REVIEW: The Atlas Moth & Wolvhammer Album Release Show
WHEN: October 16, 2011
WHERE: Ultra Lounge, 2169 Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
The Atlas Moth and Wolvhammer drew a respectable crowd for their album release show Sunday night at Ultra Lounge. Since I’m most familiar with Atlas Moth, I’ll keep this post short and sweet and include only the best details. One of these days, I’ll come up with a clever presentation for this set-up.
- The Atlas Moth‘s set couldn’t have been tighter. I caught their soundcheck earlier in the evening and couldn’t believe how good “Perpetual Generations” sounded live. When their set finally came around earlier in the evening, the 6 songs they played from new album An Ache For The Distance and “…Leads to a Lifetime on Mercury” from 2009’s A Glorified Piece of Blue Sky couldn’t have possibly sounded closer to the studio recordings than they did.
Best Moment: Spontaneous crowd interaction at the end of “An Ache for the Distance” with vocalist/guitarists Stavros Giannopoulos and David Kush shared their microphones with a couple of audience members.
- Wolvhammer delivered a pummeling set of blackened sludge metal that definitely placed their new album, The Obsidian Plains, on the must-check-out-as-soon-as-fucking-possible list. Former Nachtmystium guitarist Jeff Wilson is counted among their ranks now, which should merit further interests from fans of that band.
Haven’t heard them yet? Their 2009 demo, Rich With Bloodfuel, is available HERE. What the fuck are you waiting for? Check it out NOW.
- With their spastic blend of metal, hardcore and noise rock, KEN mode are probably the best thing to come from Canada since Terrence and Philip, which is definitely an improvement from the Great White North’s more well-known musical offerings. (Seriously, Canada…You should expatriate Nickelback to some third world shithole and save yourselves the humiliation-by-association.)
Random Observation: Vocalist/guitarist Jesse Matthewson spits more on stage than anyone I’ve ever seen. Bring a fucking poncho and one of those SWAT visor things if you’re squeamish.
- Opening band Jar’d Loose were, if I heard correctly, playing their first show this night. If that was the case, they’ve busted their asses rehearsing because they played like a band who’ve been doing this for a bit. Their vocalist could maybe work on his stage banter a little, but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing them again.
Keep an Eye Out: They’re playing a Halloween show on Oct. 29 at Panchos as White Zombie. I guess I can see that working.
Heavier Than Your Mom 