Unkle K's Bands of the Week

I have not posted for a while as my tinnitus of the last five years has spread to my right ear and has been excruciating lately, so music has unfortunately taken a back seat. Apologies to the Witchskull lads for missing your show last Friday, and I had to give the Black Cobra/Jucifer show a miss as well (anyone go? How was it?).

The Grand Astoria
This Russian band's name had me interested right from the get go, so I was very pleasantly surprised to discover how good they are. Formed in 2009, they have pumped out around ten releases, so I have much catching up to do. The songs on the latest releases tend to go from 10 to 25 minutes, whereas the earlier releases tended to stick to the five minute mark. There are multiple members but Kamille Sharapodinov (vocals, guitars, korg monotron) seems to be the main man. He has a great voice and sings in Russian, which really works. They play a weird mix of jazzy progressive metal that is highly recommended.
Bandcamp

Lucifer
Last year I reviewed The Oath's stunning debut. Unfortunately they broke up not long after that release, but their brilliant vocalist, Joanna Sadonis has returned with a new band that features riff master Gary Jennings (Cathedral, Death Penalty). Not as upbeat as The Oath but mystically epic, catchy, doomy heavy metal. Headbanging guaranteed to start during the track "Izrael".
Soundcloud
Interview and debut album stream: Invisible Oranges

I usually try to feature at least one Australian band but nothing has really jumped out at me the last few months. I will endeavour to uncover some gems this month.

Playlist: Unkle K
1. The Grand Astoria - The Mighty Few/Kobaia Express
2. Lucifer - Lucifer I
3. Legion of Andromeda - Iron Scorn
4. Pink Floyd - Live at Pompeii
5. Goatsnake - Black Age Blues (Brilliant)

Playlist: lxp
1. Acid King - Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere
2. Mutoid Man - Bleeder
3. Goatsnake - Black Age Blues
4. Cloud Rat - Qliphoth
5. Metz - II
6. Seremonia - Kristalliarkki
7. Abyssal - Antikatastaseis
8. Refused - Freedom
9. Hellbringer - Dominion of Darkness
10. Frank Zappa - The Man from Utopia/Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch

Unkle K

Twins of Evil

The last time Black Cobra were supposed to play in Canberra, there were about five of us who - either because of not being on Facebook or not hearing word from anyone "in the know" - showed up to a very desolate, very closed ANU Bar on a Tuesday night, only to find the show had been cancelled. Well, almost six years later, our town is finally getting another chance to see this killer double-barreled sludge juggernaut as part of a very exciting bill that also includes nomadic merchants of eclectic, ear-splitting volume, Jucifer and Melbourne's Dead, who always throw everything into their pummeling live shows. Having seen all three of these bands perform at other times in the last few years, I reckon this is definitely going to be one to get out and brave the cold for. Additional Canberra support comes from the always excellent Looking Glass, whose new album has got to be pretty damn close to being released by now! See you at The Basement this Tuesday 14 July, from 7pm.

 lxp