EAGLE TWIN LIVE @ EAGLE ROCK CENTER

SLHC MUSIC ARCHIVE: BETTER WAY - A PATH TO TAKE

Better Way's 1989 demo, A Path to Take, combines a strong New York Hardcore influence with the first glimpses of the otherworldly riffing of guitarist Gentry Densley (Iceburn/Ascend/Eagle Twin).  And how awesome is the Straight Edge wolf-man cover art?

To learn more about the band see our Salt Lake Hardcore 101 article and Josh Rathbun's Salt Lake Hardcore Music Blog. Also, take a minute to thank Troy Trujillo for all of his hard work collecting and compiling Salt Lake hardcore's history... artwork courtesy of Troy's extensive SLHC record collection.

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SALT LAKE HARDCORE 101: BETTER WAY

Better Way, with the help of close-friends Insight, drafted the Utah chapter of the Youth Crew history book.  During the late '80s, the band churned out sing-along inspiring anthems, while sharing the stages of The Word and The Speedway with the likes of Insted, Slapshot and Gorilla Biscuits.

A Path to Take, the band's 1989 self-released demo, boasts strong influence from the New York Hardcore scene and some of the greatest lyrics on overcoming personal hardship this side of Break Down the Walls. (Makes sense that Ray and Porcell are mentioned in the record's thank you list.)

One thing that set A Path to Take apart from the Youth Crew crowd was its brief forays into groovy, guitar experimentation (See: The last 30 seconds of "The Fight.") These hints of technicality came to make perfect sense as guitarist Gentry Densley went on to guide Iceburn through 15 years of sonic exploration. The band threw in the towel shortly after the release of A Path to Take.

Better Way's vocalist Dustin worked at Raunch back in the day and ran his own short-lived shop on 21st South called "Rock City." Gentry Densley continues to push the limits of heavy music with Eagle Twin and Ascend. Guitarist Randy also played with local rock band Dinosaur Bones. Various members also played in fellow late-80s Salt Lake straightedge band Head Strong (if you know which ones, fill us in!).

Download Better Way's A Path To Take in our Salt Lake Hardcore Music Archive.

EAGLE TWIN - LIVE IN ILLINOIS

SUNN O))) & EAGLE TWIN TOUR: PART II

9/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small's
9/19 Providence, RI @ AS220 Broad Street Studio
9/20 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
9/22 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple w/ Pelican, Earth
9/23 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
9/24 Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre
9/25 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel w/ Faust
9/26 Atlanta, GA @ Legends Banquet & Special Event Center
9/27 Athens, GA @ Seney-Stovall Chapel
9/28 Athens, GA @ Seney-Stovall Chapel
9/30 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge

EAGLE TWIN TOUR NOTES

Salt Lake's Eagle Twin is on tour with Sunn O))) for a little while and Curtis Jensen (of Form of Rocket and Watch Me Dig A Hole fame) is along for the ride and keeping e-tabs on them for your entertainment.

It features gems like:

'... So I went outside, and I told that fucking ice cream truck driver, I told him, 'You should turn that shitty music off, all the kids know when you are here, I am trying to take a fucking nap.'

and

On my right is a woman that is short and is wearing velor sweat pants with a large, laminate peace sign on one thigh. Later Gentry says that he is pretty sure that she has done porn.

Check it out at http://curtisinterruptus.blogspot.com/

And be on the lookout for Eagle Twin's new album this month on Southern Lord records. It'll probably break your eardrums if you listen to it correctly.

Jul 6 2009 8:00P
Sokol Auditorium / Underground w/ sunn 0))) Omaha, Nebraska
Jul 7 2009 8:00P
Riot Room w/ sunn 0))) Kansas City, Missouri
Jul 8 2009 8:00P
Firebird w/ sunn 0))) St. Louis, Missouri
Jul 10 2009 8:00P
House Cafe w/ sunn 0))) Dekalb, Illinois
Jul 11 2009 8:00P
Eagle Theater w/ sunn 0))) Pontiac, Michigan
Jul 12 2009 8:00P
Southgate House w/ sunn 0))) Newport, Kentucky
Aug 6 2009 8:00P
Neumo’s w/ sunn 0))), Earth, Pelican Seattle, Washington
Aug 8 2009 8:00P
Independent w/ sunn 0))), The Accüsed San Francisco, California
Aug 9 2009 8:00P
Historic Brookdale Lodge - w/ sunn 0))), The Accüsed Brookdale, California
Aug 11 2009 8:00P
Center for Arts - w/ sunn 0))), The Accüsed Eagle Rock, California
Aug 13 2009 8:00P
Bluebird Theatre - w/ sunn 0))), The Accüsed Denver, Colorado
Aug 14 2009 8:00P
Avalon Theatre - w/ sunn 0))), The Accüsed

GIANT SQUID SIGNS TO TRANSLATION LOSS

From Lambgoat -- Translation Loss Records is extremely pleased to announce the signing of San Francisco's Giant Squid. Translation Loss Records will release The Ichthyologist this summer in correlation with the bands summer tour alongside labelmates Grayceon (Translation Loss has a Giant Squid/Grayceon split planned for 2010). Engineered, mixed and produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Pearl Jam), The Ichthyologist was self-released earlier this year by the band as a work in progress and has now been tweaked with parts being completely re-recorded and remixed due to the band's constant strive for perfection from their mastermind/lunatic, Aaron John Gregory. The record will also be repackaged with completely redone/original art by legendary, world-renowned cartoon artist, Sam Kieth (The Maxx, Batman, The Sandman). The band's lineup is rounded out by Jackie Perez Gratz of Amber Asylum/Grayceon, Bryan Ray Beeson and Christopher Melville Lyman. Giant Squid's last record was released via The End Records and the band has since appeared on a tribute to Syd Barrett late last year alongside Pentagram, Kylesa and Jesu.

Christian McKenna from Translation Loss had this to say about the signing: "After floating around with Drew (TL) and Aaron in the Pacific right by Alcatraz collecting mollusks while avoiding sharks and paparazzi for several hours... the three of us decided it was a no brainer to work together. Giant Squid is completely unique to anything going on in heavy music nowadays and we couldn't be happier to be along for the ride."

Visit www.myspace.com/giantsquid to check out the up to date information on the bands upcoming summer tour and current sound clips from The Ichthyologist. New remixed and re-mastered songs from the band's Translation Loss debut will be posted soon.

8/3 Salt Lake City, UT @ Burt's Tiki Lounge w/ Grayceon, Nine Worlds, Eagle Twin

CUB COUNTRY + EAGLE TWIN + FREE ESTE?

I'm excited.

EAGLE TWIN @ URBAN LOUNGE TONIGHT

"Live skateboarding with music from Fucktard and Eagle Twin."

DOWNLOAD BETTER WAY'S "A PATH TO TAKE"

The Salt Lake Hardcore Download Blog has posted a copy of the album A Path to Take by early Salt Lake hardcore band, Better Way. A Path to Take was released in 1989 and featured Gentry Densley (Iceburn, Form of Rocket, Smashy Smashy, Eagle Twin, Ascend) on guitar.

EAGLE TWIN

If you haven't gotten a chance to check out Gentry Densley of Iceburn's new project, Eagle Twin, I suggest you do.

The duo will be performing live, February 27th at 8 p.m., on KRCL 90.9.

THE HUNDRED ARMS

New band featuring ex-members of Parallax and I'm sure a million other notable bands. For fans of Drive Like Jehu/Jawbox. The Hundred Arms.

Come March, they'll be playing an all-ages show with Accidente (Ex-Tons of Bands You Love) and Eagle Twin (Gentry Densley of Iceburn's New Project).

SALT LAKE HARDCORE 101: ICEBURN

• Iceburn at Revelation Records

Iceburn was born of Salt Lake's early straight edge hardcore scene but ventured into the deepest realms of jazz, metal, classical and avant-garde experimentation during its decade-plus existence.

The band's first line-up was an amalgam of late 80s hardcore bands Insight, Better Way, and Brainstorm. In 1990, Insight and Brainstorm played their final show together to a packed Speedway Cafe. Iceburn quickly formed in their wake, featuring Gentry Densley (Better Way, Brainstorm) on guitar, Jeremy Chatelain (Insight, Brainstorm) on vocals,  Doug Wright (Insight, Brainstorm) on bass, Chad "Chubba" Smith (Insight) on drums and James Holder (Insight) on guitar.

With this crew, Iceburn released the Burn / Fall 7" through Victory Records in 1991. Shortly after the record's release, frontman Jeremy Chatelain left the band to pursue other projects: Lumberjack, Handsome, Jets to Brazil, Cub Country... this list will undoubtedly go on. Guitarist James Holder also left the band.

Iceburn decided to move forward as a three-piece. Their next album, Firon (also on Victory), was released in 1992 and led to a record deal with another hardcore history maker, Revelation Records.

The four-track, double-LP Hephestus was released on Rev in 1994 (right there between Into Another's Creepy Eepy and the Underdog Demos). Iceburn would release an E.P., a split with Engine Kid and the album Poetry of Fire in 1995.

Ninety-six saw the band releasing Meditavolutions under its new moniker, The Iceburn Collective. Journeying deeper into experimental galaxies, 98's Power of the Lion was rumored to be inspired by quantum mechanics and was meant to be played as a musical collage.

The new millenium saw the Collective reaching ever further into avant-territory with 2000's Polar Bear Suit, which featured 2 upright basses, bass clarinet and bassoon, and 2002's mini-album Land of Wind and Ghosts.

In 2001, the band recorded a few songs meant to be released in a Southern Lord Records 7" series. The deal didn't work out but 2006 saw the songs released as a split with Italian band Zu. It was put out in Italy as a limited 500-copy 10" split. This would be Iceburn's final release.

Iceburn reunited for a few shows in 2007 but have not announced plans of future recordings or performances.

These days you can find Densley playing across the nation in the duo Eagle Twin with Tyler Smith (ex-Clear) on drums He also recently released an album with Greg Anderson of Engine Kid/Sunn O)))/Goatsnake under the name, Ascend. Doug Wright went on to play with Salt Lake's Makeshift. He now plays with up-and-coming New York City rock band, The Dirty Pearls.

Iceburn performing their version of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" at their '07 Reunion Show.