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.

Album Review - SEVENDUST

Sevendust – Black Out The Sun

7Bros., 2013

9/10

By the time most bands with respectable levels of mainstream success have lasted long enough to make it to their ninth album, they’ve either evolved their style or changed personnel as to be nearly unrecognizable or slid into a morass of musical irrelevance. So where does Sevendust stand, with three Gold albums in the U.S. and Black Out The Sun, their eighth album to chart in the top 30? Like any band they’ve had some weaker albums, but Black Out The Sun easily belongs near the top of their output. It essentially sounds like a heavier, more modern version of their outstanding debut album from 1997. Loaded with heavy, dark riffs and the deep melodic voice of Lajon Witherspoon that define most of the band’s albums, Black Out The Sun also incorporates some occasional production tricks on the drums and extensive keyboards in the background that prevents the affair from sounding like a throwback. Make no mistake, though – this album is heavy, with Lajon releasing some vicious screams on songs like “Faithless” and some tight, fast double bass drumwork on others such as “Dead Roses”. The fast and heavy “Faithless” and “Till Death” start the album in relentless fashion before “Mountain” settles in with a lively groove. “Cold As War” and the title track are ok, probably my least favorite. Some great vocal harmonies and melodies make “Nobody Wants It” a high point. “Dead Roses” picks up the tempo again, then the second half of the album relaxes into a series a slower, more nuanced songs. It all leads into the penultimate songs, “Got A Feeling”, a dramatic acoustic ballad that builds into a massive guitar solo at the end. “Murder Bar” ends the album on a strong note with some neat guitar work. Black Out The Sun is strong from start to finish, one that captures your attention in its entirety. I’ll admit that I was a bit surprised at how good the album is, and if you’ve felt let down or bored by other Sevendust albums this is the time to rediscover the band. This is one of the finest moments in Sevendust’s career, an album that shows they’re still capable of writing fresh, heavy songs that retain great hooks and melodies.

Sevendust performs a co-headlining show with Coal Chamber on Monday, April 8 at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis with support from Lacuna Coil and Candlelight Red. The bands returns to Duluth on Wednesday, May 15 at Clyde Iron Works with support from Pop Evil.

RELATED CONTENT: Check out the downloadable audio of Sevendust live on July 19, 1997, and the From The Vault feature with some old Sevendust pictures from 1997–2000.

Tonight - AMBASSADOR GUN in Minneapolis, HINDER in Duluth

Fans of extreme metal and hardcore will want to get down to The Nether Bar at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis to catch local Prosthetic Records recording artist Ambassador Gun (their latest album Golden Eagle is reviewed here, 7/10) as they roll through home on their current tour. Joining them will be Nerves, Much Worse, and Call Of The Void. Things get under way at 9:00, and this 18+ show is only $5 at the door.

Watch Ambassador Gun's video for "Wounded Knee" that has them playing while riding in a van and screaming into a CB radio.

If you're up north and didn't get to see Hinder (the review of their Welcome To The Freakshow album is here, 1/10) last night in Minneapolis, they'll be playing tonight with Acidic and Clyde Iron Works in Duluth. It's a 21+ show, showtime is 8:00, and tickets at the door are $27.

Album Review - HINDER

Hinder – Welcome To The Freakshow

Universal, December 2012

1/10

I won’t make this review longer than necessary because Hinder encapsulates everything that I hate about radio-friendly hard rock. The first track, lead single “Save Me”, and “Ladies Come First”, both harmless mid-tempo rockers are about as good as it gets here on the band’s fourth album. Problems are already apparent, however, as the production sucks all feeling and life from the songs. The snare drum is pathetically weak, there’s little to no bass in the mix, and the frequent use of electronic drums and beats is distracting (and downright offensive on “Wanna Be Rich”). What really sets me over the edge are the lyrics, which generally take a lame storytelling form or consist of wallowing in self-pity about relationships and how life sucks. At least half of the songs are ballads or limp soft rock tunes that unfortunately make the lyrics easy to understand. I’m sure it will hard to avoid some of these songs as more are unleashed as singles, but be advised to try your best. I honestly thought that commercial hard rock couldn’t sink any lower than Nickelback or Creed, but Hinder have done it. At least give Nickelback and Creed credit for writing some songs with teeth and respectable melodies. Run for the hills and avoid this like the plague.

Hinder performs Wednesday, March 27 at First Avenue in Minneapolis with support from The Last Vegas and Acidic. They also play with Acidic at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth on Thursday, March 28.