When Ronnie James Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009, his wife Wendy said to the press, “After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans.” But one day we all will meet a foe we cannot defeat. Dio… Continue reading Chords for a Cure: Connecticut Musicians Band Together to Fight Cancer
Bair Grills… Orcs 1, Goblins 0 by ORCumentary
‘Incomparable’ is a difficult adjective to use appropriately. Everything in music is relatable in some way to something else, influences will often tell in the composer’s tendencies. And after thousands of years of purported civilization, all of the stories have been told. It’s a unique perspective that keeps these same, re-treaded tales fresh, and an… Continue reading Bair Grills… Orcs 1, Goblins 0 by ORCumentary
Go Fund Yourself, Jerkface: The Making of a Comp CD
Here at Alternative Control, we spend most of our time writing about local music. Sure, we have a fashion section that hasn’t been updated in months and we ostensibly tell you about “places to go.” But our real deal is music. Whether it’s show listings, album reviews, or interviews with bands, the local scene is… Continue reading Go Fund Yourself, Jerkface: The Making of a Comp CD
Suicide Black Snake, Coming to the Masses
“Integrity means not swaying from your beliefs. This is how we live, we do not care what anyone thinks about us. We have no interest in what society does or thinks.” –Dwid Hellion With their North American tour just finishing and a European tour coming up, Integrity is spreading the sound of their upcoming album… Continue reading Suicide Black Snake, Coming to the Masses
The Grand Conjuration: A Review of Black Mass’s The Second Coming
I had the pleasure of listening to the new EP The Second Coming by Boston’s thrash metal enthusiasts Black Mass. They made a pretty clear indication of what I was going to expect, I just didn’t know it was going to be such high-quality. For one, the EP sounds great. The production is clear, loud… Continue reading The Grand Conjuration: A Review of Black Mass’s The Second Coming
Summer Metal Update 2013
Another summer is upon us, and with it more great local and national shows. On the first day of June, Cherry Street Station in Wallingford kicks things off with Drunk Dan’s Summer Shit Show. The Decibel Magazine Tour is rolling into Toad’s Place on 6/4, featuring Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Immolation, and Magrudergrind. Your favorite… Continue reading Summer Metal Update 2013
The AltCtrl Comp Album: All the Cool Kids Are Doing It
… And for some reason, so are we. Alternative Control will release Quality Control: Volume I in early summer, showcasing tracks from twenty hand-picked bands we’ve reviewed, interviewed, or enjoyed. (Okay, and a few bands that our writers are in…) Most are from Connecticut and most are metal, but we will spread our tentacles,… Continue reading The AltCtrl Comp Album: All the Cool Kids Are Doing It