The Metal Column – January 2012
If you're reading this, you made it. Looks like those Mayans were wrong, eh, droogs? Well, what did you expect? Those losers didn't even have the power of the riff to keep them sane back then. It's time to look forward without fear now in seeking out the most unholy delights the year has to offer. One step at a time, like.
If you're into slightly daft but stellar doom, listen up: Texan riffmasters The Sword are stopping past Glasgow as part of their UK tour with their label-mates, blues-tinged heavy rockers Lonely Kamel. That's taking place at the O2 ABC2 (7 Jan).
There's an evening of debauchery on the cards at the 13th Note with heavy metal extremists Storm of Embers, over-the-top Viking worshippers Norderobring, metalcore dudes In Depth & Ocean and prog-metallers Man Made Origin, which is sure to be a fun and eclectic night (11 Jan).
If you're into your friendlier stuff, take note: L.A. glam punks Faster Pussycat go way back, and they're heading to Bannermans to perform a greatest hits set. They haven't played some of these jams live since the 90s; it's kind of a big deal. Get yourselves over there for some classic rock ’n’ roll (12 Jan).
Swedish post-metal vets Cult of Luna are on tour with the like-minded Humanfly and Amenra. That's a pretty beastin’ lineup – if you're intae crushing atmospherics, you won't want to be anywhere else than Ivory Blacks (19 Jan).
It's strange to imagine members of Slash's Snakepit, Cinderella and White Lion as well as Alice Cooper's guitarist couped together in the back room of an Edinburgh pub, but that's exactly what'll be going down when Lost Angels take to Bannermans (23 Jan). Dinnae lose out!
Local death metal freaks / Earache alumni Cerebral Bore are headlining a notably brutal night at Stereo with some fellow thrashers, namely Warpath, Cemtex, Scordatura and Iniquitous Savagery (24 Jan). This one wins our ‘punishing lineup of the month’ prize.
Mind them Limped Bizdkit fellers? Their ultra-prolific weirdo guitarist Wes Borland is taking his industrial metal side-project Black Light Burns to the Cathouse (25 Jan). Should be an interesting one, so keep it in mind.
Finally, there's Sylosis, who combine old school thrash and prog with a more sinister form of death metal. They'll be seeing the month out at Ivory Blacks (26 Jan). Alternatively, you could head down to Nice ’n’ Sleazy on the same night to witness psychedelic rock being filtered through 80s goth aesthetics via The Underground Youth, Los Tentakills, His Name Is Codeine and Curiosity Shop. That should be enough to keep you busy. See ye next month!