Once upon a time the only way you could hear music was to be there as it was created. If you grew up in the early 2000’s you have pretty much had your choice of digital downloads and finding bands across the globe, but what was once seen as the ‘next best thing’ for the music industry soon created expected issues, and now live music is seeing a comeback. Artists used to struggle to find...
Texas has been a breeding ground for amazing talent (as it always has); and indie rock lads Black Hole Bears are no different. Having released their debut self titled EP earlier this year, the boys have put the pedal to the metal and hit the ground running. If you are looking for something rigid, experimental, and abrasive…..I’m here to inform you Black Hole Bears may not be the fix your looking for. If you’re looking...
Jana Lee Macheca, of First Angel Media, returns to the Pennsylvania Rock Show 116 episodes after her first appearance in episode 360. In segment 1, She and Bill give you some insight into the inner workings of First Angel Media, Build the Scene, the Pennsylvania Rock Show and Podcast your Scene. You’ll hear a bit about our reach and beginnings. You’ll hear a lot about how our endeavors intertwine. We talked a bit about the...
Something dark and sinister comes this way from the plains of Cleveland, Ohio. Doom metal enthusiasts Frayle have recently dropped their new release “Dead Inside” and are taking the genre by storm with their brand of dense, ambient groove. I’ll say it and get it out of the way: while Frayle is more than competent in their chosen genre, “Dead Inside” doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any means, BUT the band make up for it...
On a night when many in Pittsburgh were attending Breaking Benjamin, I was at a small venue, Get Hip, for a DIY show with three bands, one stage, no genres. Sometimes you have to go back to the roots of where you felt the pull of music to have the best experiences. National shows are like the Wizard of Oz in his chamber with lights and smoke – but if you pull back the curtain...
Something wicked comes this way from the deep south. Texas prog aficionados “Color Chemistry” are about to unleash their new album “A Light Above” and plan to hit hard from just about every angle with their take on synthy prog rock and metal. Where do I even begin to start with this album? “A Light Above” hits fast and hard with many influences and styles that come from all angles and genres,...
Let’s face it, we live in a day and age where musically……..originality is hard to come by. That’s not saying bands don’t try to break the mold, but we live in a time where almost everything has been done and every genre has been mixed and matched to form a new sub genre. Every now and then you find a band that releases an album that creatively sticks out a little more than some and...
Nascent promoter Steel & Bone Productions has big things planned for the Pittsburgh underground metal scene. To kick off their crusade, we were given a seven-act Saturday night showcase at Cattivo that featured a number of bands that played last year’s Migration 2 Festival, allowing fans to sample what they may have missed out on or relive it if they attended it. Note: Migration returns in 2020. Abysme, a local act whom I recently caught...
It’s the kind of piano line that should be played in a dark and smoky bar. Simple, emotional, powerful. The vocals start: soft and sultry. The music keeps its simplicity and emotion as the verse leads the way to the chorus. The guitar is reminiscent of Larry Carlton – every note perfectly tasteful. It’s almost understated, but you couldn’t imagine the song without it. Like a subtle perfume, you’re not really aware of it but...
If you were to listen to any individual song by Baltimore-based alternative rockers Night’s Edge, you may classify them as something they’re not. Their debut album, ‘Shades of Dusk‘, was released on June 29th, and each song on the record brings something unique to the table. Although not necessarily genre-fluid, I didn’t get the feeling that this was a group trying to find their sound, but rather one that knew precisely who they were. I...
Every year, Rock for Life Concert Series Inc. puts on shows at the Iselin Ballfield near Saltsburg, PA. These shows are charity, benefiting sponsored children and their families through tough times with medical expenses and also moral support. It’s way more than a fundraising event. Gigaroo and the main event, Rock For Life are two day events with free camping. These shows go on rain or shine and are staffed by some of the most committed...
North Carolina death metal/thrash titans Outliar are about to hit the road and make their way to our neck of the woods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was handed their album “Taste the Blood” at a show I was playing a couple weeks ago and asked to do a write up on it. While I was excited, upon first glance of the album art and song titles I had already written off in my mind what to...
In the past few years, the underground sludge and doom metal scene in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has begun to really thrive. A newer band has emerged recently, having dropped their sophomore album in the back half of 2018, and it is a welcome addition to the Pittsburgh scene. Today we take a look at “Cultivating Mass” by East Pittsburgh’s Salt the Snail. “Cultivating Mass” is mostly what one would expect it to be within this style...
Philadelphia nu-thrash/hard rock outfit Infinity have recently dropped their debut album “Awakening“. With a commanding presence and a knack for melody and blistering technicality, the band are ready to hit the road and not look back with their brand of aggro-thrash. While “Awakening” doesn’t rewrite the handbook on old school thrash in any way, shape, or form….the band does however unite to provide a solid front with their influences on their sleeve. With their militant...
The Keynote Cafe in Jeannette, PA started twelve years ago because the owner Jill Sorrels wanted to hear more music. The last Saturday in June was the venue’s final show. Jill had decided it was time to retire. The show started at noon and there was act after act continuously until after midnight. Even though the venue is in a small town in southwestern PA, the amount of talent that played the last day was...
In October of last year, golden-throated warrior angel Deb Levine appeared at Ventura, California’s fourth annual Frost and Fire Festival as a performer with her remarkable band Lady Beast. It gave her an idea for a throwback metal festival to be held in the Pittsburgh area, one where the sounds of early thrash, power, speed, and New Wave of British Heavy Metal would be celebrated and elevated a la Germany’s Keep It True or Chicago’s...
Ever have an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other? Ever wonder what it would be like if they actually worked together instead of whispering conflicting narratives in your ear? My friends I’m here to tell you that unison would sound like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based trio Dematus‘ Ep “Ghost Carnivale”. Dematus has slowly been building a buzz for some time now and with an Ep like “Ghost Carnivale” it’s easy to see...
Did you know that one person dies from suicide every 40 seconds? There is probably a good chance that someone you know has been impacted by this tragedy. It’s predicted that by the end of 2020, this number will increase to a person every 20 seconds. This concert at the Spirit in Pittsburgh was to raise awareness about this rising epidemic. These five talented groups of artists entertained the crowd with their diverse styles of...
