Authors: Bryer Wharton
National CD Reviews – January 2012
New and recent releases from The Cure, The Devil’s Blood, Errors, Kepi Ghoulie, Laura Gibson, Majestic Downfall, Mickey Moonlight, The Slackers, Tim “Love” Lee and many more are reviewed. … read more
Ghost: Gathering the Black Masses
Ghost emerged in 2008, playing live shows clad in cloaks with their faces covered, their frontman adorned in a demonic pope outfit and skull-painted face. Speculation immediately came from fans and cynics: Are Ghost a gimmick, or something more sinister? In an interview with one of Ghost’s Nameless Ghouls, I attempted to unravel the mystery behind the band. … read more
National Music Reviews – May 2012
New and recent releases from Ane Brun, fIREHOSE, Gift of Gab, Mean Jeans, Saint Vitus, Sleepy Sun, Torche, Zammuto and many more are reviewed. … read more
Top 5: Evoken
“I will diminish those centuries and persecute those with quiet desperation,” bleeds a grumbled death roar from the title track off Evoken’s fifth album. Not only do the gloomy lyrics set the tone of the album with the starting song, but the music does as well. Atra Mors’ biggest success as an album is its gutsy equality of atmospheric, obliterating doom and brain-stem-carving memorability. … read more
National Music Reviews – August 2012
New and recent releases from Anywhere, Cinema Cinema, Deadly Remains, Diplo, Flaming Lips, Giant Giant Sand, Neneh Cherry & The Thing, Patti Smith, The Tallest Man on Earth, Tankard, Teenage Bottlerocket, YAWN, Whitechapel and many more are reviewed. … read more
Severed Savior
There’s death metal and then there is brutal death metal. Enjoy a straight injection of sinister-flavored dopamine by way of spastic blast drumming, crunchy, grooved guitars and jazz-inspired homicidal tendencies when Severed Savior plays Salt Lake City’s Bar Deluxe on July 11. SLUG caught up with the band’s drummer, Troy Fullerton, to give all you brutal fans a window to the ear-bleeding, eye-watering event going down this summer. … read more
Leave No Cross Unturned: An Interview with Fenriz of Darkthrone
Though many metal fans say the direction Darkthrone have taken is trash, this hasn’t fazed the band and their musical progression. Darkthrone’s new studio offering, The Underground Resistance, is available now from Peaceville Records. The album is a nod to the past of metal, specifically the ’80s. It’s a metal journey that sees new territory for Darkthrone, and SLUG discussed it with Fenriz in an email interview. … read more
Up in Palms: Palms Interview with Aaron Harris
When Deftones singer Chino Moreno’s name becomes attached to your band, the level of anticipation jumps the scale from a niche genre to many worlds of music lovers. Moreno isn’t backed by just any musicians in Palms, though: Three members of the now-defunct ISIS (drummer Aaron Harris, guitarist Cliff Meyer and bassist Jeff Caxide) have the musical chops and experience to make any musical project stand out, and are far from a backdrop to let Moreno’s well-known croon or scream play the keynote. Palms’ self-titled debut album drops on June 25 via Ipecac Recordings, with tour dates in the wings. SLUG caught up on all things Palms with drummer Harris. … read more
Rob Zombie: Zombie Complex
The conflict between the devil and all that is considered good is never-ending. Musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie has become a modern media icon by writing and performing music and films exploiting that conflict—horror is his muse. Zombie is planning a spring invasion that will feature a new studio album, a feature film and an accompanying novel. … read more
Unified Psalms: OM
In a simple sense, OM is a band that makes and plays music. A straight dissection of the band’s musical elements may mislead the interpreter. The subject matter isn’t direct and the music fits into realms from traditional rock to experimental, drone and world music. “Things in my life are incredibly inspiring. They’re a hundred times more powerful than some shitty album from some shitty band,” says Al Cisneros. … read more