Freezing temperatures couldn’t keep things from heating up in Chicago Friday night as Black Sabbath brought show 2 of their final tour, appropriately titled “The End”, to the United Center. The 23,000 Plus arena was sold out and filled to the brim by the time the metal masters took the stage. But first Long Beach, California rockers Rival Sons took the stage to get the crowd warmed up from the cold outside.
The one man project Colucci has released a new lyric video for the song “Pushing”. Colucci is the solo project of the man it is named after, Gino Colucci, founder of Converse Records and also a member of the killer Chicago band Domestic Godzilla. The new song is a lyrically driven hard rock song with some nu-metal elements. Gino mentioned this when releasing the video “I recently finished this song. It’s about dealing with issues related to anxiety, depression and PTSD. Being a paramedic for over 15 years and firefighter for 8, that shit takes it’s toll mentally. It’s time for change and to get control of my health.
Many more guys and gals in emergency services have the same problem too. We’re seen as heroes so it can be hard to reach out and say “we’re not strong enough to deal with all this”. Some have tried CBD from places like Pure Hemp Farms to manage their stress and that’s a step in the right direction. Others have been dealing with it by bottling it up, which is not good at all. Its time for us to be more open with our struggles and try to find help.
This project has been very personal and therapeutic for me. You can download it free. Looking forward to better days! I wrote, performed, recorded, mixed all instruments vocals etc., the first of many to come.” The lyrics are heartfelt and touching. Gino has risked his life and saved many throughout his career as a fire fighter and paramedic in the Chicago, Illinois area. Check out the song, download it, share it, and follow Converse Records here on Facebook for more to come.
Click the video below to listen to Pushing (lyrics are included on the center of the screen):
For years New Orleans, Louisiana has really been the home for most sludge bands. We now have another destination for all things sludge. Chicago quartet Pale Horsemen have been giving birth to some amazing sludge albums since their formation in 2012. Since then they now have released 3 amazing albums. They debuted their first self-titled release in 2013 and took little time with a follow up releasing ‘Mourn the Black Lotus’ in 2014. November 30th marked the date of their latest release ‘Bless the Destroyer’. The band celebrated the release at their CD Release Party a couple days early in the Windy City with yet another northern sludge band The Mound Builders. Continue reading
Have you ever wanted to hear the pure unfiltered sound of brutality? Well look no further. Destroythm brings it to your doorstep and crams it into your skull. The thundering drum beats and echoing guitar riffs are ecstasy to my ears. The new self-titled EP has 6 tracks for you to headbang to. The EP was released in July 2014 and how they have managed to go this long without being signed I will never know. I’m sure once their material starts to circulate they will have offers from various labels, as they have a sound that really has no competition to speak of. Continue reading
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the state of the month*
This month’s state is Illinois!
Sable Beldam is a vicious and brutal death metal band from Chicago. They formed in 2007 and have had numerous lineup changes over the years but the band is releasing some great material. They have toured throughout the U.S. and even played with another of our favorite bands Diamond Plate. So I’m sure the band has devastated fans, created some chaotic mosh pits and melted faces off with their all up in your grill brand of metal.
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the state of the month*
This month’s state is Illinois!
It’s time to clean the shit out of your ears, because we are about to introduce you to a new band from the windy city of Chicago. Cariosus released their debut EP in February and it’s titled “Crime & Punishment.” When an album starts with an intro of Richard Ramirez quotes you just know you have stumbled onto something great. As if the Nightstalker intro wasn’t enough the album art work is equally amazing. The band has a major brutality that entombs you on every song. Then on a few songs particularly “Contra Mores” you get to see the melodic side of the band. Slowed down guitar picking leads you into growls and gutturals at first, then midway through the song there is more delicate picking and just a touch of clean singing. The clean singing helps break up the constant screaming so it doesn’t become repetitive. When it’s done in a minimalistic fashion like this I’m a huge fan of it. The singing doesn’t take anything away from the band, and actually keeps the heaviness intact by breaking the mold of what we are used to. Frontman Alex Pfister is a talented singer on both ends of the spectrum. Every instrument seems to play an integral part in the sound. The guitar parts at times seem to be battling each other back and forth. “Misanthrope” is a stand out song on the album, the lyrical content keeps you interested. “I hate everyone, I hate the things you say” I’m sure everyone can relate to this. And, for you morbid fucks it gets a little gory for you too. The album is 6 tracks that unleash this pure heaviness and great instrumentation. (If you buy the hardcopy cd you get an extra track) At times it will remind you of Carnifex, but their own twists that put them in a region all their own. “Voluptuary Eradication” is one of the best tracks on the album. The sound is all over the place and constantly changed pace. If you are in the Chicago area I suggest you get out and see these guys play. September 4th they will be playing with our good friends in Krisiun (Who I may add have a kick ass new album out) and several other bands on the Devastation of the Nation Tour. They have some kick ass shirt designs so make sure to pick up a shirt and a copy of the cd. Chicago won’t be able to contain this band forever and I fully expect them to garner a huge fan base as time progresses. Continue reading
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the state of the month*
This month’s state is Illinois!
Chicago based groove rockers Domestic Godzilla formed in 2001. The band has a style and sound that really melds various genres together creating this beast of a band that has gained attention all across the Windy City and afar. One of the most recognizable elements of the band is the vocal style of singer Scott Coca. Moments pass and you have these beautifully sang melodies, by the time you blink it slams into these break neck screams that haunt your ear drums. Chicago was usually always a tour stop for national acts and DG often opened for national touring acts. The band released a video for the song “Guerrilla” in 2002. With each song the band’s sound changes so you don’t get anything repetitive. If you had to make comparisons the band sounds like a mixture of a much more brutal Incubus with elements similar the band Flaw, and a dash of Nothingface. Chicago natives loved the band and showed up in hoards to see them live. Unfortunately the band ended up going into a hiatus.
