Tonight - MICHALE GRAVES in Minneapolis, RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS in St. Paul

Former Misfits vocalist Michale Graves plays tonight in Minneapolis at the Cause Spirits & Soundbar with support from Ripsnorter, Regenerators, and They Live. His new album, Vagabond, is more of a folk rock record that differs from what you might expect from him. This is a 21+ show that is $8 at the door, and the bands start around 9:00. Later tonight I should have a From The Vault feature on Misfits with lots of pictures!

Florida rock band Red Jumpsuit Apparatus also plays tonight over in St. Paul at Station 4 supported by a slew of local bands: Throw The Fight, Eversay, Imagine The Silence, The Phoenix Philosophy, and Charlie Siren. This is an early (5:30) all ages show, and tickets are $15 at the door.

Tonight - EMERY in St. Paul, WITCHDEN in Minneapolis

Post-hardcore/metalcore band Emery tops a bill of like-minded bands at Station 4 in St. Paul for an all ages show that starts at 5:15. Rounding out the bill are Wolves At The Gate, The Seeking, Peace Mercutio, and The Suit. Tickets are $15 at the door.

On a heavier note, local sludge band Witchden wraps up their month-long Wednesday night residency at Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Minneapolis with United Teachers Of Music and Wicked Inquisition. Things get underway around 9:00 and there’s no cover charge (it’s free!). I recently reviewed Witchden’s debut album Consulting The Bones (8/10) here.

Check out this awesome new Witchden song "Red Handed".

Album Review - WITCHDEN

Witchden – Consulting The Bones

Zerobudget, 2012

8/10

This band from Minneapolis has escaped my notice until relatively recently so it’s high time that I review their debut full-length album that was released last year on Zerobudget Records. Consulting The Bones is filled with nine tracks of heavy, angry sludge metal delivered with density strong enough to melt your speakers. Crude, heavy riffs chug along at the speed of Crowbar while singer Jason Micah howls and screams with anguished intensity. There’s enough variation and twists on the riffs to keep things interesting and prevent each song from sounding redundant. Although Witchden falls outside of the stoner metal camp, there’s clearly some influences from bands like Melvins, Eyehategod, and Nebula. Not too many bands play this style of raw, uncompromising sludge and Witchden are well-poised to make an impact. Consulting The Bones may not be for everyone, but it’s a solid debut. This is a band to watch out for, so get out and catch one of the many local shows if you have the chance.

Witchden performs tonight, Wednesday, April 24 at Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Minneapolis with support from United Teachers Of The World and Wicked Inquisition.    

Tonight - CLUTCH, WITCHDEN in Minneapolis; THE CONTORTIONIST and WITHIN THE RUINS in Duluth

Clutch live on October 28, 1998 at the Granada Theater in Lawrence, Kansas. Click on the photo to see more pictures from this show.

Get ready for some heavy rock tonight at First Avenue in Minneapolis as Clutch returns with support from awesome stoner rock band Orange Goblin, Lionize, and Scorpion Child. This promises to be a great bill from top to bottom, so get their early for the 6:30 start time. It's an 18+ show, and tickets are available for $25 at the door. Check out the review of the latest Clutch album Earth Rocker (7/10) as well as the recent From The Vault feature on Clutch with pictures and a variety of promotional items from tours for their first three albums from 1993 to 1998.

Local sludge band Witchden continues their Wednesday night residency for the the month at Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Minneapolis with Gar and Morality Crisis. It's a free 21+ show that starts at 9:00.

The co-headlining tour of The Contortionist and Within The Ruins makes it up to Duluth at Clyde Iron Works with support from I Declare War, Reflections, and City In The Sea.   This is an all ages show with a 5:30 show time. Tickets are $15 at the door. Read the review of Intrinsic from The Contortionist (10/10) here. City In The Sea missed the show in St. Paul last night due to weather driving through South Dakota so don't be surprised if they can't make it to Duluth.

Tonight - VOLBEAT in Minneapolis, CRASHDIET in Fridley

Tonight's a big night European metal as Denmark's Volbeat play a sold-out show at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis with support from Danko Jones and Spoken. Doors open at 7:30 and the show starts at 8:00.

Watch the video for "Cape Of Our Hero" from the new Volbeat album, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, that will be released in North America on April 9.

Sweden's sleeze rockers Crashdiet perform tonight with Crucified Barbara and Snakeskyn Whiskey at G.B. Leighton's Pickle Park in Fridley. Doors open at 7:00 and it's only $10 at the door. Read the review of the new Crashdiet album The Savage Playground (7/10) here.

Watch the video for "Cocaine Cowboys" from the new Crashdiet album The Savage Playground.

Lastly, Minneapolis-based sludge band Witchden starts tonight their Wednesday night residency for the month of April at Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Minneapolis. Also on the bill are Vulgaari and Buzzard. This is a free 21+ show that gets underway at 9:00.

Tonight - SOILWORK; HINDER; BLACKTHORNE

There's three shows of note tonight - the big one is Sweden's Soilwork at Station 4 in St. Paul (I reviewed their The Living Infinite album here, 5/10). Opening up the show is former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis, Blackguard, The Browning, and Wretched. Doors are early at 6:00 pm for this 16+ show, and it's $20 at the door.

Commercial hard rock fans will want to get down to First Avenue in Minneapolis tonight for Hinder (review of the Welcome To The Freakshow album is here, 1/10), The Last Vegas, and Acidic. Things get underway at 7:00 - it's an 18+ show and tickets are $25 at the door.

At the Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Uptown Minneapolis, you can catch local extreme hardcore band Blackthorne and Bisento. There's no cover charge for this 21+ show.