Home Of Metal takes up residence in The Public and fans of all ages are invited to bring along their memorabilia and stories to be recorded for the digital archive. Home Of Metal is looking for everything from concert tickets to photographs, badges, album covers, t-shirts and flyers relating to Black sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Magnum and Napalm Death.

WE NEED YOU
For too long the Black Country and Birmingham have failed to celebrate what is rightfully theirs, to claim the region as home of Heavy Metal.

On Saturday 26 March Home Of Metal takes up residence in The Public and fans of all ages are invited to bring along their memorabilia and stories to be recorded for the digital archive. Home Of Metal is looking for everything from concert tickets to photographs, badges, album covers, t-shirts and flyers relating to Black sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Magnum and Napalm Death.

Hosted by Kerrang! Radio DJ Johnny Doom who will be talking to former ‘Raw Power’ presenter, Ozzfest compere and all round metal expert Krusher. In addition Juneau Projects will be showing you how you can make your very own DIY guitar + loads of rockin fun family activities!

Free event all ages welcome 11am – 4pm
http://www.thepublic.com

http://www.homeofmetal.com

Arbouretum

We’ve been wanting these guys back in Brum ever since their storming Supersonic set in 2009 – and here they are touring their new album The Gathering.

Arbouretum first began in late 2002 as a vehicle for singer/guitarist David Heumann’s songwriting.  Since their debut album, Long Live  the Well-Doer, there have been several lineup changes that have included musicians such as Ned Oldham (Anomoanon), Walker Teret (Cass McCombs’ band), and Jennifer Hutt, as well as drummers Mitchell Feldstein (Lungfish) and David Bergander (Celebration).  The sweeping, atmospheric textures of the first record soon gave way to a more visceral, elemental approach.  Amplifiers were turned up, drums were hit harder, and songs crescendoed into spiraling, noise-soaked climaxes on the second full-length, Rites of Uncovering. 
Released on Thrill Jockey in early 2007, the record garnered much attention and critical acclaim.  XLR8R called it “the best doom-folk record of all time” and Uncut referred to it as an instant “cult classic”. 
http://www.myspace.com/arbouretum

Health & Efficiency

Their music traverses an encyclopaedia of influences; psych, folk, no wave noise and electronic perhaps being some of the more predominant. They utilise banjo, two basses, two guitars, synths, samplers and more effects and loop pedals than it’s reasonable for one band to need.
http://healthandefficiency.net/

Tigernaut
Tigernaut make instrumental rock music that combines delicate guitar melodies with serious riffs. Folk elements vie with math and jazz time signature changes and inviting soundscapes to make music that always drives forwards, but often hides pleasant surprises.
Spending years practicing in garages and bedrooms, unable to afford the latest musical technology advertised in Guitar Monthly, Tigernaut were forced to fall back on music carefully written to engage the listener. They now have two delay pedals between them, but the habit has stuck.

http://www.myspace.com/tigernaut

Before the electro-infused indie and post-rock of today, there was Seefeel. They provided a bridge between the electronic nouveau and indie-rock; being ultimately instrumental in opening up the parallel reality of electronic music to the more adventurous members of the indie scene.

In 2008 Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock relaunched Seefeel and were joined by Shigeru Ishihara (DJ Scotch Egg) and former Boredoms drummer Iida Kazuhisa (E-Da) who fill in the bass and percussive sections respectively.

Following the success of their comeback EP  Faults, Seefeel are proud to announce the true fruits of their recent labours. Seefeel, the band’s upcoming eponymous LP and first full length since 1996’s (Ch-Vox), will be released on January 31st, 2011 on Warp Records…

http://www.myspace.com/seefeelmyspace

Rollin’, batterin’, FUBAR-steppin’, maxed-out, funky-ass bastards. That’s who Dead Fader are. Their hybrid of distorto-death grooves, limited-to-hell wonky-not-wonky productions, sound like Distance playing though Slayer’s back line.. On first impression it’s hardly a production sound you’d associate with the backdrop of Dead Fader’s home base, Brighton. This sounds more like it was born out of some grim industrial slum on lockdown, all pent up anger and a serious need to party hard; 2-step garage from a Hair Police state.

‘It’s playful but sick. Like a puppy with extremely sharp teeth’ –  Justin K Broadrick

http://www.myspace.com/deadfader

Epic45’s acclaimed 2007 album May Your Heart Be The Map was a vivid exploration of the British countryside, tinted by childhood memories and the metamorphosis of the seasons, influenced by dramatic post-rock structures and warm acoustic folk. Last year’s mini album In All The Empty Houses explore the resonances of abandoned buildings; the ghosts of past lives and memories that inhabit them as they fall into dilapidation.

“Tracing emotional reactions to shifting seasons, May Your Heart Be the Map did something new with old materials and gave the Black Country its very own Boards of Canada.” – Word Magazine, Best of the Noughties

http://www.epic45.com/wordpress/

Poster by Tom J Hughes

WOODS are primarily the duo of Jeremy Earl (owner of Fuck It Tapes and Woodsist) and Jarvis Taveniere (Meneguar and Wooden Wand), and aided live by friends G. Lucas Crane on tape effects and Kevin Morby.

Jeremy’s Brooklyn based label, Woodsist, has recently released Vivian Girls, Wavves, Kurt Vile, Sic Alps and Crystal Stilts, among many others.

WOODS released their debut UK single on Half Machine Records on Monday 10th August 2009. The lo-fi Flying Nun-esque,‘To Clean’, is backed with the skeletal psych folk of exclusive acoustic version, ‘Rain On’, recorded live on WVKR radio.

Both tracks feature on their recently released fourth album, ‘Songs of Shame’, released through their own Woodsist label and cassette tape label Shrimper.

“Consistently awesome lo-fi pop” – Gorilla vs Bear

“A distinctive blend of spooky campfire folk, lo-fi rock, homemade tape collages, and other noisy interludes, all anchored by deceptively sturdy melodies.” – Pitchfork

www.myspace.com/woodsfamilyband

Spectrals

Spectrals, the brainchild of L; a stand-up guy from a small town near a few bigger ones in the top half of the UK. With a heart firmly wrapped up in doo wop, girl groups and not a little tape hiss fuzz, Spectrals is a one-man teen dream with Rat Pack flair and a punk rock eye. When not getting upset over people talking about his band on the internet, Spectrals has been known to enjoy Red Bird & Cash Money Records, “Slush” based beverages, writing to Phil Spector in prison, and NYHC in the 1980s.
http://www.myspace.com/spectralspectral

The Doozer

“A recent show that blew all attending asses out of the water was a short gig by a Cambridge UK duo known as The Doozer. The Doozer actually seems to be one guy, and his playing partner is called Ben, but never you mind. Anyway, they have a new LP out on Siltbreeze called Great Explorers (the CD is on the UK Pickled Egg label) and it is a gas and a pleasure of great dimensions. The lazy man’s way to review it to call it a bridge between Syd B and Chris Knox, carrying all the weird damage and superb left field pop motion that implies. The earlier single, “Conversations/Stone Houses” (Doozer Industries) carried whiffs that are fully explored hereon. There is also an earlier LP on Pickled Egg, Sheet Music. We can’t lie and claim we’ve heard it, but there’s no way it’s not a stunner as well”. – Byron Coley / Thurston Moore

http://www.myspace.com/thedoozerman

Poster designed by Tom J Hughes

Kayo Dot

First Birmingham appearance of Brooklyn-based mavericks Kayo Dot. Their last two albums, Blue Lambency Downward, and the lastest, Coyote, were released on the Los Angeles experimental heavy music label Hydra Head, and ironically do more than any of their previous output to transcend the often-applied ‘metal’ tag. Myriad influences and multifarious instrumentation combine to produce records of swirling, eerie majesty, full of startlingly original orchestration, poignant vocal harmonies and constantly challenging arrangements. The constantly-shifting soundscapes take in elements of jazz and classical music and filter them through a Zorn-esque modern composition aesthetic, and a command of dynamic range which belies founder Toby Driver’s background in heavy music. The resulting pieces are executed with such ease and erudition that any attempt to tease out the shreds of the band’s influences becomes futile and unnecessary as one becomes lost in the disturbing beauty and sheer wonder. Expect entrancing live renditions of tracks from Blue Lambency Downward, plus earlier releases on Holy Roar and John Zorn’s Tzadik label.

http://www.myspace.com/kayodot

Jeremiah Cymerman

The music of Jeremiah Cymerman (SIMMER-man), as described by Chris Weingarten of Spin/Village Voice “cuts a maddening line between free improv and musique concrète”. Based in New York City since 2002 and as an active participant in several different scenes, Cymerman’s work reflects an interest in improvisation, electronic manipulation & production, traditional, studio & graphic composition and solo performance. Cymerman has worked or performed with a broad range of contemporary artists and frequent collaborators include Toby Driver, Nate Wooley, Brian Chase, Mario Diaz de Leon, Christopher Hoffman, Jessica Pavone and Matthew Welch.  Cymerman has toured internationally, received numerous commissions and published several articles on music and music production. He has released several recordings of his own music and his recorded output has been documented on the  Tzadik and Porter record labels.

Bilbao Syndrome

Combining the more extreme elements of metal, jazz and modern composition in a confrontational and cathartic presentation. The bulk of the material is driven by relentless shifting guitar riffs which bring to mind a Ritalin-addled Meshuggah or a more wantonly violent Shining, underpinned by massive lurching bass and nervous, offbeat-laden drum figures. Periodically the rhythmic intensity reaches a climax and the groove breaks down into scattergun snare blasts and offbeat stabs, rendered with a seemingly telepathic sense of timing, recalling the spasmodic assault of The Locust.

The rules of metal allow for a certain amount of theatre, provided it is of the Dungeons and Dragons variety. Bilbao Syndrome circumvent the cliches of the genre to conjure a more austere, contemporary horrorshow which is guaranteed to be a divisive, ultimately rejuvenative presence in modern metal.

http://www.myspace.com/bilbaosyndrome

Poster designed by Tom J Hughes

Torche

“Thunder Pop.” Sure, this sound was hinted at by TORCHE singer/guitarist/songwriter Steve Brooks’ former group Floor, founded by the mighty Black Sabbath and nearly accomplished by mainstreamers Queens of the Stone Age… but such truly anthemic, triumphant and absolutely massive heavy rock has never been so downright catchy! The mind-rupturing debut album by the Miami, FL quartet—which also features former Floor guitarist Juan Montoya (who, along with Brooks, also played in the mighty Cavity), drummer Rick Smith (ex-Tyranny Of Shaw) and bassist Jon Nuñez—echoes the scooped-EQ tones (all lows and highs with precious little mid-range) of the Melvins classic Ozma, the infectious riff-rock of Nirvana’s Bleach and glissando multi-part harmonies of classic Beach Boys.

TORCHE’s gloriously sung, harmonized and soaring vocal arrangements accompanying the most monolithic riffs of modern times, is truly a massive sound made all the more devastating by the album’s masterful production. The lumbering sludge of opener “Charge of the Brown Recluse” heralds the coming rockpocalypse of raging tracks like the behemoth chamber pop of “Mentor” and the head-bobbing sliding harmonic guitar lines of “Rock It.” Chiming hook-laden tunes like “Fire” and “Erase” are streamlined thunder pop chunks that get right to the point and self-immolate in just over two minutes.

After Floor, er, collapsed in June 2004, Brooks and Montoya immediately started thinking up plans for a new band that would continue where their former group left off. Robotic Empire label founder (and huge Floor fan) Andy Low suggested that the new band work with his friend, Smith on drums. The lineup soon solidified with Nuñez, one of Smith’s long-time friends. TORCHE had ignited.

http://www.myspace.com/torche

Part Chimp

Part Chimp are a band from Camberwell in London that were formed by Tim Cedar, Jon Hamilton and Nick Prior in 2000. Current line-up is Tim (vocals & guitar), Jon (drums), and Iain Hinchliffe (guitar).

They play rock music with elements of noise. Both on record and live, Part Chimp have a reputation for sounding extremely loud. Their records are released in the UK by Rock Action records in Europe & Japan by Play it Again Sam and in the US by Monitor records.

http://www.partchimp.com/

Stinky Wizzleteat

Formed some time in 2008, Stinky Wizzleteat have garnered some sort of a reputation, leaving a trail of blood, sweat and broken amplifiers behind them.  United by a mutual love of the Bad Brains, Wizzleteat carve out a sound informed by groove from across the musical spectrum, whilst staying fully committed to heaviness, good times and volume.

myspace.com/stinkywizzleteat

Black Breath

Although Black Breath is a fairly young band they are quickly becoming everyones new favorite band. They have absolutely stormed onto the hardcore and metal scene with their unique and uncompromising sound. After gathering a loyal cult following the band took their assault around the USA supporting Trap Them and Victims. Late last year Southern Lord released the very first recordings from Black Breath in the form of the Razor to Oblivion EP. Raw, intense and in your face this EP has created a immense buzz and effectively set up the highly anticipated next move!

For this, their debut full-length the band went into Kurt Ballous’ (Converge, Trap Them, Disfear) God City studios in Salem, Massachussets. The end result of those monumental sessions is a recording much darker, heavier and more brutal than anything they have done before. The direction of the album contains many of the punk and hardcore influences that were exhibited on the Razor To Oblivion EP. However, after listening to just five seconds of the albums opening track, “Black Sin (Spit On The Cross)” it’s painfully obvious the band has let their Swedish death metal obsession take control! One of the bands strengths is its ability to truly craft a memorable song with hooks that dig into your skull and never let up. This is heavily apparent on the thrashing burner “Children of The Horn”.

Not since the mid-eighties when bands like Motorhead, Metallica and Discharge were giving metal heads bangovers has brutality been so infectious. The decidedly more Death Metal direction of Heavy Breathing is a extremely bold move that will definitely set them apart from the rest.

http://www.myspace.com/blackbreath

Grimpen Mire

Effortlessly combining traditional Doom by the likes of Sabbath with the aggressiveness of sludge and hardcore, West Midlands trio Grimpen Mire have continued to lay waste to venues since their inception in late 2007. The blend of textured guitars and unrelenting heaviness has seen them rapidly rising the ranks of the UK doom scene, their debut album is due out in 2011 on At War With False Noise.

http://www.myspace.com/grimpenmire1971

Birmingham’s “foremost purveyors of what is interesting, exciting and invigorating about music in the twenty-first century” strike gold again at this year’s Supersonic festival
Bearded Magazine

Supersonic Festival 2010 performances
Swans . Godflesh . Napalm Death HalloGallo. PCM .  Dead Fader . Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides . Blue Sabbath Black Fiji .  Eagle Twin . Lichens . Steve Tromans and Dan Nicholls . Gnaw.  Dosh . Cloaks DJ set . Stinky Wizzleteat .  OvO .  King Midas Sound .  Gnod . Tweak Bird .  Godflesh . Cave . Melt Banana . Health & Efficiency . Bong . Peter Broderick . Voice Of The Seven Thunders . Jailbreak . Ruins . Mothlite . Nisennenmondai . James Blackshaw . Mugstar . Factory Floor . Barn Owl . Chrome Hoof .  Zeni Geva . Dethscalator. Necro Deathmort . Fukpig . Demons feat. Sick Llama . Gum Takes Tooth . Devilman . Drumcorps. Pierre Bastien . People Like Us . Nicholas Bullen . Khyam Allami + Master Musicians of Bukkake + Black Sun Drum Corps + Lash Frenzy vs KK Null

Exhibitions, talks, screenings and special events
Seeing Sound . Action Hero . God’s White Noise . Sirens of Sparkhill . Michael Rother Q&A . Fear of Music . Prick Your Finger craft workshop . Sam Underwood’s Noise Box workshop . Kigs Gigs with Glatze and Dosh . VBS Guide to Liberia . Sublime Frequencies films . Guardian of the Veil by Matthew Barney . films curated by Robert Lowe .