RVA’s masters of psychedelic noise-metal, The Catalyst, have spent the past month on the road, bringing their brand new LP, Voyager, to towns all over the United States. Now they’re coming home to blast the cobwebs from all of our heads once again, bringing their ridiculously loud and heavy sound back to Strange Matter.
RVA’s masters of psychedelic noise-metal, The Catalyst, have spent the past month on the road, bringing their brand new LP, Voyager, to towns all over the United States. Now they’re coming home to blast the cobwebs from all of our heads once again, bringing their ridiculously loud and heavy sound back to Strange Matter. Voyager, which was released by the excellent local label Forcefield Records, isn’t officially out until the first week of September, but The Catalyst took a whole bunch of brand new copies on tour with them, and if they weren’t all snapped up by greedy audiences countrywide, you might have a chance to grab one for yourself. The album, which is on multi-colored vinyl and comes in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, looks to be one of the best recorded musical artifacts to grace RVA with its presence this year, but it’s still nothing compared to the live onslaught that this ferocious trio brings to the stage every time they perform. You won’t want to miss it!
And The Catalyst aren’t the only reason to be at this show either–Nashville, TN’s Gnarwhal will also be on hand. This spastic jazz-punk two piece blew everybody away when they played Strange Matter last year, and that was hot on the heels of losing half of what had originally been a four-piece lineup. With another year of performing as a duo under their belt, they’ll only have improved at delivering their potent mix of Hella’s jazzy noise and Orchid’s emotional thrash. They’re joined by another duo, consisting of perhaps the two hardest working men in the RVA music scene–Jason Hodges (bass/vocals) and Ryan Parrish (drums), collectively known as Suppression. These two have spent the free time they’ve been able to carve out over the past decade (when not playing in such groups as Darkest Hour, Bermuda Triangles, Iron Reagan, Amoeba Men, Smoke Or Fire, Mutwawa, and quite a few more) putting together an increasingly bizarre and fascinating mishmash of postpunk, grindcore, and pure insanity. The gig tomorrow night will be their first live performance in months–come see where they’ve taken things this time.
We’ve just received word that Harrisonburg’s Degollado will be opening this show; the last minute addition to the bill will take the stage promptly at 10 PM, so be on time, and see what this group from the land of James Madison University has in store for us!
WHAT: The Catalyst Tour Homecoming Show, featuring a cast of thousands!
WHO: Suppression, The Catalyst, Gnarwhal, Degollado
WHERE: Strange Matter, 929 W. Grace St.
WHEN: Tuesday, August 21, 10 PM
ADMISSION: $5
