Southern Sludge @ Johnny Brenda’s: Slow Southern Steel, Zoroaster and Hail! Hornet.

Text by Chad Sims. Images by Art Andrews.

Monday was a celebration of Southern sludge at Johnny Brenda’s.  This time, it wasn’t live music alone but cinema as well.

The evening started early with the documentary Slow Southern Steel.  The film is about the culture, music, and people of the underground Southern heavy metal scene.  The story seems to be told through a mix of interviews and live performance footage.  I was not able to make it for the screening, but I heard the movie was great and can’t wait to get a chance to view it myself.

Up next was Atlanta’s Zoroaster, and it was on.  Explaining exactly what sort of music Zoroaster plays is difficult but it sure is heavy. All of the clichés apply and are well founded when describing this band – they are epic, tectonic plate-rattling riff masters. The bass and guitar are tuned so low they become a massive wall of noise in a mind-bending, wonderful way.  The drums provide less of a beat and more of an idea of a beat. Often they sound as if a Black Sabbath 45 was played at 33 and a 1/3.

In other words, these guys are badass. I can’t wait until they come to town again.

Super group Hail! Hornet finished off the night.  The band is assembled of members who have played in Sourvein, Weedeater, Alabama Thunderpussy and several other outfits.

As a bass player, I was personally psyched to see the legendary “Dixie” Dave Collins. While Collins is a great performer, jumping and diving around the stage, his bass sound was more indistinct rumble than anything else.

Overall the band was pretty good and cranked out a set of head-banging rockers.