Church of Noise – May 2013

From eerie folk to avant-punk, Scotland's underbelly is rife with esoteric treats in the coming weeks

Preview by Ross Watson | 30 Apr 2013

An eclectic month starts as it means to go on as genre-mashing punks Sharks mix things up at the 13th Note (1 May) with a couple of danceable indie rock outfits in tow, namely Beach Blood and The Barents Sea. Auld Reekie also gets off to an early start: Portland stoner-doom quartet Witch Mountain will be laying down the riffery at Bannerman's with Black Magician (3 May). The following night, take the opportunity to support a worthy cause at Banshee Labyrinth as Happy Spastics, Subordinate, Overspill, Down to Kill and Spacehandle play a DIY punk rock benefit in aid of Chernobyl Children Life Line UK (4 May). 

Over in Glasgow's Ivory Blacks, Deafheaven's lush, dramatic post-black metal sprawls will be accompanied by The Secret's chaotic bursts of fury (7 May). Local hardcore crew No Island set the scene. Unmissable. Then, be seduced by Chelsea Wolfe's dark, gothic brand of folk music at King Tut's (11 May). Those of a more progressive persuasion might want to take in The Pineapple Thief at O2 ABC2. Orchestral rockers The Red Paintings and Atlas : Empire support (13 May).

Post-hardcore fiends can also get their fix at the O2 ABC when Sleeping With Sirens roll into town (22 May). A psychedelic surf ’n’ roll onslaught is also imminent as Los Tentakills launch their album at the 13th Note with a little help from Easy! Tiger, Reverse Cowgirls and Kosher Picklers (24 May). If you're over in the East, Mancunian noisemakers Obsessive Compulsive take their healthy stramash of alt. rock influences to Bannerman's on the same night.

If experimental hardcore from Canada's your bag, Nomeansno aim to please. They'll be getting a run for their money at the hands of homeside trio Hey Enemy (at Stereo, 26 May) before attacking Electric Circus on 28 May. Balaclava-clad death/black metal crossover act Dragged Into Sunlight delve into the bleakest, filthiest corners of the human psyche in their music, and their live show promises to be no less forgiving. Atmospheric sludge quintet Bossk will ease you in gently – relatively, of course. That's at Audio (27 May). Freeze the Atlantic (featuring ex-members of Hundred Reasons and Reuben) meanwhile bring the pain to Stereo, with Paisley punkers Carnivores and noise rockers Cactus & Cardigan (28 May). 

Seeing us out of May, it seems rumours of Damian 'Pink Eyes' Abraham's longterm retirement from touring with Toronto venue wreckers Fucked Up have been greatly exaggerated as the formidable hardcore crew plot their long overdue return to Glasgow (28 May), with spiritual brethren Titus Andronicus and reverb-drenched kings of the road METZ on board. Let's hope SWG3 renewed the insurance.