Weekly Worth It
Tuesday 7-5-16
Stoic/Collude Noise Cult/QRY
Wyoming’s best kept secret are coming to the Vera Project this Tuesday. Stoic, an absolutely crushing four-piece from Laramie, combine elements of sludge, D-beat, hardcore, punk, and metal to create a ravenous beast hellbent on destroying everything in its wake. All four members add to the harsh vocal delivery, ranging from guttural lows to raspy, tortured highs, and everything in between. Fans of Converge, Primitive Man, and Celeste will all find something they like within Stoic’s scathing delivery of energetic, downtuned misanthropy. Improvisational harsh sound-crafters Collude Noise Cult, and local queer drone/noise/punk outfit QRY kick off this evening of entertainment for all ages. There’s not much else that’s going to hold up as a better post-4th hangover remedy. -Dustin Carroll
$8//8pm//all ages//The Vera Project//Warren & Republican, inside the Seattle Center
https://www.facebook.com/events/1100617330010098/
Thursday July 7th
Falls of Rauros/Wayfarer/A God or Another/With the End in Mind
Falls of Rauros are one of those greatly revered black metal bands that rarely play out, yet alone play shows on the literal opposite side of the continent from their homeland in Portland, Maine. What makes this upcoming night twice as special, though, is the inclusion of another visiting band: Colorado’s Wayfarer. Both bands plant their roots in firmly in black metal, and while Falls of Rauros are widely-known for perfecting the kind of transcendental long-form black metal that’s familiar to this region. Wayfarer are notable for including more elements of prog and folk that interweave between the band’s distorted riffs. Opening are two Washington locals, the ubiquitous and consistently pissed-off A God or An Other and the single-man led black metal effort With the End in Mind, whose recent release ‘Unraveling; Arising’ is definitely not a record to miss this year. Be sure to show up early and spend the full evening immersed in transcendental rage. -Jake McCune
9PM // $12 // 21+ //Highline//210 Broadway E
https://www.facebook.com/events/1601595196828048/
Northwest Heavy Fest Day 1: Infinite Flux/Mother Crone/Teacher/Teepee Creeper
Devils Child Records is a fairly new local label and if you haven’t been paying attention, they’re doing some great things. They’ve put out some killer records from some amazing bands including Mos Generator, Infinite Flux, X Suns, and Year of the Cobra. The label is now curating a two day fest at Substation chock full of bands representing a wide spectrum of the best of our region’s heavy music scene.
Tacoma stoner metal stalwarts Infinite Flux will be headlining day 1, raining down a storm of heavy riffs and monstrous jams. Local doom-infused thrash metal shredders Mother Crone will be showing off their explosive brand of sonic wizardry, alongside the vintage styled sludge rock of Teacher and Port Angeles based doom metal outfit Teepee Creeper. A solid night of superb Pacific Northwest heaviness. -Brian Kim
8PM//21+//Substation//645 NW 45th St
https://www.facebook.com/events/186602388401095/
Friday, July 8th
Northwest Heavy Fest Day 2: Mos Generator/Year of the Cobra/X Suns/Mammoth Salmon/Sower
Devils Child Records’ Northwest Heavy Fest continues to rage on hard and heavy for day 2. Groove-fueled heavy rock veterans Mos Generator and stripped down Sabbath worshipping drum and bass duo Year of the Cobra will be fresh off a nationwide tour, both bands showcasing a profound mastery of big riffs and heavy grooves. SPA favorites X Suns will also be blowing minds with their uniquely progressive take on post-metal/post-rock. Portland-based doom trio Mammoth Salmon will be making the trip up to melt some face with their dense and epic sludge metal, and heavy rock trio Sower will be opening up the night. Definitely a stacked lineup not to be missed. -BK
8PM//21+//Substation//645 NW 45th St
https://www.facebook.com/events/1021939871216769/
Absolute Monarchs/VHS/Night Boss
The Absolute Monarchs are back! After re-uniting to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Good to Die Records, the good old fashioned heavy rockers are playing a few gigs around town, words out on how long that will last. Monarchs’ songs are tiny powerhouses that belie a love of both distortion as well as catchiness, and sometimes it’s nice to feel good at a rock show. V/H/S, one of the most talked-about punk bands operating out of our city today, are lending their dark, post-punk-ish ruckus to the lineup. Opening are local newcomers Night Boss, whose line-up include former mad-man drummer Dan Enders, of the dearly departed MTNS, as the city’s newest, dirtiest, rowdiest front-man. Show up in time to examine his charm and I guarantee you will not regret what you encounter. -JM
8PM//$12 //21+//Chop Suey//1325 E Madison St
Saturday July 9th
Smooth Sailing/Githyanki/Glose/Law Boss
There has rarely been a more satisfying feeling of community in the Seattle heavy music scene than scanning the crowd during the climactic thundering dual-bass and raining six-string arpeggiatic break in “Galloping Gertie” to find the virgin attendees turning to their friends and mouthing the words, “HOLY SHIT,” the same way you did the first time you saw Smooth Sailing live. Around 2010, many of us thought this band was destined to take over the world. We still feel the world missed the boat on that one. For some, this recent reemergence from a few years on hiatus is a much needed return to the warm cocoon of the thick but melodic, undulating dynamic beauty they exhibited on their near-perfect LP, XOXO (2011). For others, it will be a fresh feast for the ears and eyes they never knew they were craving, but will crave forever after. Welcome back, smooth sailors, you have been missed. Excellent openers Githyanki (mem. Android Hero), Glose (mem. Ruby Doe), and Portland’s recently hatched, but very promising Law Boss (mem. Gazebo of Destruction) round out this robust bill to make every single goddamn minute worth catching. -Jake Weller
