SXSW Thursday International Bands

Metal

by Adam Schragin

Black Tusk (Wed., 8:45pm, Barbarella Patio)

Swampcore trio grinding down big riffs into propulsive, streamlined bits on its second Relapse LP, Taste the Sin.

Deafheaven (Fri., 1am, the Bat Bar)

This San Francisco project is part of a growing wave of American black metal that eschews corpse paint but holds tight to the unrelenting rhythm and discord of its Norwegian forefathers.

Dying Fetus (Thu., 8:45pm, Scoot Inn)

Gore-obsessed Maryland death metal landmark moves into its second decade with upcoming seventh album Reign Supreme.

High on Fire (Wed., 12:15am, Barbarella Patio)

Oakland, Calif., barbarian trio goes H.P. Lovecraft on forthcoming second disc for eOne, April's De Vermis Mysteriis.

Hull (Thu., 12mid, Red 7 Patio)

Stretching comfortably between acoustic and Eustachian tube assaults, these Brooklynites' 2011 concept LP Beyond the Lightless Sky brimmed with ideas and big riffs.

Junius (Fri., 10pm, Valhalla)

Epic, layered, art/shoegaze/metal, this Boston band makes sweeping anthems on big themes, like the life of scientist Immanuel Velikovsky and latest Reports From the Threshold of Death.

Last Chance To Reason (Fri., 8pm, Valhalla)

Blending clean vocals and ungodly growls with high-octane riffage and electronic touches, this Maine-based prog rock is death metal's strange but fascinating offspring.

The Sword (Wed., 11:30pm, the Main)

The Sword's big sound found its most stable footing with 2010's Seventies-nodding Warp Riders, after which the band took to the road with thrash gods Metallica.

Tia Carrera (Fri., 1am, Headhunters Patio)

For more than a decade, Tia Carrera has walked the line between outright mayhem and sprawling psychedelic jams found on last year's second disc for metallic Detroit indie Small Stone, Cosmic Priestess.

Trivium (Thu., 10pm, the Jr)

Singer Matt Heafy was recruited after doing the Offspring's "Self Esteem" at a high school talent show, and now the Floridians' 12-year career peaks with last year's slab In Waves.

Hip-Hop Grab Bag

by Chase Hoffberger

Phranchyze (Thu., 11:30pm, Malaia)

ATX host with battle rap experience keeps rolling racks on February mixtape S.T.A.R.S.

Statik Selektah (Thu., 10:45pm, Malaia Upstairs; Sat., 8pm, Haven)

Überproducer from Lawrence, Mass., had a ball with Action Bronson on Well-Done.

Roach Gigz (Wed., 11:30pm, Treasure Island; Thu., 9:25pm, Kiss & Fly)

Bay Area rapper flows with a hustle reminiscent of his mixtape namesake, Rocky Balboa.

Erk tha Jerk (Wed., 9:10pm, Treasure Island)

Self-proclaimed rap geek from the Bay Area delivered the Nerd's Eye View on two stellar 2011 releases.

Freddie Gibbs (Sat., 10:20pm, Scoot Inn)

Gary, Ind., rapper unfortunately made more headlines for moving a bag of weed past TSA than he did for November's cold-blooded mixtape, Cold Day in Hell.

The Jacka (Sat., 9pm, Scoot Inn)

Longtime member of Bay Area institution Mob Figaz has released four albums since going solo in 2001.

DJ Michael 5000 Watts (Thu., 8:30pm, Stage on Sixth; Sat., 12mid, Beso Cantina)

H-Town chopped & screwed kingpin lived 2011 through his recent mixtape Let Ya Nutz Hang.

Crew54 (Thu., 9pm, Malaia)

Full-bodied Killeen duo G-Christ and MOS pushes Aggressive Soul in local circles.

NOLA, But Not Rap or Bounce

by Kate X Messer

Jim-E Stack (Thu., 8pm, Beso Cantina)

This 20-years-young house-mix maestro is seasoned enough to bridge his current home's vibe with that of the more established electro scenes of Baltimore and his hometown, San Francisco.

Kindest Lines (Sat., 11pm, Hotel Vegas)

Modern kids love the Eighties as much as the kids of the Eighties loved the Sixties, so it's no duh that this Shop Assistants-cum-Phil Spector combo would sound so totally today.

Star & Dagger (Wed., 8pm, Headhunters Patio)

Sure, we can say "supergroup," but the twisted DNA strands from actual members of White Zombie, Cycle Sluts From Hell, Eagles of Death Metal, and Queens of the Stone Age kinda leave us speechless, y'know?

Hurray for the Riff Raff (Thu., 11pm, Treasure Island)

Alynda Lee Segarra's smokey folk vox will set you on course to train-hoppin' wanderland.

Dr. John (Wed., 11:40pm, La Zona Rosa)

The Night Tripper gets Locked Down come April.

Israeli Gears

by Chase Hoffberger

Yael Kraus (Sat., 10pm, TenOak)

Former Panic Ensemble frontwoman has a voice like Niva Nielsen and dissects subject matter like a spurned Fiona Apple on her sweeping solo debut, Boutique.

My Sweet Canary Ensemble (Wed., 7:30pm, Central Presbyterian Church)

Three old-time musicians from Greece, Turkey, and Israel perform the works of Greek Jewish legend Rosa Eskenazi.

Borgore (Wed., 12mid, Parish)

Tel Aviv DJ takes brostep to the Holy Land.

Acollective (Wed., 9pm, the Loft)

Sevenpiece grab bag of instruments and styles is Tel Aviv's iteration of Austin's East Cameron Folkcore.

Balkan Beat Box (Fri., 12:45am, Speakeasy; Sat., 11:15pm, the Stage on Sixth Patio)

Former members of Gogol Bordello and clever rapper Tomer Yosef combine gypsy music, dancehall, and hip-hop to spark the wildest party south of the Gaza Strip.

Iudm (Wed., 10pm, the Loft)

Sevenpiece metal troupe throws nods to Evanescence, Metallica, and System of a Down, has a loose cannon in singer Orit Schachaf.

Fresh Canadians

by Kevin Curtin

3 Inches of Blood (Thu., 12:30am, Scoot Inn)

Vancouver veterans 3 Inches of Blood are today's Iron Maiden. Destroy orks!

Uncle Bad Touch (Fri., 1am, Spill; Sat., 8pm, Club de Ville)

This fuzzy, lo-fi Montreal threepiece makes its name with a loud, hard rocking live show equal parts garage and prog.

Humans (Sat., 12mid, Maggie Mae's)

A mellow electronic duo from East Vancouver that fuses analog sounds and driving beats with live vocals for a unique mix.

Sweden Brings the Strange

by Michael Bertin

Bombettes (Thu., 8pm, B.D. Riley's)

The Go-Go's meet the Runaways at a song called "Cock Rock."

Vanbot (Wed., 10pm, Buca Lounge; Thu., 11pm, Deseo Centro Lounge)

Anagram for Robyn (not Mongo).

Taken by Trees (Thu., 10pm, Mohawk)

Waifish folkstress Victoria Bergsman is probably most recognizable as the female voice in Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks."

Anna Ihlis (Wed., 11pm, 18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn)

Björk-y in that breathy staccato way, only with more piano and without the weirdness.

Korallreven (Thu., 11pm, Hype Hotel)

Marcus Joons moved back home from Samoa, and a day after playing soccer with Daniel Tjader, the two started recording synthy songs.

Miike Snow (Thu., 12mid, Lustre Pearl)

Bouyant mod Euro-fizz, which is also a refreshing drink!

Agnes Mercedes (Wed., 12mid, the Hideout)

We need to access the voices in her head.

Thus: Owls (Wed., 8pm, Spill)

Sort of dark. Cold. Thus: Nordic.

Sofia Talvik (Fri., 12mid, Stephen F's Bar)

Of all the voices – and man, they seem to issue them at birth to Swedish women – Talvik has the most faith in hers in an "I don't need a theatrical gimmick" kind of way.

You Say France & I Whistle (Fri., 9pm, the Loft)

Name's taken from one of Van Morrison's silly impromtu songs for his Contractual Obligation recordings. Sort of a cross between Los Campesinos! and Poi Dog Pondering.

Niki & the Dove (Fri., 1am, Red 7)

Malin Dahlström fronting her electro pop duo.

Park Hotell (Friday, 9:20pm, Treasure Island)

Avskurna Händerna (tack, Googles översätta).

Solander (Wed., 9:30pm, St David's Bethell Hall)

You can almost feel the winter in this indie-folk trio's work. Impressive.