JAN 22nd: FIGHT AMP, ROSETTA, AND KYLESA

On January 22nd at the 31st Street Pub, I caught Rosetta, Fight Amp, Kylesa on the first legs of their US-Canadian tour.  Fight Amp is a band from southern New Jersey formed in 2003, and I got the chance to get introduced to them in 2005 at several basement shows in New Brunswick,NJ.  Considering it has been so many years since I last saw them, I was stoked to catch them here in Pittsburgh.  Additionally, VCPUNX had managed to get Rosetta to play a show at Vassar College, making the Pittsburgh show's line-up even more of a nostalgia trip.  Sadly the venue had some serious tech issues, and the resulting effect was a shortened show that lacked luster despite all the bands' determination to play through the issues.  Fight Amp's drummer Mike Howard ended up splitting his pedal in two... what a fucking maniac!  All the bands had great presence, having drawn out a packed crowd.  I look forward to catching Kylesa again, hopefully in their full audio glory.  They played some older tracks, though certainly focusing on songs from their most recent release, Spiral Shadow.  Anyway, despite the hiccups of the live show , the golden opportunity to pick-up schwag was there and I clasped my greedy little fingers around it.  The following albums were picked up at the show (minus Spiral Shadow) from the musicians themselves.   DIG THE MUSIC KIDS!


FIGHT AMP's Hungry for Nothing and it's follow-up Manners and Praise are two albums that call back to the days of booze-soaked metal-punk festering in the basements of New Jersey.  It's really great to see these guys getting the exposure they deserve.  Having been a touring band for about seven years and dealing with several line-up changes, theses guys are professionals in their craft.  Their many splits, especially those with with Exosus and Black Tusk, show case their brooding sound, and their two albums have been excellent explorations into the depths of their manic depravity and punk debauchery.  I mean honestly, the title of their first EP says it all: Ugly kids doing ugly things.  After that night's show they said that they are hopefully playing another Pittsburgh show in May/June on another US tour, so keep your eyes peeled!   

FIGHT AMP Myspace and Official Website
DL (MF) - HUNGRY FOR NOTHING
DL (MF) - MANNERS AND PRAISE


ROSETTA's self-labelling as "metal for astronauts" is adequately fitting, and they have been carving out their particular sound for a long time with relentless touring both in the US and abroad.  Their latest release A Determinism of Morality is an exploration into the emotive cascades of pounding drums and ethereal guitars and synths, layered with brutal vocals.  Loud, immersive and intense, Rosetta continues to remain aloof of the label "post metal" while maintaining the chaos of creativity.

ROSETTA Myspace and Official Store
DL (MF) - A DETERMINISM OF MORALITY


I know Kylesa's Time Will Fuse Its Worth is already heavily trafficked on the internet, but I feel like posting this because it just deserves the attention.  Spiral Shadow, though having received mixed reviews for its accessibility, I believe is a great album despite it's tendency towards being more polished and produced. The latter is a true showcase of awesome stoner metal, while the former displays Kylesa's recent leaning towards a heavy yet noticeably more accessible sound... you be the judge.

KYLESA Myspace and Official Website

DL (MF) - TIME WILL FUSE ITS WORTH
DL (MF) - SPIRAL SHADOW


Braving the frigidity of the Pittsburgh winter to bring you dank tunes, yours truly,

DREKULA

Nails - Obscene Humanity and Unsilent Death

If there is one thing to know about Nails, it is this: they will crush you.  Though their live set at the Burning Love show mentioned in the last post was not as loud as desired, their execution was psychotically precise.  No bullshit, and it was written all over their faces as they played.  Their first release Obscene Humanity is a low-fi grind/hardcore album with distortion soaked riffs and machine-gun blasts firing over walls of feedback.  Southern Lord got their claws on them and re-released their second album Unsilent Death, an excellent follow-up demonstrating their ability to display variety without sacrificing focus.  Fast, grinding, and manic... basically, it smokes.

Myspace
Southern Lord Records Blog

DL (MF)- Obscene Humanity

DL(MF) - Unsilent Death

It's cold down here,
Drekula

BURNING LOVE - SONGS FOR BURNING LOVERS

With October looming its foliage-rotted, bark-covered claws at us, we must once again take shelter in the caves lit only by the screen glow of our computers.  Luckily, before the cold winds brought the hard rain, on September 21st I had the chance to see Nails hop on board a show with Burning Love at The Shop in PGH.  This unexpected lineup was a pleasant surprise, especially since the two were set to play a show in Vermont about a week later.  Though the Nails review will be saved until another post, for now I'm getting in to a tractor trailor of kickass with wild-cards, Burning Love.

From the onset, Toronto-based Burning Love thrust out jack-knifing riffs and pave-pounding beats that reminded me of speeding into a twilight horizon.  This three-year-old, five man powerhouse features the roaring vocals of Chris Coholan, former singer of the now defunct Cursed.  I was definitely impressed by Coholan's stage presence; taking charge and reminding people that live shows are for passion and movement, not silent elitism and self-consciousness.

 
Their first full-length on Deranged Records, SONGS FOR BURNING LOVERS, is like getting into the Duke's General Lee with Lemmy and flipping a coin to see who drops the cinder block on the gas pedal.  Clips of vintage race car collisions flash by as one is sonically tossed side-to-side, cruising through melodies that recall the self-destructive swagger of the Stooges.  The mix is heavy on the vocals and guitars, while drums and cymbals cascade in the background.  In general, it's fast, crunchy, and rich, though it could benefit from bringing up the bass.  If you're a fan of Doomriders and Cursed, then you'll definitely want to check out this album.  As always, if you really dig it, support the band and buy it...don't be cheap.

Whiplashing Good Traxxx:

- Don't Ever Change -

- Gain -

- Miserable Sound -

- High Speed Wired -

- Alien vs. Creditor -

- Morning After Party -

Burning Love

Myspace

Download - MediaFire

I GOT TROUBLE IN MIND,
DREKULA

HEADED FOR DISASTER - Self-Titled (14 TRAXXX)

If there's one thing you need to know, it's this: HEADED FOR DISASTER shreds like an 80's skate-fiend!  I mean, one of their lyrics is "SYSTEMATIC REPTILE TERROR,"... how can you deny that awesomeness?!

I had the pleasure of seeing these Swedish thrash-goblins last week at a house show (264 Plymouth St. in Mt. Washington, PGH) on their first US tour, and let me tell you, these guys know how to get DOWN.  Their live show matches their 14-track debut self-title; intense and fast, yet tight and catchy.  Their songs are upbeat and devastating, something that would make you gnash your teeth with pleasure.  Heavily influenced by 80's era skate-punk and crossover, they blend in elements of hardcore, creating an insane mash of party thrash that makes me want to circle pit until I puke.  Shifting from manic drumming to chaotic back-feed-laden breakdowns to adrenaline soaked riot-vocals, this album packs a fistful of RAD that has not been seen in the USA since the rise of Municipal Waste... yes, I went there.  Take a listen yourself, and dare to disagree!  I have a feeling these guys are going places, and not just because they're touring relentlessly.  If you get a chance to see these guys live, DO IT, and pick up their album while you're at it!  SUPPORT BANDS BY BUYING THEIR WORK!

These are just some of the tracks that pushed me into a frenzy of head-banging and fist-pumping:

Relics of Insanity

Psyche Mystics

Pull the Plug

Work/Slave

Rough Guide to Capitalism

Abundance of Stoke

DOWNLOAD-MEDIA FIRE

CHECK THEM OUT:

Myspace

Facebook

MAD LOVE,
DREKULA