Reviews

CD review: HIGH ON FIRE, Snakes for the Divine

By Ben Apatoff

Just like the most famous serpent in the Old Testament, Snakes for the Divine will lead you into temptation. It could make you disavow orders, seek knowledge, find your most carnal instincts or just bang your head until your spine shatters. In any case, HIGH ON FIRE's newest monster can be compared to an apple from the Tree of Knowledge. Take a bite and there's no return to your previous state of naive passiveness, but you'll be all the better for it. (more…)

Tour Dates

MASTODON, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, BARONESS to tour – Dates released

mastodon-between the buried and me-baroness

Talk about a huge tour! Coming off their amazing recent outing with DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and CYNIC, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME are going to be going out with MASTODON and BARONESS. BTBAM should be giving their booking agent a raise. That is a fantastic tour. VALIENT THORR is set to open for them. Here is the full itinerary (more…)

A/V Photos Show Recap

BARONESS, EARTHLESS, & U.S. CHRISTMAS: videos and photos from the Minneapolis show

BARONESS live at the Triple Rock in MN 11/27/2009

Last Friday (Nov. 27), the Metal Injection-sponsored tour featuring BARONESS, EARTHLESS, and U.S. CHRISTMAS played at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, MN, and your faithful MI contributor (Ryan Buege) was in the crowd and able to capture some video and photos throughout the concert. All bands killed it, and though the refined epics of BARONESS and the manic shred of EARTHLESS definitely turned the most heads, the show-starting set of smoky Americana meets suffocating doom from U.S. CHRISTMAS was what really had my jaw on the floor. Long story short, it was a good idea arrive early(, and considering that DARK CASTLE, GAZA, and IRON AGE will be supporting on tail-end of the tour, I know this won't change as BARONESS travels on into the west and the south). Keep reading to enjoy the sights and sounds of this night of glorious psych-metal from the perspective of my trusty camera.

Video: BARONESS "Steel That Sleeps the Eye/Swollen & Halo" live @ the Triple Rock in Minneapolis, MN 11/27/2009

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Quick Bits

BARONESS playing free show in North Carolina this Friday

BARONESS and COLISEUM are playing a free Myspace Secret Show this Friday at Stella Blue in Ashville, NC. The show is first come – first served, so you better get there early. Full details here

Latest News Quick Bits

New BARONESS album streaming

We told you it was awesome! Now you can finally hear BARONESS' Blue Record in its entirety a week before it makes its way to stores and a month before the band's pillage through the states. If this album permanently damages your cerebellum, it was nice knowing you. Take a listen here.

Reviews

CD Review: Baroness – The Blue Album

by James Greene, Jr.

blue_recordThe term "epic" has been bandied about with such regularity in recent years that it hardly has one drop of meaning left. Thanks, Internet. There was really no other way to caption that video of your dad's water-skiing accident on YouTube? "Fucking hilarious" would have done the trick. Now epic is on life support, its reputation tarnished and its power all but depleted. Using those four letters at this point to describe anything, let alone this Baroness album, seems like a lazy cop-out by any journalist too dumb to think harder.

Yet, The Blue Album, the sophomore release from Georgia prog/sludge metal outfit Baroness, truly is epic – crushingly, devastatingly, and beautifully so, a product worthy of that mantle if ever there was one. This is the kind of epic you only see in blockbuster summer movies or Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders or a boat load of Sasquatches fending off a giant attacking squid. If The Blue Album isn't epic, then the sky probably isn't blue and Sarah Palin must completely grasp foreign policy. (more…)

Tour Dates

MI sponsoring BARONESS Fall Headlining Tour

METAL Injection is proud to be one of the co-sponsors of the upcoming BARONESS tour. We cannot stop listing to the Blue Album here at the MI Studios, and it might just be the album of the year for us. Having seen this band countless times over the years at festival sized venues as well as in basements and lofts, I can tell you that they bring it no matter where they play. It's secondary to the wall of tone they hit you with. If this tour is coming to your town, do not miss it! Not familiar with some of the bands? Use the widget above to familiarize yourself with 'em. Full tour dates after the jump… (more…)

Latest News

BARONESS currently streaming two new songs, feeling "Blue?"

bluerecord_pre0rderSavannah stoners BARONESS just posted "A Horse Called Golgotha" right here, which now joins "Bullhead's Psalm/The Sweetest Curse" in offering a preview of their forthcoming, aptly-titled Blue Record.

So far, it's sounding like a worthy follow-up to their Relapse debut, Red Album, which probably means that your dealer will be a first-day (October 13) buyer and that lazy people are going to compare it to MASTODON. Thoughts?

-Ben

Quick Bits

Quick Bits: BARONESS in the studio; IRON MAIDEN doc on TV; MASTODON movie; BORN OF OSIRIS release date

BARONESS will head to Dallas, TX next week to begin work on a brand new full-length and follow-up to 2007’s critically-acclaimed Red Album. They will be working with roducer / engineer John Congleton (Explosions In The Sky, The Polyphonic Spree, The Roots). The album is expected to be released in the Fall.

The epic IRON MAIDEN documentary, Iron Maiden: Flight 666 will be premiere on U.S. television on Saturday, June 6th. The first airing will be at 9pm on VH1 Classic, with a replay airing on VH1 at midnight.

MASTODON have been talking about turning their latest release, Crack the Skye into a feature-length movie. A screenplay has already been adapted and they are talking to directors. More on that found here.

BORN OF OSIRIS have announced that their next CD, A Higher Place, will be released on July 7th through Sumerian Records.

Fuck Yes! Tour Dates

NEUROSIS, MASTODON, BORIS, NACHTMYSTIUM, HIGH ON FIRE, CRYPTOPSY, & More on one show – ABSOLUTELY FREE!!

scionrockfestSo apparently, instead of taking the traditional route and advertising on TV, billboards, etc, Scion has decided to host music festivals instead as a means of promoting their brand. Strange? I thought so too, until I saw the lineup for their "Rock Fest." Holy mother of fuck, I don't care WHAT they're selling – any company that brings together the likes of NEUROSIS, HARVEY MILK, NACHTMYSTIUM, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, KRALLICE, ZOROASTER, and SALOME (for FREE) is a-okay by me.

According to their official site, the Scion Rock Fest will take place on Saturday, February 28th at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia. The show will go from noon until midnight and attendees must be at least 18 years old. Tickets are, apparently, free; no word yet on how one will be able to go about getting one's grubby paws on one of these golden tickets (though our brodudes over at MetalSucks.net will be giving some away to a few lucky readers).

THE LINEUP (read 'em and weep!):
NEUROSIS
MASTODON
CONVERGE
HIGH ON FIRE
BORIS
1349
CRYPTOPSY
TORCHE
NACHTMYSTIUM
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
BARONESS
HARVEY MILK
KYLESA
ZOROASTER
WITHERED
KRALLICE
TOXIC HOLOCAUST
SKELETONWITCH
RWAKE
A STORM OF LIGHT
WARBRINGER
SALOME
SUIDAKRA
TYR
ALESTORM

With, apparently, more to come, if their website is to be believed. I don't know about you, but as soon as I saw this confirmed, I hopped online and booked a flight for Hotlanta. Honestly? If you have any of your wits, limbs, or available personal days left, you're a sucker if you don't do the same.

Interviews

BARONESS's John Baizley is no name dropper

We had the pleasure of recently interviewing John Baizley, vocalist/guitarist of BARONESS and creative genius behind many of modern metal's album covers. When we interviewed John about a month ago at the Bowery Ballroom, it was at the tail end of the crazy touring cycle for the unbelievably awesome Red Album that they put out. John discussed that record and the last year in detail and also mentioned that the band is going straight into writing mode. Check out the interview below. And if you want more BARONESS, check out all the live footage we have acquired of the band over the years.

State of Metal

State of Metal: Virginia

If you believed everything you read, you could be forgiven for thinking that metal exists entirely in England, parts of California and all the Nordic countries. Anyone who subconsciously raises index and pinky upon hearing blast beats knows this isn't true, but there are still plenty of states, countries, commonwealths and shitholes that never get enough respect for brewing their share of headbangers. This is something we hope to amend, hence the series State of Metal, commencing with Virginia.

From its badass state motto (Sic semper tyrannis, meaning "thus death to tyrants") to a state flag that looks like a scene from the movie Heavy Metal, it'd be impossible for VA to breed metal bands that were anything less than awesome. For example:

Lamb of God
Maybe the best mainstream metal band around? Still shunned by radio and never compromising their sound, Lamb of God won their huge fanbase the old-fashioned way–constant touring, word of mouth and making really great records. Previews from their upcoming album Wrath indicate that LoG are getting even heavier.

Municipal Waste
With a genuinely retro sound and a knife-edged sense of humor, there aren't many metal bands like Municipal Waste these days. Sounding like a more concise '80s Anthrax, or Suicidal Tendencies doing a record of Slayer covers, Municipal Waste give their heroes the sincerest form of flattery, plus some of the best thrash metal being made today and a great live show.
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Free Swag

Last chance to enter to win FREE tickets to see BARONESS

Win Free BARONESS Tickets

This is your last chance! We will start picking winners tomorrow. Click here for details on how you could win free tickets to see one of our favorite bands evaaaar.

Free Swag

We're giving away free tickets to each stop of BARONESS's mini-tour

It's that time again! Metal Injection is teaming up with Relapse Records for a sweet ticket giveaway. We are HUGE fans of BARONESS, so huge in fact that we really really want you to experience them live. Which is why we are giving away a free pair of tickets to every stop on the tour. All you have to do is just leave a comment with the tour stop you'd like to attend, and a week or two before the shows we will randomly pick some winners.

And, if you're still not convinced at the awesomeness that is BARONESS, check out our collection of live footage of the band and be prepared to be blown away.

Here are the tour dates. Leave a comment with the date you would like to enter to win tickets for:

BARONESS with COLISEUM and MINSK
November 13 Columbus, OH Ravari Room
November 14 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
November 15 Chicago, IL Reggie’s Rock Club
November 16 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
November 18 Rochester, NY Club @ Water Street
November 19 Albany, NY Valentines
November 20 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
November 21 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church
November 22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
November 23 Cambridge, MA Middle East – Downstairs

Tour Dates

OPETH Confirmed Fall 2008 Tour Dates with HIGH ON FIRE, BARONESS & NACHTMYTSIUM

Opeth Logo - Red

We showed some serious excitement when rumors came out that OPETH will be touring this Fall with HIGH ON FIRE and BARONESS and its been confirmed! Sorta. Turns out BARONESS will be playing the 2nd half of the tour (starting October 6th) and equally awesome NACHTMYTSIUM will be opening the first half. If you only have enough money to see one tour this Fall, you'd be hard pressed to find a better package:

Sep. 16 – Buffalo, The Town Ballroom – NY
Sep. 17 – Philadelphia, Trocadero – PA
Sep. 18 – New York, Nokia Theatre – NY
Sep. 19 – Worcester, The Palladium – MA
Sep. 20 – Quebec City, Theatre Imperial – QC
Sep. 21 – London, Centennial Hall – ON
Sep. 23 – Cleveland, House of Blues – OH
Sep. 24 – Chicago, House of Blues – IL
Sep. 25 – Grand Rapids, The Orbit Room – MI
Sep. 26 – Milwaukee, The Rave – WI
Sep. 27 – St. Paul, Myth – MN
Sep. 29 – Winnipeg, The Garrick Centre – MB
Sep. 30 – Saskatoon, Odeon Events Centre – SK
Oct. 01 – Edmonton, Edmonton Events Centre – AB
Oct. 03 – Vancover, Commodore Ballroom – BC
Oct. 04 – Seattle, Showbox@The Market – WA
Oct. 06 – San Francisco, Regency Center @ The Grand Ballroom – CA
Oct. 07 – Los Angeles, Wiltern Theatre – CA
Oct. 08 – Las Vegas, House of Blues – NV
Oct. 09 – Tempe, Marquee Theatre – AZ
Oct. 10 – Albuquerque, Sunshine Theater – NM
Oct. 11 – Denver, Ogden Theatre, CO
Oct. 13 – St. Louis, The Pageant – MO
Oct. 14 – Kansas City, The Beaumont Club – MO
Oct. 15 – Dallas, House of Blues Dallas – TX
Oct. 16 – Austin, The Monarch – TX
Oct. 17 – Houston, Warehouse Live – TX
Oct. 18 – New Orleans, House of Blues – LA
Oct. 20 – Ft. Lauderdale, Revolution – FL
Oct. 21 – Lake Buena Vista, House of Blues – FL
Oct. 22 – Atlanta, Center Stage – GA
Oct. 23 – Cincinnati, Bogart´s – OH
Oct. 24 – Raleigh, Lincoln Theatre – NC
Oct. 25 – Norfolk, The Norva – VA

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