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More Richmond Music Catalog 1980-2021 Part 6

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There’s so much. So much more than even I knew when we started this whole process. I keep sending myself emails in the middle of the night with one or two more bands to add. We’re looking at going at least nine installments for this series at this point. Luckily for you, we’re parceling them out at a rate of about one a week, so that you aren’t completely overwhelmed (and more importantly, neither am I). Indeed, this one right here took over a week to finish. That’s the way the ball bounces sometimes. Anyway, here’s our next batch of artists with names between E and J in the alphabet. Enjoy! –Marilyn Drew Necci

Enforced, “Malignance,” Kill Grid
2021 Century Media Records

When a raw, passionate band moves to a bigger label, I always get a bit nervous. So I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling a bit of trepidation as I waited to hear which direction the band would go on their sophomore platter. Would the big label treatment result in a polished sheen, or would the band dare to dial the violence up a few notches?

According to Enforced, that’s not an either/or question, because sophomore album Kill Grid is simultaneously heavier and more polished than its predecessor. While comparisons to Power Trip and High Command are still valid, Enforced occasionally careens their hardcore thrash sound into the more extreme territory of the crossover spectrum, where outfits like Black Breath and Plague Years reside. Heavily influenced by the riffing and chaotic lead styles of Demolition Hammer, Slayer, and Sepultura, Enforced guitarists Will Wagstaff and Zach Monahan spend the vast majority of Kill Grid blowing my fucking mind with their powerful performances. Single “Malignance” demonstrates just about every tactic that the band employs in a four-and-a-half-minute package. The speed, the groove, the squeals, it’s all there, and when coupled with the monstrous hardcore shouts of vocalist Knox Colby, the results are positively lethal. –from Angry Metal Guy

The Ernies, “Here And Now,” Meson Rey
1999 Mojo Records

Mojo Records has a winner with the The Ernies (what a great name for a band!) and their release, “Meson Rey.” This band combines heavy metal, rap and jazz –  with the emphasis on the metal – for a highly unusual sound that is explosive and most infectious. 

It took me a few spins to get into the groove, but now I am really into this band. The music is energetic, loud and full of life. The words are deep and loaded with thoughtful messages throughout. The band is tight and likes to play and it shows in a big way. The saxophones of Hayes Smith give the band a strange, funky sound that is kind of cool. 

I can just bet these dudes put on one bitchin’ live show. Hey, guys, when you’re in L.A. give us a call! –from Rough Edge

Everyone Dies In The End, “Don’t Forget To Breathe,” The Space Between Spaces
2017 Stillwater Recordings

An instrumental quartet with song titles as long and complex as the songs they refer to, Everyone Dies In The End are the sort of band for which the classification “post-rock” was originally coined. Despite their use of the same instrumental configuration with which this band’s members have previously formed hardcore and metal bands, this band forgoes the verses and choruses that have been the essential basis for pop songwriting for half a century now. Instead, they spend extended periods of time constructing atmospheres through ambient effects and repeating rhythms that slowly pick up steam, like boulders rolling downhill. Eventually, of course, those boulders have to crash to earth, and these moments become the loud and powerful crescendos that dot the landscape of All Things Lead To This, the group’s 5-song debut album. –from RVA Magazine, March 14, 2014

The Exploder, “Ceremony For A Fat Lip,” This Sound Starts Right Now
1997 Reptilian Records

Nobody’s written anything worth a damn about this band anywhere on the internet, so here, let me tell you what’s up. The Exploder was what a few West End pop-punk kids — specifically Jesse Lyell and Dan Evans from Pre-Skool and Jedd Wilcox from The Nuns (no, not the famous Cali Nuns, the anonymous early-90s Richmond Nuns) — did once they got a little older and started stretching their creative boundaries a bit. There were a bunch of chaotic hardcore bands in Richmond at the time, playing the sort of music that would be called “screamo” a few years later (Four Hundred Years, Sleepytime Trio, etc), and The Exploder fit right in with that scene. Their live sets were intense freakouts, and they were lucky enough to capture both their energy and their songwriting talent on their lone LP, from which the above track is taken, as well as follow-up EP West End Kids Crusade, before they broke up right around the turn of the millennium. –MDN

Falls Under April, “44491,” Falls Under April
2001 Self-released

Another lesser-known Richmond band who, again, probably would have gotten tagged “screamo” a few years later. This quartet was from Powhatan County back when that was less the outer suburbs and more the straight-up country. My band played with them at a house show a high-schooler booked in their parents’ basement out in Woodlake or somewhere and I was blown away. I figured these random country high school kids had somehow gotten into some pretty heavy bands, but it turned out they’d never heard any of the bands I thought they sounded like. They just managed to make some really sincere, energetic music in isolation that turned out to be some of the best stuff happening in this city in the first few years of the 21st century. Members grew up and went on to bands like Race The Sun, Mouthbreather, and Sea Of Storms, but this track captures them in the first blush of youth. Perfect. –MDN

Fat Spirit (fka Heavy Midgets), “House Of Cats,” Super King
2013 Self-released

it’s a pretty amazing preview of the new Heavy Midgets LP, Super King, which the band just recently recorded and is set to come out… well, sometime soon. We’ll admit the sound isn’t perfect, but for a live recording it does a pretty great job of capturing every instrument working in tandem–and producing what just might be the best Heavy Midgets jam yet. With guitarist Charlanne McCarthy on lead vocals, the song has a pleasing melody that mixes well with guitarist Ian McQuary’s catchy lead lines. John Graham (bass) and Bren Hall (drums) are the motor that drives the song, which is uptempo without being frantic, and seems like it should definitely get kids dancing. –from RVA Magazine, November 6, 2013

Fatty Love, “Double A,” Fatty Love
1994 Tenderizer Records

Short-lived project band featuring John Partin and Chris Wade of Hose.Got.Cable teaming up with Mark Morton and John Campbell of Lamb Of God back when all of them were young Richmond musicians nobody had ever heard of yet. A heavy-rockin’ band that was here and gone so quickly that this EP is all they left behind. Still worth remembering, though –MDN

Field Day, “Barbie With Gun,” Christian Television
2010 Rorschach Records

Field Day’s debut 7″, Christian Television is a three-song spate of lurching but easy-going math rock not far from the likes of Ghosts and Vodka or a less tense June of 44. Though “The Fast” and “And Bi-Curious” (I get it!) are succinct spit-takes of restrained, head-swaying motion, four-minute-plus closer “Barbie with Gun” allows the band’s dynamic rhythms and changes to stretch with more space. The guitars play off each other well in this one, driving into long fits of Built to Spill-esque distortion and off-key pulls towards the bridge and finish. It’s familiar, but done well. –from PunkNews

Fight Cloud, “Pipe Dream,” We’ll Be Alright
2016 Self-released

Fight Cloud and Houdan The Mystic are preparing for a split release that will drop this fall. The new Fight Cloud song we have for you is not actually slated for inclusion on that split. However, the band has posted a demo recording of a song scheduled for the LP they’re planning to release at some point in the future. And my god, it’s so good we just couldn’t resist sharing it with you. The track is called “Pipe Dream,” it has some amazing dual-guitar melodic interplay as well as a talented vocal turn from singer Justin Stuit, and the band apparently recorded the whole thing live, which is amazing in light of how clear-sounding and tightly played it is. Listen to it below, and get ready around the 2:30 mark for the entire thing to lift off into the stratosphere.

If that’s just the demo version, I can’t imagine how good the final studio recording is going to be. –from RVA Magazine, August 14, 2014 [Note: the demo I wrote this about is no longer online, but the final released version above is equally great. –MDN]

F1NG3RS, “Outta There,” Outta There
2021 Self-released

F1NG3RS is a music producer known for his video game music remixes, mashups, pop culture remixes, parodies and video game inspired original music. F1NG3RS combines elements of retro video game textures, synthwave, funk, hip-hop and EDM into a fresh, but nostalgic sound. –From Bandcamp

Fixtures, “The New Swarm,” Rusted Screws & Machinery Of Man
2011 Self-released

The problem with the internet age is that sometimes smaller bands come and go, and later on, people who were involved decide they’re not really fans of what they used to do, and they go back to all the places it was located online and make it disappear. If you’re someone who thought what they were doing back then was awesome, you’re out of luck. Fortunately, I was able to find this three-song EP by Southside metalcore band Fixtures lurking on Soundcloud. Enjoy it now, on the off chance that it too disappears sometime in the near future. –MDN

Flashbulb Memory, “Not Some Phony Symphony,” Split LP with Joshua Fit For Battle
2000 Revolutionary Audio

Although they were a punk band more than anything, Richmond, Virginia’s FLASHBULB MEMORY seamlessly blended emo, rock, screamo and hardcore into a pretty danceable creation that is certainly worth checking out.

On the split 12″ with Joshua Fit For Battle, opener “Not Some Phony Symphony” begins like Wow, Owls!, Stop It!! and brings in a few other sounds that generally remind me of late 90s emo and dancier screamo. –from Open Mind/Saturated Brain

Flechette, “Ovidian Hurts,” Flechette
2011 Sound Era

…Sound Era, a new Richmond-based record label owned by members of local scene veterans Mouthbreather, have stepped up to fill this gap, putting out Flechette’s self-titled debut LP as their inaugural release. The 45 RPM 12″ slab of vinyl does count as a full-length release, though just barely–its 7 songs last just 24 minutes, and definitely leave the eager listener wanting more. However, what is here is more than worth the price of admission, with the aggressive post-hardcore stomp of the band’s riffing driven to higher levels of energy by obvious residual influences from the time the members have spent playing fast hardcore. Think Drive Like Jehu at their fastest, Sleepytime Trio at their most aggressive, or Quicksand with the energy of Gorilla Biscuits. There are also experimental touches, made most obvious by the between-song noise interludes contributed by Landis Wine of White Laces and John Hawkins of Roy G Biv. This album would have fit right in with the 90s-era chaotic hardcore scene that produced classic recordings by Unwound, Clikatat Ikatowi, and Swing Kids, but it’s just as welcome here today. In fact, it’s just another of the many examples that we are presented with on a daily basis of just how abundantly awesome the Richmond music scene is, and while it can be hard to keep up with everything going on in this town, this is not an album that you can afford to miss. –from RVA Magazine, June 29, 2011

Flight Club, “No Way (Get Real),” Kinda Funny
2017 Self-released

“True Rock. True with no E, Rock with no C – Tru Rok.” This is the sound of Richmond’s Flight Club.

“Tru rok, if I had to say it was one thing it would be Foo Fighters meets Four Year Strong- ‘Foo Year Strong’,” said guitarist Charlie Mahoney when describing the four-piece band’s music. “Cause it has that aggressive bouncy part of it from four years and where it gets a little bit heavier is the Foo Fighters, who’s just a rock and roll band.”

Although the band commented on how they identify as a “tru rok” band, the overall musical style, from the lyrical content to the guitar riffs that make you want to angry finger point and dance the night away, shows that they are a pop-punk band at heart. The bandmates themselves, however, disagree.

“I think honestly if you listen to the music, right now especially, we probably just get coined pop-punk, but we’re really trying to take that in a different direction,” said Mahoney. “Pop-punk is honestly one of my favorite genres, but even now I’m like, ‘okay, give me something new, we get {it}, you broke up in high school, dude. You’re an adult now, so we’re just trying to add a little bit of maturity to that.” –from RVA Magazine, January 26, 2018

Fly Anakin, “Sean Price,” Sean Price (single)
2021 Self-released

Over the summer, Richmond rapper and Mutant Academy leader Fly Anakin self-released the seven-song Pixote via Bandcamp, along with an announcement that he would no longer be using streaming services to share his music. Now, Fly Anakin has shared a brand-new track, “Sean Price,” which is produced by Evidence and is an ode to the late Brooklyn rapper. It’s also the first track from a new solo project from Fly Anakin that will drop next year.

“Sean Price inspired me to stand on what I believe in and say whatever I feel no matter what type of beat it is,” Fly Anakin said of Price, who passed away in 2015, and who was part of groups including Heltah Skeltah and Boot Camp Clik. “His influence put me in the driver’s seat, I grew wings and shit.” –from Stereogum

From Earth To Ashes, “Ache To Believe,” Dark City
2000 Self-released

The generation of hardcore kids who’d grown up in Richmond during the fertile time of the late 90s came of age around the turn of the millennium, which led to a whole bunch of post-hardcore bands coming out in those first few post-Y2K bands, from Richmond people who’d previously been playing music of the much more straight-up variety. From Earth To Ashes saw several veterans of Richmond’s late-90s hardcore scene, alumni of bands like Indypendant and Broken Chains Of Segregation, recruit Dan Evans of The Exploder to add a more melodic vocal touch to their still chugging but more complex tunes. They only released one EP before breaking up, and since my copy — which dates from very early in the CD-R era — has been unplayable for a solid decade, I’m very thankful that Richmond label Ovolr Records reissued this material last year, and we can all hear this stuff once again. –MDN

From Fragile Seeds, “Comfort,” Myth And Ceremony
2015 Self-released

This performance, filmed by Steven and Lily Photography on what appears to be a back porch somewhere in RVA, features From Fragile Seeds’ current four-piece lineup. However, drummer Chris Gregory doubles as a third guitarist–which is fitting, in light of the fact that Myth And Ceremony was recorded during a transitional period in which the band had only three members. Gregory, an accomplished guitarist in his own right, doubled on drums and guitar for the album, and it’s pretty amazing to watch him play his guitar both in conventional fashion and as a percussion instrument during this video.

Myth And Ceremony will be released in CD and digital formats on Tuesday, April 14. Singer/guitarist Andrew Inge, who also produced and engineered the album, described the seven songs on this full-length as “a bit more focused in style” than the band’s previous album. “[On] the last album, we seemed to have trouble deciding what we wanted to be,” he explained. “We’ve gone more in the “post-rock” direction, I guess you could say. I just think it’s a more grown-up and refined version of our old music.” Gregory agreed, saying, “It’s a little less aggressive overall, so therefore, a little more laid-back. At the same time it has a relatively uptempo feel, in a way, so it’s not extremely melancholy or anything.” –from RVA Magazine, March 31, 2015

.gif From God, “Possible Futures In The Minds Of Children,” Approximation of a Human
2019 Prosthetic Records

I’ve been seeing .gif From God play since their earliest basement blasts of metal noise hysteria and while they’ve been amazing from the jump, they only seem to get better as time goes on. Last year’s split EP with Vein saw them taking things to a higher level with longer, more complex songs, but they retained their edge. They’ve continued to incorporate the best elements of metalcore, screamo, spastic grind a la the Locust, and outright horrible noise into a potpourri of entertaining, energetic sounds that are always delivered with maximum hyperactive intensity. –from RVA Magazine, January 17, 2018

Government Warning, “Arrested,” Arrested EP
2007 Grave Mistake Records

Government Warning has always been a “grower” of a band for me. After my first spin of the No Moderation LP I wasn’t that impressed. It took a few months for me to really get into it, same with their first seven inch. With Arrested, there was no growing period necessary. It hooked me faster than Theo Fleury in a pharmacy.

The fact that the title track of the 7″ wasn’t written by Rikk Agnew is astonishing. How did four guys from Richmond manage to capture the exact essence of early `80s Orange County? This song has everything: the “OC” drum beat, the perfectly placed guitar solo, desperate lyrics, a great sing-along chorus, basically the total package. This shit would have fit in perfectly on any Adolescents, D.I., or early TSOL record. Part of me is really hoping they follow this direction more in the future. It is really that great of a song. Crazy Uncle Rikk would be damn proud.

There was a period for awhile where I was burnt out on hardcore and almost gave up on it completely. Government Warning is one of the main reasons why I’m back in with more of a vengeance than ever before. Pick this record up now. –from PunkNews

Graven Image, “Wrong Way To Utopia,” Kicked Out Of The Scene
1984 Eskimo Records

Hardcore punk in the ’80’s was quite the thing to behold. Violent, dangerous, reckless and amazing all at the same time; this was the music of a generation’s revolt against the status quo. It spread virus-like all over the country and Virginia was no exception, spawning their own small scene of dedicated fans and bands willing to build on hardcore’s reputation. Graven Image, led by the charismatic Dwayne Curd was no exception. Touring and recording at a furious pace, the band made themselves one of the highlights of the Virginia hardcore scene. The band didn’t last very long but their reputation has lasted throughout the years by those who were there and who remembered. –from Perfect Sound Forever

Haircut, “Boys Club,” Shutting Down
2017 Feel It Records

Five tracks of furious hardcore punk on the debut EP from Richmond’s HAIRCUT. Originally formed in nearby Charlottesville, VA (and opening countless shows at the legendary Magnolia House), Haircut released a strong demo at the end of 2016 before landing just down I-64 in Richmond. The speed and precision displayed across “Shutting Down” is rarely captured so well on a band’s first record, but the execution on these five tracks (all of which burn through in 60-90 seconds) is hard to match. Just as essential to this release are Juliana’s tireless, outspoken lyrics (both in English + Spanish) and vocal delivery which echoes from a very candid perspective often missing in contemporary punk and hardcore. A standout EP devoid of any gimmickry or trend-worship. Simply pure, classic hardcore punk. –from Grave Mistake

Heartracer, “Darling,” Darling (single)
2020 Self-released

The band’s name, Heartracer, is for Chris’ lifelong condition, Tachycardia, which causes the heart to speed up and slow down at random. Just like his condition, ‘Darling’, as with their other songs, does a fair approximation, with the high emotional starts and crashing comedowns of steering through love. Low key electronica is quickly supplanted by jagged bass.  The perfect illustration of the fragility, yet hopefulness of many relationships, Chris’ vocals are nonetheless anything but shy, while he delivers his lyrics, often of a highly personal nature.

In the music video for ‘Darling’, we see the band in a space that is dimly lit only by magenta and blue bulbs. There appears to be neither walls nor ceiling, and the band, in blazers and sunglasses, are as lost in the track as the listeners, the clip. and the sound of the song itself, harking back to an earlier time, when the focus was on the band and the music, more than the video. –from Essentially Pop

Hewolf, “Iron Survivor Theme,” Iron Survivor 2 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2020 Self-released

“Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!” Get ready to rumble, and get ready to listen to Hewolf’s latest album, Iron Survivor 2: The Motion Picture Soundtrack. This movie-less soundtrack needs no visuals to take you on an adventure through the wild world of underground, high-stakes Rock-Paper-Scissors Competitions. Through the eyes of lonely child Danny Laredo, we get to learn about love, lust, and what it really takes to win it all.

Iron Survivor 2 came out on October 30th, and has generated a buzz among Hewolf fans. The album features six tracks that walk listeners through the most poignant moments of the movie (which again, to be clear, doesn’t actually exist). Listen as Danny gains the confidence to compete, take on his most vicious opponents, and then vanquish them all. 

Though the plot puts young Danny in perilous and serious positions, the guys in Hewolf don’t let that get in their heads when writing out his story. Their comedic take on “cock-rock” and the theatrics of metal bring light to the soundtrack, and help entrench us in the fast paced world that Danny strives every day to bury his stake in.

“We’re serious about our instruments, but everything that follows after that is sarcasm,” said Throckmorton. “The three of us are dads so we’re responsible, we’re punctual, we make sure that we get the job done, but we’re also total goofballs.” –from RVA Magazine, January 12, 2021

Hoax Hunters, “Teenage Message,” Dormant
2018 Cherub Records

The lyrical topics on Dormant range from surrealist painting to connecting with people over art objects, and draws a line between his activism and art.

The band expertly mimics the sound of 80s and 90s noise rock and punk, sharing sonic similarities with indie bands like Sebadoh and Royal Trux, or more current bands like Estrogen Highs. The band uses lo-fi recording techniques to give the guitars a chainsaw-esque buzz that also brings the sound in line with early punk and hardcore acts. “Teenage Message”, the first song on the EP, features Ottawa, Ontario-based singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist Catriona Sturton on harmonica. Sturton was formerly a member of Canadian power pop band Plumtree.

As DIY punk and indie subcultures sink further into media’s long tail, the tendency to create in a bubble has become commonplace; Hoax Hunter’s willingness to engage with political and cultural topics in a meaningful way while still retaining some artistic merit is atypical of Richmond’s DIY subcultures, and sets them apart from much of the local enclave. –from RVA Magazine, July 12, 2018

Hold Tight!, “Our Pets’ Heads Are Falling Off,” Can’t Take This Away
2010 Animal Style Records

Hold Tight! have helped lead a resurgence in Richmond’s basement pop-punk scene. They blend pop-hardcore influences like Kid Dynamite and Lifetime with an almost adolescent “let’s have fun and make as many friends as possible because that’s what this is all about” view of music, informed by a deep commitment to the stylings of bands like Blink-182 and Green Day. Fast, loud, and fun, this band is one of Richmond’s best. –from RVA Magazine, September 20, 2011

Hose.Got.Cable, “Chevy Chase Motherfucker,” Antidisestablishmentarianismesque
1994 Tenderizer Records

Sometimes lumped in as a proto-mathcore band, Hose.Got.Cable were responsible for bringing new types of rhythms into punk. On their retrospective disc, Discography 1992-1995, the group collects their first 7”, their Doubt 7”, their LP, and some tracks from compilations. Throughout the disc is a blatant disregard for standard song structure, which surely is as refreshing now as it was in the mid-`90s. Sometimes the band ends a song at a seemingly early juncture, leaving your ears about three seconds past the track change. And sometimes one wonders, why didn’t the band end a particular song 40 seconds or so earlier. But, this isn’t a bad thing. To the contrary, these strange configurations allow contemplations such as “why did they do that here” or “I think this song could have had three times as many sections!” These puzzles, which were definitely created from deft skill and a highly attuned ear, afford the discography multiple listens with each spin adding new questions.

Sure, these guys could make one heck of a racket. When they smash it up, boy, do they smash up! But then again, so can a thousands other bands. Where Hose.Got.Cable truly excels is their ability to back off at just the right time, and sometimes seemingly just the wrong time, and let smoother and gentler sounds take over. But these smooth passages are even more dangerous than their nasty ones, because it’s unclear just when they will strike back with a pummeling onslaught of highly technical, but sloppy, thrashing guitar and screaming. –from PunkNews

The Hot Seats, “Peaches,” Feel
2012 Self-released

Hot on the heels of their live album recorded at a coffee shop in Ashland Virginia last year here’s a new studio album from The Hot Seats. They unveiled several of the songs and tunes on the album when they played here in May and anyone who knows the band will know what to expect here. That’s not to say that they are repeating themselves or going through the motions. Rather it’s another opportunity to marvel at their musical dexterity and to revel in their essential mixture of reverence and goofiness. Driving string driven workouts such as No Plans and Here To Get My Baby Out of Jail swing like hell and allow for plenty of inspired fiddle, banjo and guitar licks while the instrumental interludes (Rattletrap, Mineola Rag, Beasties In The Sugar, Hell and Scissors) almost inspire one to start a barn dance in front of the old desk. While the sheer vim and vigour of this whirlwind of plucking and picking makes The Hot Seats a must see live attraction their more restrained jug band side excels on the recorded medium. The rather risqué Peaches (unofficially accorded the title of the top song of the Shetland Folk Festival they recently played) allows Josh Bearman to fully wallow in the potential lasciviousness of this entendre laden ditty while the band slink along with a devilish mischievousness. –from Blabber n’ Smoke

Houdan The Mystic, “Chasing The Strobe,” Archer’s Jamboree
2012 Self-released

Swirling eerie sevenths open, taking you somewhere into a vortex… deeper… deeper… then, BAM! You are smacked in the face with a spastic explosion of strings and beats, which quickly shapes itself into a thoughtful head-bobbin’ jam. This is the opening track of Houdan The Mystic’s first release, Archer’s Jamboree. The Richmond band, which contains two of the members of Night Idea, has been making waves around town since their formation. Their tasteful and extremely tight blend of experimental-technical-melodic rock, heartfelt lyrics, and large beards puts them into a category they can truly call their own.

It’s always great to hear music that both sounds like nothing ever created before, and avoids being bad. I like bands that accomplish this feat even more if they hail from my hometown. Archer’s Jamboree, which was recorded and mastered by friends for under $50, lands on the sonic spectrum somewhere between American Football and Tera Melos. Being a three piece, Houdan The Mystic relies heavily on the melodic bass and intricate guitar and drum work to fill out the sound.

The album manages to pull off a fun and oftentimes humorous vibe, while remaining equally mature and sincere. Tracks like “Chasing The Strobe” start with complicated, proggy jams, but smoothly work their way into catchy as hell loops, which can get stuck in your head for damn weeks–trust me. –from RVA Magazine, April 3, 2012

Illa Styles, “Long As The Villian Wins,” A Quarter Til A Mil
2019 Self-released

With a gritty sound and life instruction manual-style lyrics, A Quarter Til A Mil finds Illa Styles rapping over high-energy jazz and carefully-crafted production from Michael Millions, with skits and features as versatile and well-made as the album itself.

Styles isn’t new to the game. Much like a carpenter goes to trade school to learn their craft, he graduated from the school of hard knocks in order to create this new record. It’s a refreshing guide to navigating street life while maintaining personal growth, and even when it comes to the dirty details, Styles doesn’t shy away. If anything, it is through his transparency that he finds his power.

“I am not glorifying this,” Styles said. “I am just documenting things that went down during the course of my time here.” —from RVA Magazine, December 9, 2019

Immortal Avenger, “Sound The Alarm,” Sound The Alarm
2006 Self-released

Old School Metal from Richmond, Virginia’s very own Immortal Avenger! This 5-song EP is the bands` much anticipated follow up to “Valor and Justice”, and while that was a fine effort, “Sound The Alarm” is leagues above it in every respect! On this one, the band manages to retain the classic Metal sound that has always been their stock-in-trade; think early Lizzy Borden, Mercyful Fate, Maiden. In fact, this EP even has echos of “Wheels Of Steel”-era Saxon, particularly the vocals of Johnny Throckmorton. It all kicks off with the rousing title track, and a finer opening salvo could not have been chosen! [haven`t yet had the pleasure of seeing the lads live, but I hope they start off their shows with this song; if not, they SHOULD!]

The whole EP displays all of Immortal Avenger`s best qualities; killer riffs, melodic solos, clever time changes, tighter-than-a-ducks-ass rhythms and hummable choruses. Nope, it definitely does NOT get any better than this. –from West Side Dave

Jack Rose, “Cathedral Et Chartres,” Kensington Blues
2005 VHF Records

Kensington Blues is derivative and at the same time nearly brilliant. The styles Rose employs are diverse: twelve-string virtuoso shows, a slide guitar that alludes as much to the sitar as to the blues, solid traditional Takoma ragtime and folk. Out from latter comes a Fahey cover, “Sunflower River Blues”, which (not surprisingly) works as the soil from which the rest of the record grows. The original was predicated on Fahey’s impeccable timing; Rose’s take amplifies the feeling and melody, and then runs with it. Hence the stunning “Kensington Blues”, a song full of clarity and syncopation, elegant and well composed. Two others, “Rappahanock River Rag” and “Flirtin’ with the Undertaker”, are less weighty, more jaunty deliveries of Rose’s signature modern ragtime.

But Rose is more than a traditionalist, and the other tracks on Kensington Blues veer sharply into newer territory. “Cathedral et Chartres” uses twelve strings to abstract the melodic clarity so abundant elsewhere on the record, speeding it up and then sending it into a droning, buzzing finale. This idea is fully worked out in his closer, “Calais to Dover”, in which Rose transfigures the raga into a kind of Dream Music, deep listening project, vibrating his way past individual notes and sequences and arriving at something more akin to pure tone and texture. The minimalist affinity is no coincidence: Rose’s folk is not the least bit free, even as he explores freak sonic terrain, and control is his technique, no matter how many notes he stacks. —from Pitchfork

Jazz Poets Society, “Aboriginals,” Poets Lounge The Show
1998 5th Child Records

A phenomenal blend of jazz, spoken word, and hip-hop, Jazz Poets Society dazzled and titillated minds in a short time. Unfortunately the group is so underground that either you’ve heard of them or you never will. Personally, it was a good few years before I was able to finally safeguard a copy of their Poets Lounge; a CD so good and rare that you wish you could take over a radio station and play it for all to hear. Or, maybe invest one’s own funds to get it widely distributed and promoted like it should have been originally. Alas, those without it will be left to the same 5 songs on the radio and the most sincere sympathy of audibly weary everywhere. –from Amazon

Jeremy D. Simmons, “This Time,” Pie In The Sky
2015 Low Blow

Jeremy D. Simmons is one of the strongest musicians in town. On his debut solo album, he evokes a sonic piecemeal of sorts and the results are stellar. Pie In The Sky is the result of years crafting a musical identity beyond reimagining of influence. Simmons stands out as a unique voice in a city with a wealth of them. –from RVA Magazine, December 1, 2015

Jettison Charlie, “Hitchhiking To Budapest,” Hitchhiking To Budapest
1994 Turn Of the Century Records

Richmond’s Jettison Charlie comes up with some infectious bass grooves and serious slammin’ riffs on their latest release. The music stomps, makes me want to rev up a 78 Ford and tear up and down Franklin County runnin’ shine. However, Bob Massey’s voice sounds at times like he’s gargling with kerosene. Chris Adler lays down some really impressive thump on songs “Rusty Nails,” and the title track. Hitchhiking to Budapest has the power to make it all the way to Everest (or at least from Powhatan to 2nd & Grace). —from Throttle

Joe Threat, “Attic Addict,” Sinister Circus
2013 Self-released

I’ve heard about Threat for quite some time in RVA and have kept up with him and his website and see the random posts about hip hop and crazy stories he has for people, but this album really defined him in a way that I wasn’t expecting from him. The production is crazy, and Threat lyrically brings his A-game. As you press play, he starts the mixtape on a very somber note with tracks like “Conflict Within,” where he talks about the conflict he feels dealing with trying to be accepted. My face twisted as the drum pattern of “Drop The Beat” played through my headset. The 808s thumped on this hype party track, which is produced by Photosynthesizers’ own Dr. Data. Throughout the mixtape, you hear production from Fan Ran and many other local producers, which in my eyes made this a classic, and could possibly catapult Threat’s buzz in RVA. —from RVA Magazine, August 9, 2013

That’s it for this installment of the Richmond Music Catalog. Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 if you haven’t already. We’ll be back next week with Part 7. Stay tuned.

VA Shows You Must See This Week: March 4 – March 10

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, March 6, 7 PM
RVA Game Jams presents Split/Screen: A Video Games Themed First Friday Art Show, feat. Buzzard Dust, Ages, Gull, Mister Earthbound, Danet Jackson, F1NG3RS @ Gallery 5 – Free!
Sometimes, you guys, the world is just a major letdown. At those times it can be easy to get overwhelmed and feel like taking to your bed, pulling the covers over your head, and not coming out for six months. But take heart — there are still things worth being awake and in the world for. One of those is happening this Friday night, as RVA Game Jams partners up with Gallery 5 to bring us a First Friday art opening with a bit of a twist — it’s entirely focused on video games.

This event is a celebration of indie games in the Richmond area, and will feature playable demos of half a dozen games by local creators, including memorably named examples like Not Safe For Bugs and Deer In The Headlights. You’ll get a chance to check out art and artifacts from the creative process of video game development, as well as the opportunity to play these games yourself. And you’ll get to hear some really great tunes from local musicians while you’re at it!

Between rounds of the playable demos, you’ll enjoy sounds from Buzzard Dust, the fiery blackened thrash group who last released an LP on Richmond’s own Forcefield Records back in 2017. Word has it they’ve got a grip of new material to lay on us, though, so get stoked for that. Plus there’ll be a performance from Ages, the latest project from former Magnus Lush leader Age Shurte and talented members of other rad local groups like Weird Tears and Dumb Waiter. And we’ve still only scratched the surface, as several other area performers, from the almighty Gull to the psych-stoner jams of Mister Earthbound, as well as the video-game inspired electronica of F1NG3RS, are all on tap for the night as well. Let the often-solitary pursuit of video games be an opportunity for connecting with the world, and head over to Gallery 5 this Friday night. It’s better than hiding in bed — I promise.

Wednesday, March 4, 7 PM
Mind Shrine, Majjin Boo, Alfred., Castle OG, Shormey @ The Camel – $8 (order tickets HERE)
Mind Shrine may be from Texas, but things will be getting downright tropical, at least in a musical sense, at The Camel tonight when this catchy quartet brings their remarkable sound to town. On their recent self-titled EP, Houston’s Mind Shrine create a warmly glowing pop sound with roots in both smooth 70s AM radio sounds and the music of Brazilian leading lights like Caetono Veloso and Os Mutantes, but fed through an undeniable 21st century indie filter, resulting in pure indie-pop gold. You’re going to want to dive into the warm, sunny sounds this band produces, and the Camel’s giving you the perfect opportunity tonight.

The evening will also present a set from Majjin Boo, who released my favorite Richmond music of 2019 and still have a very secure place in my heart two months into the new year. If you’re not on their wavelength yet, now’s the time. You’ll also have the chance to catch excellent musicians Alfred and Shormey just before they leave town together on a pre-SXSW tour that will culminate with them performing at that legendary Austin, Texas music fest later this month. And of course, Castle OG will round out the bill with some rad local indie sounds. You’re not going to want to miss a minute of this one — so make sure you don’t.

Thursday, March 5, 9 PM
Triumvir Foul, Human Agony, Antichrist Siege Machine, Predation @ Wonderland – $10
That place on the spectrum of musical genre where death metal meets filthy lo-fi noise is a fascinating one for me personally, as it reflects a lot of the turmoil I find myself dealing with on a daily basis. If you, like me, are someone who has your fair share of mental struggles, you might find yourself connecting with Triumvir Foul, the Portland-based death-black-thrash group whose 2019 EP, Urine Of Abomination, covers old-school Autopsy-style death brutality with a rumbling haze of foreboding terror. In other words, it’s fucking awesome. And you’re going to want to see how it translates live.

Meanwhile, Triumvir Foul’s Invictus Productions labelmates, Human Agony, hail from across the northern border in Vancouver and bring a more grinding speed-metal assault on their most recent LP, Putrescence of Calvary, with just as much of the ominous lo-fi grit as Triumvir Foul has to offer. These two groups should make a great team — and locals Antichrist Siege Machine are the perfect complement, bringing the sort of unrelenting death metal rage they displayed on 2019’s Schism Perpetration to the Wonderland stage this Thursday night. They’ll be accompanied by mysterious noise project Predation, who I hear has something to do with Division Of Mind, but that’s all I can tell you. Assuage your inner turmoil with some outer turmoil at this show. You’ll thank me later.

Friday, March 6, 10 PM
Ant The Symbol’s City Dawgz Takeover, feat. Sneeze, Reppa Ton, Rah Scrilla, Ben FM, PT, DJ Elliot Ness @ City Dogs – Free!
Ant The Symbol’s always up to some interesting things, and in 2020, that definitely has not changed. 2019 saw the veteran RVA hip hop producer release The What?!, a dozen tracks featuring a who’s who of the city’s best MCs dropping rhymes overtop of Ant’s always-killer productions. Now in 2020, he’s surprised us all with a follow-up, Holyfield, featuring new versions of all of the songs from The What?! along with a few entirely new tracks. From my initial lessons, I’d guess he took the vocal tracks from The What?! and laid them over new productions; and since Ant’s productions are always the stars of the show, that makes it damn close to an entirely new album only a few months removed from the last one. That’s something worth throwing a party for.

So that’s what Ant The Symbol will be doing this Friday night at City Dogs, as he enlivens this hot dog shop with a variety of leading MCs from around the city, almost all of whom (with the exception of Sneeze) appear on Holyfield, The What?!, or both. DJ Elliot Ness is providing the music, and rappers who should need no introduction to Richmond hip hop heads, such as Reppa Ton, Rah Scrilla, Ben FM, and PT will contribute the rhymes. This leaves Ant The Symbol to hawk copies of the new Holyfield CD, contribute the tracks that Elliot Ness spins, and hang out with his many talented friends. Come chill with Ant The Symbol this Friday night, hear some great rhymes and dope beats, grab a copy of the new CD, and have a couple chili dogs while you’re at it. You won’t regret it.

Saturday, March 7, 8 PM
Addy, Spooky Cool, Young Scum, Castle OG @ Gallery 5 – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It still feels to me like Addy are a relatively new band on the Richmond scene. Therefore it’s kind of wild to note that they are just about to release their first LP on emo heavy-hitters Topshelf Records — but I’m definitely happy for them, and to see them representing Richmond so well. At Gallery 5 this Saturday night, they’ll be celebrating their debut full-length, Eclipse, which finds the group, originally a minimalist solo project of leader Adam Watkins, moving toward more of a group identity as their current four-piece lineup becomes the focus of their recorded sound.

On Eclipse‘s early singles, we hear Addy embracing a warm, laid-back version of the indie sound, one that definitely pulls in a little Southern flavor to spice things up country-style. There’s an undeniable charm to this band’s aural presence, and that’s sure to translate with ease to the live environment created at Gallery 5 Saturday night. Addy will be accompanied on this joyful musical evening by a few other great Richmond indie groups, including Young Scum, Spooky Cool, and Castle OG, but their new LP is what the evening is all about, so bring a few extra bucks to pick up a copy for yourself, and enjoy a pleasant evening enveloped by the wonderful sounds of Richmond, Virginia.

Sunday, March 8, 7 PM
Lance Bangs, The Firnats, You’re Jovian, Magic Wand @ The Camel – $8 (order tickets HERE)
The Citrus City Sunday residency at the Camel is such a boon to Richmond music, I swear — every time it rolls around, we get a wonderful mix of mainstays from one of Richmond’s leading indie labels and new sounds you might not expect but are always a pleasant surprise. This time around, we’re getting a little more of the known quantities than the unknown delights, but it’s very hard to complain when the known quantity at the top of the bill is Lance Bangs, the slacker-rock trio who’ve slipped into a quieter presence on the Richmond scene recently but still have a ton of excellent tunes to brighten your Sunday evening with. If it’s been a while since you’ve caught these guys live, remember what it was you dug about them so much to begin with this Sunday night at the Camel.

And make sure you show up on time for the other musical delights Citrus City has to offer this evening — rest assured, they are plentiful. The Firnats, who are currently working towards the release of a new album sometime this year, have been described to me as 50s doo-wop and 90s grunge, and as crazy as that sounds, it’s pretty much dead-on — and a very enjoyable listen that will appeal to the indie kids and Future Islands fans out there. You’re Jovian’s Norfolk-based shoegaze sound has been an underrated fave of mine for years, and I’m glad to see them making it up to Richmond more lately. If you don’t know the deal, find out on Sunday — you won’t be sorry. Melodic punk-grunge newbies Magic Wand will kick this evening off with a shot of much-needed energy. Come out to this one — it’ll be a blast.

Monday, March 9, 7:30 PM
Michale Graves, JJ Speaks @ Another Round Bar & Grill – $10 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
How you feel about this event is sure to depend to some extent on what the 90s were like for you. Back then, Glenn Danzig’s original punk band, The Misfits, had a revival in which brothers Jerry Only (bass) and Doyle (guitar) revived the long-dormant project with a new vocalist and some new material. Michale Graves was that new vocalist, and while people who’d grown up with the original Danzig-fronted Misfits were often dismissive of late-90s Graves-fronted releases like American Psycho, those records accumulated a strong following amongst the younger set — many of whom, thirtysomethings today — no doubt hold warm memories of Michale Graves-era Misfits in their hearts.

For those kids — and really, for any of us willing to give an aging punk rocker’s solo project a chance — this acoustic evening with Michale Graves at Another Round should be a treat. His acoustic performances find him bringing new power both to late-90s Misfits songs he wrote and material from his many solo albums since he left that group, all by himself with just an acoustic guitar and his strong, powerful voice. If you have a soft spot for “Dig Up Her Bones” or “Die Monster Die,” you’ll hear them in a whole new way this Monday night at Another Round. You won’t want to miss that.

Tuesday, March 10, 8 PM
Robbie Fulks, Jenny Scheinman @ The Tin Pan – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Based solely on talent, Robbie Fulks should be an outright legend in the country world. However, he’s never completely gotten his due in Nashville circles, partly because he has never been willing to play along with the way the country music industry works. For evidence of that fact, look no further than his classic tune about Music City, the memorably titled “Fuck This Town.” Thankfully, his cult following his given him a viable career over the last few decades, and he’s been able to follow his muse in a variety of fruitful directions.

Fulks’ latest move is one that shows why you should expect the unexpected from this talented songwriter — last year, he self-released a vinyl-only double LP called 16, which is a track-for-track reinterpretation of the long-maligned late-70s Bob Dylan album, Street Legal. That might sound like a recipe for disaster, but Fulks and his band find gold amid the critically-reviled nadir of Dylan’s career. They’ll surely demonstrate this with their Tuesday night show at the Tin Pan; whether Fulks does a whole bunch of Dylan tunes or sticks to his own delightful catalog, this is a musical evening that’s sure to delight all comers.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, March 6, 9 PM
VV, Community Witch, Dysphonia, LEYA @ Taphouse Grill (Norfolk) – $5
Whether you’re a Richmond reader facing the prospect of an hour-plus drive to catch this show by a local favorite or a Tidewater denizen wondering what this RVA band has to offer, I can’t help but encourage you all to make your way to the Taphouse Grill this Friday night to catch VV. This Richmond postpunk foursome brings a harsh undercurrent of horror to their rumbling, dissonant sound on III, the EP they released in January that constitutes their first new material in over two years. If you didn’t catch up with VV a couple years ago when they first arrived on the scene, you should definitely get familiar with what they do now that they’re back in action. This group definitely brings the noise.

They’ll be performing with three homegrown Tidewater musical projects, all of whom bring the outsider punk vibes in plentiful amounts. Community Witch have a charming yet spooky lo-fi rumble to their jangle-punk sound. Dysphonia are hard to find evidence of online, but appear to have a bit more of a jangly indie vibe, one with a bit more melody than the other two groups we’ve discussed so far. And LEYA are just downright odd, but in a riveting manner. So this one is sure to both surprise and enlighten you. Expect the unexpected.

Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 PM
Dead Kennedys, DOA, Demons @ The NorVA (Norfolk) – $22.50 in advance/$27.50 at the door (order tickets HERE)
To all the aging punks out there, I’m sure it seems just as weird to you as it does to me that the Dead Kennedys have been around for longer without frontman, chief songwriter, and punk godfather Jello Biafra on vocals than they ever were with Biafra. But of course, in their post-Biafra incarnation, they’re pretty much a nostalgia act, mainly performing classics from the band’s original early-80s era, and releasing nothing more than a live album or two since they regrouped in the early 00s.

So why go see them? Well, because you certainly won’t ever see them with Biafra on vocals again, and this is the next best thing. Because they’re only gonna play old stuff you already know and love. Because if you can enjoy a DK’s tribute act at a Halloween covers show, you can certainly enjoy one featuring most of the original band. And because Canadian punk legends DOA and Hampton Roads hardcore group Demons are both on the bill as well. The cumulative whole of what this show has to offer is worth appreciating, even if it doesn’t feature Jello Biafra behind the microphone. So enjoy it, and don’t worry too much about the provenance.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

Top Photo by Carl Raw on Unsplash

MAG Fest presents Game Over 2.0, feat. A_Rival, an0va, D&D Sluggers, DJ 8-Bit Mullet, DJ Super Sonic, F1NG3RS, The Gothsicles, Gunblade X @ Fallout

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The world of video games is, admittedly, one I’m not too familiar with. But I have brushed up against the world of video game music a time or two, most notably the time I went to see Kitty come through town on tour with Anamanaguchi. The music I heard from the other bands on that bill was what is also known as “chiptune”–peppy, hyperkinetic dance music played at least partially by 8-bit sequencers of the sort that created the indelible soundtracks of every classic Nintendo game you (or I guess your uncle, you young whippersnappers) grew up playing for three hours after school every day.

Chiptune’s the sort of thing that I’m sure at least half of you are going, “wait, this exists?” about right now. But the kids who love it REALLY love it, and I’m sure a lot of them are already really excited about what’s going down at Fallout this Saturday night. Chances are, people are planning to divide their time between the stage and the many games MAGFest is planning to pack the playing area of the venue with–yes, one of the big attractions of this night is that there’ll be a popup arcade appearing inside Fallout. Classic games originally released on systems like Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo will dominate, though they’ll have games from all eras including the ever-popular Mario Kart 64 (there’ll even be a tournament for this last one, so all you Mario Kart junkies, start practicing now).

But there’s a ton of really wild music hitting the stage this night too, so if, like me, you’re way more of a music person than a video game person, rest assured that entertainment aplenty is still easily had. Where out-of-town awesomeness is concerned, you’ll get everything from Wilmington’s D&D Sluggers, who create a hybrid of soulful indie ballads and straight-up 8-bit beats; to San Francisco’s A_Rival, who’ve actually composed soundtracks to modern 8-bit video games and have a sound that resembles the sort of weirdly heavy-rockin’ tunes you enjoyed on childhood games like Double Dragon II and Street Fighter. The biggest local highlight is an0va, whose complex, melodic tunes use 8-bit instrumentation to create the sort of surprisingly emotionally-driven sounds you find in some corners of the math rock scene. And there are a whole lot more performers on this eight-hour bill, plus a ton of video games to keep you occupied during between-band setup. Dust off your old controller and limber up those fingers for a night of chiptune insanity and video game triumph.

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 10/11-10/17

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, October 14, 6 PM
MAG Fest presents Game Over 2.0, feat. A_Rival, an0va, D&D Sluggers, DJ 8-Bit Mullet, DJ Super Sonic, F1NG3RS, The Gothsicles, Gunblade X @ Fallout – $14 in advance/$19 at the door (order tickets HERE)
The world of video games is, admittedly, one I’m not too familiar with. But I have brushed up against the world of video game music a time or two, most notably the time I went to see Kitty come through town on tour with Anamanaguchi. The music I heard from the other bands on that bill was what is also known as “chiptune”–peppy, hyperkinetic dance music played at least partially by 8-bit sequencers of the sort that created the indelible soundtracks of every classic Nintendo game you (or I guess your uncle, you young whippersnappers) grew up playing for three hours after school every day.

Chiptune’s the sort of thing that I’m sure at least half of you are going, “wait, this exists?” about right now. But the kids who love it REALLY love it, and I’m sure a lot of them are already really excited about what’s going down at Fallout this Saturday night. Chances are, people are planning to divide their time between the stage and the many games MAGFest is planning to pack the playing area of the venue with–yes, one of the big attractions of this night is that there’ll be a popup arcade appearing inside Fallout. Classic games originally released on systems like Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo will dominate, though they’ll have games from all eras including the ever-popular Mario Kart 64 (there’ll even be a tournament for this last one, so all you Mario Kart junkies, start practicing now).

But there’s a ton of really wild music hitting the stage this night too, so if, like me, you’re way more of a music person than a video game person, rest assured that entertainment aplenty is still easily had. Where out-of-town awesomeness is concerned, you’ll get everything from Wilmington’s D&D Sluggers, who create a hybrid of soulful indie ballads and straight-up 8-bit beats; to San Francisco’s A_Rival, who’ve actually composed soundtracks to modern 8-bit video games and have a sound that resembles the sort of weirdly heavy-rockin’ tunes you enjoyed on childhood games like Double Dragon II and Street Fighter. The biggest local highlight is an0va, whose complex, melodic tunes use 8-bit instrumentation to create the sort of surprisingly emotionally-driven sounds you find in some corners of the math rock scene. And there are a whole lot more performers on this eight-hour bill, plus a ton of video games to keep you occupied during between-band setup. Dust off your old controller and limber up those fingers for a night of chiptune insanity and video game triumph.

Wednesday, October 11, 7 PM
Wolves in The Throne Room, Pillorian @ Capital Ale House – $20 (order tickets HERE)
It’s time for the return of America’s reigning champions of the black metal genre. Wolves In The Throne Room may have thrown us all off with their 2014 album, Celestite, and it’s veer into the wild world of dark ambient drone. However, they’ve returned to the ripping metallic riffage that won all of our hearts originally on brand new album Thrice Woven, and I’m sure I’m not the only one breathing a sigh of relief. Wolves In The Throne Room set themselves apart from the many Scandinavian bands who made black metal a force to be reckoned with back in the 90s by finding their own twist on those bands’ frequently-sketchy-in-practice interests in returning to a simpler, more primal connection to the earth (why do so many people end up bringing racism into the mix when they go this route? It’s really gross).

With Wolves In The Throne Room’s music, the Weaver brothers and their compatriots attempt to make a more universal connection through their homeland, the US Pacific Northwest, where there are plentiful rainstorms, foggy mountains, and shadowed forests to haunt, without all that pesky “tribal purity” garbage getting in the way. On Thrice Woven, the band returns to the dark, foggy sounds of the forest primeval, which they so effectively evoked on earlier classics like Two Hunters and Celestial Lineage. They’ll be bringing this sound to Richmond tonight at Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall, of all places, and if nothing else, you can rest assured that this show will not get as messy as that time you saw Watain at Brooklyn Bazaar or whatever. They’ll be joined by Pillorian, a new Pacific Northwest black metal concern with connections to Agalloch and a melodically-infused black metal sound. Don’t miss out on this one.

Thursday, October 12, 8 PM
Sammi Lanzetta, Piranha Rama, Illiterate Light, Secret Nudist Friends @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The fulfillment of some long-gestating potential is upon us this night. Sammi Lanzetta, who I’ve had my eye on since the early days of her now-departed alt-punk trio, Venus Guy Trap, is releasing her debut EP on high-profile local label 6131 Records, and this show is a celebration of its entry into the world. For Avery is four songs of the incredible voice, sharp lyrical wit, and excellent songwriting talent that has had me paying attention since the first time I saw her perform in a living room in front of a bunch of tipsy teenage punks. Starting the record by snarling “I would rather slit my throat than be stuck in a house with you” at some random misogynist, she spends the next four songs veering between venom-dripping fury and touching vulnerability. The latter is particularly well-documented on “Anxiety Olympics,” which features the immortal lyric “I talk too much and I’m scared of everything” (I definitely know that feel).

With a backing band featuring some talented usual suspects from local projects including Imaginary Sons, Lanzetta’s more than ready to take on the world with her brand new solo record, and she’s bound to make this show tomorrow night at The Camel a blast of power and excellence. She’s got some powerful compatriots signed on as well, from the secretive yet buzzed-about new rock n’ roll project Piranha Rama (don’t look now but I think Tim and Chrissie are in this band too) to excellent Harrisonburg alt-psych duo Illiterate Light, who must make that trip down 64 at least twice a month these days. Secret Nudist Friends kicks things off, and while I know nothing about this band beyond their name, I can’t pretend I’m not intrigued. Oh OK, I know one more thing–they’re from Philadelphia. Even more intriguing. Come to this show, get a copy of Sammi’s new EP, check out all the other rad bands on the bill, and make your Thursday the perfect start to the three-day weekend you’ll have if you call in to work Friday. You know you want to.

Friday, October 13, 8 PM
Truckfighters, Telekinetic Yeti, Gritter, Prayer Group @ Strange Matter – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
There’s a lot of really killer heavy fuzzed-out rock n’ roll coming out of Scandinavia these days, a trend it seems was probably kicked off back when the Hellacopters and Turbonegro ruled the roost up that way. Truckfighters came together in Sweden just after the turn of the millennium, and quickly established themselves as the sort of groove merchants easily able to get the wheels on your Camaro turning at a high rate of speed. Someone once called this sort of stuff “high octane bong rock,” and I can’t argue with that. But what Truckfighters have done on their latest album, V, is intriguing precisely for the ways that it steps outside that whole paradigm to expand their sound and add in the sort of psychedelic space that a lot of other Swedish bands (see Dungen) operate in. So these days, this band has even more to offer.

You can expect plenty of headbanging as well as floating through space during their performance at Strange Matter this Friday night, though, so don’t get too worried. And just in case you needed any further headbanging in your diet, fear not–there’s a whole slate of openers with riffs aplenty to get you rocking out. Iowa riffmasters Terminal Yeti are on tour with Truckfighters, and have a kind of Monster Magnet-ish psychedelic fuzz-metal style going on. Local openers Gritter are just about to release their fourth album, Nobody Cares, and should have plentiful new doom-laden NOLA-style jams on hand for you. Up-and-coming locals Prayer Group are dispensing some pure Mudhoney-style fuzz-grunge to kick the night off. Wear your bellbottoms for this one.

Saturday, October 14, 8 PM
Long Arms, Ladygod, Justin Jones @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
This is the second local release party Jet Trails Music has brought to us this week (they were also behind the Sammi Lanzetta one, I should probably have mentioned that at the time but I write these really fast), and it’s just as big a hit as the first one. The new Long Arms LP, Young Life, sees veteran local songwriter James Menefee continuing to hone his craft, for some fine results. If his revived teenage project, Fun Size, is the band where he indulges in his love for Jawbreaker and Gameface, then it’s Long Arms that get all his Springsteen and Westerberg tendencies. So yeah, this is a slightly different flavor, musically speaking, but the taste is just as sweet.

And straight up, the new Long Arms is sweet as hell. It mingles mid-period Replacements vibes with some early alt-country sounds that make me think of prime early Jayhawks tunes, and maybe even the first couple Son Volt albums. If you’re as into that as I am (and if you’re not, you should be), this is the release party for you! Early copies of the Young Life LP will be available, too, so bring some extra cash, because this’ll be your only chance to get it before the November release date. Psychedelic alt-rockers Ladygod open up, and with their own LP growing very near on the horizon, this is a good chance to learn just what you’re in for from this hazy crew of tunesters. Folk-blues troubadour Justin Jones gets things started off on a smooth note. Get there.

Sunday, October 15, 7 PM
Ryan Azada, Navi, Jeff Riddle, Julie Storey @ Gallery 5 – $7
Here’s something cool that I didn’t know about until I got a hot tip through the ol’ email box (keep em coming, folks!). Ryan Azada is a solo artist with a Memphis hometown, but he’s recently come to Richmond to stay, and this is his first show as an official hometown musician. He’s about to rerelease his last EP, Weird But Cool, on Trrrrrash Records, and also has a new EP called Make You Run coming out in November. Make You Run features a full band, but Azada often performs as a solo acoustic artist, and this should be that sort of gig. There are some Elliott Smith vibes coming off the acoustic tracks I’ve heard, while the electric ones make me think more of Conor Oberst’s loudest and best moments.

Azada is touring with Jeff Riddle, who normally fronts a Philadelphia band called The Holy Mess. That band has a propulsive melodic punk energy, but you can see how Riddle’s songs could translate to a solo thing. Chances are, for an acoustic gig, his set’s gonna be pretty loud. Navi will also bring the volume, and disrupt this mostly-solo-acoustic sort of gig with their trademark math-metal noise-rock–a sound you don’t get to hear that much these days what with John and Kyle being so busy with other projects. Take advantage of this rare opportunity! Doll Baby frontwoman and killer solo artist in her own right Julie Storey kicks off the night. Should be excellent. Don’t blow it.

Monday, October 16, 8 PM
Austin Lucas, Ryan Singer, Saw Black, Owlrare @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s an unusual pairing that intrigues me enough to qualify this show for the column all by itself. Austin Lucas and Ryan Singer are on tour together. One’s an acoustic performer of the sort I’d typically label folk-punk. The other’s a comedian. Yeah, isn’t that wild? “The Crooner and The Clown,” they’re calling the tour. My interest is definitely piqued. And while I’ve been hearing the name Austin Lucas for years now, I haven’t checked out his music in quite a while, and it seems he has further grown as a vocalist, to the point that he totally merits the label as a crooner. It’s not just his voice that’s the attraction, though–his music has a high-lonesome old-time folk feel even as it clearly reflects the influence of the Bloomington punk scene, where he originally got some attention.

Ryan Singer is a stand up comedian, and I for one have found his jokes quite amusing, and enjoyed his appearance on WTF with Marc Maron last year. Not to be a cliche, but he’s a very funny guy. And if nothing else, his set will certainly break up the steady run of live bands we all see night after night, right? Plus he’s on tour with a folk-punk singer, so that’s interesting enough right there. Crystal Pistol majordomo Saw Black will bring his acoustic indie tunes to us as part of the local support, with the opening shot of the evening being provided by new Crystal Pistol solo artist Owlrare and his surprisingly deep voice. This one should be both fun and moving, so you definitely don’t wanna miss it.

Photo by Josh Shinner, from Wikipedia

Tuesday, October 17, 7 PM
Lewis Watson, Angelica Garcia @ The Camel – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
One good folk show deserves another, but unlike the last, this one is not folk-punk but straight-up folk. Lewis Watson is a British singer-songwriter who’s explored full band sounds but seems to perform most often as a solo artist. Since he’s so far from home these days, I’d be highly surprised to see him show up to the Camel Tuesday night with a full band, but hey–you never know. Regardless, you’re in for some beautiful tunes, as his dulcet vocal tones and emotionally-drenched melodies are indelibly beautiful and will soak deep into your bones as you watch.

Local sensation Angelica Garcia is a great pairing for this British singer. She’s got a bit more of a swagger and snarl than Lewis Watson, but she’s another singer with a strong style and some real emotional resonance, and what’s more, she’s grabbed a lot of attention lately, so it’s always good to catch her at a relatively low-profile local gig. If things carry on in current fashion, you may not get too many more chances for that kind of thing. Make the most of it while you can.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [the rvamag address isn’t working for some reason, I STILL haven’t had time to look into it! I know, how annoying]