Metal Assault: Gig Reviews

By Lisa Burke

April 12th 2017, The Viper Room, West Hollywood CA: With all the heavy metal and rock bands out there in 2017 readily available to those willing to seek them out, it is a wonder why most people despite their heavy absorption into the scene still fail to branch out of their comfort zone to discover like-minded bands that can and do match perfectly to their genre tastes. On Wednesday April 12th, 2017, I attended a very tasteful show at Viper Room in the stoner metal and psychedelic rock genre with a touch of blues mixed in for good measure. Headlining band on this occasion was Gozu, with support by Ape Machine and Oil Barons, among others. Continue reading “Riffs and Beards: Gozu & Ape Machine perform at The Viper Room”

Photos by Samuel Ware

April 8th 2017, The Regent, Los Angeles CA: The ‘Mockstrosity’ tour, headlined by Los Angeles-based McDonalds-themed Black Sabbath tribute band Mac Sabbath and also featuring LA’s mariachi metal group Metalachi and Phoenix, AZ Ned Flanders themed metal a.k.a. “Nedal” band Okilly Dokilly, came to an end in Los Angeles with a show at The Regent last Saturday April 8th. This event also included folk-infused Rammstein tribute band Krammpstein as the local opener. Our man Samuel Ware was on site to capture all the colorful action via his camera lens. Enjoy the photos below and get a taste of the mockstrosity that went down at the Regent: Continue reading “Photo Gallery: ‘Mockstrosity’ Tour featuring Mac Sabbath, Metalachi, Krammpstein & Okilly Dokilly @ The Regent”

By Andrew Bansal

April 8th 2017, Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles CA: Dallas, Texas crossover thrash group Power Trip released their skull-crushing second full-length album ‘Nightmare Logic’ in February 2017, and have been on an extensive North American headline tour ever since, tearing every stage apart and instigating countless circle pits all across the continent. The second leg of the trek included a West Coast run that brought Power Trip, along with support acts Destruction Unit and Mizery, to downtown Los Angeles last Saturday April 8th for a gig at the Teragram Ballroom. Anyone and everyone who’s heard the new album has been extremely hyped about Power Trip coming to their town, and the band’s Los Angeles fan base was no different. In fact, the LA crowd gave them a night to remember, and in return, Power Trip put on the kind of show only they can. Continue reading “Swing of the Axe: Power Trip Decimates Teragram Ballroom”

Photos by Samuel Ware

April 4th 2017, Amoeba Music, Hollywood CA: To promote their new album ‘Emperor of Sand’ and the upcoming North American headline tour, Mastodon played an intimate in-store show at Amoeba Hollywood last Tuesday, an event to which free admission was granted to everyone who picked up a copy of the album on CD or LP at Amoeba itself. The band played a 7-song set, and our man Samuel Ware was on site to capture the show through his images. Check out the photos below, pick up the killer new Mastodon record if you haven’t yet, and catch them on tour this April-May! Continue reading “Photo Gallery: Mastodon @ Amoeba Hollywood”

By Andrew Bansal

April 3rd 2017, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Hollywood CA: Following the release of their seventh full-length studio album ‘Emperor of Sand’, stoner metal giants Mastodon set out for two high-profile promotional appearances this week, and the first of them was an outdoor mini-concert on Monday April 3rd, for the national television show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’. It was the band’s second appearance on this show, and the first known public performance of the new songs since the March 31 release date. The stage was set as always in the El Capitan Theatre parking lot in the heart of Hollywood, and fans lined up outside the premises in the early hours of the afternoon. With a full North American headline tour starting later this month, Mastodon wanted to give concert attendees in LA as well and television viewers nationwide a glimpse of what to expect from their impending ‘Emperor of Sand’ touring cycle, and fans as well as critics attending this gig were in for a pleasant surprise. Continue reading “Emperors of the Riff: Mastodon Rock ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ with Outdoor Mini-Concert”

By Lisa Burke

April 1st 2017, Complex, Glendale CA:  Have you ever taken the time to analyze a one man or woman solo stage project and wondered if it could be considered a band rather than just an artist with an elaborate idea? In some cases a solo act does in fact qualify as a band based on the sound, quality, and inner workings of it all. On Saturday April 1st 2017, Author And Punisher headlined Complex in Glendale and served as the perfect example of a one-man band. The support on this night consisted of two other solo acts Bruce Lamont, and Sanford Parker with industrial doom trio Fact Pattern. Continue reading “The One-Man Machine: Author and Punisher reconquers Glendale”