I remember a few years back, Kittie came out and most people thought it was kind of novel that there was a group of young girls playing pretty heavy music. They’re also Canadian, which is totally precious. I’m not hating on Kittie (I’m not a fan, but whatever, there are far shittier bands that wave the metal banner), or Canada, and it’d be nice to go to metal shows and not have them be like comic book stores, sci-fi conventions and other nerdy sausage fests. Unfortunately for Kittie, most people have a hard time getting past the whole “girls playing metal” thing. But that’s probably because they’re not as brutal as Grey from Seattle, WA.

American metal heads can finally boast about having as stong an extreme metal scene as they do in parts of Europe thanks to Pacific Northwest bands such as Book of Black Earth. Grey is another band that should be added to that list. A power trio in every sense of the world, Grey consists of Suzanne (vocals/guitar), AJ (bass) and Becca (drums), who are also known as Gypsy Witch, Luna Loca and Bitch Hammer respectively, which is pretty damn metal. All their most recent press photos also take place in the forest, which is also very metal.

The most metal thing about them, though, is their sound which is a heavy, sludgy witch’s brew of earth-loosening doom. Three songs are posted on their MySpace page (my favorite of which is the despairingly beautiful and savagely heavy epic “Fields of Grey”), and that’s all I’ve been able to hear from them, but their first release, Mother Maiden Crone, will apparently be out in the spring of this year on Kreation Records–hopefully in time for Beltane.

I’m happy to announce that it took nearly a year after its renovation for our downtown park to once again attract drug dealers. Walking through the other day I heard a “hey you!” whistle, and a scruffy older hippy approached, asking if I wanted a 20 sack of “the kind.” Ah, the perks of being a longhair… Hippies like to use the word “the kind” around here to denote quality marijuana, and although Seattle’s The Kindness Kind includes a longhaired drummer, I’d like to think their band name has more interesting connotations than the sticky weed. Maybe they’re just super nice…

I’m really feeling their track “The Rain came late,” expansive indie-pop with twinkling keyboards and sultry, sleepy vocals. Then it gets WAY big with churning waves of guitar and retro-tone synthesizers. That they recorded their album A Novel at Bear Creek where Blonde Redhead laid down tracks is fitting. You can purchase their new album, A Novel Here.

Check out their West Coast tour stops after the jump;
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Today on Synthesis’ Long Winded and Unfortunately Titled Synthesis Band You’ve Never Heard of Band of the Day, we bring you a band that some have actually heard about. Seattle’s Iceage Cobra (originally from Spokane) has been around for a while and done a few national tours (including stops at media-whore mecca SXSW), and released a full length album, Brilliant Ideas from Amazing People. The album’s radical, but you want to see these guys live because SHIT GETS NUTTY.

Mic stands are ditched, full stacks blow your ears out, high kicks wizz by your brow and beer gets spilt, hella.

We interviewed Iceage Cobra in the Synthesis Weekly when they came through town, and asked guitarist Jordan West about his stage moves. Our photo guru Mike Z caught Iceage Cobra in their natural habitat: wrocking.

I mean he’s no Chopper but whatever, at least he TOTALLY GOES OFF ONSTAGE. In other news the band’s new record I’m Only a Man in in stores now so fucking BUY IT. And their tour starts this week, in Lawrence, KS - which I’ve deemed the Chico of the Midwest - so if you’re lucky enough to live there go to the fucking show and tell Dave Powell to stop smoking cigarettes.

EMERY TOUR ZOMG

10/19 Lawrence, KS
10/20 Sauget, IL
10/21 Chicago, IL
10/22 Minneapolis, MN
10/24 Englewood, CO
10/25 Magna, UT
10/26 Boise, ID
10/27 Seattle, WA
10/28 Portland, OR
10/30 San Francisco, CA
10/31 San Francisco, CA
11/01 Hollywood, CA
11/02 Las Vegas, NV
11/03 San Diego, CA
11/04 Tempe, AZ
11/06 San Antonio, TX
11/07 Dallas, TX
11/08 Houston, TX
11/09 Little Rock, AR
11/10 Atlanta, GA
11/11 St. Petersburg, FL
11/12 Lake Buena Vista, FL
11/13 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
11/15 North Myrtle Beach, SC
11/16 Charlotte, NC
11/17 Norfolk, VA
11/18 Baltimore, MD
11/19 Cincinnati, OH
11/20 Cleveland, OH
11/25 Philadelphia, PA
11/26 New York, NY
11/27 Boston, MA
11/28 Montreal, QC
11/29 Toronto, ON
11/30 Pontiac, MI B

Visit Seattle, ride a SLUT.

Local indie-rock sex icons Bear Hunter are heading out tomorrow to spread the love up the west coast. If you live in OR, WA or Northern California, check them out. Rumor has it they bought a 30 foot fire breathing robot just for this tour’s stage show, but my sources are less than credible.

Sep 14 2007 9:00P
Diablo’s Downtown Lounge with Three Guys That Paint and Redox Eugene, Oregon

Sep 15 2007 9:00P
Boundary Bay Brewery with The Loyal Sinners Bellingham, Washington

Sep 16 2007 9:00P
The Comet with Gozer (members of Vindaloo), Knives in the Attic and Preons Seattle, Washington

Sep 18 2007 8:00P
15th Street Pub with Dos Sorella Vancouver, Washington

Sep 19 2007 8:00P
Grapedrink Portland, Oregon

Sep 20 2007 9:00P
Red White & Brew with Belda Beast & History (Invades) Redding, California

Sep 21 2007 8:00P
The Stork Club with Electric Jellyfish, USA 4 LSD, Kreamy Lectric Santa & Saything Oakland, California

Sep 22 2007 9:00P
Old Ironsides with Trainwreck Revival Sacramento, California

You can pick up the new disk, ‘You Will Be Heard’, right here.