CONVERGE drummer Ben Koller suffered a “freak accident”, in which he broke his elbow! A GoFundMe has been launched to help him with his medical expenses. $23,841 of $25,000 goal has been raised by 745 people in 21 hours so far. GO HERE to support Ben.
MUTOID MAN, Ben’s other band, have announced drummer Chris Maggio (Wear Your Wounds) as their replacement for their upcoming European tour with Mastodon and Kvelertak, which kicks off on January 14th.
4/5 of the original lineup of ATOMS FOR PEACE reunited at Thom Yorke’s show at the Orpheum in Los Angeles.
Faro, Portugal’s post-metal act CROSTA will release “II”, the band’s second album this on December 23rd. The band unveiled “entropy’s promisse”, the first massive single off of that release and you can hear it below.
Spanish noisy grind punks KLS are streaming their new split with experimental ambient act NEGRO. Listen to the harsher side of the split below.
As their first tour through Japan wraps up this week, Philadelphia-based metallic hardcore outfit JESUS PIECE announces a run of late-January West Coast North American dates in support their vicious debut LP, Only Self, which saw release through Southern Lord in August.
JESUS PIECE recorded Only Self at Bricktop Recording Studio in Chicago with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos, Like Rats, Dead In The Dirt), after which the album was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Integrity, Nails, Xibalba) and completed with artwork by Dom Pabon. The album has ranked with the year’s heaviest hardcore releases and is now appearing on year-end lists abroad, including being crowned the #1 hardcore album of 2018 by Stereogum.
JESUS PIECE has toured mercilessly alongside Darkest Hour, Comeback Kid, Burn, Knocked Loose, Terror, Vein, Year Of The Knife, and many more across North America, Europe, and Japan this year. The new set of West Coast Demonstration 2019 tour dates is booked from January 22nd through 27th, with shows in Vancouver, Portland, Berkeley, Fullerton, and Las Vegas. JESUS PIECE will be joined by Gag and Vamachara on the US dates.
1/22/2019 333 – Vancouver, BC
1/23/2019 Watershed PDX – Portland, OR w/ Gag, Vamachara
1/25/2019 924 Gilman – Berkeley, CA w/ Gag, Vamachara
1/26/2019 Riff Mountain – Fullerton, CA w/ Gag, Vamachara
1/27/2019 American Legion Post 8 – Las Vegas, NV w/ Gag, VamacharaJESUS PIECE is quickly developing a reputation as one of the heaviest, most uncompromising acts both on record and on the stage. With the brutalizing grooves of Disembodied, Turmoil, Harm’s Way, and labelmates Xibalba, the band incorporates elements of noise, ominous tones, and haunting atmospheres into their dynamic songwriting. With crushing, modern production, the eleven new tracks on their Only Self debut LP place JESUS PIECE among the scene’s darkest and heaviest acts and delivers one of the most anxiously-awaited albums of the hardcore/metal underground this year.
Castellón, Spain based alt punk rockers BALLOON FLIGHTS are streaming their new LP “Psychologically Broken” and it’s availabel for streaming below! Born from the love for atmopsheric and vintage tunes of bands like Husker Du, The Replacements, Jawbreaker, The Ramones, and The Clash, the record relies on the massive hooks and is blazing with confidence and a honesty display of colorful, well-balanced rock and punk rock vibes that will stick with you for months!
More End Of The Year wrap-ups has landed online:
– New Noise Magazine’s End Of The Year Features
– Pitchfork’s ‘Best Of 2018’ summaries
– Far Out Magazine’s ‘Best Albums of 2018’
– Spin – Year in Review
– Rest Assured Zine’s Year In Review
– IDIOTEQ’s End Of The Year Series continues
Italian pop-punk’s act SLENDERS is ready to conquer the alternative audience with their new album “Angry Youth”, available in physical and digital format from February 15th via This Is Core! The first video taken from the single “Close To” will be available from January 10th (watch the trailer below).
About the new album the band says:
“‘Angry Youth’ born from the desire to communicate our opinion, the opinion of an “Angry Youth”. That youth who would like to communicate but it’s voiceless, a voice not powerful enough. With this record we want to be the echo of the well thinking teenagers that don’t want to be pushed down by this sick world full of ignorance and Racism. This record talks about politics, love, anger, depression. This record is us, this record is the Angry Youth”.
