ruby the hatchet

CANTO: City of Caterpillar, Capra, Orthodox, and More

CoreyLeave a comment


Anybody else get random urges to run screaming into the woods, never to return?

  • City of Caterpillar are returning, after a long 20 years, with a new album set for a September 30th release. Mystic Sisters will be out through Relapse Records, and the music video for “Decider” is available here. They’ve got some live dates coming up around that release date, so be sure to make that happen as well.
  • Metallic hardcore collective Capra also have some killer live dates coming up. September dates with The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, October dates with Exhorder, and a date with KEN Mode on Halloween. You know what to do from here! (I am very jealous I’m not local to that Halloween date, by the way.)
  • Over in Century Media land, Orthodox revealed the new song and video, titled “Dissolve”. That’s the latest from their new album, Learning To Dissolve, which drops on August 19th.
  • If you want something a little more psychedelic, let’s close out with the new video from Ruby the Hatchet for “Thruster”. It’s a ton of fun. That’s the first single taken from Fear is a Cruel Master, which is set for an October 21st release through Magnetic Eye Records.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Elder, Denouncement Pyre, Opeth, and More

CoreyLeave a comment

Alright, after a few days away, we’re right back at it.

  • Denouncement Pyre, a favorite from years past, have a new album set for a June 17th release. Forever Burning will be available through Agonia Records. Pre-orders are available here.
  • This is a tour I will definitely check out. Elder are hitting the road in August and September with support from Dreadnought, Ruby The Hatchet, and Belzebong. All those dates can be found here, and I can say with confidence that I will either be at the Boston or Vermont date… or both.
  • Apparently Allegaeon is going to spend the entirety of 2022 on the road. Not a bad thing. The Terrestrial Takeover Tour, which was originally planned for 2020, will now cover June 1st through July 1st. Support will come from Arkaik, Aenimus, and Summoning The Lich.
  • Opeth are streaming a new track, “Width Of A Cirlce”, which is taken from the extended edition of In Cauda Venenum. That edition features three previously unreleased bonus tracks, in both English and Swedish. Cool stuff.
  • Any interest in checking out the entirety of the Crown performance for Roadburn Redux? Because now you can. The whole thing is available for your viewing pleasure below.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

Best of 2017: Mr. Plow

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Mr Plow
Mr. Plow

Mr. Plow is a band that’s been around since 1997, a time when Fu Manchu and Kyuss were lighting up ears and minds with their heavy stoner rock. And in this long stretch of time the band has released three full lengths and are readying their fourth, Maintain Radio Silence, set for independent release on January 26. The band has always been more about the good times than negativity and this new album is more of the same in that department with rocking riffs aplenty along with some crazy catchy melodies and the title track is heavier than a 55 gallon drum of lead. The guys were nice enough to share their top music picks from 2017 with us so head inside to see what they dug this year.

Continue reading →

Initial Descent: August 20 – 26, 2017

JoshLeave a comment

Der Weg Einer Freiheit
Der Weg Einer Freiheit

Well, we’re still here. Everyone survived and chaos / destruction will have to wait until…who knows. Anyway, another huge week here on Initial Descent — I know, I know that has been said a lot but there have been multiple weeks with several really good releases so humor me, or not. Der Weg Einer Freiheit are back with another truly immersive and entrancing album’s worth of forward thinking black metal on Finisterre and I’m of the belief this band can do no wrong. Akercocke return from quite the break and continue to be the masters of molding death and black metal into something out of this world yet at the same time uniquely their own on Renaissance in Extremis — welcome back guys. Moving on, Ruby the Hatchet returns with their classically inclined, riff fueled proto-rock on Planetary Space Child, if you’ve yet to check this band out do it now. Rounding out the top slots is a Split between BLK OPS and Cave Bastard that grinds, pounds and lurches like a pride of lions going in for the kill. And with that it’s another full week but…you guessed it, there is sooooo much more to explore. So, stick around and find a new favorite with us. Continue reading →

Second Circle: Shaman Ritual and Ruby the Hatchet

Chris1 Comment

Second Circle

In Dante’s Inferno, the second circle begins the proper punishment of Hell, a place where “no thing gleams.” It is reserved for those overcome with Lust, where carnal appetites hold sway over reason. In Nine Circles, it’s where we do shorter reviews of new (ish) albums that share a common theme.

It’s been a week, folks.  And when it’s been a week like this particular week has been, you use music for different things. There were moments when I needed it to be loud, abrasive, and aggressive enough  to drown out the anger and rage and sadness, and there were moments when I needed it to bring me to a safe place, a place where I could float away and get lost.  Shuffling through the new and upcoming releases, I kept coming back to two albums that managed to do the job, so for this edition of the Second Circle let’s plunge into the depths with Shame Ritual and Ruby the Hatchet.   Continue reading →