Music
Napalm Flesh: Valdur – Vicious Existence
This week’s blog features an interview with Northern California’s Valdur, who released their second full-length album, Raven God Amongst Us, this week. The new album is eight tracks of tumultuous black metal, or, as Sxuperion sees the band, extreme metal—he doesn’t want to be lumped into the corpse-painted, spike-clad black metal scene. Also included are blog-exclusive and blog-related CD reviews. … read more
Homenaje a Los Antiguas: A Mayan and Mesoamerican Black Metal...
Yaotl Mictlan has a primal edge with their feet planted in black metal, yet dispel the notion that all black metal bands sound the same. They prove that the genre is a vessel to portray artistic visions and themes and can ideally transfix and transport listeners to experience emotions and feelings they might not have known they even had. Yaotl Mictlan embrace their Mayan and Mesoamerican heritage, using their music as an exploration into ancient realms that are still not fully explained by historians. … read more
Localized – Tolchock Trio, The Broken Spells and S.L.F.M
SLUG’s very own Jessica Davis will celebrate her twenty-first birthday at this month’s Localized with The Broken Spells and her solo project, S.L.F.M. Local favorites Tolchock Trio will kick off the event on September 17 for just $5 at Urban Lounge. … read more
Mad Max & The Wild Ones
Mad Max and the Wild Ones is a rockabilly, family band composed of the Maxwell sons: 9-year-old Duke, who sings and plays rhythm guitar; 14-year-old Cole who plays drums;18-year-old Wyatt who plays lead guitar and writes their songs, and their father Max, who plays the upright bass. … read more
Joshua Payne Orchestra
The Joshua Payne Orchestra has been a part of Salt Lake City’s musical landscape for 10 years now, in one form or another. Over the last two years, they have really come into their own, garnering several consistent weekly gigs and a busy schedule. I asked him if it is alll a bit overwhelming, but he just laughed as if I had asked him something stupid like if he thinks guitar is cool, and he replies, “We’re lucky to have so much work.” But he certainly has paid his dues to get to this point. … read more
Red Bennies
“We have been around for sixteen years, and there’s a reason: it’s because we’re the best band—ever. And we challenge anyone as proof of this. Book the show and we’ll be there.” These are the words of Dave Payne, vocalist/guitarist of venerable local rock veterans The Red Bennies. With over ten releases to their name and a list of alumni that includes some of the most notable musicians in Salt Lake, The Red Bennies’ self-described style of “rock soul punk” has become legendary. … read more
Localized – Fictionist, Bramble and Boots To The Moon
From professional charm to boyish adventures, this month’s Localized features the smooth sounds of Fictionist and the adventurous souls of Bramble on August 20 at the Urban Lounge with opener Boots to the Moon. Only $5. … read more
Ghost Riding an Econoline: Spell Talk Cruises Into Craft Lake...
Walking into the home of Spell Talk is like walking onto the set of an independent film about hometown rock heroes on the verge of making it. It’s a Monday night and they all seem to be in a state of semi-recovery from the weekend before. Despite their various states of weekend disrepair, they manage to pull their shit together long enough to make spaghetti dinner with homemade pasta sauce, set the table and pair each meal with a cold can of Olympia beer. … read more
The Mynabirds and The Art Of Losing Oneself
When any artist finds their defining sound it is a moment of revelation as much as it is a celebration. Laura Burhenn, singer/songwriter extraordinaire and one of the hardest working artists in recent memory seems to have found both in her great and critically acclaimed project The Mynabirds, and the world is musically a better place for it. … read more
Against Me! Interview
Over the past ten years, there has been no band as divisive in the punk rock world as Against Me!. I spoke with frontman Tom Gabel a few dates into their current tour with Silversun Pickups (stopping at The Rail on July 27th) about the band’s new lineup, their new album, and their relationship with fans and the media. … read more