UltraMantisBlackMoonstruckGarrettHeim

ULTRAMANTIS BLACK

MOONSTRUCK

JAMIE HEIM

DYLAN GARRETT SMITH

 

Chris Reject graciously opened up his LVAC (Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations) warehouse in Allentown for an art/music show. Two bands, two artists. One amazing time.

 

Photo Jamie Heim

Jamie Heim is a Lehigh Valley staple and he takes amazing photos. His photos were on display and prints were up for purchase. Take a look at his website and be amazed at the work he is doing with his camera. I have had the pleasure of knowing Jamie for a bunch of years and enjoy watching him progress as a photographer. 

 

 Photo Jamie Heim 

Dylan is also from from the Lehigh Valley and works in photography and other art forms. From Dylan's website:

 

Dylan Garrett Smith is an artist/printmaker whose work is a product of his views regarding humanity’s relationships with - and the continually growing distance from - the natural world.  Combining concepts of occultism, ecology, and memento mori, Smith stresses the importance of the cycle of birth-bloom-decay and the necessity of solitude in nature.  Ashes, chalk-lead and ink on black cotton rag paper serve as the media to make his images, while reinforcing the natural process of life, death, and rebirth.

 

 Photo Dylan Garrett Smith

 

Dylan Garrett Smith

The first musical guest of the evening was Moonstruck. Felicia Vee assaults the drums as if she is committed to driving them through the floor. Awesome. Thank you Felicia. Very cathartic. Kelsi Page completes this two piece from Bethlehem PA. Kelsi belts it out with her vocals and guitar, giving it everything she has. Rudimentary, dark and gutsy, Moonstruck is an inspiring, DIY band. Just do it.   

 Photo Frank FOE

 Photo Frank FOE

 Felicia from behind the screen printing gear, Photo Frank FOE

 

UltraMantisBlack has just released their debut LP/CD/Digital EP on Relapse Records. The nine song EP with an etched b-side was released on July 9, 2014 and is a mandatory purchase.  Ultramantis Black is a wrestler as well as the frontman for this hardcore, Spazz meets Siege meets Deadguy, meets today's death grind mayhem.

 Photo Frank FOE

Unbeknownst to me, Matt and Brad from Nazareth (the location not the band) and Pissed Jeans (the band not the exhibition of loss of bladder control) and Ultimate Warriors (the band not the pro wrestler) are in ULTRAMANTIS BLACK. 

 Photo Frank FOE

Ultramantis Black's EP is as charged and ferocious as their live set. Nine songs that paint a portrait of doom and gloom we stupid humans continue to create for ourselves rather than correct for ourselves.

 Photo Frank FOE

While I am no Jamie Heim behind the camera, the chaos this six piece band puts together makes for a cooperative subject matter.

 Photo Frank FOE

Just point and click and even I can capture something!

 Photo Frank FOE

  

The sonic noise Ultramantis Black creates with 4 stringed instruments with this much distortion is a devious kind of fun.

 

 Photo Frank FOE

 Photo Frank FOE

 Photo Frank FOE

 Photo Frank FOE

 Photo Frank FOE

 Photo Frank FOE

 

This was a great event. Two great bands, two great artists, one great show. Inspirational, chaotic, revitalizing.

Cheers,
Frank FOE


Moonstruck bandcamp: http://yaymoonstruck.bandcamp.com/releases
Ultramantis Black bandcamp: http://ultramantisblack.bandcamp.com/
Jamie Heim web:  http://www.jheimphotography.com/
Jamie Heim fb:  https://www.facebook.com/jheimphotography
Dylan Garret Smith fb: https://www.facebook.com/dylangarrettsmith/info 
Dylan Garret Smith web: http://www.dylangarrettsmith.com/
LVAC fb: https://www.facebook.com/xLVACx