Interview with Simon Tuozzoli of UP Recording and Vestal Claret

I first came across Simon Tuozzoli’s work through my friend Rob’s project The Danbury Lie.  Rob sent the first album to Alternative Control for review — an unusual collection of songs, with sparkling recording quality and a few really ear-catching basslines. “Who played bass on this?” I asked him. “This guy Simon,” he said.  “The… Continue reading Interview with Simon Tuozzoli of UP Recording and Vestal Claret

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

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

Six Degrees of the Dead: An Interview with Eyes of the Dead for Their Ten-Year Anniversary

  As they have been a staple in the scene for, well, ten years, everyone who’s involved in the loose network we call Connecticut Metal has some connection to Eyes of the Dead.  Mine probably doesn’t involve as much alcohol as other people’s – Jill, who co-founded this blog with me, went to high school… Continue reading Six Degrees of the Dead: An Interview with Eyes of the Dead for Their Ten-Year Anniversary

Cinderblock Music: A Review of Penitentary’s Claustrophobia

Anybody that knows Bill Klopfer knows that he’s a busy man. I don’t believe a single day passes without a riff being written. You can look at his metal band resume as proof of his prolific nature. He’s currently a crucial part of the bands Murder Castle, Kaos Reign and of course, Penitentary. So here… Continue reading Cinderblock Music: A Review of Penitentary’s Claustrophobia