Authors: Ricky Vigil
![Smoking Popes @ In the Venue 07.12](/etc/exclusives/2917-smoking_popes-crop.jpg)
Smoking Popes @ In the Venue 07.12
Snatched up by a major label in the wake of Green Day’s mainstream breakthrough, The Smoking Popes are one of the great under-appreciated punk bands of the ‘90s. They took the basic blueprint of Lookout! Records pop punk and filtered it through the romantic and soulful vocals of crooners like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, creating a sound that is truly their own. … read more
![Bitter and Then Some: All Pigs Must Die](/etc/exclusives/2924-apmd4_web-photo-by-greg-anderson-crop.jpg)
Bitter and Then Some: All Pigs Must Die
This week we have an interview with Kevin Baker of All Pigs Must Die, who are releasing their full-length debut via Southern Lord on August 16. Also included is a rundown of this week’s metal happenings around Salt Lake, a stream of the new singles collection from screamo pioneers Pg.99 and extended reviews of new albums from Ringworm and Harm’s Way by Dylan Chadwick. … read more
![Napalm Flesh: Heartless Interview](/uploads/exclusives/3174-heartless_live-e1318863564351-crop.jpg)
Napalm Flesh: Heartless Interview
Welcome to yet another edition of Napalm Flesh. This week we have an interview with Pittsburgh hardcore crew Heartless. Also included are excluxive reviews of music from The Afternoon Gentlemen, Cradle of Filth, The Dead Lay Waiting, Hummingbird of Death/Titanarum, and Untimely Demise. And, as always, we have a rundown of this week’s metal happenings in Salt Lake and beyond. … read more
![Bitter and Then Some: Raves and Reviews](/etc/exclusives/3002-pro-pain_20yearscover-e1310661971372-crop.jpg)
Bitter and Then Some: Raves and Reviews
Welcome to this week’s edition of the SLUG Mag metal blog! This week, we’re crammed full of reviews for your reading pleasure. We have extended reviews of the latest releases from Pro-Pain and Vader as well as exclusive reviews of new releases from Atriarch, Ghost Brigade, Mournful Congregation, Protest the Hero, Trivium and War Hungry. Also included is a listing of this week’s metal happenings around Salt Lake and links to some unexpectedly aggressive music streaming from NPR. … read more
![Napalm Flesh: Deafheaven Interview](/uploads/exclusives/3032-dhhi-crop.jpg)
Napalm Flesh: Deafheaven Interview
This week we have an interview with yet another band taking black metal to uncharted territory: Deafheaven. Their mixture of black metal, hardcore, shoegaze and post-rock is one of the most interesting and fresh spins on aggressive music to emerge in the last year. We also have links to streaming music, reviews of new and recent releases from The Body & Braveyoung, Old Silver Key, Opeth, Midnight Odyssey, True Widow and Warbringer, as well as this week’s rundown of metal events. … read more
![OFF! Interview with Keith Morris](/uploads/exclusives/3048-off-band-press-photo-crop.jpg)
OFF! Interview with Keith Morris
The vast majority of punk rock legends are either dead or boring. Keith Morris is neither of these things. Morris’ new band OFF! takes punk back to its angry, simple roots, and in the process has raised the bar not only for Morris’ fortysomething comrades, but for punk rock musicians of all ages. I got the chance to speak with the dreadlocked one in advance of OFF!’s performance in Salt Lake City this Friday, October 7. … read more
![Napalm Flesh: East of the Wall interview](/uploads/exclusives/3121-eastofthewall_5_web_kinkade-copy-e1317317591477-crop.jpg)
Napalm Flesh: East of the Wall interview
Welcome to another edition of Napalm Flesh. This week we have an interview with New Jersey prog-sludgers East of the Wall, who will be in town this Saturday at Burt’s Tiki Lounge. We also have reviews of new albums from The Body, Charnel House, Heartless, Megadeth, Sick of It All and Speedwolf. And, as always, we have a rundown of this week’s metal events happening in Salt Lake and beyond. … read more
![Napalm Flesh: Crucial Fest Preview](/uploads/exclusives/3615-crucial-crop.jpg)
Napalm Flesh: Crucial Fest Preview
This week, we have a quick preview of Crucial Fest, the local music festival that kicked off last night and runs through this weekend and next. With dozens of local and national bands of multiple genres playing at various venues throughout Salt Lake, it is truly an exciting event for our city. Also included are reviews of Homewrecker, Lord Mantis and Pleasant Living, and this week’s metal happenings. … read more
![The Bouncing Souls @ In the Venue with The Menzingers and Luther](/uploads/exclusives/3688-1336074557bouncing_souls_chrissy_piper_01-crop.jpg)
The Bouncing Souls @ In the Venue with The Menzingers...
The Bouncing Souls really did take me back to the place where music was the most important thing in my life. It was exactly what I wanted out of a Bouncing Souls show. I was stoked to see so many young kids at the show who were just getting into the band. Angst and anger are a big, important part of punk rock, but The Bouncing Souls represent the part about punk rock that’s all about enjoying your life and the people that are in that. … read more
![Black Tusk with Red Fang, Lord Dying @ Urban 11.20](/uploads/exclusives/3938--1-crop-396x288.jpg)
Black Tusk with Red Fang, Lord Dying @ Urban 11.20
A steady stream of longhairs, hipster girls and middle-aged metalheads filed into the Urban Lounge on a chilly night to be baptized by a maelstrom of bone-shaking riffs from three of the loudest bands currently occupying planet earth: Lord Dying, Black Tusk and Red Fang. All three bands brought an ample supply of merch, including the usual assortment of T-shirts and records, but most eye-catching were the screen-printed posters commemorating this particularly rifftacular tour. … read more