Year: 2013
Full of Hell: Beautiful Mutilators
Rudiments of Mutilation, the sophomore album by Full of Hell, to be released on June 11, is not an easy listen. It begins with harsh, piercing noise, slowly followed by wails from vocalist Dylan Walker and shambling, rumbling drums. An explosion of crusty blastbeats and hardcore riffs break the tension before the band delves deep into a downtrodden doom sound, with Walker’s voice channeling chaos all the while. This is intentionally ugly music—music that is designed to make you feel the worst of humanity. “We want to make really harsh, negative music that induces pain,” Walker said in a recent phone interview with SLUG. “It’s kind of beautiful in a way.” … read more
Somebody Else’s Baby: Understanding the Mechanics of Andy Farnsworth
Andy wanted to do a show here in SLC that granted comics the same opportunity to perform a set-list style of comedy. Since the idea is actually somebody else’s baby, he named the show just that: Somebody Else’s Baby. Farnsworth says, “Each time, we feature a picture of a new baby on the screen. Sometimes I steal the pictures from the photography studio on South Temple, the giant babies with the hoods.” … read more
Studios Among Us
Have you noticed that giant EA logo at the corner of 300 South and State? EA Salt Lake, formerly Headgate Studios, began producing software in 1992 and moved from its original home in Bountiful to downtown SLC in July of 2010. Originally strictly developing for Sierra Entertainment, they went on to produce Tiger Woods Golf for PC before being purchased and rolled into the fold of EA. I had one simple mission: to play the new Sims 3: Into the Future Expansion and make it my bitch. … read more
Product Reviews
Reviews of new products from Jelly Belly, 1:Face, Trail Barts, Omega-3 and Tarina Tarantino. … read more
Dig This: The Pyrate Punx
Keeping the spirit of punk alive and well, the Pyrate Punx are a force to be reckoned with. Fed up with a lack of decent, underground gigs coming through Utah, local punk rockers saw the potential to start the Salt Lake Pyrate Punx chapter. The SLC chapter formed, drawing from a wealth of experience and influences from other Pyrate Punx chapters around the globe, and has gained quite a reputation. … read more
Contributor Limelight: Cody Hudson
Cody started in the SLUG office as an intern five years ago in 2008, when he was 17, downing cans of Red Bull while he responded to prison mail and writing music reviews of indie albums during his spare time. … read more
Dark Passengers: Riding the Void with Holy Grail
Touring almost nonstop since the release of Ride the Void in January, Holy Grail are working hard to keep their name on the minds of metalheads nationwide. Even though the band is comparatively new to the national stage, they’re determined to keep people excited and to build on their success. “It’s great to see that hard work actually pays off,” says guitarist Eli Santana. … read more
Video Game Reviews
Bioshock Infinite and Injustice: Gods Among Us are reviewed this month. … read more
Bright Lights, Salty City
Some days, biking on busy streets is fucking miserable: being constantly screamed at, cursed at, called a faggot and, on some occasions, being pelted with half-eaten food. To many drivers, bike commuters are an infuriating nuisance, and are certainly not taken seriously. It is hard to have a commanding presence on the road on your 25-pound Univega when two-ton cars are flying past you, forcing you onto the shoulder. Nighttime can be even worse—establishing a presence is a pretty tough task with two puny, blinking LEDs. LED By LITE started with this conundrum in mind, their goal being to establish and emphasize a rider’s presence on the road. … read more
Smang Lake City Vol. 2: Turquoise Jeep is Riding through
“Lemme smang it, girl, smash it and bang”: If you don’t automatically know where these lyrics come from, you were either born into an anti-technology polygamist family or have parents that solely bought their kids educational toys for Christmas. Turquoise Jeep rolled through to SLC at Kilby last May, and they’re coming back Nov. 17 to Kilby AND Urban. … read more
Tycho: Visual Articulation of Musical Ideas
The ability to create something—a painting, a song, a piece of clothing, jewelry, whatever it might be—to communicate an idea because it’s the only way that you know how to get it out of your head and into the world, is powerful. The way Tycho expresses his ideas and feelings resonates deeply with a wide audience, which is telling of his intuitive talent as a musician. … read more
Outer Blues: Akron/Family Discuss Travel and Location
Sub Verses, Akron/Family’s seventh studio album, is best viewed through a wide lens. It is busy, incorporating their signature three-part harmonies, buzzing electronics and complex guitar lines. It is also really, really heavy. Sub Verses takes in travel, aging and a sense of place shot with an IMAX-level widescreen. Its reference points are the locations filmmakers use as alien planets. I had a chance to email vocalist/bassist Miles Seaton from my place in Swaziland about their latest album and how traveling and location have impacted this album. … read more
