I haven’t been publishing a lot of metal lately, which is too bad. There were some real gems featured earlier this year plus a few tunes that just came in recently. Here is the Top Metal Music of 2007, as selected from the ([HearingTest]) audio archive. ([More →])

Finnish Krautrockers, Circle, began their US tour with a FREE performance at Other Music in NYC on Tuesday night and will soon be heading west. Circle will play with a few different bands along the way, including Endless Boogie, Grails, Assemblehead in Sunburst Sound, OM and Oneida. Should be a fantastic tour. I saw them at the Great American Music Hall about 3 years ago and it was such an experience… Growing and Earth opened the show with incredible sets of experimental metal and then Circle took the audience to another dimension! The music was psychedelic and totally trance-inducing. For some reason they remind of Les Savy Fav, but with really long, drawn out jams that take you deeper and deeper into the music. They also put so much energy into the performance, much like LSF do. If you are near one of their shows, I highly recommend checking them out. The recorded versions do not come close to describing the sounds and experience of their live performance. ([More →])

Mono will be touring with Grails and World’s End Girlfriend this spring. Mono is from Japan and plays shoegazing drone metal that is very atmospheric.

Grails are a 4 man band from Portland, Oregon and are about to release their new album on Temporary Residence. The label describes their sound as “Grails have patiently developed into a rather radical study in tension and meditation, inhabiting a netherworld where virtually all earthly and otherworldly sounds are equally explored to reflect the disparate influences of its four members.”

The band page for Grails on Temporary Residence is http://www.temporaryresidence.com/bands/grails.php

Grails’ web page has news of their new album, Burning Off Impurities :
“The new Grails cd, Burning Off Impurities, drops April 24 on Temporary Residence. But the vinyl has been delayed a bit, comes out May 22. The vinyl version will be a double LP, with an etching on the 4th side. Will put up some photos when it’s back from the plant…..it’s gonna be beautiful.”

Temporary Residence has an mp3 from this upcoming album. You can listen to it or dl it - http://www.temporaryresidence.com/mp3s/grails_dead_vine_blues.mp3

Temporary Residence also releases Mono material and has this mp3 for your listening pleasure :
http://www.temporaryresidence.com/mp3s/mono_theflames.mp3

The band page for Mono on Temporary Residence is http://www.temporaryresidence.com/bands/mono.php

more places to listen :

http://www.myspace.com/worldsendgirlfriend
http://www.myspace.com/grailsongs
http://www.myspace.com/monojapanfansite

The tour, according to Mono’s website :

Apr 12 Cambridge, MA Middle East Downstairs w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 13 Montreal, PQ La Sala Rossa w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 14 Buffalo, NY Soundlab w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 15 Pittsburgh, PA Carnegie Mellon University w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 16 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 17 Columbus, OH Little Brothers w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 18 Louisville KY Headliners Music Hall w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 19 Dekalb, IL The House Cafe w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 20 Chicago, IL The Empty Bottle w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 21 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Club w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 24 Bellingham, WA The Nightlight Lounge w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 25 Seattle, WA Neumo’s w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 26 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 27 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 28 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 29 San Diego, CA Casbah w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

Apr 30 Tucson, AZ Plush w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

May 2 Denton, TX Hailey’s w/ World’s End Girlfriend, The Drift

May 3 Austin, TX Emo’s Jr. w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 4 Houston, TX Mink w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 5 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 7 Orlando, FL The Social w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 8 Jacksonville, FL TSI w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 9 Birmingham, AL Bottletree w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 10 Atlanta, GA The Earl w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 11 Mt. Pleasant, SC The Village Tavern w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 12 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 13 Charlottesville, VA Satellite Ballroom w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 14 Baltimore, MD Ottobar w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 15 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 16 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails

May 17 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom w/ World’s End Girlfriend, Grails