Mahria / For Want Of Summer Tour

Our buddies from Canada, Mahria, are about to tour the east coast of the states with Texas' For Want Of. There is a facebook event with the dates posted, so if there are any gaps that you can fill you should attempt to do so. I am so fucking stoked to hang out with Mahria again, you have no idea. Some of the coolest dudes.

I think that both of the bands have new stuff for their tour. I listened to the releases that I hadn't previously downloaded from the Mahria bandcamp and shit is off the chain. For real though, so awesome. I don't really listen to For Want Of but I checked out their new album "Smoke"and its pretty cool, you should check that out as well. Anyways, check out these dudes and acquire their music through whichever way suits you best. Most importantly, go see them on tour. Word.

SOLO DATES----------Friday, August 9thFor Want Of - New Orleans, LA
Saturday, August 10thFor Want Of - Birmingham, AL(https://www.facebook.com/events/164579587044712)
Sunday, August 11thFor Want Of - Cincinatti, OH(https://www.facebook.com/events/469249473170553/)
Monday, August 12thFor Want Of - Champaign, IL(https://www.facebook.com/events/464048320331680/)Mahria - Minneapolis, MN
Tuesday, August 13thFor Want Of - Evansville, IN(https://www.facebook.com/events/267539326708303/)Mahria - Milwaukee, WI
Wednesday, August 14thFor Want Of - Huntington, WV(https://www.facebook.com/events/485727108164967/)Mahria - Chesterton, IN (https://www.facebook.com/events/538000996219838/)

SHARED DATES W/ BOTH BANDS---------------------------Thursday, August 15thBaltimore, MD
Friday, August 16thPhiladelphia, PA(https://www.facebook.com/events/128901483973387/)
Saturday, August 17thMontclair, NJ
Sunday, August 18thBoston, MA(https://www.facebook.com/events/599850816702485/) 
Monday, August 19thMontreal, QC
Tuesday, August 20thToronto, ON (AA)(https://www.facebook.com/events/301272140018444/)
Wednesday, August 21stToronto, ON (19+)(https://www.facebook.com/events/566076440101756/)
Thursday, August 22ndChicago, IL

SOLO DATES----------Friday, August 23rdFor Want Of - St. Louis, MO
Sunday, August 25thMahria - Winnipeg, MB(https://www.facebook.com/events/491990624218477/)
Monday, August 26thMahria - Saskatoon, SK

No Tongue - Body + Mind

Tongue  (PRONOUNCED NO TONGUE), the epitome of Kali cool, just released a new EP. I cannot believe how fucking awesome this release is. I am listening to it as I am attempting to write, but I seriously cannot think of what to say because this music is taking control of my brain. This is easily the best post-punk anything I have ever heard. I love the dark melodies that they incorporate into their sound, and when you add the haunting vocals and superb musicianship it just takes it to a whole new level. Congratulations gentlemen, you have crafted a banger.

Everyone reading this needs to check out "Body + Mind" ASAP. Seriously, this shit is off the chain. I haven't been so pleasantly surprised by a record in what feels like ages. When you click on the bandcamp link below you are given information regarding the pre-order for the 7 inch version of the record, which I strongly urge you to purchase. The group of people involved in this release are all such great people and they really deserve your support. Just wait until you listen to this album. The second time around is even better than the first. Word.

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BODY + MIND

The Bell Foundry Fundraiser

Ok so I know this is kind of lame but I'm going to just go for it anyways.

The Bell Foundry, as some of you are well aware, is a DIY venue in Baltimore that is home to alot of awesome bands and artists. We have been having shows here for a few years, and in the past half a year we went "full time" and had alot of really great shows in the basement. We were going really strong and then the police came and shut us down because we weren't up to safety code. We stopped doing shows and have been doing renovations in order to get things legit so the police don't come full force and fuck us. We tried to do it all ourselves but it ultimately proved to be too expensive and time consuming, and we honestly just want to get things going as soon as possible. Thus, we made this fund raiser.

The money that is donated will go, 100 percent, towards renovations for the space. If we raise more money than we "need" than it will go towards the operating expenses for the show space. THE MONEY THAT WE GET FROM THE FUNDRAISER WILL NOT, EVER, GO TOWARDS ANY PERSONAL EXPENSES OR BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE SHOW SPACE.

If you choose to donate to us, not only will you get our undying love and appreciation, but you will also be able to get some really awesome gifts in return. We made a really cool video and worked really hard on getting rewards from the bands that call the Bell home, as well as friends who are artists, bands, and the community at large. Even though I am apart of the organization and will be spear-heading our transition into  non-profit status in order to further protect ourselves from additional interactions with "the man" I am still going to give a hefty amount of my paycheck to the project. It would mean alot to all of us who frequent the space, as well as the Baltimore music scene at large, if you could help us out. Any money would be amazing. Even spreading the cause would be greatly appreciated.

If you have ever been to the The Bell Foundry you know how great it is. I have never met anyone who had something bad to say about the space as a whole. It is a great place to be, and a great place to hangout. Even before I started hanging out here on the reg and would only come around during school breaks I still loved every second I was here. If you have never attended a show here or hung out at the Bell you should come over once things get going again. We have a skatepark in the back that is open to the public if you skate. We have an awesome basement where we put on kick ass shows all the time, involving anyone and any genre who wants to participate. We have a print studio that is really cost effective and makes amazing material.

The Bell Foundry is an amazing place. I love being able to call it home. I don't know what I would do without this space. I know alot of people who feel the same. Help us to make The Bell Foundry what is was and what is supposed to be: an awesome place to be whoever you want to be. Regardless of how you support, we appreciate it more than you can imagine. We do this, not for ourselves, but so that anyone on tour can have a good show, and so that local bands can have a dope place to play.

I AM FORMALLY ASKING EVERYONE WHO I KNOW AND EVERYONE WHO READS THIS TO PLEASE REPOST THE FUND RAISER AND GIVE IT AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN, USING WHATEVER OUTLET YOU CAN. PLEASE. PLEASE HELP US. SUPPORT YOUR SCENE. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, INFLUENTIAL BANDS AND RECORD LABELS. DON'T BE A DICK, BE A DUDE.

Yeah, Word.

There are alot of videos of bands playing at The Bell Foundry, below are only a few of them. You can find them all on the internet, but I wanted to throw a few on here just to make it easier.

















For real, thanks for even looking at this stuff. I know asking for money is lame, but this is the best cause.

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BELL FOUNDRY FUNDRAISER PAGE

please share it obnoxiously
This is a facebook event that will be home base for fund raising updates and events

SCRAMBLE Skateboards

Scramble is a skateboard company that my room mate runs. He designs & hand screens all the boards, and all the money goes towards the skate park out back of The Bell Foundry. If you skate you should buy one of his boards because how many other DIY skate companies do you know of? For real though.

Check out his shit, all the boards are so dope. I know this has nothing to do with music and may seem out of place on Chug, but I am trying to convince homie to make boards for bands.

Give my dude some money. Support local business. Help art school grads. Punk. $$££$$££$$££. Word.

Barbelith

Over the past weekend I spent a considerable amount of time with Barbelith and Co. The time spent climaxed on Monday night at The Crown when both our bands played in support of the Tempest / Vestiges tour. Aside from eating crabs, Barbelith's set was my favorite part of the week.

Normally I don't really give too many fucks about black metal, honestly, but I really like Barbelith. It might have something to do with the fact that they are from Baltimore, but it also is important to note that they are a really good, interesting band. I've seen them a few times, and it was always at least dope, but the other night they were on fucking point. Aside from the fact that what I am assuming is their new material slays so hard, they changed the way that they perform in such a manner that really adds alot more "atmosphere" to the whole "atmospheric black metal" thing. Back in the day homie used to just trigger ambient samples between songs or whatever, but now the dudes are actually playing keyboards and making the tones live. It adds so much depth to the performance as a whole, aside from the fact that it simply sounds better.

They only have one album recorded, which is linked below. I'm almost positive that they have the material for a new release ready to go, and I cannot wait for that joint to get put out. On the real: the release below is sick, but the sets that they play now blow their old stuff out of the water. All of the guys are next level good at their instruments and on top of that are some of the nicest people I have met in a hot minute. I back these dudes pretty hard. Check it out, and try to see them live. Its 100 percent worth it. Word.

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Bandcamp

Calculator - This Will Come To Pass

Post young, Kali flag barriers Calculator have just put their new lp, "This Will Come To Pass", up for free download.  Having perfected their style of screams, this album is a melodic onslaught that personifies perfection in the DIY scene. Seriously, the sound quality of this record is superb, not to mention the instrumentation itself. Normally I would turn my nose up slightly when confronted with easily sung-along vocals, but I have made an exception to Jeff's work on this particular record. Above anything else, I was extremely impressed with what the dudes have accomplished.

This Will Come To Pass shows a wonderful and powerful fruition of the sound that the band was culminating on their previous releases. I feel like they really came into themselves with this thing. I really do. Their melodies are so much tighter and stronger, the fast and heavy parts seem way more precise and controlled, and the over all tone of the group has grown way more serious, but the key is that they still have that DIY air about them that some bands loose touch with once they reach a level that Calculator has been given the chance to ascend to. I am always impressed when a band, especially of people I consider friends to a certain degree, get well deserved attention and opportunities but don't forget where they came from. Not to sound jaded, but in my humble opinion way too many groups do the exact opposite.

Calculator are doing like tour tours in the near future, and I believe have another release in the works as well. You can find the dates on your own time, seeing as I have to go in a few minutes, but I would highly suggest that you go out and see them play if you can. Its always fun, and there are always kids who get super into it and it makes it more fun to watch the event as a whole. After they go to I Got Brains, they are coming up to Baltimore with a handful of other bands who will be making an appearance at that fest to play a slopped together half fest aptly called Homie Fest. Or No Brains Fest. Either one. Check out the album, which is obviously linked below, and download a copy of the joint before they run out of downloads. You can also snag the wax copy while your over there. Obviously I would advise you to do so. Word.

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Bandcamp

Caust / [This is Not For You] Split

2013 is seemingly the year of the youngs. Creative output from the scream scene waxes and wanes, but I would go so far as we are at the beginning of a veritable tsunami. The past year, give or take a season or two, was a drought: in deep inhale before the explosive exhale. Thankfully, you can see the waters beginning to culminate into a vast tidal wave. There are manly locations of note when discussing various sub-sets of post hardcore, but I have always been of the mindset that the mid-Atlantic was a vastly unappreciated region which is home to an impressive number of should be notable bands and individuals. I now give you proof. I feel like I have been charged with taking on the role of Prometheus.

Caust and [this is not for you] just released this split the other day. Caust is championing the more driving sub set of the genre, while [tinfy] is on the chaotic end of the spectrum, which is admittedly more my cup of tea. The Caust tracks remind me of some of the more classic scream bands, in that the songs are steady, dark, and have somewhat logical progressions. On the other hand, the [tinfy] side is a little harder to pin point. The darkness permeates the entire record, but there is something a tad more sinister in the songs by the Ocean City crew. To me, their songs sound more influenced by hardcore. You will understand when you listen.

Both the bands are made up of people who are in multiple bands. I don't know all of the different connections, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard for someone to figure out. Another common thread between the active parties of this release is that they are going on lengthy and note worthy tours this summer. Caust is doing a full American tour in July I think, where as the members of [tinfy] are going on tour with their other, more accomplished band Full of Hell in Europe to support Circle Takes The Square. I know right.

The split below is free to download via the Caust bandcamp. The 7 inch is being released by three labels and  you can find all the details in the link below. I strongly suggest that you take a cigarette break and listen to this album. Also, go out and see both of these bands if they are coming around. I have had the pleasure of seeing both and they will not disappoint. If you do have a chance to meet these guys, buy them alcohol because they are barely old enough to buy smokes. Word.

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Bandcamp

Sigur Ros live streaming of "Kveikur"

So, Icelandic post everything Sigur Ros has just begun their live stream pod cast whatever the fuck it is of their new album. I have no idea what it is, but I would imagine its like a live show or some shit. "Fully interactive 360 degree webcast. First broadcast of tracks from the new album". I'm at work so I can't watch it for an hour, but it seems pretty dope. I'm gonna check it out when I go home. But yeah, if you are into the band, which you should be, check out the link below if you have some time. I guess it literally just started so the sooner you get on this tip the better. Should be cool. Word.

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Sigur Ros Steam Thing

New Native Album Preview

Yo. Just saw that Native is streaming a track from their upcoming album, "Orthodox". It's coming out via Sargent House on August 20th. Check it out below. Word.

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Sound Cloud

Merkin

Yo. I have been neglecting chug recently, but that tends to happen when life gets in the way. I just got back from the little мища / Bath Salts tour, which was really dope by the way. If anyone who was there reads this, then thanks for making it a really fun weekend and a worth while escape from reality. I'm going to try to pay more attention to chug, especially now that there are a shit ton of new releases out and I met a good bit of new bands recently, so the drought it seemingly over for the time being. Cheers all around.

Anyways, this is a post about Merkin. The band consists of three young ladies who reside in Idaho. The only reason I was made aware of this charming group was via keeping a casual eye on a girl who I had a tour crush on last summer when we were up in those parts. Regardless of my quasi creep factor (which I assure you is not the case, I am not creeping on her whatsoever) I was made aware of the band via posts and reposts by the girl mentioned above and mutual friends. Today at work looked it up while being bored out of my mind and got the url and stuff so when I came home, after eating bread I later found out was molding, I could check out their bandcamp.

This shit is really cool. Its funny, relaxed garage punk. The songs are somewhat silly, but the structure and composition shows talent and skill. Obviously this is not a "serious" project, but it does not negate how enjoyable it is. I appreciate light hearted music, especially when it makes me grin, which these songs did. There are songs about dragons and cats and stuff, which is dope. Basically this band is the definition of female garage rock. Somewhat abrasive, but mostly just fast and simple, these songs are really fun to listen to. I like how the songs are lo-fi, but not obnoxiously so. The vocals are really well done also.  My favorite song on the demo is "Enya's Revenge".

The demo was recorded at the Black With Sap basement, which is fucking awesome because I love those dudes. Some of the nicest people you will ever meet by the way. If you ever go up there get in touch with those dudes, and get Merkin to play your show. Check out their bandcamp and snag the album from them directly. Pay them money, even though you don't have to. Word.

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Demo