How the hell do I wheedle down a top twenty album list from the surplus of awesome that 2016 offered me? Despite the wild social and political environment that defined 2016, this was a spectacular year for music. Newcomers and veterans alike pulled their best out of the creative ether. Every genre had way too… Continue reading Baldwin’s Top 20 Albums of 2016
Bair Grills… The Sleeping Gods — Thorn by Enslaved
I’ve been listening to heavy metal music since childhood. That might seem like an exaggeration, but without a doubt I was headbanging to the generic thrash riff while the Ultimate Warrior stormed a WWF ring, when the sum of my years still amounted to single digits. In all of the time since, I’ve heard and… Continue reading Bair Grills… The Sleeping Gods — Thorn by Enslaved
Beer Conn 2016 Is Upon Us!
On Saturday December 10, Nutmeg-State beer lovers will descend on Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport for the third annual Beer Conn. Forty breweries are confirmed so far, both local and far-flung. Here are a few we’re looking forward to: Fairfield Craft Ales (Stratford, CT) — Uh oh, Two Roads has some competition! Let’s see what… Continue reading Beer Conn 2016 Is Upon Us!
Worshipper Brings the Thunder
Boston-based band Worshipper cherry-picks the best parts of hard rock and metal from past decades to form a sound that is both classic and contemporary. On their Tee Pee Records debut album, Shadow Hymns, the band which features vocalist/guitarist John Brookhouse, drummer Dave Jarvis, bassist Bob Maloney and guitarist Alejandro Necochea, provide a master class… Continue reading Worshipper Brings the Thunder
How to (Mostly) #UnoccupyTheMall, 2016 Edition
It’s been quite a year in ol’ ‘Merica…. The current political climate has many people worried not just about their livelihoods, but about their right to exist in a country that claims to embody liberty and freedom. And now we’re supposed to think about Christmas shopping?? My friend and fellow AltCtrl writer Christopher Baldwin had… Continue reading How to (Mostly) #UnoccupyTheMall, 2016 Edition
Album Review: Writing in the Skies’ Metamorphose
By Talya Goodman It was well past midnight when Writing in the Skies took the stage to perform songs from their first, highly anticipated album, Metamorphose. Though it was late into the night, the crowd of fans were bolstered by the intricate guitar melodies, skilled drumming, and powerful bass lines. Metamorphose is an album for… Continue reading Album Review: Writing in the Skies’ Metamorphose
Review Drive-By: Undercliff and Fallen Asunder
Damn it’s been awhile since I wrote a music review! A couple weeks ago, Middletown doom band Undercliff sent Alternative Control their new album Put Them In to have a listen. These guys have come a long way since their 2013 demos in terms of recording quality and vocal performance. Put Them In demands a… Continue reading Review Drive-By: Undercliff and Fallen Asunder