The Metal Column – March 2012
Mainstream music has taken a couple of major blows in the past month. Whitney Houston – our favourite guilty pleasure – has become the latest victim of celebrity excess, and Chris Brown was unjustly given a free pass (and an award for best Rap&Bullshit album) at this year's Grammys despite his shady past. The sight of Brown being attacked by seagulls while he tried to relax on a beach a few days later was small consolation; times are grim, people. So just give us our rock'n'roll.
Given their track record, 80s punks Anti-Nowhere League will likely be as snarly and confrontational as ever when they play Ivory Blacks (2 Mar), giving old-timers an excuse to get another wear out of their dusty cut-off denims and pump a fist in the air for So What. Edinburgh natives can see them at Citrus Club (3 Mar).
Your next stop should be Sneaky Pete's for LaFaro's seedy, riff-orientated rock. Not far removed from the screechy sonic assaults of Big Black or The Jesus Lizard, they're supported by head-spinning tech-rockers Vazquez and sleazy dance-punks Battle Adds (4 Mar). On a similar note, the indigenous Carnivores will be bringing their complex yet catchy math-rock to Stereo (5 Mar). They're joined by the slightly sinister (yet undeniably poppy) outfit Cuddly Shark, as well as the snappier, more abrasive young bucks No Island. Proceeds are going towards Charity Action for Children, so you'd be a terrible person not to go.
The Destroyers of the Faith tour screeches into town on 8 Mar, with sets from brutal deathgrinders Cannibal Corpse, Job for a Cowboy, Enslaved and Triptykon at the O2 ABC. Boy, that's gonna hurt. The following night Cleveland groove-metallers Chimaira hit up Dundee's Fat Sam's (9 Mar) to shake the place to its core. Aberdonians can catch them the next night at The Tunnels (10 Mar), with support coming from hard rock worshippers Revoker on both dates. Back in the central belt, Zappa-inspired post-hardcore champions Hey Enemy return victorious from a European tour with their long-awaited debut album to flog at Glasgow Bar Bloc (8 Mar) and Edinburgh Banshee Labyrinth (9 Mar).
Calling all Vikings: your favourite band Amon Amarth are set to provide the soundtrack to your village pillaging at the O2 ABC (13 Mar) alongside doom-merchants Grand Magus. All we ask is that you go easy on the mead. If you were a hip young thing five years ago and are starting to feel nostalgic, Enter Shikari are heading to The Corn Exchange (17 Mar). Remember them? It's hard to believe they're still going; easy to believe they're still divisive. Rave-metal or something. A paradox, surely? We'll let you be the judge.
You'll no doubt be hankering for a chance to show off your sensitive sides after all that manly brutality, and that's why L.A. melodic hardcore kids Touché Amoré are not to be missed at Stereo (24 Mar), especially with the inclusion of post-rock-tinged screamo act Pianos Become the Teeth on the bill. Glasgow's own Departures will be providing (im)moral support. We'll be there, most likely crying into our pints because nobody understands us.