Utah Builders • Ariel Pink • SLUG Games Vol.26 • Issue 314 • February 2015 • SLUGMAG.COM • Always FREE

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Kyle Trammell A.K.A. Tyler Mackmell Jan. 10, 1989—Jan. 2015 SaltLakeUnderGround • Vol. 26 • Issue #314 • February 2015 • slugmag.com

Publisher: Eighteen Percent Gray Vivori, John Barkiple, Johnny Cowan, Ben Trentelman, Brian Kubarycz, CONTRIBUTOR LIMELIGHT: Editor: Angela H. Brown Logan Sorenson, Martín Rivero, Brinley Froelich, Bryer Wharton, Managing Editor: Matt Brunk, Matthew Windsor, Christian Schultz, Cody Hudson, Henry Glasheen Alexander Ortega Megan Kennedy, Melissa Cohn, Cody Kirkland, Dean O Hillis, Gavin Digital Content Coordinator Junior Editor: Christian Schultz Michael Portanda, Mikey Baratta, Sheehan, Henry Glasheen, James Office Coordinator: Robin Sessions, Russel Daniels, Scott Bennett, James Orme, Jimmy Martin, Gavin Sheehan Frederick, Talyn Sherer, John Ford, Jordan Deveraux, Justin Digital Content Coordinator: Weston Colton Gallegos, Kia McGinnis, Lauren Henry Glasheen Videographers: Ashley, Mariah Mann Mellus, Fact Checker: Nic Smith Andrew Schummer, Brock Grossl, Megan Kennedy, Mike Brown, Peter Copy Editing Team: Alex Candida Duran, Lexie Floor, Mitchell Fryer, Ricky Vigil, Ryan Hall, Scott Cragun, Alexander Ortega, Allison Richmond, Perry Layne Decker-Tate, Farley, Sean Zimmerman-Wall, Shephard, Christian Schultz, Cody Ryan Dearth, Slugger Shawn Mayer, Stakerized!, Kirkland, Henry Glasheen, John Community Development Thomas Winkley Ford, Jordan Deveraux, Julia Sachs, Executives/Advertising Sales: Monkeys with Computers: Laikwan Waigwa-Stone, Maria John Ford: [email protected] Adam Fratto, Alex Coulombe, Alex Valenzuela, Mary E. Duncan, Nick Angela H. Brown: Cragun, Alex Gilvarry, Allison [email protected] Kuzmack, Shawn Soward, Shephard, Amanda Rock, Andrea Tales of yore speak of a noble scribe rising from Traci Grant SLUG HQ: 801.487.9221 Silva, Ashley Lippert, Ben Tilton, the Bonneville wastes who’ll climb SLUG’s ranks Digital Interns: Davis Pope, Marketing Coordinator: Blake Leszczynski, Carl Acheson, and claim a mighty metal throne over our fair city. Julia Sachs, Nick Kuzmack Robin Sessions CJ Morgan, Connor Brady, Dan The prophecy was fulfilled in April 2010, as Hen- Content Consultants: Marketing Interns: Ben Juell, Vesper, Darcy Russell, Dylan Evans, ry Glasheen joined the mag. As a dyed-in-the-den- Jon Christiansen, Matt Hoenes Rosemary Saycich, Kolton Smith Eric Norris, Gregory Gerulat, Jamie im metalhead, Glasheen is a bastion of SLUG’s Cover Photo: Talyn Sherer Marketing Team: Alex Stott, Julia Sachs, Kamryn Feigel, satanic stronghold. From his reviews of everything Lead Graphic Designer: Topolewski, Ashley Kinser, Ben Juell, Kathy Zhou, Kendal Gillett, Kristyn from NWOBHM to black metal to his interviews Joshua Joye Carl Acheson, Cassandra Loveless, Porter, LeAundra Jeffs, Lizz Corrigan, with such metal mainstays as King Diamond Graphic Design Team: Cassie Anderson, Janie Greenberg, Mame Wallace, Matt Brunk, Michael and Behemoth, Glasheen has proved his worth Chad Pinckney, Lenny Riccardi, Jono Martinez, Kendal Gillett, Kolton Sanchez, Mike Riedel, Nancy with ease—his interview with Visigoth on pg. 32 Mason Rodrickc, Paul Mason Smith, Lindsay Clark, Rachel Roller, Perkins, Nate Housley, Nic Smith, nails it! As a formidable Dungeon Master, avid Ad Designers: Brad Barker, Robin Sessions, Rosemary Saycich, Nick Kuzmack, Nicole Stephenson, video gamer, voracious fantasy reader and one Christian Broadbent, Devin Sabi Lowder, Skye Galley, Randy Dankievitch, Rebecca Frost, of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, SLUG has Wakefield, KJ Jackett, Kelli Zac Freeman Rheanna Sonnichsen, Samuel relished Glasheen’s strengths as a writer, copy Social Media Coordinator: Hanson, Sara Bezdjian, Seeth Tompkins, Maggie Zukowski, editor, fact checker and now Digital Content Co- Photos: Chad Kirkland Nicholas Dowd, Nick Ketterer, Catie Weimer McGavien, Some Cop Dude, Steve ordinator—we’re proud to have him at the helm Sumerset Bivens Distribution Manager: Goemaat, Steve Richardson, Taylor of SLUGMag.com! May 2012 photoshoot outtakes for Suds N’ Studs article, included in SLUG Mag’s Fifth Annual Beer Issue. Website Developer: Kate Colgan Eric Granato Hoffman, Timo H., Trevor Hale, Illustrators: Brighton Metz, Distro: Andrea Silva, Daniel Tyson Call, Xkot Toxsik ABOUT THE COVER: Visigoth released The Rev- D. Bradford Gambles, Lenny Alexander, Eric Granato, Janie SLUG Magazine’s Official enant King on Jan. 27 on Metal Blade. SLUG Riccardi, Maggie Zukowski, Manuel Greenberg, John Ford, Jordan Podcast: photographer Talyn Sherer wielded his camera Aguilar, Natalie Edwards, Paul Deveraux, Julia Sachs, Maria SLUG Soundwaves sword to reflect the band’s spirit of true heavy Frame, Phil Cannon, Robin Banks, Valenzuela, Michael Sanchez, Producer: Gavin Sheehan metal and fantasy themes with this photo. Read Julie N. Xiety Ryan Perkins, Sean Hennefer, Steve Nancy Burkhart, Nancy Perkins, Executive Producer: Henry Glasheen’s profile of Visigoth on page 32. Angela H. Brown Thueson, Timm Paxton Lucas Goodrich, Ryan Worwood, DISCLAIMER: SLUG Magazine does not Tommy Dolph, Tony Bassett, Associate Producers: Photographers: Andy Wright, necessarily maintain the same opinions as those Xkot Toxsik Alexander Ortega, Christian Schultz, Ben Melini, Chad Kirkland, Chris found in our content. We seek to circulate ideas 07.08.94 – 01.23.15 Senior Staff Writers: Henry Glasheen, John Ford Gariety, Chris Kiernan, Gilbert and dialogue through quality coverage of arts, Cisneros, Gilbert Garcia, Jake Alex Springer, Alexander Ortega, music, events and lifestyle … except rollerblading. Julie touched countless, endless souls. Through Content is property of SLUG Magazine—please @SLUGMag youtube.com/user/SLUGMagazine do not use without written permission. time here and now there, any, everywhere … together yet we are here. Look each day for that light baby blue, yet even in the darkest pain-consumed sky, and know that Julie went

above and beyond in their next journey,­—the Illustration: Robin Banks level beyond, to ride those rails with their sister Ariah. If you ever get lonely, you listen closely, you will hear them sing in the breeze of the night. <3 Julie’s mom Rest in Power

Please consider donating to help Julie’s family with the cost of funeral services @ gofundme.com/ksycww 4 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 5 mikeybaratta.com

Kevin Kirk Benefit Shows Photo: By Jeremy Cardenas • [email protected]

evin Kirk is the guy behind the coun- and I can’t move,” he says. “I knew something worked with their regular jobs and ran the shop ter at The Heavy Metal Shop on 63 was serious, so I closed up. My wife, Angie so it didn’t close. It was so nice of them. They Exchange Place. He’s the guy who [Kirk], took me to the doctor, and I ended up are really good friends. As a matter of fact, answersK your endless questions about metal and in the emergency room. My lung was collapsed. they did better than I did last year at the same rock (and more recently, a ton of roots rock and The doctors thought I was a chain smoker, but I time, haha!” Americana-type music) from noon to 6:66, as haven’t had a cigarette since 1996!” As it turns it says on the door. This guy is a virtual ency- out, Kirk’s condition had come from a small tear James (Jimmy The Tooth) Parks and Jer- clopedia of musical knowledge—if you haven’t in his lung probably brought about by the cough- emy Sundeaus, with the help of Area 51 and visited him and had a discussion about anything ing fit. He had to have surgery to repair this, and Kaci Tokumotu of Bar Deluxe, organized the from Venom to Drive By Truckers, well then, it kept him in the hospital for the entire holiday benefit shows in February to try to help cover a you’re missing the boat. One thing to mention is season, his biggest revenue-generating time of huge medical bill for Kirk’s extended stay. Kirk The Heavy Metal Shop’s in-store performances. the year. says, “It was a surprise to me, and it brought If you have missed these, it’s time to check one a tear to my eye. It was a metal tear, but it out. Kirk has had a diverse list of performers When we were talking about Kirk’s hospitaliza- was a tear. No, really, it is touching that people coming in since 1999 that includes: Supersuck- tion, the most touching part of the story was care this much about me to do this. It’s very ers, Justin Townes Earle, Dwarves, John when he talked about his wife. Angie is the love nice, and I appreciate it very much.” The first Moreland, Kleveland, Micah Schnabel, of this guy’s life. They have been together for show will be on Feb. 11 at Area 51. The bands Michael Dean Damron, Patterson Hood, 33 years now and have been married for 32 performing will be Shadow Windhawk Lydia Loveless and Scott H. Biram—and too of them. Discussing spending Christmas in the and The Morticians, Blackkiss, Truce in many others to mention. Rockers from around the hospital, he says, “You might think that Christ- Blood and Fail to Follow. A second show on world know Kirk, and, in this article, I hope to mas in the hospital would be a bad thing, but it Feb. 27 will be at Bar Deluxe with Thunder- contribute to giving back to a guy whose DNA is wasn’t all that way. On Christmas, Angie came fist, Muckraker, Old Timer and Dwellers interwoven into Salt Lake City’s music presence. to visit, and we got to walk around together, performing. Two benefit shows for Kirk are being held this hand in hand. I had my little machine beeping month at Area 51 and Bar Deluxe, and they’re not behind me, and it was just peaceful. I was re- Kirk is a great guy to visit and be around, and to be missed! ally happy to have her with me. The only things I am really glad that he is recovering well. I’m I really missed were being home with the kids glad to have him around to be “peddlin’ evil.” Kirk had an extended hospital stay over the holi- and being able to be at the shop.” Regarding I look forward to see him doing it for years days, brought on by a collapsed lung. On Dec. what he missed most about the shop during the to come! To quote our lord and master Dio, 15, he was at his Avenues home cleaning out holidays, Kirk says, “A lot of times, I only see “LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL!” Hopefully, we his extensive collection of memorabilia when a people around that time of year, and I was really can pay back Kevin’s generous and hospitable coughing fit from dust brought on the condition. sad that I didn’t get to see a lot of them. Big Jer nature by bringing the noise and raising some “Then I get the flu [while] I’m here at the shop, (Jeremy Johnson) and Patrick (Carnahan) money for a true SLC icon. Cheers!

6 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 7 Valerie Rose Sterrett

Art is created in a myriad of ways. Some create from a place of joy and others from LOCALIZED a place of darkness. Such is the way with mu- sician Valerie Rose Sterrett. SLUG sat down with Sterrett and her husband/bandmate/artist B.C. over coffee one rainy evening. Immediately upon intro- ducing myself to the two, I could sense the same intense emotions that were portrayed in the album Monsteria permeated from Sterret’s being. Calm, col- lected and seemingly reserved, Sterrett is a woman with some pretty forward ideas.

might as well sing karaoke!” So she’s begun to enlist the A recent transplant from Southern California, Sterrett help of Canadian goth Stephen JP Comeau, who is working hard to define and find herself in Utah’s runs her light show. She pulls out her phone and shows bustling music scene. She’s been living and perform- me some videos, and I’m blown away. She’s a real mod- ing here for a little over a year now, but prior to her est dame about it all—nothing like the costumed diva I’m move, she frequented Velour in Provo and performed at several of their open-mic events to get her foot watching on the tiny screen in her hand. in the door. “I liked the vibe and the scene and the

ambience of it all,” Sterrett says. It reminds her of johnnybetts.com She seems genuinely hyped. I ask her how she main- one of her old haunts back home in Ventura. Just tains that energy on the regular. She tells me that she before moving to Utah, Sterrett remembers hitting a “met a really great cellist who said to me, ‘If you don’t wall. “I felt like it was time for a change,” she says. do your best and give the audience everything, then it’s “I didn’t know what it would lead me to—I was just a really selfish act to even get up [onstage].’” That’s the going off faith.” So far, Sterrett seems happy with Photo: Ferret Rellim facebook.com/ferret.rellim response I would hope any musician would give. I ask her decision to uproot and leave the sunshine and Martin what she hopes to accomplish with Bellrave. Her move eastward. Localized eyes light up as she admits that she wants to compose film scores, work with children, bring music back to the Since the ripe age of 12, Sterrett has been writing By Kamryn Feigel schools, play at big EDM shows and break into acting. songs. It wasn’t until she hooked up with Utah label Just hearing her list is exhausting. “I like to play weird [email protected] Swoody Records that she figured out what to do characters and dress up,” she says. She then breaks into with them all. She says that working with the record la- This month’s Localized will leave you swooning un- / Johnny Cowan Photo: a little jig and rasps out a line of “Easy Street” in a per- bel was “the most positive experience. No pressure.” der Cupid’s spell with some seriously magical ladies. fect Hannigan voice, and we’re both giggling. B.C. chimes in and says, “Swoody is a label meant Officer Jenny Valerie (L–R) Singer-songwriter Valerie Opening the night will be . for artists who don’t know how to promote themselves. Rose Sterrett and Bellrave will both be gracing the The mood begins to shift, and I can tell that we’re start- Rose Sterrett and her husband A lot of them already have a body of work that they from her bag. I can tell it’s a constant companion stage with their beauty and some goth/pop glamour. ing to touch on a more personal side of this story. “It’s mikeybaratta.com don’t know what to do with, and Valerie was one of to her. It’s not large, but I can sense the staggering B.C. create haunting tunes with a Bring your babe down to Urban Lounge this Valentine’s hard to be a woman in a male-dominated industry,” she them. She’s had this music for years, but it’s something weight of the words. On the back flap, she’s com- Day at 9 p.m., help support Uinta Brewing Co., says, “but I fucking love it. I’ll beat myself to death with range of instrumentation, includ- she had to purge out.” And purge she did. piled a list of every track she’s ever written. She says KRCL 90.9FM and Spilt Ink SLC, and share in the tambourines [at a show] and wake up with bruises all ing acoustic guitar, piano and Photo: that she has enough material to release a sister al- love fest for just $5. over. I hope it makes people feel like they wanna shake This past Halloween, Sterrett released her album bum to Monsteria. It’s impressive. Sterrett hopes that hand saws. their booty and jump in the air, or cry if they want. I Monsteria, a 12-track album filled with emotionally those who delve into the darkness of her past can It’s rare to come in contact with a human that’s brimming want to give people something to connect to.” She stops charged lyrics centered on confronting demons of her relate to her struggles and realize that “there’s a light with so much sparkle and light. Such is the case with Al- and takes a deep breath before admitting to the fact that past. It’s got a real gothic vibe, with warbling vocals of hope at the end of the tunnel,” she says. “It’s a lison Martin, a prominent member of Austin Merk- she hasn’t always been this driven. “I’ve dealt with ev- and some campy sound effects. But I’m surprised modest message for a morbid album, but the way name. It makes it easier to share personal things when ley’s brainchild, Bellrave. I had the immense pleasure erything from abuse to addiction,” she says. “I’ve seen when her husband informs me that she actually has no she sees it, “the album is an escape” for both herself you’re acting as somebody else.” Authenticity seems of sharing a coffee with this beam of sunshine and was death and life—but music is in me, and I don’t know interest in the horror genre at all. Confused, I asked and her listeners. key for her though, and somehow, the change in band instantly drawn in by her cool, confident aura—well, by why … I guess it’s what I’m supposed to do with my why she picked such dark, macabre themes for her names makes me approve even more of what she’s that and by an apparent shared love for facial jewelry life.” Her voice shakes, and I’m surprised to see that first album. “It comes from a very dark place,” she Sterrett seems to still be working out exactly who she trying to accomplish. and hot pink lipstick. Bellrave’s style is reflected in Mar- she’s tearing up, and—more surprisingly—so am I. “I admits. She looks slightly uncomfortable but continues is as a performer. At her latest show at Diabolical tin’s attitude: high energy with a healthy dose of a “don’t thought music was gonna kill me,” she says. “It turns out to say, “[The music] … is a history. The title Monste- Records, her performance stuck to the album’s gothic It’s a challenging thing for any musician to start out in fuck with me” beat. I know I’m gonna like this girl. I just had to dive in.” Maybe Bellrave’s synth-pop dance ria is about me escaping some of the monsters of my cadence. “I did dress up at the last show, but I’m still the industry. It takes time to get your name out and fig- ballads are exactly what some kid needs to give them past.” It was then that I began to understand just how trying to figure out what the best way is to go about ure out exactly what you represent once it’s out there. I She starts off by filling me in on how Bellrave came to the energy and courage to fight off their own demons literally she had intended the album to read. It’s a it,” she says. “I just don’t want my performance to take hope that she can move toward a clearer path soon— be, in 2012, after Merkley contacted Martin’s then- like it seems to have done for her. technique, or a way for her to cope with the horrors of away from the music. I don’t want to be pegged as I’m not sure what direction her music will take from boyfriend for a professional favor. Martin offered to her past. “I was involved in some difficult relationship one certain genre or image yet. I’m constantly trying here, but Sterrett remains optimistic, and I, for one, help as well by doing Merkley’s makeup for a photo- There are a lot of exciting things on the horizon for Bell- experiences,” she says. “I don’t want to say they were to redefine my own genre.” B.C. points out that she anticipate some truly raw art to surface in whatever shoot. They had known of each other, and “Austin and rave. “I love to network,” Martin says, and she flashes abusive … but to me … it felt like abuse.” even used to perform under a different moniker—Am- she chooses to dig her hands into next. Valerie Rose I had tried to play together in the past, but it never a wide grin. From her first show at Burt’s Tiki Lounge, ethyst. She laughs and says, “That was part of my Sterrett will be performing for Localized on Feb. 14 at worked,” Martin says. “I went and helped him do his where she shared a stage with Neon Trees, to Bell- As we’re discussing the plethora of songs that she healing process. When I would perform, I was able to Urban Lounge. Be sure to check out her latest release makeup, and he was just like … ‘Why don’t we?’” Cur- rave’s more recent collaborations with the infamous has already created, she pulls out a worn notebook become this other character and hide behind a stage at swoodyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/monsteria. rently, Merkley resides in D.C., and their drummer/pro- Bad Kids Collective, Martin’s just enjoying the jour- grammer Nathan Merkley is in Boston. Generally, ney. “I could die tomorrow, so why not go big?” she Allison Martin they collaborate on their buzzy, electronic sound long says. “That’s one thing I want people to realize—you turns the grit of life distance. “I swear, it’s the easiest thing ever ’cause I’ll can do what you want—and if someone tells you that call and tell him, ‘I’ve got this thing,’ and he’s like, ‘Play you can’t … just do it anyway.” I like her style. Bellrave into synth sensation it!’ and I’m like, ‘Do you like that? Yeah? OK, bye.’” is definitely a force to be reckoned with. “I shoulda been with the fabulous Somehow, it works for the band. Martin admits that she dead by 25, and I’m glad I’m still here,” she says. “I feel electro-pop band doesn’t like performing on her own, though. “I’m out honored that anyone would want to do an interview on here in Salt Lake with nobody, and I’m like, I can’t get me. You’re part of the fuel to the fire.” Come burn up Bellrave. onstage by myself with a backing track,” she says. “I the dance floor with Bellrave. I promise they’ll give you something to love.

8 SaltLakeUnderGround LOCALIZED slugmag.com 11 The Lamb Of Main Str eet: Lamb's Gr ill Photo: Scott Frederick

By James Bennett [email protected]

169 S. Main Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 801.364.7166 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Lamb’s Grill‘s Crème Brûlée (L) and Mo n d ay- S at u r d ay Bacon Wrapped Dates (R) flank their Beef Bourguignon entrée—a hearty three-course meal!

he entire time I’ve lived in Salt Lake City, I’ve watched an opulent red wine gravy. The slow-braised beef was fork Downtown restaurants materialize and peak, only to tender, flavorful and impossible to consume quickly enough. T disappear like a flurry of snow on an increasingly This dish came with steamed vegetables as well, partly out warm afternoon. It takes more than just solid food and busi- of tradition and partly to offset the meal’s inherent gluttonous ness acumen to run a successful restaurant. It also seems nature. to take tradition, consistency and a formidable heaping of luck—so rare that you could sell it if you could bottle it. That’s The Calf Liver was interesting. The lean cut of organ meat part of what makes Lamb’s Grill such a special place. After was pounded thin and served with mashed potatoes, cara- almost 96 years of business, the restaurant continues to thrive, melized onions, bacon and steamed spinach. Liver is high in adapt and inspire. iron and can have a strong metallic flavor as a result—this is why a calf’s more mild-tasting liver is used in restaurants. It Lamb’s Grill was the life’s work of George P. Lamb, a Greek immigrant who tasted exactly as I expected it to. It was tender and lean with just a hint of an iron settled in Logan, Utah, during the first part of the 20th Century. The restaurant was aftertaste. The onions and bacon cut the intenseness considerably, and the spinach founded in February of 1919. It moved to downtown SLC in 1939 on the ground worked well to level things out. I’m not sure if I ever need to eat liver again, but if floor of a newspaper building constructed in 1905. Much of Lamb’s comfortable you’re a fan of old-style organ meat, you’d be hard pressed to find a place that ambiance is the result of respecting this history. The interior—from the booths and does it any better. tables to the bar and counter—has been part of the restaurant since the 1930s. Other dinner options include an array of pasta, burgers and salads. For those want- The ownership eventually passed from Lamb to the Speros family before being ing a more substantial dinner, they offer several lamb dishes, bone-in pork chops purchased in 2011 by Francis Liong. The new owner was careful to respect the and grilled steak. Add a soft drink or a selection from their impressive wine, beer eatery’s history while concentrating the menu on tastes that were more contempo- and cocktail list, and your night is set. rary, if not still a little Old World. It had been a while since I had visited Lamb’s Grill, and I was eager to give it another try. There are specific menus for different times of To finish the evening, we ordered two selections from their dessert menu: their Fa- the day. We decided to go all in and go for dinner. mous Rice Pudding ($5) and a ramekin of Crème Brûlée ($6). The rice pud- ding wasn’t overly sweet, and was topped with whipped cream and a dusting of The appetizer menu included traditional favorites like steamed mussels, lamb skew- cinnamon. I love rice pudding, especially when it’s served cold, and I loved this ers and shrimp cocktail. We eschewed tradition and ordered the Stuffed Bacon take on it. The crème brûlée was the real star of the evening. A thick-but-not-too-thick Wrapped Dates ($8.25). The quartet of dates were sliced in half, stuffed with top layer of caramelized raw sugar shattered when tapped, revealing the cool and bleu cheese and chopped almonds, wrapped in bacon and served piping hot on creamy treasure below. Walking the line between pastry cream and custard, the wooden skewers. They were incredibly rich. The sharpness of the cheese paired vanilla-flavored cream was the perfect texture. I’m an absolute snob when it comes well with the sweet fruit. And, like anything else, it was made better with smoky, to crème brûlée, and I would eat this every day if given the chance. crisp bacon. It’s hard to imagine a situation where I wouldn’t order these again. There’s no question that Lamb’s Grill is a Utah institution. I’m proud to report that it For entrées, we went with Beef Bourguignon ($17.95–$20.50) and Sautéed is still going strong. I find myself wanting to return at different points during the day Calf Liver ($16.50). Before they changed their menu a few years back, they were to try their other menus. I’m sure that quality and value is present in all that they do. known for their Beef Stroganoff. Since Bourguignon is essentially a cream-free ver- And one thing is certain: If they handle breakfast and lunch with the same charm sion of Stroganoff, I figured they would do a good job with it. It was better than I and elegance that they do with dinner, people will still be writing about Lamb’s Grill expected. The beef chuck roast was served over mashed potatoes and covered in 96 years from now.

12 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 13 By Peter Fryer • [email protected] Photo: Greg Anderson

(L–R) Chris Whetzel (bass), Riley Gale (vocals), Chris Ulsh (drums), Nick Stewart (guitar) and Frank Ibanez (guitar) will bring thrash to the Loading Dock on March 10.

It was an interview that almost didn’t happen. After have to flesh out.” Gale also mentioned Ulsh again, not one, but two failed attempts at speaking with says, “Ulsh is going to be writing quite a few more Power Trip frontman Riley Gale, it seemed that this riffs—he wrote most of ‘Crossbreaker,’ and that song piece wasn’t to be. Fortunately, a third go found SLUG turned out really well. That dude rocks a riff stick.” Be- and Gale on the phone discussing everything from cause the songwriting is in such an early state, Gale the awesome, “WTF” lineup of Power Trip’s upcom- said that they probably wouldn’t be playing anything ing tour and new material to graphic novels and the brand new on the upcoming tour. militarization of police. SLUG recently caught up with Gale about their upcoming tour and future plans. As we began to talk about what inspires Gale’s in- direct but political lyrics, conversation turned to the Power Trip turned heads in 2013 with their full-length seemingly endless ills of the world. Although Gale debut, Manifest Decimation. Even though crossover finds plenty to be angry and negative about, he said thrash is well-worn territory, Power Trip have the the spectrum of genres represented on the tour “has the police top his list, saying, “I guess the police al- secret sauce. It might be their background in the good taste in music.” Indeed. ways piss me off. Same with government and politi- DIY hardcore scene, the reverb on the vocals and cians and all of that ... Anybody who’s corrupt and drums, their impeccable riffing or their detonating Not only is the lineup stacked, but this will be Power pretends they’re not. I have way more respect for live show—regardless, they have it. If you’re going Trip’s first time bringing their always amped crossover someone who will stab you in the front than stab you to see them play, come prepared to be stage-dived to Salt Lake City. When asked about expectations of in the back.” upon—a lot. their introduction to Salt Lake, Gale says, “We just go out and just play. We don’t expect anything, and The conversation inevitably made its way to the re- Conversing with Gale is smooth. He’s laid back and that’s what makes good shows even better.” He prom- cent explosion of protests against police in the wake thoughtful in his responses, lacking the pretension ises, “I try to give people what I would want a good of the Michael Brown and Eric Garner decisions, you might expect from someone who often mentions band to give back to me.” and Gale talked about what compelled Power Trip to Michel Foucault in interviews. It’s not all that sur- take to Twitter to discuss the topic. “I was so beside prising if you’ve ever seen Power Trip live. They may The lineup on this tour will feature Power Trip’s prolific myself,” says Gale: “‘Damn, I should say something tackle important topics, but first and foremost, they drummer Chris Ulsh (Mammoth Grinder, Ha- about this.’ I guess that’s one of the bigger outlets for are there to blast riffs and have fun. tred Surge) assuming guitar duties—nay, “riff stick” people to listen to my bullshit. I felt like it was such an duties, as Gale likes to say—in Blake Ibanez’s important thing that people overlook. It’s still frustrat- Gale and the rest of Power Trip are about to head out stead, since Ibanez will be in school. Gale’s pumped ing. It’s still frustrating as hell. It’s just frustrating that on tour with Title Fight and Merchandise, which is about the lineup, as they have toured with this lineup only now people are starting to see it.” such an eclectic and bonkers lineup that it would be before with Eyehategod, and says that Ulsh brings criminal not to catch it. As Gale says, “We’ve talked his own style to the guitar. Not everything is so intense with Gale—we ended about doing stuff like this in the past, and it’s kinda the interview swapping notes on our current graphic been like ‘too weird, too weird.’ Now we’re just kind Prior to embarking, Power Trip are regrouping in novel reads, with Gale being particularly enamored of like, ‘Fuck it—let’s do it.’” That’s as sound of a sales Dallas (Gale lives in Chicago now) to write new with the Dungeon Quest series and early Grant pitch for a tour package as any. Power Trip are the material for their next album. They’re in preliminary Morrison. We both came away with plenty to look common link between Title Fight and Merchandise, stages, and when asked about what the new songs into. So, if you see Gale at their show with Title Fight, having known both bands for a few years now. Gale will sound like, Gale says, “We haven’t really talked Merchandise and locals Sights on March 10, you is more excited than anything to just “hang out with about it. To be honest, we’ve kinda flexed some riffs may be able to talk some world events or catch up on those dudes” and is pretty sure that anyone who digs and thrown them around in some jam sessions. We’ve your favorite graphic novel reads. got a lot of cool ideas left from the first LP that we 14 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 15 Transcending Stages with David Porter & Musicians of the Utah Symphony By Seeth McGavien • [email protected] Photo: mikeybaratta.com

MOTUS comprise a revolving cast of here is a good deal of music that tries to concept. Porter says, “Often, people feel that classi- musicians—pictured here are (L–R) Titus transcend traditional elements in order to cal music is unapproachable or that it is something Underwood (oboe), David Porter (violin), T breathe life into a genre that has become strictly for a certain class.” Nothing could be further Anne Lee (cello) and Claude Halter (violin). set in its ways. None do it better than MOTUS— from the truth. Classical music is about pain, loss Musicians of the Utah Symphony. MOTUS are and triumph, and builds a soundtrack that reflects its After MOTUS perform at The Red Door, their aspira- currently transcending the concert hall filled with composers’ darkest times and most glorious achieve- tions for 2015 are large. MOTUS hope to perform tuxedos and evening dresses for a more casual ments. Porter went into great detail discussing the some sort of large-scale event with a full stage, full- environment, and with an upcoming performance tragic lives of classical greats such as “Beethoven size piano and amplified instruments. Porter also at The Red Door on Feb. 28, there has never been and his struggle being a composer after losing his says that he “hopes to play in any city that will a better time to expose yourself to classical music. hearing, or Franz Schubert, who died at 31 from welcome a new take on classical.” “MOTUS in Park typhoid fever,” he says. MOTUS do what artists of City” has a certain ring to it, and the moment we MOTUS founder David Porter is a violinist for the today do: take real-world experiences and give them discussed other cities, I could not help but hope for Utah Symphony who has been playing the violin an added dimension by performing music the group’s further success. since he was 5 years old. Porter wanted to offer clas- sical music to a new kind of audience, and says, “I In their prime, classical composers like Beethoven, Classical music has been alive and well for well don’t want classical music to seem out of reach, or Mozart and Bach were truly rock stars in Europe, over 600 years, and for good reason. Regardless of for people to feel it is too complicated to approach.” performing in small venues and engaging the audi- whether it’s Beethoven’s “Opus 131” or Schubert’s Thus, he started MOTUS—a revolving group of pro- ence to riotous applause. Often, the downside of “Death and The Maiden” (both of which MOTUS fessional classical musicians who have taken their performing in a traditional concert hall is all the pre- will perform at The Red Door), this music was meant repertoire of classical music pieces to the Salt Lake conceptions that come along with it: clap to evoke emotion and curiosity about culture bar scene. MOTUS are a combination of violins, vio- at the right moment, don’t cheer, and and society. MOTUS have taken an las and woodwinds, all amplified in order to awaken sit quietly and listen. In addition to old-school classical mindset and the traditional spirit of classical music being heard, the work of these have brought it to the modern composers is also meant to be era while maintaining tradition During a recent performance at O’Shucks in No- enjoyed—a bar setting may and technique. Rather than vember, MOTUS performed an excerpt from Dvor- just be a uniquely perfect fit. thinking of classical music as ak’s “American String Quartet,” which received a formal, high-society event, a phenomenal reaction from the audience. When It seems surreal, like a scene from look at it as if you were about asked about the performance, Porter responded by a well-scripted movie, but this is the reality Porter and to hear the soundtrack to a moment saying that he “couldn’t have been more impressed MOTUS have created. At the upcoming Red Door in one individual’s life. MOTUS are doing what all by the turnout. There were so many people, and the performance, MOTUS will have cards with the URL great artists do: taking what they have mastered and reaction was amazing.” of their new website, which will provide further in- giving it to a new audience. Next time you are at a formation about the pieces and compositions they’ll bar and see a group with violins and other orchestra The recent event at O’Shucks and an upcoming per- play at The Red Door, such as “Opus 131.” Porter instruments, pull up a seat, grab a drink, and be formance at The Red Door have broken down the says, “This is a great way to offer something new prepared to hear classical music in a very new yet wall between neophytes and classic music. MOTUS and insightful on the type of music we are presenting. very traditional way. are more than an experiment in art—this is actually It will also allow those who are interested a way to classical music returning to its roots. The concept of find the composition they enjoy and further seek out For further information, check out MOTUS at musi- concert halls and fine attire is a very 20th Century similar music.” ciansutahsymphony.com. 16 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 17 and the Physics of Heavy metal Music By Ricky Vigil • [email protected] By Megan Kennedy • [email protected]

If you have been to a metal show in Salt Lake Densley jumped at the opportunity to build tion to E3, the duo have collaborated with “If there’s one thing I’m gifted with, it’s ed that he wanted to go further by trying created to meet the demand of friends sometime in the past 10 years, you have seen their own. Sri Whipple and Spilt Ink to silkscreen working with my hands,” says Mike to build his own guitar from start to finish. and musicians approaching him for Eagle Twin. You have heard Eagle Twin. print the inside of their Model X amplifiers; Mason, local craftsman and guitarist “I had an idea one day that I wanted a work, including repair and setups, You have felt Eagle Twin. The duo of Tyler For the tour, Densley and Smith built a 4’ x Densley’s brother and tattoo artist Tyler of Cult Leader. Mason comes from a whole bunch of different guitars [built] which he has done for many local musi- Smith and Gentry Densley are known for 12” cab and a 2’ x 15”. “We learned a lot James Densley to design etchings featured family of builders and mechanics and into one, and I’ll just build it instead of cians. Between his day job, the burgeon- bone-shaking performances, melding deafen- on those first two, but I think all of our ideas on their 300x amp; and, most crucially, Ned learned the value of understanding finding someone to build it for me.” Ma- ing success of his band Cult Leader and ing doom metal with improvisation, brutality were in place,” Densley says. Rather than Clayton to help with etching, wiring, and the way things work. “My whole life son took up woodworking to address the his numerous other interests, he doesn’t with artistry. When you’ve seen, heard and building wood-based cabinets like most com- the inner functionality of their cabinets and has been around mechanical things,” gaps in his knowledge and is now able have as much time to devote to projects felt Eagle Twin, you’ve probably also seen, panies, Hex Cabs uses metal edging to make amplifiers. Of Clayton, Densley says, “He’s he says. “My dad and grandpa drag to create highly customized instruments as he would like and has had to turn heard and felt the unique guitar cabinets their cabs more durable and more road-wor- kind of a guru. You go to him with any ques- raced. Stuff like that mattered.” He is with a variety of options, as well as other down work of late. But having a full flanking Densley and Smith onstage. These thy. The duo teamed up with Josh Stippich tion about cabs or amps or even the tiniest fascinated with mechanical engineering woodworking projects such as furniture schedule of work that he loves doing giant metal beasts (the cabinets, of course), of E3 Modern to cut the metal and create the little detail, and he’ll tell you what you need and advanced mathematics, fields that and cabs. The shop website showcases makes Mason happy. “It’s fun to build featuring hexagonal shapes cut out of the iconic hexagonal shape on the front of the to do. We definitely wouldn’t be where we help him break a thing down to its base several of his projects, including a beauti- something for someone that they really faces, are becoming more commonly seen, cabinets. “It’s important to bridge the gap are without him.” elements and build how he sees fit. It is fully curvy mahogany and maple electric want,” he says. “It’s a fun process.” not only at metal shows in Salt Lake, but between what’s aesthetically killer and what this natural curiosity and intellect, com- guitar with an East Indian rosewood fret- around the country—and sometimes around works in a day-to-day setting. Some compa- Over the past few years, Hex began making bined with a love of music, which led to board and mother of pearl inlays, and a As a guitarist, Mason has an obvious the world. It should come as no surprise that nies make some incredibly beautiful stuff, but amplifiers, first creating a clone of the Sunn the beginning of Mason Guitars. Based monster-green “dragster-themed” rig with personal investment in understanding when they aren’t melting faces and rattling you don’t wanna tour with it. Ours are built in Model T amp dubbed the Model X. “Ned out of Syracuse, Utah, Mason’s shop an exhaust valve embedded in the body. how his instrument operates, and says brains with their music, Densley and Smith a way where they look great, but they’re also Clayton does all the wiring and building and offers everything a guitar player could So far, his builds have been exclusively that learning how to build them has are building cabinets under the name of Hex workhorses,” Smith says. Because of the strik- hand-winds the transformers,” Densley says. need, from repairs and setups to build- electric outside of a few repairs on acous- helped him with his own writing and Cabs so that others may do the same. ing design, robust body and depth of sound “The quality is insane. The wiring is a thing ing custom instruments from scratch. tic guitars, but Mason looks forward to playing. He says that “the physics of a emitted by the cabs, other musicians ap- of beauty. You’re getting an amp that is a his first acoustic build. guitar are awesome. The moment you re- Hex Cabs unofficially began in 2009, when proached Smith and Densley, asking for their clone of these highly sought-after, 40-year-old Mason began playing guitar at age alize the string oscillates elliptically and Eagle Twin embarked on a national tour with own Hex Cabs. As Smith says, “People see amps, but they’re brand new.” They have also 14 and almost immediately brought his Clients who choose Mason Guitars can not in a circle, you can learn how to ma- Sunn O))), but the seeds of the project were what Gentry’s playing and they want some built a smaller version of the Model X called natural predilections along by tinkering expect a personalized, custom expe- nipulate the string with your hands. Un- planted earlier. Densley and Smith are veter- of that shit.” the Mini X, which Densley says is perfect for with and customizing his guitars. He has rience, with as little or as much varia- derstanding of how a guitar works can ans of the Salt Lake music scene and certified bedroom play. They have also made a 300- owned and played many different brands tion as they desire, from the beginning help you a long way as far as playing road warriors. While on tour, they came into Since the initial two, Hex has made cabs watt amp called the 300x, which is as beastly and types, valuing them equally as tools woodworking stages all the way through it and getting to where you want to go.” contact with Knoxville, Tenn., band New for Andy Patterson of the “Boar’s Nest” as it is beautiful. Illustrations of wolves, bears for particular tasks. Eventually, he decid- paint and cosmetics. As a builder, “the This delving into the minutiae of how his Brutalism, and were struck by their com- recording studio, Mike Mason of Cult and snakes lie under the knobs, and a blue most important thing for people is to be instrument works has changed how Ma- mitment to building their own gear—guitars, Leader, Boise doom titans Uzala and, LED strip illuminates the tubes inside, making comfortable when they play,” he says. son interacts with it as well. “I’ve always amps, cabs and drums. “We’ve always been oddly enough, Scott Shriner of Weezer. this thing look mean even before any sound For Mason, this means analyzing specif- picked up a guitar and just played,” he really drawn to the whole DIY thing,” Smith The cabs of Uzala and Shriner are especially is filtered through it. Densley also collabo- ic things about the guitar players them- says. “The more I learn about things, the says. “You can do anything you want by notable: They feature intricate metal designs rated with E3 once again to create a custom selves, such as the way they play and less I play because my time’s consumed yourself, even if it takes you a while to get cut onto the front of the cabs—once again, metal guitar, following the aesthetic of Hex: what tone they are trying to achieve. by wanting to learn more.” there.” So, when Sunn O))) asked Eagle Twin by E3. Since the beginning, Hex has collabo- hard and angular, yet artisanal and clearly “The biggest thing is someone’s hands,” to bring some additional cabs on that tour to rated with other locals, which gives each cab hand-crafted. “I had been talking to Josh he says. “That’s the biggest influence on This intellectual inquiry is something Ma- help boost their massive backline, Smith and and amp a unique, artisanal quality. In addi- [Stippich] at E3 for years about making metal tone. Some people have a steep angle son recommends to anyone who might guitars. Finally, I managed to get [E3’s] Reid of attack, [and] some people play really be interested in learning how to craft [Rouse] obsessed about it, so we banged light. The people who have mastered instruments themselves or, really, take up one out,” Gentry says. “Everything on the playing guitar have figured out how to any hobby that may be new and uncom- guitar is adjustable in a way.” manipulate tone with their hands. It’s fortable. He says he’s been fortunate a beautiful thing.” Despite the seem- enough to never be intimidated by learn- Hex has definitely proved itself to be among ingly exhausting amount of variables ing how to do something new, and it has the most unique custom cab companies. The involved, Mason says that the process paid off in dividends. “If you want to do passion for creativity and improvisation that is enjoyable for him. “I’ve spent enough something, do it,” he says. “Just do it.” Smith and Densley display in Eagle Twin has time figuring out what I want to do that clearly crossed over in their approach to Hex I don’t have to second-guess what I’m Anyone interested in procuring Ma- Cabs, and their commitment to collaboration building when I do it.” Pricing for a son’s services or browsing through his with those around them transform their cabs custom build varies depending on the gallery of finished projects can contact and amps, making them both functional and customer’s choices, but starts at $1,800. the company at msmguitar.com or ms- aesthetically awesome. For more informa- [email protected]. The compa- tion on Hex Cabs, add them on Facebook As a business, Mason Guitars was not ny also has an Instagram account, at Photo: Russel Daniels at Facebook.com/hex.cabs, or email them at quite the end goal of his work, but was @michaelscottmason. [email protected]. Cult Leader guitarist Mike Mason shreds (L–R) Tyler Smith and Gentry Densley of on his custom-built Mason Guitars. Eagle Twin are the craftsmen behind Hex Cabs. Photo: Russel Daniels

18 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 19 Creative Music Small Beginnings, Electronics with Big Sounds Hex Amps By Nic Smith • [email protected] By Alex Gilvarry • [email protected]

If you’ve ever gone through the pro- Ned Clayton makes guitar pedals and beginning of a relationship in which Clayton functional, as opposed to some cool-looking cess of picking out a new cab for your amplifiers—but in a musical landscape that partners with them to make guitar amplifiers piece of electronic art,” Clayton says. “I sound, then you know it can be a monu- is increasingly interested in flashy, new as Hex Amps. intentionally go the opposite direction.” On mental pain in the ass. There’s a lot to toys, he is more concerned with innovating the other hand, running business this way can consider. For example, the entire struc- “underneath the hood,” so to speak. “If Initially, before Densley and Smith started Hex mean inconsistent business for Clayton, who ture and material of the equipment influ- you’re interested in cool boutique stuff with Cabs, Clayton says he worked at modifying says, “Nothing that I make is in any stores.” ences the minutiae of details, which col- silk-screen pictures of guns, with crazy, silly old amps they’d find. “Gentry was always “Right now, other than stuff I sell on eBay, lectively dictate the noise it produces: names for weird rip-off pedals of things that bringing me crazy, junked amps to try and if I’m making money, it’s because someone resonance, bass width, frequency output, have been around since the ’70s, I don’t make something cool out of,” he says. “We specifically said, ‘I want this.’ [It’s the] same wave breakup rate, etc. And if you think do that,” he says. Instead of imitating those would take old Peaveys and weird amps, with Hex: When we make something, it’s hearing those differences is a difficult who have gone before, Clayton takes the and gut them and rewire them for his own sold before it gets made—almost everything I process, try building one from scratch— approach of trying out new things in an area use. Eventually, we were like, ‘Let’s make our make is already sold before it’s started.” and then try making it look this easy. where a whole lot of ground has already own amps!’” His working relationship with been covered, which forces him to be creative Densley and association with Hex saw his Thus far, Clayton and Hex have mainly Dave Jones and Max Johnson, band- in how he approaches the electronics he’s work start to get out to some bigger names. served a niche market of musicians who want mates in Oldtimer and owners of Monu- creating in order to make something new “Gentry has a long history with the Sunn things to be LOUD. Clayton says, “The people ment Cabs, have been friends for over 15 and great. “I like being creative in terms of O))) guys,” says Clayton. “He’s been friends who buy Hex stuff are mostly interested in years. They officially started their com- the electronics that nobody sees, and doing with Greg Anderson, who is in Sunn O))) destructive amounts of volume, and those pany just five years ago, but their experi- something brand new as opposed to copying and has owned Southern Lord Records take a lot out of me to make. Musicians don’t ence with DIY craftsmanship goes further somebody else’s old designs,” he says. for a long time, so they were some of the have a lot of money, so it’s hard to justify back than even their friendship. “I built first people I made some pedals for.” So far, spending the money for all the parts and time my first speaker cabinet when I was 16,” Prior to getting involved in making guitar most of Clayton’s business has been built this that goes into them,” he says. To overcome says Jones. “It was a piece of crap, but pedals and amplifiers, Clayton would buy old way from word-of-mouth recommendations, their problem of powerful amps and time/ music gear and tear it apart to figure out how and has even led to musicians as notable as cost issues, Clayton and Hex have gotten

it worked, and someone’s probably still Photo: Russel Daniels using it.” Since then, Jones explains, he’s it worked and try to make it better. Initially a bassist Scott Shriner from Weezer using creative and started putting together a new been dedicating his spare time to the con- hobbyist playing in bands, he studied some his pedals. line of Micro-T amps that Clayton says will act struction of seriously impressive speaker electrical engineering in college and started as a preamp to deliver power to larger amps cabinets. (L–R) Dave Jones and Max Johnson create monumental making his money refurbishing old recording At this point, Hex is still a fairly small and fit in a small size. “It’s a small, little amp sound with Monument Cabs. equipment and selling it on eBay. “I would company, and almost everything they make that sounds incredibly good in my opinion,” Their partnership is wonderfully symbi- buy cool, old desk recording consoles and is custom. They have only put out four models says Clayton. “The nice thing about them is otic. Johnson has experience with wood- take the individual channels out of them, and of amplifiers under the Hex Amps brand so we’re building them in old 1960s chassis of working and develops the framing for repackage them into a rack box ... so that far, with 10–15 of each model being made these common tape-recorder amps that are you could have a really nice setup without Monument’s signature look. “I’ll build the at most. This low output is partly by design, cheap to buy, and that I can gut and build having a really giant console,” he says. wanting only to make things that are truly wooden skeleton of the cabinet and then into these guitar amps.” Doing business this way eventually found unique and innovative and partly due to the bring it to Dave,” says Johnson. “Dave has As the bassist for both Oldtimer and but if someone wants something, and we Clayton making custom amps for Gentry realities of being a small operation without Looking toward the future, Clayton hopes always been on the more musical side of Dwellers, Jones explains that his music in- have time, we’d love to build them. It’s a Densley (Eagle Twin, Form of Rocket, any kind of mass production line. “I like that he and Hex Amps can start to grow it, so he tells me what to do.” Both owners fluences the cabs he’s going to make next. lot of fun for us.” Iceburn) and Tyler Smith (Eagle Twin, the idea of making stuff that is completely into an established company that continues say that they draw inspiration from other “The music that we play affects the cabs Form of Rocket, Clear) of Hex Cabs, the novel, that is a completely new design and to make unique products. He says, “I would independent builders such as Sunn and the we build. In the beginning, [we built] for Their outlook for the future remains op- like Hex to be making novel amplifiers. As locally based Hex Cabs. “Seeing a lot of stuff we wanted to play with but couldn’t timistic and unwavering. As a specialty far as music electronics goes, that’s where my the other DIY cab companies and seeing buy,” he says, “but it’s cool having your business, Monument has already provided focus is.” With the Micro-T, Clayton hopes the stuff people could do to make it look own gear up there.” Thus, it’s no surprise cabs for talented artists like SubRosa, to be able to appeal to a wider audience nice is really cool,” says Jones. “I thought that both Oldtimer and Dwellers are known Rye Wolves, Scrolls, Tarahumara beyond the typical “metal head” customers to myself, ‘I can’t afford to buy [those for their booming sounds. Though Dwell- and many others. “We’d like to build more that Hex currently serves. “I think that these cabs], but I can probably build it.’” ers comprise mixed equipment, Oldtimer someday and make money doing it,” says are fully decked out with Monument gear. Johnson. “I think it’d be cool to get into us- little amps could appeal to a lot of different people, even though they’re very low power, It’s this kind of self-sufficient attitude that If you saw them play this past summer at ing more solid, harder woods and see how only 6 watts,” he says. “I think it’s the best- makes Monument Cabs such a promis- CrucialFest, then you’ve seen it for your- it sounds once we put it in. We’re always sounding amp I’ve ever heard, but that may ing, up-and-coming local business. Jones self. “We have four 12” cabinets, two 15” looking to do more experimenting and just be because I made it!” comments that much of the work they do cabs, two 10” cabs and full stacks behind have fun building up our small business.” is purely out of personal interest and pas- everybody,” Jones says—each one custom- To learn more about Ned Clayton and Hex sion for finding creative alternatives to the built for a specific purpose and with spe- If you’re interested in seeing more from cific modifications. these guys, visit their Facebook page for Amps/Cabs, got to Hex Cabs’ Facebook standard-issue cabinet builds. “We check Photo: Russel Daniels page at facebook.com/Hex.Cabs. out a lot of other amps and the different pictures and details, or shoot them an ways they’re built, and just kind of go As far as overall production goes, Monu- email at [email protected]. through and find the stuff that we like the ment is still operating on a smaller scale. sound of,” he says. “Then we try to make With no other employees, it takes the duo about a week’s worth of work to finish a something that’s similar but maybe make Ned Clayton’s Phase Wizard corrects phase problems between cab from start to finish without any breaks. it a little bigger to have more air inside of multiple amps for musicians who like to play loud n’ proud. However, both Jones and Johnson have it for a deeper sound, or make it tighter day jobs and perform their craft during the so that it will breakup sooner. It’s definitely only time they have off: nights and week- just trial and error and messing around, ends. Jones says, “Last year, we made seeing what sounds good to our ear, but about 25 cabs in total. Right now, most we have fun with it.” [orders come in] through word of mouth,

20 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 21 PHOTO FEATURE

By Bob Plumb Cale Zima – 5050 to Backside Wallride [email protected] featured in @absinthefilms – Salt Lake City, Utah Cale Zima is a #heartthrob and currently #single. Follow his adventures on Instagram @calezima. Photo by @bobplumbphoto #snowboarding #saltlake #snowboardingisrad #saltlake #slugmag. #’s are the new Gallery Stroll. 22 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 23 There’s No Substitute for Knowing Me: If you search Ariel Pink’s name on the web, blend his pop sensibilities for melodies and especially on a music website like Pitchfork, catchy hooks with sounds that recall TV-show you’re just as likely to find stories about his themes and pop pastiches from bygone eras is meltdowns onstage or his recent remarks about unmatched. “Put Your Number In My Phone” AN INTERVIEW WITH Grimes and Madonna—which have been has the feel of something soft and soapy from referred to as misogynistic by critics—as you the late ’70s, and its hook is irresistible. If you are to find reviews on his records. From a me- listen to the entire album, it’s hard not to be- dia standpoint, he’s unpredictable, and his mu- come fascinated with the person who could sic is consistently just as surprising. Pink’s off- create such a smorgasbord of pop and rock. kilter brand of pop, which mixes influences as familiar as Brian Wilson and as strange as Imagine the kind of tension that comes as By Justin Gallegos • [email protected] Frank Zappa, reveals something about his a result of doing what you love, and being personality that’s entirely appealing and even praised for it. Fame has led to the downfall slightly addicting. It’s in Pink’s music that we’re of several pop stars, but for Pink, it’s mostly given a glimpse into his true nature. There’s led to feeling alone. “There’s no substitute for adventure, glee and loads of sarcasm, [albeit knowing me,” Pink says. “You either do or you truth] at times, layered beneath both frighten- don’t. You either know about somebody via ing and fantastical music. hearsay or you’ve lived with somebody and you know them. I’m not on Conan O’Brian Regarding his most recent album, pom pom, “I every night. You can’t just eavesdrop on me, would say it’s my most accessible,” says Pink. unless [you] go to YouTube. Some people have Pom pom is one of my favorite records of the lived with me for what they feel is 10 years, or year, and I let Pink know as I impersonated even longer than that. … I might be a stranger the cartoon voices from opening track, “Plastic to them or I might not be.” It’s easy to see Raincoats in the Pig Parade.” Pink says,“It’s a why Pink finds it hard to trust people in our happy record.” day of so-called transparency. You can catch glimpses on the hour of someone’s everyday Pink will be bringing that record to life at life via social media, but rarely, if ever, do Urban Lounge on Feb. 13. I was curious to those glimpses tell the real story. know how Pink felt about playing in Salt Lake City as well as his most recent Internet drama Talented musician John Maus has played in with label-mate Grimes. Their drama led me Pink’s band, Haunted Graffiti, and recently to ask Pink whether or not he thinks knowing psychoanalyzed Pink in a post on Twitter. In a person’s beliefs is necessary to understand it, Maus referred to Pink as a “nymphoma- and appreciate their music. “Music speaks for niac, a little girl and a dog” in somewhat of itself,” says Pink. “You don’t need to know a an effort to clear the air on Pink’s personal person to appreciate their music. It adds color, beliefs. “I thought it was an astute statement,” though, to know that there’s a human being says Pink. “Whenever he mentions my name, behind the lyrics and not just some algorithm.” I’m honored to be on his mind at all. Always happy to hear his perspective, and he’s right: The Internet travels at the speed of light, leav- I’m not a misogynist. If I’m a little girl or a dog,

Photos: Grant Singer ing barely any room for mistakes, and Pink that’s fine.” has often experienced firsthand how damag- ing a person’s statements can be in our digital I asked Pink what was next for his career now age. It may be a lesson that’s taught Pink to that he’s released his first solo record, which live with an open mind. “I wouldn’t pretend some critics have called his best work to date. He responded quickly: “Same thing, only bet- ter, hopefully, or I don’t know—more of the Get your punk pogo on with Ariel Pink, the same,” he says. “I’ll keep doing this as long bizarre cheerleader of weird pop, on Feb. 13 as they want me here. I’ll probably be under different terms of contract for the next record. at Urban Lounge. Hopefully, that’s a good thing. I’m sure it’ll be a markedly different affair. Hopefully it won’t be too long in coming.” to know what other people think,” Pink says. “If anyone assumes to glean everything about It’ll be a fine evening when Pink comes to Ur- me through my interviews ... They can if they ban Lounge on Feb. 13, and I hope he feels want, but there’s more than meets the eye. If the love. After all, not every city gets a direct they feel like they’ve heard enough about me, invite from Pink to attend his show as he gave that’s perfectly fine with me.” to SLC when I asked him for any last words. “I want to see you come out to the Pink’s right about one thing: His show,” says Pink. “Tell your music speaks for itself. Pom friends and show us some pom is one of the most cre- love. Tell your family, too. ative and dynamic records Bring out the hootenanny. of the year. Pink’s ability to Bring out the whole pack.”

24 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 25 nothing is too big An Interview with

By Kia McGinnis [email protected]

rieves is pale, skinny and unapologetic. He is say about me on YouTube, but it’s those things that are Gaware that he draws comparisons to Mackl- trying to harm you or kill you that show you how to live emore. He pays no attention to what assumptions Pitch- better, and that’s the purpose of the record,” he says. fork makes about the originality of his rap or how many “I’ve learned so much from how hard this is, and it’s stars they slap on his album. This could come across as allowed me to do greater and kinder and better things.” cockiness, but the truth is that his rhymes are rooted in soil too deep to be bothered by shallow judgments—hip- As far as doing better things, Grieves is certainly put- hop is as much about letting go as it is pushing forward. ting in the effort to elevate himself both emotionally and If you made resolutions for 2015, keep this in mind: technically as a musician. He began working with new In the course of one year, Grieves went from booking producer B. Lewis for Winter & The Wolves, and the shows on MySpace, at which he would play for mostly two developed a relationship that allows them to push empty rooms, to dropping an album with his dream label each other creatively and to craft songs that come from and spending weeks on tour with Atmosphere. While a place of both thoughtfulness and spontaneity. “Work- any combination of luck, talent or alchemy may have ing with a producer is a really cool and powerful way to Rhymesayers rhyme-slinger had a part in this, it’s clear that his hustle was the knock bring the music out of you in new ways,” says Grieves. Grieves stops by the 801 on that led to an open door. Salt Lake happens to be one of There is a sense of maturity in his latest work that sets it the few stops on an upcoming tour—on Feb. 20—and it apart from his past. Naturally, he was more educated Feb. 20 at The Complex. also just so happens that his guitar player, Jason Alva- on the process of making a full-length album the second rez, is an 801 local. time around and had a better idea of how to make it sound the way he wanted. In addition to his growth with “I quit my job in 2007, and I haven’t been doing any- sound, Grieves seems to internalize both the good and thing except music since,” says Grieves. When he got the bad, allowing himself to write music that, if noth- the opportunity to tour with Rhymesayers, he print- ing else, comes from a place that is real. “Music is and ed 10,000 demo CDs of Irreversible that he definitely always will be open to interpretation, and that is the couldn’t afford and started handing them out every- beautiful part about it,” he says. where he played. He knew that a good amount of them would end up being tossed in parking lots, but he also In preparing for the coming year at the time of this inter- knew that meeting 10,000 people—whether they liked view, Grieves was looking forward to a brief recupera- his music or not—was good practice. His foresight paid tion before heading out on a small tour, recording in his off, as iTunes sales exploded, and he began to pick up studio, collaborating and letting the pen do the talking. popularity and traction. “The music that Atmosphere and In a sincere tone of voice, he says, “Nothing is too big. all the Rhymesayer guys put out was a major inspiration The fact is, the second you put a limit on something is in the way that I was trying to build my business,” he when it becomes unreachable to you.” Perhaps this is the says. “It definitely inspired me to do more than just write mindset one needs to gain fame and fortune, though it music or write lyrics, but to do something with it.” seems that Grieves’ intentions are more pure than simply selling songs. He speaks highly of his personal hip-hop The frigid imagery evoked by his newest release, Winter community and hopes to contribute as much as possible & The Wolves, is no accident. “It’s a very survival indus- to his local scene—and he encourages anyone looking try,” Grieves says. “You’ve got to earn your keep, and to make a mark in music to do the same. “Take some it’s a pretty brutal place to be sometimes.” In the three- fucking risks,” he says. “Feel what it’s like to lose a little year gap since his last full-length album, he’s learned bit. Go out and play in front of a real crowd for people to embrace the vulnerability of being in a delicate posi- who aren’t your friends and coworkers, and be inspired tion of success in a competitive industry. After struggling by that. It will drive you, or at least help show you a through years of trying to contribute quality work and different path.” rise to the top of his local Seattle scene, Grieves now faces the new and intimidating realm of being an online Don’t miss the shameless and undeniably infectious presence, and, believe it or not, he sometimes reads the Grieves when he plays Feb. 20 at The Complex. Photos: Jenavieve Belair comments. “Unfortunately, sometimes I do see what you

26 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 27 6 7

Presented by Ken Garff Fiat 1 2 Intro by Lauren Ashley [email protected] 8 9 The crowd huddled together Saturday, Jan. 10, as they watched the winners of SLUG Games: Battle at Basin Presented by Ken Garff Fiat— SLUG’s 15th Annual Snowboard and Ski competition at Snowbasin Re- sort—get crowned and receive their awesome prizes. It was definitely a stiff contest for both skiers and snowboarders alike. All around, the competitors showed up with impressive tricks. The talent from action sports athletes just keeps getting better year after year. Contestants were throwing all kinds of killer tricks from rodeos to misties to clean, solid methods with transitions. The riders were showing off such impressive 4 skills that the judges started to have some fun by offering their personal cash on top of that offered by Ken Garff Fiat for those who could throw down whatever trick was called out by the emcee. Sponsored by Ken Garff Fiat, Core Power, Crossroads Skate Shop, Freeheel Life, iNi Co- operative, Lucky Slice Pizza, Milo Sport, Pit Viper, Publik Coffee, RAMP Sports, Saga Outerwear and Salty Peaks Board Shop, it was a fantastic day, and hopefully, next year’s Snowbasin Battle will be just as exciting. 10 Check out the entire recap and photo gallery on SLUGMag.com! 11 12 13 14 3

5 15 16 17 18 19 20

(6) Griffin Lancaster floating a buttery melon off the pole jam. (7) Brian Skoropsia poking a steezy tailgrab. (8) When Sam Klein’s grabbing tail, sometimes one hand isn’t enough. (9) Lynn Neil hangs on to a proper roast beef off the tank cannon. (10) Thank you, Ken Garff Fiat of Salt Lake, for making the SLUG Games Battle at Basin 2015 such an amazing experience! (11) Women’s Open Ski Champions (L–R): Alexa Juncaj (2nd), Brooke Potter (1st) and Cynthia Hurst (3rd). (12) Men’s Open Ski Champions (L–R): Walter Shearon (2nd), Jake Lewis (1st) and Chris Dakoulas (3rd). (13) Men’s 17 and Under Ski Champions (L–R): Milan Paylin (2nd), Jackson Jenkins (1st) and Tanner Kelsey (3rd). (14) 17 and Under Men’s Ski Champion: Jackson Jenkins (1st) (15): Contestants, finalists, champions and spectators alike congregated in the Sponsor Village for the podium announcements. (16) Best Crash award went to Dylan Hartsell. (17) Best Trick award went to Jack Cornell for his backside bluntslide sameway 270 on the down-flat-down.(18) : Women’s Open Snow Champions (L–R): Taylor Mattingly (2nd), Lynn Neil (1) Potential champions at the registration booth awaiting the day’s competitions. (2) Chris Dakoulas on the rail to rail setup. (3) Dylan (1st) and Annie Glissendorf (3rd). (19) Men’s Open Snow Champions (L–R): Brian Skoropsia (2nd), Sam Kleine (1st) and Griffin Lancaster and Hartsell staying on top of the waterfall rail. (4) Paxton Alexander working over the rail to rail. (5) Women’s First Place, Brooke Potter. Sammy Elliott (tied for 3rd). (20) Men’s 17 and Under Snow Champions (L–R): Patrick Martin (2nd), Jacob Ferrell (1st) and Max Kozlo (3rd).

Photos: @cezaryna (IG) Matthew Windsor mikeybaratta.com Photos: Chris Kiernan mikeybaratta.com 28 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 29 My Fa vorite Presidents

By Mike Brown • Instagram: @Fagatron

This month, I’ve chosen to write about those great men that lead our great country and how they are all great and stuff. These fine men adorn our currency and fuck with it when they are in office. They sometimes act like assholes and are easy targets for everyone to hate, but probably have one of the easiest jobs in the world because other assholes are making the real decisions and doing their job for them. Presidents’ Day is a shitty holiday because kids get out of school to celebrate, and us working stiffs have to grind away at our shitty jobs, and the kids who get to enjoy this holiday can’t even vote. How fucked is that? Anyway, I can’t lie: My knowledge of U.S. history is somewhat limited due to the large amounts of booze and apathy I’ve enjoyed for a majority of my adult life, but I’ll do my best to tell you who my fa- vorite presidents are and why—in no chronological or historical order

whatsoever. Illustration: Steve Thueson

Bill Clinton: Long before Facebook and Instagram, the news was dif- ferent and the economy was somewhat stable. This was the mid-’90s, and we had a president who had puffed the weed and could play a saxophone. Could this guy get any cooler? Yes. He got his dick sucked in the Oval Office and didn’t get impeached. The most famous knob polish in history and the OJ Simpson car chase were literally the largest news stories when I was in high school. We didn’t live in the fear of another 9/11 like today. It was a simpler time, thanks to my man, Bill Clinton.

Richard Nixon: Why? Simply because he got caught being a bad, bad president. I’m pretty convinced that every man to ever take the American Throne has done some sort of terrible, shady shit. With the power to fuck with small sovereign nations at the push of a red button, who wouldn’t? Nixon somehow got narced out by some guy named Deep Throat (who got dibs on that nickname before the above men- tioned Clinton scandal), and gave every conspiracy theorist for the rest of all time one great, big “I TOLD YOU SO!”

George W. Bush: The worst president in the history of presidents makes my list of favorite presidents despite being so horrible. He stole the office, so basically, there was nothing we could do—might as well look at the sunny side! For one thing, he supplied numerous late-night hosts and stand-up comedians with endless amounts of material—any- one that got off on complaining probably secretly loved the big lug. For me, personally, though, he was so bad at being president that my Republican family members stopped talking about politics at the din- ner table halfway through his first term, and for me, this was a huge blessing. Besides all that, can you just imagine how fun it would have been to party with him in his college coke-head, raging-alcoholic days? What’s in a name? For Mike Brown, a lot—if your name’s Millard Fillmore.

Jimmy Carter: Arguably the only decent human being to hold of- fice (which has to be why he only lasted one term). I will forever be enamored with his presidency because of his brother, Billy, and more just wouldn’t be possible. I’m convinced it makes little difference since famously, Billy Beer. Most successful people have a fuck-up sibling, no one I’ve ever voted for has won. I don’t right? Also, seeing that sibling capitalize on his brother running the Millard Fillmore: Just because I think he really subscribe to a certain political party capital by branding his own beer is just a brilliant, heartwarming story has the coolest-sounding name. I asked the because I think parties should be fun, and ,in my opinion. Riding on the coattails of the Free World in an alcoholic SLUG illustrator to draw him for this article political parties are boring. stupor sounds pretty sweet to me. to give one of the obscure dudes some presi- dential props. Other than that, I know nothing For this upcoming Presidents’ Day, I ask Ronald Reagan: What would the ’80s have been like without this about the guy—probably just another rich, you all to take a moment and reflect upon guy—and how the fuck does a cowboy actor become leader of the Free white asshole. our nation’s great history and your favorite World? Well, he had great hair. Every coke-addicted hipster should get president. Is it Abraham Lincoln, the great an ironic tattoo of him—chances are, blow and crack wouldn’t be what Although these guys are my favorite presi- inventor of Lincoln Logs? George Wash- they are today without this guy and his administration. Also, without dents, I didn’t vote for any of them—either ington, the man who hated cherry trees and this guy, where would punk rock be? He fueled the fire for my favorite because I didn’t want to or wasn’t born yet. I couldn’t lie about it? It’s up to you to decide. cultural movement that I was too young to be a part of. The Dead like to exercise my right to vote because other Just avoid the ski resorts because they are a Kennedys without Reagan is like an Oreo without the white stuff. It people around the world cannot, even though total shit show this day. 30 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 31 raise your magick steel

would put a great deal of respon- just how far they’ve come since the contributed by people we knew,” Now, even in the wake of the al- sibility onto their shoulders, but it early days. “We finally have a good says Rogers. “Jason Tarpey from bum’s release, Visigoth are immers- would also give them a chance to recording of ‘Iron Brotherhood,’” the band Eternal Champion— ing themselves in writing some new reach out to a much wider audience says Palmer, noting that, while it is which is one of our favorite un- material. “We do this thing where and spread their music throughout one of their most popular songs, it derground American heavy metal we plan out, now, what we want a VISIGOTH the world. was nice to be able to move on from bands that’s doing their thing right song to sound and feel like before their older material and start focus- now—flew out to be in the video be- we even start writing riffs for it,” says By Henry Glasheen [email protected] Return with The Revenant King • The band’s first challenge came in ing on new music. cause we’re buds.” Jason Stock, Rogers. “We’ve written at least half 2014, when they first started laying creator of Squatter’s Hop Rising of our next album.” While that does down tracks for The Revenant King. A second challenge came in the form beer, also lent his mighty beard to give fans something to look forward “On the Final Spell EP, it was pretty of recording the band’s first music the shoot, followed by Paul Black to, there’s still plenty of work to be Enough words have been written among Utah’s heavy While it’s clear in One copy found itself in the hands much exclusively me and Jake doing video. When the band decided to of Turned to Stone, who report- done before a second full-length in unexpected praise of Visigoth, a metal faithful. Even retrospect that Metal of Máirtín Mac Cormaic, owner the songwriting,” says Campana. make the music video for “The Rev- edly showed up on set dressed to release is ready. However, Visigoth band who, to many people outside Jarvis Leatherby of Night De- Blade would have an interest in of the Irish label Sarlacc Pro- “Jamison helped us write some of the enant King,” the reps at Metal Blade the nines in full medieval costume. have begun working these new of Utah, is a musical anomaly in an mon referred to them as “[SLC’s] supporting such a laudable local ductions. He teamed up with the riffs, like on ‘Creature of Desire’ and resisted at first. Palmer says, “It’s songs into their live set, giving local otherwise unremarkable state. After hometown metal band.” With the band, the tale of Visigoth’s signing legendary Italian label Cruz Del a couple of things here and there. hard to keep someone’s attention The fantasy theme of the music video fans a taste of what is yet to come. signing to Metal Blade, however, Jan. 27 release of their debut full- is a legend unto itself. It all started Sur to release the Final Spell EP on On the album, it’s been more like a for [eight minutes]—especially on may be low-budget and campy, but the band is now receiving an im- length album, The Revenant King, with the release of their Final Spell vinyl, bringing it to a much wider whole band.” Visigoth had already YouTube.” When you shoot an eight- it’s a genuine expression of love for As for live shows, the band is gear- pressive amount of national atten- they stand to gain some much-de- EP. Mike Mendyk, owner of a audience. “Máirtín happened to begun working new material into minute music video, some poor bas- the genre. “The first book I even cog- ing up to get on the road for a lon- tion, but virtually everyone is saying served exposure to an international small tape label called Swords be friends with Alan Averill, who their live sets, and they saw the al- tard has to edit the thing too. Since nizantly remember reading cover to ger tour. This April, the band plans the same thing: “Who would have audience and do so with a collec- & Chains, was impressed by their is the lead singer of the Irish metal bum as an opportunity to hone their you also have to pay that guy, the cover as a child was The Hobbit,” to tour the West Coast, starting in thought that there is true metal in tion of songs honed and tempered work. “He contacted us and said, titans Primordial,” says Rogers. songwriting skills and allow each band ended up with zero budget for says Rogers. “[I read it] so many San Diego and working their way Utah?” on SLC stages. ‘I’d love to release your music on “Máirtín forwarded the music to member of the band to contribute their shoot. times that, on my first copy of it, up to Seattle before heading home. tape,’” says Rogers. “Bear in mind, Alan, who is an old school heavy to the process. Songs like “Blood both covers were gone and half the “We’re also talking about Europe The fact is, Visigoth descend from The album itself is pure, unadulter- we didn’t send this to anybody. We metal diehard. He took a listen to it Sacrifice,” “Mammoth Rider” and Luckily, they had some great help pages fell out of it. My parents had this summer,” says Mikey. Details still a rich legacy of incredible heavy ated heavy metal—the kind of mu- just put it online—we did nothing.” and felt like we had potential.” After “The Revenant King” each started to behind the camera. “The [people] to buy me, like, three copies of that need to be worked out on both tours, metal music in Utah, a long history sic that takes as much inspiration The band agreed, and Visigoth be- finding a video of the band playing solidify as collaborative efforts, and who came out and shot it—David book through my childhood.” In fact, but their guiding principle is to avoid of innovation and tradition from Painkiller-era Judas Priest came the first band to go to print at Mojo’s in Ogden, Averill passed with the recording of the album, they Brodsky and Allison Woest, one of the early attractions to heavy burning themselves out on their woven together into a di- as it does from Twisted Tower on Swords & Chains. “Of course, Visigoth’s EP along to Metal Blade, became much tighter and more the- known as MyGoodEye Produc- metal for the group was its strong ties first major road trip. “The verse tapestry of sound. Dire. Guitarists Lee Campana the Internet—being the giant cess- who decided to offer them a chance matically consistent. tions—were awesome!” says Rog- to fantasy and sci-fi stories and art. trick is doing it as smart as “[Utah’s] had killer stuff and Jamison Palmer flex their pool of negativity that it is—was to sign with their legendary label. ers. “I don’t think any of us could Campana says, “I feel like, to enjoy possible,” says Campana. that was just not mighty metal thews on this record, telling Mike that he’d never sell The band continued recording in imagine having done that music fantasy, you have to be able to have Even as a signed on the radar every riff given thunderous puis- cassette tapes. They were saying, Needless to say, the band was ec- Andy Patterson’s “Boar’s Nest” video without those two working on the ability to immerse yourself in a band on Metal level of Met- sance by Matt Brotherton’s bass. ‘Only hipsters buy cassette tapes!’” static. However, they knew that sign- studio, hammering out the best of it.” They also banded together with different world. The reason fantasy Blade, each al Blade,” Mikey T’s intricate drums bolster says Rogers, with a hint of irony in ing to a major label wasn’t some their material into an album to be supportive friends—both local and and metal go together so often is member has says vocal- the ground-shaking concussions of his voice. “They sold out fast. The final spell to bring them instant proud of. Including new recordings from out of state. “We had enough because, whatever discipline it is, it a day job ist Jake “Mammoth Rider” while Rogers’ first show that we had the tapes at, fame. “What it means for us is that of songs from their demo and EP friends who had medieval weapons, does require a certain level of immer- that pays Rogers, final chorus on “From The Arcane they were gone.” we have to work harder than ever,” such as “Vengeance” and “Creature armor and costumes that, while we sion to fully enjoy it.” the bills, “but that Mists Of Prophecy” brings an epic says Campana. They signed on with of Desire” allowed the band to show rented a few pieces, most of it was and they’ve d o e s n ’ t climax to The Revenant King. Metal Blade, knowing that doing so had to pass make us the up some best or the great shows to first—it just makes avoid losing their us the most visible.” Citing jobs in the pursuit of their bands like Ibex Throne dreams. (one of the first black metal bands to form in America) and For Visigoth, all the effort and Katagory V (who participated in lucky breaks they’ve had come from the Prog Power USA festival in ’03), one major source of strength. “We the band knows its roots well and couldn’t have achieved any of this honors its local forebears with hard- without the support of our awesome hitting, traditional heavy metal. Even local scene,” says Rogers. Even now, SLC’s diverse array of thrash- though the machinations of labels ers, hessians, death metal devotees and signings has largely gone on and black metal blasphemers are a outside of Utah’s borders, the band well-kept secret from the rest of the all agrees that the local scene is world, but those who worship the riff what makes it possible to be in a in darkened mead halls and dingy band and enjoy making music with garages across the city are well one’s friends. “I think a lot of young aware of the talent that graces our bands might have the idea that, if fair city. “It’s a small scene, but it’s you get signed to a label that’s as high-quality small,” says Rogers. “If big as Metal Blade, you’ve made there’s a set with all local bands, it’s it,” says Rogers. “No. You have now all bands that are definitely worth been given the chance to try and watching a full set for.” make it.”

Yet, even among the exceptional Check out Visigoth’s debut acts throughout the Bee- album, The Revenant King, hive State, Visigoth have on Metal Blade records, or distinguished themselves on Bandcamp at visigoth. as a household name bandcamp.com. Matt Brotherton - Bass Jake Rogers - Vocals Lee Campana - Guitar Mikey T - Drums Jamison Palmer - Guitar 32 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 33 Skate Photo Feature By Weston Colton • WestonColton.com

Matt Bergmann – Frontside Boardslide to Fakie – SLC, Utah Matt Bergmann had some unfinished business from his story a few months back. In mid-December, Bergmann called me up to shoot “this really long down rail.” When I got near the spot, I realized that I knew the rail and how crazy long it is. A handful of tricks have been done on the top, but only a couple have been done down the whole rail. After an hour and a half of battling and some pretty gnarly slams, Bergmann frontside boardslid the entire length, landing fakie. This is a #bergler bonus photo.

34 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 35 Tales from Wildcat Strike’s Tips for Tours the Merch Bin: By Nate Housley • [email protected] By Mike Riedel Happy Camper IPA [email protected] Brewery/Brand: Santa Fe Brewing Co. 2015 is on pace to be one of the best ABV: 6.6% beer years that Utah has seen in quite Serving Style: 12 oz can some time. With new, local brewer- ies opening; fresh, new, local labels; and a flood of new, domestic craft brands moving in from out of state, it’s going to be hard (but not impos- sible) to keep track of it all. Luckily, that’s my gig. It’s good work if you can get it, and trust me, at this rate, I’m going to be a busy lil’ beer bee over the coming months. Just trying to keep track of all the barley goodness making its way to our homes and This beer pours a clear, light-amber pubs is turning into a full-time job in color with a firm two fingers of head and of itself. This month, we have a that last half way through the beer. trio of options that gives you a good The nose has mostly floral and grassy idea of what’s happening locally as notes with a bit of citrus hop notes in well as a taste of what’s going on out-

Photo: John Barkiple the back. Earthy malts are also pres- side of our borders. ent. The taste starts with some floral and grassy bitterness with a bit of Misdirected IPA musty tangelo juice. Some subtle car- Brewery/Brand: amel malts come next, rounding out (L–R) Will Shades of Pale Brewing Co. the bitterness. Some toffee notes are Tuddenham, present as well. It finishes dry with a Jake Rosevear ABV: 4.0% little bit of bitter orange rind and pine and Tony Lake of Serving Style: Wildcat Strike use draft/12 oz bottle needles. a few handy tricks to Overall: In this beer, the citrus notes make merch a viable that people tend to prefer in their IPA part of touring each take a backseat to more floral vari- time they hit the road. eties of hops. Think of it as more of an English IPA with some American influences.

SLC rock band Wildcat Strike have been Tip #2: Bring a spouse. Lake and Rosevear brought Tip #5: Don’t give merch away. “We ended up Old Sage Brett on two tours and have played a handful of their wives, Sophie Lake and Fernanda Rosevear, giving a lot of CDs away on that trip,” says Rosevear of Brewery/Brand: shows in neighboring states. Members Tony along for their first tour. While the band was setting up their second tour. “In the morning, we were like, ‘Damn Epic Brewing Co. Lake (vocals, guitar and keyboard), Jake Ros- and performing, the lovely ladies were laying out the it, that was gas money,” he says. Try to keep the long- evear (bass), Jordan Mendenhall (guitar), Will merch. “We were a lot more organized because we had term in perspective when at the bar making friends—oth- ABV: 7.6% Tuddenham (keyboard, guitar) and Joe Plummer people helping us,” Rosevear says. “We made plenty erwise, you may be sleeping on a bathroom floor when Serving Style: 22 oz bottle (drums) have not only managed to build a sturdy fan- of gas money selling T-shirts and CDs.” If your helper you can’t afford a hotel as Rosevear did. This oak-barrel-aged beer pours a base and release two albums in the last three years, but is good at presentation, all the better. “Our wives had clear-amber color with a sudsy, white they have been able to cover all their costs and even sizes, they had gender, they had it all labeled. That’s Tip #6: Don’t rely on door money. Club owners head. The nose is dry and dusty with pocket a little from their efforts. They’ve bolstered their why we sold, because they gave a damn,” Lake says. can sometimes disappear after a show. “Then you real- Poured from a draft handle, this In- a huge dose of sage and herbs. The merchandise acumen with a reputation for being a rivet- If you’re not in a relationship, bring a friend. Not only ize they’re not going to pay you,” Rosevear says. This dia Pale Ale pours a slightly hazy, taste starts off mildly sour with some ing, energetic live act. Lake says, “We write songs to be does having a dedicated merchperson help with Tip #1, could leave your band with only the money from merch golden-amber color with a sturdy fin- high-energy and rhythmic, so when we see people danc- it means you can make sales while the band is loading sales to get you to the next town. unripened fruit tartness. Sage, rose- ger of foamy head. (Note: It’s OK to ing, it gets us excited, and I think it really reflects in the the van. mary and lemongrass come next with ask your bartender for a ‘little head’ way we play.” Attending one of their shows may induce Tip #7: Have fun. If you’ve had a good night, enjoy a bit of pineapple and oak adding when it comes to pouring your beer). one to take home a CD, or at the very least, a Wildcat Tip #3: Put on a good show. The Wildcat Strike it. On their most recent tour, one of their most memorable some balance. A touch of vanilla and The nose has a nice blend of citrus Strike temporary tattoo designed by Tuddenham. Here philosophy is that merch is a tangible reminder of a great nights was when the bar allowed Wildcat Strike to buy malt round out the end with a ton of are their tips for making the most of merch sales. performance, according to Lake. “If we’re on point—and shots for all 20 people there for a dollar apiece. “It keeps peel and flowery hops. It’s obviously a fresh keg. The taste starts with some spicy, herbal oak and leather round- not even if we’re playing that well, but if we have the it fun,” Lake says. “Tour is a lot of work. We’re trying to ing out the finish. Tip #1: Be resourceful. Merch is a big upfront invest- confidence—people want to get behind that because it’s eliminate the drama that can creep up on bands.” muted caramel malt and toasty grain ment. “You just sit on that for a long time,” Rosevear exciting,” he says. “They want to believe that we’ve cap- crackers. Tropical fruitiness comes Overall: This one isn’t for the timid. says. Wildcat Strike printed up 200 CDs each of both of tured that on the album.” Tip #8: Play in Boise. “People were enthusiastic in next, adding some nice balance. The Its sourness and high herbal profile their albums, which is a relatively small run. Many press- Boise. People were pumped to buy shit,” Tuddenham end is similar to the aroma—floral can be a bit overwhelming. Prepare es require at least that many. If you can leverage some Tip #4: There’s no time like the present. Tell your says. “They didn’t have their phones out—they were and citrusy. It finishes fairly dry. your tongue for a full frontal assault. connections, it can cut some of your upfront costs and fans to seize the moment. “That’s the formula. You’re on- ready to listen and dance. Everyone was excited. If we Overall: This is Shades of Pale’s first make it easier to recoup your money. Wildcat Strike had stage and say, ‘Go right now and buy that shit!’” Rose- ever go to Boise and don’t have merch, that’s a huge new beer in nearly two years. It’s a friends offer to do the cover art for both albums. “A lot vear says. Interest fades fast, so direct them to the merch mistake.” nice session IPA that has plenty of For more updates, feel free to of professional bands pay for that service,” Lake says. If table before that happens. It also helps to have the table hops for even the most finicky hop check out your local beer news you do have some extra cash and want a good return on in a good location out in the open. Wildcat Strike is playing Bar Deluxe on March 25. You at the Utah Beer Blog: investment, the band recommends printing some shirts. can buy their latest album, Digital Age, at their show or heads. online at wildcatstrike.bandcamp.com. utahbeer.blogspot.com. 36 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 37 Works by Latin@/Chican@ artists, such as Ruby Chacon’s Multigenerational Danzante Women Series, will be on display at the UMFA and MICA this February. Art + Public = of these groups began to bond together Gallery Stroll to create a collective Latino identity. The show explores the political and cultural climate of that time, including the Latino By Mariah Mann Mellus reaction to the Civil Rights movement of [email protected] the ’60s and ’70s, pop culture’s influ- ence on them and how they have cho- Gallery Stroll is like a big love letter from sen to shape what it’s like to be a Latino Utah artists to the community. A lot of in America. “Our America challenges work and love is poured into each Gal- preconceived notions of what it means lery Stroll, making each month an indi- to be ‘American’ and ‘Latino’ in our vidual experience—galleries open their evolving national culture,” says Jorge doors and invite the public to peruse the Rojas, Director of Education and En- art after normal business hours, mingle gagement at UMFA. He goes on to say, with the artists and ask as many ques- “Exhibitions that celebrate the richness tions as their hearts desire. and diversity in our cultures are essential for strengthening cultural pride and iden- This month, I was moved by two shows tity.” To receive the most of your experi- exploring history, ancestry, communal ence at UMFA, I urge you to visit their purpose and social impact: Our Amer- website, umfa.utah.edu, for visitor infor- ica: The Latino Presence In American Art mation and a complete listing of events at the Utah Museum of Fine Art and the and lectures surrounding their shows. return of Ruby Chacón with special guest Natalia Deeb-Sossa to the A goal of the Mestizo Institute for Cul- Mestizo Institute of Culture and ture and Arts is to celebrate cultural ex- Arts. Both shows focus on the Latino changes and enrich our understanding community with scope and beauty that of diverse cultures while acknowledging transcends heritage, yet reminds one of commonalities through the humanities. the relevance and passion of this talent- Visionary artist and MICA co-founder ed and prevalent community. Ruby Chacón returns to Mestizo in February for a joint show with UC Davis Our America: The Latino Presence In Chican@ Studies professor and photog- American Art is an exhibit on loan from rapher Natalia Deeb-Sossa. The show, the Smithsonian American Art Museum entitled Creadoras de Cultura: Activismo in Washington D.C. The show opened y Espiritualidad, will explore the rich at the Smithsonian in Oct. 2013 and re- heritage of Chicana women as cultural mained on display until March 2014. It producers and makers through painting makes its Utah debut on Feb. 6 at the and photography. The opening recep- UMFA and can be seen up through May tion will happen pre-Gallery Stroll on 17 of this year. The show features works Feb. 13. The artists will also be pres- by 72 modern and contemporary art- ent for the closing reception on March ists working in different mediums. Our 13. Mestizo Gallery is located inside the America depicts the rich diversity of the Mestizo Coffeehouse at 631 W. North Latino community in the United States, Temple, Suite 700. showcasing artists of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican descent, Two great shows, expanding our under- along with many other Latin American standing of each other and ourselves—I groups. In the mid-20th Century, many heart Gallery Stroll. I hope you will, too. 38 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 39 Illustration: Sean Hennefer

Dear Orificer, said the scene was cool, so I visited and frequented long- I’m curious about the “man behind lost establishments such as the mask.” I’ve kind of surmised Alice’s and The Word. I thought you can’t be a typical cop or you Utah was cool, and holy shit, probably wouldn’t write a feature for the skiing! SLUG Magazine ... right? Yep—been to jail, drank too Tell me some things about yourself. much, bad tattoos, etc. … Why did you decide to become a so I asked the government cop? What was one of the hardest to help me get better, and things you’ve had to do or seen goddamn, they did. When happen in the line of duty (like you done with me, I didn’t have know, difficult or heartbreaking)? a lot of marketable skills, so I Do you ever think about changing became a cop. Later, I moved your career? Did you have ideals to this fine state. That’s me, when you first started and do you Princess—Orificer! feel like you still have them? Do you have some kind of music or art I’m a cop. I detest criminals. background? Criminals and bullies are the same thing. They prey on I know you can’t share your identity the innocent, the weak and and I don’t want to know. I guess I the fragile. Robbers prey on just want to get a better idea of who the weak, burglars on the you really are as a person and a unsuspecting and drug dealers human being before I make any kind on the fragile. The “anti- of solid opinion on your letter. cop” haters forget that cops don’t make laws, they only –Dostoevsky Princess enforce laws, many of which aren’t agreed upon. I’d love Princess, to enforce only the anti-bully laws. That would be awesome. I’m not from Utah. Punk is my musical background, Like many, I’m sure I started and that’s why I like SLUG. losing friends to drugs when During my formative years, I was very young. Drugs are everything was Black Flag a scourge. Legalize them, and my skateboard, and I had whatever, but don’t tell me it a front-row seat to the Decline makes anything better. Child of Western Civilization. I spent predators: THROW away the many nights in places like key! Heartbreaking stories— Baces Hall, Stardust Ballroom, too many to count. That’s me, Fleetwood, Whiskey a Go and some others, in a nutshell. Go—you name it. Drugs were everywhere, and they took –Cop their toll. Drug abuse and the purveyors of that toxin made an impression on me. Have a question for the Cop? Email him at A good friend moved here, [email protected]

40 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 41 Never Alone (Kisima Igitchuna) 1965: The Most each subject and how it doesn’t over- word the reader with information. Baker Revolutionary presents the facts and doesn’t waste the Year in Music reader’s time with opinions and hearsay. Andrew Grant Jackson I highly recommend the book and en- Thomas Dunne Books courage anyone looking to make posi- Street: 02.03 tive changes about themselves to read Andrew Grant Jackson (Still the Great- it. –Benjamin Tilton est: The Essential Songs of The Beatles’ Solo Careers) beautifully illustrates the Tomboy: A Graphic overwhelming changes that music, Memoir counterculture and politics defined in Liz Prince 1965. Largely, this year-long journey is Zest Books seen through the experiences felt both “I will never complain about our winters again.” existentially and internallly through the Street: 09.02.14 inspirations of The Beatles. Jackson takes care to analyze these great effects Never Alone ‘90s. That being said, the game doesn’t through the exploration of drugs like offer any initial backstory about where LSD and their influence on the creative (Kisima Igitchuna) the player is and what he is doing, world. This book also investigates the Upper One Games / so it’s easy to fall into the Doom hab- style of cultural relationships that sur- it of murdering everything in sight. As E-Line Media it turns out, that’s a bad thing to do in rounded the British Invasion, the rise of Reviewed on: Xbox One soul music and the reactions surrounding Strife. Throughout the game, your char- the charged race issues that character- Also on: PC, PS4 acter is given missions that offer differ- ized the struggles of the decade. He Street: 11.18.14 ent rewards, and killing everyone in sight tends to limit these opportunities. further takes time to explain the meaning Never Alone is a sweet little puzzle plat- For those who want to get into some behind classic songs like The Beatles’ former that wants you to understand old-school deathmatches with Strife, “Help!,” “Barry McGuire’s “Eve Of the culture of the Alaskan native Iñu- the Veteran Edition comes equipped Destruction” and The Rolling Stones’ pia people more than anything. You with a few different multiplayer modes “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” using play as a small Iñupiat girl, Nuna, de- that can be fun to knock out with a few them to explain their significant pop- termined to find the reason for an end- buddies. While Strife: Veteran Edition is cultural relevance for their era. Though less blizzard that is slowly starving her a lovingly rendered version of an un- village. She sets out on her own, but Jackson’s breakdown of events is not derground hit, it’s something that only she soon runs into an adorable arctic limited to just The Beatles, he clearly those who are nostalgic for the first-per- fox that wants to help her. The girl and makes the iconic group the epicenter son shooters of the mid-‘90s are really her fox each have their own abilities— of all that goes on in the book. While going to enjoy. –Alex Springer this is a lighter read, it does well in the fox can climb and call spirits, while explaining the end of a cultural inno- Nuna can wield a Bola, her weapon, Liz Prince’s Tomboy is an introspective The Vanishing of cence through the events surrounding and move objects. It doesn’t make for and fun collection of awkward phases of a terribly challenging game, but it is a a profound year in pop culture history. Ethan Carter growing up against gender norms. It’s a fun co-op. Playing with a friend is the –Nick Kuzmack story about embarrassment, rebellion and way to go—the AI for your partner can The Astronauts self-acceptance, and it speaks to all the make the game occasionally frustrating Reviewed on: PC Living Healthy and tomboys in the world who’ve had identity when they die and force you to start a Also on: PS4 Enjoying Life crises. The merciless teasing of non-clever puzzle over. The graphics aren’t bad, Street: 09.26.14 but there were a few visual bugs, most- Maurice Baker M.D. peers throughout school reveals that bul- Ethan Carter is a blend of scenery built ly around deaths. As you progress, you lying can result from any non-conformity for desktop wallpaper and supernatu- Self-Published unlock “insights,” which are short vid- despite any of the few attempts one ral exploration that I can most closely Street: 09.14.14 eos about the Alaskan natives and their makes at being part of the crowd. In a compare to Myst or Riven. The beauty of “If it’s going to be me it’s up to me” is culture and lives. It’s got so much soul, funny and poignant way, Prince details this game lies not only within its incred- the slogan and credo of Maurice Bak- it’s worth the investment of your time. ible scenery, but within the creepy tone er’s Living Healthy and Enjoying Life. The the terrors of societal pressure and gen- –Ashley Lippert book serves as a self-help guide infused der expectations and the constant conflict set by the amazing sound design. Also, the idea that you are going to explore a with 50 years of Baker’s hands-on expe- between gender, sex and presentation. Strife: Veteran Edition world all alone with no guidance to fig- rience and referenced medical facts. The The book aims to answer the question: ure out what happened leaves an ad- book can be read two ways. You can What does it mean to be a tomboy? It’s Rogue Entertainment / ditional sense of wonder as you uncov- read it from front to back like a tradi- just another label of identity that Prince Night Dive Studios er facts about families, demons and the investigates and unravels with nearly ev- tional book or locate your specific areas Reviewed on: PC “Sleeper.” While this is literally the key of concern in the table of contents and ery person she meets. It’s a fast read, and Also on: Mac game mechanic, it is also worth noting go right in and jump around however each black-and-white page is engaging Street: 12.12.14 that the lack of guidance can lead to you like. Baker’s writing style keeps the in the instantly recognizable Prince style. mild frustration if you’d rather be guid- When it originally debuted in 1996, book engaging and sets it apart from It’s not a trans narrative, but it’s a trans- ed through the story. The monologuing Strife was a revolutionary game that most medical readings. He includes formative story about a girl who never by Paul, the main character, only serves sought to use the Doom engine to build many examples from his own life and felt comfortable as a girl, and eventually to add to the eerie mystery of this gor- a first-person RPG. Conceptually, this career that give a personal feel to the discovers that she’s not alone. There’s al- geous world. This is a game that any- was way ahead of its time—the first- book. He genuinely cares about his au- one should take time to explore. ways punk, there’s always comics, there’s person shooter/RPG is something that –Thomas Winkley dience and wants them to improve, as always something new to learn; it’s has recently gained traction with games the book encourages the reader to stay hopeful, sweet, and acutely relatable— like Bioshock and Destiny. It’s impressive the course and commit to its suggested highly recommended for fellow weirdos. that Rogue Entertainment was messing Read more reviews lifestyle changes. One of the stronger –Taylor Hoffman around with that idea back in the mid- points in the book is its frankness about at slugmag.com 42 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 43 Great Salt Lake and carry it around your neck as a strap, and then, when you’re done Clothing shooting, you roll the strap around it as GSL Beard Butter w/ a sort of soft case. When rolled up, it Bourbon Oil creates a compact bundle that would be gslclothing.com easy to stash in your backpack. Aestheti- cally, it looks like you’ve draped a water Speaking as a guy with a big, bushy noodle around yourself, but this product beard, I’ve had my share of bad beard would do the trick in fast-paced, active days. Some of you guys know what scenarios. –Kia McGinnis I’m talking about—days where your handsome, hirsute face looks all askew Inkling Scents because you’ve got a rampant case of hobo beard. Back when I had hair on Pure Essential and my head, I refused to put any product Perfume Oils in it whatsoever, but I leaped at the inklingscents.com opportunity to test out GSL’s beard but- Looking to keep it local with this year’s ter. When I first popped open the tin, I Valentine’s Day gifts? Tiffany A. was overcome with the heavenly scent Kirkham and Inkling Scents have got of French toast and Kentucky bourbon. you covered with essential oil perfumes That was all the invitation I needed, made right here in Utah. No, “Great really. I started rubbing the stuff in, Salt Lake Effect” and “Utah Jazz locker and almost immediately, I was able to room” aren’t the Utah smells that you’ll shape my tangly mess of a beard into find at Inkling—rather, opulent fragranc- a decently ordered shape. Despite a bit es that update the tradition of perfumes of a greasy feeling for the next hour or and colognes for modern consumers. so, my beard seemed to be appeased. With 22 essential oil-based fragrances, As a bonus, that luscious, syrupy scent presented in a variety of inexpensive followed me around wherever I went. vessels—2 oz. flasks ($65), .3 oz. glass I’m sure that there are more powerful roll-ons ($25) an d 2 oz. inkwell and products to keep my messy chops in line, quill sets ($45-$75)—Inkling has got but GSL’s beard butter does the trick at something for everyone. From the floral a decent $15 price tag. Besides, who and citrus notes of scents such as “Ti- doesn’t want to smell like breakfast all gress” and “Sultry” to the complex musk day long? –Henry Glasheen of “Raffish,” Inkling’s scents will appeal to perfume aficionados and newcomers Miggo alike, from the raffish and sultry, to the Strap & Wrap most modest of perfume users. What’s mymiggo.com refreshing about Inkling’s approach is that each fragrance is alcohol free and As Utah is a state with often copious made with pure essential and perfume amounts of precipitation, it’s important oils, which allows each strong-yet- to keep your gear dry and covered modest scent to absorb into one’s skin while you’re on the slopes or just out rather than evaporate, making a long- and about. The Miggo strap is designed lasting impression. Don’t stop at treat- to be a convenient and cozy way to ing your sweetie—treat yourself, too! zip up your camera and protect it from –Simone de Bourgeois weather. You attach it to your camera

44 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 45 Black Sea Blackhat own team hell-bent on Olympic glory. set Los Angeles on fire by chopping Enter the Shultz brothers, who, at the every law enforcement officer in the Focus Features Universal behest of Du Pont, are flown to his throat and destroying every vehicle he Director: Kevin Macdonald Director: Michael Mann estate to live and train. Du Pont takes comes into contact with. Let me remind In Theaters: 01.23 In Theaters: 01.16 Mark under his wing as his mentor, you that these are not dirty cops who but it’s here that Du Pont shows his true set him up. They’re just run-of-the-mill Whenever I think of a computer hacker, colors as he feeds Mark compliments officers making a decent living … until the image of a hunky, blond Austra- and cocaine while Mark becomes in- some jerk claiming he’s innocent tosses lian bursting with muscles, who’s also creasingly jealous of Dave. Tatum and them out of a speeding police cruiser capable of using firearms, is the first Ruffalo are great as the Shultz broth- on the highway. We cheered Neeson thing that always comes to mind. You ers, but Carell really shines as Du Pont. on in the previous films because he don’t agree? Michael Mann directs Wearing prosthetic makeup to the was executing murderers and rapists. Chris Hemsworth (a.k.a. Thor) as point of resembling Mr. Burns, he gives Now he’s just a dick. This (hopefully) the lead in this global cat-and-mouse a performance so creepy that you’ll final chapter is excruciatingly boring, chase that pits convicted hacker Nick forget that he was ever in The Office. and the only person I was hoping to Hathaway (Hemsworth) against an –Kenny Tadrzynski be “taken” was myself … out of the unknown terrorist hell-bent on sending theater. –Jimmy Martin the world into sheer chaos. Mann con- Taken 3 tinues his style of shaky cameras and The Wedding Ringer the use of digital cameras to deliver 20th Century Fox that raw form of filmmaking, but the Director: Olivier Megaton Sony issues with this drama come directly In Theaters: 01.09 Director: Jeremy Garelick from Morgan Davis Foehl’s abso- In Theaters: 01.16 lutely tedious screenplay. There’s a problem when one looks at their watch First-time director Jeremy Garelick hoping the film will wrap up momen- loads his R-rated comedy with rising tarily, yet there is nearly an hour of stars in the comedy world, including story left. It’s soul-crushing. Hemsworth Josh Gad (Broadway’s Book of Mor- The thought of being 90 meters deep is decent, but it’s Viola Davis who is mon) and Kevin Hart (Ride Along) as in the middle of the ocean in a steel the most commanding and appealing an odd bromance couple. In just 10 tube is horrifying to me, but the chance as a tough government official. The days, Doug Harris (Gad) will marry of collecting millions in buried treasure cast does their best with what they’re Gretchen (Big Bang Theory’s Kaley just might make this critic sign up for the given, and Mann sticks to his predict- Cuoco-Sweeting), but without any hunt. Captain Robinson (Jude Law) able guns, but the thrill to this chase friends to stand in as his best man, he is a recently unemployed submarine came to a standstill five minutes after hires Jimmy Callahan (Hart) to create a captain who is given the opportunity the title vanished from the screen. fake history and pose as his longtime to change his life forever when he is –Jimmy Martin asked to lead a team of 12 crewmem- best friend, Bic Mitchum. Gad and bers to search for a lost WWII U-boat Hart are given the opportunity to show- rumored to be filled with gold bars. Foxcatcher case their comedic timing, and they do Director Kevin Macdonald takes the Sony Pictures Classics so with a positive outcome half of the time. However, the comedy clock is a helm and offers a heart-pounding tale Director: Bennett Miller tad off during the other half. With an of survival, greed and conspiracy with In Theaters: 11.14.14 this gritty Ocean’s 11 at sea. Where R-rated comedy, there’s a balance be- tween comedy and raunchiness. Both Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar per- Based on the book of the same name, In this now trilogy … ugh … Liam of these elements are acceptable and fectly depicted the feeling of nothing- Foxcatcher is the weird, true crime story Neeson continues to answer the encouraged, but if the jokes completely ness in space, Macdonald traps you in- of eccentric multi-millionaire John Du phone and sound as menacing as pos- immerse themselves in total crudeness side this vessel knowing there’s nothing Pont (Steve Carell) and his efforts in sible to whomever is on the other side. for the sheer sake of being nasty, then but certain death lurking on the other trying to win over wrestling champion In the first film, Bryan Mills’ (Neeson) the balance is compromised and the side of its walls. As each individual brothers, Dave and Mark Shultz daughter was “taken” by sex traffick- laughs cease. The concept is intriguing onboard is promised an equal share (played by Channing Tatum and ers. In the second film, Mills and his and has the possibility of delivering a of the plunder, their ravenousness and Mark Ruffalo, respectively). Bennett ex-wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen), egos take the spotlight, only creating a Miller (Moneyball) directs Academy were “taken” by associates of the solid production, but Garelick spends devastating situation for everyone. Law Award-winning performances out of people killed in the previous endeav- too much time with unnecessary scenes commands the screen as he spirals into the three leads in what could be one of or. Now, no one is “taken” in this film; that do nothing but waste time. Does the depths of madness with the thought the year’s best. Du Pont is your classic, however, writers Luc Besson and anyone really need to see an elderly of a life free of servitude on the sur- elitist one-percenter, heir to the Du Pont Robert Mark Kamen must have Joe Namath be beaten on a football face. However, his actions divide the chemical fortune. Like most rich peo- been “taken” by The Fugitive franchise field? The answer is no. –Jimmy Martin treasure-seekers, and no one may see ple, he wants something money can’t because it is the exact same storyline. the light of day. It’s total pandemonium, buy—for him, it’s trophies and awards. Mills is falsely accused of murdering and Macdonald has once again bril- With a hard-on for wrestling, Du Pont his ex-wife, so, rather than explaining Read more reviews liantly executed another chapter in his uses his extreme wealth to amass his to authorities his alibi, he decides to filmmaking career. –Jimmy Martin at slugmag.com 46 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 47 Baby Ghosts could easily conceive of Night Sweat the previous tracks, but it’s front and Ghost Walk as a chronological journey of one’s center on “Desigual.” The guitars are sleep experience. “Somewhere Dark” razor sharp, and the once-hushed lyr- Self-Released begins the journey with the words “I ics transform into the booming vocals Street: 11.08.14 beat myself today. Can you reach my of a viking. If you’re into goth rock Baby Ghosts = P.S. Eliot + hands? I’m starting to fall.” The inter- or shoegaze, then you might find the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah laced keyboard and piano rhythms work of DulceSky worth checking out. create a feeling of uneasiness that’s so- –Justin Gallegos lidified by drums and more synths that build in volume, inevitably swallowing Jay Citrus & Esscarrgo one another. “Night Sweats” leads Alone With Two Drinks with a steady bass that feels brooding Lucid Flow Music before becoming bright with laser-like Street: 09.27.14 synths and the words, “I’m home, I’m Jay Citrus = Cyprus Hill + The Cliterinas—think of them as four awake.” “On Again” concludes the Snoop Dog chicks who are constantly and awe- EP and is the peppiest song on the somely on their periods and decided album, with an upbeat guitar rhythm to form a band. With a title like Roller among the words, “Let’s just promise Skates & Maxi Pads, I could only imag- not to sleep anymore.” Night Sweat ine how hilariously repulsive their is brief but strong for its cohesive sto- Baby Ghosts feel like a lo-fi and pop songs would be. Bestowed unto me are ryline and production value. You can mixture of American Football and “Vaginal Homicide,” “Tissue Paper Tes- hear it at custommodel.bandcamp.com. Belle & Sebastian. Ghost Walk is ticles” and “Vitamin C.O.C.K.,” all pre- –Justin Gallegos their collection of rare songs, B-sides sented in raw, vicious, crusty punk rock and covers that stay true to their Face- deliverance. Combined with Brewja’s DulceSky book bio as ”sad and cute at the same raspy vocals and the abrasive riffing of Awake And Arise Squid Vicious, they hold true to their time.” I started listening to this album Nueve Music mission statement: “We formed to rock during a spiral of depression, but the Street: 10.01.14 vaginas everywhere!” This album is 20 This five-song hip-hop EP from right sweet, haunting riffs carried me up into DulceSky = Dead Can Dance minutes of foul-mouthed belligerence here in the 801 caught me off guard an otherworldly space that was lone- / Nine Inch Nails some, yet echoed with familiarity like and dispenses their unkempt, punk at- in a good way. If I were unabashedly the ghosts that float through the album. titudes. –Eric U. Norris judging from the cover, I would have Anxiety and depression and keyboard anticipated abrasive, repetitive rave combine into the beautiful chorus of Custom Model jams. However, Alone With Two Drinks “am I here now/or am I just a ghost Night Sweat proved me wrong. The album has a lost in the crowd?” in “Crash.” Voices Self-Released smooth, consistent beat and samples melt together, reminiscent of Siouxsie Street: 01.07 that are cohesive with Citrus’ unhur- & the Banshees, but a few octaves Custom Model = Chromatics ried, straightforward flow. His opening higher and more poppy. “Ghost Privi- / Shlohmo + Still Corners track, “Bloom,” uses a clever piece from lege” stands out as my favorite on the The Beatles and has an engaging ca- album, closely followed by their cover dence. While there’s nothing technical- of The Cranberries’ “Dreams” that ly off-putting about his rap, Citrus might is sleepy and sweet. Ghost Walk feels become more accessible if his words good to listen to when down. I want contained fresh and relevant ideas to hear this album live with everyone about Salt Lake instead of vague lyr- singing along to “Love Me Buy Can’t,” ics about booty, as found in “Bounce.” and I also cry alone to “Existed.” On their latest EP, DulceSky return with Despite that, Alone With Two Drinks is There’s plenty to love about this album four tracks of dream rock, including a well-put-together album that offers a if you enjoy the tunes of P.S. Eliot and two previously released singles. There’s unique sound from other local releases. Waxahatchee. –Taylor Hoffman a hushed feeling to the lyrics on “Soul –Kia McGinnis Vampire” that hover over the loud gui- The Cliterinas tars and synthesized noise, making it Kookie Lou Roller Skates & Maxi Pads the EP’s most digestible track for me. Kookielou EP DulceSky’s lyrical delivery is consis- Self-Released Self-Released tent on most of the EP, but “Desigual” Street: 09.27.14 Street: 11.15.14 Custom Model’s latest EP offers its is the most aggressive track as Dul- Kookie Lou = The Cliterinas = Civet + listener three songs of mid-tempo ceSky unleash a little guitar madness. (Bat For Lashes * Zooey The Meatmen + L7 electronica with varying moods. One There’s darkness under the surface on Deschanel) / Morcheeba 48 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 49 trying too hard to be an iconic piece Clan Of Xymox + Psyche + Salazar’s debut full-length album is of art like a lot of electronic artists are Faith & the Muse one that will bore itself into that part clearly attempting. Highlights of the of the brain that holds your most bit- album include opener “Little Boys,” tersweet, life-assessing moments and the dangerously catchy-in-a-way-that- memories, and forever plays over it-will-never-leave-your-head “Nep- them like some Zach Braff–curated tune,” and the down-tempo closing soundtrack. It’s a 10-track dream-folk track, “Lonely Pocket Self.” The album masterwork, every song distinct from is calming but entertaining enough the last but also a perfect comple- to listen to in a wide range of situa- ment to the sum. “At high tide/there’s tions. I’m listening to it as I prepare a note/that I wrote down/I let it sink for bed after a long day. New Shack deep down,”: The opening lyrics of the are another example of how, for rea- album’s title track really tell the story. This is a work that will latch onto you The reason music stays culturally rel- sons unbeknownst to me, good mu- and linger for weeks, even months. evant is because artists, both new and sic is actually coming out of Provo. –Blake Leszczynski old, keep taking risks and doing things –Julia Sachs that aren’t expected. The unexpected is Valentine & The exactly what you get with Kookie Lou’s N0RTHRN LIGHT5 Though it’s often on the periphery Regard (aka Lily Wolter) debut EP. Over GR33N.4UROR4. of my normal listening habits, super the swift four tracks, the Isle of Man- Self-Released goth-infused darkwave like The Rose I’m Well Adjusted native showcases her ability to make Street: 01.06 Phantom really hits the spot. Ted Self-Released unimaginably complex songs that glide N0RTHRN LIGHT5 = Newsom crafts ethereal, dirge-like Street: 10.24.14 over simple tones and sounds. In the Cashmere Cat + symphonies with his wide palette of Valentine & The Regard = opener, “Bottom Of The Hill,” we are Paper Diamond + synth models, content to remain in the The Puzzle / The Memories treated to an ethereal medley of keys Timbaland laid-back space of contemplation and and strings that is methodically taken heartache. In all seriousness, though, over by a menacing acoustic guitar his choice of synths has a brilliant riff, and shortly after, Wolter ominously ’80s-style campiness to them, evoking sings, “Seeing from a distance/seeing a sound that is both immediately rec- from a hill.” It’s this sort of juxtaposition ognizable and strangely fresh. There’s crawling throughout this far-too-short a refreshing focus on electronic ambi- release that makes me look forward to ence on Sketches: Live at Storm Moun- following Kookie Lou to wherever she tain, but the album doesn’t drag on— goes next. As for this EP—a smattering there’s just enough going on in each of smart songwriting and restrained song to keep things from getting stale. vocals over jazz-inspired, chill-out Newsom’s voice is admittedly pretty tracks—it feels fresh, new and unex- good, with all the trappings of that pected, while being completely acces- old-school vampire drone combined sible. –Blake Leszczynski with a decent melodic delivery. Put on your black nail polish and sunglasses, Valentine & The Regard find their New Shack rhythmic stride within the first two In the new side project by Mat- because this is a great EP by a very songs of this EP with guitar fuzz and Self-Titled thew Kammerer—who is other- talented local band. –Henry Glasheen driving drum beats. The additions Self-Released wise known as Mkaio—N0RTHRN make their presence more memorable Street: 11.21.14 LIGHT5 are best described as all of the Salazar than when they express their “Ober- New Shack = Little Boots + fun parts of EDM mashed into one EP Saudade stian” sentiments with only an acoustic Cocorosie as if it were the chocolate sampler of Self-Released guitar and the voice of a tortured soul. electronic music. “7AKE 7HE PILL” was Street: 05.29.14 The band has self-dubbed this album my favorite of the group, with more of Salazar = (Temper Trap + as “Lo-fi inspired by the ’80s arcade a deep house influence rather than a My Morning Jacket) / Wilco pizza parties that dominate L.A.” Not trap or 128 BPM house one, like most only is that description intriguing, it’s of the others had. My other favorites fairly accurate. There’s something include “IM4GIN4TION,” “GR33N” Burger Records–esque about parts and “F33L SP4C3.” However, the track of I’m Well Adjusted. “Miss Tippsy” “4U7OM47IC” was a blatant rip- showcases some nice power chord off of Martin Garrix’s “Animals,” rhythms with mellow vocals and syn- though I’m not sure why anyone would thesizers creating a strong ’80s-rock- want to recreate such a terrible song meets-slacker vibe. It reminds me of into their own works. The album is a King Tuff and The Memories, two good compilation of various genres of great Burger Records artists. It’s clear EDM, but it stays within generic beats that VTR have a passion for writing of each one. If you’re not sure what songs, and there’s a few keepers to kind of electronic music you like, get it! be found across their several albums. This Provo-dwelling duo is cutesy and –Julia Sachs My suggestion is: Stick with the fuzz. fun—even their Bandcamp profile –Justin Gallegos picture is a strip of photo-booth pic- The Rose Phantom There are plenty of folk acts around tures. The album’s heavily synthesized Sketches: Live at Storm these days—so many that even in- Are you in a local band? female vocals are hauntingly catchy Mountain credibly talented groups’ works are Send us your album, and forgotten as soon as the album ends. over the sounds of simple yet good Self-Released Saudade does not have this issue. we’ll review it in print: electronic beats. The simplicity of the Street: 11.01.14 Without going out of its own way, album is what makes it great—it’s not The Rose Phantom = [email protected] 50 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 51 52 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 53 Ausmuteants title (and final) track, my favorite of the The Dandelion War bunch, makes sure you won’t get break- Order of Operation down withdrawals and ends the album Opposite Shores Goner Records with a bang. I’m a sucker for albums Self-Released Street: 09.30.14 that can put me on edge, and this will Street: 11.18.14 Ausmuteants = make you feel like your barista snuck The Dandelion War = Gang of Four + D.I. six extra shots into your Americano. God Is An Astronaut / Order of Operation captures the in- –Alex Coulombe Explosions In The Sky your-face, no-bullshit posture that has It’s easy to settle for contradictions in seemingly escaped much of punk CJ Ramone music. Referring to something as ambi- rock today. This album wastes little Last Chance To Dance ent noise can have a contradictory ef- time piercing the consciousness with a Fat Wreck Chords fect, but the two genres of sound share synth-inspired sense of urgency that il- Street: 11.25.14 many similarities and are common- lustrates the stress of increasing alien- CJ Ramone = ly referred to as post-rock when com- ation and discontent. This is all from the that Mysteries is my first exposure to Mondo Bizarro–era bined. Opposite Shores is a work of am- first number, “Freedom of Information,” this kick-assery. I hereby christen Black Ramones + Social Distortion bient noise that’s powerful enough to mind you—and it only gets better. Cilice: “Lycanthropic Black Metal.” call to mind a post-rock band as hailed In fact, this pretty much sums up the Damn. I should get a T-shirt for coming as Sigur Rós. When you consider the theme of this beautiful and refreshing up with that. –Alex Coulombe band’s name, The Dandelion War, you commentary on the depressing nature can guess that they’re probably com- of electronic human interaction. Some Call Of The Void fortable with contradictions. What do other notable tracks include “Family Ageless dandelions and war have in common? Time,” the D.I.-like “Felix Tried to Kill Nonetheless, that pairing of words ef- Relapse Records Himself” and “Depersonalization.” fectively describes the band’s magnif- Street: 02.10 However, let me be perfectly clear: This icent sound. Their focus on crescen- whole record requires the willingness Call Of The Void = Converge dos and warm washes of reverb from captivated by something utterly bril- + Nasum + Gaza string instruments adds a sense of el- liant and creative yet simple and hon- egance to their music that generally in- est, on every song. This is essential, so spires and rarely turns to despair. Op- if you don’t get this for your collection, posite Shores is a great step forward go lobotomize what’s left of your brain. for The Dandelion War, and I hope –Nick Kuzmack to hear whatever they release next. –Justin Gallegos Black Cilice As the opening track “Understand Diversant: 13 Mysteries Me?” starts to play, I think to myself, Iron Bonehead Productions “This has got a Ramone’s name writ- New World Disorder Street: 01.30 ten all over it!” CJ Ramone is well- SkyQode Black Cilice = Striborg + known for being the energetic catalyst Street: 11.28.14 Belketre + Master’s Hammer that brought the Ramones (minus one Diversant: 13 = Nitro/Noise The scornful, mysterious and raw Por- Dee Dee) back from their creativity- + Funker Vogt + tuguese black metal band Black Cilice deprived rut that was the ’80s. With a Cannibal Corpse is not for those afraid of getting their Though the band is Coloradan, Age- stellar backing band including Ado- I have very mixed feelings about this ears spattered in filth, or of recordings less was recorded by Andy Patter- lescents’ guitarists Steve Soto and one. I felt a lot of passion and was made outside of a professional stu- son right here in Salt Lake City. Pat- Dan Root and Social Distortion’s Da- filled with sadness while listening to dio setting (the word for these types terson has a knack for showing bands vid Hidalgo Jr. on the drums, the “New World,” which features Omni- escapes me … oh yeah, pussies). All realistically—his work often has an sound perpetuated is fragrant of the mar. Its harmonic piano-style notes the instruments slightly blend together, organic, honest quality, and Age- signature Ramones sound—including and slower BPMs really show that this but this isn’t to the listening experience less presents COTV as they are: crisp, high-speed drums; abrasive, distorted band can pull you in with their talent. in any detrimental way—au contraire, tight, down-tuned hardcore/grind. Lo- guitar riffs; Joey Ramone–inspired The energetic, stomp-inducing sound each acts as a limb of an evil, angry, cal artists also lent their talent to the vocals; and lyrics that will leave your of “Reborn” mixed with dubstep is one lo-fi Voltron. The vocals howl like a ly- album—Kim Pack (SubRosa) con- veins intensely pulsating. “’Til The End” that makes my pulse beat faster—it’s canthrope on a full-moon night, and tributes her violin skills, and Anthony will make you hold your loved ones something people crave to hear when any intelligible words are lost within a Lucero (Cult Leader) did the album close, and “Grunt” will scatter your on the dance floor. Unfortunately, this stream of ghastly effects and pulsing artwork and performs vocals on “The brain waves. With the recent passing vocal style killed it for me. There seems reverberation. Choral keyboards add Hive.” “Old Hate” beckons us into the of the final original Ramone, this album to be a lot of music coming out in the a melancholic mortar to the wall of ma- void with a sludgy riff and then shoves is proof that their legacy and constant industrial genre that has this style of jestic yet vile sound, and the result is a the listener into a blast-laden pit of inspiration to music has not shriveled Cookie Monster vocals. Please stop. grim, atmospheric assault which makes pandemonium, which ensues for most up. –Eric U. Norris Try singing instead of screaming, or for a satisfying spin. My only gripe is of the album save for the song “II.” The even slow it down a bit. The time and

54 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 55 energy that is put into writing the lyr- speed with the equal skill and speed ing French cellist Vincent Sagal and Mourn ics is wasted. Maybe try to make it of a hare beneath black metal’s blast- Kora music all-star Ballaké Sissoko. so your listeners can understand you! beats, Calman’s drumming makes III an The result is an album brimming with Self-Titled –Mistress Nancy unforgettable and unexpectedly great virtuosic performances circling Dia- Captured Tracks listening experience. That drummer, baté’s voice that ascends from earthy Street: 02.17 The Gothsicles tho. –Ryan Hall growl to soaring tenor as he embod- Mourn = La Sera x Squid Icarus ies traditional Malian characters in Holograms folklore, reinterprets traditional songs Negative Gain Productions Jozef Van Wissem or narrates daily life in small villag- Street: 12.13.14 It Is Time For You to Return es. There is something about his voice, Crammed Discs The Gothsicles = subdued and sanded down by age that Street: 12.02.14 Bobcat Goldthwait + can still pierce straight to the soul and Caustic + Modulate Jozef Van Wissem = transcend language and culture. This James Blackshaw + Om + This release has some of the sickest record feels impossibly ancient and Marisa Anderson EBM beats out there right now, and contemporary, establishing Diabaté they have the added bonus of every as one of West Africa’s most important gamer’s auditory delight: chiptune. musicians working today. –Ryan Hall Brian Graupner’s voice, on the oth- er hand, is something like caviar, an- Matthew Squires and chovies or escargot—a little rich and the Learning Disorders pungent at first, but then you grow to love it. It most certainly is an acquired Where The Music Goes taste. Some of the contributing indus- To Die Carla Perez Vas and Jazz Rodri- trial minds on this geek fest were Hau- Self-Released guez are two teenagers from Spain jobb, Assemblage 23 and Rot- Street: 12.02.14 that make up Mourn. Their debut al- ersand. As the promotional material Matthew Squires and the bum on Captured Tracks balances ag- looked like it was straight out of a gam- Learning Disorders = gression and expression nicely, espe- ing guide, I envisioned them rolling Okkervil River + cially for a punk band. The lyrics and their 20-sided die to see which beats The Morning Benders chord changes are clear, rather than they were going to use and where being yelled belligerently or done at they were going to be placed. The hys- By the end of this album, it’s hard not to the speed of light. This is more of a terical closing anthem, “This Club is Lutist Jozef Van Wissem can tend to have a crush on Squires. In “Echo,” he stripped-down form of punk where two Closed,” featuring Angelspit, will be physically resemble a sort of doom says,”I am a vessel of your truth/I am a teenagers express their angst for life shutting down the bars nightly in the in- metal priest—and his delivery of memory of you,” followed by, “You are in mature fashion. You’d think they’d dustrial community everywhere. I loved the verse of “Love Destroys All Evil” greater than any trophy I could fit on been through a few things to express the music and its hilarious tales of the bears some similarity to the meter my shelf,” in “Trophy Song.” His vocals frustration in such a digestible form. octopi. –Mistress Nancy used in some of that music. He often are those of a storyteller, with an en- Then again, maybe they have. There plays with Jim Jarmusch and Jar- dearing sense of imperfection. Steady are not many female singers fronting a Gruenewald musch’s band, Sqürl. His lute pro- bass lines and slightly twangy guitar punk band who actually come off as in- add to the visceral feel of Where The III vides a sweeter layer over guitar noise timidating, but Vas holds her own, even and mid-tempo drumming, but his solo Music Goes To Die—it’s somewhere Zeitgeister Music sounding a bit like a young Joan Jett. work shares more in common with col- in between Americana and acoustic. Mourn have lots to offer, and time is on Street: 12.05 laborator James Blackshaw’s acoustic Squires has created music that feels their side. –Justin Gallegos Gruenewald = Grails + guitar explorations. Most of Van Wis- as though he’s reading his journal out Ruins + Tarentel sem’s newer listeners will know him loud to you. –Kia McGinnis Paperhaus from the soundtrack to Only Lovers Left Alive—Yasmin Hamdan, also Modern Suits Self-Titled on that soundtrack, guests here. I ap- Self-Released Every Light Street: 02.10 preciate that Van Wissem’s instrument Sleep Retreat Records Paperhaus = of choice is something that has spent Street: 11.11.14 Max Pain and the Groovies what seems like the last few centuries Modern Suits = + Tame Impala being considered an artifact limited to Chris Daughtry + Lifehouse Medieval balladry—but in the settings + Sister Hazel From where I stand, most modern psy- Van Wissem chooses, the lute feels as chedelic rock is overly saturated junk natural and contemporary a choice as Modern Suits have released their second born in a dirty garage and unfortunately an acoustic guitar. –T.H. EP Every Light, after massive personnel inflicted on the world around it. Paper- retooling. Those adjustments unfortunate- haus skirt most of the negative aspects of Kassé Mady Diabaté ly fall flat with this attempt—the band modern psych rock, but only just barely, Kiriké has a full-bodied arena rock sound that by adding elements of indie rock and a sheds no light on the genre’s heavily trod- Six Degrees Records touch of pop sensibility into their songs. den path. The music is played well and Christian Kolf’s Gruenewald proj- Street: 01.06 Up-tempo numbers like lead track “Cai- ect exudes a sense of wary and weary has a solid execution, but you might as Kassé Mady Diabaté = ro” have a playful and dreamy quality bleariness in the way that Kolf bleeds well be shopping in JC Penny because Sidi Touré + that I think gives these guys a wider ap- together scraping harsh noise, arc- their sound has become so common that peal, but slow burners like the 7½ min- Toumani Diabaté + ing synth drones and sky-piercing gui- you can ignore it. Sadly, the only unique ute centerpiece “Misery” kind of ruin it Bassékou Kouyaté tar lines. The entire album would be thing about the album is the lead sing- for me. No artist should be told what a sturdy, synth-guitar drone album After a 50-year career as one of Mali’s er’s uncanny, Kermit-the-Frog-like tone. to make—that usually ends with good that would make its mark in a swollen most cherished cultural exports, Kas- The production of the album falls on bands making terrible music—but some- genre and then fall back into obscuri- sé Mady Diabaté has returned with the shoulders of Fred Mascherino times musicians need someone looking ty, if it wasn’t for Rafael Calman’s an album highlighting Diabaté’s pow- (formerly of Taking Back Sunday), over their shoulder to help them avoid completely out drumming. Like that vi- erful, expressive voice with an assem- and each poppy tune rings in around making shitty songs. Paperhaus have ral YouTube clip of a wedding-cover- blage of Malian singers in the ancient the radio-friendly three to four minutes. a lot of potential, and some really cool band virtuoso, Calman’s drums steal griot tradition—musician as storytell- Considering the talents and efforts be- songs, but I don’t think they’re quite there the show. Measured between the pit- er—and high-caliber musicians, includ- hind this band Every Light is a huge miss. yet. –Alex Gilvarry ter-patter of jazz drumming at inhuman –Benjamin Tilton 56 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 57 A Place To Bury written the musical equivalent of wit- and embarkments on sonic sojourns. tounding in its emotional range. Also, nessing global nuclear armageddon. –Stakerized! having dedicated full LP sides to one Strangers A.A. Nemtheanga sounds like a song, Swans is not a singles kind of Transfixiation doomsday prophet cursing the follies Sqürl band. This collection of variations is Dead Oceans of humankind, while Ciáran Mac- EP #3 best heard as a document of a song’s Street: 02.17 Uiliam and Michael O’Floinn evolution. In this case, beginning in a ATP Recordings A Place To Bury Strangers = weave intricate guitar harmonies ca- room, just a person and a guitar—then Street: 11.17.14 The Jesus And Mary Chain + pable of squeezing out whatever hope being presented to the world. –T.H. Sqürl = Boris + Neil Young’s Screen Vinyl Image you have left with their minor melod- ic turns. “Born to Night” and the title Dead Man score Trent Reznor and track stand as superb examples of Pri- Jim Jarmusch has appeared on Atticus Ross mordial’s epic potential, while “Come several records released over the last Gone Girl: Music from the the Flood” and “Ghosts of the Char- couple years with Sqürl and Jozef nel House” will leave you huddled in Van Wissem. The soundtrack to Jar- Motion Picture a dark corner, praying in vain for the musch’s Only Lovers Left Alive was one Columbia barest shred of light. –Henry Glasheen of my favorite releases of 2014. As I Street: 09.30.14 understand it, Sqürl—Carter Logan, Trent Reznor and Atticus Riverboat Gamblers Jarmusch and Shane Stoneback— Ross = Hans Zimmer + Dead Roach 7” initially formed as Bad Rabbit to com- Nine Inch Nails x End Sounds pose a few pieces for Jarmusch’s film The Dust Brothers Street: 12.02.14 The Limits of Control—alongside doom and drone from Sunn O))), Earth and Haunting and ominous while simultane- Riverboat Gamblers = Boris. The band’s sound fits well with- ously tranquil, Reznor and Ross have The Minutemen + created an air of ambiance amid com- in that realm of warm amp breakup plex and intricate layers of sound that The Lawrence Arms and controlled feedback. The vocals Talk about a pedal-pushing, pulsating- complement the intensity of David I’ve considered the Riverboat Gam- on the record are pleasant and simple. power punch! A Place To Bury Strang- Fincher’s film. Rotating between frag- blers to be one of the most unique punk Jarmusch has played in bands before, ers’ newest endeavor throbs with deep ile piano and heavy bass, the duo cre- bands of the past decade—they’ve ac- and has been known from early in his low end noise that will be a pleasure ates a backdrop of mechanical mind cumulated a sound entirely of garage career for his taste in music and under- to your ears, especially if you like that games, electronic distortion and laby- rock, alternative rock, punk and three- standing of the medium. His involve- gothic sound of old. The song “Deep- rinthine layers. Intensities reach anxi- part harmonies, surprising me this way ment in a serious ongoing project like er” sounds a lot like the heavier side ety-inducing levels on “Something Dis- and that. They’ve released the first in this feels like a natural progression. of King Dude while the remainder of posable,” “Technically, Missing” and what will be a trilogy of 7”s with End –T.H. the album reminds me of The Jesus and “Consummation,” while “Empty Plac- Sounds, beginning with Dead Roach. Mary Chain. Their last record, Wor- es” and “Sugar Storm” offer the listener The title-track displays a carefree de- ship, was a little more to my liking and Swans room to take a breath. My only critique meanor with the guitar riff at the fore- had catchier songs, but this album is Oxygen EP is that this soundtrack is too beautiful ground, accompanied by vocals that still really great. If I go into the other Young God Records and intricate to be presented as back- seemingly came out of a cartoon. Sud- room while it is playing loud, it makes Street: 11.25.14 ground underneath the dialogue of denly, it crosses to a cover of the Big me think someone is trying to knock my Swans = Swans the film. While the soundtrack comple- Boys’ “Sound on Sound”—a body of front door down. –Mort Kilgore ments the film perfectly, I wish that it psychedelic eminence that feels like would’ve been released on its own and Primordial it traversed through the futurist move- not as a secondary element of a movie. ment. This first installment may prove to –Allison Shephard Where Greater Men Have be the beginning of a remarkable trilo- Fallen gy—I eagerly await to them to deliver. Twerps Metal Blade –Eric U. Norris Range Anxiety Street: 11.25.14 Sir Richard Bishop Merge Records Primordial = Bathory + Street: 01.27 Old Season + Ereb Altor Tangier Sessions Twerps = Portastatic + Drag City The Chills Street: 02.17.15 Sir Richard Bishop = I’m not immediately enthralled by the contents of Range Anxiety. It lacks any- Pentangle + thing that would provoke jittery spasms Bonnie Prince Billy – or convolutions of twitching. Rather, Sun City Girls it is simply another representation of groove pop in bite-sized portions— Albums, like other works of art, are in- Oxygen contains four variations on the courtesy of an overly passive nature. spired by all different kinds of things, track from Swans’ most recent release, That being said, this is not offensive but the self-styled Sir Richard Bishop’s To Be Kind. An “edit” that, of the ver- to the ears, with numbers like “Adren- Tangier Sessions was prompted by Bish- sions here, is closest to that on the re- aline” and “I Don’t Mind” being both op finding an aged guitar in a luthier’s cord—with a few surprises—is an ear- pleasant and calming to listen to. It’s shop in Geneva, where he was living ly skeleton of the song, with Michael just that I find myself a bit bored and last year. These are guitar “etudes,” Gira and an acoustic guitar. He’s doc- constantly needing to refocus my wan- as you might call them, since they are umented early song ideas this way for dering mind to what I’m hearing. It’s studies in the expressive power of this a long time, releasing the last several Reciting dire apocalyptic visions and kind of groovy but a bit hit or miss and new (to him) instrument that he was be- sets that became Angels of Light/ reveling in the futility of faith, Where not something to wait up for. This can ginning to explore. They contain plen- Swans albums. There is also an acous- Greater Men Have Fallen delves into be played in the background and even ty of classical flourishes, yet some not- tic version similar to the song sketch, ignored—after you put your feet up. an unspeakable dread that is difficult so-freaky folk stylings and a tinge of but more realized. The EP also features –Nick Kuzmack even to articulate. Musically, this album Morocco. This is most notable in the a live version—for anyone who’s seen is the perfection of the style Primordi- song “Bound In Morocco,” in which the band live, it’s a given that no re- al have been playing since 2007’s To he demonstrates both the captivating cording can truly represent the feeling The Nameless Dead, and may actually capability of the acoustic instrument of seeing this band perform—some- Read more reviews be the best album they have ever re- as well as its perambulations through thing singular, beautiful, brutal and as- at slugmag.com corded. Emotionally, Primordial have 58 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 59 Get your event listed for free in print, online and on our iPhone app! Sign up for a free SLUG Calendar account at slugmag.com/calendar

Friday, February 6 Wednesday, February 11 The Floozies, Manic Focus, Bullets & Belles - OP Rockwell - Stereo Room The Tankerays, Tuxedo Tramps Kevin Kirk Benefit Show - Area 51 Russ Liquid - Urban Groundation, Afro Omega, DJ Butch Wolfthorn - The Royal - ABG’s Brothers Gow, Blood Funk The Tribe Of I - Urban Capitals, Drunk As Shit, La Verkin, - Bar Deluxe Monday, February 16 Sunday, March 1 Die Off - Bar Deluxe King Kong - Main Library Lanusa, Nate Vranes, George Monday, February 23 Happy Birthday, Daverse, The Green Leefs, Lettuce, Break Science Nelson, Tom Bennett - Kilby S.I.N.dustry Monday - Jupiter Bowl Brighton Metz! Cory Mon, Makisi Musik, Rebel - Park City Live Active Strand, Fyre & Reign Revivalist, Household, Hearts Like B. Dolan, Wheelchair Sports Camp, Zion, Thev Tribe Of I, Newborn MarchFourth Marching Band, - Stereo Room Lions, Fetis - Loading Dock Rubedo, Lost The Artist - Urban Slaves, Bombshell Academy, Tha Hectic Hobo - State Room Galactic - Park City Live Hemptations, KnowUrRoots Reggae, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Tuesday, February 17 Monday, March 2 Simply B, From The Sun - Complex Sean Rowe - Urban Hozier, Asgeir - Depot Tuesday, February 24 Craft Lake City Applications Goldroom, Hot Noise, Devareaux, As We Speak - Velour Corners, Max Pain & The Groovies, Steve Aoki, HeadHunterz, Caked Up Open Blessed1 - Depot Spirit Tribe - Kilby - Complex Dark Seas, Santoros, Them Howling Henry Wade - Garage Thursday, February 12 Felix Martin, Barishi - Urban Never Shout Never, Hayley Kiyoko, Bones - Urban The Pelicant’s, Clawson, Happy Birthday, Me Like Bees - In The Venue Fish Eating Children - Kilby Amanda Rock! Wednesday, February 18 Capsize, To The Wind, Exalt - Kilby Tuesday, March 3 Wareye, Out Of Anger, Hisingen, The Mastersons, Aaron Lee Tasjan Machine Head - Complex X&G, Roboclip, Uinta, Turtle Boy Happy Birthday, Sorrow For Virtue, Versus The Man - Kilby Les Claypool’s Duo De Twwang, - Urban Sean Zimmerman-Wall! - Metro Cursive, Beach Slang, Slow Bird Reformed Whores - Depot Flyleaf, Adelitas Way,Guttermouth G. Love & Special Sauce, Matt Costa - Urban Israel Nash - Garage Wednesday, February 25 - Area 51 - Park City Live Rich Girls, Hangyng Brayn, Happy Birthday, Taking Back Sunday, LetLive, FUNdeMENTALs, Megan Beckham, Friday, February 13 Mojave Nomads - Kilby Jimmy Martin! The Menzingers - Complex Telepathy Ultra, Hopeless Jack & The Handsome Kevin Griffin - State Room Happy Birthday, Motionless In White, For Today, The Burnt Ridge Band - Stereo Room Devil, Eric McFadden, Radio From Hell Film Festival Gilbert Cisneros! Ice Nine Kills, New Years Day Green River Blues, Slow Ride Angelo Moore - ABG’s - Tower Theatre The 4onthefloor - Bar Deluxe - In The Venue - The Royal HELLYEAH, Devour The Day, Candy Lee, Emily Bea - Velour In Flames, All That Remains, Woven- Penny & Sparrow - Kilby SPL, illoom, Dapper, Zepher - Urban Like A Storm - Complex war - Complex Active Strand, Red Yeti - Velour Taba, DJ Dizz, Everettz - Complex Thursday, February 19 Martin Sexton, Brothers McCann Wednesday, March 4 Jessica Penrose, MiNX, Monorchist Tony Holiday - Garage Happy Birthday, Nicholas - Depot Happy Birthday, Melissa Cohn! - Woodshed Jonny Craig, Down With Webster Dowd! Nora Dates, Blue Jay Boogie - Kilby Eddie Spaghetti - Area 51 - In The Venue White Arrows, Shady Elders - Kilby Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Joshua Radin, Rachael Yamagata Saturday, February 7 Baker Street Blues Band - Kilby Catharsus, Winter Burial, Thalgora, - State Room - Depot Dieselboy, Downlink - Area 51 The Troubles, Cosmic Boss, Lucid 8, Silent Sorcerer, Yeti Warlord - Load- Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band, Breaux, Baby Gurl, Cornered By The Feros Project, Wirelefant - Metro ing Dock Thursday, February 6 Dads, Field Mouse; Howlin’ Rain, Zombies, Merlin’s Beard - Bar Deluxe One Ton Pig - OP Rockwell Jorma Kaukonen, Larry Campbell, Enabler, Call of The Void, Ditch and The Blank Tapes, King Tiiger - Kilby Dirty Heads, Stick Figure, Common Wolfgang Gartner - Park City Live Teresa Williams - State Room The Delta, Huldra - Bar Deluxe Fallujah, Archspire, Lorna Shore, Kings, Ethan Tucker Thrive, Stranger, Cracker - State Room 90s Television, Ghost Logic, Mark Chaney & The Garage Allstars The Zenith Passage, Amorous Codi Jordan, Natural Roots and Violet Waves, Gils, Suburbia James Allen Spirit - Urban - Garage - Loading Dock more - Complex - Stereo Room Brumby, Grizzly Goat - Velour Granger Smith, Earl Dibbles Jr. Phryme, DJ Juggy - Urban The Led Zeppelin Experience ft. Royal Bliss, Never Before, Starmy - In The Venue No Quarter - Depot - The Royal Friday, February 20 Night Riots - Kilby Thursday, March 5 Tankarays - Garage Ariel Pink, Jack Name, Koala Temple Happy Birthday, John Ford! Milo Greene, Caroline Smith Happy Birthday, Heavenly Heat, Echo Era - Kilby - Urban Crook & The Bluff, Matt Skaggs, - State Room Weston Colton! Sleaping Beauty The Lovestrange, Seve vs Evan, Crook and the Bluff, The Cold Year, Merchant Royal, Big Blue Ox, Big Retox, Whores, Baby Gurl, Exes - Main Library Coral Bones - Velour Michael Radford - ABG’s Wild Wings, Night Banks - Urban - Bar Deluxe Mokie, Marinade - OP Rockwell The Hung Ups, Moneypenny, Hyper Crush, DJ Gonzo, DJ/DC, Inanimate Existence, Wrath of Winter Farmer’s Market The Shocktroopers - Woodshed DJ Ninja Slippers - Area 51 Friday, February 27 Vesuvius, No Safe Way Home, - Rio Grande GRIEVES, Mouse Powell, Better Zodiac Empire, Mayden - ABG’s Head For The Hills - State Room Pep Love - State Room Saturday, February 14 Taste Bureau - Complex Rob Delaney - Depot David Cook - Urban Claire Elise, Ashley Hess, Leo Cody, Scumdogs, Thunderfist, Irony Man Dr. Dog, Hanni El Khatib - Depot Gregory Alan Isakov, Kindred Dead - Velour Jade Demure - Stereo Room - Bar Deluxe Ghostowne - Garage Mandolin Orange - State Room Brett Scallions, Neal Middleton, Mardi Gras 2015 - Complex Lily & Madeleine, Shannon Hayden 20 Stories Falling, Ex Era, Friday, March 6 Whiskey Bravo - The Royal Stick To Your Guns, The Amity - Kilby The Paper Guns - Stereo Room Pick up the new issue of SLUG L’anarchiste, King Niko, Affliction, Being As An Ocean, 68, American Hitmen, Betty Hates Every- Sarah B Band, Lady Omega, - Anyplace Cool Westward The Tide - Urban In Hearts Wake - In The Venue thing, Bury The Wolf, Vocal Reasoning - The Royal Happy Birthday, Chris Gariety! Madilyn Paige - Velour Leftover Salmon, Hot Buttered Rum My Private Island - The Royal Zion I, Los Rakas, Locksmith, Vincent Draper, Henry Wade - Park City Live The Growlers, Max Pain & The Kev Choice, J. Lately - Urban - ABG’s Sunday, February 8 Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons Groovies, Dark Seas - Urban Love Shack, Andy Fresco - Wood- Bleachers, Joywave, Night Terrors of Karma To Burn, Sierra - Area 51 - State Room Isaac Russell, Timmy The Teeth, shed 1927 - In The Venue MarchFourth Marching Band, Royal Bliss, Dylan Scott - The Royal Marcus Bently - Velour Frank Iero, The Homeless Gospel Hectic Hobo - OP Rockwell SLUG Localized: Bellrave, Saturday, February 28 Choir, Modern Chemistry - Kilby Todd Snider - State Room Valerie Rose Sterrett, Saturday, February 21 Fauxgauzi, Worst Friends, La Verkin Municipal Ballet Co. & Officer Jenny - Urban Autograf - Area 51 - Bar Deluxe Holy Water Buffalo - State Room Monday, February 9 Deep Love - Velour Ugly Valley Boys - Garage The SLUG Games: Slash Bash Molly & The Mindshaft, Laredo S.I.N.dustry Monday - Jupiter Bowl Gray Aydelott, J-One, Cody Leo, - Brighton - Stereo Room Sunday, February 15 DeCarl, Sayde Price - Kilby Old Death Whisper - Garage Dubwise, Roommate, illoom, deCay Tuesday, February 10 Ashley Raines - Garage Kate Voegele, Leroy Sanchez - Load- Krafty Kuts, Loki & Steez, Tinkfu, - Urban Sleater-Kinney, Lizzo - Depot 10 Years, Otherwise, The Glorious ing Dock B2B, Timmy Teaze, Malicious RKDN - Velour Broncho, The Wild War, The Cold Sons, Luminoth - In The Venue DJ Butch Wolfthorn - The Royal - In The Venue MiNX - Woodshed Shoulders, RKDN - Kilby Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers Grimblee, gravy.tron, Mr. Vandal The Districts, Pine Barons - Kilby You Blew It!, Tiny Moving Parts, - Kilby - Urban Gregory Alan Isakov - OP Rockwell Check out expanded listings Rozwell Kid, The Mailbox Order Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Iration, Hours Eastly - Park City Live and additional events - Loading Dock Roosevelt Collier - OP Rockwell Sunday, February 22 Portland Cello Project - State Room throughout the month on Scott H. Biram, Jesse Dayton - Urban Hot Buttered Rum - Talking Heads Brook Faulk - Garage Tear These Cities Apart, Terra Tribute Show - State Room The Brothers Comatose, Cotta, Breaux, The Ditch & The Delta SLUGMAG.COM

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