The Metal Column – October, 2009

Remember when guys in leather jackets or cut-off denim were the evil henchmen in action films? Remember Superman making a monkey out of that gang of bikers who looked like they enjoyed a bit of Thin Lizzy? Or the general wardrobe of the Terminator? What the hell happened to the image of the metal fan to make them such a pushover? Certainly a decade of Faster Pussycat and Poison didn't do much for machismo. Just ask Pantera, who might well stick the head in you rather than discuss their early outfits. Try one beard, one studded belt, two or three naked ladies drawn on your chest and two big, hairy fists. That's metal.

Check Scandinavian heroes Wolf. Here's a band not afraid to make a stand to try and reclaim their genre. See for example their tag-line: “Real metal for true bastards.” That's what it's all about. Honestly, mark these words, the quality of modern action films will rise exponentially if these men get their way. You can pump fists with these Swedish titans at Ivory Black's (11 Oct). If that's too big of a first step, across town prog fans can see the legendary Dream Theatre play more notes than have actually been discovered at SECC (11 Oct), joined by Opeth. Meanwhile, Edinburgh newcomers Fighterplanes, making big nods towards Laeto and similar alt-metal pioneers, can be savoured at The 13th Note that same night.

Edinburgh actually gets off to a quick start in October. Bannerman's in particular hosts a run of promising shows, starting with some black metal in the form of Kathaarsys and Haar (1 Oct). The following night at that same venue sees head-mashing brutes Charger and Glasgow's Corpses, shaking loose some teeth (2 Oct). Lastly, Irish post-metallers and touring machines And So I Watch You From Afar swirl their anthemic majesty round those same subterranean caves on Cowgate.

Meanwhile poor little unsuspecting Elgin enjoys a visit from crushing Glaswegian doom-sayers Black Sun, supporting Lazarus Blackstar at New Elgin Hall (3 Oct). Quite how that will go down with the residents committee should be interesting.

Back in Bannerman's, recently formed Shields Up throw down some righteous hardcore from their impressive debut album (8 Oct). That venue's busy month is rounded off when Threshold Sicks and Leather Pig do some damage (23 Oct). The following weekend finds Edinburgh's GRV hosting another Black Metal Festival (24, 25 Oct) this time showcasing the throaty talents of Achren, Mithras, Scythian, Spearhead, Burial and the aforementioned Haar, amongst others.

Vessels make a trip north with their crushing metallic post-rock, calling at The Captain's Rest in Glasgow (16 Oct), then Sneaky Pete's in the capital (17 Oct). Support for their Glasgow show comes in the form of two highly tipped domestic talents, with Take A Worm frontman J Quimby performing as Loss Leader and Ayrshire riff machine What The Blood Revealed also supporting. Vessels themselves have enjoyed some unanimously feverish media attention, with Steve Lamacq in particular singling them out for praise. Up to Tayside, and on 16 October United Fruit make a rare trip to Dundee, kicking hell out of The Balcony Bar.

Back in Glasgow, the infamous Isis do their very best to level Stereo (25 Oct) followed by Raging Speedhorn off-shoot Viking Skull getting all denimed-up at The Cathouse (26 Oct). The latter also makes an appearance at Hustlers In Dundee (29 Oct).

Finally, there must be few better ways to celebrate Hallowe'en than listening the the tongue-in-cheek gore metal of Cannibal Corpse (31 Oct) at the clumsily named O2 ABC1. More of a license plate than a venue perhaps.