SLUG Contributor Limelight
September 29, 2016
Contributor Limelight: Eric U. Norris
A bit over three years ago, Eric U. Norris came to SLUG Magazine as an eager writer with an appetite for punk, hardcore and metal. With each review and interview feature, Norris has earned his keep. He possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of his musical areas of expertise, and we at SLUG are proud to count him as one of our own! Norris cites covering Punk Rock Bowling 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada, interviewing Trinity West about The Speedway Project and his Localized diptych feature about Zombiecock and Goatsifter as some of his favorite assignments. Particularly, Norris is passionate about covering local music and helping to fuel the success of musicians and artists in our community. He continues to do so in the October Issue with this installment of Localized, which features hardcore bands Villain and Burn Your World on pages 6 and 7.
Articles by contributor
American Hair Metal—Ain’t Nothin’ but a Good Time!
You may remember the lace and leather, spandex pants, teased hair and showgirl makeup, as well as the gallons of booze, kilos of blow and all the debauchery that ensued, more than the music itself. It’s all captured in this professionally published scrapbook–American Hair Metal: Can’t Get Enough. … read more
Horns Up! Bottoms Up! Aces High! SLC’s Punk & Metal...
Aces High Saloon is a venue-bar hybrid in the style of an “outlaw, biker bar,” calling out to the metalheads, punk rockers and all other outlaws and burnouts. … read more
Review: Widows Watch – This Message Repeats
Widows Watch = Bad Religion + Jawbreaker + Rye Coalition … read more
Review: VIZA – Made in Chernobyl
I bought the album Made in Chernobyl from VIZA when they were opening up for Gogol Bordello last August, and I fell absolutely in love with it. … read more
Review: Various Artists – Fat Music Vol. 8: Going Nowhere...
Fat Music = The Fat Wreck catalog … read more
Review: Useless ID – State Is Burning
Useless ID = Consumed + Lagwagon + (Teenage Bottlerocket x face to face) … read more
Review: Ursut – Köp Dig Lycklig
Ursut = Wartorn + Simbiose + Totalitär … read more
Review: Two Cow Garage – The Death of the Self...
The whole album’s forte is their cynical yet often poetic lyrics. “Mantle in ’56” is a slower, blues-based ballad in which Schnabel compares his life to that of the New York Yankees’ most valuable player circa 1956, Mickey Mantle. I enjoyed this album—it’s very upbeat and has that classic ’90s punk rock sound in it. … read more
Review: The Van Burens – Presidential Lovefest
The Van Burens = Can + Frank Zappa + Rebelution … read more
Review: The Transmission NOW – White Night
The Transmission NOW = The Replacements + FIDLAR + Face To Face … read more
Review: The Underachievers – Cellar Door: Terminus Et Exordium
The Underachievers = Flatbush Zombies + (Pro Era x Joey Badda$$) … read more
Review: The Supermen – Back With A Gangbang
The Supermen = The Murder Junkies + The Meatmen + Antiseen … read more
Review: The Ska-Skank Redemption – Wicked Bees
Songs like “Hit ‘n’ Run” and “Age of Wine” resemble the traditional dance-like ska beat. “Minnesota” brings a lot more emphasis on the guitar, giving the song a more raw, punk rock edge to the EP—all while lead singer Dan Christianson upholds clean and emotional vocals similar to that of Billie Joe Armstrong. … read more
Review: The Lawrence Arms – Metropole
Keep in mind, diehards—it’s been eight long years since The Lawrence Arms released a full-length album. In that time, they were signed to Fat Wreck Chords and cultivated a sound similar to Dwarves. Now, through Epitaph, they have released an album that shows a more dynamic approach toward their music. … read more
Review: The Menzingers – Rented World
Well, The Menzingers have delivered another album that the disgruntled and eccentric youth can tap their feet and bob their heads to. … read more
Review: The Gary – Farewell Foolish Objects
The Gary = Joy Division + Sonic Youth + Johnny Cash … read more
Review: The Hip Priests – Black Denim Blitz
The Hip Priests = Nashville Pussy + Zeke + The Dictators … read more
Review: The Capitalist Kids – At A Loss
The Capitalist Kids = Lagwagon + The Menzingers + Alkaline Trio … read more
Review: The Flatliners – Division of Spoils
The Flatliners = Lagwagon + No Use for A Name + The Mighty Mighty Bosstones … read more
Review: The Dirty Nil – Higher Power
The Dirty Nil = (PUP + FIDLAR) X (Fugazi + Smashing Pumpkins) … read more
Review: The Flatliners – Inviting Light
The Flatliners = Hot Water Music + Alkaline Trio + mid-2000s Against Me! … read more
Review: The Breakup Society – So Much Unhappiness, So Little...
I had no idea how to put this band into a certain genre—this album had a mixture between indie rock and pop/rock, with little sprinkles of this and that in the mix. … read more
Review: The Forum Walters – Lederhosenpunk
This whole album can be summed up in just one word: positivity! It kept me in a good mood right from its arousing intro, kicking right into the upbeat ska/punk title track that possesses me to skank whenever I hear it. … read more
Review: The Bad Engrish – No Passing Trend
The Bad Engrish = The Business + The Potato Pirates + The Briefs … read more
Review: Teenage Bottlerocket – American Deutsch Bag
On “Ich bin Ausländer und Spreche Nicht Gut Deutsch,” they uphold their pop punk style by saying one line throughout the whole song—only this time it’s in German. They then cut to the fast-paced, 60-second, pro-pot track, “I’m the One Smoking Marijuana Motherfucker,” with lyrics emphasizing their juvenile-delinquent mentality. … read more
Review: Six of Swords – Polar Vortex EP
Six of Swords = Cannibal Corpse + Bloodbath + Obituary … read more
Review: Slayer – Repentless
Slayer = Venom x (Exodus + Testament)
… read more
Review: Skeletonwitch – Devouring Radiant Light
Skeletonwitch = Toxic Holocaust + (Goatwhore x At The Gates) … read more
Review: Simbiose – Trapped
Simbiose = Napalm Death + Hellbastard + Totalitär
… read more
Review: Rise Against – The Black Market
Rise Against = Strike Anywhere + Consumed + Anti-Flag … read more
Review: Riverboat Gamblers – Dead Roach 7
Riverboat Gamblers = The Minutemen + The Lawrence Arms … read more
Review: Rancid – …Honor Is All We Know
Rancid = Operation Ivy + UK Subs + The Vandals … read more
Review: Rise Against – The Eco-Terrorist In Me 7″
Rise Against = Anti-Flag + 88 Fingers Louie + Baxter … read more
Review: Royal Oi! – Bootboys and Hooligans
Royal Oi! = The Bad Engrish x Angelic Upstarts
… read more
Review: Rancid – Trouble Maker
Rancid = The Specials + Youth Brigade + Charged GBH … read more
Review: Poison Idea – Confuse & Conquer
Poison Idea = MDC + Reagan Youth + Disclose … read more
Review: PSO/Meth Breath – Split
PSO = Dag Nasty + Gorilla Biscuits + Cerebral Ballzy
… read more
Review: Propagandhi – How To Clean Everything (20th Anniversary Edition)
Oh the ’90s! This was a time when punk rock got really funny, and nowhere is this more prevalent than on Propagandhi’s heavily political, satirical and hilarious debut. For the album’s 20th anniversary, Fat Wreck Chords decided to re-release this album with seven unreleased tracks. … read more
Review: PUP – Self-Titled
With an even blend of punk, indie and garage rock, PUP have created a sound all to themselves with their self-titled debut. An overall enticing album, it employs heavy distortion contrasting with lighter, cleaner vocals playing both fast and slow when appropriate. … read more
Review: Para Elite / Total Annihilation – Battle On Split...
Para Elite = Blitz + Condemned 84 + White Flag Down. Total Annihilation = Anti-Heroes + Lower Class Brats … read more
Review: Overcharge – Accelerate
Overcharge = Motörhead + Discharge + DustInEyes … read more
Review: Part 1 – Funeral Parade
Part 1 = Rudimentary Peni + Crass + Specimen … read more
Review: PEARS – Go To Prison
PEARS = Direct Hit! + early Thrice + Gorilla Biscuits … read more
Review: PEARS – Green Star
PEARS = (Thought Riot x early Thrice)/AFI + Gorilla Biscuits + A Wilhelm Scream … read more
Review: NOFX & Friends – Home Street Home: Original Songs...
NOFX & Friends = NOFX & Friends … read more
Review: N.W.77 – Nuclear Awake
N.W.77 = Iron Reagan + Nuclear Assault + Exodus … read more
Review: Mean Jeans – Tight New Dimension
Mean Jeans = ’80s Ramones x (Teenage Bottlerocket + toyGuitar) ^ Screeching Weasel
… read more
Review: Midnight – Sweet Death and Ecstasy
Midnight = (Exodus x Venom) + Bathory + early Celtic Frost … read more
Review: Meatmen – Savage Sagas
As the opening lyrics “We’re the motherfuckin’ Men O’ Meat!” were hurtled in my face, I knew that the legendary Meatmen were back with another anthology of gross-out punk rock. This disgusting masterpiece contains assertive numbers like “I’m Gonna Fuck You Up,” “Piss Hot for Weed” and “Speed Kills (But it Sure Feels So Good).” … read more
Review: Matt Skiba & the Sekrets – Kuts
Matt Skiba & The Sekrets = Alkaline Trio + David Bowie … read more
Review: Mad Choice – Safety Net
The main reason to listen to this album over and over again would be for the opening track, “Swallowing A Shotgun”—combining elements of California skate punk and post-hardcore made for some heavy, mosh-inducing music. … read more
Review: Masked Intruder – M.I.
Masked Intruder = The Queers + NOFX + Morning Glory … read more
Review: Mad Caddies – Dirty Rice
Mad Caddies = The Expendables + Left Alone + Authority Zero … read more
Review: Lagwagon – Hang
Lagwagon = Nerf Herder + No Use For A Name + The Flatliners … read more
Review: Leftöver Crack – Constructs Of The State
Leftöver Crack = Choking Victim x (F-Minus + Citizen) … read more
Review: Jeff Rosenstock – We Cool?
Jeff Rosenstock = Fucked Up + Bomb The Music Industry + Andrew Jackson Jihad … read more
Review: Iron Reagan – Worse Than Dead
Iron Reagan = Municipal Waste + Havok x Vio-lence … read more
Review: Iron Reagan – Crossover Ministry
Iron Reagan = (This is Hell x Nuclear Assault) / Municipal Waste … read more
Review: Irish Moutarde – Raise ’Em All
A mix of alternating lead vocals—switching between nearly each band member—and representation of bagpipes, accordion and banjo, played to fast-paced punk rock, make for a really exciting sound. Like any Irish-style band, they include their drinking songs like the bittersweet “Farewell to Drunkenness” and the festive “Glasses to the Sky.” … read more
Review: Hit Bargain – Self-titled
Hit Bargain = (early Plasmatics x Hüsker Dü) + The Dicks
… read more
Review: Hickoids – Hairy Chafin’ Ape Suit
Boom! Right off the bat, I’m hit by the opening song “Fruit Fly” with an upbeat blues guitar solo and organ playing that sounds a lot like Gregg Allman was contributing to the song. … read more
Review: Hard Left – We Are Hard Left
Hard Left = Cock Sparrer + Para Elite + The Business … read more
Local Review: Wicked Bears – Self-titled
Wicked Bears = Alkaline Trio + Direct Hit! + The Menzingers … read more
Local Review: Zombiecock – Self-titled
Zombiecock = (Blitzkid x Misfits) + Shadow Windhawk & The Morticians … read more
Local Review: Various Artists – Almost Live
Junction City Bands = Descendents + (Rancid x Operation Ivy) + (Sonic Youth x Black Flag’s The Process of Weeding Out) … read more
Local Review: Version Two – #Manimals
Version Two = Hi-Fi Murder + The Hung Ups + Descendents … read more
Local Review: Villain – The Massacre
Villain = Damnation AD + Judge + Burn … read more
Local Review: Various Artists – Utah Underground Compilation
Utah Underground Compilation = bands from Utah’s hardcore, metal & punk scenes … read more
Local Review: Tr3ason – Infecting the Pure
Tr3ason = The Black Dahlia Murder + As I Lay Dying + Chimaira + early Arch Enemy … read more
Local Review: Threar – Lovelost
Threar = Defeater + Modern Life is War + Redeemer … read more
Local Review: Ulteriors – Self-Titled
With subjects ranging from politics, religion, war and corporate control, Ulteriors have taken heed to the classic punk rock sound, both lyrically and musically as they so proclaim. … read more
Local Review: The Cliterinas – Roller Skates & Maxi Pads
The Cliterinas = Civet + The Meatmen + L7 … read more
Local Review: The Hung Ups – Lovesick
The Hung Ups = NOFX + The Queers + Chixdiggit … read more
Local Review: The Avenues – Don’t Want To Live On...
The Avenues = Operation Ivy + Descendents + Dead Boys
… read more
Local Review: The Hung Ups – Insanity Plea
The Hung Ups = Lagwagon + The Queers + Screeching Weasel … read more
Local Review: The Hung Ups – Against The Wall
As most pop punk goes, I’m very selective. Most bands sound like Blink-182 or The Queers rip-offs—trying to stick to a formula and not really trying anything new. … read more
Local Review: stickfigures – The Signature of All Things
stickfigures = Botch + Converge + Cave In … read more
Local Review: Sorrowset – Self-titled
Sorrowset = Hollow Earth + Eyehategod + Shadow Pride … read more
Local Review: Scary Uncle Steve – Stuffed in the Crawl...
Scary Uncle Steve = Mischief Brew + Folk Hogan + Ramshackle Glory … read more
Local Review: Scary Uncle Steve – Memento Mori
Scary Uncle Steve = Mischief Brew + Stark Raving Mad + The Dreadnoughts … read more
Local Review: Problem Daughter – Fits of Disorganized Boredom
Problem Daughter have maintained a subgenre of punk rock that’s difficult to categorize—they walk a fine line of pop-punk simplicity and tooth-and-nail, late ‘00s melancholic punk rock. … read more
Local Review: Riksha – Five Stages of Numb
Riksha = Mudvayne + Zao … read more
Local Review: Regan Ashton – … And the People You...
Regan Ashton = (Frank Turner + early Against Me!) x (Johnny Cash/Johnny Paycheck) … read more
Local Review: Merlingo – Spent Wizard
Merlingo = Filisofem-era Burzum + Drudkh … read more
Local Review: Mandalore – It Was Made By Those Who...
Mandalore = Star Wars x (Satan–666)^Integrity + Trial … read more
Local Review: Life Has A Way – Unified
Life Has A Way = Social Distortion + The Flatliners + Lagwagon … read more
Local Review: Live Slow Die Old – Litterally
LSDO = NOFX + No Use for a Name + Face to Face … read more
Local Review: Liar’s Tongue – Threat of Intellect
Liar’s Tongue = Cross Me + Obituary + (Alpha & Omega x Testament … read more
Local Review: Founders of Ruin – Movement I: Concept
Founders of Ruin = Meshuggah + After the Burial + Between the Buried and Me … read more
Local Review: Eyes of Andromeda – Self-titled
Eyes of Andromeda = early Between the Buried and Me + The Faceless … read more
Local Review: False Witness – Helplessly Alive
Opening with the engaging instrumental “Silhouettes of the Damned,” driven by double bass drums and a blues-themed guitar solo, the mood is set when vocalist Mckae Nielsen lets out his screams. … read more
Local Review: Deep Romance – Hive Mined
Deep Romance = Scott Wade–era Comeback Kid + Bane … read more
Local Review: Drunk As Shit – Drunk Punk Thrash
Let me assure you, readers, that this album holds true to its title—punk rock, thrashin’ and drinkin’, nothing more, nothing less … and I fucking love it!
… read more
Local Review: Don’t Trust Anybody – The 5 Degrees of...
Don’t Trust Anybody = Sick of It All + Speak Out + Warzone … read more
Local Review: CVPITVLS – Quickie
CVPITVLS = Ashers + The Stench Band + The Eight Bucks Experiment
… read more
Local Review: CVPITVLS – Older, Longer Veinier: The Life &...
CVPITVLS = (Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine x Flipper) + The Eight Bucks Experiment + Slow Children … read more
Local Review: Cult Leader – A Patient Man
Cult Leader = (Disembodied ^ [Converge x Napalm Death])÷Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds … read more
Local Review: Charlatan – Remarkable
Charlatan = The Used x (The Number 12 Looks Like You – Cave In) … read more
Local Review: Black Cum – American Imbecile
Black Cum = Black Cum … read more
Local Review: Hollow, I Am – Neverwake
Hollow, I Am = Meshuggah + Chelsea Grin … read more
Local Music Review: The Empty 40oz’s – The Empty 40oz’s
The Empty 40oz’s = Officer Down + Capitalist Casualties … read more
Local Music Review: Substained – Vomit The Cross
Substained = Dark Funeral x Mayhem + Belphegor … read more
Review: Full Scale Riot – Depopulation
Full Scale Riot Depopulation Riot Records Street: 02.08 Full Scale Riot = Bane + Vision of Disorder + Burn Armed with an old school hardcore sound and an arsenal of politically themed lyrics, these NJHC heavyweights tear it up with this torrential EP. Hailing from New Jersey—home to hardcore giants like Vision and Mouthpiece—FSR discernibly
Review: Full of Hell – Weeping Choir
Full of Hell = ACxDC x NAILS + The Body … read more
Review: External Menace / The Droogettes – Split 7″
External Menace/The Droogettes = The Varukers + UK Subs + The Damned + The Adicts … read more
Review: face to face – Protection
face to face = Good Riddance + Pennywise + Lagwagon
… read more
Review: Flogging Molly – Life is Good
Flogging Molly = The Pogues x (The Clash + The Dubliners) / Johnny Cash … read more
Review: FIDLAR – Almost Free
FIDLAR = The Pixies * (Jack White + The Lillingtons) … read more
Review: Eastfield – Another Boring Eastfield Album: A Rail Punk...
Eastfield = (Forum Walters + Buzzcocks) + The Clash … read more
Review: Dwarves – Gentleman Blag
Dwarves = Descendents + The Meatmen … read more
Review: Direct Hit – Wasted Mind
Direct Hit = Off With Their Heads + Strung Out + Jimmy Eat World
Review: Discharge – End of Days
Discharge = Charged GBH + Conflict + Subhumans + Motörhead … read more
Review: Descendents – Hypercaffium Spazzinate
Descendents = Circle Jerks x Black Flag + Ramones + The Adolescents … read more
Review: Cradle of Filth – Hammer of the Witches
Cradle of Filth = (Dimmu Borgir x Satyricon) + At the Gates + 3 Inches of Blood … read more
Review: Corrosion of Conformity – No Cross No Crown
Corrosion Of Conformity = Poison Idea + (Houdini-era Melvins x Black Sabbath) … read more
Review: Cradle of Filth – Total Fucking Darkness
Cradle of Filth = Within Temptation + Funeral + Satyricon … read more
Review: CJ Ramone – Last Chance to Dance
CJ Ramone = Mondo Bizarro–era Ramones + Social Distortion … read more
Review: Chelsea – Saturday Night Sunday Morning
Chelsea = UK Subs + Generation X + 999
… read more
Review: BL’AST! – BLOOD!
Dave Grohl. Is there anything he can’t do? He’s a well-known singer/songwriter, has “former Nirvana drummer” on his résumé, and now he’s resurrected the ’80s hardcore band BL’AST! by mixing a collection of unearthed tracks in their newly released album. … read more
Review: Be Like Max – Just Tryin’ To Fit In…...
For me, when I thought of reckless, social commentary ska-punk, bands like Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish came to mind—now I can officially add Be Like Max to that list, though I had trouble getting into this album with its first two tracks. … read more
Review: Bare Minimum – Hit After Hit
In this corner, an album with a title that so obviously invokes a musical beatdown, I expect its unrelenting arsenal of raw vocals intertwined with the pounding combination of melodic hardcore will leave few dissatisfied … read more
Review: Bad Cop/Bad Cop – Not Sorry
Bad Cop/Bad Cop = Masked Intruder + The Muffs … read more
Review: Banner Pilot – Souvenir
Normally, I really enjoy softer forms of punk rock—as long as there is enough emotion in the lyrics and music, it always keeps me enthralled. Unfortunately, this album doesn’t grab me in the same way that Off With Their Heads or The Riverboat Gamblers did when I first listened to them. … read more
Review: ArnoCorps – The Greatest Band of all Time
It seems to me that the term “greatest band of all time” is being used loosely these days—most bands that claim it just fall short of greatness. It wasn’t until I was handed ArnoCorps’ illustrious record, simply titled, The Greatest Band of all Time that I realized that title belongs to them. … read more
Review: ALPARCHIE – Spacepunk Vol. 2
ALPARCHIE = Refused + Comets On Fire … read more
Review: Anti-Nowhere League/Damn Garrison – Split EP
Anti-Nowhere League/Damn Garrison Split EP Nowhere Records Street: 07.15 Anti-Nowhere League = UK Subs + Subhumans + The Damned Damn Garrison = Sham 69 + Murphy’s Law As soon as I hear a blistering “Shut the fuck up!” breaking out of Animal’s distinctive vocal chords, I knew I was in for some nitty-gritty, down-n-dirty, English
Review: Anti-Flag – A Document of Dissent
For 20 years, these angry, young and poor boys from Pittsburgh, Pa. have become a staple in the political punk rock movement throughout the ’90s and into the 21st Century, and we are blessed with their best moments accumulated on one compact disc. … read more
Review: Anti-Flag – American Spring
Anti-Flag American Spring Spinefarm Records Street: 05.26 Anti-Flag = The Clash + Rentokill + Kid Dynamite Over the years, Anti-Flag have formatted themselves as one of the most politically outspoken punk rock acts of this generation. In American Spring, the band has meticulously written songs based off of rhetoric from some of the most prolific
Review: Agnostic Front – The American Dream Died
Agnostic Front = Judge + Madball + Cro-Mags … read more
Review: 7 Seconds – Leave a Light On
I was worried that the legendary 7 Seconds’ latest full length would follow the same trend of trying to retain the fire they once had but expose themselves as burned-out musicians. Going in with low expectations, this album actually surprised me—I could tell that the band wasn’t profiting off of nostalgia and had some very upbeat tunes. … read more
Local Review: Tiny Boats – Thicker Than Blood
Tiny Boats = (Frank Turner x Joey Cape) + The Riverboat Gamblers … read more
Local Review: DiseNgaged – Out For Blood: Abuse
DiseNgaged = (Lamb of God + Avenged Sevenfold) x DevilDriver … read more
Local Review: Social Stigma – Veganarchist: RedBlood/ Black Flags
Social Stigma = Chokehold + Morning Again + Groundwork … read more
Dark Arts Gallery III: SLC’s Finest and Grimmest
Dark Arts Gallery III is a one-night event In October where people can come and enjoy and celebrate local art and artists. … read more
Art Against Doom: Using a Visual Medium to Inform us...
At Against Doom tries to bridge the gap between art and politics by asking multiple artists to create something tangible from an otherwise abstract concept. … read more
Keith Morris: Punk Rock, Prim & Proper
Keith Morris is someone who has always kept himself musically busy. It’s a testament to his stance on punk’s ethos. “Punk rock is about freedom,” he says. … read more
Punk Rock Bowling XXI—How Shawn Stern Keeps PRB on the...
If you think Punk Rock Bowling is not an accurate representation of what punk rock represents, the ever-increasing attendance thinks the opposite is true. … read more
Trent Nelson: Photographer for the Outsider
Coming up from the Bay Area, Trent Nelson found his penchant for photography while attending shows at the infamous 924 Gilman St. in Berkley, California. … read more
We are not a Band Anymore! – Dubbed Withdraws
It may have taken them years to get the album of their dreams released, but it’s the best way for Dubbed to bow out on a triumphant note. … read more
Localized: The Wake of An Arsonist
The Wake of An Arsonist are coming up as one of Salt Lake City’s heaviest and most pulverizing bands this side of the millennium. … read more
Utah Underground Compilation Release Shows 3 & 4 @ The...
What began as a Facebook post brought the underground community together to reach a common goal and resulted in a compilation CD and four shows to back it up. I’m truly thankful that I could experience it all firsthand, and I can’t wait for what’s next. … read more
Utah Underground Compilation Release Shows 1 & 2 @ The...
In celebration of the first Utah Underground Compilation, the featured bands have all gathered for four separate shows for its release. Spearheaded by Sean Dugger, the first two shows were a success, minus one holdout—Villain had to drop off the show on July 28 due to vocalist Trent Falcone having double-booked himself between work and the show. … read more
Utah Underground Compilation: The State’s Metal, Punk & Hardcore Exports...
“Let’s give a big shout-out to Sean Dugger! He put all this together!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this line being said in the last two Utah Underground Compilation release shows I’ve been to. I expect to hear it a million more times in the upcoming ones. … read more
Style & Substance: Zach Quinn Tells Why PEARS has Both
The story of PEARS is a modern day rock ‘n’ roll journey. They were a band for just over a year before Fat Wreck Chords signed them in 2015. They toured nationally before the release of their second album in 2016 and have been getting international recognition as one of the most fresh bands in the current punk scene. … read more
BS Mag: The Metal Zine of SLC
Don’t be fooled by the title. BS Mag contains a lot of shit in its pages—features with established acts such as Immolation and Napalm Death and bands like Darklord and Communionist from the local scene, and even reviews of the latest, terrible horror movies—but it does not contain bullshit. … read more
Localized: Exes
With a fully vitalized lineup, EXES released their ferocity in their self-titled EP, which consisted of the three remaining tracks from full-length. … read more
Localized: Darklord
SLC’s Darklord adhere to their namesake with both sound and imagery, bringing a grim wave of ambience with crawling guitar riffs that match their live, hammer-horror theatrics. … read more
A Farewell to Nix Beat
Nix Beat is moving to London, and there will be a going-away party dubbed Nix Beat’s Farewell Freak Out as the final performance in his Freak Out series. … read more
Until the Body Quits: The Ditch and the Delta Sign...
“Lots of persistence,” says Ditch and the Delta drummer Charles Bogus after I asked what it took to get signed to Prosthetic Records. … read more
Feel This! – Descendents’ Milo Aukerman Continues to Achieve All
Milo Aukerman, founder, voice and mascot of the punk rock band Descendents has made a name for himself since the early days of hardcore punk, bringing the awkward teen ethos to the forefront with songs about being a geek, gawkily approaching women, eating food and drinking coffee, and the quest for ALL! … read more
Localized: Scary Uncle Steve
Scary Uncle Steve are a band that exists on its own plane, not just in sound, but in personality. What they’ve created is straightforward punk rock—with an accordion wound up in the mix. Check them out at SLUG Localized, Mar. 16 at Urban Lounge. … read more
Localized: Wicked Bears
Wicked Bears have mustered up a sound all their own, drawing inspiration from new-school pop punk greats like Direct Hit! and The Menzingers as well as ’90s classics like Green Day and Blink-182. With one EP locked in the catalog, Wicked Bears will continue on with new material well into 2017. Check out their music Mar. 16 at Urban Lounge for SLUG Localized. … read more
Blood, Sweat, Tears and More Blood: AFI’s Hunter Burgan
AFI are among one of the most unclassifiable bands in the 21st century. It seems that with every album, they’ve catapulted themselves into a completely different catalogue, making them unpredictable. AFI hit The Depot on Jan. 25, and you can expect an intense performance from all areas of their discography. … read more
Localized: Villain
On Oct. 26, SLUG will showcase local band, Villain, at Urban Lounge. Each member has years of band experience under his belt, creating a talented group of hardcore veterans. … read more
Localized: Burn Your World
Join SLUG at Urban Lounge on Oct. 26 for our Localized show—which will feature Burn Your World alongside Villain. Burn Your World is a peculiar entity which has thrived for six years using grinding guitar tones over simplistic riffs, but their sound is padded with depths of hardcore. Check them out this October! … read more
Localized: Zombiecock
Zombiecock will slake your lust for B-movie spatter with their use of ghoulish face paint and a liberal dosage of fake blood for a thorough and, if you will, zombifying performance. … read more
Localized: Goatsifter
It’s evident that Goatsifter are a band who’s not in it for any exposure or any type of income whatsoever—they make it clear that it’s strictly for them and their love of playing music. … read more
Slam-Tastic!: Dirty Rotten Imbeciles @ Club X 04.27 with X-Method,...
The last time I saw DRI, I was a pissed-off 18-year-old fresh out of high school who had only been faithfully listening to these guys for five months, after my former vice principal introduced me to the album Thrash Zone. I had been hooked ever since. Now, for a band that’s been around consecutively for about 35 years, they put on a 2016 show that probably would’ve been as rowdy as it would have been in 1986. … read more
Review: The Dicks From Texas
The Dicks From Texas pays tribute in the best way possible to a band like these guys—it’s raw, unpolished, and choppy in some places, the lighting and audio isn’t perfect, the live footage is all bootlegged, and you definitely get the feeling that it went through a single editing process in someone’s basement. But, you know what? That’s punk rock! And that was the Dicks! … read more
LumberJerks: The Midwest’s Newest Garage Hoppers
The state of Illinois has had a rich history of punk/hardcore bands whose influence has stretched to even the smallest of American towns. One such micro cosm is the town of Joliet, IL which houses the band LumberJerks—a DIY, basement-conceived trio with a love of raw, loud and badass punk rock. Garnering prominence as one
The Speedway Project: The History Within the Walls of SLC’s...
Trinity West has set out on the Speedway Project: to gather as many stories, fliers, ticket stubs, pictures and footage from anyone who was part of the venue’s history to make what will be both a documentary film and book. … read more
Review: Underground: The Subterranean Culture of DIY Punk Shows
With his rugged, detailed, uncensored journalistic approach, Daniel Makagon has trekked across the underbelly of the United States, documenting its various subversive music scenes. … read more
H2O: Still Faster Than the World
New York hardcore youth crew skate punks H2O once released an album called Go! From this album, the slogan “H2O Go!” became a reprising statement of the band itself. H2O have been active since 1995 and, according to bassist Adam Blake, they “may have slowed down a bit, but damn it, we are trying to keep up!” … read more
Top 5 Dummest Fasterest Punk Albums
Sometimes, all you need is a wild punk album to keep you from exploding. This list offers dumb, fast punk albums to keep you sane for the rest of the year. … read more
Parkway Drive: Winston McCall on Ire, Tour and New Horizons
The staying power of Parkway Drive is as eminent as ever. Keeping pace with their voracious touring schedule, lead singer Winston McCall managed to find some time to answer a few questions on how the band feels about where they are now and what the next 10 years hold for Parkway Drive. … read more
Mischief Brew Plays Knew Place with Scary Uncle Steve, Mañanero,...
After spending a great deal of time trying to find the venue, I assumed my best venture was the entrance where all the punks were congregating. … read more
AFLA – Artists for Local Agriculture: Music and Farming
Artists for Local Agriculture (AFLA) is exactly what it sounds like: local artists who gather together for one specific passion—urban farming. … read more
Victims To Be: PEARS’ Zac Quinn
The band PEARS as seemingly became an “overnight sensation.” I hate using phrases like that, but they have been a band for a year and a half and already played the main stage at Punk Rock Bowling and been signed to Fat Wreck Chords … read more
Fat Wreck Chords @ 25
Many punk rockers are familiar with the Fat Wreck Chords label—it has been a staple in the independent music scene since 1990. Starting off as an idea between the then-married Michael “Fat Mike” Burkett and Erin Kelly-Burkett in their kitchen—the pair owns and continues to run the label jointly— the label continuously shoveled out some
Gogol Bordello, VIZA @ In the Venue 08.05
The lights went out and the stage was flooded with blue light. Then, I saw the silhouetted figure of Eugene Hütz, followed by the rest of Gogol Bordello, walk out on the stage and take their places. Hütz started singing into the mic and with compliance from the audience and the rest of the band, Gogol lit up the stage with “Wanderlust King.” From then on, the madness continued throughout. … read more
Teenage Bottlerocket and The Queers @ The Shred Shed 09.21...
The Bottlerocket mascot (the zombie in the hoodie) stepped onto the stage and raised his picket sign that sported the Bottlerocket skull. Then entered Teenage Bottlerocket—they all slammed down on their instruments and lit up the stage with “Skate or Die.” The entire crowd got bat-shit crazy. … read more
Good Enough: Less Than Jake See the Light in 2013
“For me, it’s like you’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t—you can only write from the heart. There are people that heard our records when they were 16 years old and they heard it a certain way, and no matter what we record now it’s not going to hit them in the same way. All you can do is what comes naturally, and I think that that’s what we achieved with this new record.” … read more
Be Like Max @ Kilby Court 01.11 with Super Hero,...
Be Like Max set the energy levels to an all time high when they came on. Kicking off their set with the brand new “Bring on the Suits,” the crowd erupted into the biggest circle pit of the night and I found myself face to face with lead singer Charley Fine screaming into the mic “Hey! Bring on the suits!” Between all of the foul language, dirty humor, onstage insults and demands for circle pits, Fine started to debate about doing a stage dive during “Hand Me a Beer.” … read more
Problem Daughter’s 5th Birthday Party! @ The Shred Shed 03.15...
This band had been together for five years—that’s pretty impressive for a local band. They have made some incredible music and developed a very dedicated fan base and have kept it going for that long. I took a second to really appreciate that I am here supporting these guys, because I know they are thinking the same about us. … read more
The Menzingers @ Kilby Court 06.14 with Lemuria, PUP, Cayetana
Keeping an even mix of new songs like “Rodent,” “Transient Love,” and “Where Heartache Exists,” and older songs such as “Casey,” “I Was Born,” and “Deep Sleep,” the crowd never got restless. … read more
Punk Rock Summer Nationals 2014 08.26 @ The Complex with...
On Aug. 26, The Punk Rock Summer Nationals tour featuring The Offspring, Bad Religion, Pennywise and Stiff Little Fingers stopped at The Complex in Salt Lake City. Two SLUG writers, Eric U. Norris and Nick Kuzmack, offer their unique perspectives of the show. … read more
7 Seconds @ Club Sound 07.23 With The Copyrights, Resistor...
Kevin Seconds really knew how to keep the crowd excited, and if it wasn’t through his onstage banter, the excitement reached overflowing levels when they played “Young Until I Die” and combined it with a rendition of Minor Threat’s “Minor Threat.” I went fucking nuts. … read more
Clockwork Indigo Tour @ The Complex 10.28 with Flatbush Zombies,...
First, Gold and AK took the stage and warmed the audience up with an Underachievers track, “Gold Soul Theory.” Then Flatbush came out and played the ever so laid-back, if ever, a stoner-oriented track “Palm Trees,” with everyone rapping, “So when you blow shade, it could never harm me.” … read more
Review: Pennywise @ Club Sound 03.12 with A Wilhelm Scream,...
As Club Sound gradually filled with a mix of veteran punk rockers and skater kids, a hooded zombie lumbered onto the green-lit stage dragging a picket sign behind him. I had seen this skit before—the zombie threw up the sign bearing the skull and bottlerockets logo while some vintage horror movie dialogue played over the PA monitors. … read more
Review: Bad Religion @ In The Venue 03.27 with OFF!
I hastily rushed around the corner to the entrance of the venue, where I heard Keith Morris singing the lyrics to “Poison City.” I walked onto the dance floor, which already reeked of alcohol and BO, and admired the two-man mosh pit that was going on. … read more
Run With The Hunted Farewell Show: I Will Make This...
Following a 10-hour southbound trip from Salt Lake City to Mesa, my girlfriend and I basked in the freedom from Utah’s polluted air and spring snow in the warm Arizona sun. We started toward the venue and, just outside the entrance, we stumbled upon Greg Bennick (Trial, vocals) exchanging dialogue with a group of his friends. … read more
Kevin Seconds @ Raunch Records 05.09 with Greg Bennick, Regan...
I continued through the poster-covered hallway and turned the corner to see Marky Terror sporting his Gretsch Hollow Body electric guitar, while him and everyone in the shop were mouthing the lyrics, “Just because you’re better than me doesn’t mean I’m lazy. Just because you’re going forward doesn’t mean I’m going backward.” … read more
Punk Rock Bowling 2015
One can never be prepared for a festival as monumental as Punk Rock Bowling: where thousands of punk rockers, hardcore kids, skaters, etc. all flock to Sin City to spend three days in the scorching heat, listening to live music from some of the best bands of the genre. … read more