CULT OF HADES

My friend Matt Kepler makes stuff out of leather, under the name Cult of Hades. His shear holsters, wallets, guitar straps, and accessories are works of art, meticulously designed and hand-crafted out of cow, sheep, python, ostrich, crocodile, pony, stingray, and sometimes human. Matt's a man of vision and precision. His taste for the macabre runs through all his work. Before leather, he was making costumes (a 250-lb chain mail dress, masks made of skulls and antlers), artwork for bands (Brutal Truth, Landmine Marathon), and various other creations (there was this giant, serial-killer dollhouse that was unbelievable).

This Sunday, November 1st, Matt has a new piece in Dreams Were Made For Mortals, the group art show curated by Karlynn Holland at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. Titled "Cult of Hades Divining Board," it is a hand-embossed black leather gameboard with a gilded human scapula viewfinder and black wax altar.

What's new

Cruising into fall, stacked with the best new music for you.

Oct 16 - So Hideous - Laurestine - Prosthetic Records

• New York City band reaches new heights on sophomore album, utilizing a 30-pc orchestra to create a supremely intense musical ride

• Inspired by film scores, black metal, Mono, Envy, Godspeed...

• Recorded by Dean Baltulonis (Lucero, Sick of It All, Modern Life Is War) and Chris Montgomery (Lily Alen, Mumford & Sons)

• "Devastating, end-of-the-world type shit, putting screamo, post-rock, and atmospheric black metal in a blender and really letting those modern classical influences shine with the orchestral parts." –BrooklynVegan

• "Emotionally devastating... moments of aching beauty" –Exclaim!

Oct 16 - White Widows Pact - True Will - New Damage Records

• Debut full-length sees New York hardcore, '90s death metal, and Southern sludge unite in a storm of grooving power that nods to Madball, Obituary, and Crowbar

• Frontman David Castillo is co-owner of Saint Vitus Bar, Brooklyn's home base for metal and hardcore

• Produced by Dean Baltulonis (Lucero, Sick of It All, Modern Life Is War)

• Guests include Sara Taylor (Youth Code) and Liam Cormier (Cancer Bats)

• "Insanely heavy... Sludgy, ripping guitars... When looking for a new band to get angry to, White Widows Pact have you covered on every front." –Noisey

• "Hardcore peppered with Crowbar's Obedience Thru Suffering..." –Revolver

Oct 23 - Nervous - Duration and Delusion - Twelve Gauge Records

• Oakland, CA noise-punks pound out desperate/stoned tunes descended from The Jesus Lizard, The Melvins, Nirvana, Born Against, Rites of Spring, Econochrist...

• Frontman Jake Spek's rasp is a distinctive new voice – he sings it like he really means it; clean guitars strum urgently and break into surf rock tones as bare-bones drums and bass pound out tight Crass-like cadences!

• "Wrathful, angular punk in the mold of early-90s noizemongers Jesus Lizard, the almighty Nirvana, etc." –High Times

• "Anxiety isn't cool, but appropriately named Oakland hardcore punk trio Nervous totally are." –Decibel

Oct 30 - Justin Pearson / Gabe Serbian - Incompresa Songs - Three One G Records

• Justin Pearson (Retox, The Locust, Head Wound City, Some Girls) teams up with longtime bandmate/collaborator Gabe Serbian (one of SPIN's "100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music") on songs for Asia Argento's new film, Incompresa (US title: Misunderstood), in which Justin also has a role playing Charlotte Gainsbourg's boyfriend!

• "Icon of independence since the early '90s, Justin Pearson obeys no one's rules. As a vocalist, bassist, record label owner, author, and actor, the born leader has made a career of staying one step ahead, confounding both the mainstream and the underground in the process." –Mass Appeal

Oct 30 - Driftoff - Modern Fear - Science of Silence Records

• Debut EP by new Brooklyn powerhouse, comprised of members of Junius, Rosetta, and City of Ships!

• Radiant, rock-solid, world-weary jams for fans of Quicksand, Hot Water Music, Planes Mistaken for Stars

• "A model of excellence in heavy music... Driftoff is the band you need to know." –Noisey

• "A brand new supergroup you will certainly be hearing plenty about soon enough... Earnest, angular, '90s-ish post-hardcore" –MetalSucks

Nov 13 - Chain Gang Grave - Bury Them and Keep Quiet - self-released

• Evil, noisy, hardcore punk – shades of The Birthday Party and Scratch Acid, plus double-bass drumming and creepy riffing that brings things into a twisted metal zone!

• One of Brooklyn's exciting young prospects, the very newest in a recent legacy that includes punk/metal creeps like Raspberry Bulbs, Villains, and Couch Slut

• "Discordant, noisy, anti-social... Great shit." –Noisey

Coming soon - Muscle Beach - new album - Sailor Records

• Denver trio brings the angst and the hooks in equal doses on debut LP – it's an extremely driving, rockin' brand of post-hardcore, in line with Refused, The Bronx, and Kvelertak... All that, plus lyrics about pirates and aliens. Produced by Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation).

Coming soon - Graf Orlock - new album - Vitriol Records

• New full-length album by one of my favorite bands in the game... LA hardcore/grindcore, based entirely on movies... This new album promises a new plot twist!

Coming soon - Ghostlimb - new album - Vitriol Records

• New full-length album from LA post-hardcore crew featuring Justin Smith of Graf Orlock and Vitriol Records!

THANKS

THANKS

THANKS