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When it comes to bands that stand out for being unique while keeping their music simple, and that have managed to remain devoted to their craft regardless of the obstacles they have faced. The bands that are part of the New Orleans Heavy Music scene stand out for all of this and more. Think about when Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans and how every musician within the NOLA circuit of Heavy Music came together and helped each other out. This is because the musicians there treat each other like family and unlike most musical scenes, they created a scene around the people that surrounded them and not from a particular sound or style.
If there is a band that is living proof of all of this, it is Eyehategod. The band was founded in 1988 by Jimmy Bower and Joey Delatte, who were joined by Joe Fazzio and Kevin Bond from Crawlspace NoLa & Superjoint Ritual. Ever since their inception their have been various lineup changes, but regardless of whose in the band they have always been a driving force within the Heavy Music scene in NOLA. Their sludge Metal became a trademark within Heavy Music worldwide and their unique sound is incomparable. Eyehategod's music is the result of a group of friends getting together in a jam room and writing some simple, heavy and balls out music!
If there is a city that has received Eyehategod with arms wide open time and time again, it is New York City (the bands strongest market). The band loves playing in New York so much, that within the last year they have performed three times in the city that never stops rocking.
At their most recent stop in New York, we did the most chaotic interview in Horns Up Rocks history! This serves us and them right, specially since the only way to define Eyehategod is by using the word chaos! During the interview we discussed the past, the present, and the future of the band, as well as the comradery of the band. We also discussed their new Live DVD which is coming out on March 22nd, as well as when the fans can expect a new Eyehategod album.
Without further due, here is the exclusive interview we did with Eyehategod at Club Europa in Brooklyn. We want to thank our friends at Earsplit PR for hooking us up!
Sweden's Soilwork, who were scheduled to go out on tour with Symphony X and Nevermore this April and May, have been forced to cancel their participation on this upcoming tour. Here is the OFFICIAL statement from their drummer Dirk Verbeuren:
“Due to recurring issues with a herniated disc in his lower back requiring a prolonged period of resting and healing, our guitarist Peter Wichers is forced to sit out this spring’s North American tour with Symphony X and Nevermore. We did consider hiring a fill-in guitar player, but we’ve decided to stick together as a band and out of respect for our fans, to cancel our participation in the tour. Our apologies to those of you who were hoping to see us. We also wish to apologize to Symphony X, Nevermore, the other bands and all the promoters and agents involved with this tour. If all goes well, Peter should be healed and ready to hit the road in time for the summer festivals.”
Here are some facts about Soilwork:
- Soilwork's latest album is titled "The Panic Broadcast" and it debuted at the #88 spot on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart the week after its July 2010 release. This is the highest-charting record in the history of the band and it also marked the return of their original guitarist/songwriter/producer Peter Wichers, whose last album appearance was in 2005's "Stabbing the Drama".
- The band is originally from Helsingborg, Sweden and are currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records. The band was formed by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers in 1995, under the name Inferior Breed. They changed the name to Soilwork, which means "working from the ground up", in late 1996.
- Soilwork has released 8 studio albums: Steelbath Suicide, The Chainheart Machine, A Predator's Portrait, Natural Born Chaos, Figure Number Five, Stabbing the Drama, Sworn to a Great Divide and The Panic Broadcast.
- Their sound blends in various styles, including Gothenburg Metal sound (ala Meshuggah) with Power Groove riffs (ala Black Sabbath), and European metal. On their latest albums they pushed the envelope and started introducing elements of Blues Rock and Alternative Metal.
Last night we headed to the East Village Radio headquarters to interview Cuz Joe (Black N Blue Productions) and Vinny Stigma (Agnostic Front) about the upcoming "Black N Blue Bowl". The interview came out great and it will be online within the next few weeks, for now we have some exclusive updates which you can read below.
Before interviewing the two Hardcore ambassadors, we ran into Lou Koller of Sick Of It All who was there to promote their upcoming 25th anniversary show at Webster Hall. This very special show will take place on Saturday March 26th and it will feature live performances by Sick Of It All, Snapcase, Merauder and Razor Blade Hand Grenade. You can purchase tickets online by clicking here or at Mercury Lounge.
Since we are all about making people unite, we asked graffiti artist Joe Janaro to come with us and to bring his Sick Of It All painting for Lou and the Black N Blue crew to see it. The response was amazing, and it was real cool to see everyone recognizing Joe's talent.
What made this night very special was that we actually came across Joe after seeing a Sick Of It All graffiti (which you can see below) he had done years ago! We want to thank Lou from Sick Of It All and Cuz Joe for making Joe's dream come true!
Here are some updates about the Black N Blue Bowl:
- Lineup: Gorilla Biscuits, Agnostic Front, Terror, Absolution, Antidote, Maximum Penalty, Backtrack, Down To Nothing, Take Offense, No Turning Back, Bottom Out and a surprise special guest.
The story of how we came across The Resurrection Sorrow is very heart- warming (and no we are not being emo). Last summer, their singer Alex Dementia contacted us about helping him promote a benefit show he was organizing for his little cousin who is suffering from cancer. Without knowing Alex personally, we decided to help him out because there is nothing more Metal than helping others. The successful event took place at Jugs-N-Strokers in Long Island and it featured live music by The Resurrection Sorrow and The Sex Slaves.
From that moment on we wanted to do a show together with The Resurrection Sorrow because their original music and humble attitude needs to be experienced by the masses. When we finally booked a show together, the band had to enter the studio to record three new songs in what they have labeled "The Scorpion Savior Sessions". The trio of songs were recorded with Joe Hogan (Nebula, The Atomic Bitchwax), and mastered by Fred Kevorkian (Iggy Pop, Willie Nelson). The three songs they recorded are titled ”Pale Kiss,” “Burning Halo” and “Scorpion Saviour". Do your ears a favor and listen to them right here!
After months of exchanging messages with the boys, we are real stoked to announce that on Monday March 28th we are presenting a FREE show featuring an exclusive live performance by The Resurrection Sorrow at Fontana's in New York City. The band will be playing their three new songs, along with some songs from their previous album titled "Hour Of The Wolf".
Here are all the details:
- Date/Time: Monday March 28 at 7:30 PM - Location: Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street) - Live performance by The Resurrection Sorrow - Hosted by Horns Up Rocks founder Jo Schüftan - Cost: FREE
Today is a sad day in the Heavy Music world. Former Alice In Chains bassist Mike Starr, who had been struggling with drug addiction for many years, was found dead today in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to Police, they received a call today at 1:42 PM and when they arrived they found Starr dead.
THIS JUST IN: According to Police investigations no foul play is suspected in the passing of Mike Starr, but they did find drugs near his body. Here is an audio statement from Sergeant Shawn Josephson of the Salt Lake City Police Department:
In 2009 Starr had appeared on the third season of "Celebrity Rehab" and his former Alice In Chains band mates let everyone know that even though they were disgusted by the show, they supported Starr's decision to go to rehab. Last month Starr had been arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, Police say that he had 6 Xanax pills and 6 Opana, which is a pain killer.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, band mates and fans,
Here are some facts about Mike Starr:
- Starr was the original bassist of Alice in Chains, he was in the band from their formation in 1987 until 1993.
- He was with Alice In Chains during the "Facelift" and "Dirt" albums and the "Sap" EP.
- During an episode of "Celebrity Rehab" Starr confessed that he was kicked out of Alice In Chains due to his drug addiction.
- After leaving Alice In Chains, Starr played bass for Sun Red Sun. The band featured Ray Gillen and Bobby Rondinelli, both former members of Black Sabbath. The band came to an end when Gillen died in 1993.
Rest In Peace Mike, the entire Heavy Music family will miss you! \m/
On Saturday March 5th, 2011, Horns Up Rocks and Brutal Bitches Productions presented the "2011 March Metal Beatdown" at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn. The event was hosted by Kara Pain from Sirius XM Liquid Metal and it featured live performances by: Empyreon, Resolution 15, Fenrismaw, Alekhine's Gun, Flames Of Fury, Slam One Down and special guests The Hixon. Additionally, Horns Up Rocks founder Jo Schüftan delivered an epic DJ set in between sets, and the "Queen of Brutal" Alissa Shimansky (Brutal Bitches Productions), provided some sick entertainment which included an evil clown and a sexy hula hoop dancer. Here is what went down from 7 PM until 2 AM!
Empyreon kicked off the night with some furious Metal and despite some technical difficulties, they destroyed! Here is what the fans had to say about their set:
"Really enjoyed seeing your show last night, you guys are awesome!" - Samantha from Connecticut
"Sick show last night! Can't wait till the next one." - Stefan from the Bronx
"So happy to see you guys again... the technical stuff didn't even phase the crowd. You guys sounded great!" - The Crusher (Singer of Alekhine's Gun)
Next up was Resolution 15, who in our opinion are one of the most original bands within the New York Heavy Music scene. Their violin Metal proves that they can shred harder than most bands who actually have guitars. The highlight of their set was having drummer extraordinaire Kenny Grohowski back in town, after he recently laid his father to rest. Not only did Kenny groove the hell out of the Trash Bar but he performed with his other band Hung at Ace of Clubs that same night. Here is what Kenny had to say about this:
"Thank you all who came out to either the Resolution 15 show, the Hung show, or both! (Steve Ventura, Snarky Mamacita, Todd Dupee). It was a magical, albeit, painful night, but i can't think of a better way to come back home. See you guys at the next one!"
Then it was time for the mighty Fenrismaw to deliver their furious demonic Death Metal to a hungry crowd! This was Alissa's pick for the show, and needless to say they were brutal, tight, and very heavy! Check them out:
Nobody was save once Alekhine's Gun pulled the trigger on a crowd of 200 Metal heads who were immediately supplied a lethal dose of dangerous Metal! We could write a whole page on this amazing band (and we have) but we rather show you a picture that truly speaks louder than words:
Once Flames Of Fury took center stage, The Trash Bar was a war zone! The band brought their "A game" and throughout their set they kept everyone on their toes and headbanging. They definitely are a band to keep a close eye on! Here is what the band had to say about their set:
"Thanks to all the friends, and fans of Flames of Fury for coming to our show last night! Although we didn't get to play a full set for you, you guys definitely made it worth the effort :-) - See you soon!"
By the time The Hixon destroyed The Trash Bar with their thrashing chaotic Metal, it was evident that New York City today, has some of the most dedicated and brutal fans when it comes to Heavy Music! Here is what The Hixon's singer Marc Hixon had to say about this:
"New York City is shitting on the Philly and South Jersey Heavy Music scenes and its not even 9:30 yet."
Headlining the "2011 March Metal Beatdown" was Slam One Down! This guys bring the Pantera style of partying and jamming wherever they go. We have no idea how they manage to sound so tight on stage after funneling beers and being the life of the party. We want to thank them for all their help and for putting the pedal to the Metal!
Here is what the Heavy Music familia had to say about "The 2011 March Metal Beatdown": "The March Metal Beatdown made me feel 14 again. In the PIT, chugging beer, and just having an all around good time with some AMAZING people and incredible musicians! I wish every month was March!!! Thanks to Horns Up Rocks and Brutal Bitches Productions for allowing me to MC this FACE MELTING event! \m/ HORNS UP!" - Kara Pain (Sirius XM Liquid Metal)
"Last night was AMAZING! Sharing the power of Heavy Music with my friends is what makes Horns Up Rocks keep rising! Thanks to ALL the bands, Alissa Shimansky from Brutal Bitches Productions for always having my back, the awesome staff at The Trash Bar, the fans, and the amazing Kara Pain for being a kickass host! \m/ -Jo Schüftan (Horns Up Rocks)
"There has been a significant growth in the NYC Metal Scene over the past year or so. We are seeing the rise of new promoters, new social networking sites/event sites, new blog sites, new bands and talents, more shows, more attendees, and more of a welcome for our market in local venues from Brooklyn to the Bronx, yes, even the Bronx is burning with Metal. "The March Metal Beatdown" was an immense (inebriation) celebration of all of these aspects coming together, showing the city that we are here, and we are not going nowhere!!! I think it was a significant landmark in time for our scene, and it only foreshadows more great times to come. The more we keep it up, the more we inspire people to come out, the more we inspire them to get back into their roots and slam down with the rest of us like-minded people. Our shows are a place with no bars held. A place for Metal heads of all realms to come out, get drunk, forget their woes, and throw the fuck down to some awesome heavy Tri-State Area Metal Badness. Stay tuned my Metal friends, the shits only just hit the fan." Alissa Shimansky (Brutal Bitches Productions)
"Amazing show last night! The guys from August Infinity and myself had an amazing time! Thank you for having us. Keep up the great work. Much respect!" - Tim Martinez (A.K.A. DJ Tim No 37)
"Saturday’s show reminded me of the sense of community that should always exist amongst bands and fans alike. And though I’m not above playing large venues, the, dare I say it, intimacy of this show was like a chamber music concert to me. A large enough crowd to electrify the room, but small enough that it didn’t feel sterile and processed. There were opportunities for direct interaction from the stage to the pit. In many ways, this is the ideal. Another thing that struck me was the diversity of Metal represented. It’s kind of a thing in the Metal world for people to niche their tastes, and so shows tend towards the monochromatic. Not so on Saturday, and I really enjoyed that. Further, two of the bands were fronted by women who kicked serious ass, which is a welcome trend in Metal these days." - Earl Maneein (Resolution 15)
"Wow! Last night at Trash was absolutely insane! A true night of Metal, amazing bands with a killer crowd. A big thanks to Horns Up Rocks and Brutal Bitches Productions for being the ringmasters of the evening." \m/ Daniel Martinez (Alekhine's Gun)
"Thanks to Horns Up Rocks, Kara Pain, Brutal Bitches Productions, all the other bands, The Trash Bar, all our NYC friends and of course Duff's Brooklyn for a stellar night!" - Wellz (The Hixon)
"The energy of the night is unlike anything I've felt in years. I can't remember the last time I felt that. Almost felt like old school CBGB's or the old ghetto fest shows in the Bronx." -Rene (Photographer)
We want to thank EVERYONE who came to this amazing event and rest assured that we have many more events lined up for 2011! HORNS UP!!!
When we hosted "Death Mas" this past December at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn, the crowd was treated to a grooving set, which proved the bands originality and well crafted music. From that moment on we were looking forward to the release of their new album "Oceans Rise". We've heard it and its prove that the band is ready to tour from coast to coast and bury everyone in smoke! This Thursday March 10th Horns Up Rocks presents "The Thinning the Herd Record Release party" at Club Europa in Brooklyn.
Joining the New York rock stoners will be BOT, Gods Green Earth and Cold Fur. Additionally, New York Hard Rock personality Dan Pyro will be hosting and the very talented Mike SOS will be spinning some Heavy Music in between sets.
The Extravaganza begins at 7:30, here are all the details:
Date and Time: Thursday March 10th, 2011 Location: Club Europa (98 Meserole Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11222 Price: $8 (Includes FREE CD's and shirts)
Here all the details about Thinning the Herd's new album "Ocean Rise":
- Release date: April 5th, 2011 via NYC-based St. Mark’s Records. - The record is titled "Ocean Rise" and it contains eight-song raging songs. - Engineered by the masters at Seizures Palace in Brooklyn (Child Abuse, Swans, OvO, Dresden Dolls). - The album surges with soul over its 35-minute life span, alive with groove and stories, inciting a trampled but triumphant sense of survival and good times.
Here is the official flier:
Check out this bad-ass photo montage featuring "Thinning The Herd":
When it comes to bands that stand out for being unique while keeping their music simple, and that have managed to remain devoted to their craft regardless of the obstacles they have faced. The bands that are part of the New Orleans Heavy Music scene stand out for all of this and more. Think about when Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans and how every musician within the NOLA circuit of Heavy Music came together and helped each other out. This is because the musicians there treat each other like family and unlike most musical scenes, they created a scene around the people that surrounded them and not from a particular sound or style.
If there is a city that has received Eyehategod with arms wide open time and time again, it is New York City (the bands strongest market). The band loves playing in New York so much, that within the last year they have performed three times in the city that never stops rocking. 
