SHOW REVIEW: Xenosis Played the Music of Death, May 13, 2016 // Wallingford, Connecticut

It was finally Friday, May 13; the night I’ve been anticipating for quite some time because one of Connecticut best metal bands, Xenosis, was about to perform a selection of Death songs in honor of Chuck Schulinder’s birthday!  The excitement had been building since they first announced the show in March and you can sense… Continue reading SHOW REVIEW: Xenosis Played the Music of Death, May 13, 2016 // Wallingford, Connecticut

Fine Art From The Ashes: A Throwback Thursday Review of Death’s Human

There comes a time when a musical group needs to reevaluate its standards. And this need for change happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes a group needs to morph its sound to fit in with shifting trends, like many bands had to do when the MTV age of 1980s music forced progressive rock groups… Continue reading Fine Art From The Ashes: A Throwback Thursday Review of Death’s Human

GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY: Seaside Tavern, Your Favorite Neighborhood Bar and Heavy Metal Holdout

In the decade that I’ve been on the fool’s errand of playing metal in Fairfield County, I’ve seen the handful of consistently metal-friendly venues dwindle to one: Stamford’s Seaside Tavern.  It’s no secret to Alternative Control readers that my band Jimmy Junk Bird and the Stiffs plays there often; we’ve also been able to host… Continue reading GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY: Seaside Tavern, Your Favorite Neighborhood Bar and Heavy Metal Holdout

EP Review: Linchette Marcel (Self-Titled)

My first thought when I read the words “Lithuanian alt rock duo” was, “Jesus, what the hell is this going to sound like?”  And my second thought was, “Where the hell is Lithuania?” It turns out that Lithuania is the “southernmost of Europe’s Baltic states, a former Soviet bloc country that borders Poland, Latvia, and… Continue reading EP Review: Linchette Marcel (Self-Titled)

All In My Head: A Review of Daniel J. Levitin’s This Is Your Brain On Music

It’s no secret that I’m a music fan. But as much of an avid listener as I am, it’s almost embarrassing how little I know about the fundamentals of musical structure. Every review I write focuses on listening at an emotional and cerebral level, because that’s how I built up such a favorable relationship with… Continue reading All In My Head: A Review of Daniel J. Levitin’s This Is Your Brain On Music

Stoned, Sarcastic, and Slick: A Review of Aesop Rock’s The Impossible Kid

Rap music is a genre that I have little experience with, so this review might seem a little simplistic as far as in-depth hip hop commentary goes. But I’m going to give it a go, because I happen to be a big fan of Aesop Rock. This rapper turned my head with his EP Fast… Continue reading Stoned, Sarcastic, and Slick: A Review of Aesop Rock’s The Impossible Kid

An Evening with Mythical Brewing Company

“This is the local band version of brewing,” said Keith Zalinger of his craft beer endeavor Mythical Brewing Company.  “You can do whatever you want.” Indeed he can.  Zalinger and his partner Frank (who wishes to remain somewhat anonymous in the alternative press) have been experimenting with home brew techniques for about a year.  They’re… Continue reading An Evening with Mythical Brewing Company