Helms Alee’s Ben Verellen discusses video for “8/16”

February 22, 2012

Click Here To Watch The Video Who came up with this? Was it a band effort or was there one lone genius amongst you? I don’t remember how it came up, all I know is that it’s been an idea for as long as we’ve been a band. How did you pick the videos? Were…

Blackened sludge purveyors Wolvhammer added to open Chicago date of the Decibel Magazine Tour

February 22, 2012

Chances are if you haven’t heard Wolvhammer, you may’ve read some of drummer Heath Rave’s Deciblog rants on the virtues of Pantera’s Power Metal opus, peeped his Varg “visionary” tattoo primers, or checked out members of Wolvhammer in mid-tour exploit. “I definitely think this is a well thought out lineup for a tour,” beams Rave…

Exclusive Unsane Premiere From Wreck

February 21, 2012

Two of our most memorable live concert experiences ever happened at Unsane shows in Seattle. This NYC trio originated from the same scene that spawned Helmet, Pussy Galore, Boss Hog and a bunch of other earhole-scraping noise mongers in the early 1990s. Between their Am Rep/Sub Pop label connections and the general loud/heavy/distorted aesthetic, they…

Ryan Adams Pimps Black Metal (And A New Alt-Country Album)

February 21, 2012

Ever wondered what a You Can’t Do That On Television skit full of jokes about black metal would look like? Well, so has alt-country crooner/Mandy Moore arm candy Ryan Adams, apparently: His new internet show “Night Sweats” marries over the top disheveled chic and a dash of self-deprecation with Fenriz jokes, corpsepaint, a synthpop loving…

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN: When metal dudes go sell your shit

February 20, 2012

Yeah, the real world sure does suck. The bottom line is forever letting the wolves off the leash and if they don’t end up clawing at your door they’ll sure as hell shit on your lawn. The only way out is money. And in this business, the uncomfortable truth is that, ultimately, in a roundabout…

Dolgar (Gehenna) Interviewed

February 20, 2012

Each Gehenna album had different sonic attributes. From the eerie black metal of The First Spell through the death metal disposition of Murder and then back to brutal black hybrid on WW. Do you recall wanting each album to be singular, regardless of genre?Dolgar: We always try not to make the same album twice of…

The Lazarus Pit: Greenmachine’s D.A.M.N.

February 17, 2012

Welcome to The Lazarus Pit, a biweekly look at should-be classic metal records that don’t get nearly enough love; stuff that’s essential listening that you’ve probably never heard of; stuff that we’re too lazy to track down the band members to do a Hall Of Fame for.  This week, we go back to Japan, by…

LIVE REVIEW: Krisiun, Malevolent Creation, Vital Remains | London Underworld, Feb 15th 2012

February 17, 2012

Promoters worldwide would be doing us all a favor if they were to roll out five-band death metal mini-fests every Wednesday. Given that the middle of the working week is the calendar equivalent of dead air, a tour toploaded with a bill that has Krisiun, Malevolent Creation and Vital Remains as a headlining trifecta is…

15 Strings Attached

February 16, 2012

Decibel‘s NYC bureau had a tough decision to make last Thursday. Should we head on up to the west side for a classy evening amongst Lincoln Center elite to catch a special performance by This Will Destroy You? Or leave Manhattan (perish the thought!) for a night of PBRs amongst our metal brethren to get…

Exclusive- Black God: “Everyone’s a Friend”

February 15, 2012

If you didn’t know it by now, Coliseum’s Ryan Patterson is an inhuman machine that runs solely on guitar riffs and beard hair. His newish project is a throwback to the 90s hardcore scene of Louisville where sweat flowed like beer and beer pretty much stayed in the fridges at the convenience store. Joined by…