Another Velvet Lounge Show Tonight

Velvet Lounge is once again hosting a great lineup tonight, featuring both local and out of town bands. Headlining the night is northern Virginia's Akris, who'll be busting out their (hard to classify) brand of bass driven doom-blues fusion. With them will be Shroud Eater, a stoner metal group from Miami. Also from Miami are Holly Hunt, playing doom with an experimental drone twist. D.C.'s own doom bringers Wall of Sleep round out the bill. Doors are at 7:30 and the show starts around 9. Cover is $10 if you're under 21 and $8 if you're 21 or older. If you can manage to get out on a Wednesday night try and do so; tonight's show should be a good one.

Show Review: Myopic, At The Graves, and Savagist

Sunday night saw Velvet Lounge play host to a room full of amps but devoid of people. Despite a crowd that consisted mostly of the other bands and a handful of friends all three bands played all out, passionate sets, approaching the show with the same seriousness that they would any other.

Myopic was the first band on last night, taking the stage around 9:15. Their set, which clocked in at around 30 or 40 minutes, saw the venue at about as crowded as it got that night, with around15 people in the crowd. This was one of Myopic's first shows following the release of their debut EP, Vacuous. Their enthusiasm for the music was obvious; they played the entirety of the record as well as some newer material and other songs that didn't make it on the the EP.

You don't normally think of doom as being a genre that requires particularly demanding attention to precision but Myopic defied that notion. They played incredibly tightly, free of any glaring mistakes or missteps; emphasizing dynamics, and raw, fuzzy riffs, rock solid rhythm, and frantic solos. Drummer Michael Brown's performance was especially strong in this regard, aggressively beating the drums, and providing a powerful base that the rest of the band built off of. Vocalist Nick Mutschler's performance was also impressive; bellowing forth tortured, hateful screams without sacrificing enunciation or vocal clarity. While the band could have probably benefited from a little more energy and movement on stage they still gave the crowd at Velvet Lounge a fantastic performance. Their tone was fantastic, they were completely locked in with each other, and played emotional, pummeling music.

Next up was Anne Arundel based stoner-sludge band At The Graves. A late addition to the bill, they decided to play the show on only a couple days notice. Embracing elements of doom, drone, and experimental music they played a punishing set steeped in atmospheric drones and were probably the loudest band of the night. Frontman Ben Price's vocals were ethereal and furious, working well with the sludgy, atmospheric music that the band plays. The guitars were fuzzed-out and crunchy, with Price putting more emphasis on controlling feedback and creating a sense of dissonance and a haunting atmosphere than on technicality.

Like Myopic, At The Graves rhythm section was spot on. Bassist Billy Keane's bass lines settled into a deep hypnotic groove, reminiscent of bands like Om or the Melvins. Similarly, drummer Joe Jacklin complimented the music perfectly and fit right in with contrast between loud and quiet dynamics that At The Graves love. One of the most exciting aspects of the band's performance was Price and Keane playing their own toms while their instruments laid at their feet, lending their music even more heaviness and ambiance and letting the audience get lost in the riffs, feedback, and drones that the band created. Again, like Myopic, a bit more movement and audience interaction wouldn't have killed At The Graves, but such a small crowd may have made that a bit more difficult, and on the whole their performance was excellent.

The last band to play was Athens, Georgia's Savagist. A bit older and more established as a band than either of the previous acts their chemistry and experience was quickly evident. Simply put, they fucking killed it. The breakneck, brutal, grinding sludge (or as they put it, "ruff rock") that they churned forth reminds listeners of pre-Leviathan Mastodon. They commanded the stage as though there were a crowd of hundreds, despite the fact that the audience consisted of around 10 people.

They were the only band to employ two guitarists which were used expertly, with frontman/guitarist Clem Adams and guitarist Patrick Ware busting out creative harmonies, ferocious chords, riffs, and solos, and unusually musical feedback. In what became the night's theme, Savagist's rhythm section was amazing. Drummer Jason "Mohawk" Richardson completely brutalized his drums, with the thunderous sounds that he produced driving the band forward and a snare that cuts through like a cannon. Also impressive was bassist Daniel Shroyer, who played with surprising speed and precision, shared vocal duties with Adams, and was absolutely brimming over with spastic energy, bouncing around the stage and ignoring all obstacles. Every song was bursting with reckless southern savagery and aggression. Savagist is damn good and it's a shame that there weren't more people at Velvet Lounge to witness their set.

The night was fun. The sound was excellent and the bands did more than play well. They played their hearts out and they all seemed just as comfortable playing for a dozen people as they would've playing for a hundred. The small crowd ate up everything that the bands dished out and all really enjoyed and appreciated the music. Having a bigger crowd there would have been better for the bands but they most certainly did not let that bother them.

Be sure to "like" all these guys on Facebook and check out their tunes on Bandcamp. You will not be disappointed.

-MG

Introducing Your Editors-In-Chief

Having entirely too much free time on my hands I (Mark) recently decided to start this blog devoted to homegrown metal. But being the sole editor, publisher, and contributor is far too much for one man and a blog cannot survive on the efforts of one guy alone. To try and do it alone wouldn't just be foolish—it would go against the very principles of community and diversity that local music thrives on.

So to that end let me introduce my friend and fellow publisher, contributor, and co-editor-in-chief, Nick Leonard. Nick is the bassist of Myopic (his being in the band will not impact how we discuss Myopic here; we will treat them with the same honesty we would any other band) and after a brief discussion the other night he decided that he wanted in. Nick has a lot of knowledge about metal and music in general and has a lot to say about it. His presence here will be of great value.

We'll be introducing you to more contributors as we get their commitments finalized.

Two Shows this Weekend

The University of Maryland Metal Club is hosting their third annual Hell Fest tomorrow, Friday, April 18. The lineup is strong, featuring four Maryland bands and boasting a variety of styles. Representing Frederick is Vitality, a death metal band with a definite technical streak. Burning Shadows are the elder statesmen of the bunch, having been around since 2000, when members of the other bands were still learning long division. They play some of the most traditional power metal you'll hear these days and they play it well. Also playing is Incision, a band from Maryland's deep south whose chunky riffs and emphasis on consistent grooves pay tribute to their southern heritage. Rounding out the lineup is Myopic, a blackened death/doom band from Takoma Park.

Hell Fest is located in UMD's Nyumburu Cultural Center, next to the Stamp Student Union. The show is Metro accessible and there is parking on campus (park at your own risk). Admission to the show is free, but any and all donations will be going to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Doors are at 6:00 PM, the show starts at 7:00 PM.

Myopic will be playing again on Sunday, April 21 in D.C. at the Velvet Lounge on U Street. Sharing the bill will be seasoned sludge rockers Savagist, who are making the trek all the way from Athens, Georgia. The third band on the bill is MD-based At The Graves, a sludge/doom band featuring members of other local acts, Xozo, Revolta, Midnight Eye, and Dry Clouds. Admission is $10 at the door for those under 21 and $8 if you're of legal drinking age. Doors are at 7:30 PM and the show starts at 9:00 PM. See ya'll there.

Submissions

Please attach a high quality mp3 or link to a streaming website (bandcamp, soundcloud) and a high resolution jpeg of the album art and submit to: undergrowthblog@gmail.com

Any additional information about the band is welcomed.

For Writers

There are only a handful of us right now, located in just a few areas and as such we're limited to our local scenes.  We're looking for writers and photographers who share our goals and would be able to cover their area's local music scene.

Mission Statement

Heavy Undergrowth aims to promote underground, DIY, and local metal, punk, and hardcore music. Providing readers with honest reviews and stories from different local scenes.  Heavy Undergrowth wants to help expose bands who are working on getting their names out. We feel that smaller bands deserve and need publicity and should have another public forum where their music can be heard.  Music grows from its roots.