Graf Orlock added one more new album, Crime Traveler, to its legacy. I love the DIY spirit and wild creativity this band represents. Their vibe lands right on the line between fun and brutality, intelligence and boneheadedness – right where I like it. And they're my longest-running client, going back more than 10 years. Brother band Ghostlimb put out a new one too, Difficult Loves, and the mastermind of both bands, Justin Smith, put out both records via his label, Vitriol Records.
Eight Bells made their masterpiece, Landless, and toured with Voivod.
I got to rep my friend Martin Bisi, a legend of NYC's musical history (see: Sonic Youth, Swans, John Zorn), with whom I've recorded two albums in the past.
I teamed up with Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan and his label Party Smasher Inc, to handle the new Primitive Weapons album, The Future of Death.
Old Wounds did Warped Tour and followed it up with an Every Time I Die tour. '68 toured hard too.
New supergroup Asphalt Graves (current/ex Misery Index, Dying Fetus, GWAR, The Black Dahlia Murder) achieved death-grind greatness on their Vitriol Records debut.
Spotlights – success story of the year, maybe. Married couple from Brooklyn makes heavy, dreamy rock, lands tour with Deftones and Refused.
Car Bomb – wow. Unparalleled musicianship on their new album, Meta.
Explosive and awesome new albums by Meek Is Murder (NYC buffalo stampede-core), Nomads (streetwise LA crust punk), Knife Hits (ultra intense O.G. screamo revival), Black Table (blackened tar pit of prog-depression, featuring my favorite female metal vocalist), and Moon Tooth (Living Colour meets Gojira!?).
Fight Amp – when I was in Today Is the Day I toured North America with this band for six weeks, and I was honored to work with them as a publicist this fall on what would turn out to be their final tour.
I teamed up with Profound Lore Records for the first time, via post-punk band Soft Kill.
Italian duo OvO released their ninth album – a carnival of primitive industrial, horror-movie ambience, and noise-rock harshness.
Good Fight Music put out a slew of good stuff, including Ion Dissonance (huge comeback album from a band that helped shape the course of heavy music), Homewrecker (absolutely badass young Slayer-ites), Hollow Earth (deep space-themed Neurosis-core), and much more.
A full list of the year's releases and tours is here:
2017 kicks off with the Jan 27th release of the new Set and Setting album, Reflectionless. Dual-drummer, instrumental band from Florida brings an aggressive attack to the lulls and swells of the post-rock genre. Recorded by Ryan Haft (Torche, Capsule), mastered by Ed Brooks (R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie).
Also in January, we have Old Wounds hitting the road for four weekend tours across the US, featuring the debut of their as-yet-unannounced new frontman!
Happy holidays, everyone.
Peace and love in these crazy times.
