Valient Thorr: On Earth to Help

  In a world where rock music has devolved into coiffed dudes with tribal armbands crying about their girlfriends, Valient Thorr is a blast of Thin-Lizzy-Lynyrd-Skynyrd-Motorhead kick-ass telling those dudes to wake the hell up. Since their Venusian spacecraft crashed in North Carolina in the early 2000s, they’ve been bringing true rock n roll to… Continue reading Valient Thorr: On Earth to Help

My Lifelong Struggle with Metal Trivia

  At work, we talk a lot about how important it is for students to have background knowledge of influential people and important historical events – in other words, “No, sweetie, Michelle Obama’s mother couldn’t possibly have been a slave BECAUSE THE CIVIL WAR ENDED IN 1865!”  I’m finding that background knowledge is also helpful… Continue reading My Lifelong Struggle with Metal Trivia

Arcane’s Last Show: The End of an Era

  Arcane Malevolence‘s first show was December 14, 2007 at Monkey Bar with Age Old Nemesis, Lesser Being, and Year of Confession. Monkey Bar shut its doors years ago and reopened as some dance club.  Lesser Being and Age are now defunct; I don’t know who Year of Confession is, but they’re probably defunct too.… Continue reading Arcane’s Last Show: The End of an Era

The Writer in Musician’s Skin: A Commentary on the Local Metal Scene

I’m really not conceited enough to think that the breakup of Arcane Malevolence should take up an entire music column on this excellent e-zine. I originally decided to fit it in as a supplement to a bigger issue. Over the last few days however, I’ve come to realize that the breakup of my band IS… Continue reading The Writer in Musician’s Skin: A Commentary on the Local Metal Scene

Richard Christy: From Death in a Storage Locker to a Room with a View

  Twenty-seven years ago, a Kansas farm kid named Richard heard Van Halen’s new song “Hot for Teacher” and begged his parents to buy him a drum set.  Today you know that boy as Richard Christy, former drummer for Death, Iced Earth, and many more bands – and currently the drummer and primary composer for… Continue reading Richard Christy: From Death in a Storage Locker to a Room with a View

Mortified Nuclear Immolated Mutant Populace Death (A Fashion Article)

This is Death Metal Dave here, filling in at Alternative Control to shed some light for all those posers out there on how to properly support the metal scene. I see so many losers come to local shows that just don’t know and don’t realize how important it is to support the scene properly.  It… Continue reading Mortified Nuclear Immolated Mutant Populace Death (A Fashion Article)