Church of Noise – April 2013
You'd be surprised by the number of ways you can lose your hearing
Whether it's a brutal assault of chugging riffs, skull-piercing synth-pulses or bowel-moving bass-throbs, Church of Noise has you covered for the month ahead. The 13th Note is the place to be initially: your first assignment is to check out some Hungarian thrash-grind courtesy of Crippled Fox. The band's side project xFxAxSxTx will also be making an appearance, as will hardcore crew xSaxoNx and your friendly neighbourhood grindcore outfit WheelchairX4 (1 Apr).
If you're seeking a truly eclectic evening, one-man avant-garde band My Empty Phantom, electronic experimentalists (a is to b), industrial dreamgazers Le Thug and solo synth-pop project Yuan Mekong will be at the Note too (4 Apr). It's worth returning yet again for space-rock dudes Vakunoht and shoegaze worshippers The Cherry Wave, who will be playing with amplifier abusers Sunsmasher and no-wave nutters Dum & Dead Hope (7 Apr).
Over at Auld Reekie's Banshee Labyrinth, you'll find some ultra-depressive sludge from the Netherlands' Starve. They'll be tearing up the venue's tiny basement with some help from hairy Leeds fellas Wizard's Beard. Edinburgh up-and-comers Scapegoat are up first to prove their worth (11 Apr).
Alternative hip-hop fans can count on this killer lineup: Scottish MC Louie brings the drum-rap shenanigans with his band Hector Bizerk alongside playful electro-rock dudes Hanney, Scot-hop project Truman's Revenge and rap duo Supa Jme and the Jazz Man at Dundee venue Non-Zero's (12 Apr). Alternatively, you could trek over to Henry's Cellar Bar for the sax-funk indie rock grooves of Ded Rabbit and friends on the same night.
King Tut's is the place to be for some psychedelic jams: Rise Above alumni Astra and Purson promise to warp your mind and corrupt your soul (17 Apr). Got a bloodthirsty streak? Don't miss your opportunity to catch Swedish death metal legends Hypocrisy on their only Northern date outside London. That's at Stereo (18 Apr).
Next, there's some cinematic alternative rock on the cards from promising young post-rockers Penguins Kill Polar Bears and infatuating powerpop band Farewell Singapore. Indie rock quartet Model Aeroplanes provide support at Non-Zero's (19 Apr). If you'd rather dance away to some out there sounds, there's also some ethereal techno and dub from Container, Dalhous, Silk Cut and more at The Glue Factory on the same night.
Closing up the month are high-profile doom metal act Bongripper, who will most likely be breaking your face in slow-motion at Bannermans alongside their cronies, fellow Satan-worshippers Conan, Humanfly and Atragon (26 Apr). Horns up.