Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 211

A swath of new original Chicago area and Illinois music. A flurry of metal, punk, alternative, progressive and power pop, which when fully experienced will cause significant enjoyment impacts. get ready for a slow ,yet heavy music intensive commute in your mind and ears. Closely monitor your PC, phone or tablet for significant sonic accumulation which will slicken your speakers.
Dark Sun is a four man hard rock powerhouse, whose distinctive punchy rhythms and raspy, high range, clean vocals recall Alice In Chains during the peak period of mid 90s Grunge. But, they're no Alice ripoff. Singer Tristan Sheedlo joins me to discuss thier catchy sound and, dramatic music videos, as they open for Another  Lost Year, this Thursday at Live Wire in Chicago's Jefferson Park, and a birthday show for A Silent Truth founder, John Partipillo, Friday at Brauerhouse In Lombard.
Come for the gig, stay for the Hot Sauce? Talk about a crazy incentive to check out the maniacal progressive hard rock of The Lunatic's Fringe. The quirky band, led by Mr. Fringe will be selling a brand of the condiment, with a blazing kick, during a show to celebrate another birthday for their anonymous bass player, Saturday Night at Q BAR in Darien. I've got the spicy details.
Joliet's Dead Man's Hand outlived a legendary venue in Crest Hill they used to blow the roof off of. We rock back five years ago this week to relive when expert shredder Tony Raygor and the band rocked the stage there to celebrate their tenth anniversary of metal brilliance.
Along with these, you're cranking up the volume loud enough to scare the shadow out of a completely inaccurate rodent meterologist with:
Dark Sun-Hate You
Dark Sun-Forsaken
A Silent Truth-Rayovac
Wings Of Severance-The Price We Pay
So Called Saints-Seven Deadly
Misfire-Fractured
The Lunatic's Fringe-The Legend Of Mr. Fringe
Material Issue-When I Get This Way (Over You)
Mono In Stereo-Different Kind Of Man
Dead Man's Hand (Interview from Bada Brew- Crest Hill-2/4/17-Local Loft Episode 49)
Dead Man's Hand-Deep
Dead Man's Hand-Call Me A Saint
 

Local Loft Episode 210

Winter is here, and not everyone enjoys the sight of large snow accumulations, or the great feeling of driving on an unplowed main road thoroughfare of ice (yeah, right!). Here's a forecast not to fear., but to savor. A little bit old school, and a lot new wave, not only heavy metal, but punk, power pop, alternative , and progressive rock from all over Chicagoland and Illinois.
Reflexicon from Chicago's far Southwest town of Blue Island first came together during the peak of the new wave of British metal. From the ashes of Slauter Xstroyes, also started by Paul P.K. Ripper Kratky. One listen to their melodic sound and you'll swear you're back in the biggest period of Iron Maiden. Singer Fred Morg has a familiar Bruce Dickinson emotional adrenaline injected rage to his vocals. He talks with me about the music connection and previews their upcoming show at Blue Island Beer Company on Friday, February 4th.
Misfire also began with a distinctive old school 80s thrash metal style, when Tommy Denninger, singer for the all teenage throwback metal band, End Of Anarchy, came along as lead singer. He's out, and the three remaining members, including new singer Jay Johnson (himself coming from the retro thrash metal band, Diamond Plate) are getting ready to release thier debut full length record, Sympathy For The Ignorant, and rock the roof off The Forge in Joliet on Groundhog Day, February 2nd. I've got a skull crushing ( really bone crushing anywhere in the body as the title implies) cut from it.
There's plenty of music to test the punchy extremes of your speakers, including the once punchy, pile driving sound of Fist to The Sky. I first talked with their killer singer (and his last name stresses kill) Mickey Murder, nine years ago this week for the first time in The Kat 105.5 studio.
Along with these, you're feeling the wave of sonic  splash of Chicago area and Illinois metal and Punk   as you soak your ears and subconscious with:
Reflexicon-Grasp At The Sky
Reflexicon-Nightmare
Slauter Xstroyes-Winter Kill (title track to their 1985 debut album)
Misfire-Fractured
Orinoco-Waste
Satanic Hispanic-Dios De Los Muertos
Cyanotic-Order Out Of Chaos
The Decayed-Bite The Bullet
Mustard Men- I.D.C. Ideology
Fist To The Sky (Mickey Murder interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-1/24/13)
Fist To The Sky-Another Lesson Learned
Fist To the Sky-Bad Karma

Local Loft Episode 209

Posting this episode has really been a pain in the ass due to technical difficulties with Podbean. So a lot of you might get this sent to you a few times. 
You will surrender to the infectious pile driving sound ( with no deadly virus attached) of the newest and best original Chicagoland and Illinois metal, punk, alternative, progressive rock and power pop. It will be hard to give up the urge to massively grind and headbang, especially the first weekend in February at Doomed Days of Winter, where Bloodletter will break free from Covid isolation to play their first show in almost 2 years, February 4th at Blue Island Beer Company. Singer and founder Pete Caparelli joins me to talk about how the pile driving rhythms and hard hitting lyrics of their new full length album, Funeral Hymns address overcoming personal turmoil and struggles.
Beginning during the start of the big hair metal period of the early to mid 80s, Chicago Progressive Thrash Metal band Wrath was not taken seriously as Metallic, Megadeth or Testament by MTV or FM terrestrial radio. They will help the founder of the underground Northwest Chicago suburban metal powerhouse Rebel Radio, Scott Davidson, to celebrate another birthday with a big bash at Brauerhouse in Lombard January 21st. Drummer Jake Fromkin joins me to talk about how they keep rocking on through a 40 year history of the band.
Metal came with excessive force applied by Joliet's Habit Of Force. They joined me in The Kat 105.5 studios ten years ago this week to introduce themselves to radio listeners in the Joliet and Kankakee Southlands.
In addition to these, you've got an original local music fever, and the only cure is excessive doses of:
Bloodletter-I Am The End
Bloodletter-Disinterment
Reflexicon-Grasp At the Sky
Wrath-Draw Blood
Wrath-R.I.P. (Ripped In Pieces)
Repentance-All The Misery
Vortis-2020 Covid Blues
The Gravetones-The Ride
Habit Of Force (Rich Truck Collins and Junior interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-1/19/12)
Habit Of Force-Your Pig
Habit Of Force-Last Chance
Habit Of Force-Kill What's Inside

Local Loft Episode 208

Great local metal, punk, alternative, progressive rock and power pop for an even greater cause. The cause doesn't always have to be charitable. It can be simply to alleviate a state of boredom caused by a prolonged pandemic. Music always picks up your spirits, so throw up the volume on this new fresh collection of tunage, and get ready for a serious soul uplift.
Veteran Chicago doom metal act Faces Of The Bog gets up and out to Blue Island Beer Company, the first weekend of February to play their first gig in 2 & 1/2 years. I talk with guitarist Trey Wedgeworth about their headlining show at Doomed Days of Winter on February 5th.
From the land of Huskies, DeKalb, comes Blunt. They will plow their way, without the help of their Northwest Illinois city's Big 10 football team , Southwest, to play with the Sorceress Stoned, Suzi Uzi and Black Road, at the sixth birth bash for Metal Monkey Brewing in Romeoville, January 29th. I talk with singer/guitarist Ben Gonzalez.
Vent to Atmoshpere breathes new life into their pile driving metal with their first new full length album in almost four years, The Struggles of Being Alive. A blistering new cut from that.
Threatening The Order joined the ranks of prominent female fronted suburban Chicago hard rock band, and posed a real crushing threat to the competition at the nationwide Empire Productions Chicago Battle Of the Bands, and heated up the blood and adrenalin of a big headbanging crowd. I caught up with them again six years ago this week in a rock back.
Along with these, you're blasting through (with your hand on the volume knob cranked to 11 times 11) all lethal virus mutations to:
Faces Of The Bog-Weight
Faces Of The Bog-The Weaver
Pale Horseman-Tundra
Vent To Atmosphere-Parasite
Central Disorder-The Descent/Insurrection
Blunt-Good Bag
Blunt-Distraught
Black Road-Torches
Threatening The Order (interview from Reggies Rock Club-1/17/16)
Threatening The Order-Soul Inside
Threatening The Order-Something To Prove

Local Loft Episode 207

Another year over, and hopefully, a new one just beginning, with many more COVID free restrictions and chances to get out safely and experience the wide variety of original Chicago area and Ilinois metal, punk, alternative, progressive rock and power pop. The opportunity is always here to introduce you to it in cyberspace.
Chicago's Jury Of Fears is looking to safely get out and rock live with national melodic metal acts Drowning Pool, Hed PE ,and Il Nino, March 25th at the Forge in Joliet. I talk with JOF drummer Stefan Krupiarz, and spin the soundtrack to their new music video, whose storyline was inspired by a knife fingernail clawing horror film stalker.
An entire weekend will be devoted to getting many Chicagoland music venues back up and running, after they took a financial plunge due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. Save The Rock and Roll Fest, will be the weekend of January 14-16 at Reggie's in the South Loop. Proving a band can get very aggressive without angry and intense vocals is From Beyond These Walls. Guitarist Erik Kirke joins me to talk about their upcoming there and their diverse mix of Jazz Rock Fusion and Progressive Metal.
While veteran Glam rockers Enuff Z'NUff don't get completely 80s retro in headlining a special benefit show for the Chicago Police Fund this Saturday in Joliet, We rock it back five years ago this week to Sullivan's in Midlothian, where the charismatic and stellar frontwoman of powerhouse melodic band Phosphene shines on stage alone. Five years ago this week, Jeni Imparato kept rocking with the hopes that her trademark band would hit the road again.
Along with these, you're pogoing out the old and slam dancing in the second new year of the turbulent 2020's with:
Jury Of Fears-Insomniac
Jury Of Fears-No Way Out
From Beyond These Walls-City Of Dystopia
Satanic Panic-Failure To Detox
The Midnight Devils-Generation Dirt
Enuff Z'Nuff-Help, I'm In Hell
Yet Again-Time To Shine
Lovehammers-Into The Insane (Drugs)
Jeni Imparato (Interview from Sullivan's Irish Pub, Midlothian-1/7/17-Local Loft Episode 47)
Phosphene-Break The Silence (acoustic live in The Kat 105.5 studio-1/26/14)
Phosphene-Damaged

Local Loft Episode 206

Meet the new year...same as the old year. Not really! The pandemic isn't over, but neither was the chance to experience live local music. There were surprises big, small and unexpected. The spectrum of original Chicagoland and Illinois metal, punk, alternative, progressive and power pop bands and artists were very active. So, I was able to put together an extensive list of the best of 2021. Just my opinion, not a definitive list. But it should give you a insight into what acts really rocked the scene. 
One of 2020's year in review favorites, howled in the old and rocked in the new year of 2016 with a futuristic gig six years ago this week at Reggie's Music Joint. Of Wolves slowly began working on their most ambitious project, the full length follow up to their intense debut EP, Evolve. Balance was finally released in 2020. I talk to all three members, including singer and founder Steve Sherwood, in a rock back.
And the top spots in the Local Loft 2021 Year in Review go to:
Hypervolume-Sun
Nucleus-Nexxus
Death Pop Radio- ( Local Loft 2021 Best Local Alternative Band) F@#k It
In Europe Without A Jacket-Down the Drain
Bullet To The Heart- (Local Loft Best Music Video 2021) Heathen
Extraction Point -( Local Loft Best Metal Music Video 2021) Forced Compliance
Fierce Atmospheres- (Local Loft Best Metal album 2021-Speed Of Dreams) From Ashes
Aweful- (Local Loft Best Female Fronted Band 2021) No Avail
A.D.D.- (Local Loft Best Local Live Show-12/17/21 W.C. Social Club- West Chicago) Colors
Shitizen-( Local Loft Best Punk band 2021) Instigator
GraveReign-(Local Loft Best Local Rock album-Destination: Aftermath) Destination: Aftermath
Of Wolves ( Interview from Reggie's Music Joint-12/27/15)
Of Wolves-The Man/Red Skins/Buffalo Nickles
Of Wolves-Legal Lies
 
 

Local Loft Episode 205

Tis' the season, to unwrap more original Chicago and Illinois metal, punk, alternative, progressive rock and power pop. Listen under the tree if you must, and get the mental image of tearing through the colorful paper to reveal the new device, laptop or physical LP, cassette, or CD chock full of music. It's here and ready to fire up and discover.
The Relevant is a five piece Western Burb Alternative band who lyrical focus is mostly relevant to the horrific ,isolated state of lockdown and restrictions most of us are going through. They release themselves from such a state by playing Back The Blue, a special Chicago Police Foundation benefit show, January 8th at The Forge in Joliet. They will open for veteran 80s Glam Metal rockers Enuff Z'nuff . Relevant bassist Matthew joins me to talk about their eclectic melodic rock and the upcoming gig.
After fifty years of bringing local and national rock to the Northwest suburbs, Penny Road Pub in Barrington Hills will shut completely at the end of January. Veteran Chicago metal band Vicious Circle has the honor of being last to rock the PRP main stage. I'll have a preview.
With the barroom swagger of outlaw country, and the aggressive, teeth knock out swagger of punk rock, Pete Berwick of McHenry County was a game changer in both genres. He moseyed into our Kat 105.5 studios 11 years ago this week for the only time. A rock back to that.
In addition, your nose, and the rest of your body is glowing like Rudolph's schnoz from the adrenaline rush you get by rocking around the Xmas tree to:
The Relevant-I'll Be O.K.
The Relevant-Truth Is Gone
Enuff Z'Nuff-Happy Holiday
 Vicious Circle-Sacred Ground
Tafoya's Lost Boyzz- Get Up, Get Down
The Willing-Christmas With You
Shoes-This Christmas
Touched By Ghoul-Cancel The World
Prison City Brigade-Shitty Presents
Pete Berwick (Interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-12/23/10)
Pete Berwick-Renegade
Pete Berwick-My Heart Is On Hold
Pete Berwick-Give It Time
 

Local Loft Episode 204

Yes, this is going up a day earlier than when I first posted on Facebook. You get more time to snoop around and discover more gifts of original  Chicago area and Illinois metal, punk, alternative and progressive rock and power pop. 
There has been a rock and religion connection for over five decades. Even when band is defined as Christian Rock, it isn't always obvious. The West Suburban trio 4th Point has a religious link, but it takes a few careful listens to their new EP, New Horizons to reveal it an eye (and ear) opening tune about divine and personal intervention reveals the connection. Singer Matt Ellis joins me to talk about the spiritual themes in their music , as they open for A.D.D. (Analog Digital Disorder) this Friday at W.C. Social Club in West Chicago.
Chicago area metal and alternative band give themselves and theri original tunes as a gift as 20 Bands of Xmas returns and heads North. From the now closed down Wire in Berwyn to Penny Road Pub in Barrington Hills the weekend of December 17th-19th. A preview includes the need to be Rockin' like Dokken as an opening act for national Southern Rockers Wayland.
They put a hot summer sizzle into the ball freezing chill of winter. Ten years ago this week Kankakee's Redneck Remedy was cooikn' up another heavy dose of Southern Fried Metal in The Kat 105.5 studio. Unfortunately, it eould be their last. We rock back when they bid U farewell, living up to the title of one of two new exclusive tunes they brought with them.
Along with these, you'll be merrily slam dancing around the sharp Xmas tree pine needles trying to avoid a contact high to:
4th Point-Eyes
4th Point-Sick Of It All
A.D.D.-Damn Thing
Yet Again-Media Lies
The Relevant-Truth Is Gone
GraveReign-On The Wings Of Fafmir
Dave Bellah-Heart In Chains
Eyes Of Anguish-Burning Vision
Vyridian Steel-Nightcrawler
Whut-Sanity
Frontline-So Long
Redneck Remedy (Interview In The Kat-105.5 Studio-12/11/11)
Redneck Remedy-When It Rains, It Pours
Redneck Remedy-Bid U Farewell
 

Local Loft Episode 203

Under wraps, but that doesn't mean you can't listen to it until Xmas. It's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year round. And it sounds much sweeter than the jelly of the month club. Open your ears and you have opened another musical present. The newest and freshest Chicagoland and Illinois metal, punk, alternative and progressive rock and power pop.
Progressive Metal is a form with many definitions. Two of which are showcased here. Northwest side of Chicago four piece band Acracy doesn't play and sing it like the dominant unclean intense style of bands. With the well enunciated high pitched falsetto vocals of singer Al Rybka, they have drawn fans of different variations of the genre. Al joins me to talk about how Acracy stands out from others, as they co headline two upcoming gigs, December 15th at Reggie's Rock Club , and December 17th with Fierce Atmospheres and Hellbound Sons at Brauerhouse in Lombard.
Withering Soul combines intense, unclean vocals with extended instrumental guitar power chords and soloing. They will unleash their metal fury as a co-headlining band for Macabre's Holiday of Horror, December 18th at Reggie's I talk with singer Krystopher and the other three members, as they wow listeners with the awesome sonic rhythms of their fourth. album, Last Contact.
Breaking through musical ethnic barriers, Road's End proved that foreign and native Chicago American musicians and singers can blend well together. I interviewed them and witnessed the excellent power metal sound, five years ago this week at Wire in Berwyn. A Rockback to that. 
Along with that, you're stringing up the perfect local Chicago area and Illinois rock soundtrack loud enough to strip sharp pine needles off even the tallest evergreen tree, including:
Acracy-Liberation (Control Denied)
Acracy-Book Of Faces
Hellbound Sons-Re-Take Control
Withering Soul-Ascent To Madness
Withering Soul-Carrion Reflection
Macabre-Your Window Is Open
Knoxious-DFC
Shitizen-Nada
Road's End (Interview from Wire in Berwyn-12/10/16) (Local Loft Episode 45)
Road's End-The Descent
Road's End-S-21

Local Loft Episode 202

Everyone's doing it early, so will I. Getting in the gift giving mood. All I can offer is the gift of music, unwrapped and free of charge. Feel free to headbang and pogo in appreciation of this near 90 minute smattering of Chicagoland and Illinois metal, punk, alternative, progressive rock and power pop.
Usually a band or artist will credit a guest performer on any of their music. And Chicago five- man punk pop group The Usuals did acknowledge that Jeff Pezzati of the legendary punk band Naked Raygun as a backing singer on the last track of their new second EP, Man Down. They dedicated the record not to Jeff, but to fellow Usuals member Steve Katzel, who died last year. I'll talk to singer Curt Harrison about the new EP, and an upcoming show that won't hide a large gathering of skate punks in the crowd this weekend in Winthrop Harbor.
Eric Liljehorn tries to disguise himself as a mild mannered version of the spike haired punky singer of Death Pop Radio. The alias nickname doesn't really hide his identity as singer for In Europe Without A Jacket. He'll talk to me about how this trio from Naperville is radically different from Death Pop Radio, as they play in Streamwood on December 11th.
M & R Rush takes their time in recording their first new album in almost four years. And, in a slow but certain return, the Xmas holiday benefit show 20 Bands of Xmas heads up North (not to The Pole) for a post-Covid pandemic show. I'll let you know when and where.
Acoustic hard rock that loses none of its electric fire. Kat 105.5 listeners got that from Northwest Indiana's Jaded. They unplugged and played in our air studio ten years ago this week. We rock back to that.
Along with all this, you're prancing with a wall slamming headbang like a reindeer on a snow covered rooftop as you groove to:
The Usuals- No Disguise ( featuring Naked Raygun singer Jeff Pezzati)
The Usuals-People's Choice
Naked Raygun-Home Of The Brave
In Europe Without A Jacket-The Ones We Love
In Europe Without A Jacket- Life's A Riot
Death Pop Radio-Monster TV
Acracy-On My Own
Fierce Atmospheres-Servant
M & R Rush-Heavy Metal Christmas
Eve Black-Dancing With The Green Fairy
Jaded (Interview/acoustic set in The Kat 105.5 studio-12/1/11)
Jaded-Something Better (acoustic in Kat studio)
Jaded-Tonight (acoustic in Kat studio)
Jaded-It Really Shouldn't Be That Hard