My bud Rigo Asencio introduced me to this amazingly brutal metal band out of Hoboken. They call themselves Iratetion, and these guys are nasty! Rigo told me that WSOU is playing the hell out of these guys, so they had to be worth a listen. I got to see a music video for the band’s song “Path To Hatred,” and was blown away. These guys were the real deal when it came to metal bands. I was exhausted just watching them because there was so much angst and energy in this song. I had to hear more, so I logged onto reverbnation.com/iratetion, where I heard the songs “Motionless Decay,” “Dazing Truth,” and “Drill The Veins,” and I have to say it’s no wonder why WSOU is playing them like crazy. Yes, there are a lot of bands like Iratetion, but for some reason, the way singer/guitarist Ismael Millano was singing—or shouting—just seemed to work with the music. He kind of reminded me of Max Cavalera from Soulfly. These guys were good! Really good!
According to their bio, the story of Iratetion begins with the Millano brothers: singer/guitarist Ismael and drummer Ghork. With one brother living in Venezuela and the other living in Jersey, they began sending music files to each other over the internet. Ismael would send over guitar, bass and vocal tracks to be layered over by Ghork’s drum track recordings. It wasn’t long before the project would finally get its name, Iratetion. In 2010, Iratetion would complete their lineup with the addition of Ismael’s old friend and lead guitarist, Marcos Medina, and bassist, Luis Acevedo. What started out as a long distance project soon became “a band doing what they’re passionate about…brutal music.”
After much writing, Iratetion would enter Soundwars Studios in Hoboken to record their debut EP, Motionless Decay. Yes, Soundwars Studios is owned by Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado and bassist Laz Pina, who also produced the EP. It doesn’t get any better than that, huh? Put the band together in 2010 and then have your EP produced by the boys form Ill Niño. That’s not too shabby! Since then, Iratetion have been traveling the Tri-State Area playing their brand of brutal metal to anyone who will listen and receiving positive feedback from every crowd they’ve played in front of. Give Iratetion a listen now or find out where they’re playing next by logging onto reverbnation.com/iratetion.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
The Steve Bello Band will be playing their first show of 2013 at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ, on Feb. 15, and it will be for a really good cause. The show is set to promote Autism Awareness, which Steve says is something near and dear to his heart because his son, Julian, was diagnosed with autism spectrum when he was one, but says that Julian is now 11 and doing fantastic. Steve also says that he “wants to use the concert as a good way of telling people that autism can be overcome and people can live healthy normal lives.” Also performing that night will be Guns ‘N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, solo artist Rob Carlton, and NJN alumni Division 1.1. For more info on this show, log onto xxroads.com or facebook.com/stevehimself.
My boy Tony Bro, the brains behind Orbynot, has recently been tapped to play lead guitar for a Mexican female rock singer named Poc, whose debut CD was co-written and co-produced by Bumblefoot. Tony has been asked to play lead guitar for Poc while she’s playing up here in the NJ/NYC area. You can catch Poc live at Dingbatz on March 10. Check out Poc at reverbnation.com/pocnation.
And finally, just a little reminder, my band BlackOcean will playing an awesome show this Saturday night (2/9) at The Saint in Asbury Park with our brothers Audio Machine and Lower The Veil. Unfortunately, my boys from Sekond Skyn and BoundAlive needed to drop out, but the show is expected to be a big one. So, get your asses to Asbury Park this weekend! For more info on this show, log onto thesaintnj.com.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
2/8—The Plot Thickens/Thanatotic Desire—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
2/9—BlackOcean/Lower the Veil/Audio Machine—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
2/9—Secret Country—Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ
2/9—Kosmic Daydream—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
2/10—Sardonica/Blackout Stereo/Darrow Chemical Co./Sinners/The Dirty Stayouts/Skunkdaze—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/14—Darkness Descends/Generation Kill/Gunfire N Sodomy (Featuring That Metal Show’s Don Jamieson)—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/15—InDisguise—Nugent’s Tavern, Elizabeth, NJ
2/15—Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal/Rob Carlton/Steve Bello/Division 1.1—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
2/16—Facelift/Lyken21—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/16—Brand Of Julez/Fear Report/Dirty Black 7/Xero Gravity/A Vegas Marriage—Webster Hall, NYC
2/22—Lost In Society—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
2/23—Seas Of Wake/Sundown Conspiracy—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/23—Split Point—The Cup Complex, Linden, NJ
2/24—Engine Room/InDisguise—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/25—Thank You Scientist/Fishbone—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
2/28—Single Bullet Theory/Mother—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/1—Long Gone Day/Bastard Brigade/Darrow Chemical Co./The Accelerators —Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/1—Ghosts Of Eden—Irving Plaza, NYC
3/2—Aurin/40 Below Summer—Championship Sports Bar and Grill, Trenton, NJ
3/7—Mobile Deathcamp/Knollwood—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/9—InDisguise—Jimmy’s Place, Allentown, PA
3/9—Rockitfest 2: Sinners/Fevervein/Gas NYC/DMZ/The Dirty Stayouts/The Unknown/Fistacuffs/Peacefire/Ogre/Sardonica—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/10—Poc/ Modern Superstar/Jaded Past/Spider—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
