Repulsion - Live Photos and Video from Maryland Deathfest 5/24/13 (Relapse Records)

There were a lot of familiar faces at Maryland Deathfest (MDF) 2013, both on the stage and off. I wasn't able to take off work to make it to the first night of Deathfest so I started the weekend festivities on Friday afternoon with Repulsion. Repulsion didn't sound much different from when they were in town last September for The Power of the Riff East festival but, this time out, the band played as a three-piece as guitarist Marissa Martinez was notably absent.

The set list included twelve of the eighteen tracks from Horrified, along with a cover of Venom's "Schizo".

Repulsion - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5/24/13
The Stench of Burning Death
Bodily Dismemberment
Decomposed
Splattered Cadavers
Slaughter of the Innocent
Festering Boils
Schizo(Venom cover)
Driven to Insanity
Radiation Sickness
Black Breath
Acid Bath
Maggots in Your Coffin
Horrified



I broke down and bought one of the "limited edition MDF Gray version of 'Horrified' - limited to 100 copies and available only at the fest!" but imagine that this is going to sit unopened on the shelf as Relapse's 2CD edition of Horrified has long been on my iPhone. I respect the band wanting to preserve their legacy but I keep wishing they would put out something new. In an interview last year with BrooklynVegan, Scott Carlson said "If the material and motivation ever come together I think we could do something that would not tarnish our name. So yes, we have weakened our stance on the subject a little bit. However, we have nothing planned. One never knows....".



I love the diversity at MDF as there was a fresh-faced lad beside me during Repulsion's set, right outside of the pit who seemed to alternate between pumping his fist in the air and making out with his girlfriend. I don't think I've ever seen anyone make out to Repulsion (...and most of the women that I've known would probably have hit me if I tried using grindcore as 'mood music'.) Ah well - different strokes....

Links:
Repulsion

Anvil - Live Photos from Maryland Death Fest, Baltimore, MD 5-26-12

In one sense, Anvil reminds me of doom-metal pioneers Trouble. Both bands have been around since the 70's, a significant number of well-know musicians cite them as influences but the 'average' music fan hasn't heard of either group. Below, Lars Ulrich does a nice job of describing Anvil's arrival on the metal scene in the early 80's.



After coming close to fading into obscurity, Anvil rocketed back into the public eye with the documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008). The band has been playing a number of high-profile festival shows over the last few years which, most recently, include a set at Maryland Death Fest 2012.











Anvil signed to The End Records in late 2010 and the label released Juggernaut of Justice (their 14th studio album) about a year ago. As a lot of Anvil's records have gone out of print over the years, The End Records has recently re-released four of Anvil's long out-of-print discs: Plugged In Permanent, Speed of Sound, Absolutely No Alternative and Plenty of Power (all originally released late 90's/early '00 on the German label, Massacre Records).



Links:
Anvil

Exhumed: NPR Posts Full Set from Maryland Deathfest 2011 as Free Download

DOWNLOAD: Exhumed - Live at Maryland Deathfest, Sonar, Baltimore, MD 6-23-11

I'm pleasantly shocked as I never would have envisioned that I would mention Exhumed and NPR in the same sentence...but NPR has just posted some of the sets from this year's Maryland Deathfest as free downloads.

Exhumed released their All Guts, No Glory full-length earlier this year via Relapse Records. The record continues to reap critical acclaim from fans and critics nationally and has left it's grisly mark on multiple Year End lists including Decibel, Pitchfork, NPR.org, MetalSucks and Skulls N Bones! The band played their first U.S. show in over six years at the 2011 edition of the Maryland Deathfest and thanks to NPR, the set -- in all its uncensored glory -- is available as a free download (above).

Said vocalist/guitarist menace Matt Harvey: "2011 has been a great year for the band. We've had a killer time scraping off the rust on the gore metal machine and getting back on the road and partying with necromaniacs all over the place. It's amazing how many people have enjoyed our racket and have actually said nice things about our record -- sometimes even in public! We have a lot of shit planned for next year and we're chomping at the bit to continue subjecting the universe to more of our god awful noise! See you on the road...or at the bar. Play fast or die, dudes. Cheers!"

As previously announced, Exhumed will be showering Brazil with their infernal live rituals this Winter with Aborted. This will mark the band's first time ever in the country.

Exhumed w/ Aborted:
2/17/2012 Music Hall - Belo Horizonte, MG
2/18/2012 Hangar 110 - São Paulo, SP
2/19/2012 Hangar Bar - Curitiba, PR
2/20/2012 Bar Opinião - Porto Alegre, RS

Links:
Exhumed

Pulling Teeth - Maryland Death Festival 2011 Photos

I lived in Baltimore during my formative years and punk/hardcore music always seemed to be a "step child" to the city's burgeoning metal scene. The Marble Bar closed in the mid-80's and most of the punk bands played D.I.Y. spaces or DC after that. It seemed like it wasn't until Chris X. opened Reptilian Records in the late 80's that punk bands started coming back through on a regular basis.

I'm pleasantly amazed at the scene that seems to have sprung up since I left town and Pulling Teeth and A389 Recordings seem to be major players. I hadn't heard Pulling Teeth prior to seeing them at MDF but I'm definitely going to have to check out their back catalogue.

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

From Pulling Teeth - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-27-11

Links:
Pulling Teeth

Gravehill: Maryland Deathfest 2011 Photos and Live Video

You have to love Gravehill's bio: "Formed in a fucked up alley next to the dumpsters and meth labs in Southern California in 2000, Gravehill was spawned to bring back the true way of death fucking metal. The “Practitioners Of Fell Sorcery” was then unleashed upon the world. Only a few copies were made. These demons were inactive for a few years due to drug abuse, homelessness, incarcerations (stints in the Pen), or hiding from law enforcement and government agencies."

Gravehill was the first band on the outdoor stage on Sunday and they braved both the heat of the mid-day sun and the in-town lacrosse tournament to take the stage blood-spattered and in full leathers (at least singer Mike Abominato was in leather).

From Gravehill - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-29-11

From Gravehill - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-29-11

From Gravehill - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-29-11

From Gravehill - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-29-11

From Gravehill - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-29-11

From Gravehill - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-29-11

Links:
Gravehill

Hail of Bullets: Maryland Deathfest 2011 Photos & Live Video

Hail of Bullets put out a killer disc last year on Metal Blade entitled On Devine Winds which is a concept album covering the Pacific battles between Japan and the USA. The album title, On Divine Winds, is a translation of the Japanese word "kamikaze," as kami stands for "God" and kaze means "wind."

Hail of Bullets is comprised of death metal veterans: drummer Ed Warby (Gorefest), guitarists Stephan Gebédi and Paul Baayens (both of Thanatos), singer Martin Van Drunen (Asphyx) and bass player Theo van Eekelen (Houwitser). As all of its members of Hail of Bullets are involved in other projects, the band plays very few live shows and their only US appearance this year was at Maryland Deathfest.

From Hail of Bullets - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Hail of Bullets - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Hail of Bullets - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Hail of Bullets - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Hail of Bullets - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Hail of Bullets - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

(Note: Video filmed by ReturntothePit)


Links:
Hail of Bullets

Citizens Arrest: Maryland Deathfest 2011 Photos

"Citizens Arrest is a New York-based band that existed from 1989 to 1991 and reformed in 2010. The group often blended hardcore punk, Grindcore and Powerviolence styles. Their main inspiration in the early days of the band were from Boston area hardcore from the 1980s like DYS and SSD. They also derived influence from early Powerviolence pioneers, Infest." - Wikipedia

The reunited Citizens Arrest, which is now a 5-piece band w/ Ted Leo on guitar, played on the last day of Maryland Deathfest immediately following Orange Goblin.

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Citizens Arrest - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

Links:
Citizens Arrest

Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest 2011 Photos & Setlist

I'm dead tired and still going through my photos but MDF was one h@ll of a lot of fun! There were a lot of great bands but Orange Goblin, Hail of Bullets and Citizens Arrest were definite stand-outs.

Orange Goblin played the festival on Sunday night after having played Santos Party House the night before. While all the bands at MDF played aggressive sets, singer Ben Ward was the only performer that I saw during the whole fest who actually got into the crowd.

A buddy sent me the set list from Santos (below) and here is how it compared to the show at MDF:

01 The Ballad Of Solomon Eagle (played at MDF)
02 Vagrant Stomp
03 Shine
04 Cities Of Frost (played at MDF)
05 Magic Carpet (played at MDF)
06 Cosmo Bozo
07 Hard Luck
08 Round Up The Horses (played at MDF)
09 They Come Back (Harvest Of Skulls) (played at MDF)
10 Blue Snow (played at MDF)
11 Aquatic Fanatic (played at MDF)
12 Some You Win, Some You Lose (played at MDF)
13 The Man Who Invented Time
14 Quincy The Pigboy (played at MDF)
15 Scorpionica (played at MDF)

From Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

From Orange Goblin - Maryland Deathfest, Baltimore, MD 5-28-11

Orange Goblin's US tour continues into June and here are the upcoming tour dates:
Wednesday, 1st: The Earl, Atlanta, GA
Thursday, 2nd: One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
Friday, 3rd: Liquid Sludge Festival @ Scoot Inn, Austin, TX
Saturday, 4th: Launchpad, Albuquerque, NM
Sunday, 5th: Clubhouse, Tempe, AZ
Monday, 6th: Troubadour, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday, 7th: Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
Thursday, 9th: Dante’s, Portland, OR
Friday, 10th: Studio Seven, Seattle, WA
Saturday, 11th: Alehorn Fest @ Double Door, Chicago, IL

Links:
Orange Goblin

Ghost - "Opus Eponymous" CD Review (Metal Blade)

STREAM: Ghost - "Ritual" (click-through to sterogum.com)

Sweden’s Ghost take an interesting and engaging twist on the metal genre as the band plays psychedelic alt-rock with clean vocals and harmonies, memorable anthemic melodies and heavily Satanic lyrics. The band released their US debut album Opus Eponymous earlier this year through Rise Above/Metal Blade. This disc was released in Europe last year and Fenriz of Darkthrone listed this album as one of his favorite releases from 2010 – “astounding album but is it heavy metal occultism or death-rock? who cares”.

The music and philosophies of Ghost specifically target "individuals who have a void in their life perhaps caused by some form of emotional trauma or upset" (research suggests these are most likely adolescents); this dearth can then be alluringly filled by Ghost's music and philosophies, "so that in time the easily manipulated will come to share the views and goals of the Coven's ministry and can prepare their own plans for the downfall of humanity."

"Our mission is not as much about conversion as it is about underlining which path you all have chosen to go, and where it will ultimately lead you," declared Ghost in a rare communiqué.

The disc’s nine tracks run just under 35 minutes and the catchy, “death rock” sensibilities of the band make this a disc that could have caught on with a wider audience if not for the blasphemous lyrics. With odes to Satan, a spoken word bastardized version of The Lords Prayer and tales of human sacrifice, Ghost’s lyrical content comes close to rivaling Mercyful Fate and Impaled Nazarene. The band adds to the overall feeling of a satanic ritual in their live show as the six (unnamed) members of Ghost play behind masks and robes and the lead singer dresses as a black pope.



If you can get past the overt Satanism, Ghost has impressive musical chops and Opus Eponymous is a diverse and tightly executed disc. Rounding out the melodic death rock, the disc opens and closes with a pair of instrumentals. The opening track, “Deus Culpa”, adds to the death rock comparisons and is a minute and a half piece held together by a mournful church organ. The final track, “Genesis”, is an aggressive, almost art-rock instrumental.

Ghost’s only scheduled US appearance is at Maryland Deathfest on May 29th.

Links:
Ghost

Nails (Southern Lord) Plays A Short Run of East Coast Dates Prior to Appearance at Maryland Deathfest

Nails sits right on the line between hardcore and grind and the band released their debut thirteen-minute full-length album Unsilent Death at the beginning of 2010 on their own Streetcleaner Records, and were shortly thereafter picked up by Southern Lord. The Southern Lord press release for the disc compared Nails to a "cross between the good Amrep bands of the nineties (Helmet, Hammerhead, Today is The Day, Unsane) and Cro-Mags Age of Quarrel riffage played at breakneck speeds."

Nails has just confirmed a short run of East Coast appearances this Spring, as they will attack Boston, Brooklyn and Philly in a straight three-day rampage with support from Burning Love, All Pigs Must Die and New Lows. Nails are also one of the many acts on the roster for this May's annual installment of the Maryland Deathfest, scheduled to play on the first night of the festival alongside Pulling Teeth, Neurosis, Corrosion Of Conformity, Marduk, Kylesa, labelmates Masakari and Goatsnake plus tons more.

Nails East Coast Tour Dates:
3/31/11 -- Great Scott, Boston, MA w/ Burning Love, All Pigs Must Die, New Lows
4/01/11 -- Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY w/ Burning Love, All Pigs Must Die, New Lows
4/02/11 -- The Barbary, Philadelphia, PA w/ Burning Love, All Pigs Must Die, New Lows
5/27/11 -- Maryland Deathfest - Baltimore, MD

Links:
Nails