel Bridge Promotions are bringing all of that to you on Independence Day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up with buildings exploding just like in the movie of the same name. This will surely be a spectacle not to be missed. Pre-sale tickets are available right now at their Big Cartel page… but for the next two weeks, you can WIN a pair of tickets for FREE, courtesy of Steel Bridge Promotions and Valley of Steel! Keep on reading to learn more…

 
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Win FREE Tickets for OF FEATHER AND BONE in Pittsburgh!!

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Steel Bridge Promotions Presents:

Of Feather and Bone (Denver, CO)

featuring Steel City Firm (Pittsburgh, PA), Separated (Long Island, NY), Vein (Boston, MA), and High Water (York, PA)

Sunday 03 July 2016

at The Mr. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh 15224

ALL AGES, 7:00 pm, $8

http://www.facebook.com/events/1735783396703078/
 

Well, Steel Bridge has done it again — assembled quite a conglomeration of a line-up, a hodgepodge of hardcore and metal, made up of regional and national bands, and presented to you for one low price (only $1.60 per band!). Pre-sale tickets are available right now at their Big Cartel page… but for the next two weeks, you can WIN a pair of tickets for FREE, courtesy of Steel Bridge Promotions and Valley of Steel! Keep on reading to learn more…

 
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FREE SLEEP TICKETS FOR SOLD-OUT PITTSBURGH SHOW. THIS IS NOT A JOKE.

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Opus One Productions Presents:

Sleep

featuring Windhand

Wednesday 22 June 2016

at Mr. Smalls Theatre, 400 Lincoln Ave. Pittsburgh (Millvale) PA 15209

ALL AGES, 8:00 show / 7:00 doors

 

As you are all surely aware, tickets for this show have been completely sold out for MONTHS. Since basically like twenty minutes after they went on sale. But as a special treat for our loyal readers, we have a pair of tickets to give away for FREE, thanks to the nice people at Opus One Productions.

 
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