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Top 5: Satan’s Host
After twenty-four years away from the group, original vocalist Leviathan Thisiren (aka Harry Conklin of Jag Panzer) rejoined Satan’s Host in 2010, which spawned an album filled with the best evil and nasty heavy-metal ferocity released this year. The combination of black/thrash/death metal with a classic heavy metal-styled vocalist pushed Satan’s Host out of the realm of mediocrity and into the realm of pure awesome evil metal. … read more
Top 5: PJ Harvey
I spent weeks buried behind my headphones listening to Harvey’s every word within the horrifyingly beautiful socio-political battle she created. When I came up for air, I had two words to describe this piece of work: bloody brilliant. Studying the anti-war poems of Harold Pinter and dedicating two years perfecting her writing of the lyrics, she paints disturbingly vivid images of conflict, war, death and grief over a backdrop of buoyant folk-pop melodies. … read more
Top 5: The No-Nation Orchestra
The No-Nation Orchestra originally began as a solo project for Stephen Chai, demoing songs in his bedroom and copiously rewriting lyrics until finally (after several years) the work was ready to be introduced to friends Josh Dickson, Weston Wulle and Mike Sasich. The core members of No-Nation formed, and the four began spending time in Sasich’s recording studio polishing their own version of an afrobeat sound. The end result is The No-Nation Orchestra’s More More More EP. … read more
Top 5: Mr. Gnome
It’s hard to believe this album is the product of a duo rather than a full band, but having seen them live, I can testify that Cleveland-based singer/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister are the only two musicians behind mr. Gnome—and with a box of pedals and a heap of talent, they’ve figured out how to execute their layered chaos on the road … read more
Top 5: Cold Cave
In 2003, if you would’ve told me that the singer from American Nightmare would eventually break edge, move to San Diego, do a metric ton of coke and write dance tunes for Pitchfork kids to off themselves to, I would’ve cried and then moshed you into a traffic median. No lie … but times change, edges dull and we realize that our Livejournal pages amount to little more than incoherent blathering. … read more
Localized – December 2011
On Friday, Dec. 17, head down to the Urban Lounge (21+) to enjoy the lyrical stylings of Mark Dago and the live experience of Scenic Byway and DJ Chase One Two. As always, $5 gets you in. … read more
Top 5 of 2011
To celebrate another year’s end, SLUG handpicked eight writers to spotlight one of their favorite releases of 2011 in an extended review. Read on for Top Five lists from SLUG’s contributors and genre-spanning reviews of artists such as Satan’s Host, Wugazi, Spindrift and locals The No-Nation Orchestra. … read more
Priory @ Kilby Court 11.21
You gotta hand it to these hipsters. And when I say hipsters, I mean the Portland dwelling, bearded, easy-going, most likely stoned kind. Yes, Priory fits said cliche, but let’s not be too hasty to judge. The dudes of Priory stood out enough amongst the masses to land a tour, hop in a bus and live the musician’s dream. … read more
Napalm Flesh: Keith Merrow Interview
Happy New World Invasion Day to you, darkhearts! (Or if you insist on being traditional, Happy Thanksgiving.) Napalm Flesh is thankful to be bringing you a glorious interview with studio musician Keith Merrow, and thankful that the merciless hordes at YouTube have propelled this incredible songwriter to the status of metal god that he deserves. Also included are exclusive reviews of new releases from Cathedral and Coalesce and this week’s event calendar. … read more
Chamber Music Society of Salt Lake: Doric String Quartet @...
The English Chamber Music outfit, the Doric String Quartet, played at the Libby Gardner Concert Hall last Thursday, a program of quartets featuring Beethoven, Korngold and Brahms. … read more