Music / Previews
Metal & Prog Picks: April 2023
Folk metal, prog metal, death metal, parody metal . . . most flavours of metal are on offer this month, plus the classic pop-prog of the Zombies, the masked psychedelia of Goat and shouty old Henry Rollins doing a spoken word show. As usual, many of these are already sold out. If you weren’t lucky enough to bag tickets, check the coming soons for a whole bunch of recently announced upcoming shows.
Oh, and if you fancy a trip to the pictures this month, you may wish to know that the excellent documentary In the Court of the Crimson King is showing at the Watershed for a week from April 7. Go here for screening times and to book tickets.
is needed now More than ever
Komedia, Bath, April 4
There’s likely to be less shouting than usual tonight as this is one of Angry Hank’s spoken word shows. This time he’ll be spinning some yarns about his experiences during the covid lockdown as well as all the usual music-related guff.
Fleece, April 4
Hurrah! It’s time to break out those stick-on troll ears as great Finnish folk metallers Finntroll return to the Fleece for the first time since 2014. They’ve been relatively quiet of late, releasing Vredesvävd, their first album in seven years, back in 2020. Metal Hmmer hailed this as a “snappy, immersive and addictive 40 minute riot, with everything from the strident Grenars Väg to Forsen’s demonic sea shanty hammering home the enduring potency of these forest-dwelling diehards’ crazed vision.” Of course, they won’t be permitted to leave without playing Trollhammeren. It’s well worth getting there early for Icelandic Viking folk-metallers Skálmöld. Last seen at the Bierkeller supporting Eluveitie back in 2014, they’re national heroes back home, where they once recorded a live album and video with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Fleece, April 13
Rather belatedly celebrating their 2019 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, these British Invasion survivors remain a potent live act, with septuagenarian founders Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone still at the helm after more than 60 years and no need of those sixties package tours to prop them up. Expect to hear all the classics, plus highlights from the band’s 1968 masterpiece Odessey & Oracle.
Crofters Rights, April 14
Mastodon-esque Edinburgh prog-metallers Dvne (it’s pronounced ‘Dune’) proved very impressive when they supported High On Fire at the Fleece last June. Their latest album, Etemen Ænka, is out now on Metal Blade. Support tonight comes from the equally mispronounced Pijn.
SWX, April 15
Masked, costumed and anonymous Swedes who claim to hail from a small, voodoo-worshiping northern town named Korpilombolo, Goat specialise in fusing psychedelic rock with world music influences. Their latest album, Oh Death, is out now on Rocket Recordings.
Fleece, April 15
Lancastrian stompers keeping the mighty spirit of Quo and Slade alive, Massive Wagons were last in town with The Darkness back in 2021. They’ve also enjoyed quite a bit of chart action. Latest and most successful album, Triggered, peaked at number six back in November. As the title suggests, it’s packed with satirical social commentary targeting social media and the intolerance of culture warriors.
O2 Academy, April 18
Mr. Corpsegrinder and chums are back in Bristol for the first time in five years with Violence Unimagined – a “perilously addictive” (Metal Hammer) new-ish album of brutal death metal. Deliciously, the Florida veterans have lost none of their sonic extremity or penchant for censor-baiting song titles and lyrics. Thus far, the latter doesn’t seem to have got them cancelled, mainly, one suspects, because wokesters don’t listen to a lot of death metal. Such a shame this show clashes with . . .
Fleece, April 18
Welcome return of the brilliant French-Canadian prog-metal pioneers who really deserve to be playing much bigger venues than the Fleece after 40 years. Last year, they released their 15th studio album, Synchro Anarchy, which Kerrang! hailed as “a triumph for both Voivod and progressive thrash”.
Thekla, April 29
A parody metal double bill to gird our loins for the return of Steel Panther next month. Originally billed as an all-metal tribute to the Bee Gees, Tragedy have broadened their horizons to become a self-described ‘disco metal’ act. Their new album, untruthfully titled I Am Woman, is out now on Napalm. Italians Nanowar of Steel take aim at the ‘true metal’ likes of Manowar and their fellow countrymen Rhapsody of Fire, who are less well known over here. They’ve been going since 2003, when they released their oddly titled debut Other Bands Play, Nanowar Gay! Newie Dislike to False Metal tackles everything from conspiracy theorists (Protocols (of the Elders of Zion) of Love) to explosive Diarrhoea (The Power of Imodium).
Main pic of Finntroll: Century Media
COMING SOON
Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.
Graveyard/Kadavar, SWX, May 3
Polyphia, SWX, May 9
When Rivers Meet, Fleece, May 11
Heriot, Strange Brew, May 12
Nordic Giants, Loco Klub, May 16
The Quireboys, Exchange, May 20
Steel Panther, O2 Academy, May 21
Carcass, Fleece, June 7
The Hu, O2 Academy, June 14
The Aristocrats, Fleece, June 15
Vended, Fleece, June 20
Pitchshifter, Exchange, July 7
HR, Fleece, July 27
Eyehategod, Fleece, August 15
ArcTanGent Festival: Heilung, VOLA, Cave In, Elder, etc., Fernhill Farm, August 16-19
Trivium, O2 Academy, Sept 4
Lord of the Lost, Thekla, Sept 24
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, SWX, Sept 29
Wishbone Ash, St. George’s, Oct 3
The Winery Dogs, Marble Factory, Oct 7
Elder, Fleece, Nov 7
Gong/Ozric Tentacles, O2 Academy, Nov 24
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