YOU Choose The Best Unsigned Band in the U.S: The Sweet Sixteen pt. 2
Two rounds of brutal competition have brought us to the Sweet Sixteen. Which of these warriors will prevail?! TODAY: Rhode Island vs. Utah! Nevada vs. Washington! Nebraska vs. Michigan! Louisiana vs. New York!
Some people say that art isn’t a competition. Those people are losers. EVERYTHING is a competition. Here at the Toilet ov Hell, we’ve gone and declared the best unsigned band in each state of the union. Now we’re pitting these warriors against each other for the right to claim the ultimate prize: The title of Best of the Best. Which band will champion their state to glory? That’s up for you to decide.
HOW IT WORKS:
Each state was seeded by population size. The 14 most-populous states received a first round bye. Voting for this round closes Sunday, September 13th. Today, 8 bands are battling it out for supremacy. Eternal Khan (RI), Disforia (UT), Elephant Rifle (NV), Witch Ripper (WA), Borealis (NE), Blackgate (MI), Withering Light (LA), and HUSH (NY).
Eternal Khan (Rhode Island) VS. Disforia (Utah)
Eternal Khan – “This trio brings the consuming inevitably of doom and mix it with a heaping dose of ethereal black metal. T. Phrathep’s guitar rings with the type of tremolo soaked misery that conjures the heralding of legions of plague stricken malcontents shambling towards an unsuspecting village to ravage it to nothing. Bassist Nate Woods reigns as one of my favorite current vocalists in metal with a distinctive, articulate but still savage bark.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
Disforia – “Power metal is always cheesy, but this is no Kraft Single slice of cheese. This is a fine Gruyere, with fragrant aromas and depth of character. Shit’s nice.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
Elephant Rifle (Nevada) VS. Witch Ripper (Washington)
Elephant Rifle – “It’s noise rock, but it’s noise rock that sleeps on top of a debris heap consisting of god-knows-what in the back of a shitty van, showers in shitty beer, dries off with the one shitty shirt it owns/never puts on, then blowdries its gross hair in front of the exhaust pipe. It’s hardcore, but it’s hardcore that eats roadkill for breakfast. You dig? I dig.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
Witch Ripper – “Witch Ripper creates a perfect balance of traditional and modern doom, with lots of melody and nary a trace of corny 70’s worship. Their quick-and-dirty debut EP is just the hazy riffgasm you’ve been aching for – four songs equally suited for smoking a spliff in the comfort of your own home or blaring out of your best buddy’s car windows on an amphetamine-fueled midnight joyride.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
Borealis (Nebraska) VS. Blackgate (Michigan)
Borealis – “Borealis takes old school death metal, some thrash, some doom, and some punk, then somehow blends it together in a way that sounds way, way better than it should. It’s not a spasmodic jump back and forth between styles, either. You get something more with Borealis; something coalesced and fully realized.”
(Read the full writeup)
Blackgate – “How often do you get to use the phrase “powerthrash”? Well, at least once thanks to the dudes in Blackgate. They combine some truly gnarly thrash riffs, vocals that soar like the endangered early 90’s version of the American Bald Eagle, and some infectious choruses to great effect. If you don’t find yourself grooving along or whipping out your best falsetto, there’s a solid chance you’re probably dead inside.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
Withering Light (Louisiana) VS. HUSH (New York)
Withering Light – “I highly recommend throwing on some decent headphones or your speaker system for this release. Withering Light have a melodic sensibility that most bands simply cannot reach. The guitar lines sparkle and shine like the reflection of a lighthouse on an oil spill. Within these blasts and screams there is catharsis. Listen to “Lantern” and find yourself in the dark.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
HUSH – “What we have here is heft. Weight. Mass. This music is an anvil made of dark matter. HUSH. is doom that commands its space authoritatively, never wasting a precious second on anything that doesn’t push the music forward. The grimy, thick distortion of the guitars is made nearly impenetrable by the 8 string bass, while the rhythmic hammering of the drums and rage-fueled vocals pull it all together to form a slowly rolling, flaming boulder crushing anything and anyone in its path.”
(Read the full writeup) (Facebook)
