KEN Mode, Black Goat, The Antiprism @ Project Lodge 7-27

Shows at Madison's Project Lodge are usually pretty entertaining endeavors. The folks who book bands bring in a good variety of underground independent types and the occasional ball crushing metal/hardcore show. Last night was the latter.
I found myself thumbing through the Onion on my break at work this past Monday and discovered a platinum chunk of info on one of the final pages of the AV Club listings: KEN fucking Mode was coming to town. Should I have discovered this listing a day late, my inevitable end would have come today after typing up a shitty suicide blog. I consider myself lucky to find out about it, but borderline pissed since the Project Lodge DIDN'T EVEN POST ABOUT THE SHOW ON THEIR WEBSITE. Even if it was a last minute gig, which I doubt, get your shit together Project Lodge crew.
Anyway, I've been into the band for maybe a year, but kind of off the walls into since their latest, Venerable, came out and I picked it up. The harshed out noise rock meets metallic hardcore barrage is as much refreshing as it is tried and true in the scene today.
I rolled up with some homeboys pretty much in time to see The Antiprism play the last half of their final song. I've seen them before so I wasn't too disappointed. They are a Madison fixture in the metal scene, but didn't strike much of a chord with me so, eh.
After some large pulls from my wine bottle I ventured back into the venue to see Black Goat finish setting up and fire up the smoke machine. Dudes came out in corpse paint, which ruled. What ruled more was one of the guitarists sporting a 2 Live Crew shirt. Fuck yeah. Appearances aside, this band is built for some serious speed. The stark transition from the instrumental opener to 2nd song was like making the jump to light speed. Black Goat could probably do the Kessel run in a respectable amount of parsecs. I was in a short lived band with their drummer, Goatlord, and the man knows his way about a kit. His services are in high demand all over the area. The axemen don't disappoint either, as they shredded their way through the smoky set. On top of this was a shrieking vocalist who, despite his lack of stage banter and presence, completed the aural assault.
A few more pulls later KEN Mode had completed their stage setup and were ready to do their best in bringing the ceiling down. It was quite a change up going from 2 black metal types to the bruising hardcore stylings of those 3 Canadian boys, but a welcome one nonetheless. The group tore up the place with their first couple tracks including 'The Book of Muscle'. By 'tore up the place' I mean I engaged in full on headbanging madness. It wouldn't have mattered if I had brought earplugs because they would have jettisoned my ears due to the force of my overall body thrashing. Note: I've never been a huge pit fan or a hardcore dancer, but I like to show my support by letting music flow through me in jagged ways without getting too fancy or planned. Just let it out, man. Back to the set, which was loud as hell. KEN Mode created a wall of sound with some songs, seemingly ready to overwhelm the senses. They exhibited the ability to be brutish brawlers and precise attackers throughout their set, which ended with monster track, 'Never Was'. They fucking exploded on that song, an 8-minute build up and release of caustic anger and reckless abandon. My body and mind were aching from the sheer abuse I put them through, but it was worth every penny. Toss some killer merch on top of it all and you've got one hell of a night.
For the love of all that is noisy and brash, get out to a KEN Mode show when they roll into your area.

www.myspace.com/theantiprism
www.myspace.com/blackmountaingoat
www.ken-mode.com/

and then La Roux storms back in

so La Roux should have been included in my last couple of end of the year music lists, but i was too much of a shameful dipshit to include them. yet how fitting they find a way to push their way back into the forefront of my life.
i was at work, closing the bar, minding my own fucking business, when some patron just HAD to put 'Bulletproof' on the forsaken jukebox. fuck that thing. straight to hell...if you believe in such a place.
then it all came back and i find myself a slave to those poppy droplets and synthy hooks that fit perfectly in my mouth. yeah, the rest of the singles are great and have been remixed by now, but holy fuck don't ever let go of those original tunes and that androgynous yet immaculate figure in the videos.
i'm off the wagon. one i never really admitted to being on until now. so take it for what its worth. and listen to La Roux already.

Yob, Dark Castle, Indian @ Subterranean

my friends, i have been to some loud shows before, but this past weekend in Chicago may have rocketed to the top as far as my concert going experiences are concerned. volume levels need to be peaking for doom shows to work, and all 3 groups made the floor shake with their thunderous and punishing attacks. and Dark Castle doesn't even have a bassist, so yeah.
my trip down to Chi-town couldn't have gone smoother, despite a few construction hiccups. renting a car with Illinois plates pretty much entitled me to speed like a crazy Illinois person, which i thoroughly enjoyed. The Subterranean is in the Wicker Park hood of Chicago and despite all the hipster connotations that come with that, i came away with a positive feel from the area. the venue itself was one i would love to return to. the actual show room was on the 2nd floor with a balcony and merch area on the 3rd. bars on both levels, of course. what was in those bars was none other than my hometown brew, Point Pale Ale. i think i started to levitate in joy upon my first sip. not that i can't get Point in Madison, it was just a shocking surprise. anyway, the music...
Indian was first up and the band i was most excited to see. hailing from Chicago i expected shit to get rowdy, but that was not the case. either the crowd has seen Indian a few times and are already over them since they signed to Relapse, or they just don't get it. i didn't understand how i could be the one rocking out the hardest to another man's hometown doom outfit, but w/e. the dudes delivered the goods and played some of my favorite tracks from their latest lp "Guiltless". i mean no disrespect to Yob or Dark Castle, but Indian was the highlight of my night.
Dark Castle was a complete mystery to me and all i could really expect was extreme volume. what appeared from behind a wall of smoke was a 2-piece group headed by a female guitarist/growler. it took me a few songs to really get into it, but they laid down the grooves thick and i'm always impressed by female metal vocalists who scream better than guys. it's also worth noting that the drummer was pounding a pretty minimal kit, and i love how drummers not just get by, but explode on them.
Yob took full advantage of the building frenzy in the air and rocked right the fuck out. i ascended to the balcony for the final act and was transfixed at times. equal parts doom avalanche and hypnotic groove, Yob were simply outstanding, even with a fill in drummer. they closed with the title track of "The Great Cessation", a personal favorite and excellent way to end one of the most deafening shows i've ever been to.
all in all, a great time. worth every minute of the drive and lack of sleep. plus Madison is pretty nice at 4.30AM. give these bands a try if you like punishing doom and get out to their gigs if they roll your way.

sludge shall flow forth

i am going to Chicago tomorrow. i can hardly wait. normally i avoid the state of Illinois if i can at all help it (sorry extended family), but there happens to be a portal to the sludge dimension i cannot afford to miss.
Yob, Indian, and Dark Castle will be the gatekeepers leading me into the tar-filled abyss. i bought Yob's 'The great Cessation' about 4-5 months ago and am still blown away by it every time it spins. i've been high on Indian ever since my good pal Jarad introduced me to them a couple years ago. they are so crunchy they deserve their own breakfast cereal. for real. Dark Castle i don't know much of anything about, but if they're on this bill they must be the real deal. plus, Crustcake has blogged them up, and those dudes know what the fuck they're talking about.
a show like this is deserving of a spliff the size of my forearm, but i'm a responsible car renting adult now. or posing as one. so with my ear plugs packed i bode you farewell. if the doom doesn't completely swallow my earthly body, perhaps i will compose a review of the show.