I never thought the idea of Cthulhu metal would be a thing to exist, but Cthulhu Dreamt proved me wrong with that. They have had a couple releases now, but their latest EP Precursor is something special. As the name applies, it is a precursor for new sounds as well as a new ambitious project. Containing 7 tracks, this album is definitely as eldritch as you would expect it to be. Containing lethal doses of...
Independent musician J9 has collaborated with the demonic Sam Astaroth to bring you the newest single and collaboration known as “Colt 45“. The beats of this one is so dark and neurotic that they would belong to a David Lynch film, and with the demonic rapping of Sam Astaroth, it makes for something that mimics the themes of the song itself. This song is about the downward spiral that is cause of too much alcohol,...
I happened upon the band Memory Front while hitting up a show at Club Cafe for band buddies Some Faith and Hemlock for Socrates. It was a great surprise to see that the head of this band was a dear friend from my past, and not a surprise at all to see that he brought a presence to the stage that commanded attention. The name is catchy and quite relevant. The Memory Front mastermind, Jesse, is a...
I’d have a really hard time explaining the band Hemlock for Socrates to someone who’s never heard them. What is their music like? Their sound is like cool soil running through your fingers. It’s the zap on the tip of your tongue gently touched against a battery. It’s braving the bitter wilderness with a bow in hand, that shoots laser beams. It is so beautiful. And I think it’s worth mentioning that Heather and Kegan,...
When the heavy metal band Prey for Nothing happened upon my computer screen, I was immediately hooked on the name alone. I soon found out that the kick-a$$ metal name was hardly the coolest thing they were bringing to the table. Their sound is delightfully diverse and powerful, and they quickly became a new addition to my daily mix. These cats aren’t at all new to the scene though. Based out of Israel, they’ve been...
What can I write to paint an accurate picture of the band Black Ridge? Can I tell you what they sound like? What style of music they play? What their performance can be compared to? No. I really can’t. They sound like Black Ridge. They play their own style of music. Their performance is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. What I can tell you, is that no matter who you are or what you’re...
RFL Records and SamBones Promos present the newest record from long-time melodic rockers Playhouse and it is a gem! Darker and more “Americana” than some of their previous work, the aptly titled Dancing at Funerals is a fun, celebratory romp set against the backdrop of the dying American Dream, outfitted with what should always come first in music-creation; songwriting. Opening track, “Requiem” sets the stage with melancholy piano that sinks you right into the beer...
I’d heard OF Traverse the Abyss before but I’d never HEARD them, so when the powers that be over at FAM told me to check ‘em out I was delighted to oblige. Based out of Scranton, PA (home of The Office, I bet no one’s ever mentioned that before) they started in the scene in 2016. I aimlessly scrolled through all their Facebook photos, and they seem like a lot of fun (it’s not weird, this...
Pittsburgh favorite Prime 8 just dropped their new album, Gods of the Anthropiods, on all streaming services. Of course I had to give it a little lookie-loo, and I’m here to share my findings with the class. This album starts off with a really cool synth track called “Misdirection” that’s both dancey and dark. The metal vocal samples were the perfect match to the electronic groove, and it was a great intro for what’s to...
The work on the official soundtrack to the upcoming film Overnight produced by Solunar Records has been very fruitful indeed. On May 31st, the fourth single dropped, this time it is a solo effort from Caleb Straus’s new musical project The Death of Zenith. It is a cover of the song “Sun and Moon” originally performed by a band called Above and Beyond. Where the original song was peppy and dance-centric, this version is more...
