Reviews: Landmine Marathon "Gallows"

By: Garviel Loken

Like an enraged, bloodthirsty demon breaking out of the depths of the netherworld, the fourth record from Phoenix based Landmine Marathon spits in your face, rends your flesh to tatters, and then tosses your broken corpse into the dirty darkness of a back alley on the wrong side of town. All of this within 8 tracks that span just over 29 minutes, they get the job done and then walk away, satiated by the tasty morsel made of your soul.

Reviews: Megadeth "Thirteen"

By: Garviel Loken

Dave Mustaine. Yep, it is still a name that conjures up mixed emotions in the metal world. Through all the years of triumphs and failures, MegaDave is still here whether you want him to be or not, and he probably doesn't care what you think anyway. Hate him or love him, in the last twenty years at least, he has been putting consistently better music than that other band he was unceremoniously booted from back in the 1980s. Aside from the aptly named "Risk" album and a constantly revolving cast of band members (Dave Ellefson is back in the band after a decade on the sidelines), Megadeth's sound hasn't changed drastically through all of that time.

Best Of: 2011 - Bands and Fans Picks

(Please keep in mind that most of these lists are in no particular order. We just like to count to 10 and shit.)

Andy York - Landmine Marathon
1. Toxic Holocaust - Conjure and Command - I thought this was a very cool release this year. Old style with modern quality (but still keeps it dirty). Throughout the album I hear bits of Venom and Nuclear Assault influence (among others), so I'm sold on this.

Best Of: 2011 Staff Picks

(Please keep in mind that most of these lists are in no particular order. We just like to count to 10 and shit.)

Richard Gobbler - Editor
1. Landmine Marathon - Gallows
2. Vektor - Outer Isolation
3. ZiROH - Prime
4. Godhunter - Wolves
5. Lethal Dosage - Inhale
6. We Killed The Union - Bloodset Arizona
7. Methra/Godhunter - Ride The Meth Lightning split 10"
8. A Fall To Break - Man In The Mask
9. Flying Donkey Punch/D.B.F.O.S. - I Like Violence split 7"
10. Animus Divine - Sorrow

Interview: Ryan Butler (Landmine Marathon, Arcane Digital Recording)

 Photo by Fred Pessaro

AoC: Hi Ryan! First off we wanted to thank you for sitting down with Axe of Contrition for our very first interview! We understand you just made it home from a US tour with Warbringer, Lazarus A.D. and Diamond Plate, so we appreciate you taking the time for this. Let's start this off with you telling us a little about yourself, what you do, and your history in the Arizona music scene.

RB: Wow, well, that's a long history because I'm getting to be old as dirt in hardcore and metal years. Haha. I currently play guitar and write for Landmine Marathon and run Arcane Digital Recording up in Chandler, Arizona. I've been playing music and recording for many years and my obsession with metal and all things heavy began as a youngster in the early '80's and I grew to love all kinds of music. I've mostly played in heavy bands, but always dream of doing some acoustic indie project. Haha. I started playing in the orchestra in the late '80's and kept with that 'til I graduated in '95 and in high school I began playing in punk and hardcore bands. Since then, I've played with the likes of Wellington, Unruh, North Side Kings, Structure of Lies, Lyburnum, the mighty Richard Cranium, etc. and toured around the world. I've been engineering for a living since 2004 and been into recording since around '96. I've always been a big proponent of Arizona and I truly love this state and the people in it.

Spotlight: Wrathgate

Wrathgate is a very new band out of Tucson made up of parts of a few previous bands, most notably Diminishing Breed and the amazing A Breath Before Surfacing, which was vocalist Dustin Curtis' previous band. They play a very melodic and brutal version of death metal, residing somewhere between the foundation death metal laid down by At The Gates and Carcass, and the modern death metal made by bands such as The Black Dahlia Murder. Mason Pomeroy is a standout lead guitarist, exhibiting the full range of soloing skills needed to blaze an imprint on your metal mind, and Dustin Curtis is a next level vocalist, possessing a multi-faceted range of screams and growls. In fact, every single member of this band is a polished professional player, more than capable of producing this type of music at the highest level.

 

Their next show in Tucson is the annual Toys For Tots Benefit at The Rock (136 N. Park Ave.) on December 10th. If death metal is your thing, I suggest that you drop whatever you're doing that night and make sure you check these guys out!

Wrathgate: Facebook

Wrathgate: Reverbnation

Video: Landmine Marathon "Shadows Fed To Tyrants"

Witnessed: The Sword & Godhunter at Club Congress on 11/16/11

Blood, Sweat and Whiskey
By: Luther Von Fuzz

Musica delenet bestiam feram (music tames the wild beast) is the Latin phrase set in iron art across the stage of Club Congress, and for those doom metal fans that occupied this historic Tucson venue on November 16th for The Sword and Godhunter show, the music did just that. Of course, it should go without mention, but the legendary Tap Room at Hotel Congress, it's gracious staff, and the choice drafts, did their fair share to tame the savage beats in all of us as well.

Reviews: We Killed The Union "Bloodset Arizona"

By: Salvia Hex

We Killed The Union is a fairly new band from Tucson, having spent a couple years honing their skills on the local scene and the road before recording this, their debut effort. Their incendiary live shows have become quite the attraction in the Old Pueblo, bringing to mind some of the greats from yesteryear, like Pantera, who is obviously a touchstone in their music. I recently was sent a copy of this album for review, so let's dissect this and see what makes it tick.

Reviews: Lethal Dosage "Inhale"

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Upcoming Shows: November 2011 to January 2012

11/25/11: The Bled in Tucson at The Rock. Final tour, final hometown show. The end.

  12/6/11: Red Fang in Tucson at Club Congress - featuring Vanish Twin and Godhunter

 

12/10/11: Toys For Tots II in Tucson at The Rock - featuring We Killed The Union and Lethal Dosage
 

1/7/12: AZ Local Fest in Tempe at the Sail Inn - featuring GODAWFULNOISE and Inoculara

New Releases: 2011

2011 saw a shitload of new releases happen in the Arizona scene. Here's a few of the highlights, so you can check them out. All killer, no filler. Look for reviews from all of these albums in the coming weeks as well!

Landmine Marathon: Gallows
ZiROH: Prime
A Fall To Break: Man In The Mask
Lethal Dosage: Inhale
We Killed The Union: Bloodset Arizona
Genocaust: The End Of All Things
Godhunter/Methra: Ride The Meth Lightning 10' split

Witnessed: Maryland Death Fest 2011

By: Salvia Hex

Last year I sat idly by and wept gentle tears into my Cheerios as Entombed, Bolt Thrower and Eyehategod destroyed the 8th Annual Maryland Death Fest. As such, I made a solemn pact with myself that come Hell or high cholesterol, I'd be at MDF this year. When the headliners, Neurosis, Coroner and Voivod were announced, I booked hotels and flights. When it was then announced that Ghost would be doing their first ever American gig, I wet my pants and went back to crying gently into more Cheerios, only this time they were Honey Nut, which are obviously the superior Cheerios.

 (These are bullshit. Don't even go there, sister.)