Music
SLUG Magazine’s collection of reviews covering the latest and greatest of Utah-based music, covering all varieties of genre, style and type.
Local Reviews: Big Black Sky
Big Black Sky = Leftover Salmon + Son Volt + Flash Cabbage … read more
Local Review: Atilast – Atilast
Atilast = Paramore + The Material … read more
Local Reviews: AODL
AODL = Whitehouse + Merzbow … read more
Local Reviews: Written in Fire
I’ve never felt any personal opposition to the recent thrash revival some of us metal fans have been noticing. Written in Fire are not purely a thrash band, but the influences are heavy in every way and I find myself enjoying them quite a bit. … read more
Local Reviews: V/A
The size, popularity and volatility of the Salt Lake hardcore scene has ebbed and flowed over the years, and it only takes a cursory glance at the posts on grudgecityactivities.com to realize this. However volatile and large or small, the scene is (I remember packed shows at Bricks back in the late 90s and small shows in band practice spaces) something that is never absent is intensity. … read more
Local Reviews: Striation
If Striation could learn the difference between brooding and moody, “Memories We’ll Keep” could have been a great radio single 10 years ago. I am not being sarcastic, “Memories We’ll Keep” has the loud-soft dynamic, reverby vocals, driving bass and simple power chords that dominated the ubiquitous, qualifier-driven alternative rock of the late nineties. … read more
Local Reviews: Sleep Slid IN
Tragic and big gothic rock doesn’t happen anymore. It’s just not ironic enough these days. Apparently, Sleep Slid IN didn’t get the memo, and thank the gods for that! … read more
Local Reviews: Skychange
Supposedly inspired by heavy doses of psilocybin, Hallelucination almost covers up its regrettable style and terrible taste by thickly laying on highly produced psyche-out space effects and decent guitar chops. … read more
Local Reviews: Sawed Off Smile
Ogden’s Sawed Off Smile play modern rock/hardcore on Chaos Theory. Heavy riffs and plenty of clean, yet well executed melodies that don’t excessively rely on breakdowns like some of their peers. If you enjoy the bands in the band equation above, the album is a good offering—think the melody and heaviness of Mudvayne meets the early emotions of Tool with a hint of the rawness of the Deftones’ first album. … read more
Local Reviews: Mindstate
It’s got some soul to it. The Black Lungs EP has some character to it as well. Normally the self-loathing game can get a little played, but Dusk One does it and sells it with a proper delivery. Opening with a soulful Shawshank-Redemption beat you get a solid idea of what you’re in for, solid beats and meaning. … read more