telling stories through art, performance & sound
Art rockers from Chicago, NOHMADS weave layers of noir, sludge, and pop. Like spiritual guides, haunting vocal harmonies harken back to personal histories through sensory storytelling. Soaring guitars, dynamic percussion, and sticky serpentine melodies escort the listener on a ride through everyday silenced small town dramas, into murky backwoods of past lives, and along hopeful deserted dream landscapes.
PHIL HARDMAN- drums, percussion
EVA VICTORIA – vocals, keys, synths
KEN BECKER – vocals, guitars
USHA RAJBHANDARI- vocals, bass
Cancerslug is the words and music of Alex Story. since 1999 the main lineup was Alex Story, Cassie Baher, Mike Horgan… with various live guitarists helping on tours… after mikes Death, the main lineup has been Alex Story, Cassie Baher, Jade Jones. Slugcult Rise
Bandy is a rock n roll power trio from Chicago IL who play a saucy blend of powerpop/postpunk/ and psychedelic styles.
HEARTSICK
merging out of the Midwest and finally ready to take the whole of the US by storm, Heartsick is a band of brothers, consisting of Alfonso Civile on vocals, Jerred Pruneau on guitar, Waylon Fox on bass and Talmadge Jake Bryan on drums.
Heartsick embodies passion and hard work. Beginning in Lansing, Michigan, the 4-piece group has been building a fanbase throughout the midwest and across the US for nearly 20 years.
Combining an onslaught of hardcore and metalcore-tinged ferocity alongside moments of haunting melodies and stunning atmospherics, Heartsick elevated themselves to the next level with their stirring sophomore album, ‘Sleep Cycles.’
Heartsick operates under a simple philosophy: treat every show as the last, and every fan as the first.
In 2016, LNS released their first album, “Among the Forgotten”. The second album, “Into the Aftermath was released in 2017 and not only did the group vastly begin building their online presence and catching the eyes of regional promoters. The Band was awarded opening slots for National and International acts such as Drowning Pool, Red, Saliva, Thousand Foot Crutch, Adelitas Way, The Veer Union, Royal Bliss, Flaw, Bobaflex, Cage 9, Shamans Harvest, and so many others!
In 2018, continuing a busy regional touring regiment, LNS was names best rock band of Utah and were chosen as 1 of 5 National Finalists for the Cumulus Media “Next2Rock” Battle, a National Competition in Los Angeles. They flew to Los Angeles to participate in the competition and even though they didn’t place first, the experience was eye opening.
In 2019-2020, LNS has seen their Spotify monthly listeners double to over 55,000 and the track, “Angel” has over 1M spins on Spotify and 1.5M veiws on Youtube. LNS travelled to Vancouver, Canada to hit the studio with Singer/Songwriter/Producer/The Veer Union Frontman, Crispin Earl to record their 3rd album with goals of refining their sound and bringing the band to a National/International level. Shortly after, LNS announced they signed a deal with Rock Shop Records (RSR) and released their first new track, “Monster” which peaked in the top 30 on billboard rock charts and top 20 on foundations rock charts.
In August of 2021 the band released their single “Strong Enough To Live (featuring The Veer Union)” which shattered all expectations by reaching the top 20 of the Billboard Rock Charts, and top 5 of the foundations rock charts.
The newest album titled “From Ruins” is now available on all streaming platforms
The Veer Union is set to release their new quarantine inspired Ep in 2021 with multiple artist collaborations. On August 14th, 2020 the band will be releasing their NEW SINGLE, “Slaves To The System” featuring DEFENDING CAIN. “Slaves To The System” delivers their most socially conscious message that the band has ever delivered, as well as showcases the bands continuous evolution in the Hard Rock/Metal genre. The band remains actively writing and recording their new album and plan on releasing it in spring of 2021. In 2008 Canadian Hard Rock/Nu Metal band The Veer Union landed a record deal with Universal Records USA where they achieved a Top 10 Active Rock Radio Single with their critically acclaimed song “Seasons” in the USA and CANADA, since then The Veer Union has collectively sold over 150,000 Albums and also reached over 100 Million Streams Worldwide and has 11 TOP 40 Singles on the Billboard Rock Radio Charts.
The band’s last album (2018) “Decade II” (produced by the bands lead vocalist, Crispin Earl) contained 4 “Billboard Chart Top 40” singles and has been streamed over 18 million times on Spotify alone. The most notable track off the album, “Living Not Alive” reached #21 on the “Billboard Top 40 Rock Charts” in the United States, accumulating over 10 million streams, received over 1.8 million Views on YouTube and the album itself has sold over 10,000 units. After a vigorous year and a half of touring (With bands like Red, Puddle of Mudd, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Saliva) the band has taken time to write and record their next album with their frontman, Crispin Earl, producing it. In 2019 the band released their very first ever covers EP entitled “Covers Collection Vol.1”. Their version of Halsey’s, “Nightmare”, exploded on Youtube and reached over 2 Million Views within the first 4 months, climbed to #25 on “The Billboard Rock Charts” in the United States and has been streamed over 3.5 million times. The Veer Union is set to headline the Rock Shop Records tour in summer of 2021, stay tuned.
These three musicians came together to be Black Partridge organically, and basically by accident. A mutual adoration for acoustic music and genre stretching, it became clear at once that these three intuitive craftsmen were going to be making some special music. They have known each other for years, all centering their musicianship in the fertile creative ground that is ‘The Heart of Roger’s Park’ in the northeast corner of Chicago.
Black Partridge gets intimate, honest, and traditional in the music they present, then they flip the night on its head, and the vibe becomes a party, pushing funky jams on 16 strings. These three enjoy sharing their original music as much as they enjoy playing the tunes you love.
“Morsel is a five-piece jamgrass band hailing from Denver, CO that mixes classic bluegrass sensibilities nuanced with a more traditional rock edge, resting in a warm balance of old-school string dusting and nu-school improvisation. Since forming in CU Boulder back in 2016, the band has cultivated a robust following throughout the Front Range, born from sets at pubs and breweries and growing exponentially to headline shows at legendary venues, such as The Boulder Theater and The Fox Theater, and to share the stage with nationally touring artists, such as Yonder Mountain String Band, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Molly Tuttle, the Kitchen Dwellers, and many more. Morsel’s debut self-titled studio album (produced by Chris Pandolfi of the Infamous Stringdusters) released in September of 2021 illustrates the band’s powerful songwriting that is its true soul: a cornucopia of catchy hooks, shimmering melodies, and thoughtful lyrics all delivered in a package that will make the most ardent bluegrass skeptic a believer.”
Both of Jared Rabin’s past two albums have premiered in the Top 5 on the Folk Alliance Radio charts, with “Chasing the Light” reaching #3 in October 2022. Bluegrass Today said, “Chasing The Light is, as its title implies, an illuminating effort, and one that ought to elevate Rabin to the higher pantheons inhabited by those that are bringing bluegrass to the mainstream audience it so decidedly deserves. And it’s that undeniable appeal that becomes ever more apparent throughout.
Jared started learning music at age five from his grandfather, who was the first chair violinist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Jared became a proficient multi-instrumentalist, went on to study jazz composition and has traveled the world performing an array of music. His songwriting has been recognized by international competitions, and his albums have been praised by American Songwriter, NPR and more. He is a long time fixture on the Chicago music scene. He can be found performing often there, as well as across the US.
Bonzo Squad is an instrumental ensemble with a focus on creating music that sets the bar higher in terms of eclecticism and musicianship. The group consists of Bonzo himself, born Corbin Andrick, who plays the flute and the saxophones. Completing the line up are Andrew Lawrence (keys and synths), Andrew Vogt bass, as well as Zack Marks sitting behind the drum kit. The band released their very first, self-titled album back in 2017. This release was received really well from the get-go, earning a coveted 4-star rating from Downbeat Magazine, as well as appearing on Spotify’s popular “The State of Jazz” playlist. The band’s debut was later topped with a second release in 2019, “There’s Always Tomorrow.” Recently, the band released their first live album, “Live at aliveOne,” which features a taste of the band’s exciting live performances.
b.lake’s music career began at the drum set. After visiting a recording studio with his high school punk band, he became obsessed with recording techniques and equipment. His college years were spent DJing, playing in local bands, and interning at multiple recording studios. He’s performed on stages such as Lincoln Hall, Beat Kitchen, Uncommon Ground, and many more. These days he freelances as a recording engineer, often drumming for his client’s recordings as well. His solo music is intended to embody the chaos that is his music interest. Basically, if you gave b.lake the aux you could hear Joey Badass, followed by Sufjan Stevens, and then get blindsided by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. This means you can expect a clashing of genres such as indie rock, psych rock, hip-hop, and jazz.
TLDR: b.lake’s music is chaotically all over the place, but it’s fun.
The Tuckers present a fresh look to the British Alternative Band form by Kevin Aitman Lead Vocals, James Aitman, Glen Mattison keyboard, Barry Fisher bass guitar, and Tony Orange on drums. The Tuckers are a high-energy Rock band for the new generation of music lovers. With power-driven guitar, catchy synths, and Rockin beats Their addictive Anthems always get the crowds up and jumping.
Combining infectious post-hardcore anthems, heavy metal riffs and electronic beats with rock/rap vocals, New Jersey-based quartet CONCRETE DREAM have self-defined their one-of-a-kind sound as “trap metal.” Their newest single “Pit Trap,” featuring guest vocals from fellow rap-rocker HYRO THE HERO. Their “trap metal” sound first hit the studio in 2017, with producer, Ricky Armellino (This or the Apocalypse/ Ice Nine Kills) and that demo reached the hands of New York Hardcore legend, Lord Ezec, (Crown of Thornz, Skarhead, Danny Diablo.) When Lord Ezec first heard the fusion sound and its clear and raw power, he signed the four-piece to his new venture “E-Train Records.” In the new release, “Pit Trap”, Vocalist Jeremiah Mayhem further adds, “Some people are born into the struggle and some people are born in the struggle, and a product of a bad environment, and that’s our character, Tony. While the pit is his escape, it’s also his downfall. He’s constantly causing trouble–it’s his retaliation with anger for what life caused him.” Veteran video director Dale “Rage” Resteghini directed the music video.
They followed up with a video for their single Buckout Road directed by Don Capria and starring Tommy Roulette from Jynx. “This song is a dark comedy-turned tragedy and shows how you truly don’t know what could happen with the one you’re with,” says vocalist Jeremiah Mayhem. “A split-second and your whole life could change. And this also applies to relationships that crash.”
In 2021, DJ Boogie was added to the line up to fill out their live sound. The band is currently writing the follow up to their debut LP.
Concrete Dream exude a distinct, raw, yet accessible power with clean execution and potent consistent anthems that will have listeners singing along to songs that also hit as hard as nails. Be sure to check out their awe inspiring live show.
Chokesetter formed in 2018 with a few old friends and longtime veterans from the local music scene in Northwest Indiana. Having played in notable separate bands for years, these gentlemen forged a path together that would form a heavy hitting band of crunchy riffs and smooth grooves. Chokesetter combines several musical influences from Black Sabbath and Clutch all the way to Fu Manchu and passionately grind their wheelhouse in authentic feel-good rock-n-roll, stoner rock riffs and swing style blues. Chokesetter rises above the rest by being well seasoned and experienced in playing live to any kind of audience and making new fans wherever they play in any variation of lineup. Each member of the band has played in front of audiences of all sorts for over 20 years giving them elevated experience in engaging the crowd regardless of being a support or a headlining act while presenting a professional and seasoned business attitude. All of the guys in the band would honestly say that they will never give up on their love for purely rocking out and working hard to manifest their long time dream of being on the big stage with the deep understanding that being in a band is a passion, a privilege, a relationship, a business, a commitment, and a wild ride with all the ups and downs and that no matter what, Chokesetter is in it to win it.
In December of 2022 the band signed its first record deal with Pavement Enertainment. They will be touring in support of their self titled LP, which will be released via Pavement in 2023.
JESSI MAULE – LEAD VOCALS / STEVE DICKSON – GUITAR / DUSTIN TABERSKI – BASS / LARRY BONE – DRUMS
Led by free-wheeling frontman Miles Nielsen, The Rusted Hearts have been wowing audiences for years with the diversity of their sound, the tightness of their 4-part harmonies, and the quality of their songcraft. Equally comfortable in a compact 3-minute pop song and an epic 10-minute jam, the band has toured incessantly since their inception in 2011, amassing an army of hardcore followers that have dubbed themselves the Rusted Herd. Their new album “OHBAHOY” finds the band venturing into a sphere of Americana that feels both familiar and excitingly new. Tight drums, rich guitar tones, gorgeous woodwinds, and sweeping harmonies provide the perfect complements to Nielsen’s immense storytelling gifts and impeccable vocals. The album’s name comes from an imaginary friend Nielsen had growing up, a fitting reminder as we get older to hold tightly to the noble ideals of freedom and creativity that seem so natural to us as children.
Intent is a thrash metal band from the wasteland of Mesa, Arizona. Formed in 2016 by Jeremy Lambert, Garrett Loper, andRicardo Hall; The band would eventually recruit Jimmy Nelson and Alex Zucker and go on to produce their debut album, “Vox Populi” in early 2018.
Grassroots is the second album by 311, released on July 12, 1994. The album was intentionally recorded to have a “muddy” tone, and was recorded in a small house in Van Nuys where all of the band members lived together. This album also contains the track “Applied Science”, which is a staple in 311’s live show and has included a full-band drum solo since 2000.
Songs to Learn & Sing is a compilation album by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released on 11 November 1985 and featured all of the singles the band had released up to that point.
Jailbreak is the sixth studio album by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976. It proved to be the band’s commercial breakthrough in the US, and the only Thin Lizzy album with a certification in that country.
Performed by Guns & Ammunition
BURNED IN EFFIGY
BURNED IN EFFIGY is a neoclassical melodic death metal band from Chicago, IL.
In January 2022 the band independently released its debut album ‘Rex Mortem’ which was highly acclaimed by leading heavy music media and led to the band sharing the stage with iconic acts such as IMPENDING DOOM and OBSCURA.
Featuring Mark Smedborn on vocals, Mike Hisson and Steve Bacakos on guitar, and founding members Matt Watkins on bass alongside drummer Eddie Dec, the band have taken time in finding its sound and refining its full-length debut.
A must for listeners of acts such as THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and INFERI, with the band’s attention to virtuosity and intensity in equal measure, the effort and accomplishment of the band’s debut led to being talent scouted. In July 2022 BURNED IN EFFIGY signed a worldwide deal with leading New York based heavy music agency EXTREME MANAGEMENT GROUP, joining a roster that featured iconic acts such as SUFFOCATION, CRYPTOPSY, ORIGIN and MISERY INDEX. Hard at work on the bands sophomore album and aiming to take its signature melodic death metal sound across the US, and in time the world, BURNED IN EFFIGY continue to ascend in search of conquest.
Skunk is a Chicago-based Jam Band influenced by Fusion, Funk, Rock, Electronic elements, and much more. Composed of Parker Stluka on Guitar/Vocals, Tj Thompson on Drums/Vox, and Vinny Kabat on Bass/Vox, this power trio packs a high octane performance into every song. Skunk combines many diverse musical elements in unique ways- intricate song compositions, meaningfully mysterious lyricism, extended and open group jamming, and eclectic mergings of styles + genres. This makes every performance feel like a new musical conversation, unlimited in potential. Take an adequate dose of Skunk Funk™ to alleviate any negative vibes, and to get down with your bad self.
I’m an artist, designer, and comedian in Chicago, Illinois.I like to keep busy.
MATT BANWART
Matt Banwart is a stand-up comedian, who has been fortunate enough to win over many rooms with his quick-witted jokes, observations, and many stupid stories. As a comedian, Matt has played independent clubs all over the midwest He has performed in thousands of shows from Colleges, Corporate Events, Charities, Churches, and (way too many) Bars.
He starred in and produced the Transparent Comedy Tour web series, a show that highlighted comedy across the United States. Matt has opened for Nick Guerra, Julian McCullough, Heywood Banks, and was recently in the Floodwater Comedy Festival.
He has been a regular on the History Made Up Podcast and appeared on podcasts such as Wild Wasteland, and a Drunken Night Out. Apart from stand up he is a 3x Des Moines Improv Comedy Death Match champion, producer and host of Late Night 5 and Sticks & Stones at the Lincoln Lodge, in Chicago, and co-founded the still-running Parents’ Permission Required show in Ames, Iowa.
Many moons ago Matt was President of his college’s Stand Up Comedy Club, which he registered as a sorority. Marking Matt as Iowa State University’s first-ever male sorority president. With his sorority sisters, he hosted weekly workshops that introduced students to standup comedy by bringing in guests and producing student showcases. Matt is very proud of this, but at the same time, there is a reason why it’s at the bottom of this list.
The Brunt Of It blends a mix of Old School Hardcore Punk with distorted, dissonant Ska. Infectious choruses with drivingbeats are the backbone of their no bullshit sound. In their decades long existence, they have shared the stage with numerous national/regional acts. The current line up continues the tradition of Hardcore Punk, while embracing the Ska element more.
Ben Folds Five is the self-titled debut studio album by American alternative rock band Ben Folds Five, released in 1995. A non-traditional rock album, it featured an innovative indie-pop sound, and excluded lead guitars completely.
Performed by Circles, Cliques & Social Coteries
ELIZABETH COLOUR WHEEL
BODY VOID
Body Void originally formed in the spring of 2014 as Devoid with the aim to combine the most extreme elements of hardcore punk and doom metal. Since changing their name in 2016 with the release of their full-length debut, Ruins, they’ve continued to evolve and progress. In 2021 they signed to Prosthetic Records and released their third LP, Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth.
The Best of The Animals is’ first greatest hits collection by the British rock group the Animals. MGM Records released the album in February 1966 in the United States. It showcases the Animals’ tough-edged pop hits combined with their more devoted blues and R&B workouts.
Performed by Phil and the Misunderstoods
ALLUVIAL
New album SARCOMA out now on Nuclear Blast Records
Carrington Wilson, better known by his stage name Tony Shhnow is a up-coming artist based out of Cobb County, Georgia.
Known for his monotone Plugg style, Tony often works with likes of Larry League, CashCache and his collective Sink Or Swim: Consisting of artists 10kDunkin & JWitDaBeam among others.
The American rapper “The Homie Q” is a renowned name in the hip-hop music circuit and is known for his various styles of music. His wordplay is mostly created with influences from pop punk and hip hop/rap & blends them together to create songs for a widespread audience.
“Smba‘s really one of the best teenage artists making music.” – Fashionably Early Musical artist Smba, also known by their surname Tyrone Jordan, is originally from Southfield, Michigan. Smba’s passion for music began at a very early age. In fact, they began writing their own lyrics at the age of six. As a self-taught artist, Smba has developed the unique gift of versatile storytelling, through which they journal their life via their music. Ultimately, SMBA hopes their music can provide guidance and solace to whoever hears it. Smba currently resides in Illinois, where they’ve started their own artist development/distribution company called 2db Co. They plan to continue making and releasing music at their own pace, while exploring their other interests in event producing, video directing and cooking.
“The Dropper’s debut album, “Blue Burning Sky”, ignites the horizon with a delicate dance between the shadow and the light. Soaring melodies, thunderous rhythms and profound lyrics launch the listener into a progressive improvisational flight. The quartet’s fiery pulse guides their audience through the violent storm and into a breaking dawn.
August 26th 2020 marks the date of the group’s long awaited studio release. “Blue Burning Sky” was recorded by Stan Pszeniczka (drums/vocals), Mike Rizman (guitar/vocals), Ian Boltz (piano/keyboards) and Timothy “Smu” McCarthy (bass). The time and energy put into the album shines through on every track.
Based in Chicago, the band has performed at many reputable venues across the city and Midwest. After regional success, they made their national festival debut at Summer Camp Music Festival 2016. The Dropper unveils its brand new album and sound to a show near you. Look to the sky…”
This is the one and only G M -dez from the middle of the map.(Illinois) I rep 618 to the day I die. My music represents for all the people that hustle and grind on a day to day. I rep for the people that come from the bottom to reach the top. That means ALL ON ME ENT is all about that. I like workin with anyone that has a good ear for music, that has a dream and wants to reach it. Thank you for your support cuz with out my fans behide me, I couldnt be in this game without you. I hope you keep logging on and stay tuned cuz good thing are coming to a town near you. Stay up and thank you for your support.
Soul Radics. @SoulRadics. Soul Radics come included with blistering traditional sounds and gritty soul melodies. Virtually fearless, it’s an original take on ska, reggae, and rocksteady. Nashville, TN soulradics.com Joined January 2013.
Playful, yet full of raw power; delicate and brutal at the same time; driving rhythms coupled with dizzying guitar solos … Coroner is all this and more. Is it thrash metal? Is it speed metal? Is it technical death metal? This Swiss band cannot be pigeonholed. It is unique … even after 30 years on the go.
The early 1980s was a tumultuous time in Zurich. This usually oh-so-quiet city on the River Limmat was seething with unrest. It was a time of protest marches and riots. Young people were fighting for the freedom and space to express themselves. The atmosphere was highly charged. It was against this backdrop that two bands emerged from the small Zurich metal scene determined to conquer the world: Coroner and Celtic Frost. They were hungry for new, fresh, original music, and decided to make it themselves.
Back then, the Coroner line-up was Tommy Vetterli aka Tommy T. Baron (guitar), Marky Edelmann aka Marquis Marky (drums), and Ron Broder aka Ron Royce (bass). The vocals on the band’s first demo tape (Death Cult) were provided by Tom G. Warrior of Celtic Frost. This was before Ron became the band’s vocalist.
Death Cult got Coroner a record deal with the German label Noise Records, which was at the time a force to be reckoned with when it came to discovering exciting new metal bands. The five studio albums Coroner made with Noise Records proved that it was so much more than a run-of-the-mill thrash metal band: R.I.P (1987) was unpolished high-speed metal, Punishment for Decadence (1988) was musically complex, No More Color (1989) and Mental Vortex (1991) demonstrated the band’s technically maturity, while Grin (1993) marked a shift towards a more straightforward sound with drive. Coroner also proved their mettle on stage with tours of Europe and the USA.
Coroner’s brand of metal is all about complex rhythms and intricate melodies coupled with outstanding technique. The band’s music is driven by Ron’s accurate bass sequences, which push his instrument to the limit of what is possible, and Marky’s drum patterns, that just cannot stick to the straight-and-narrow of four-four time. All of this underpins Tommy’s virtuoso guitar sequences, razor-sharp masterpieces with a neoclassical touch that earned him a reputation as one of the world’s best metal guitarists.
But this uniqueness was also a liability: the band was often underrated; most metal fans had no time for the artistic complexity of Coroner’s music. Tension arose between the band members. Their perfectionism and the resurgence of a desire to explore other musical styles drove the three men apart.
Coroner split after one last tour in 1996. They may not have performed with each other for 15 years, but they certainly were not inactive. Tommy Vetterli toured with Swiss pop star Stephan Eicher and
became a member of the German metal band Kreator. Marky joined Tom G. Warrior’s project Apollyon Sun and experimented with electronic music. Ron withdrew from the metal scene, occasionally playing bass in a variety of projects.
But the fans never forgot Coroner. In fact, the demand from concert organisers for Coroner to perform live again was so great in 2010 that it seemed the time was ripe for a reunion. Coroner went back into the rehearsal room and practiced their old songs with new vigour. What followed was a triumphant tour of the largest metal festivals on the planet: 30,000 people saw Coroner perform live at Hellfest in Clisson (France); Coroner also played Wacken in northern Germany, the Maryland Death Fest in Baltimore (USA), and Bloodstock Openair in England. To top it all, they even went on a musical cruise with 70,000 Tons of Metal. But it didn’t end there: they also played sell-out headliner shows in clubs right across Europe.
The trio was invigorated by its success. After three years and dozens of reunion concerts, Tommy Vetterli and Ron Broder were hungry: they wanted to write new songs and record a new album, 20 years after Grin. But Marky Edelmann was not on board. As far as he was concerned, his personal history with Coroner had come to a dignified end. After a farewell concert in Zurich, Marky left the band in February 2014 and was replaced by Diego Rapacchietti, drummer with 69 Chambers.
Autopsy and a new album: a legacy and a new beginning 2016 is the year of Coroner’s first release of the twenty-first century: Autopsy is a gift to fans packed with gems like a documentary on the history of the band, live footage from the reunion concerts, unpublished and rare archive material, as well as a best-of compilation. It is available as either a limited collector’s edition with 3 blu-ray discs and the compilation on vinyl with a signed gatefold cover or as a standard edition with three DVDs and a compilation CD.
In the spirit of an autopsy, the 100-minute documentary ‘Coroner – Rewind’ dissects the history of the band from 1985 to 2014. It begins with the early days of ‘Heavy Disco’ in the Zurich hinterland and covers everything that followed: the style-defining years at Noise Records, the band’s split, the reunion tour, and Marky Edelmann’s departure.
The documentary features previously unpublished archive material from the 80s and 90s: footage of the studio session where Celtic Frost singer Tom Warrior sang vocals for Coroner’s first demo, backstage footage from the reunion tour, and interviews with the band members, crew, fellow musicians, and contemporaries, including Tom G. Warrior and Martin Ain (Celtic Frost), Mille Petrozza (Kreator), Franz Treichler (Young Gods), Max Cavalera (Sepultura / Soulfly), Chrigel Glanzmann (Eluveitie), Stephan Eicher, Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth), and Chris von Rohr (Krokus).
All of them have one thing in common: they admire Coroner’s talent. Or, as Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth, puts it in the film: ‘Coroner taught me that playing hard and fast music doesn’t necessarily make you a crap musician. They showed me that it can be art at a very high level.’ For guitarist Tommy Vetterli, ‘Coroner – Rewind’ dug up some old memories: ‘For us, it’s like leafing through a family photo album: you relive all those moments, those highs and lows, all over again.’
The second Autopsy disc provides a cross-section of the reunion concerts from 2011 to 2014: live footage of 17 songs performed at Hellfest, the Maryland Death Fest, Bloodstock Openair, and other festivals and clubs. Autopsy also includes a number of treats in the form of videos of Coroner singles, a recording of the legendary ‘Thrashing East’ concert in East Berlin in 1990, rehearsal footage, and a snippet from Coroner’s very first concert in Zurich.
The future begins now: the new Coroner line-up with drummer Diego Rapacchietti has a record deal with Sony Music Switzerland and will release a new studio album in co-operation with Century Media in 2017. ‘In the 20 years since our farewell tour, we have matured musically,’ says Tommy Vetterli. ‘We now want to show what we can take from this experience in the form of new songs and new energy. We’re back. We really want this. And we’re ready for it.’
The results of the autopsy are in: Coroner is not dead. Coroner is very much alive.
