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New York got a taste of San Francisco recently from Ludicra and Hammers of Misfortune. Its bands are diverse, but San Francisco underground metal has a distinct flavor. A certain twangy grit runs through bands like Ludicra, Hammers of Misfortune, Saros, Slough Feg, Grayceon, Totimoshi, and Neurosis. If it were a material, it would be dark, unfinished wood, knotted into unexpected shapes.
Hammers of Misfortune – Rats Assembly
Ludicra were as strong as I’ve ever heard them. Two weeks of touring had clearly firmed them up. Even singer Laurie Sue Shanaman, who is sometimes painfully shy onstage, seemed sure of herself. The band had reached that level of tour readiness where eye contact is unnecessary. Its attack was hard and thunderous. Guitarists John Cobbett and Christy Cather churned up chilly black metal, which Aesop Dekker buttressed with lean, flinty cymbals. Ross Sewage confidently steered his bass, sometimes one-handed, through warm lines. Do you know how hard it is to play bass one-handed?
Long, proggy songs with organ and male and female vocalists: not my usual idea of a good time. But Hammers of Misfortune were mesmerizing. They, too, were in the zone. Guitarists Cobbett (who writes Hammers’ music and lyrics and would win a genius award in a just world) and Patrick Goodwin unspooled snaky tangles of barbed riffs. Sigrid Sheie added garlands of ghostly organ. Singers Goodwin and Jesse Quattro traded lines with practiced ease. The set was hot and seamless with little stage banter. Epic after epic, then time to go home. This was getting fans the old-fashioned way: earning them.
Buy:
Amazon (CD)
Amazon (MP3)
20 Buck Spin (LP)
Profound Lore (CD)
All That Is Heavy (CD)
All That Is Heavy (LP)
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I am giving away a CD copy of Hammers of Misfortune’s recent double album “Fields/Church of Broken Glass.” For a chance to win, email invisibleoranges at gmail dot com by midnight EST, Sunday, August 16 with the subject header “John Cobbett is a genius” and your full name and address. I will pick a winner randomly.
Wish I'd been able to make it to the show. Alas it couldn't happen. I'll probably have to trek out to SF to see Ludicra before I die.
Thanks for the review.
Hammers of Misfortune are one of the most underrated bands around. Thanks for the post.
I saw them in Philly the next night and Ludicra was just fucking terrific. What an excellent band.
Yes, a beautiful show!
Here's the info on the black metal theory symposium.
Cheers,
Nicola
If you happen to be in S.F. next week:
8/27 – Saros @ The Eagle Tavern
8/28 – Hammers Of Misfortune / Ludicra / Amber Asylum @ Great American Music Hall
If you happen to be in S.F. next week:
8/27 – Saros @ The Eagle Tavern
8/28 – Hammers Of Misfortune / Ludicra / Amber Asylum @ Great American Music Hall
After enduring the festering sweatbox that was the recent Repulsion show in Brooklyn (who I still am very happy I was able to see) it was nice to be in such a well-run AIR CONDITIONED venue like Santos.
No mention of opener Villains though? I love those guys, one of the best local acts from NYC and they never seem to get a fair shake. One of maybe a dozen bands out there today plying an oldschool style but yet not really sounding like/ripping off any older band. They just invoke a feeling of raw n' dirty metal from two decades past.
vugelnox – Unfortunately I could not make it in time to catch Villains. However, I have enjoyed them mightily all the other times I've seen them, and highly recommend their latest album, Lifecode of Decadence.
Villains are the champions of the old school metal in new york city. just like vugelnox said, they are criminally underated. support this powerhaus of hell people!