Tour Dates Tour Dates Tour Dates.....

UNEARTHLY TRANCE - EURO TOUR (APRIL 2009):

Apr 4 2009 Trix W/ Ramesses + Serpent Cult Antwerp
Apr 5 2009 Willemeen W/ Ramesses + Serpent Cult Arnhem
Apr 6 2009 Markt-Halle W/ Ramesses Hamburg
Apr 7 2009 Underjorden W/ Ramesses Gothenburg
Apr 8 2009 Debaser W/ Ramesses + Switchblade Stockholm
Apr 9 2009 Inferno Fest! Oslo
Apr 10 2009 Utkanten W/ Ramesses Malmo
Apr 11 2009 Red Rooster W/ Ramesses Berlin
Apr 12 2009 Kunstverein W/ Ramesses Nuernberg
Apr 13 2009 Le Klub w/ Ramesses Paris
Apr 14 2009 To Be Confirmed
Apr 15 2009 Star & Garter W/ Ramesses Manchester
Apr 16 2009 Trillions W/ Ramesses Newcastle
Apr 17 2009 13th Note W/ Ramesses + Black Sun Glasgow
Apr 18 2009 Busk W/ Ramesses Birmingham
Apr 19 2009 The Underworld W/ Ramesses + Black Sun London

MOTORHEAD UK TOUR (NOVEMBER 2009)

Wed 11/11/09 - Plymouth Pavilions
Thu 12/11/09 - Colston Hall Bristol
Fri 13/11/09 - Newport Centre, Newport
Sun 15/11/09 - Oasis Leisure Centre, Swindon
Mon 16/11/09 - Nottingham Royal Centre
Tue 17/11/09 - Newcastle City Hall
Thu 19/11/09 - O2 Academy Glasgow
Fri 20/11/09 - O2 Academy Leeds
Sat 21/11/09 - Manchester Apollo
Mon 23/11/09 - Cambridge Corn Exchange
Tue 24/11/09 - Southend Cliffs Pavilion
Wed 25/11/09 - Portsmouth Guildhall
Fri 27/11/09 - Bournemouth Solent Hall
Sat 28/11/09 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Sun 29/11/09 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall

THEE CLAW VERDICT: Fucking awesome all round!

February 2009 Gigs

1st: Wolves In The Throne Room (Manchester / Star & Garter)
12th: Testament (Liverpool / O2 Academy)
16th: Cannibal Corpse (Manchester / Academy)
17th: Judas Priest, Megadeth, Testament (Manchester / Apollo)
22nd: Sunn O))) (London / Corsica Studios)
26th: Metallica, Machine Head, The Sword (Manchester / M.E.N. Arena)

We probably get along to all of these shows, but hey that's life right? Still, 6 gigs in 1 month, that should be enough to go on with for the time being!

Incoming....

Diamanthian
Neuroma
Nerrus Kor
+2 more TBA
Thursday 26th Feb 2009
Korova
Liverpool

and...

GOJIRA uk tour dates 2009...
March 10 - Leeds, UK - Cockpit
March 11 - Birmingham, UK - Barfly
March 12 - Glasgow, UK - Classic Grand
March 13 - Sheffield, UK - Corperation
March 14 - Dublin, IRE- Academy
March 15 - Belfast, IRE - Lime Light
March 17 - Stoke, UK - Sugarmill
March 18 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront
March 19 - Portsmouth, UK - Wedgewood rooms
March 20 - Oxford, UK - Zodiac
March 21 - Bristol, UK - Academy 2
March 22 - London, UK - Underworld
March 24 - Colchester, UK - Arts Centre


and...

STATUS QUO
tonight and tomorrow night at manchester's palace theatre!

Church Of Misery News - Vocalist Change

We're sorry to announce that shortly after the completion of our new album, Hideki (Vo.) left the band. Without going into details, it was completely and utterly unexpected to say the least.
The good news is that for the next two shows and the upcoming European tour, our vocalist from our first album, Negishi, will be joining us. Anyone who's ever seen him perform knows how exciting he is on stage. We've already had a few practices and he sounds huge, so get ready.

WARNING Split Explained

Jan. 22, 2009

British doom legends WARNING have split up after 15 years of existence and two albums. The band's sole remaining original member, Patrick Walker, commented:

"The decision to discontinue WARNING has been both a pain and a purgation to me. For the past two years or so, WARNING has been a considerably important part of my life, what with travelling and playing shows, writing new music and a gradual but increasing interest in the band, largely helped by Cyclone Empire's re-releasing of both records and making them for the first time easily obtainable to people. However, I started the band in 1994. I was a different person when I began playing with WARNING; I had different musical objectives; different ideals; different influences and inspirations. Now, in order to make music that retains some semblance of integrity and wholeness, I realize I need to move on. This shouldn't be thought of as 'the end' of something; I have, after all, been the sole remaining original member of the band in its most recent lineup for almost a year now; in this respect, WARNING is little more than a band name. So before I complete work on what will be the material for the next album, I need a new band; a new context within which to work.

"I hope people continue their interest in my music, and all further information concerning it will be officially made known through Cyclone Empire with whom I am very happy to say I will continue to work as originally proposed."

WARNING debuted in 1999 with "The Strength To Dream". With this album, the band gained a cult status within doom metal circles, but they soon disbanded after their 2001 European tour with JACK FROST. They regrouped in 2005 to perform at the Doom Shall Rise festival in Germany, and released a second album, "Watching From A Distance", in 2006 to much wide acclaim. Both LPs were reissued on CD in 2008 by the label Cyclone Empire, "The Strength To Dream" featuring new artwork. At the same time, "Watching From A Distance" was released by the Metal Supremacy label as a limited-edition gatefold double-vinyl.

Earth UK Tour, April 2009

EARTH are hitting Europe again this spring. Here's a list of their UK / Ireland dates:

Thu 16 April - Brighton St Andrew's Church
Fri 17 April - Birmingham Hare and Hound
Sat 18 April - Manchester Islington Mill
Sun 19 April - Glasgow Stereo
Mon 20 April - T.B.C.
Tue 21 April - Dublin Whelans
Wed 22 April - Leeds Brudenell Social Club
Thu 23 April - Bristol The Croft
Fri 24 April - London Borderline

Good Lord!

And so it began:
As the final nails were hammered to the coffin of Reverend Bizarre (1995-2007, R.I.P.), guitar player Peter Vicar started to follow his vision of a new True Doom Metal band. He felt forced to fulfill his need to compose and play this most arcane form of metal in the way it was meant to be, full of intensity, cruelty, heaviness, and force. Still firmly walking in the footsteps of Saint Vitus, Trouble, Witchfinder General and Pentagram, this new band will bring together an international lineup of four devoted metalheads.



Featuring Chritus (Count Raven, Saint Vitus, Terra Firma) on vocals, Jim Hunter (Revelation, WHW) on bass, Gareth Millsted (Centurions Ghost, End of Level Boss) on drums and Peter Inverted (Reverend Bizarre, Orne) on guitars, Lord Vicar released the Demon of Freedom EP on I Hate Records in 2008 (yes; these are more releases I forgot to include on my "best of 2008" list), a three song release clocking in at 15 minutes, based on a Finnish werewolf legend.

 

 Starting off with a short intro Hiiumaa (the name of the island where the legend is based) the next two songs are pearls of traditional doom, Becoming One With The Spirit Of The Forest is like NWOBHM moving at half speed, with haunting vocals from Chritus throughout, with guitars being reminiscent of early Trouble or demo-era Anathema. Running Into A Burning House is a more up-tempo (just!) song, bringing to mind the godly Saint Vitus.  This EP is ridiculously hard to get hold of now, good old Ebay seemingly the only option!

About six or seven months later, Lord Vicar released their debut full-length; Fear No Pain on The Church Within Records.  Seven Tracks long, the album weighs in at just over an hour long, and it's crushing from start to finish.Opening with "Down The Nails", with solid riffing for two minutes before the vocals come in.  the vocals on the album are clearer and less reverby than on the EP, floating above the music and bringing bands like Warning(RIP) to mind.  Pillars Under Water picks up the pace a bit, chugging along in a Witchfinder General / Angel Witch type fashion. By the time you get to the closing track The Funeral Pyre, you have been taken through all the moods that are encompassed by different doom bands, all on one album, which I feel is in no small part down to the pedigree of all the musicians on it.  It's total hetpenging heaven, a record that sounds good sat in with good quality beer, and will sound equally as good when Thee Claw are travelling down the motorway to another gig.  Lord Vicar have plans for the second part of the Fear No Pain our to start in the beginning of 2009... we'll be keeping an eye out for them!

Link: Lord Vicar Myspace

WARNING - R.I.P.

I was very sad to hear the news this week that WARNING have parted company. Their 2006 record "Watching From A Distance" was an intense and profound example of the finest doom, it's a shame that we will have no more opportunities to see them play it live.

Next Week - Pagan Altar!

Only a week or so until the "Doomsday" all day gig in Wakefield. Me & Thee Boys are really looking forward to this, mainly because it includes so many top notch bands who we are into. We're especially stoked about seeing LAMP OF THOTH again, as well as PAGAN ALTAR!

We simply can't get enough of that band here in Claw Towers lately! PAGAN ALTAR are fucking awesome.

Metal Merchants Festival, Oslo 2009

HALLOW'S EVE / ARTILLERY / MEKONG DELTA / WARNING / VENDETTA / ENFORCER ETC
Reason enough to travel to Norway if you can make it!! Beware the expensive beer though!!

Hetpenger's Heaven

As you may have noticed, me and SJW have been sat in tonight, in the absence of any gigs, listening to top old school metal and getting drunk....check this visual shit:

...that is the truest thing I have ever seen. We are listening to Hardrocker by Gehennah right now, by the way.

Patchie and SJW are drunk and listening to....

Look At That Frothy Bastard There...

We are enjoying a night night of true metal riff here. NO RIFF UNBARRED!!! We need more Matt & more SKUM DAWG

Patchie and SJW are drunk and listening to....

Do you think the Cover looks FALSE?? It has an arctic landscape ARG!! ONLY HOTH IS REAL!!!
Total early, soulful metal with a heart like Priest and Uriah Heep. \if you don't dig this album WHERE IS YOUR GUNBELT? Listen to tracks like Radiation Day and Little Lady Liar, and it's awesome.
When you hear this, you hear the Diamond-Head-covering-Maiden's-Two-Minutes-to-Midnight vibe that makes you say YES!!!! )on the track KITTEN MITTENS natch)

NIGHT OF TRUE METAL!!

Hail to true metal legions!!

Myself & Metal Patchie (and brother SKUM DAWG!) are revelling in metal riff

Patchie and SJW are drunk and listening to....

Do you think the cover looks a bit false? WRONG!!!! you listen to AIR ATTACK and you think YES! THIS IS TOTAL CIRITH UNGOL! but, NO! It's got some total Priest worship and if you don't recognise this then your mother never raised you in thee TRUE metal fashion!!!
Put on your best denim and metal (or whatever I just said) because this album deserves no less!!
Pay NO MIND to their appearance in top BENT film Vice Verca starring Judge Reinhold because this is a new wave (as in NEW WAVE OF FUCKIN' BRITISH HEAVY METAL) crossed with CIRITH UNGOL madness!
NOW LISTEN AND MELT ARRRRRRG

Patchie and SJW are drunk and listening to....

And if you aren't then you should be.

Do you think the cover looks a bit false? Like the kind of thing you would flip past in the second hand record shop on your way to some Pantera twelve inch? or some 1996 Metallica boots? Well, more fool you Metallifags! This is a fucking solid slab of metal fury, worshipping the gods of Maiden, White Spirit and Priest, with total speed attack arrrrg!!!
Now...watch and melt!!!

Myspace is full of losers....

...but occasionally it contains some good news!

Roadburn Records is very pleased to announce their first

'LIVE AT ROADBURN' release: WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM LIVE AT ROADBURN '08 [LP/DVD].

When Wolves in The Throne Room were invited to play Roadburn 2008 at the very last minute nobody expected that they would be one of the major highlights of the festival. From the first note till the last the Green Room was packed and in full anticipation of the ferocious mix of ambient sounds and aggressive black metal that the four piece brought to the stage.

WITTR - 'Live at Roadburn '08' captures the band at their peak in audio and video [the DVD will only be included in the first pressing of the album, limited up to 500 copies --The first 100 come in gold vinyl with a silkscreen!]. Both audio and video were remixed and remastered for this release. Please click HERE for the on demand audio webcast of Wolves In The Throne Room Live at at Roadburn '08.

Satyricon, Leeds (November 25th 2008)

Somehow I have totally forgot to add this video on here already.



Check out this clip of Satyricon, taken at the gig that I attended in Leeds. The gig happened about 6 weeks ago, so I am slightly late with this, haha. In case you were wondering, I shot this video using a D90 camera (many thanks to the kind people at Rios nightclub and also Satyricon's tour manager for arranging that). The original clip looks amazing, it's a shame that uploading it to Youtube has dramatically degraded the image quality. Ah well.

Bonus points to the 1st hetpenger who comments to say the name of the song they're playing.

Remembering...

On this day in 1986...

R.I.P. Phil Lynott

Slow Time

Bit of a slow time at the moment, because we are in the no-man's land between the end of one year and the start of the next.
Some things that have been tickling my ears this week (including a few that should have been in the bast releases of 2008 but I somehow forgot):

Angst Skvadron - Fluct (Agonia Records 2008)
Avant-garde, space obsessed Black Metal from Urgehal mainman Nefas.
Any album that uses the five note communication sequence from Close Encounters as an intro to a black metal song is worthy of attention.
The Devil's Blood - Come Reap (Ván 2008)
Occult-obsessed retro rock from one of my favourite bands of last year. I'd been listening to this that much that I forgot to put it into the best of 2008 list. Five new tracks on this LP, following on in the vein of the 2007 demo and the Graveyard Shuffle 7".
Forbidden (US) - Twisted Into Form (Combat 1990)
Total old school thrash classic. If you don't love this you don't love thrash.
Amazing non-falsetto vocals from Russ Anderson, and spot on drumming from Paul Bostaph before he ruined himself joining jock-rock titans Slayer. Currently redeeming himself in Testament.
Deep Purple - Burn (EMI 1974)
Glenn Hughes and David "Thee Squire" Coverdale join the band on this album, and it still sounds like a breath of fresh air 35 years(!) later.
Flux of Pink Indians - Neu Smell (Crass Records 1981)
Angry, meat-free anarcho punk from Hertfordshire. Tube Disaster still makes me smile, for some reason.
Think Crass, think Rubella Ballet.
Gehennah - Hardrocker (Primitive Art 1995)
What can I say about this album? It really needs it's own post on this zine, a big long post about Say Hello to Mr Fist and Skeletons in Leather. It's hard to imagine this album being anything other than tongue in cheek, but Gehennah were deadly serious.
If you like early Venom and the direction Darkthrone are moving in at the moment, you could do a lot worse than getting hold of Gehennah's back catalogue and drinking some good European beer listening to it in your leather jacket/patched denim vest.