Concert Recap: Eyehategod and More in Hamden, CT — 7/14/14

  As a new inductee to the cult of EHG, there was no way I could NOT see them last night at the Outer Space/Ballroom. (Actually there were a lot of ways I could not see them – basement floods, lack of cash, grandmother’s home health aides calling out –but thankfully those situations were rectified… Continue reading Concert Recap: Eyehategod and More in Hamden, CT — 7/14/14

Misadventures in Sake Infusion, Part I: Rosemary, Thyme, and Peppercorns

At first, looks good on Instagram...

  …It’s all part of the hipster quest. After a lunch at Miya’s Sushi in New Haven, I got the bright idea that infusing sake with herbs from my garden would make a delicious drink.  My plan wasn’t entirely successful, but Edison didn’t invent the light bulb on his first try either.  Here’s what I… Continue reading Misadventures in Sake Infusion, Part I: Rosemary, Thyme, and Peppercorns

Three Days in a Row of Shows You Need to Know About: Cherry Fest, Cherry Fest, and Eyehategod

  “Man, there are never any good shows in Connecticut!”  Uh… We here at Alternative Control respectfully disagree.  In fact, there’s already a warning out from the Department of Heavy Metal Awareness for some major activity mid-month…. 7/12 — Cherry Fest, Day One at Cherry Street Station in Wallingford The second annual local band extravaganza… Continue reading Three Days in a Row of Shows You Need to Know About: Cherry Fest, Cherry Fest, and Eyehategod

Album Review: Stikpin’s Funeral for the Sun

Middletown rockers Stikpin released their first album Funeral for the Sun this June.  Characterized by gritty vocals and slow, bluesy grooves, fans of Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Deliverance-era Corrosion of Conformity will find it a worthwhile listen. With Chris Weller on the mic and guitarist Marco G. at the helm in terms of songwriting… Continue reading Album Review: Stikpin’s Funeral for the Sun

Dead By Wednesday Hits the Road with Shadows Fall

Connecticut’s own Dead By Wednesday will be joining Massachusetts metal giants Shadows Fall for sixteen tour dates in late June and early July.  The first SF/DBW show will be June 20 at Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA; then the tour swings down to City Limits in Waterbury on June 21, with local support from a… Continue reading Dead By Wednesday Hits the Road with Shadows Fall

Interview with Mike Livingston of Ear One Productions and Bonded Through Hate

  Mike Livingston has been around the block and then some.  After traveling the world with hardcore bands 100 Demons and 25 Ta Life, he’s now back in Connecticut playing guitar in Bonded Through Hate and running his own record label, Ear One Productions.  In an email interview this weekend, Livingston talked with Alternative Control… Continue reading Interview with Mike Livingston of Ear One Productions and Bonded Through Hate

Emails from Near and Far: Reviews of Unscarred and Valence

You never know what you’ll find in ol’ inbox.  Recently we received review inquiries from French thrashers Unscarred and New York instrumental prog band Valence.  It took me awhile to get the downloaded tracks into Alternative Control’s Music Review Machine, er, my car’s CD player — but at long last I’ve listened to both bands’… Continue reading Emails from Near and Far: Reviews of Unscarred and Valence