Bangers and Thrash

The first round of Maryland Deathfest 2013 band announcements is out—even though, with Sonar shuttered, a venue remains TBD. Highlights so far include Venom, the return of Carcass, Pentagram, Pagan Altar, Pig Destroyer, and a couple dozen more (head to marylanddeathfest.com).

Speaking of Pig Destroyer, the semi-local grindcore heavy is releasing its first full-length record in five years this October with Book Burner, once again on Relapse.

Next Tuesday Maryland doom legend Wino is performing his collaborative album, Heavy Kingdom, with songwriter Conny Ochs at Golden West Café (disclosure, I work there). Consider it a rare chance to get up-close and personal with the man, Scott “Wino” Weinrich, behind/part of such outfits as Saint Vitus, the Obsessed, the Hidden Hand, Shrinebuilder, and many more.

Leftover Crack, one of crust punk’s finest spectacles/sneers, might finally get itself banned from the Ottobar for real when they play there Sept. 9. The venue brings in a couple big hardcore names in early October with Big Business on Oct. 2 and Propaghandi Oct. 6. The next day, Melvins Lite, featuring King Buzzo, Dale Crover, and Trevor Dunn, is probably something you should not miss.

Partytimes hardcore usual suspect/rising star Tremors II put out a record a few weeks ago called No-Verb Slopfuzz that you can grab for free (or for a donation!) over at tremorsii.bandcamp.com for your at-home, boozed-up bouncing around needs.

Finally, Hampdenfest is right around the corner, on Sept. 8, which usually means some cross-section of local garage/punk/metal on its stages. This year the loud stage is the Crazy Viking Stage, curated by Radical Discharge’s Neal Page, with feminist hardcore band War on Women, recent-ish kinda crusty hardcore band-to-watch Old Lines, plus Slow Bull, the Pilgrim, and more.

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