This week, the ‘Witch released Forever Abomination, a punishing slab of devil’s spit that’s as heavy as metal comes. Chance Garnette’s demonic growls scare the living bejesus out of me – they’re the possessed sounds you pray you’ll forget about when waking up from the worst nightmare you’ve ever had. And while the band’s music can fairly fall into many different subgenres of metal (death, black, thrash), guitarists Nathan Garnette and Scott Hedrick and bassist Evan Linger definitely are at least partially influenced by ’80s European metal acts such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

Reduced To The Failure Of Prayer by Prosthetic Records

Skeletonwitch’s Forever Abomination CD release show at the Ravari Room on Friday night features guests Shrine of Suffering and The Pandemic Nemesis. Doors open at 9pm and the cover is $12.

Maza Blaska

Town Monster

Phantods

Audrey & Orwell

Maza Blaska

Moon High

Phantods

Town Monster

Check out the rest of the pictures.

Music Week Columbus kicks off tonight, with a whole bunch of bands playing at Kobo, Ravari Room and Rumba Cafe. Thursday night at Kobo you can catch Youngstown’s Sewing Machine War, and Friday night at Rumba Fort Wilson Riot (above) of Minneapolis will headline.

Both bands stopped by Electraplay studios recently to record a live session, so here’s an in-studio preview of what to expect at their Music Week Columbus sets.

Click here to view the embedded video.

MP3: El Dorado

After six years of banging around clubs local and nationwide, Columbus’ Lo-Pan is getting their message heard. Playing the circuit and releasing burners like 2009′s Sasquanaut got the attention of Detroit’s Small Stone Recordings, home to a legion of similarly heavy rock ‘n roll bands. After a recent remixing and remastering of Sasquanaut, the fearsome foursome now presents Salvador, a brand new 11-track blast of force and fury.

The band’s focus seems sharper than ever on their new material. Lead singer Jeff Martin’s emotive yet sleek and straightforward delivery is reminiscent of some brands of hard rock from 15 or so years ago, forceful yet not distracting. The rhythm section of Skot Thompson and J. Bartz is as relentless as ever, pounding out a propulsive backbeat for guitarist Brian Fristoe’s pyrotechnics. The tracks here are mostly shorter this time, providing bursts of rock maelstrom like opening track “El Dorado” and “Chichen Itza.” Of course, the boys can still brew and build a firestorm like before when they want to, with slow-burners like “Bird of Prey” and album closer “Solo.” Lo-Pan proves here that they are dedicated to no frills, ass-kicking hard rock of the highest order.

Lo-Pan will spread the news of their new album with a three-week nationwide tour. Before they do so, they will gather momentum at a release party Friday night at Ravari Room. Joining them will be fellow local juggernauts EYE and Before The Eyewall, as well as New Jersey’s Fight Amp.

Tour Dates:

May 18, 2011 – Pittsburgh, PA @ 31st Street Pub w/ Molasses Barge, Fist Fight in the Parking Lot
May 19, 2011 – Philadelphia, PA @ The M Room w/ Backwoods Payback, Chromelord
May 20, 2011 – Bethpage, NY @ Mr. Beery’s w/ John Wilkes Booth, Borgo Pass,
Midnight Mob
May 21, 2011 – Boston, MA @ Rosebud w/ GOZU, Motherboar, Lunglust
May 26, 2011 – Chicago, ILL @ Quenchers
May 27, 2011 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vollrath
May 28, 2011 – St Louis, MO @ Firebird w/ Shame Club
May 29, 2011 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory w/ Gypsyhawk, Los Dios Del Diablo
May 30, 2011 – Denton, TX @ Andy’s Bar w/ Wo Fat, Little Big Horn
May 31, 2011 – Houston, TX @ The Mink Backroom w/ Project Armageddon, Gypsyhawk, and Mothership
June 1, 2011 – San Antonio, TX @ The Ten Eleven
June 2, 2011 – Austin, TX @ The Scoot Inn Liquid Sludge Festival w/ Dixie Witch, Honky, Suplecs, Tia Carerra
June 3, 2011 – Lake Charles, LA @ Luna Live w/ Large Marge, 4mag Nitrous
June 4, 2011 – Memphis, TN @ Buccaneer
June 5, 2011 – Nashville,TN @ Little Hamilton Collective w/ Across Tundras, Hellbender

Poster by Jacob Halpern

Motion Productions and Mike Folker Productions are teaming up with 10 bands to present a benefit show for the people of Haiti. All the money from the door and raffles will go to Doctors Without Borders. Friday, Ravari Room, music starts at 9pm. $5 suggested donation.

There will probably be more of these in the next couple of weeks. If you’ve got any info on others, post it in the comments. Band schedule and raffle prizes for Friday’s show after the jump.

Band schedule:
9:00-9:20 Wet Darlings
9:30-9:50 Lydia Loveless
10:00-10:20 The Slang
10:30-10:50 George Elliot Under Ground
11:00-11:20 Josh and Roseanne from Wing and Tusk
11:30-11:50 The Saturday Giant
12:00-12:20 Sleepers Awake
12:30-12:50 Compressions
1:00-1:20 Phantods
1:30-2:00 Two Cow Garage

Raffle Prizes:
Recording time at RokcCity Studios
Evolved Body Art
Lotus Hair Salon
Central City Recording
All about the Dogs

Motion Productions is taking over Columbus. Well, invading it… for three days. To celebrate their two-year anniversary, they will be hosting shows this Friday and Saturday and next Friday (12/4) with the help of nine local bands. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, November 27th @ Ravari Room:
Sleepers Awake
Thrashers
Wing and Tusk
Phantods

Saturday, November 28th @ Ravari Room:
Bookmobile
Old Worlds
Pinkertones (Weezer cover band)

Friday, December 4th @ Skullys:
The Compressions (first Columbus show)
Mr. Fahrenheit and the Loverboys (Queen tribute band)

Two more good-looking posters after the jump

Whatever…if money grew on trees I would be a money tree farmer. So I pretty much don’t have much of an opening rant so I’m going to take this opportunity to plug the gay little website that my gay little brother is part of. It’s called find Fred and it’s basically a gay eharmony/myspace/facebook/adultfriendfinder. Feel free to become a member and/or tell your friends because the sooner he starts getting money, the sooner he can start giving it to me. Also, my brother from another mother and his wife just opened up a baby boutique in Clintonville called Lottie Da so go buy stuff from them if you aren’t gonna try to find Fred.

Oh man i did some runnin’. I bet you can’t wait to hear about it. There was Dungen, Dude Locker Fest, The Entrance Band, CDRBQVI and Mr. Dibbs and a whole buncha crap happened or something. More crap crap crap after the jump jump jump!

Pictured: buncha handsome dudes

So I on Wednesday I found myself at The Summit for a Benco Presents show before the sun went down because Brainbow are always buggin me about coming to their shows because I like never see them ever and for some reason they thought they were playing earlier than they were…way to make sure I was there to spam the internet about you guys, dudes. So, yeah there were like totally epic or whatever. Go see them Thursday at Rumba Cafe. Oh…Dungen and Woods played too…uhhhh I saw like one Woods song and like 2 Dungen songs. Say it with me doonyennnn…got it? Don’t thank me. Whatever…I have a day job that entails mad physical labor so sometimes I’m tired and have to leave shows early.

Pictured: buncha skateboards

Friday was Dude Locker Fest and I mean its called Dude Locker Fest why wouldn’t I go…seriously though I wanted to check out Do Chimps Battle?, Rob and Nic from 333‘s new joint…also, I kinda wanted to see 1point3 too because I think I’ve only seen them one time in my 6 years in town…the have a tendency to always play on nights when better bands are playing. HAHAHA jk???

Pictured: Do Chimps Battle?@Dude Locker Fest

O.K. so first and foremost the warehouse space on Tompkins is a totally cool spot. This time around there were 2 stages, a 1/4 pipe, a rail was set up and there were a couple of kegs. When I got there, Golga was playing….Golga is Joel formerly of The Husher, 333, and other bands too I would imagine. Dude Locker is also his spot. Golga is an instrumental thrash metal and they sound like some band that I haven’t heard before. I dug them. DCB? played right after and I wasn’t sure what to expect…Rob plays drums, Nic sings and plays guitar and some dude I don’t know plays a B.C.Rich…they made me think of Guinea Worms a whole bunch…disjointed weirdo garage rock with a chick singer…hey Guinea Worms play a show with them it would be rad. On to 1point3, I’m kind of disappointed with myself for not seeing those dudes more…I was pleasantly surprised, 1point3 are on some Am-Rep shit bigtime and it pretty much rules.

Pictured: 1.3@Dude Locker Fest

I only stuck around the Dude Locker long enough for those bands because Will Brainbow recommend The Entrance Band…Also Paz from Perfect Circle is the bass player.

Pictured: The Entrance Band@Ravari Room

I didn’t really realize that Paz was in this band…full disclosure, I am a MJK fan so in the past I’ve stayed hip to who was doing what as far as band members side projects and whatnot, but Paz and The Entrance Band was new to me…I mean I knew she did Zwan, but not this. At any rate, Entrance were super fucking cool…like way jammy but super tight psych rock and oh man Paz is the real deal…It was cool/kinda surreal to briefly talk to her…pretty sure I scared her off/she totally wants me, one or the other. Also, I thought I’d maybe run into Pajo since he lives here in town but I didn’t see him…I blame it on Billy. I didn’t stick around for Nebula because I thought I was gonna go catch El Jesus De Magicoat the CDRVI show at The Summit but I didn’t end up making it and they didn’t play anyway so it was win/win or something.

So, in case you don’t know, there is a record label/studio here in town called Columbus Discount Records. Basically these dudes(Adam and BJ are in Necropolis) decided that they wanted to start a record label in Columbus and they did. This past weekend was their 6 year anniversary celebration and although I didn’t go to any of the shows, I did attend the bbq at CDR headquarters and witnessed the annual arm wrestling tournament…I drank a bunch of free PBR too. Sadly there are no pics of Mike O. this week because he didn’t play in any of his little bands…I guess we should have had an exhibition arm wresting match since neither of us entered then there would be a picture of both of us. There’s always next year. (I would crush him, I’m the strongest I’ve ever been). For real though CDR is doing good things for Columbus…they just announced the second year of their singles club, if it isn’t sold out you should join and sell the singles on ebay to the people that missed the boat.

Pictured: Mr. Dibbs@Skully’s

I missed the CDR show at Carabar after the company picnic because one of my other brothers from another mother was coming to town to see his bro, Mr. Dibbs play at Skully’s. If you don’t know, Dibbs is kind of a big deal dj from Cincinnati. He helped start the notorious Scribble Jam, toured with Atmosphere and most recently recorded with El-P. HE told me he wouldn’t let Girl Talk carry his table or something. Dude’s set is fun as fuck. Free Fallin with My Adidas, Bittersweet Symphony over Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Cry me a River/B.O.B., some White Stripes, some Clash…Like I said fun as fuck, if not VERY ill attended…after the set, I’m with my dude and some guy starts rambling to him about some dj night at Oldfield’s and it took me a second, but I was like, dude, that’s not Dibbs…dude thought my friend Ben was Dibbs. I mean they both have shaved heads. I can totally relate, people think I’m in Church of the Red Museum/a cd101 dj all the time. The night took a turn for the weird that I am not at liberty to discuss on the interenet…ask me in person, we’ll have something to talk about. Dibbs tweets about food follow him. Blueprint was there and was beggin’ me for 8 bars but I wasn’t havin it.

I can’t believe summer is almost over. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

MP3: The Dagger

The 38-year-old me wants to hop into the time machine and land back in ’87 where the 16-year-old me is taking his first sip of Natty Light from an aluminum can in the back seat of Rob’s ’75 Lincoln Continental. I want to slip a dubbed copy of Nebula’s latest release, Heavy Psych, into the tape player and watch how the spacey/stoner funk grooves completely blow our fucking minds and make us do even stupider shit than we would normally do on a boring summer night.

When Tee Pee sent me a copy of Heavy Psych, my first thought was “I never really dug these guys in the past but this one … this one is life changing … what the hell happened?” It wasn’t until Funky Dan B and I were chatting about the upcoming Nebula/The Entrance Band (Paz, ex-A Perfect Circle) show at the Ravari Room that I realized I had Nebula confused with Fu Manchu! Simple mistake as Nebula’s Eddie Glass (vocals/guitar) was a member of Fu Manchu from ’93 to ’96.

On one hand, I wish that the 16-year-old me could sneak into this show using a fake ID. On the other hand, I’m happy as hell that the 16-year-old me didn’t discover this sludgy rock until I was old enough to handle it!

Show details: Nebula/The Entrance Band/Super Silver/Moons @ The Ravari Room / Friday, August 14 / Tix = $12 / Doors at 9, show at 9:30

tombs just got done opening for Isis and Pelican. tombs are from Brooklyn. Everyone knows Brooklyn goes hard. tombs are playing at Ravari Room on Friday night with Columbus dudes Struck by Lighting.

Saturday is the annual Volatility fundraiser at Madlab featuring Hotel Eden, Deerhead, The Receiver and former Miranda Sound dudes, Bicentennial Bear. Also, a bunch of other stuff. Go and support your local arts community buy getting wasted on PBR.

Sunday Night at Ravari Room is the dual assault of Hydra Head dudes Harvey Milk and Torche. I saw Torche last time they were in town and they ripped my face off. I hope i still have one on Monday HAHAHA.

Complete Volatility schedule after the jump.

The Lineup
Outside Stage

• 2:00pm – The Shazzbots

• 3:00pm – Captain Exploder
• 3:45pm – The Garrison
• 4:30pm – Hotel War
• 5:30pm – Bicentennial Bear
• 6:30pm – Hotel Eden
• 7:30pm – Deerhead
• 8:30pm – Silo The Huskie

Inside Stage

• 2:00 Film

• 3:00 Parlor Tricks (Improv)
• 3:30 Fake Bacon & Shimmy Shakes (Improv)
• 4:30 Film
• 5:00 Stand-up: Sumukh Torgalkar, Rye Silverman, Nathan Smart, Matt Eyer
• 5:30 When the Honey Dries Up (Play)
• 6:00 Rhakjanni (Belly Dancers)
• 6:30 Squishy (Improv)
• 7:00 Film
• 7:30 Khalida Tribe (Belly Dancers)
• 8:00 Stand-up: Sean Somerville, Travis Hoewischer, Dean Masello, Mike Kolar
• 8:30 Full Frontal Nudity (Improv)
• 10:00pm – The Receiver
• 11:00pm – Ghost Shirt
• 12:00pm – Bozniaks

(code stolen from Cringe)

July 18th, doors open at 2pm and close at 1am… Admission is only $5.