Exclusive Interview - Ethan Lee McCarthy (Primitive Man)

This past Friday, Mick and I ventured forth to Chicago's Cobra Lounge, one of the city's truly great, unheralded venues, for one of the most extreme shows we've ever seen.  After a couple stellar craft beers from All-Rise Brewing, we were fortunate enough to bear witness to the heavy ugliness of Denver's Primitive Man and the glacial doom of Seattle's Bell Witch.  I had been set to see both bands before, before being stuck at work and then stuck on my honeymoon, so the show was a culmination of years of waiting.  And I gotta say, it did not disappoint.  Bell Witch was profound, playing the first half of their monstrous track/album Mirror Reaper.  There is a lot of quiet in the album, and it would be easy to lose the audience, but (short of one or two drunkards) Bell Witch held the audience in the palm of their hand, everyone swaying with rapt attention.  As great as Bell Witch was, Primitive Man was the highlight for me.  One of the heaviest, nastiest sets I've ever borne witness to, the trio was louder than they had any right to be, absolutely pummeling their instruments and the audience.  I've seen a fair share of heavy bands at Cobra Lounge, but it wasn't until Friday that I actually worried about the structural integrity of the place.

After the show, though, is when things got real good, as Mick and I had the absolutely delightful opportunity to speak with Ethan Lee McCarthy, the guitarist, lyricist, and vocalist from Primitive Man.  In our chat, we covered the Denver music scene, the best Chicago pizza, and why Kansas City is just fronting about how cool it is.  It was a blast to chat with Ethan, and I hope you enjoy it.  Primitive Man and Bell Witch are on tour now; you really owe it to yourself to see them.

Exclusive Interview - Rebecca Vernon (SubRosa)

This past weekend, comrade Durf and I were lucky enough to catch Salt Lake City's own SubRosa as they were playing the very last show of their tour opening for Wovenhand. The band has garnered plenty of notoriety over the past few years. 2013's More Constant Than the Gods and last year's For This We Fought the Battle of Ages have paved new paths for creating a different kind of heaviness within the doom metal genre; giving their compositions more emotional weight than just audible weight. We sat down with guitarist/singer Rebecca Vernon and just by chance drummer Andy Patterson to talk shop about the band's beginnings, their development over the years, and the tight-knit Salt Lake City music community.

Read the full interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Jonny Boucher (Hope For the Day)

In the time we've done Brutalitopia, we've had the opportunity to conduct some pretty cool interviews with some of our favorite musicians.  We've only ever wanted to do this site as a hobby, so it's been a real treat to have the privilege of these conversations, meeting and chatting with artists throughout genres, from different parts of the world, brought together by our love of music.  By and large, these conversations are pretty light, enjoyable ways for the three of us to get to know musicians we respect and admire, and to hopefully ask them questions they haven't been asked a thousand times before, in an effort to connect them with fans through our (admittedly small) platform.

This interview was different.

Last night, Mick and I had the opportunity to speak with Jonny Boucher, founder and CEO of Hope For The Day, a suicide prevention organization focusing on proactive prevention.  Jonny founded HFTD in 2011 after the suicide of his boss, and the organization's motto of "It's OK Not to Be OK" speaks to his desire to end the stigma around discussing suicide and mental health.  It's an incredibly important topic, especially considering the destructive attitudes of "suck it up!" that still surround suicide and mental illnesses.  Hope For The Day has worked with Warped Tour, Live Nation, and other musicians to get their message out there, and last night they were putting on a benefit show at Chicago's famous Metro, featuring Mastodon, Brain Tentacles, and Powermad.  All of the bands spoke to Hope For The Day during their sets, and it was a tremendous night of camaraderie, hope, and metal, but the absolute high point was getting to speak with Jonny.  Over the course of our conversation, we discussed the origin and goals of Hope For The Day, his views on death, and how having the same last name as The Waterboy has impacted his life.  We hope you enjoy this interview, and if you're dealing with any issues, please know that you aren't alone and there are people who will listen.

Exclusive Interview - Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna)

Cult of Luna has been one of those bands I've loved but never gotten to see; the last time they were in Chicago, I was on a family trip (live alone and have no friends kids; it's the only way).  I suppose I should say had been; a few weeks ago, CoL came through Reggie's to play their staggering Mariner album with Julie Christmas.  The band was sensational live, everything I'd hoped for, but Christmas was an absolute revelation, a Puciato-level force of nature that elevated the performance far above my wildest expectations.  I couldn't have asked for anything more (ok... maybe a "Mute Departure" encore) from the set.

Before the show even started though, I was living the high life, as I got to sit down with CoL's lead singer/guitarist Johannes Persson to talk about the band, Mariner, touring, collaborating, and a slew of other topics!  This was one of the coolest interviews I've had, so check it out after the break!

Chicago Open Air 2017 Preview... With Some Thoughts!

Last year, the first annual Chicago Open Air Festival arrived, featuring mainstream metal bands like Rammstein, Disturbed, Korn, Five Finger Death Punch, Breaking Benjamin, and Slipknot, alongside heralded underground bands like Carcass, Deafheaven, Gojira, and Meshuggah.  It was an interesting and pretty decent - if unspectacular - mix of metal that a lot of folks have heard alongside bands that hover in more extreme territory.  Also Hollywood Undead was there, which throws my perception of the whole thing off a bit.  I didn't make it to the festival last year, but I did catch the sterling aftershow featuring Carcass and Deafheaven, which was excellent.  Obviously a giant, open air metal festival in my backyard is something I want to support and attend, so I was eagerly awaiting news on this year's lineup.  Last week, the festival organizers announced the lineup for the second iteration of the festival, to be held at Toyota Park in Bridgeview (just outside Chicago) July 14th-16th.  Would the festival bring in more underground bands?  Would early-2000s alt-metal continue to headline?  Would 2017 be the year that puts COA alongside Maryland Death Fest or Southwest Terror Fest in the pantheon of American Metal Festivals?

Exclusive Interview: Zhrine

This past Sunday, Durf and I moseyed on down to Reggie's in Chicago's South Loop to check out a concert of the heaviest order. Boasting Ulcerate as the headliner, the show also featured Iceland's Zhrine. Being pretty big fans of the band's debut full length, Unortheta, we were determined to sit down with them for a chat about their very first tour ever.

Check out the interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview : Bruce Lamont (Brain Tentacles)

This past Saturday, Mick and I were fortunate enough to sit down with Bruce Lamont, he of many other bands but currently of Brain Tentacles. BT was in town on their tour with Intronaut and Gorguts that was passing through Chicago, and so over beers we took the opportunity to chat with Bruce about Brain Tentacles, his musical inspirations, songs he'd like to cover, how Luc Lemay is the nicest guy in the world, and many other things!  Check out our interview below!  Also be sure not to miss Brain Tentacles on tour with Gorguts and Intronaut; words do not do this show justice.

Exclusive Interview: If These Trees Could Talk

 Last Thursday, I had the incredible opportunity to see Akron, OH's instrumental post-metal masters If These Trees Could Talk live at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago.  Before the show, I was fortunate enough to take a stroll around the Roscoe Village neighborhood with guitarists Mike Socrates and Cody Kelly and drummer Zack Kelly; during the stroll we chatted about their incredible new album The Bones of a Dying World, Maynard James Keenan, the hotbed of musical talent from northern Ohio, Maynard James Keenan, their upcoming tour, and Maynard James Keenan.  It's a pretty great conversation, so you should listen to it all,  as well as check out my sub-amateur photography skills below!  Most importantly, do not miss out on ITTCT when they come through your city over the next three weeks!

The Granulating Durftanic Mills: Random Musings on Carcass, After Shows, and Chicago Metal Festivals I Did Not Attend

On any given day, I have a lot of thoughts, most of which are incoherent nonsense like "Who picks up more chicks/dudes: killer whale trainers or helicopter pilots?" (orca trainers, hands down).  Occasionally these thoughts slip into coherent nonsense, which is an interesting and scary change of pace; interesting because it's nice to think about things, and scary because I have this blog with which to share my musings with the world, where they will remain online forever and undoubtedly become the basis of future societies.  On with the thoughts!

Exclusive Interview - J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer)

My my, it's great to be back.  After a winter of isolation due to a multitude of mitigating factors, this past Friday I found myself returning to the world of the concerts, by way of legendary, seminal (but not legacy act!) grindcore masters Pig Destroyer.  While our Brutalitopia cohort Jack ventured toward the Decibel Music Tour that was sadly the same day, my erstwhile colleague Mick and I headed to Reggie's Rock Club for an evening of musical cocaine that was a bit outside our comfort zone; longtime readers and casual viewers alike can attest that grind is not really a Brutalitopian forte.  But sometimes a concert catches your eye and piques your interest and won't let go, and so you take that musical road less traveled.  And how lucky for Mick and I that we did, because in addition to having our neck muscles sorely tested from headbanging, we were lucky enough to snag an exclusive two on one conversation with Pig Destroyer's immensely talented lyricist and vocalist J.R. Hayes.  Check it out below to hear our conversation, during which we talk about Pig Destroyer's continuing evolution, touring and recording as a part time band, and the joys and wonders of conducting interviews under train tracks.

Concert Review - Foo Fighters Live at Wrigley Field

 

There's something about growing up with a popular band, hearing their singles on the radio, watching as their lead singer becomes a ubiquitous media presence, that sort of makes you take them for granted.  You begin to lose sight of everything you love about them, and start focusing on the things you don't.  They change, or try something new, and resentment grows.  It happens in every relationship.  I've been a Foo Fighters fan for going on fifteen years, and I'll admit to having those feelings.  "Is this really one of my favorite bands?" "Are they even trying anymore?"  "Why does Dave Grohl always talk about his love for metal despite only making ONE fucking Probot album?!?"  It just seems it's a part of human nature to focus on the negative parts of things you hold so dear.  Fortunately, sometimes there are moments that grab hold of you by the ears, pull you in close, and scream in your face "YOU'RE A FUCKING MORON; YOU KNOW YOU LOVE THIS SHIT AND THIS IS WHY!!!!"  Grohl and his fellow fighters of foo's concert at historic Wrigley Field two Saturdays ago was just such a moment.

Exclusive Interview - Steve Von Till (Neurosis)

The other night, Mick and I were able to sit down with Steve Von Till, singer and guitarist for music legends Neurosis.  It's been a few days, but I still can't fully comprehend that this interview actually happened; Neurosis needs no introduction around these parts, and for my money they are the most influential band in heavy music over the past 30 years they've been a band.  We spoke with Steve about the band's longevity, how they manage to continually produce consistently excellent material, and some changes he would make to elementary curriculum if given the chance.  Check it out below, and be sure to catch Neurosis on their current US Tour, their first major tour in the country since the turn of the century.

Exclusive Interview - Josh Weaver (Royal Thunder)

Monday night saw the official start of summer, and for my money, that means two things: softball, and bar patios.  While we didn't get any swings in, this Monday did see Mick and I venture out to the patio of Chicago's Beat Kitchen, where we spent some patio time with Josh Weaver, guitarist for the white-hot band Royal Thunder.  The band's sophomore LP Crooked Doors came out earlier this year, and is a genre-defying medley of damn near all the tropes that make metal and rock great.  We talked to Josh about Royal Thunder's sound, his writing process, and an indie band called Nirvana he listened to in his youth.

Exclusive Interview - Takaakira 'Taka' Goto (Mono)

Last Thursday, I was fortunate enough to sit down and talk with Taka Goto, founding member of the legendary Japanese instrumental outfit Mono.  We chatted about the current tour, Taka's view on what inspires Mono's sound, and some of his favorite metal bands.  On a side note, if you have never seen Mono live then please rectify that ASAP.  The band's performance was full of energy and emotion that was captivating on an unprecedented level.

Check out the interview after the break!

Concert Review - Steven Wilson (Park West, Chicago, IL June 4,5 2015)

Since we had achieved the unimaginable by interviewing Steven Wilson in-person just over two years ago, Durf and I were determined to not miss him again as he came through Chicago late last week for two shows at Park West.  While we unfortunately fell short in terms of landing another interview, we were lucky enough to catch both shows between the two of us.

Check out our thoughts and some pictures of the show after the break!

Concert Review: The Decibel Magazine Tour 2015 (Chicago 4/6/15)

Sometime in the past few weeks (my perspective on time is supremely disjointed right now), Mick and I headed down to Chicago's House of Blues for the 2015 iteration of the Decibel Magazine Tour.  This tour always has some serious band power, but seems to always hit Chicago on the Durfette's birthday, so this was my first year attending.  Thankfully, the bill was as great as I could have asked for: Vallenfyre, Pallbearer, Converge, and At the Gates.  For those keeping track at home, that's one stellar up and coming metal band, two of my personal bucket list bands, and one of the most important bands in metal history.  Needless to say, excitement and expectations were pretty high as Mick and I settled into our spots, ice cold Dale's Pale Ales in hand to prepare for some metal.

Exclusive Interview - Mike Scheidt (YOB)

It was with great pleasure that Durf and myself moseyed our way to down to Chicago's Thalia Hall this past Tuesday evening to talk shop with a true legend, Mike Scheidt of YOB.  While our interview was limited due to Mike needing time for vocal warm-ups, we were able to chat about the current tour, YOB's latest album, and Scheidt's positive approach to song-writing.  

Check out the interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Stavros Giannopoulos (The Atlas Moth)

It's been a long time coming, but I finally got around to interviewing Stavros from Chicago's very own Atlas Moth. Coming off of the release of their brand new album, The Old Believer, they've currently been touring the U.S. with Subrosa and Boris. They go on in September to play some Canada dates with Russian Circles. In the interview, which is certainly the shortest one I've done in a long while, I talked with Stavros about his thoughts on The Old Believer, the current tour, and the band's sound. There's plenty of good stuff to be had in this interview so be sure to check it out after the break!

Deafheaven Concert-Goers: Please STFU

<rant>

This past Friday, I ventured to one of my favorite venues in the city of Chicago, Bottom Lounge, to check out San Franciscan black metal outfit Deafheaven.  I had seen Deafheaven play once before; a sold out show at Subterranean, another Chicago venue who hasn't seemed to grasp the positive impact of air conditioning.  Thus, seeing Deafheaven play at SubT in the middle of summer when the place was packed to the gills was not very conducive to a pleasant concert experience.  However, Bottom Lounge had never steered me wrong before so I was convinced that my ideal live Deafheaven experience would be fulfilled.  It surely was and then some. The band played all of their latest album, Sunbather, in its entirety and even threw in a brand new song that was pretty solid.  Along with George Clarke's piercing screams, the guitars and drums were thunderous.  The band couldn't have performed any better, IMHO.  However, there was something amiss, which had nothing to do with band. Rather, all the ire I eventually accrued over the course of the evening was aimed towards my fellow concert-goers.

Free Russian Circles Show Announced

Let me first apologize for our recent inactivity here on Brutalitopia. Despite any excuses I could come up with, I can say we'll back to our usual "two posts or so per week" schedule very soon. Sometimes, it can just take a fun little news story to get me back in the writing groove. So check out the news after the break.