Video: Mastodon "The Motherload"

Mastodon's new video for Once More Around The Sun’s strongest tune, "The Motherload" does a great job juxtaposing religious iconography with twerking, I’d love to see the idea taken even further but this definitely gets the job done regardless. Directed by Jonathan Rej & Thomas Bingham.

Happy Friday!: “Satan Is My Tour Manager”

   

"Penis' phallic symbols and stuff…"

Video: Mastodon - "High Road"

Mastodon have shared their video for "HighRoad", the lead single from their forthcoming album Once More 'Round the Sun. The humorous video was directed by Roboshobo, aka Robert Schonber, who also handled the band's video for “Curl of the Burl” back in 2011. The story centers around a nerd heavy crowed enjoying some LARPing; look for Once More ‘Round the Sun to drop on June 24th.

Listen: Mastodon – “High Road”

New material from Atlanta metal mainstays Mastodon by way of new lead single “High Road” which will appear on the bands forthcoming sixth LP, Once More Round The Sun, dropping sometimes in June. The song actually sounds pretty retro with clear touches of a 70’s and 80’s poking through the 4 min tune. Art work for the new LP is said to be done by Skinner who also did the poster for the band you see above.

Video: Converge - "Precipice" / "All We Love We Leave Behind"

Converge have released a joint video for "Precipice" and “All We Love We leave Behind” from their 2012 album of the same name. The visuals were directed by filmmaker/animator Craig Murray, who utilizes both stop-motion and hand-drawn animation to tell the story of a man who seemingly loses everything. Note the reference to Jake’s fallen and beloved canine friend at the start of the clip. If you like what you see and hear you can buy at-shirt that utilizes a screen grab from the clip with proceeds appropriately going to the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, Massachusetts.

Video: The Dillinger Escape Plan – “One Of Us Is A Killer”

The Dillinger Escape Plan dropped their latest video from last month’s One of Us is a Killer LP. This one is for the title track and like the visuals for “When I lost My Bet” there is a bit of blood and gore involved and Mitch Massie handles directing duties.

Video: The Dillinger Escape Plan – “When I Lost My Bet”

Set to drop on May 14, mainstay metalcore techies the Dillinger Escape Plan, will be releasing their latest LP, One of Us Is the Killer via Sumerian Records. We already got a preview via the first single, "Prancer" and now we get our second taste with the disturbing Mitch Massie directed video for “When I lost My Bet.” 

Listen: The Dillinger Escape Plan – “Prancer”

Set to drop on May 14, mainstay metalcore techies the Dillinger Escape Plan, will be releasing their latest LP, One of Us Is the Killer via Sumerian Records. Today sees the release of the first single, "Prancer" which should satisfy longtime fans of the band and their chaotic sound. Check it out below and purchase it via iTunes now.

Video: Baroness - "March To The Sea"

The epic third track from Baroness' Yellow & Green gets the video treatment. “March To The Sea” sticks with the concept of tour footage that “Take My Bones Away” did and was filmed before the horrific bus crash that sidelined the band for the later half of 2012.

Go Buy This: Slayer Holiday Sweater

Tis the season and part of this season are tacky holiday sweaters. Why not spend this year wearing one representing everyone’s favorite 80’s metal mainstays, Slayer. Ebay might be your only avenue at landing the quickly sold-out sweater at this point, but really, who can put a price on a x-mas sweater bearing pentagrams and skulls.

Listen: Converge: “All We Love We Leave Behind” (Full Album Stream)

While most heavy bands from my youth have either disappeared or gone on to release embarrassing records that try and re-capture their glory days Converge have been relentlessly releasing quality albums every couple of years without losing any of their edge.   We already shared a handful of track from the Boston bands forthcoming LP and number eight overall, All That We Love We Leave Behind, and today we can share a full LP stream before its official October 9th due date on Epitaph and Deathwish Records. As previously reported frontman Jacob Bannon has stated its title stems from the death of his beloved dog and the concepts of time and self-awareness make up the backbone of the lyrics,  I can’t really speak to that but what I can say is that if you are a fan of the band you won’t be disappointed as the record is a tour de force. Check out the whole thing below via the youtube video and let us know what you think?

Listen: Converge – “Shame In The Way”

Converge's forthcoming LP and number eight overall, All That We Love We Leave Behind, is just around the corner (due out October 9th on Epitaph and Deathwish Records). As was hinted in the album's initial preview "Aimless Arrow," the veteran Boston band show no signs of softening things up at all. Frontman Jacob Bannon has stated its title stems from the death of his beloved dog and the concepts of time and self-awareness make up the backbone of the lyrics. Check out “Shame in the Way” below which act’s as our second proper taste of the highly anticipated LP.

Video: Converge – "Aimless Arrow"

Hardcore giants Converge have a new LP on the way. All We Love We Leave Behind, the follow up to 2009's excellent Axe to Fall, is out October 9 on Epitaph (with a vinyl edition on frontman Jacob Bannon's Deathwish Inc. imprint). The collection will also be available in a 17-song Deluxe Edition featuring a hardcover 48-page book that includes full-color art from Bannon. (All versions are available for pre-order now.)

Unlike the last few offerings, All We Love We Leave Behind doesn't feature outside guests or collaborators. It was recorded and mixed by guitarist Kurt Ballou; he and the core band handled all aspects of the production. It's an especially raw, live-sounding offering. But perhaps the biggest difference to your ears, if the first single and video below are any indication, are Jake’s vocals.  "Aimless Arrow", is the most” singy” I have ever heard the band be, check out the Max Moore-directed video for the song below….

Game: Black Metal Man; The Black Metal Videogame

Outside of Brütal Legend and The Rockband/Guitar Hero games metal fans don’t get much representation in the world of pixels and polygons, especially when talking about a sub genre of msuic that is considered quite extreme. Sinsquid has tried to remedy the situation with the release of Black Metal Man. As far as I can tell from its trailer, Black Metal Man is a simple, by-the-numbers platformer with a few metal elements tossed in. If we are getting picky I could point out that those metal elements are not necessarily specific to black metal but rather metal in general buuuut at 99 cents we shouldn’t be too judgmental right? You can watch a trailer for Black Metal Man below and purchase it HERE.

Listen: Krallice – “IIIIIIII”

After three albums on Profound Lore, Brooklyn-based technical black-metal band Krallice are set to self release their forth LP, Years Past Matter, as a limited-edition CD on August 25. Our first taste of the record comes in the form of “IIIIIIII,”  which for the uninitiated, is as good a starting point as any to get to know Nick McMaster and Mick Barr’s trade off vocal styling's and hyper fast  riffage. Check it out below…

Video: Baroness –“Take My Bones Away”

I’ve really been digging the new double LP from Baroness Yellow & Green, it’s probably the best straight up rock album I’ve heard since QOTSA’s Songs For the Deaf  and now the Georgia band have released their first video from the project. "Take My Bones Away"  Is one of the Yellow album’s stand out tunes, probably the heaviest on the entire record as well, the video captures the live experience of the band and comes complete with shots of sweaty instrumental solos and the band singing their pleas to a crowd of enthusiastic headbangers. 

"It was shot over the course of a month touring around North America," Allen Blickle of Baroness tells Rolling Stone. "Thanks to our good friend Jimmy Hubbard for touring with us and shooting this video. Hope you enjoy!"

Listen: Baroness - "Yellow and Green" (Full Album Stream)

Savannah Georgia’s Baroness are set to release their third color themed album, Yellow and Green, on the 17th of July via Relapse Records. The double album contains 18 tracks and continues down the same genre bending path both Red and Blue did and was once again produced by John Congleton (The Roots, Explosions in the Sky, Black Mountain, The Polyphonic Spree.)  Check out the first single “Take My Bones Away” below and if you like what you hear you can stream the album now in its entirety over at NPR.

Get Drunk On This: Slayer “REIGN IN BLOOD RED” Cabernet Sauvignon

This amuses me to no end, the puns in this write up make me laugh and cry all at the same time!

“The wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon from California, is as uncomprimising and tough as the band. After a couple of Seasons in the Abyss, the wine has an undisputed attitude and a soft nose of dark berry fruits with oak and spicy nuances. Good mouth feel with hints of fresh fruit and juicy, smooth tannins. Well structured and rounded with subtle notes of oak, showing true Divine Intervention. Best company for the wine comes as no surprise, enjoy it while headbanging, riffing or with food, friends and great music. Reign in Wine!”

From the 2nd of April you can order it in case of 6 from Systembolaget in Sweden. Order your Slayer wine here.

Name: Slayer Reign in Blood Red Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2010
Product Code: 74527-09 (can only be ordered in case of 6)
Origin: California, USA
Type of wine: Red wine
Price sek: 714.00 (per bottle sek 119.00)
Volume: 750 ml
Alcohol: 12,5%

Video: Mastodon - "Dry Bone Valley"

Mastodon premiered the latest video from their recently released LP The Hunter in the form of track “Dry Bone Valley". The clip uses the animation we've come to get used to in their promotion of the LP over the past 6 months but taps renowned contemporary artist Tim Biskup to direct and animate this time around. 

Video: Ben Venom’s Heavy Metal Quilts

If you were a metal-head ever you probably have a collection of concert t-shirts stashed away in some closet, you know that prized Napalm Death shirt that the parents use to try and get rid of at every opportunity.

Well San Francisco based artist Ben Venom has come up with an unusual use for those old cotton gems — he sews them into quilts.

Venom (a.k.a. Ben Baumgartner) say’s that he was inspired by a 2006 quilt show at San Francisco's de Young Museum, featuring works from rural Alabama. "I was completely blown away by the architecture of the quilts, the handmade nature of them, and probably [for] over 130 years they've been making these quilts," he says.

Venom says his concert T's were logical materials because "they've been lying around my closet for years. Like my Testament shirt was completely threadbare; you could see my nipples through it," he says, "It's not very heavy metal to wear that out in public."

"I'm interested in juxtaposing traditional handmade crafts with one of the more extreme musical genres, Heavy Metal. My work can be described as a collision of Iron Maiden Metal ballads with the outrageous stage antics of Ozzy Osbourne. Serious, yet attempting to take on a B movie Horror film style where even the beasts of Metal need a warm blanket to sleep with. The question remains… Can I play with madness?"

You can check out some of Ben’s devilish duvet’s at Use Me, curated by Yuri Psinakis which opens at the Scion Space this Saturday, October 15th.

Video by Kai Tsing

Don't Wake Me Lucifer! / 83" x 95" / 2010 Hand-made Quilt, Heavy Metal T-Shirts, Fabric, Batting, Thread

 

Am I Demon? / 41” x 51” / 2010 Hand-made Quilt, Heavy Metal T-Shirts, Fabric, Batting, Thread

See You on the Other Side / 155” x 175” / 2011 Hand-made Quilt, Heavy Metal T-Shirts, Fabric, Batting, Thread