Coroner confirms Gwar guitarist Cory Smoot’s cause of death
The Smoot family and Slave Pit Inc. released a statement regarding the official cause of death of guitarist Cory Smoot. Cory had played the character of Flattus Maximus for over ten years, and was discovered dead on the band’s tour bus on November 3rd of this year. He was 34. Stated North Dakota coroner William Masselo, [...]
Gwar guitarist found dead
Cory Smoot (as Flattus Maximus) In what couldn’t be any more horrible news, Gwar guitarist Flattus Maximus (real name Cory Smoot) was found dead this morning by his band mates as they were preparing to head to Canada on their current tour. Dave Brockie, singer of Gwar whose stage name is Oderus Urungus, issued the [...]
Gwar 10/31/11 at House of Blues
It has been a Halloween tradition for years that Gwar lands on our planet and performs in Chicago and this year was no different as the band returned once again to the House of Blues. The ornate interior of the venue was wrapped in plastic for the occasion as the club was packed full with [...]
Anthrax, Testament, and Death Angel 10/15/11 at Congress Theater
Saturday night the Congress Theater presented a metal trifecta that would make any late 1980′s metal fan drool and that was the return of Anthrax along with Testament and Death Angel. All three of these bands were held in very high regard during the late 1980s when thrash metal reigned supreme and Anthrax were one [...]
Weedeater 9/17/11 at Reggies
Saturday night a touring package of four excellent heavy bands made a stop at Reggies in Chicago for a night of metal in the South Loop. This package tour featured the mighty Weedeater as the headliner and that alone was reason enough to hit up one of Chicago’s finest clubs and the fact that three [...]
Down 9/16 at Austin’s Fuel Room
After a two-year wait since their last trip to the midwest, metal superstars Down returned to IL and instead of playing Chicago opted once again to play in Libertyville at Austin’s Fuel Room. Hundreds of fans packed the restaurant portion of the venue waiting the extra hour delay for the doors to open and in [...]
Doro Pesch 9/11/11 at Reggies
Sunday night not only marked the tenth anniversary of one of the most tragic days in American history but it also marked the return of a metal legend to Reggies. That legend is the “queen of metal”, Doro Pesch. Doro has enjoyed a long career in music spanning the better part of three decades now, [...]
Wolves in the Throne Room and Indian 9/1 at Reggies
September got off to a great start with the long-awaited return of Wolves in the Throne Room to Chicago. After two years they finally hit the road again and started their tour right here in the Windy City. Reggies was the host for this monumental evening that featured three unique and amazing metal bands. Chicago [...]
Rockstar Mayhem Festival 8/5/11 at First Midwest Bank Amphitheater part two
As the day progressed so did the non-stop lineup of bands playing the Rockstar Mayhem Festival and there was only a few more bands to go before the main pavilion opened up for the four main event, big-stage acts. People were sweaty and hot but they stayed hydrated by visiting the Rockstar tent which had [...]
COC/Coliseum 7/30 at Reggies
Saturday night over in the South Loop, Reggies had a four band show that featured one legendary punk/metal band from the old days who was touring with one of the finer bands of the modern-day. Those two bands are COC and Coliseum and you couldn’t ask for a more solid pair of bands playing a [...]
Anvil 7/26/11 at Reggies
Tuesday night, veteran heavy metal underdogs Anvil made their return to the Windy City to headline a show at Reggies. After enjoying some long-overdue recognition with the release of their documentary a year or so ago, the trio from Canada are back with another new album and tour. The metal-friendly Reggies was a perfect place [...]
Voivod – Warriors of Ice
A very strong live album that also serves as a best-of Voivod with its track list that will please long-time fans as well as providing a good introduction for the unfamiliar. Rating: Voivod – Warriors of Ice Sonic Unyon Metal In the mid 1980s a little thrash metal band from Canada named Voivod made their [...]
New Mastodon track available for free download via Adult Swim
Adult Swim this week offer an unreleased Mastodon track for free download via their Single of the Week program. This is exciting news for Mastodon fans considering aside from a ZZ Top cover, there has been no recorded output by the band since 2009′s amazing Crack the Skye. Check out “Deathbound” right here: Mastodon plans [...]
Macabre – Grim Scary Tales
Macabre celebrate 25 years as a band by releasing a fairly strong album that mixes the classic Macabre style in many songs while also experimenting in more melodic waters with others. The result is more hit than miss. Rating: Macabre – Grim Scary Tales Willowtip Records It’s amazing to think that 25 years ago, this [...]
Amebix release new song and video
UK punk/metal legends Amebix have just released a video for a new song from their forthcoming album. Having seen the band play a couple of years ago and seeing just how great they still are, needless to say this is very exciting news. If this new song is an indication of what the album as [...]
Indian – Guiltless
Brutal and punishing doom so intense that it is intimidating. Rating: Indian – Guiltless Relapse Records When I saw Indian play last year, they were so incredibly loud and punishing that it was almost physically painful to experience them, that is how powerful they were. They were easily one of the most intense bands I’ve [...]
Voivod to release live album
Canadian metal pioneers, Voivod, are planning to release a live album this summer. The album, titled Warriors of Ice, will be released June 21 on Sonic Union Metal. The album was recorded in Montreal in 2009 and features all three surviving original members as well as new guitarist Dan “Chewy” Mongrain who has so far done [...]
Weedeater cancels remaining tour dates due to injury
In what should come as a surprise to no one, a member of Weedeater sustained an injury severe enough to force them to cancel the remaining dates of their US tour. This is disappointing news as the band is an amazing act to see live and now the people in the remaining cities on their [...]
Weedeater – Jason… the Dragon
The band that the term sludge was invented to describe return with an extremely heavy and thick record full of swampy, gritty guitars and bowel shattering bass. It doesn’t get any heavier or thicker than this! Rating: Weedeater – Jason… the Dragon Southern Lord Recordings It was beginning to look like Weedeater wasn’t going to [...]
Motörhead first LP vinyl reissue
In 1983 Chiswick Records (who had the good taste to sign The Damned after they left Stiff) released the first Motörhead LP and a metal/rock and roll institution was born that still lives on today. Motörhead is one of the longest running metal bands in history and they were certainly one of the more influential [...]
Cradle of Filth 2/20 at House of Blues
Sunday night droves of metal fans celebrated Presidents Day Eve by packing the House of Blues for the Creatures of the Black Abyss Tour, headlined by Cradle of Filth. The venue filled up early and the place was full of eager metal fans, all dressed in black and some even wearing makeup. Daniel Lioneye got [...]
Whitechapel drummer leaves band
Metal heavyweights, Whitechapel and their drummer Kevin Lane have parted ways. The split, said to be amicable, apparently has led to all kinds of rumors and speculation as to the real reason of the separation. Kevin Lane, in an effort to set the record straight, had this to say. “Over the past years I’ve had [...]
Earache releases Extreme Stage Diving app
Earache Records has joined the app craze by releasing one of their very own. Exclusive to the Apple App Store, Earache Extreme Stage Diving allows you to play along to a killer soundtrack of thrash, death and heavy metal as you throw a pesky stage diver off a festival stage and as far into the [...]
