Czar

ello again everyone and thanks for checking back to Galesburg After Dark. This week, I feel that I need to make a confession to everyone and highlight a category or genre of music that is often overlooked by the general public: the "screaming stuff" itself, modern-day heavy metal.

I, myself am a self-confessed "metal head" but pride myself on being able to enjoy a bit of everything. However, I generally attempt to steer clear of the entire taboo subject of metal altogether for fear of the implications of being labeled a satanist, a heathen or something of the like. (Roll your eyes, but it's happened).

You know that stuff you can't understand a word of? That occupies over 70 percent of my entire music collection. I've also been contributing to metal bands and projects in the Fulton, Peoria and Knox counties for 10 years now. I do, however, understand that music is a broad and ever-expanding world and decidedly will not use this blog as a vehicle solely for the purpose of promoting metal and other extreme bands because, well, that's just plain boring and unfair. Unfair to you the reader and unfair to the countless musicians in the area that labor at their craft, no matter what they sound like.

That being said, I would like to take a week off from the local spotlight and give some time to the Baltimore-based metal band Misery Index, who this week released their fourth studio album, "Heirs to Thievery," and have inked a deal to play the Brass Rail in Peoria on Tuesday, May 25 as an off-date on their current nationwide tour.

Misery Index spawned from founding members Jason Netherton and Sparky Voyles, along with drummer Kevin Talley, leaving the politically-charged death metal band "Dying Fetus" in late 2000, early 2001 to form their own project. The band released an eight song EP and two splits with Pittsburgh's Commit Suicide and Structure of Lies before releasing their critically-acclaimed, full length album "Retaliate" on Nuclear Blast Records in 2003.

Though plagued by line up changes and member disputes, the music continued to revolve around lyricist and bassist Netherton and guitarist Voyles until settling into their current roster that includes St. Louis natives Mark Kloeppel on guitar and drummer Adam Jarvis. This line-up went on to release two full length albums for Relapse Records in 2006's "Discordia" and 2008's "Traitors." Misery Index now returns with the blazing, eleven track onslaught that is 2010's "Heirs to Thievery".

Though currently embarked on a tour that spans the country with fellow labelmates Dying Fetus and Arsis, Misery Index has agreed to take a day off to play in the river city as a special attraction in a more intimate venue, Peoria's Brass Rail. Three lucky locals have the chance to open the stage that night: Pekin's "Secret of the Seven Thunders," Champaign's "Leproso" and Peoria's own "CZAR".

Zac Livingston, the guitarist for the band CZAR, seemed ecstatic about the opportunity.

"This really is a dream come true," he said. "Misery Index is one of my favorite bands and I can't believe I have the good fortune to share the stage with them. Jason Netherton is a personal hero of mine and it's going to be a night to remember for every person in my band."

This concert marks the first time a Relapse recording artist has visited the immediate area in nearly four years, the last being Suffocation who played Monmouth's Rivoli Theater with the bands Fear Factory and Decapitated in late 2006.

"The recent renovations at the bar have opened up a lot of opportunities for young bands. We've recently had After the Burial come in and now Misery Index? I think the new sound system has a lot to do with it." Zac and his band CZAR take the stage at 8p.m. and you can pick up Misery Index's new release "Heirs to Thievery" now at Capitol Music and other fine retailers.(cheap plug!)

If You Go...
Who: Misery Index, Secret of the Seven Thunders, Leproso and CZAR
When: 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 25; $10 admission
Where: Brass Rail, 3904 W. Farmington Road, Peoria - Galesburg.com

ZAR, the new Peoria, Illinois-based metal band featuring former AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK drummer Ryan Thomas and WITH DEAD HANDS RISING vocalist Burke VanRaalte, has made its first song, "Spilling Flesh", available for streaming on the group's MySpace page.

The members of CZAR first came together in late 2009 with a collective vision; utilize a diverse array of musical and artistic influence, and create a unique and crushingly heavy blend of modern melodic death, thrash, and doom metal, with an abrasive injection of punk and hardcore that never lacks in aggression.

Setting them apart from the vast majority of other up-and-coming bands are CZAR's already deep-rooted ties within the metal and hardcore community. VanRaalte has spent the better half of the new millennium touring the nation with several of today's modern metal heavyweights, and has countless live performances in virtually every state and/or providence in North America under his belt. Adding to the experience is Ryan Thomas; acclaimed drummer of Illinois groove metal heavy hitters THE SERPENT SON and former touring drummer for one of deathcore's most recognized bands, AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK. On guitars are the wind-milling shred-masters Zac Livingston and CJ Johnson who bring to the table nothing but the most hateful riffing and undeniably blistering solos. Trent Clifton rounds out the band's lineup with his unmistakable gut-rumbling bass lines. These proud axe men are not without their share of contributions to the genre either; all of them having years of time invested in one or more music projects such as HIGH TIDE IN TUCSON, SICK and A WRETCHED CREATION while growing up within the local and Midwest music scene. - blabbermouth.net