Interview: Inner Decay

Image courtesy of artist

Inner Decay is one of my favorite local death metal bands at the moment and I was extremely excited to be able to talk to some of their members about their influences and plans for 2020. You can check out or short by sweet little conversation over at Chicago Crowd Surfer, here. They have some big plans for the spring including opening for Napalm Death in April. That is not going to be a show to miss. See you knuckleheads in the pit!

If you need a taste of what to expect in April, check out Inner Decay's video for their single "World Reduced to Ash."

Album Review: Blacker Face - Distinctive Juju

I did a quick write up of the new LP from Chicago locals Blacker Face. The album is called Distinctive Juju and you can check it out at Post-Trash here. The album is essential. My writing is not. If you do nothing else today at least check out their Bandcamp here, and consider purchasing a copy of the album here.

Album Review: Wolves Like Us - Bitter Bones

Finally got around to checking out Bitter Bones, the third album by Norwegian post-hardcore group Wolves Like Us. Formed in 2010, this fearsome Oslo four-sum take their cues from the gruff and hairy melodic hardcore of the mid-to-late ‘90s, folding together the skronky, compact bursts of Planes Mistaken for Stars, with the groovy whiskey-throated churn of Hot Water Music, to produce a muscular brand of hard-hitting punk that upper-cuts just above its own weight class. I’ve always had a soft spot for Scandinavian punk and Wolves Like Us once again delivers just what I’m after in a lean, mean-ass modern rock album. Bitter Bones start out promisingly with the cold burn of “Stay Cold” with its rolling avalanche of summit smashing guitar riffs and bright, vista revealing leads. If you want more churning guitar blister, look to the sludgy grooves and wind-whipped melodies of “I Can’t Love You Wild.” If you need something punchier, the roaring thunder of “Oil Money” will help get your blood pumping, as will the low growly, climbing grooves and blustery dust swept chorus harmonies of “Ash Wednesday.” Finally, things wrap up tightly with the rushing glare of the piss rinsed “Stand Up to Get Down.” This pack goes right for the kill! Don’t miss your chance to share in the spoils. 

Snag a copy over at Pelagic Records here. And if you tell them that I sent you... it will do absolutely nothing for you. I'm sorry I have no pull over there.

Album Review: Midnight - Rebirth by Blasphemy

Rebirth by Blasphemy is the album I need at the outset of 2020. Every day the world slips a little farther into hell, and if we can't' escape our fate, than at least, we have a killer party once it all implodes into the pit. Enter Ohio's Midnight, the benighted demon-kings of the American speed metal and dark hardcore scenes, the one band who knows how to make our final destination in this slow, grating decline sound absolutely f*cking rad. Rebirth by Blasphemy is Midnight's fourth album and a return to the band's roots following their more esoteric offering, 2017's Sweet Death and Ecstasy. Midnight's Venom-esque camp and morbid preoccupations, combined with the cool cleave of Brocas Helm guitar lines, and the post-apocalyptic raider ethos of Anti-Cimex and Sacrilege, has always found purchase within the darker reservoirs of my bile collecting heart, and this new album is no exception. Rebirth begins consummately with the forced entry and devilish banditry of "Fucking Speed and Darkness," followed by the rock ‘n roll night-terror of the title-track "Rebirth by Blasphemy." If you picked up on a hint of NWOBHM crunch on the latter, then your pallet is already expertly attuned to what this album will be serving up. Rebirth sees Midnight's now-iconic sound overhauled with direct callbacks to the arena swelling clarion cries of Motorhead, Judas Priest, and the like. Along with improved production quality and generally more streamlined songwriting, they've never sounded more forceful. You can feel the breath-stealing gusts of Sad Wings of Destiny era Judas Priest on "Escape the Grave" while "Rising Scum" has more of a British Steel edge to its tribute to all the willful, lustful creatures that writhe in the mud of the Earth. Further tantalizing knife nips can be felt on cuts like the dieseled up "Raw Attack," where the band's adoration for Motorhead burns bright and unashamed, and the forge hardened and flesh-searing death-trip "You Can Drag Me Through Fire." If this is the sound of what is waiting for us in the underworld, then put me on the guest list. 

Grab a copy of Rebirth by Blasphemy from Metal Blade. 

Interview: Djunah

Photo from the artist

Djunah is easily the best noise rock band to come out of Chicago since I don't even know when. I had the absolute honor to talk with Djunah's (pronounced JUNE-uh) lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, human swiss-army knife, Donna about her new album Ex Voto, the inspiration behind some of her songs and the band's visual style. This is honestly my favorite interview that I have done so far and I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it. Check it out over at the CHIRP Radio Podcast.



Rock 'n Roll is self-care.

Album Review: Stormzy - Heavy is the Head

I some time to reflect this weekend and catch up on the jamming new LP from UK MC Stormzy. Stormzy, whose given name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., is currently at a bit of an impasse. The highly lauded MC's latest album Heavy is the Head rocketed to number #1 on the British album charts upon release last December, but the politically conscious artist also had to witness his candidate for Prime Minister, Jeremy Corbyn, who he had endorsed in numerous public rally, lose to that villain Boris Johnson. The election occurred a stone's throw away from his album release, and the juxtaposition is a lot to take in. It must be bittersweet to live at a time when your personal fortunes are rising while the political climate around you becomes more dire for the people and places you come from and care about. These are interesting times we live in. Interesting in the euphemistic sense that is. Cursed would probably be a better descriptor. I was keeping the people of England and the greater UK in my thoughts as I dug into this phenomenal new LP.


While commonly described as a grime rapper, Stromzy also embraces elements of gospel and late '90s R'nB on Heavy is the Head. The singles off of this album crushed the UK charts when they dropped and are well worth your time, especially the bright, fat-beat spiritual "Crown." If you need something dark and hazy to get you through the gloom of the day, throw on the grime bop of "Handsome," the whip-nip flow and muted shimmer of the dower "Vossi Bop," or nervous street-walking bounce of "Wiley Flow." In the mood for some R'nB? Hit play on the piano lead, '60s soul-infused "One Second" or the cool and collected confessional "Lessons." I'm likely going to be unpacking this album for several more weeks to come. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of this leviathan. To less interesting times.

Grab yourself a hardcopy of Heavy is the Head to spin at home here. 

Show Recap: Ian's Party 2020 - Friday

Partied at Ian's the weekend before last and I have a few thoughts on some of the bands that stopped in to entertain the fine folks of Chicago. I only made it out for Friday of the three-day fest this year (place frowny face emoji here for emphasis). If'in you didn't know, Ian's Party is the mostly local jamboree that a group of Elgin, IL ex-pats put on the first weekend of each new year to celebrate the city's (and greater midwest's) diverse DIY scene. This year I checked out SuperKnova, Bev. Rage and the Drinks, Tow Houses, Kali Masi and many other super talented people. Chicago Crowd Surfer posted my notes from the fest on their website's refrigerator door. Link below.

Friday at Ian's party ft. SuperKnova, Drilling for Blasting, Kali Masi, Abertooth Lincoln, Tow Houses, and Bev Rage and the Drinks

I still call Dimo's in Wicker Park the "Ian's on Damen."

Album Review: Cloak - The Burning Dawn

Cloak doesn’t get a lot of love, which is really everyone else’s fault, not theirs. If this Atlanta foursome’s variance of trad-rock infused, Tribulation and In Solitude melding, chimeric charm doesn’t do it for you, then there may not be much hope for your feeble mind. You might as well take a couple of Dave Clark 5 LPs into a bunker and spin them on repeat until the bombs drop. The Burning Dawn is the Cloak’s second LP and sonic successor to 2017’s To Venomous Depths. Detractors might point out that Cloak’s sound isn’t the most original, but what the band lacks in this department, they make up for in sheer, ruthless execution. The Burning Dawn is as solid as a stone titan and has plenty of swaggering, seething angst to get you and the boys (and girls and everyone in-between) fist-pumping, stomping the ground like prehistoric beasts, and swilling cheap beer while you howl at the moon. The album starts strong with the fiery, speed-crust tear of “The Cleansing Fire,” and follows up with the bleak, twilight dirge of “A Voice in the Night,” and the deathly winter’s knell of “Tempter’s Call.” Still need more bleak brooding bangers to bob your locks to? Skip ahead to wintery and phantasmagoric instrumental “The Fire, the Faith, the Void,” a dark meditative harbinger of what I hope are even greater things to come on future releases.  

Grab a copy of on vinyl to spin in your den at home through Season of Mist here. 

CHICAGO CROWD SURFER'S INFLUENTIAL ALBUMS OF THE 2010S

I was able to contribute some blurbs to Chicago Crowd Surfer's Influential Albums of the decade list and you can read my important thoughts over on their website. It may sound trite, but I really liked how this list turned out, and not just because I wrote a substantial portion of it to it. Link below. 

Chicago Crowd Surfer's Influential Albums of the Decade

What albums did we miss? The best way to let myself and the rest of the CCS staff know is to whisper the name of your favorite album into a conch shell and then leave it on the shore deserted island. Trust that it will find it's way to us eventually...

Show Review: The Arrivals @ Reggies - December 28,2019

Photo by me

Local legends The Arrivals did their thing at Reggies as a bit of a post-holiday celebration and I have a full write up of the festivities up over at Chicago Crowd Surfer. This was a rough Holiday for me and I really needed some rowdy, class conscious punk rock to flush the pipes of some bad vibes this year. Luckily the Arrivals, Sass Dragons and Canadian Rifle all put on phenomenal performances. Link to the recap below.

The Arrivals w/ Sass Dragons, Canadian Rifle, and Nightcap @ Reggies

And everybody gets a little piece of the pie...

Chicago Crowd Surfer 2019: Year In Review - Part 2

Part two of Chicago Crowd Surfer's year in review is up! Get it while it's hot (or before it's February... these types of articles have a short shelf life). I'm more certain as to what I contributed to this half of the retrospective and I am much more comfortable telling you to check it out as a result. I was really happy with Fire-Toolz' new album so I included a write up of it and some glowing praise for Snow Burial's latest release as well. I wrote some other stuff too, but the bulk of the recap was handled by our editor-in-chief. The man is a machine when we wants to be. Link below.

Chicago Crowd Surfer Year in Review Part 2

Happy New Years you filthy animal.*

*That's how that Home Alone quote goes, right?  If I'm wrong just scream into a pillow rather than leave a comment.

Chicago Crowd Surfer 2019: Year In Review - Part 1

Part one of Chicago Crowd Surfer's year in review is up! It's not a top 10 list or a best of, as much as a collage of highlights from shows and albums covered over the past year that the magazine's contributors elected to give a special shout out. This first part covers roughly January to June of 2019. I wrote a ton over New Years and I'm not sure what of my recaps made it into this first part. Part two is forthcoming. Link below. Enjoy!

Chicago Crowd Surfer Year in Review Part 1

No one will tell me what "auld lang syne" means.