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Live Review: Earthride, The Resurrection Sorrow, Admiral Browning and Alkahest in NYC, 08.07.10

Posted in Reviews on August 10th, 2010 by JJ Koczan

It was disappointing to roll into Ace of Clubs and find out Valkyrie had pulled out of the show. It was a family emergency, so you couldn’t really hold it against them, and with no shortage of killer bands left on the bill, the night would be more than salvageable. Any evening that gets topped off with an Earthride live set is alright by me.

I was at Alkahest‘s first show, and I’ve seen them three or four times since, and every time I do I get something completely different out of it. This time the guitars were played up in the live mix and the post-metal aspects of their sound were what came through most, but what I think is really fascinating about Alkahest (aside from the complexity of their pedal board arrangements) is how the rhythm section refuses to just do the Isis beat — you know which one I’m talking about — and leave it at that. It brings something new to the sound and makes them less derivative than they’d otherwise be.

Performance-wise, they were more subdued, especially vocalist Chris, who stood still most of the set and seemed to let the music wash over him, allowing for only occasional flareups of turbulent energy. One thing that’s remained consistent about Alkahest these last several months is the drama in their music, so that covers a lot of ground other bands might leave to thrashing around on stage.

Fuckin’ Admiral Browning. I know I’ve seen them before, but this might have been the first time I was lucid enough to actually remember what they were like, and mein gott, they fucking killed. Heavy, technical, grooving, they did it all, and they did it instrumental, and they demolished the unsuspecting Manhattan crowd almost immediately, as though dispatching them with a wave of the hand. It was sick. I reviewed their Magic Elixir EP a while back, but I hereby revise my position: the recording doesn’t do them justice at all. You need to see this band.

Only thing was they went on a little long, but beyond that, they were a highlight of the night. It seems like blasphemy to say any band playing with Earthride might be heavier than they are — because how could such a thing be possible? — but Admiral Browning were the most potent power trio I’ve seen in a long time. Totally righteous, totally unpretentious, just blisteringly heavy and so loud my earplugs seemed to be rendered useless. Yes, yes sir.

It was The Resurrection Sorrow‘s show, and as per usual, they had the biggest crowd of the night. I don’t know where they find these people, or how they get them to come from whatever dance club they were previously at and see at least part of a doom show, but then, their sound borders on a kind of post-Pantera groove metal, so that might have something to do with it. Needless to say, if I knew how to draw people like that, I would be too busy doing so to figure out The Resurrection Sorrow‘s methods.

And what a magical world that would be.

You couldn’t even get close to the stage — hence the faraway picture — and I know I wasn’t about to elbow past the steroid dude with Spartan helmet tattooed all around his head, so I stayed in the back and watched from there as they covered Ozzy‘s “Believer” from Diary of a Madman, bassist Alex Coelho making the most of its stomping lines. They’re obviously not without their commercial aspirations, but The Resurrection Sorrow are good at what they do, and I’m not going to hold that against them just because I prefer bands no one else likes. They played to their crowd and their crowd ate it up.

Earthride vocalist and Maryland doom legend Dave “Sherm” Sherman (Spirit Caravan, Wretched) showed off his new Motörhead tattoo, and the band ran through a monstrously heavy set of tunes from their albums Earthride, Taming of the Demons (the title track was a highlight), Vampire Circus and the latest, Something Wicked. I took some video which you’ll find below. Sherm rode the riffs of Kyle Van Steinburg with his arms up, chopper-style, and indeed, it was the evening’s high point. Yeah, it still was a bummer Valkyrie had to pull out of the last two nights of the tour, but even with some technical problems midway into the set, Earthride more than justified the trip to the city.

How into Earthride was the audience that stuck around? Well, there was moshing, which you almost never see at a doom show (and I would argue rightly so). Chris from Alkahest was headbanging so hard I thought he’d give himself a concussion, and Alex Dementia from The Resurrection Sorrow jumped on stage several times. It was like it was a birthday party for The Riff, and we were all having our cake. Tired from a long day of driving, I didn’t think I’d make it through the whole set, but they kept me there right to the end, and when it over I was glad to have stayed.

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We Can all Learn a Thing or Two About Long Tour Names from The Resurrection Sorrow

Posted in Whathaveyou on June 8th, 2010 by JJ Koczan

True, I’ve not yet sat down and done the math on it, but I’m pretty sure you could get at least three tour names (and one festival!) out of The Resurrection Sorrow‘s forthcoming The Unholy Divine Tour Part II: Doom in June Weekend Warrior Style. That is, to put it mildly, a lot of words. In fact, it’s almost twice as many words as there are dates on the tour. And did I catch a “niner” in there? One imagines that with a title so cumbersome, much doomly havoc will be wrought. The PR wire affirms the supposition:

Soulful doom metal grungesters The Resurrection Sorrow have announced their most recent bout of live shows for the summer throwing a quick one-two punch combo to the upper East Coast this June, on the recently confirmed tour bearing the lengthy tag The Unholy Divine Tour Part II: Doom in June Weekend Warpath Style. The festivities kick off this Friday at the annual Feel Your Boobies Breast Cancer Benefit in State College, Pennsylvania.

The band are also hammering out the dents on a 10-date tour running from July 22 to August 1st, with the actual routing of this venture and other live excursions to be announced shortly.

After the recent departure of skinsman Louie Gasparro, The Resurrection Sorrow have enlisted the help of longtime friend Bill Angelini — also a previous bandmate of TRS bassist Alex Coelho in NYC act Malstrom — rounding out the TRS lineup by vocalist Alex Dementia and guitarist Zak Gross.

The Resurrection Sorrow Unholy Divine Tour Part II: Doom in June Weekend Warpath Style
6/11/2010 The Feel Your Boobies Breast Cancer Benefit @ State College VFWState College, PA
6/12/2010 Lotsa Metal Club (behind Lotsa Pasta) – Clifton Heights, PA
6/18/2010 Legends Rock BarGales Ferry, CT
6/19/2010 The Electric CompanyUtica, NY
6/24/2010 St. Jerome‘s BarNew York, NY (Smell the Glove/Midnight Dreams party, no TRS set)
6/25/2010 Crazy 8’s!Seaford, DE
6/26/2010 Krug’s Place – Frederick, MD

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“Unholy Divine,” “Hour of the Wolf,” “Midnight Dreams” and Other Metallic Phrases from The Resurrection Sorrow…

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 9th, 2010 by JJ Koczan

…(Alex knows I’m just breaking his balls.)

New York‘s sludgy testosterone rockers The Resurrection Sorrow kick off the first part of their Unholy Divine tour tomorrow, March 10, and the PR wire would like you to know all about it:

Resurrection StaringStill steadily promoting the hell out of their debut full-length Hour of the Wolf, thunderous New York rock quartet The Resurrection Sorrow will kick off the first leg of their three-part Unholy Divine tour tomorrow in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Resurrection Sorrow ‘s The Unholy Divine tour, Part I:
3/10/2010 Mojo 13Wilmington, DE
3/11/2010 The Smiling MoosePittsburgh, PA
3/12/2010 The DepotYork, PA w/ Backwoods Payback, Wrath of Typhoon
3/13/2010 The Black and Red BarWashington DC w/ King Giant
3/14/2010 The Brighton BarLong Branch, NJ w/ The Ominous Order of Filthy Mongrels
3/15/2010 Lit LoungeNew York, NY w/ Maegashira

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The Resurrection Sorrow Winter Touring Update

Posted in Whathaveyou on February 11th, 2010 by JJ Koczan

New York doom rockers The Resurrection Sorrow, whose album, Hour of the Wolf (review here) boasted the kind of testicles that get in the way while you’re trying to do household chores, are heading out on the road and have let it known via the PR wire exactly what path their chaos will take. Witness:

With a steady stream of local and regional shows played over the last few months TRS are now booking the rest of the winter and spring months with more gigs, including Part I of the band’s three-part The Unholy Divine Tour. The next segment will be announced shortly. But next up is this Saturday’s brutal stoner throwdown at Ace of Clubs alongside Black Pyramid, Hull, Maegashira and Archon.

2/13/2010 Ace of Clubs New York, NY w/ Hull, Black Pyramid, Maegashiria, Archon
2/27/2010 Social Pariah Festival @ Holiday InnFishkill, NY
3/05/2010 Sounds Asylum – Goshen, NY
3/06/2010 The Electric FactoryUtica, NY w/ Malice in UnderlandStructural Integrity Compromised

The Unholy Divine Tour, Part I
3/10/2010 Mojo 13 – Wilmington, DE
3/11/2010 The Smiling MoosePittsburgh, PA
3/12/2010 The Depot – York, PA w/ Red River Revival, Backwoods Payback, Wrath of Typhoon
3/13/2010 The Black and Red BarWashington D.C. w/ King Giant
3/14/2010 The Brighton Bar – Long Branch, NJ w/ The Ominous Order of Filthy Mongrels
3/15/2010 Lit LoungeNew York, NY w/ Maegashira, Archon

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