One band that I keep hearing about is actually out of the Jersey Shore area. Asbury Park to be exact, but they’ve been making their way up to North Jersey and beyond, recently sharing the stage with local favorites Julius Seizure at Dingbatz in Clifton. They also recently performed at this year’s Mayhem Festival at the PNC Bank Arts Center. Plus, my friend Leo keeps talking about them. Yes, I’m talking about Toothgrinder. So, I finally decided to give these guys a listen, and they are brutal! I don’t mean brutal in a bad way. I mean that I felt like I just got my ass kicked after listening to songs like “Vibration” and “Frequency” off of their most recent EP, Vibration/Colour/Frequency. I have to admit, it’s no wonder why they call themselves Toothgrinder.
Toothgrinder formed in 2010 by a group of local youngsters who wanted to be part of the New Jersey music scene, but wanted to hit the scene hard with something heavy, intense and inventive. Their hard work would pay off in the form of “Best Heavy Rock Band” in 2010, 2011 and 2012 with their drummer Wills Weller winning the “Best Drummer Award” in 2011 at the coveted Asbury Park Music Awards. In July 2011, Toothgrinder would release their first EP, Turning Of The Tides, which would garner the band a small but passionate following in the Jersey Shore area. After a year of supporting Turning Of The Tides, Toothgrinder went back to the “grind” and in December 2012, released their second EP, Vibration/Colour/Frequency, which they continue to support today. Toothgrinder is made up of screamer/keyboardist Justin Matthews, guitarists Jason Goss and Matt Mielke, bassist Matt Arensdorf and drummer Wills Weller.
Toothgrinder have been living by the motto of “play anywhere and everywhere at any time,” which means you’ll be able to catch these guys playing virtually anywhere. I still have to catch one of their live shows, but from what I’ve heard, it’s something that I definitely need to see in person. Log onto facebook.com/toothgrinder.usa to find out where these guys are playing next or to just give them a listen. Be ready to get your ass kicked!
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
Anyone catch the new music video from the super-sexy Natasha Komis? The video is for her song “Party Of The Year” and it follows Natasha on a motorcycle with no helmet on (a huge no-no in the state of New Jersey and New York, so thank God it’s a green screen) stopping at various parties around New York City. Warning: The video is extremely steamy! Check out her new music video for “Party Of The Year” at youtu.be/0bpFcxwBFjo.
I just received an invite to an amazing local show at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick on September 27 appropriately being called Crush The Court and is being presented by Zenergy Entertainment and sponsored by the Old Bridge Metal Militia. These guys always put on a power-packed show. The lineup features my bros Ashes Of Your Enemy, Ixion Lux, Stingy Jack and my new buds, The Devil In God. There’s also a rumor that one lucky guest will win a pair of tickets at this show for Lamb Of God, Killswitch Engage and Testament at Starland Ballroom on November 22. This is a show you’ll definitely want to be at. For more info, log onto court-tavern.com.
And finally, Dave Incogntito from InDisguise recently reached out to me to let me know about a couple of cool shows both of his projects, Dying Eyes Of Sloth and InDisguise, were recently added to. He didn’t let me know a venue yet, but apparently, Dying Eyes were recently added to an Obituary show in PA. Dying Eyes will also be making an appearance at Dingbatz on November 17 opening for Six Feet Under and Jungle Rot, then on November 24, look for Dave’s other project, InDisguise, to open for Fates Warning. Are you confused yet? So am I! Check out Dying Eyes Of Sloth at facebook.com/DyingEyesOfSloth.
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:
9/5—End Of An Era/Sponge—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
9/6—Killer Dwarves/Modern Superstar/Jaded Past—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/6—Beyond Visible—West Side Bar and Grill, Woodland Park, NJ
9/7—Julius Seizure—Trash Bar, Brooklyn, NY
9/7—Evan Toth—Don’t Tell Mama, NYC
9/8—Evan Toth—Don’t Tell Mama, NYC
9/13—Collapsing From Within/A Gathering Of None/Shadows Of Dawn/Darrow Chemical Company/Seas Of Wake/Darkness Descends—Dingbtaz, Clifton, NJ
9/14—Midnight Mob/Pyramada/Pocketful/Beyond Visible—Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ
9/14—Dark Matter/The Albatross/Negative Sky/Doomsday Diaries/Gyre/Wool Over Eyes/That Of A Lion/Eye Of Anubis/Half Witted Dogs/Killing The Messenger/Ashes Of Your Enemy/Darkness Descends—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/15—Hatebreed/GWAR/Iron Reagan/Dispute To Flames—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
9/19—The Devil In God/Raven/Mpire Of Evil/Midnite Hellion—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
9/20—Thank You Scientist / Ku’on / Mörglbl—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
9/21—Joe Lyn Turner—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/21—Neologic/Tarpit Boogie/Morningside Lane—Clash Bar, Clifton, NJ
9/21—Resurrected 1:16/Xero Gravity/44/Brand Of Julez—Sleepy Hollow Restaurant and Pub, West Creek, NJ
9/26—Rhino Bucket/Scattered Hamlet—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/27—Ashes of Your Enemy/Ixion Lux/Stingy Jack/The Devil In God—Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ
9/27—Black Angels/DevilHaus/Looney Tunes—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/2—Eye Empire/True Becoming—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/12—Statik Silence—Architekt Music, Butler, NJ
10/14—Ed Roland from Collective Soul—Trinity UMC, Ewing, NJ
10/18—Audio Empire/Killcode/Long Gone Day/Raftree—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
10/19—Slander/Faith Or Fear/Evil Reign/BlackOcean/Decypher/ MeatPlow/Anvil Bitch/Citadel/Bone Devil—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
