Two very solid new Chimaira tracks

Just a quick one to say that my favourite Ohio-born metallers Chimaira have released two new songs from their new album, Age Of Hell, and they are both sounding pretty epic!

Trigger Finger has that classic Chimaira sound to it - less dark than some of their most recent work with a distinct air of Eyes Of A Criminal about it..

Born In Blood, meanwhile, features Whitechapel's Phil Bozeman and is heavier than deepest hell and packed with some seriously sick fretwork. One for the oldschool Pantera lovers, me thinks..

Check them out - the album's out 16th August.

Converge FOREVER

Converge have to be one of the greatest bands live - ever. And what's sickening is how they just seem to get better every year you see them. This week's show at the O2 Islington in London was so good it's almost cruel. I could only find a couple of videos of Converge's tracks on YouTube (health warning: do not watch THIS if you're scared of heights) so please ping me if you find or have any more so I can worship them, relive the memories again - and also add them to the Blog / favourite them on my Channel. Thanks muchly!

It's always curious to see who dare support this lot, so I'm not sure what they were thinking adding 33 to the bill...(think a shockingly dated dual vocal act with a bored-looking guitarist and seriously below-average drummer...kill us now) but I owe them a huge thanks for introducing me to Pettybone! If you, like me, haven't heard this fabulously furious all-girl band before, do see if you can hunt them down with me at either the Relentless Garage on the 6th July or The Unicorn in Camden on the 3rd. You might recognise their rather impressive drumming talent from performances in Camden with Invasion .

A Monday morning Gorod binge

I know they've been around a while, but it's been a particularly gloomy Monday morning here at Digital Towers and so I've been wading through some old playlists to help lift the mood a bit.

After the cheery little discovery that everyone's favourite black metal Vegan Chef has posted his second episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy2my_diH6A (oh, go on, it makes you grin too!)

...and the rather less cheery video reminder that I missed Times Of Grace play Download this weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJk05ev0O98
(Mental Note: See all rock festivals regardless of the bad line-up, if nothing else just to catch the one or two bands you want to see..)

...eventually drowned my sorrows in a dedicated Gorod binge on Grooveshark.
And - GOD DAMN - I'd forgotten how groovy they are! Debut album Neurotripsicks was already pretty awesome but Splinters Of Life is just stunning. Clever, heavy, catchy...it's kind of got it all...witness THIS

Oh, and for the fact fiends: Yes, this is the self same French Tech Death Metal five-piece who've been going since 1997 but were originally called Gorgasm and needed to change their name in order not to clash with a US band.