The Metal Column – February 2013

Now you've beaten those stinking January blues, it's time to get back in the circle-pit and lose your mind, droogs. For a kick off, you could either hit up the Classic Grand for some truly odd, folk-indebted metal from Finland's Korpiklaani and Estonia's Metsatöll (1 Feb), but if you're scoping an outlet for all that built-up frustration from your 9-5, you should head Ivory Blacks’ way for some straight-up death metal from German combo Chapel of Disease and Occvlta on the same night instead. Alternatively, female-fronted glam-rockers Fallen Mafia will be over in the east at Henry's Cellar Bar.

If you like your death metal with more of a technical flourish, you'll want to be at King Tut’s for The Faceless, who will be pulverisin’ yer tiny minds alongside prog disciples The Safety Fire (3 Feb). Next, it's some crushingly heavy sludge from Sleep's Matt Pike and co. as the ever-consistent High on Fire make for the same venue on the following night (4 Feb).

Edinburgh folks, five years of tram bullshit should have you prepared with an answer to this next question: Are you ready for some apocalyptic doom? Liverpool's Black Magician bring their folkloric style of metal to the Banshee Labyrinth, as do beardy psych-rock trio Headless Kross, retro-sludgers Atragon, and – wait for it – doom-infused black metallers Tommy Concrete and the Werewolves (9 Feb). With this much Sabbath-worship in one night, it’s like the skies are fallin’.

Back in Glesca, there's more retro heaviness to hand at King Tut's with Orange Goblin and Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovel (11 Feb), followed by Welsh post-hardcore veterans Funeral for a Friend (currently on rude form, by the way) at the same joint (13 Feb). Deftones have gone from strength-to-strength over the years; you won't want to miss them showcase 2012's dreamy, art-metal opus Koi No Yokan alongside the classics at the Barrowlands (15 Feb).

If you didn't get your fill of death at the start of the month, the 13th Note's Glasgore Fest is the place to rest your bones; led by weirdo-grinders Oblivionized and savage local extremists Scordatura, the bill's rounded out by Flayed Disciple, Regurgitate Life, Full Body Autopsy and several more (16 Feb). It's back to King Tut's later; California's The Ghost Inside bring melodic hardcore to the table, with welcome backup from NY punks Stray from the Path and UK outfit Landscapes (19 Feb).

The tail-end of the month brings us some theatrical heavy metal from Stockholm in the form of Grand Magus, playing the Cathouse with fellow thrashers Primitai (22 Feb). Ending February right, deathcore sadists Born of Osiris take the Catty just a few nights later, ably backed by a triumvirate of prog-metal ensembles, namely After the Burial, Monuments and The Haarp Machine (26 Feb). Yer heid'll be spinnin!