The Only Thing Better Than Free Bacon…

What’s the only thing better than all the free bacon at Bacon Fest??  Getting into the show for free, too! One lucky metalhead will win two Bacon Fest tickets courtesy of Lyra and Alternative Control, a free beer from show organizer Eric Iocca (possibly with a hug), AND an AltCtrl prize pack.  This includes a free… Continue reading The Only Thing Better Than Free Bacon…

EP Review: Calatrilloz’s Psalms of Zayhin

In March, Alternative Control reviewed “I Am Alive,” a track from London rock quintet CalatrilloZ’s upcoming EP Psalms of Zayhin.  They liked it so much that we got the opportunity for an advance review of the entire album! “Origins” starts off at a fast clip, introducing listeners to CalatrilloZ’s trademark sound: lustrous clean vocals and… Continue reading EP Review: Calatrilloz’s Psalms of Zayhin

From New Haven to New Orleans: An Interview with Jeff Golden of Crowbar

Crowbar, from left: Tommy Buckley (drums), Matt Brunson (guitar), Kirk Windstein (guitar/vocals), and Jeff Golden (bass). Photo by Zack Smith.

  It’s not every day you get to tour the world with your favorite band…unless you’re Jeff Golden.  Jeff, our very own Connecticut metal scene veteran, went from Crowbar super fan to their bass player in 2013.  Crowbar, founded by Kirk Windstein in 1989 in New Orleans, is known for its heavy, doom, sludge riffs… Continue reading From New Haven to New Orleans: An Interview with Jeff Golden of Crowbar

On the Record with Promoter Town: “Get Out to a Show and Stay Off Your F***ing Couch!”

There’s nothing I love more than a long, contentious comment thread about other people.  So after reading a couple posts that not-so-subtly referred to what local booking and promotions collective Promoter Town was doing in “the scene,” I thought, “Why not sit down with these guys and hear them explain what they’re trying to accomplish?”… Continue reading On the Record with Promoter Town: “Get Out to a Show and Stay Off Your F***ing Couch!”

Track Review: “Revolt” by The Unravelling

The Unravelling is from Calgary, Canada and lead vocalist Steve Moore was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. That’s enough to unravel anyone, but Moore recovered and together with his collaborator, project founder and instrumentalist Gustavo De Beauville, they have bounced back with a renewed energy that inspires. Woo! This song starts off with a punch.… Continue reading Track Review: “Revolt” by The Unravelling

Perfect Timing: A Review of Enslaved’s In Times

Few metal bands have aged as well as Enslaved has. Most groups run out of ideas eventually, or at the very least slow down their output. And after a couple of clunkers from a couple of my favorite metal bands, I was becoming worried that Enslaved was going to come out with a snoozer. How… Continue reading Perfect Timing: A Review of Enslaved’s In Times

Banging Heads: An Interview with YOB’s Mike Scheidt

So if any of you have read my recent top ten of the year article, you know that I was a big fan of YOB’s latest album Clearing the Path to Ascend. But after delving into the band’s history and checking out a few of their shows online, I turned the corner towards becoming a… Continue reading Banging Heads: An Interview with YOB’s Mike Scheidt