Gallows Bound Conjures Up "Appalachian Witch"

VA Appalachian bluegrass punks Gallows Bound unleash Appalachian Witch, touring the east coast, the south and Canada supporting Swingin’ Utters.

Images courtesy of Gallows Bound

Gallows Bound sets the tone for Appalachian Witch with “Empty Flask/Empty Heart”. Banjo player Justin Carver stands out with his speedy, melodic bluegrass punk picking accompanied by Rob Schultz’ tight, quick drumming. This is followed by Americana punk track “Shake”. Vocalist/guitarist Jordan Joyes really gets cooking here by way of voice, as well as both her and vocalist/guitarist Jesse Markle laying down some sweet rhythm and lead guitar.

The band continues with bluegrass punk song “Broken Glass”, starting off dulcet as upright bassist Aaron Blow and Carver take the helm. Then, the band takes off full force, masterfully and posthaste. Epic Americana punk tune “Appalachian Witch” is next and seems to deliver the overall mood of this record. Markle takes the lead vocally with beautiful harmonies from Joyes as the ensemble builds up and busts out relentlessly. Despite the fact that Appalachian Witch is an EP and therefore short, it not only packs the expected punch of what’s expected from this band but it does it stylistically and grandiosely. The only downside is that it leaves the listener salivating for more. Luckily for us, Gallows Bound is frequently found on the road, catering to the sweet tooth of their fans and lovers of Americana, bluegrass and punk alike.

gallowsbound.bandcamp.com/album/appalachian-witch-ep

gallowsbound.com

Gallows Bound plays Connie’s Ric Rac, located at 1132 S. 9th St in South Philadelphia, on Saturday, October 20th at 8 PM with the following locals: folk/country punkers The TC Cole Riot, Americana folkers The Cheddar Boys and Americana/country punks Side Pocket Louie.

- Garyn Klasek

The Hooten Hallers Hype Up the Hillbilly on S/T Album

Columbia, MO hillbilly soul blues rockers The Hooten Hallers are back at it again, stompin' up the countryside with their latest endeavor, full length S/T album The Hooten Hallers. 

Photo by Nate Burrell

The Hooten Hallers kicks off with blues soul track "Charla", chock full of the stylish licks of guitarist John Randall and his signature voice as well as the standout sax playing of Kellie Everett. The band takes a dirgy gothic turn on gospel blues song "Dig", with the sweet chain gang vocals of drummer Andy Rehm and Everett backing Randall.

The Hooten Hallers circle back around to blues soul on "Knew You'd Come Around", of which they made a dope live video for, in their classic, smooth serenade between vocals, guitar and drums. The band kicks shit into high gear on rhythm and blues tune, "Rhythm & Blues" as Rehm busts loose on drums, accompanied by some insane harmonica playing. They simmer back down on blues track "Gravity" with Randall laying down some killer guitar while incorporating some slick organ playing. The band goes an intriguing direction, closing out the album with more acoustic blues country song "Staying Away from Joe", including the use of some fantastic fiddle playing as well as piano and harmonica. All in all, they put together one hell of an album with The Hooten Hollers.

The Hooten Hallers play September 6th at The Rebel Lounge, located at 2303 E. Indian School in Phoenix, with AZ cowpunk rockers The Earps and PHX folk punk rockers Bloody Rogue Bastards.

~Garyn Klasek

Philly's L.M.I. Lashes Out on "Far Beyond Nothing"

Artwork by FTG Illustrations

Ferocity at its finest is unleashed by Lansdale, PA’s stoner hardcore punkers L.M.I. (short for Lazy Middle-Class Intellectuals). This seven year old Philadelphia area act has been pushing out albums on Reading, PA DIY punk label No Less Records for years before debuting on Lansdale’s own heavy independent record label, Dullest Records, releasing their latest endeavor, Far Beyond Nothing.

Photo by Sam Pinola

L.M.I. kicks off Far Beyond Nothing with rockin’ hardcore tune with an underlying screamo mood “Coffin Niche”. Kevin’s drumming and guitarist Will’s vocals do one helluva job standing out amidst the chaos. The band keeps the energy going on hardcore rocker “Destined for the Ground”. Will and bassist Brando delve into some dark and intriguing territory here. “Stress Dreams” is a hardcore punk song that bounces in and out of stoner rock territory incredibly well. Will and Kevin seem to feed off of each other on guitar and drums, respectively.

The brutality of L.M.I. is witnessed on metal-tinged hardcore screamo track “Sun Rites”. Between the powerfully driven drums and guitar, this is one mesmerizing jam. The urgency continues on stoner rockin’ melodic hardcore tune “Rational Defect”. This is heavily seen in Will’s guitar and vocals. Far Beyond Nothing closes out with hardcore punk rock song “Collapsing Pages”. The band builds a wall of cacophony with some killer drumming and guitar playing. One can only imagine how much L.M.I. has matured over the years but they have certainly put together an extraordinary recording.

lmiband.bandcamp.com/album/far-beyond-nothing

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L.M.I. descends upon 51 West in Tempe, located at 51 W. Southern Ave., on July 21st with Gilbert hardcore punkers Heatstroke, Phoenix hardcore band Nosebleed, Phoenix punkers Deathride, Phoenix grindviolence band Gimp and AZ post-hardcore punkers Innocent Eyes.

~Garyn Klasek

Skank it Up for Ska Prom 2017

Courtesy of Tianna Ayala

It’s that time of year again when everyone dresses up, reminiscing about skankin’ it up at the high school dance. That’s right: Skabrona Entertainment presents the next installment of Ska Prom! Take a stroll down nostalgia lane by suiting up to tear it up the dancefloor, witness who wins Ska King and Queen and pose for your (digital) prom pictures while knocking back some Ska brews. This year, local punks and rudies will be lacing up their Docs for some of California’s finest.

Courtesy of The Steady 45s

The Steady 45s, out of Los Angeles, offer up their brand of traditional ska and rocksteady jams for Ska Prom 2017. These hooligans have been goin’ strong for around five years and have already mastered a sound that’s been around for about fifty years. Don’t mistake them for being (completely) old-fashioned, though, as they splice elements of bands like Hepcat and The Slackers as much as acts like The Skatalites and Desmond Dekker. Get ready for a grand time while The Steady 45s leave us groovin’ on the dancefloor.

Courtesy of Matamoska

Montebello, California bilingual ska punkers Matamoska also support Ska Prom this year. For the past fifteen years, this motley mob of rudies and punks have been busting out their fresh sound while throwing back to bands across the ska (and punk) spectrum, like The Skatalites, The Specials, Operation Ivy and Voodoo Glow Skulls. One thing is for sure: Matamoska will make you dance your ass off.

Courtesy of the Chris Murray Combo

Headlining Ska Prom 2017 is the Chris Murray Combo out of Los Angeles, who’ve been kicking out acoustic and electric ska, rocksteady and reggae for about fifteen years. Frontman Chris Murray, however, made his initial splash on the Toronto ska scene in the late eighties by way of King Apparatus before bouncing out to California to perform as Venice Shoreline Chris in the mid-nineties and becoming one of the key producers for some of the top acts in nineties ska. Be sure to stick around for one helluva treat in the Chris Murray Combo while stompin’ up the dancefloor.

The Chris Murray Combo, Matamoska and The Steady 45s play Ska Prom 2017 on Saturday, March 25th at Yucca Tap Room, located at 29 W. Southern in Tempe, with locals soul skankers Bowcat, eighties reggae ska band The Effects, Mesa ska punkers Jack The Cat and DJs Selecta Scream and Mama Melody.

~ Garyn Klasek

Choking Victim Vaporizes the Valley

Photo by Joe Maier

It can be hard to come across a punk band that dishes out the same level of energy that they brought when they first started roughly 25 years back. But this is exactly what Choking Victim brought to the table as the original line-up reunited to offer up not one or two but three albums worth of material to the dark lord. This offering was presented to the possessed party gods as they embarked on a tour of the west after their hometown bash in NYC. Luckily, Choking Victim stopped off in the valley of the sun to let loose for the masses of desert rats with their homies Rats in the Wall, supported by some killer local bands.

Photo by Joe Maier

Unfortunately, many missed the opening set of Gilbert ska punkers The Linecutters due to a confusion in set times but also the fact that there was still a huge line of punx waiting to get into the show as their set winded down. While it was disappointing to miss them, Phoenix party punks Sad Kid turned the show into one helluva shindig, pool noodles and all, playing with the same level of passion that they always bring, making for a particularly pleasing performance. Even the recent addition of Travis James on guitar could hardly be noticed as new with what he was throwing down. It really is a wonder as to what these kids would have to be sad about as they continue to thrive, lately it seems by way of being signed to fresh local punk label Slope Records, while still being one helluva fun punk band.

Photo by Joe Maier

Setting the mood for Choking Victim was Rats in the Wall out of Huntington Beach. It was great to finally catch this nihilistic post-hardcore band after missing their first show out here. They kicked their set off with Dirt’s “Plastic Bullets”, taking some in the crowd by surprise. The band also played  favorites like “Take 2” and “Sinking”. Both guitarist/vocalist Brad Logan of Leftover Crack and F-Minus fame, while thrashin’ hard on guitar, as well as vocalist Eva Hall from Gather have an excellent stage presence and great chemistry vocally. Donny Morris, also from LoC, rages strenuously on drums. Even bassist Farrah Ferguson crushes it so mercilessly that few would realize that she’s a replacement. In all, seeing Rats in the Wall is an amazing experience.

Photo by Joe Maier

Bringing down the house was ska-core sensations Choking Victim. One hears stories of the insanity of a Leftover Crack show but, after seeing them, Choking Victim threw down so hard that their fans never eased up on their hysteria.There was so much stage diving going on that, at one point, a repeat offender was stopped mid-song after running into guitarist/vocalist Stza and clearly upset bassist Alec Baillie so much. It was hard to tell if the fan left the show on his own or by way of security after flipping them off. If that wasn’t enough, word has it that there was a 15 person brawl in the parking lot during the show. Don’t let it ever be said that chaos doesn’t swarm where the crack rock steady flows. The band certainly brought the discord with terrific tunes like “Born to Die”, “Fuck America”, “Living the Laws” and “Crack Rock Steady”. Stza’s formidable fury was a force to be reckoned with. Baillie unleashed his wrath upon the horde rigorously. Drummer John Dolan laid down the beat with brash brutality and veracity as well. On top of that, All Torn Up’s Joey Steel also joined in on the festivities. Overall, Choking Victim trounced 200% upon the throng, putting on one premium performance.

~ Garyn Klasek

Godawfulnoise Beguiles on The Epitome of Suffering

Photo by Ben Levy

It’s pretty damn impressive for a band that bounds through punk and metal to maintain a lasting impact. However, this is exactly what local crusty grindcore aficionados Godawfulnoise (GAN) have been doing out here for over five years. Over this time, they’ve casually released records every couple of years. However, 2016 seems to be a landmark year for them as they released a new full length, The Epitome of Suffering, over the summer and are currently working on a new seven inch as they prepare to embark on a mini-tour out to Southern California. While we wait for the next GAN album to drop, here’s a glimpse into their latest endeavor.

Courtesy of Godawfulnoise

The Epitome of Suffering kicks off with a brutal boot to the ass with a metal opening that ruptures into grind on “Completely Fucking Disgusted” and “Keep Them Sick.” Guitarist Danny Ruiz rips it up while Jesse Johnson goes nuts on drums. The band explodes on “We the Parasites” while bassist Billy Ruiz keeps it dismal and dangerous as vocalist Jesse Schoof maniacally deviates between growling and screeching. “King of the Bastards” has a more doomy metal grind feel. Godawfulnoise thrashes it right back up on “Contempt.” They surge back into grind metal on “Dying is a Way of Life” and “Blood Offering” as guitarist Ruiz serpentinely shreds the hell out while Johnson persists to obliterate on drums.

Photo by Tiffany Childs

Even more fury is unleashed on “Blue Lives Murder” before dipping right back into their meticulous blend of grind and metal with “Self-Induced Destruction Pattern.” “Incarcerated Nation” opens with a doom metal vibe before grinding the fuck out, which continues on “Wallow in the Stench.” GAN slams back into grind metal on “Victims” and “No Escape,” leading into a grand finale with a doom metal dawning on “Perpetuation of Delusional Disorder” before lashing out into death metal with a twist of grind. The Epitome of Suffering is one helluva monumental album throughout. Godawfulnoise leaves listeners lusting for more, whether it’s future recordings or their next performance.

~ Garyn Klasek

Good Things Come in Pears at the Nile Underground in Mesa

Photo by Garyn Klasek

Bringing something fresh and unique to punk can be a real challenge. Yet, NOLA hardcore punk band Pears not only excel at this, they also exceed expectations and the imagination with what they’re bringing to the table. Only two years old, these guys have taken the world by storm, playing festivals and touring extensively with some impressive names in punk. This time around, Pears set off headlining their own tour, stopping at Mesa’s Nile Underground, with Milwaukee pop-punk rockers Direct Hit!

Photo by Joe Maier

Tempe pop punkers Adult Arcade kicked the show off in fantastic fashion. While they are indeed on the poppier side of punk, they have a powerful edge to what they throw down. The band was reminiscent of much of the East Bay punk from the nineties, particularly bands like Pinhead Gunpowder, between their fierce energy and vocals that evoke Billie Joe Armstrong by way of Austin Ray. Look out for Adult Arcade as they continue to rock out around the valley.

Photo by Joe Maier

Local DIY punks Spoiled were up next to jolt the crowd. It was great to finally catch this band’s slammin’ performance. Guitarist Dylan Thomas of Landmine Marathon fame held true to his heavy sound, thrashin’ out for the crowd. Chad Curry from The Prosthetics raged the fuck out on drums as everyone reciprocated the feeling. Bassist Stephen Chevalier had the audience headbangin’ along. Even Jesse Upshaw had people eating out of the palm of his hand as he exuberantly shouted. If the prerequisite projects of Spoiled doesn’t make them stand out, the fact that they have the potential to get anyone rockin’ as they play alongside heavier bands should.

Photo by Garyn Klasek

Direct Hit followed, keeping the spark lit. These cats sound like a roid ragin’ soul heavy pop-punk band and they do it quite well. Between the hard-hitting guitars of Nick Woods and Devon Kay to the skillfully varying vocals of Woods, this band has some rather intriguing talent. Drummer Chris Gaylor from The All-American Rejects, who pulled through to jump on tour, displayed incredible technical abilities while still being able to rock the hell out. Steve Maury leaves the crowd soaring in ecstasy on bass. Direct Hit is one helluva surprising treat.

Photo by Joe Maier

Pears never fails to shock everyone they encounter. This band passionately bleeds indignation, inflaming throngs of punks everywhere. Standing out front almost stealing the show was Zach Quinn, screaming his brains out and flailing all over. Guitarist Brian Pretus shredded it up, shouting onward. Erich Goodyear aggressively pounded along on bass while also keeping it dire. Drummer Jarret Nathan as well masterfully belted out a breathtaking performance. As surprising as Pears is, it’s far from shocking that this band fills a void in punk that is spellbinding.

~ Garyn Klasek