Music / Previews
Metal & Prog Picks: June 2022
Ready to rock? Masked metallers, two guitar heroes, the biggest stadium metal show in years, feuding rock’n’rollers and (possibly) a urinating lady. We really have got the lot this month.
O2 Academy, June 9
is needed now More than ever
Back in town for the first time in six years (almost to the day), Frank Zappa’s former stunt guitarist Steve Vai has a new device to show off. Seemingly designed specifically to annoy those who dislike guitar heroes, and therefore thoroughly deserve to be annoyed, the Hydra is a faintly preposterous looking beast manufactured by Ibanez to his specification, but he certainly plays the hell out of the damn thing on Teeth of the Hydra. That track is drawn from his new studio album, Inviolate, which is released via Favored Nations/The Mascot Label Group. The Bristol Academy date is the fourth show on the European leg of Steve’s epic world tour, which eventually winds up in LA in December. He’ll be bringing along his usual, excellent sidekicks: Dave Weiner (guitar/keyboards), Philip Bynoe (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums).
Exchange, June 13
It’s impossible not to warm to a band described by their own publicist as “filthy, belligerent and obnoxious”. I say ‘band’, but Midnight is really just a fella who goes by the name Athenar. He records all the instruments himself but recruits other musicians to perform live. Fifth album, Let There Be Witchery is out now on Metal Blade. It’s all a bit NWOBHM with a Motörhead twist, so is highly recommended to anyone who likes their metal trad, loud and malodorous.
Thekla, June 17
With their chart-bothering days behind them, it looked as though the Quireboys had settled into a comfy groove as a reliably enjoyable, party-starting rock’n’roll band with a loyal audience, a string of creditable post-fame albums and a set list that never strays too far from 1990’s A Bit of What You Fancy. But, holy crap! – what’s this? Massive ructions in the ranks leading to the ejection of frontman Spike, with the dirty laundry aired all over the interweb. The rest of the Quireboys then decided to soldier on with guitarist Guy Griffin taking over on vocals. Will this actually work? Let’s just say they have a mountain to climb. Meanwhile, Spike has plucked a couple of musicians from the ranks of former Quireboys members (co-founder Guy Bailey and Nigel Mogg) and announced the formation of, you guessed it, a rival Quireboys. Uh-oh – there’s a road sign up ahead. One route leads to reconciliation; the other to expensive litigation.
Fleece, June 26
Last seen in town at SWX with Enslaved, Oakland’s Grammy winning High On Fire inherit much of their stoner cool from guitarist Matt Pike’s other band, Sleep, but prefer Motörhead-esque riffage to somnambulant grooves. Indeed, current album Electric Messiah is something of a tribute to Lemmy. They’ve changed drummers since they were last here, with Des Kensel being replaced by Coady Willis (formerly of the Melvins). Get there early for impressive Edinburgh prog-metallers Dvne, whose second album, Etemen Ænka, has been picking up plenty of praise in the metal press. You can also catch them at next month’s ArcTanGent festival.
O2 Academy, June 27
Creed and Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti’s harder-edged speed metal solo project has certainly taken on a life of its own and could easily appeal to those who find the motherships a little too arena rock for their tastes. Fifth album Marching In Time is out now on Napalm. And in one of the more unlikely metal developments of the year, Tremonti has just gone full croon on the self-explanatory Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra. This was recorded with former members of Sinatra’s band, with proceeds going to the US National Down Syndrome Society.
Thekla, June 27
Because you can never have too many masked and costumed alternative metallers, Cleveland’s Mushroomhead have found time between their long-running feud with Slipknot to release eight studio albums – the latest of which is 2020’s A Wonderful Life. All those masks also help to conceal an ever-changing line-up. Our well-informed internet friend Mr. Wikipedia currently lists no fewer than 13 former members.
Fleece, June 28
Brass band covers of metal classics? Well, why not. We’ve had everything else. NYC’s Brass Against arrive in Bristol hot from supporting Tool on their arena tour. And they certainly cover much of Tool’s catalogue, along with Rage Against the Machine, Living Color, Alice in Chains and earlier classics by Zeppelin and Sabbath. Last year, frontwoman Sophia Urista made headlines when she pissed in a (willing) male fan’s mouth on stage. Rock’n’roll!
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, June 30
Not so long ago, there was much fretting about who would be big enough to take over when the festival-headlining apex classic rock acts (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Kiss, Sabbath, etc) hung up their rockin’ boots. Who’d have predicted that one of the answers would be an industrial metal act who sing almost exclusively in German? A huge step up from their previous appearance at the Cardiff International Arena back in 2005, this is both the biggest show the Teutonic pyromaniacs have ever played in the UK (at a venue more used to hosting the media-friendly likes of Ed Sheeran) and also the biggest metal gig west of London in years. Indeed, it’s quite remarkable how huge Rammstein have become without any mainstream attention. Few of their controversial videos could be broadcast on TV (one is only viewable on hardcore porn sites) and they refuse to speak to the press – probably because, as is the inevitable fate of all German bands, they’ve been accused by members of the cretin community of being Nazis (they’re not). Word from early in the tour suggests that, yes, they are bringing along the giant ejaculating penis. Needless to say, the whole show should probably carry one of those modish ‘trigger warnings’ for the benefit of tremulous Gen Z, which is just the way we like it. See you down the front. Oh, OK – in row 2753 . . .
Main pic: Steve Vai (C) Larry DiMarzio
COMING SOON
Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.
Love with Johnny Echols, Fleece, July 3
Old Man Gloom, Exchange, July 8
King Buffalo, Exchange, July 20
Steelhouse Festival: Michael Schenker Group, Ace Frehley, Orange Goblin, Diamond Head. H.E.A.T., Green Lung, etc., Hafod-y-Dafal Farm, Ebbw Vale, July 29-31
GWAR, Fleece, August 10
ArcTanGent: Opeth, Cult of Luna, Tesserat, Enslaved, Pallbearer, Amenra, Zeal and Ardor, etc., Fernhill Farm, August 17-20
FM, Thekla, August 21
Evergrey, Thekla, Sept 19
Magnum, Fleece, Sept 19
Vola, Fleece, Sept 27
Cheap Trick, O2 Academy, Oct 4
Steve Hackett, Bath Forum, Oct 5
Anthrax/Municipal Waste, O2 Academy, Oct 6
The Sheepdogs, Thekla, Oct 7
Rosalie Cunningham, Chapel Arts Centre Bath, Oct 8
Coheed & Cambria/Thrice/Touche Amore, O2 Academy, Oct 14
Ryan Hamilton & Warner E. Hodges, Thekla, Oct 16
Amenra, Fleece, Oct 16
Dare, Fleece, Oct 23
Skid Row/Winger/Phil X and the Drills, O2 Academy, Oct 23
Cradle of Filth, Marble Factory, Oct 27
Rosalie Cunningham, Thekla, Oct 30
Despised Icon/Decapitated, Fleece, Nov 2
Pallbearer/Elder, Fleece, Nov 3
Fozzy, O2 Academy, Nov 12
Saxon, Bath Forum, Nov 15
Frost*, Komedia, Bath, Nov 30
Clutch, O2 Academy, Dec 13
Lamb of God/Kreator, O2 Academy, Dec 16
Imonolith, Exchange, Jan 26 2023
Epica/Apocalyptica, O2 Academy, Jan 30 2023
Karnivool, O2 Academy, Feb 3 2023
Katatonia/Solstafir, Marble Factory, Feb 12 2023
Avatar, SWX, Feb 23 2023
Napalm Death, O2 Academy, March 7 2023
WASP, O2 Academy, March 23 2023
Bloodywood, Fleece, March 29 2023
The Zombies, Fleece, April 13 2023
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