If you survived or remember the Sunset Strip Punk-Glam-Trash-Rock Scene of the early 90’s, you’ll know who JETBOY, THE ZEROS, and THE GLAMOUR PUNKS are.
Let us now introduce you to COLD BLUE REBELS a spankin’ new super-group of rock elite fronted by vocalist MICKEY FINN of the legendary JETBOY, his pals JOE NORMAL and DANNY DANGEROUS of the infamous purple-haired ZEROS on scorchin’ guitar and slappin upright bass, plus former GLAMOUR PUNKS skins basher SPAZZ DRAZTIK on the drums. This is one helluva PSYCHO rockabilly outfit heavy on the billy, as Mickey would say.
“The vibe bounces back and forth between fast swingin’ rockabilly songs with horror lyrics, to twisted driving punkabilly…….with horror lyrics!!” Says Mickey. “And dont forget a dose of Honky Tonk n Country Punk” adds Danny!!
LA alt-rock outfit The Darlings are on a roll lately, and they’re only just getting started. After beating out hundreds of bands to win 2010’s Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, the band garnered attention from influential LA modern rock station KROQ, which added their songs “Broken Hearts Still Beating” and “Let’s Roll” into steady rotation on DJ Kat Corbett’s weekly Locals Only show, resulting in them becoming a Bud Light Band of the Month on the station.
“Whats up we are a pop punk band from Harrisburg Pa. We believe in hard work and having fun. We don’t have famous friends we are not critically acclaimed and no one in this band was ever in some famous band who’s name we could drop or coat tail we could ride. But we will get up earlier than you and work longer and harder. That has to count for something. If it doesn’t then at least we had a hell of a good time trying and made some amazing friends along the way.”
It all started in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley, where a young David discovered great Blues music at the local pub in the city of Arcadia. It wasnt long before False Idols was formed, they became an eclectic trio whose music style was difficult to coin. After invading the local music scene for nearly three years, the trio dedcided to go their separate ways. Meanwhile, the skills of a young musician were forming, as Dan-e took on the task of learning to play the drums. Inevitably, Dave and Dan-e decided to join forces and establish Gamblers Mark. They had a great run the first time around, but were faced with obstacles to overcome. In reinventing themselves and reinforcing the GM unit, they decided to let Dan-e take over the upright bass and call on Ricky Lobo to take over the drums and back-up vocals. With over nine years drumming experience Ricky proved to be a good choice for the missing link. Gamblers Mark fronted by guitarist and lead vocalist David Arechiga, with Dan-e Arechiga on bass and back-up vocals, and Ricky Lobo on drums and back-up vocals remains a trio whose style isnt easily coined. They bring together many sounds including Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Surf, Ska, Corridos para mover las nalgas, and reved up 50s rock n roll.
Krieg is preparing to enter it’s twentieth year. Formed in 1995 by N. Jameson (Imperial) with a fluid lineup and several stylistic changes from chaotic Beherit influenced black metal to the modern crust & post punk influenced black metal Krieg has, at it’s center, always reveled in personal darkness and negativity. The seventh album, “Transient”, is due 9/3 in North America and 10/6 in Europe through Candlelight.
Fueled by a demand for change, a new punk rock revolution inspired by the original seeds of ’77 Punk (Sex Pistols, Ramones, Clash, Blondie) is exploding onto the music scene, and this ‘back to the roots’ loud, wild, and furious attack is being welcomed openly this time around. Hailing from the Birthplace of Democracy, Greece’s first ever punk import to the USA, a band that in just a few months ignited and spearheaded an entirely new punk movement on the once wild streets of Los Angeles, is the girl-fronted fire-like phenomenon known as Barb Wire Dolls. “Their (Barb Wire Dolls) music carries a message, much like the anarchy of the Sex Pistols, but without the “no future for you” aspect of it” writes the UK’s Mudkiss Magazine. “Greece is on the verge of bankruptcy but before they went belly up they sent us Barb Wire Dolls, a punk rock band deeply influenced by New York and London in the 1970′s” writes Rock NYC. Being compared live on stage to “a cross between Blondie and The Sex Pistols” and described as “kinda like a girl-fronted Green Day”, Barb Wire Dolls made history by being the first punk band from Greece to play in America at their sold out show at the Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip. “This is just what the world needs now, a good girl-fronted punk band” says Charlotte Cooper of the UK’s Subways.
Tantric Picasso is a six piece rock revivalist group with a new age metaphysical twist. Their ability to infuse blues and psychedelia into screaming guitar riffs, driving drums and grooving bass is an experience reminiscent of the 60’s era. The dynamical set lists range from harmonica and banjo, acoustic folk ballads to electronic beats that keep us dancing.This is a high energy group that delivers a powerful performance that is engaging to watch and romantic to be apart of.
From Salt Lake City, Gaza play a dark, glooming and frantic breed of hardcore and metal mixed with grind. Combining the sludgy, droney elements of Crowbar or Soilent Green with the absolute blasting force of Pig Destroyer, adjectives like abrasive and devastating, do not even begin to touch the full extremes of this group. I Don’t Care Where I Go When I Die was an absolutely bleak & terrifying experience and follow up He Is Never Coming Back took the band to new extreme heights and has won all sorts of critical acclaim.
No love – just lies. In the blink of an eye, an explosion decays, eclipsed by the rhythm of a march; a raging inferno dwindles to ember before igniting again. AESTHETIC PERFECTION’s new single, “Love like lies,” contemplates the perils of passion and the menace of ambition. Delivering his signature, multifaceted style, Daniel Graves stitches together industrial, trap, and dark pop in an imaginative new step forward for AESTHETIC PERFECTION.
“Love like lies” is available worldwide since December 2nd, 2016, via Graves’ own CLOSE TO HUMAN MUSIC label. The 4-track digital single features remixes Russian trap/chillout producer CHVRN, London-based electro artist MXD BLD, and Swedish electropop trio AUTO AUTO. A cassette release, limited to 100 pieces, will also be available through Bandcamp.
AESTHETIC PERFECTION is the solo project of Los Angeles-based producer Daniel Graves. Over a career spanning 15 years, five full-length-albums, and numerous singles and music videos, Graves has reinvented what it means to be a dark electro artist, combining industrial, pop, goth, and everything inbetween. AESTHETIC PERFECTION defies definitions in a world that demands them.
Manic Focus breaks the bounds of the typical electronic music realm. Having musical background from many different genres, his compositions are unlike any other electronic music producer, setting him far apart from the rest. While others keep bass at the forefront, his melodies tend to dominate his tunes, weaving together mesmerizing chords, entrancing rhythms, and intense bass.
The Jetbirds play straight ahead rock n roll with a dash of punk rock thrown into the mix. Big on riffs and harmonious sing along choruses, “Suicide Love Songs” is a stellar release from this Chicago quartet in the vein of The Dictators or even early Hanoi Rocks. It just stands out and catches your ear and makes you wanna dance…ok, well maybe not DANCE….but you get what I’m saying. It’s THAT kinda music! The kind that gets the energy charging in your system and the blood pumping in your veins. -Critical Mass
The Brassknuckle Boys stormed on to the american punk scene back in 1998 and have since become internationally infamous as an iconic, intelligent but tough-as-nails punk band firmly in the grasp of street rock n roll fans worldwide while maintaining their own unique sound that is dripping with Americana. The lyrical integrity and introspection dished out by the Brassknuckle Boys is a rarity and will stop you cold in your tracks…
Born out of frustration and boredom like all true youth cults, Forced Reality came bursting out of Waterbury, CT in 1986. Waterbury’s one-time brass empire was in decline, not unlike a lot of the country. While the nation was standing on the verge of war, the underground realms of thrash and punk weren’t cutting it for everyone. Standing in line at an Iron Maiden concert Peter Morcey saw “I will be a skinhead until the day I die” graffitied on a brick wall. Something clicked. Somewhere out there, a pack of freshly shaved aggro youth was ready to trash.
Cockney Rejects are an Oi! punk rock band that formed in the East End of London in 1979. Their song “Oi, Oi, Oi”, from their album Greatest Hits Volume 2, was the inspiration for the name of the Oi! music genre.Their biggest hit record in the United Kingdom, “The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off”, was a parody of Sham 69’s song “Hersham Boys”. Other Cockney Rejects songs were less commercial, partly because they tended to be about hard-edged topics such as street fighting or football hooliganism. The band members are staunch supporters of West Ham United F.C., and their hit song “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” was a cover of a West Ham supporters’ chant, which had been sung since the 1920s. The violence depicted in their lyrics was often mirrored at their concerts, and the band members often fought to defend themselves (often from supporters of opposing football teams) or to split up conflicts between audience members. Jeff and Mick Geggus (who are brothers) had both been amateur youth boxers, and had fought at the national level. Cockney Rejects expressed contempt for all politicians in their lyrics, and they rejected media claims that they had a British Movement following, or that the band members supported the views of that far right group. In their first Sounds interview, they mockingly referred to the British Movement as the “German Movement” and stated that many of their heroes were black boxers.Jeff Turner’s autobiography Cockney Reject describes an incident in which the band members and their supporters had a massive fight against British Movement members at one of Cockney Rejects’ early concerts. Cockney Rejects released their most recent album Unforgiven on the G&R London independent record label in May 2007.
Borrowed Time means simply that, a certain feeling from a specific time and place, lost in the vacuum of the mockingly cyclical forward march. Many others have come forward in an attempt to capture the feeling of early ethereal Heavy Metal: few have succeeded and many have caused various annoyances. Fixated on delivering archaic hard rock scripture, Borrowed Time remains sequestered in a hidden think tank with the sole mission of creating more true metal in Michigan.
THE SKULL formed in 2012 by ex-TROUBLE members Eric Wagner (vocals), Ron Holzner (bass) and Jeff Olson (drums) along with guitarist Lothar Keller (SACRED DAWN) to “continue the sounds and spirit of TROUBLE – past, present, future.” The band released their critically acclaimed debut “For Those Which Are Asleep” in 2014 via Tee Pee Records, and four years later, their sophomore release “The Endless Road Turns Black” followed, also through Tee Pee Records. THE SKULL toured countless times around the world and changed a few members over the years.
Eric Wagner passed away on August 22nd, 2021 from Covid pneumonia contracted while on tour with THE SKULL in early August 2021. THE SKULL, with the help of a few all-star friends, proceeded to play a few memorial shows which prompted Holzner and Keller to carry on with this group of talented musicians. The band now features Karl Agell (C.O.C., BLIND) on vocals, Henry Vasquez (SAINT VITUS, SPIRIT CARAVAN, LUCIFER) on drums and Scott Little (LEADFOOT, BLIND) on guitar.
THE SKULL are currently in preproduction on their third record performing under the LEGIONS OF DOOM moniker, with Scott Reagers (SAINT VITUS) as second vocalist.
George Watsky is a rapper, writer and performer from San Francisco now living in Los Angeles. A versatile lyricist who switches between silly and serious, technically complex and simply heartfelt, George won the Youth Speaks Grand Slam Finals and the Brave New Voices National Poetry Slam in 2006. Immediate after, George appeared on the final season of “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry” on HBO in 2007 while himself a college Freshman and subsequently performed at over 150 universities across the country. Rapping all the while under the name ‘Watsky,’ George released a jazz-hip hop record with his band Invisible Inc in 2007 and the self-titled ‘Watsky’ in 2010, which peaked at #7 on the iTunes hip hop charts. In January 2011 George’s fast rapping went viral and led to two appearances on the Ellen Show, a slot on Last Call with Carson Daly, and an exploding online profile. George has performed at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, the NAACP Image Awards on FOX, three times at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and has been featured in XXL, Billboard Magazine, and the New York Times Magazine. Watsky’s social media presence made him one of only 23 artists dubbed by ‘The Next Big Sound’ as a ‘Big Sound of 2011,’ alongside Mac Miller, Kreayshawn and Skrillex.
With their whiskey-driven outlaw country/western sound, Knuckle Deep has been shoving twang down the ear-holes of Michiana listeners since January 2008. The band began when three coworkers at Point Blank Tattoo & Body Piercing in South Bend, IN started jamming in the basement of the shop. They were told they should play out, and decided to start up a band. The band consisted of singer Gabe Himes, bluesy guitarist Jason Woolley, metal drummer Joel Frechette, and bassist Todd Sirbek. After playing around the South Bend area for almost a year, Todd decided to go his separate way and Knuckle Deep picked up bassist Tai Barger; bringing with him some of his punk rock roots. Joel put away his brushes and dusted off his double bass pedal, both guitarists switched to electric hollow bodies, and so began the transformation of Knuckle Deep from a more traditional country/western tone into the dirty, outlaw, punk-country sound they have today. Knuckle Deep has played in the South Bend area at many local bars, ABATE Region 1 motorcycle events, as well as multiple charity benefits. They have played alongside fellow favorite local bands such as: The Go Devil 4, Red Hot Voodoo, The MudFlap Revival, and Little Frank & The Premiers; as well as national acts: The Dwarves, S.S. WEB, and the Goddamn Gallows. The band gets its influences from artists like: George Jones, Murder By Death, Reverend Horton Heat, David Allan Coe, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, The .357 String Band, Those Poor Bastards, Johnny Cash, all three Hank Williams’, along with many more. They have played covers of many of these artists, but the majority of Knuckle Deep’s songs are Hank III covers since they enjoy giving his mix of outlaw country and metal their own unique twist. Knuckle Deep has also played covers of other groups such as: Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Social Distortion, Merle Haggard, and Old Crow Medicine Show, mixing these covers into their set list alongside original crowd favorites like “Trailer Park Living” and “Loco Gringo”. If you’re looking for a band that is fun to listen to, watch, raise hell with, and drink a lot of whiskey to, Knuckle Deep is for you.
TAURUS
Their view; it is cosmic. Not of a man here, a child there, but an abstraction. Not honorable men, but of honor itself; the abstract is real, the actual is invisible to them, It is their sense of space and time. They see through the here, the now, into the vast black deep beyond, the unchanging. And that is fatal to life. Because eventually there will be no life; there was once only dust particles in space, the hot hydrogen gases, nothing more, and it will come again. This is an interval. The cosmic process is hurrying on, crushing life back into the granite and the methane; the wheel turns for all life. it is all temporary, And these- these madmen- respond to the granite, the dust.
M-Glory is a group of New York City musicians who came together in the interest of making music fun for themselves again. With roots deep in the politi-kil punk scene of the Lower East Side and Brooklyn, MG’s lyrical content never strays far from the things they see as axiom, tho it tends to be more personal than other bands and projects they’ve been in over the years.
The Frantic Flintstones first incarnation was in 1986, in fact Chuck even remembers the first gig. It was at Reading University in October of that year. Previous to that Chuck had been fronting a few other bands that sort of fizzled out, notably What’s This Fish? and Mute. The fish band even got some local press where Chuck is pictured with some very square 80s looking chaps while he looks all psycho and wearing a huge pair of glasses, even off the wall in those days. The first proper line-up as far as Chuck can remember was Ric on guitar, Clive on bass and drummer Toby “Jug” Griffin who went on to beat the skins for The Coffin Nails and later The Meteors.
The first vinyl offerings came a year later when Raucous Records released the now classic Bedrock EP. By this time the line-up had changed, Nodger was playing guitar and wearing schoolboy shorts, Andy was hitting the drums and Gaz Day slapping the bass. Chuck even managed to recall that first session. Andy kept fucking up the drum part, and the drums are always recorded first, it was a nightmare, but also hazy due to untold booze and speed?
The single sold well and was soon followed by another on the same label. Not long after their debut album was released on Nervous Records. It was called, wait for it, Nightmare On Nervous though unimaginatively titled it sold by the bucket load and even bothered the Indie Charts. Gigs followed, along with plenty of money to spend on drugs and drink for the all-important party that always followed and often well preceded a Flintstones Gig.
BONGONYA (formlly Manic Zamboni) offers further evidence that there’s some malevolent nerdiness lurking in the practice spaces of Wisconsin, building songs as much on deviously timed noise squiggles as on deviously timed psych-metal riffs. For all the meetings of dub and math-rock that go on in the band’s songs, a ballsy rhythm section makes it all pretty damn gratifying even for those who like their rock a little less convoluted.
Like it new? Like it fresh? LIKE THE WHORES! Chicago puts out yet another innovative sound with the luscious licks of Steve Sunner, Eddy Harris, Joey Werner, Jason Roberts and Ryan Gray. When this skattelite Madness meets a darker, more dangerous Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young – something worth staying and listening to comes alive on stage.
This band is the real deal, a true down home southern band despite their current location in L.A.. Modern acts should take note of Mojo Stone and get re-aquainted with their roots.
John Lamantia, of local Chicago duo Drinkin’ Doubles: A dynamic duo of rock ‘n roll goodness and soulful song writing. We play the ones you know and the ones you want to know more about. Rockabilly, alt country, and our own special sauce called Soulbilly mixing the best of soul and rock ‘n roll.
Says one Carolina newbie to one Carolina native, “Dang! I knew it would be hot in the Summer down here, but I had no idea that it would get even hotter at night!!” Meteorologically speaking, there is a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. But as far as the Raleigh-based exploratory jazz trio called The Hot at Nights, there is no explanation for them. 8-string guitar virtuoso Chris Boerner leads the group, with Matt Douglas on sax/woodwinds and Nick Baglio on drums. The group melted together in Boerner’s studio over the many sweltering evenings of Summer, 2010. Though largely improvisational, the group’s compositions pull from contemporary songwriters, classic funk, pop, rock, and of course the electric avant garde stylings that have spanned the last 30 years of contemporary jazz. Complex rhythms can quickly transform into head-bobbing groove fare. Simple melodies coaxed by all three players can explode into cacophonous meteor showers at the drop of a dime. Their limits go as high as the stratosphere and deep into the Earth’s mantle. Both of which keep them sweating… even after the sun goes down.
Grammy-nominated music producer/performer Nicolay was born and raised in The Netherlands (Europe). He played various instruments in various bands and got a formal music education before focusing on the production side of the music making process.
Around 2002, Nicolay met rapper/singer-songwriter Phonte (of Little Brother) on the Okayplayer message boards. They struck up a partnership under the name The Foreign Exchange and released their critically acclaimed debut album Connected, which was completed solely through the use of the internet, in 2004. The success of Connected enabled Nicolay to move to the United States and further pursue his career in music. The Foreign Exchange’s sophomore album, Leave It All Behind (2008), was even more successful, culminating in the Grammy nomination for the album’s first single, “Daykeeper”.
Iggy Azalea for all intents and purposes is the brainchild of famous Australian Mafioso Ned Kelly and glamour of legendary actress Grace Kelly. Why would you care about Iggy Azalea? She’s the beautiful, Australian-born amazon rapping about hanging out on Slauson Avenue in California, giving your boyfriend directions on how to taste the rainbow’ and why her pussy is better than yours on top of boom-clap beats with electronic sensibilities.
Iggy Azalea (born Amethyst Kelly) is serving up her first single and new video to rave reviews and national shock. The professional Hip-Hop shock-pop artists wouldn’t have it any other way. “I don’t want to be sexy just to be sexy; I do it because it’s funny. I think people are too prudish.” says Iggy Azalea about her newest video and single, “Pu$$y”. She explains the “Pu$$y” video as a walk in her life with everything ten times more sexual, purposely. The song is a comical tirade of braggadocio about the sweet, big-lipped feline every woman possesses between their legs. Iggy Azalea has two goals to make you laugh and to make you a bit uncomfortable, both are met by her newest effort. She’s stirring outrage from people who find the sexual nature of the video inappropriate and some of the scenarios ghastly, and Iggy Azalea wouldn’t have it any other way.
Iggy Azalea’s mixtape, “Ignorant Art” is now available for download on IggyAzalea.com.
Lucci Vee” formerly known as “Sneaker Vixen” is a 23 years old female rap sensation. “I’m ready to change the entire rap game,” she tells recent interviewers. This DMV (Dc, MD, VA) native, now residing in Chicago is sure to do just that with her self-described sexy but street lyrical content and impeccable delivery. Also highly recognized for her diverse fashion sense Lucci Vee has a sure ride to future stardom.
Performing all over the city and winning different music showcases has set her mark in the Chicago music scene. Not only was she the first place winner but also the only female rap competitor in the “STL vs. Chi: Battle of the Midwest” competition. “I’m not worried about the girls at all it’s the guys who are my competition” says Lucci. Always being put against male artist in the game Lucci still never fails to come out on top.
Surprising listeners with her cute look but beastly flow Lucci likes to call her style “the best of both worlds”. “I’m honestly excited for people to hear more from me, they’re going to be in shock,” says Lucci in regards to future music endeavors. She currently has the “Guard Ya Grill” mixtape circulating the net since Summer 2012, “Confessions of a Glamazon” will be released Summer 2012.
Who is the most hard-working underground rock band of the last 20 years? Just ask anyone in the know and you will be greeted with the same answer: “Electric Frankenstein”! There’s no doubt about it. With their rock solid underground following firmly in tow, Electric Frankenstein has appealed to a broad spectrum of listeners. Incorporating punk rock, heavy metal, and especially good old fashioned Rock and Roll, EF has created a sound that is unparalleled and often looked upon in awe. These New Jersey stalwarts (along with The Dwarves, New Bomb Turks, and The Supersuckers, ) have had an unsurprisingly fearsome influence on modern Rock music internationally, paving the way for Turbonegro, The Hives, The Datsuns, The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies, The D4, The White Stripes, and many other new Rock bands. Electric Frankenstein is the epitome of rock and roll, with a punk attitude that is rarely rivaled. Over 15 years, over 100 record releases, and more! EF has almost single-handedly returned rock to its most basic and savage roots, the way it was meant to be. They have been receiving international acclaim for their exciting brand of High Energy Punk Rock and Roll, done with the great intensity of such bands as the Stooges, MC5, Dead Boys, NY Dolls, Ramones, Damned, Black Flag, Misfits, AC/DC, Kiss, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, Motorhead, and other favorites.
Antisect are an English anarcho-punk band, formed in 1982 in Daventry, Northamptonshire, UK. Their debut album, In Darkness There is No Choice, was released in 1983. Antisect were a signal band in the timeline of hardcore punk music: Their influence has been indelible upon “black-clad, politically-charged punks over the last 30 years”. The band were instrumental in bringing the subject matter of “animal rights” and “social conscience” to a punk rock audience and were among the instigators of the squat venue scene in the mid to late 1980s. Members lived the lifestyle of being either on the road or part of the vibrant London squat scene of the time. They toured extensively both in the UK and europe, before finally splitting in 1987.
Members of Expendable Youth, Securicor, Decay After Death, and Black September.Crawling out of the proverbeal Bog of Eternal Stenchcore coincidentally also the name of Krang’s debut 7″ they are back with more crusting stench that builds up form the corner of the room before exploding out of the speakers like battle worn worshipping crust metal, an all round hammering sound which brings an amalgamation of 80′s Stench and 90′s Crust of Sacrilige, Deviated Instinct,etc Cover art work will be provided by the indomitable Halsey Swain, who notably has done work for Havok, Toxic Holocaust, Hellshock & more.Check them out here
Coming straight out of Boston is the young and talented, Noms. A 20 year old that has caused waves across the blogosphere with a style reminiscent of the second city’s southside. Noms takes influences from all over the global to create his unique sound.
Chicago native, Starfoxxx, has been receiving global attention for his special blend of ghetto based production. 8 years in the game and hungry as ever, Starfoxxx is ready to take over the dancefloors of Chicago and abroad
Epilep[c] has terrorized crowds all across the IL state for the past 4 years. His brand of booty bumping bass has crushed dancefloors and taken sound systems to their limits. When Epilep[c] hits the decks, nothing is scared
From the darkest corners of the electric jungle comes the mighty Tigorilla. With a style as strong and exotic as the two animals he is name after, Tigorilla is a truly a beast on the 1s and 2s.
Enid is an enigmatic figure that moves between the cyber and real world with the greatest of ease. Hoodrats know not to step to one of the fiercest females in the electronic dance game.
Out from the dankest hole of the internet Cid Ikarus was born. A Dj/Producer known for blazing his own path in music, Cid Ikarus takes influence from the lean sippers, trap stars and footworkers a like.
Norwegian black metal titans 1349 have returned with their long awaited seventh full-length: ‘The Infernal Pathway’. The album promises a journey through chaos and madness, darkness and peril, terror and annihilation.
1349 is AURAL HELLFIRE. That has been, and continues to be, the primary concept since the band first rose from the ashes of Alvheim in 1997. Conceived around the founding members – vocalist and former drummer Ravn, guitarist Tjalve, and Seidemann on bass – 1349 completed their line-up with the addition of guitarist Archaon in 1999 and SATYRICON drum-legend Frost in 2001.
When their debut ‘Liberation’ was unleashed in 2003, the Norwegians took the world by storm with their intense blend of old school black metal soundscapes and ultra-fast aggression. Further assaults followed in rapid succession. ‘Beyond the Apocalypse’ (2004) and ‘Hellfire’ (2005) cemented the band’s reputation as one of the strongest acts in the scene.
Upon the departure of founding member Tjalve, who decided to focus on his band PANTHEON I, 1349 have since continued as a four-piece – occasionally adding guest guitarists. Extensive touring aided the growth of their now massive following when the four piece opened for reunited metal legends CELTIC FROST in North America in 2006.
Impressively demonstrating that holding true to the principles of the genre do not mean nostalgia and stagnation, 1349 widened their sonic palette with ‘Revelations of the Black Flame’ (2009), which was co-mixed by CELTIC FROST mastermind Tom Gabriel “Warrior” Fischer. This inspired a newfound ambient darkness from the band, which was further explored on ‘Demonoir’ (2010).
‘Massive Cauldron of Chaos’ (2013) was the next milestone in the Norwegians merciless advance, scoring excellent reviews and a nomination for a Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannprisen). The release sparked more festival shows as well as extensive touring, bringing 1349 to Australia and New Zealand. In 2018, the Munch Museum and Innovation Norway chose 1349 as one of four bands to create a song based on the paintings of Edvard Munch. As a result, the single ‘Dødskamp’ was released earlier this year.
After performing a fiery show at Norway’s Inferno festival this year, 1349 started recording in Amper Tone studios and Studio Nyhagen with engineer Jarrett Pritchard. Thus, ‘The Infernal Pathway’ was born, a sonic parallel to summoning and unleashing the beast of the abyss in all its fearsome, ferocious and powerful splendor.
Gearing up for a full U.S. tour in the fall, and a European tour with ABBATH and VLTIMAS in 2020, more events will unfold, making this a banner year for 1349.
