Listening Lately: Cult of Sorrow, Markov Soroka, and Matt Heckler

This week’s edition of Listening Lately is ALL over the place… Opening with audio of a Satanic ritual is one way to make a statement — and that’s how the first track of Cult of Sorrow’s new album  begins, with some kind of movie sample blasting into high-octane trad metal riffage.  The Ohio band is… Continue reading Listening Lately: Cult of Sorrow, Markov Soroka, and Matt Heckler

AltCtrlToob Video Premiere: “Demon” by VICTUS

UK metallers Victus truly show the world their demons in the video for their new single “Demon.”  According to the band, it’s “a conceptual piece that questions self worth and morals” — and it’s a dark one at that.  Directed by Victus guitarist Klayton Dean, the band takes the innocent and infuses it with a… Continue reading AltCtrlToob Video Premiere: “Demon” by VICTUS

NERD TALK with BOTIS

What is a “botis”?  Perhaps an ancient Sumerian god, or some kind of beetle?  A metal band from Philadelphia?  If you picked the third option, you are correct!  Check out what these heavy hitters had to say about their favorite nerdy media: Movies “Favorite movie of all time, go!” Erik: Total Recall (1990) Scifi without… Continue reading NERD TALK with BOTIS

On the Front Line: Baroness & Torche @ The Chance Theater July 12, 2019

Every once in a while, you come across a group that I like to call an “old sweater” band. You pop the album into your tape deck or catch them on tour and it just feels like home. To have one band on a tour fit this criteria is special enough, but to have a… Continue reading On the Front Line: Baroness & Torche @ The Chance Theater July 12, 2019

A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole with Dee and Willy of Spiral Grave

Spiral Grave

Photographs by Julya Brown. My trip to Maryland Doom Fest in June 2019 was a journalistic adventure as well as a musical one.  A highlight was talking with members of new Maryland band Spiral Grave, who played at Guido’s Speakeasy on Friday, June 21st.  Introduced to the band by photographer Julya Brown, I talked separately… Continue reading A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole with Dee and Willy of Spiral Grave

Track Premiere: CASKET ROBBERY Offers “From Hell”

Alternative Control is psyched to premiere the title track off Casket Robbery’s upcoming album From Hell.  These Wisconsin death metallers said of this song, “We’re super excited for the audio premiere of our single ‘From Hell!’  Our favorite part about this track is that we got our fans involved and included.  We ran a contest… Continue reading Track Premiere: CASKET ROBBERY Offers “From Hell”

Speaking Easy with Wolf Blood at Maryland Doomfest

  It was a stormy, stormy night….  Originally conceived to be a thrash band, that idea for Wolf Blood was short lived.  It’s hard to pin a genre on this heavy quartet out of Minneapolis, but thrash is not one that comes to mind.  I was thinking more sludge/psych/doom…   But anyhow, the band just put… Continue reading Speaking Easy with Wolf Blood at Maryland Doomfest