This past Saturday was a double dose of great music. I went to Jergels in Pittsburgh to photograph the well known Lez Zeppelin band. I had not looked at the lineup before I arrived so wasn’t aware they had an opener. I’ve checked out a lot of bands in the Pittsburgh area but had not heard of Storm Dragon before. The band did not know that I was coming to the show and as soon...
Gator Shakes is a band you’ve probably seen on a flier or two if you’re a follower of the Pittsburgh metal scene. After a memorable performance at Deutschtown Music Festival and a conveniently-timed epidemic of alligators running wild in the city streets, Gator Shakes has been shrouded in a fog of intrigue and mystery. To cap off an active summer, they unveiled a 7-track album on August 24th with a release party at Cattivo. There...
On Friday, September 13th, Chicago-based progressive deathcore act Psithurism released a new single titled Bloodlust. While the track maintains the style I’ve come to expect from the band, there’s a bit more genre-fusion when compared to their self-titled EP from earlier this year. The EP was filled with brutal, battering riffs, a mixed bag of bone-crushing screams from vocalist Matt Matigian, and ambient sections designed to build anticipation and anxiety. Bloodlust contains those same elements,...
When a band describes themselves as “progressive grunge rock with metal, punk, blues, jazz and mathcore influences” it leaves a lot to the imagination as to what exactly that combination of influences results in. Is this a band that sounds like Cobain fronting a jazz quartet with a denim clad thrash guitarist cranking a Randall amp and screaming about algebra? In the instance of Baltimore, MD rockers Malander Words Unspoken,the answer to that question is...
My first observation of Pittsburgh Crossover heavyweights, Crooked Cobras newest release: “Appetite for Distraction” was the eye catching and colorful album art, though, who isn’t a sucker for Reapers and hypnosis? The opening track, “Dead Eye” strikes me as the quintessential thrash anthem, with their hard hitting dual guitars provided by frontman Ray Kolcun and guitarist Bill Jasper. The third track “Midnight Driver” with its early era punk opening bass line got my blood pumping...
In two weeks time, 9 Stitch Method will release their second full-length album, “Jaywalking Somnambulist“. It’s been a good year for the band, from joining the Brutal Business Entertainment roster, to opening shows for national headliners such as Trapt (along with a plethora of other shows both in and outside of Pittsburgh). The bottom line is, they’ve shown a lot of growth this year, and what better way to top it all off than with...
“Beyond the Glow” by Greywalker is this weeks Find your MUSE(ic) video feature! In recent years Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Greywalker have started to become something of a household name amongst the ranks of it’s metal scene. The band’s new music video “Beyond the Glow” is a pretty damn good representation as to why the band’s popularity is spreading like wild fire. Ranging from the pseudo-metalcore tendencies of Darkest Hour to the Gothenburg melodeath of At the...
This week on Find Your Muse(ic) we take a look at the song “Claudia” by Delaware’s seafaring beast Bastion’s Wake. Featuring chunky dropped tuned alt metal, enriched guitar melodies, and symphonic elements…it is a welcome change of pace in the world of metal we have today. What will catch the ear most about “Claudia” is the intense harmonious vocals featured in the track. The vocals act almost as another instrument as beautiful 3 part harmonies...
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...
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania doom dwellers “Salt the Snail ” have just released a trippy new video for their single “Nightcrawlers“. Featuring a single riff that elevates and cascades throughout the track, the title is more than fitting for the composition the band have comprised. With haunting vocals that wouldn’t be out of place on a Radiohead track and a sound akin to Tool at their grimmest, “Nightcrawlers” is a slow burner for sure, but certainly worth...
Today’s show review from the First Angel camp is going to be a little different. Today you get a bird’s eye view of a performer and a fan. A menacing fly that was hopping wall to wall if you will. The crazy part about this review is that I almost didn’t have a show to play or write about for June 23rd. You see my band 9 Stitch Method was one of the opening acts...
The show must go on! When the headline band was unable to play, the other bands on the bill decided to still tear down the house at The Hard Rock Cafe! NeverWake, Paradigm and 9 Stitch Method made it a night to remember! Photography by Reina Peli 9 Stitch Method Paradigm NeverWake
Feast on the Fallen – “Boneyard” This week’s Find Your Muse(ic) we are rocking “Boneyard” by Steel City’s Feast on the Fallen. “Boneyard” comes in like a 10 ton hammer and sledges away for its 4 minute duration, waking up the dead in the process. Metallic hardcore laced with it’s murky death metal vibe pulses and churns as the band pummels their victims to rubble. People have been waiting for the zombie apocalypse, Feast on...
Feast on the Fallen Metal No Saviors Pittsburgh Zombie-core act Feast on the Fallen/ are back at it again with their new Ep “No Saviors”. With better production and matured songwriting, Feast have come back to stomp and pillage all within their path. With an intro track and 3 news songs, Feast on the Fallen doesn’t waste time getting down to business. “No Savior” plays out like a zombie flick that terrifies and keeps the...
Reign of Z is one of the bands we’ve had the pleasure of following from the very beginning. We’ve watched them form, do their first shows, grow as performers and now… the results of hard work and dedication to their craft speak for themselves. We couldn’t be more proud to share the new single they just dropped today – “Reflections” from their soon to be released album “Mirrors and Memoirs” Reign of Z has just...
Vetis The Invitation From the woods of West Virginia, horror metal juggernauts Vetis have emerged to haunt your dreams with their newest sonic assault “The Invitation”. This album is a must have for any metal fan, playing out like a walk in the woods at night with that suspicious feeling something or someone is watching you. Without a doubt, the shrieks and sounds that are heard on “The Invitation” are ones we have all heard...
Featured Video of the Week: SIKES and the New Violence – Whatever I Want – Genre: Hip Hop This week we’re deviating just a little bit… did you notice? Yes, this is a hip hop video, more than likely the only one you’re going to see here. So, why would a company that brings you Rock and Metal do this? Probably because this particular artist has a huge tie-in to the Metal genre. SIKES is the lead...
Photos only – for a review of the show, check out our Featured articles!
