Let’s Talk About MAIDEN ENGLAND

Nothing but tailgating in a muddy parking lot, hundreds of Harleys lined up by the entrance, $11 beers, ALICE COOPER: I got a grand total of 0 in-focus pictures of Alice. The set was short but...

The Devil Is In The Details

or: Stage Shows and Costumes, a Little Effort Goes a Long Way Ralph’s Rock Diner This is Ralph’s. It’s not a new venue, but it’s far enough from my home that I’ve only recently started visiting....

Slowly Interviewed Over A Thousand Years: Scaphism

Scaphism One of my favorite local bands Scaphism has something big coming down the pike — their first full-length album and a tour to match. (You may remember their split with Boarcorpse and...

Going Postal

My local post office has an abysmal record when it comes to getting my mail, so of course my online shopping habit has been a bit quelled…so anyway, I ordered some items from Kaarme and my mail...

What’s Behind That Curtain?

??? Why, it’s Rob Halford, on a sweet cruiser, singing Hellbent For Leather in a holographic glitter trench! Faster than a laser bullet! Priest’s “last” tour (we’ll see how long that lasts) stopped...

You missed the Fucking Good Pancake Tour?

What’re you, a poser? I got there just in time for Cephalopodic Sperm Packets and picked up a shirt between sets. Props to Dan Dormition for designing the shirts and No Clean Singing’s Islander for...

Season of the Warrior

Apologies for the long disappearances! MDF? No. Wacken? No. Dragging myself out of the air conditioning and up a few too many hills? Why, yes of course! I started running and lifting last year,...

Saturday Slam & the Boston Scene’s Best Sartorial Decisions

Crypter’s sick amp art. It takes a lot to get me out to Worcester. That’s why this was my first show at Club Oasis, conveniently located between a Baptist church and something called a Dance Ranch....

Your Summertime Day Drinking Playlist & The Hot Weather Uniform

Summer snuck up on Boston, that means no more bitching out of shows because it’s raining or snowing or whatever. (All secret code for “But I’m so comfortable on this couch in my pajama pants!”)...

Cannons, Cuban Sandwiches & Caipirinhas

Hop those hedges to get to the beach…and the bar. :D I’m back from Puerto Rico! Believe it or not, I am only the slightest bit tan (and not sunburned at all!), still not unpacked, and full of rum...

¡Puerto Rico es Metal!

El Yunque Hello ladies and germs, just stopping by for a quick update before I take off for sunny Puerto Rico (home to many more metal bands that I ever would’ve guessed!) to check out the giant...

Birthdaywar

Hell yes! Today is my birthday! So you’re pretty much obligated to forgive me for disappearing these past few weeks. Manowar: so that happened. It was the first show I think I’ve ever been to where...

Got Plans This Saturday? Break Them.

A hero’s welcome for those who heed the call! Will I see you there? Come on up and say hello, Sean and I will be in the pit! Can’t make it? Watch this space for photos and a full review after this...

The Metalhit Chick, or The Only Real Difference Between Genres is How You Accessorize

Sometimes I’m bored, sometimes I’m poor, and sometimes I’m stuck at the office and maybe Cosmic Hearse hasn’t updated in a few days, so I go pawing through the free music offerings from Amazon to...

Weekend of Champions (Part II)

Right between my house and this venue. Thank the gods. I promised you part II — now I deliver! Back-to-back show weekends are exhausting and wonderful, I had to be careful or my liver would...

Appeal to the Blackest of Hearts

There’s only a few more shopping days until Valentine’s day! Are you getting someone a present? Are you a lady getting yourself something to tide you over until the heart-shaped boxes of chocolates...

Weekend of Champions (Part I)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, having a great little venue that books metal shows within walking distance of my house is a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I can pre-game at home...

Bleakest Picks: Statement Necklaces

Because I was such an obstinate tomboy growing up, I’m still learning to put a look together without coming off as a bag lady or a man — so I draw a lot of inspiration from other bloggers’ outfit...

Things That Age Well: Booze & Clothes

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Bleak programming. It’s been the week from hell — between hurting my back doing deadlifts (watch your form, kids!) and Fedex losing my new computer, there’s...

The Unstoppable Pentagram & the Post-Show Cure-All

Flyer by the talented Andrew Labanaris! Seems like it always snows when I’m excited to get somewhere. (See also: marching through the snow to get to Armageddon Shop!) It could’ve been the storm of...

Bleakest Picks: Best of 2010

It’s almost over, but it’s been a great year for metal and horror in my opinion. While I’m not big on reviewing art (I’m no critic and feel like taste is so subjective!), 2010’s been so full of...

Armageddon Comes To Town

Armageddon Shop Yesterday morning, Boston saw its first real frost, then flakes started to fall (and stick!) by early afternoon. That night, we saw a full lunar eclipse during the winter solstice —...

Throwing The Goat At Record Speed!

Well, you did it: we raised $50 to donate a goat through Oxfam Unwrapped. Talk about speedy! Click to see the Oxfam e-card: Click your new goat pal. Big ups to everyone who donated, linked to the...

Throwing A Goat: A Bleak December Fundraiser

Giving selflessly isn’t very metal, but is there any beast more noble and revered by the metalhead than the goat? That’s why I’ve set up this charity microdrive. Oxfam America, a Boston-based...

WXNWDD827TJW

Thanksgiving Links à la Mode (PB Made the Cut!)

Every week, IFB Network runs Links a la Mode, a roundup of new style posts, editorials, and sponsored links…looks like last week’s post landed on the list this week, here it is! This week’s list is...

Metal Millionaire Redux

My holiday shopping list grows shorter by the year, thankfully, but somehow I still end up going overbudget year after year. Must be time for another Metal Millionaire! Alexander Wang Rocco mini...

Fact: S.A.D. is Not Kvlt

щ(ﾟДﾟ)屮 Winter owns, because it’s dark and frostbitten and other adjectives that might also be used to describe good music. However, it’s now pitch fucking black out before I even get out of work —...

The Requisite Halloween Hangover Post

I brought home the biggest weiner in the bar. :} So, Halloween happened. It’s a good thing I had this camera or I wouldn’t have remembered shit! Considering that last year was a bust (thanks to a...

Your Last-Minute Halloween Help

Some of you are probably obsessive geeks like I am — my Halloween costume’s been sitting in a bag by the kitchen table for a month now. Everyone else is probably scrambling around for a last-minute...