Concert Thu Nov 10 2011

Black Tusk and Thou Lead a Southern Metal Invasion @ Ultra Lounge, 11/13

By Jason Olexa

Chicago wizards and warlocks are your demon claws ready for a southern metal Sunday slaughter? Fresh from their appearance on a patricide rich episode of CBS' premier snuff detective program Criminal Minds high level black magic users Black Tusk and swamp druids Thou are playing at the Ultra Lounge in Wicker Park on Sunday night. Locals The Swan King and Monstroso open. If you're worried about your muggle boss finding out about your late night magical metal adventures Thou is playing a matinee show on Chicago's metal lay line intersection, The Albion House. Dope smoking goat worshippers Bongripper and razor taunt d-beat barbarians Hate open.

Black Tusk burst out of Savannah with the combined powers of Andrew Findler, Johnathan Athon and, Jamie May. Together these three dudes make a sound that is full of hardcore punk aggression but has a deep southern chill undercurrent. Acoustic codas dynamically break against the backs of the loudest, nastiest, sonic gators the dudes can coax out of Blackrock Swamp. Thick distorted boogie woogie bass playing leads the way as all three members of Black Tusk hit you with a high-energy call and response vocal performance. Can someone get the Beastie Boys on the line? Black Tusk is on their way to check their mic. The lyrics delve deep into 1970s Marvel Comics territory with chants of "Six! Six! Six!" and instructional passages on the proper methodology to maximize cosmic benefits of virgin sacrifices but the vocals are delivered in an infectious larger than life style that is hard to resist. Black Tusk focuses on catchy songs within a non-stop high-energy metal framework that is designed to turn the Ultra Lounge into a sweat soaked dancing swamp of metalheads.

Thou approach the southern metal sound from a mud soaked bog where Black Sabbath's classic metal riffing is slowly being pulled over it's head. The Baton Rouge five-piece is fueled on a smoldering intensity with a top speed of creeping doom. Over two albums and countless EPs Thou has incorporated elements of second line brass marching bands, bluegrass, and bursts of hardcore punk into their psychedelic dirges. Their sound reflects the southern gothic Samuel Beckett influenced lyricism of vocalist Brayan Funck. On Summit, their most accomplished album to date, Funck screams "Everything has changed / Nothing as changed" into the darkness below him as a distorted bass slowly engulfs the songs one glimmer of melody contained within a minuscule sounding violin. The contradiction works with the music as Thou flirt with melodic elements just to slowly dismantle them in a game of tension and release. Thou will throw up a wall of sound but always use a sliver of melody to guide you through the most dangerous route. On Sunday be prepared to enter Thou's maelstrom of sound.

Black Tusk and Thou play Sunday Nov 13th @ The Ultra Lounge with openers Monstero and The Swan King. 21+. 9PM. $10. Tickets are still available. The Ultra Lounge is located at 2169 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Thou plays @ The Albion House with openers Bongripper and Hate. All Ages. 4pm. $5 suggested donation. The Albion House is located at 1719 W. Albion Street.