I’m completely enthralled by the band Slow Crush. Their style of shoegaze has struck the right chord with me. The way they mix the heaviness with the dreamy is stellar. More bands that are in this style should take note of how Slow Crush makes those dynamics work. If you haven’t already, I highly suggest you listen to their album, Thirst, it’s truly a modern masterpiece and a blueprint for modern shoegaze. Today though, Slow Crush released 2 new songs called “Que Du Noir / Hallowed” and it’s been on repeat all morning and will be throughout the rest of the day and week. The songs are dreamy and full of lush soundscapes and textures that makes you feel like you are swimming. The lyrics are quite deep but feel alive at the end. These new songs have a fun aspect to them with one song with one sung in english and the other in french. Both of them are stunning with the one in french being a tinge more mystical. Slow Crush starts a US tour this week. Be sure to catch them if you can. I know I’m going to try to! Enjoy!
When a genre explodes, finding the standouts becomes imperative. Over the last few years “shoegaze” has come to the forefront of modern music. Depending on what subgenre of shoegaze you listen to shows you where the inspiration comes from. Deftones and The Smashing Pumpkins in particular have struck a chord with the younger generation. That being said let me shift this to the other side of the equation. Through all my listening and searching I believe I found one of the best albums of this new era of shoegaze. The band is Slow Crush and their album, Thirst is astounding.
Slow Crush’s album Thirst is haunting, seductive, heavy, whimsical and more. Every time I put this album on I’m completely swept away by the intensity. Across ten songs and forty minutes there isn’t one moment on this album that doesn’t fit. As much as this album is shoegaze focused, there is so much more to it. First there is an undercurrent of Black Metal running through the album. There are also elements of stoner rock, alternative rock and dream pop. Sonically, Thirst is explosive, etherial and atmospheric. The vocals will sweep you off your feet and take you on a trippy journey. They crawl under your skin and give you those chills that make you pay attention. Musically too, the intricate web of layers showcases the varied influences of the band. Being able to pull in heaviness into delicate structures is not an easy thing to do. While certain moments are crushing, the more airy ones are what captivates. The hypnotic nature of the songs and production is another part that makes Thirst such a masterful album.
For each listen, you find something new to love and discover. One of my favorite parts of this album is the ending of the second song “Covet.” The use of saxophone at the end of this song is sublime. What a great part and addition to the song. It feels like a David Bowie moment that fits perfectly. It’s almost like the band steps into another world with each song. As a listener it’s rather liberating to hear an album like this. It’s not everyday you get to hear an album that ups the game of a genre. Slow Crush have defined their sound and style with Thirst. Do yourself a favor and take some time with this album and let it take over!
There’s always so much music being released these days it’s hard to keep up with it all at times. Luckily, you all have me to sort through it all and deliver the good stuff! As always, this batch of bands and albums is quite the eclectic one. This New Music Friday has all sorts of rock, metal, hardcore, electronic, and indie. Do check out all these bands and if they are playing near you, go see them and support your scene! At the end of the day there is no scene if there are no people there! Enjoy these picks and remember to always, Listen Eclectically! – Brian
01) The Anti-Groupies- Pretty Vicious: The Anti-Groupies are the real deal! I’ve been a fan for quite a bit now and it’s been a blast to watch their growth not just as a live band but as songwriters. Their debut album, Pretty Vicious, is out now and it’s a righteous slab of rock. It’s got the attitude and charisma of the 90’s, a fun playfulness that has a late 70’s early 80’s glam/punk rock vibe a la Blondie and Joan Jett and a style that is bombastic. The Anti-Groupies are one of those bands that will kick you in the teeth when you see them. The fun aspect of seeing this band is there along with the feeling of wanting to mosh. Give Pretty Vicious a spin!! And on November 15 come out to The Cobalt Presents show at Bar10 at Corbin Bowl and see The Anti-Groupies live for the Highwire Daze Magazine 35th Anniversary Show!
02) Au Jus- Very Well, Then: I find myself at times being quite intrigued with what the kids are doing musically these days. It’s been fun to watch a new generation of kids get into the things I grew up on. Sometimes there are a few bands that can capture a certain artsy essence of that time. With that in mind, let me introduce you to Au Jus and their album, Very Well, Then. This album is very much in the 90’s alternative vein with that introspective touch to it. It’s got a sort of The Smashing Pumpkins vibe mixed with Blind Melon. So it’s sort of whimsical and spacey with some sprinkles of psychedelia and shoegaze. Give Very Well, Then a spin and see where it takes you! You can catch Au Jus live Saturday October 25 at The Cobalt Presents Show at Hotel Ziggy!!
03) The Barbarians Of California- Pseudo Intellectuals Are Hating On My Band (Pure Power): Ever since I heard The Barbarians Of California I’ve been hooked. It’s been great to hear Aaron Bruno back in the hardcore realm of things. I grew up in the same area as Aaron and watching his old band Insurgence along with a slew of others like Counterveil, Homemade and others was a blast. So it’s been really fun and a bit nostalgic to have this band around. The Barbarians released a new song recently that also features Keith Buckley of Many Eyes/ex Every Time I Die. This is just one of those really fun sing along hardcore songs. It’s infectious! That’s the word I was trying to come up with. Enjoy this one!!
04) God Alone- The Beep Test: I love when I get sent things that I have zero about and I just put it on and then it’s game on! That’s what happened when I checked out Cork, Ireland’s, God Alone and their album, The Beep Test. It’s this crazy amalgamation of math rock, hardcore, punk, electronics and dance. I know, what? But seriously it all works quite well. The experimental nature of the album leaves you really wanting to delve into it more and more. There is so much to unpack in a glorious way, like opening presents on your birthday. I don’t want to say too much of it will give away the fun. Just put this album on and dance your feet off!
05) Jet Black Iris- How Sweet Is The Taste Of Your Infection?: A while back a band hit me up about playing a show with The Cobalt Presents. As I always do, I checked out the band and could definitely hear something I liked. So I booked them and DAMN! Jet Black Iris really captured my attention. Firstly, the sound of the band is chock full of things I love. There’s the 90’s quiet/loud vibe but more so in the Failure way, then you add in a really cool Post-Punk element a la Joy Division as well as Interpol (mainly their first 2 albums), and then a punk vibe that sits in that metallic/melodic spot. Put all that together and you really do have one hell of a sound and Jet Black Iris definitely takes flight! Their debut album, How Sweet Is The Taste Of Your Infection?, is ten songs of pure passion poured out onto tape (well the computer these days). Jet Black Iris has fast become one of my favorite new bands. Come see them live Saturday October 25 at The Cobalt Presents Show at Hotel Ziggy!!
06) Motherless- Do You Feel Safe?: More often than not, I’m usually in a heavy music mood. Depending on my mood depends on the level of heavy. The other day I wanted something that was HARD! So I went through my list of things to check out and put on the album Do You Feel Safe? by Motherless. After listening the eight song album, I knew I found what I was looking for and I put it on again. Punishing! That’s what this album is. It’s Metal, its got Hardcore sprinkled all over as well as dashes of Black Metal, Sludge and Doom! Motherless features members of The Atlas Moth (if you haven’t heard their album Coma Noir, you really should) and Without Waves. This album is quite intense and like I said, punishing (in the best way possible)!
07) Puscifer- Self Evident: I’ll admit, I haven’t been the biggest fan of Puscifer. There are songs I do like a lot but, for some reason it jus wasn’t connecting with me. Then a few months ago, I sat down to do some other work and put all the Puscifer albums on and found myself enjoying it a lot more than before. So when the news came out the other day that after five years, come February 6, 2026 via Alchemy Recordings, we will get a new Puscifer album called, Normal Isn’t. This new album is supposed to align more with the Post-Punk/Goth side of the bands collective influences. The first single “Self Evident” is just that, it’s dipped and swirled in post-punk. I’m sure Beavis and Butthead would be happy with one of the lyrics too!
08) Trace Amount Featuring Fatboi Sharif- Seeing God On The L Train: Over the past few years, I’ve been interested in where all the electronic music is going. There are so many sub-genres to it now that it almost seems made up. There are certain ones though that I’ve taken a liking too. The apocalyptic/atmospheric soundscapes with what seems like post-industrial beats has caught my ear. One artist that I’ve really enjoyed that does this style is Trace Amount (aka Brandon Gallagher). I got to see Trace Amount a few years ago open for Greg Puciato’s solo tour and Brandon’s set was one of those that set a tone sort of foreshadowed the craziness of the night. This new track though is pretty rad in that the sparce sound accompanied by the vocal deliver of Fatboi Sharif makes this a trippy song!
I love when it’s been a long while since you’ve seen a certain band live, then you go to the show and it’s just what you wanted it to be and even a little bit more too, since it’s been that long in between shows. This past weekend I went to see Danzig (who I haven’t seen live since 2013) and one of my all time favorite bands, Down (who I haven’t seen live in almost 10 years) at The Forum. What a show it was too. Also playing this evening were Abbath (first time seeing them live) and Cro-Mags (didn’t catch them). The Forum over the last decade plus has really stepped up their game in terms of sound, and the shows they hold. Getting to see Down here was quite special (think the last time they played the Forum was when they were on tour with Heaven And Hell (Dio era Black Sabbath).
First band I saw of the evening was Abbath. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a black metal band play and they sure were good. I forgot that the main guy was also previously in Immortal. Abbath was a good choice for this show (just thought of this, why wasn’t this tour billed as the new Blackest Of The Black tour- I’ll have to inquire). It was nice to see Norwegian Black Metal still thriving and destroying. Though I didn’t see Cro-Mags, the 1, 2 punch of Hardcore Punk then Black Metal is quite the way to open a show.
Now the part that really got me, DOWN!!! I love Down. I actually get into arguments with people because I like Down more than I like Pantera. To me Down just has more substance and depth. There’s nothing like seeing Down live and firing on all cylinders. It’s truly a magical thing to see and hear. Playing songs mainly from their classic debut, NOLA, as well as a couple from their second album, Down had the crowd in the palm of their hand for the hour they were on stage. The moment they all took the stage and the first notes of “Lysergic Funeral Procession” began, you knew that you were in for one hell of a set. From there it was just classic after classic. It’s always a pleasure to hear favorites of mine like “Losing All,” “Ghosts Along The Mississippi,” one of the best Track One’s of all time “Temptation’s Wings,” and one of the best closers too in “Bury Me In Smoke.” I also love that during the “Bury Me In Smoke” Phil sang the a bit of “Nothing In Return (Walk Away)” and that absolutely was a special moment. I love that song. It’s so epic that it too should be played live! Down was on fire and everyone sounded killer. Watching Philip, Pepper, Kirk, Jimmy and Pat on stage truly having fun and ripping through a great set like that is why I love going to concerts and seeing my favorite bands, Down especially!
Danzig headlined this evening and by the time he went on and the lights went down, it was sure time for things to get a bit darker. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Danzig live. The last time was probably the best Danzig show I have ever seen. This show is right up there though. There’s such a fun theatricalness to a Danzig show that it keeps you into it. Knowing his audience well, the set consisted of songs mostly from the first 3 albums with a few scattered ones from Danzig IV, Circle Of Snakes, and Deth Red Sabaoth. Personally I love Danzig III so getting to hear any of the songs from that album is a joy for me. The performance this evening of “How The Gods Kill” was great (you can watch it on the Audioeclectica Instagram page). Glenn is still one hell of a frontman and when he’s on like he was this evening, it’s pretty spectacular. Joining Glenn on stage was longtime Danzig collaborator and Prong’s Tommy Victor on guitar, Samhain’s Steve Zing on bass and Karl Rosquist on drums. Watching the crowd get into the show song by song was interesting. You could tell who knew more than just a handful of songs. Either way, it was a great bill all around.
DOWN Set List: 01) Lysergik Funeral Procession 02) Lifer 03) Hail The Leaf 04) Ghosts Along The Mississippi 05) Pillars Of Eternity 06) Temptation’s Wings 07) Stone The Crow 08) Eyes Of The South 09) Bury Me In Smoke
DANZIG Set List: 01) Skin Carver 02) Brand New God 03) Twist Of Cain 04) Evil Thing 05) Hammer Of The Gods 06) How The Gods Kill 07) Her Black Wings 08) Killer Wolf 09) Black Hell 10) Tired Of Being Alive 11) The Hunter (Albert King Cover) 12) Am I Demon 13) Not Of This World 14) Mother ENCORE: 15) She Rides 16) Dirty Black Summer 17) Do You Wear The Mark
Extreme music is extreme for a reason. When you listen to a band within this genre, there always seems to be a bit more of an expression whether it’s in the heaviness of the music, lyrical content, all around delivery or even melding of other sub-genres to make something that is a bit unsettling while at the same time strikes a chord with an audience. Recently I was introduced to a band that encapsulates all that into their debut album and it absolutely takes zero prisoners. Allow me to get you acquainted with Agriculture. This Los Angeles based 4 piece combined their collective influences to create what they like to call “Ecstatic Black Metal.” Not only is Black Metal a strong constant throughout their music the more you listen, you pick up on all sorts of different artistic elements. The use of improvisational experimentation and a sense of catharsis makes for quite the listening experience.
Agriculture’s self titled debut full length is a sonic assault that sets you on quite the start to finish path. Through the use of heavy music in an extreme fashion, there is a sense of urgency found throughout the album. The well crafted intense guitars and harmonies, along with passionate vocals, atmospheric pathways and intriguing experiments, makes Agriculture’s album one that blooms with grace and a punch to the face. Agriculture’s album will arrive on July 21st via The Flesner and on that day, the fruits of their labor be a statement to both the esoteric and physical world.
If there is one thing I really enjoy about music, it’s when I come across bands/artists that are taking chances. Not just taking chances though, but, putting out music that is deeply rooted in inspiration and emotion. This weeks band of the week Crowhurst, is just that. The music is dark and full of rage, all the while being experimental and pulverizing. There are shades of industrial, black metal, and ambiance throughout the songs. Led by vocalist/keyboardist/sampler Jay Gambit, Crowhurst have brought back the dark industrial vibe that has been missing from the genre for some time. One can tell from listening to them, that they really believe in what they are creating. Nothing seems forced or misplaced. If you are looking for something dark, heavy and bombastic, then Crowhurst is what you need.
There are certain genres of heavy music that most people just don’t get. In fact most people would give you “the look” if they heard what you were listening to. One of the best things about being into heavy music is the matter of not caring what people think about what you listen to. Which brings me to Scour. This band is a “supergroup” consisting of Philip H. Anselmo (Pantera, Down, Superjoint, etc) – vocals, Derek Engemann (CATTLE DECAPITATION) -Guitar, Chase Fraser (ANIMOSITY) – Guitar, John Jarvis (PIG DESTROYER) – Bass, and Jesse Schobel (STRONG INTENTION) – Drums. Their debut E.P. sounds nothing like their main projects. Their sound can be derived from influences of the ’90s Scandinavian black metal movement. The six songs that appear on the E.P. are nothing short of heavy, dark, and pummeling. The songs “Dispatched,” “Clot,” “Codes,” and “Tear Gas,” all exemplify what modern day black metal with a bit of thrash should sound like.
For all his faults and tendencies to put his foot in his mouth, Philip Anselmo, has delivered one of his best vocal performances on an album in some time. His ferocious growls and screams are right in line with how black metal vocals should sound. Musically this band is top notch. I for one would love to see them have time to really work together and create a full length album.
So if you are looking for something different and heavy, then Scour is what you need.
Emperor is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They are regarded as highly influential by critics and emerging black metal bands. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited from 2005 to 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours, and will once reuniting in 2014. Ihsahn and Samoth met as youngsters and the two young men began playing together under various names; first Dark Device, then Xerasia, then Embryonic. The group soon evolved into the now well-known band Thou Shalt Suffer. Soon, however, Samoth began to write music outside of Thou Shalt Suffer, and together with Ihsahn and a new bass player called Mortiis (later of his own eponymous band Mortiis), Emperor was formed. After a short while together, the band released a demo entitled Wrath Of The Tyrant. After a record contract was signed, Samoth moved to rhythm guitar, Ihsahn continued the vocal duties and lead guitars, and Faust was recruited as a drummer. In the summer of 1993, the band began working on their first full-length album. Emperor ceased wearing corpse paint, they stated that it was becoming a trend and losing its original significance and symbolism. In 1994, Samoth was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burning the Skjold Church in Vindafjord, together with Varg Vikernes. . In 1994, In The Nightside Eclipse was released, earning Emperor more notoriety. After Samoth’s parole, the band was joined by Trym and Alver on drums and bass respectively, and at the end of 1996, Emperor entered the studio to record Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk. Featuring a much more progressive sound than their earlier works, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk won the ‘album of the year’ by a lots of European magazines and critics. Continuing their career as a trio, with Ihsahn handling keyboards , vocals, guitars and bass, the band recorded their third album IX Equilibrium and toured Europe and the United States. It was around 2000 when Samoth and Trym started to gravitate more towards more of the death metal style, while Ihsahn directed his musical exploration towards the more artistic and progressive side of extreme metal. In 2001, Emperor decided to disband after releasing one final album, Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise which was composed entirely by Ihsahn. Emperor would go on to reunite in 2005 for a slew of shows up till their break up again in 2007. Now in 2014 Emperor is headlining all sorts of European festivals.
The amount of influence Emperor has spread over the years and across the many sub genres of metal is exponential. The mere greatness they exhibit in their playing and songwriting is fantastic. While not for everyone Emperor are pioneers and took it to the next level for extreme music.
In this new feature we go on a journey to other genres and explore what they have to offer. Today’s offering is Ulver. They formed in Norway in the early 90’s. Their sound tends to be classified as Folk Black Metal. They blend different genres such as rock, folk, metal, symphonic, classical, and electronic to create their unique sound. Their albums have all been different from their others. They are one of the few that evolution has never held them back. Bergtatt, the debut album has been hailed as not the heaviest or most aggressive black metal.What makes the album stand out from all, is its use of unique atmosphere to create something that is eerie and oddly tranquil. Another one of their albums that is quintessential to their catalog is Blood Inside. On this album, along with their folk, black metal, symphonic sound, they began to incorporate jazz elements. Thus allowing the band to have awkward yet enriching time signatures.
While Ulver isn’t for everyone, they truly are excellent songwriters. One can always appreciate a well written and arranged song. If you’ve ever wanted to venture to the darker side, Ulver is a great place to start.
