So I already posted about GWAR, but lest us forget, that the night before we went and saw the venerable Immortal at the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan.

Immortal is one of Vincent and I’s favorite bands by far (just check out the tag search results for Immortal), and this was the 3rd time we got to see them live.

The first time we saw them, we ended up drunk with a SHITLOAD of merch. We thought at the time it might be their only tour we’d ever get to see.

The 2nd time we saw them, I got so drunk that we were unable to make use of the VIP tickets we had, which included a meet-and-great and a poster. Oops. We got cool lanyards though.

This time, we had VIP tickets again! Except all it meant was a free poster (we didn’t pick it up) and early entrance. We are notorious for getting to concerts at the last minute to ensure we can get the most affordable booze in our system.

They ripped it again, as usual. One By One almost made me cry. The were grim. They were frostbitten. They were simply, Immortal.

Their live shows will never get old. Ever.

Few more pics after the jump

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As per usual, GWAR was hysterical, terrifying, awkward, all that you could want from their live show. I left more ashamed of the human race than ever before.

More photos after the jump …

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To counteract the essentially shitty bands I’ve been posting as part of Forgotten Metal Friday, I figured I’d start a more regular series of posts simply highlighting good bands that we love. This should make Vincent happy. Even though he has a Coal Chamber poster in his office.

So here’s Rotten Sound, a brutal gindcore band from Finland (big surprise, good metal coming out of Scandinavia). If you like any grindcore, especially Napalm Death, you’re really going to love these guys. It’s pure raw energy and fervor. Recommended for working up a violent rage prior to ripping someone’s throat out.

Their new album comes out in March on Relapse Records, and they’re currently touring the US.

Enjoy my favorite track from them, “Dead Remains”, off of their 2010 EP Napalm:

I am happy to bring you Forgotten Metal Friday from 35000 feet today. Funny enough, I’m flying back from San Francisco, the home of the first two entrants in Forgotten metal Friday. Since I’m heading back east, let’s give some love to my destination, New York.

Today, I’d like to talk about Syracuse metallers Earth Crisis. Actually, allow me to clarify: I’d like to mostly talk shit about Earth Crisis. Sorry guys.

Back in my early days, when I didn’t know the difference between Hardcore and Metal, Earth Crisis was the first band labeled “hardcore” that I remember purchasing. I wasn’t sure what I was in for.

What I was in for was a treat, to be honest. Most of the metal I had been turned on to at that point was more “well-composed”, was faster, was just … metal. Simple metal, if you will.

I picked up Gomorrah’s Season Ends with some hard-earned allowance and took it straight home to listen. Who was this guy just yelling “guh guh gah gah GAHHHHHH! BLAT BWAT AAAAAHHHHBABAHHHHHH!!!” What was he so angry about? What gave him such anger? Why did some of the riffs sound like impending knife-fights?

Fast forward several years, I threw Earth Crisis down the toilet when I found out they were angry about meat eaters, trees, and the like. They were my first encounter with the term Straight Edge. Which to this day I think is the stupidest thing on earth, and anyone who claims to be “straight edge” deserves a kick in the dick. It’s fine to not drink, etc. But to label yourself? That’s like me saying “I’m a binge drinker and that’s awesome”. It just doesn’t make sense. Shut up already. But, I digress …

Either way, I don’t think Earth Crisis is “hardcore” at all. Metalcore perhaps. Either way, I had a good time with it for a while, so it’s good to pay respects every now and then.

We went to see Doomriders at Union Pool Saturday night, and found ourselves blacking out to some rifftastic metal (literally, we had a LOT to drink on Saturday).

I am insanely in love with Doomriders. I want to live and breath them. I quite often listen to their songs while strolling around Brooklyn, instantly feeling part badass, part evil spirit, part Casanova, all kinds of awesome basically. I think of the Grim Reaper riding a Harley, drinking a bottle of jack, listening to Doomriders. That’s what I envision myself as. It’s very existential.

Not only did Doomriders slay (as expected) , but openers Sweet Cobra and Unearthly Trance (BROOKLYN LOVE!) caught us by surprise, as we’re not known for showing up on time to shows, but were extremely impressed by both bands’ live shows. Do recommend.

These 3 bands paired very nicely with copious amounts of Budweiser.

More awesome pics at BrooklynVegan.

For my 2nd installment of Forgotten Metal Friday, I stick with the Bay Area and bring you groove-metallers Skinlab. Or as I referred to them as quite often, Machine Head Jr.

You’ll probably remember these guys because at the time, you were into any and everything produced by dreadlocked bands. Or any band signed to Century Media.

I actually really like the first couple of albums by these guys. Nothing fancy, just literally good groove metal. I wanted more music to sound like Ten Ton Hammer, and now I had it.

Their first two albums, Bound, Gagged and Blindfolded and Disembody the New Flesh, were really good, but they just never really took off. Oh well, at least we’ll never forget them.

I’m starting a new tradition on Fridays, which I will call “Forgotten Metal Friday”.  Basically, I will discuss some band/song I used to love back in the day, maybe either embarrassing or just plain shitty now, or maybe an older song you haven’t heard or thought about in a while. But fun nonetheless.

My first entry is Blessing the Hogs, who are actually fairly obscure. Oakland natives, they had a short lifespan. They were on the now defunct Goodfellow Records, which was littered with good bands.

If Godflesh fucked Chaos A.D. era Sepultura and made out with Machine Head, you might get this band.

I tried to find out what happened to these guys, but the search has been fruitless. They could be dead, they could be in Morningwood, they could be politicians, I have no clue. They could be my friends!

Went to Hell

Amazing: