Metal Assault: Gig Reviews

By Andrew Bansal

September 3rd 2014, Loaded Rock Bar, Hollywood CA: Los Angeles-based Behold! The Monolith have returned in a new incarnation, rejuvenated to resume delivering their goliath-like doom to the masses. They took the stage at Loaded Hollywood last night along with four other local groups including their new vocalist Jordan Nalley’s other band Fractalline, Corona CA’s Vampire Squid who were marking this as an album release show, with The Last Of Lucy and Nihilitus rounding out the lineup.  Continue reading “Behold! The Monolith, Fractalline & Others Perform At Loaded Hollywood”

By Andrew Bansal

August 28th 2014, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood CA: Keeping to their current regimen of occasional live performances and taking a breather from working on material for the next studio album, New Jersey thrash veterans Whiplash traveled coast to coast for two shows out West this week, descending upon the Whisky in West Hollywood last night and slated to make an appearance at Slim’s in San Francisco tonight. Whiplash played the Whisky last summer as well, an extremely well-attended show, and Los Angeles’ thrash metal community was expected to turn up in support of legendary thrash figure Tony Portaro and his cohorts in Whiplash once again. New Jersey rock/metal group Sinners was their touring support act, and as always, the Whisky added their local openers. The thrash kids started arriving at the venue early evening onwards, and a great show was in the offing. Continue reading “Whiplash Headlines The Whisky”

By Andrew Bansal

August 27th 2014, The Viper Room, West Hollywood CA: Primarily known for his stints with pionerering English space rock legends Hawkwind in the late 60s, early 70s and early 80s, Nik Turner carried on delivering the Hawkwind material from his time in the band through live performances all over the world, lending the touch of theatricality and freakish psychedelia that would accompany the typical Hawkwind shows of yesteryear. Still to this day, even at his age, Turner is an actively touring musician and enlists services of carefully chosen band members to tour and play shows with special emphasis on Hawkwind’s 1973  ‘Space Ritual’ album. He has embarked on a brand new North American tour with support from Witch Mountain and his backing band Hedersleben as the opening act, and after playing the tour’s kickoff show in Oakland CA on his 74th birthday, he arrived in West Hollywood for a gig at the Viper Room. Little did any of the unsuspecting members of the audience know or anticipate just how mind-bending of an experience this show was going to turn out to be. Continue reading “Nik Turner’s Hawkwind, Witch Mountain & Hedersleben Perform At Viper Room”

By Andrew Bansal

August 27th 2014, The Roxy, West Hollywood CA: Raleigh NC heavy music luminaries Corrosion Of Conformity released their ninth studio album simply titled ‘IX’ earlier this year via Candlelight Records, an album that explores the reunited three-piece setup further from the 2012 self-titled comeback album and has resulted in a highly enjoyable set of tunes for all worshippers of the heavy. COC embarked on a short US West Coast run last week with support acts Bl’ast, Brant Bjork/Low Desert Punks and Lord Dying, and the touring party arrived in Los Angeles for a gig at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip. The lineup looked enticing on paper and carried the potential for an epic evening. Continue reading “Corrosion Of Conformity, Bl’ast, Brant Bjork & Lord Dying Play The Roxy”

By Andrew Bansal

August 25th 2014, Loaded Rock Bar, Hollywood CA: After a few gigs at the Skinny’s Lounge in North Hollywood in late 2013/early 2014, Lara Gladstone’s Metal Mondays series took a brief hiatus but has now returned at its new home Loaded Hollywood. The first Metal Monday at Loaded took place last night, featuring an all-local lineup of hard rock and heavy metal bands as always, this time including highly promising groups Diamond Lane and Legal Tender on the bill among others. These two bands have made an impact stronger than most others whenever I’ve seen them take a stage in the recent past. The prospect of seeing them together for the first time bore quite some potential, and was too exciting to even consider accepting a free ticket to the Nine Inch Nails / Soundgarden show happening at the Hollywood Bowl on the same night. But having made that choice, stakes and expectations were raised much further than usual, and it was up to these bands to meet them. Continue reading “Diamond Lane & Legal Tender Rock Loaded Hollywood”

Review & photos by Chad Alexander

August 23rd 2014, Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale AZ: On their ‘farewell’ tour before they change their name to Operation Mindcrime with the exclusive rights to perform the two Mindcrime albums under the agreement reached between the two bands that called themselves Queensrÿche during the last couple of years which have been nothing short of confusing and strange for fans, singer Geoff Tate’s version of Queensrÿche played a sold-out show here at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, and came out like a band on a mission. Continue reading “Geoff Tate’s Queensrÿche Plays Sold-Out Show In Arizona”