New Year’s Eve The Sinkhole w/ Sarkatha, Mindclot, Nite Sprites, and Trashgoat | The Sinkhole, 7423 S Broadway | $10 | All ages
As the biggest party night of the year approaches, metalheads and punks often find themselves frustrated with the lack of programming catering to their subcultures. This year, the Sinkhole will be hosting a show designed for those looking for something more raw and primal than the ‘90s cover band or DJ set that are the typical fare of New Year’s Eve music events in the city. The Sinkhole’s NYE show will feature performances by bands in a variety of styles, including black metal (Trashgoat), metallic hardcore (Mindclot), speed metal (Sarkatha), and hard rock (Nite Sprites).
Taelor Beeck, owner of the St. Louis booking agency Midwest Metal Punks, helped with recruiting the bands for the upcoming show. Beeck is known for attracting high quality extreme metal and punk bands to the Sinkhole, Off Broadway, Platypus, and other independent venues throughout the city. Notably, she booked Antichrist Siege Machine and Miasmatic Necrosis at the Sinkhole on December 13th.
“I’m not a huge fan of going out on New Year’s Eve, as I find that most events are overcrowded and overpriced,” said Beeck. “I wanted to create an event that was financially accessible and catered to those of us looking for a different experience to ring in the new year.”
The idea for the NYE show originated from a conversation between Beeck and Matt Stuttler, owner of the Sinkhole and bassist for Nite Sprites. Although Beeck primarily books extreme metal acts, they decided that the show should appeal to “rockers of all walks of life.”
“I love a mixed bill show, as it brings different scenes together that might not normally integrate with one another,” said Beeck. “Not only do you get more of a draw that way, you also open people’s minds to things outside of their own realm.”
Nite Sprites consists of Jake Jokes (guitar), Kevin Insinna (drums), Taylor Fogel (keyboards and vocals), Ray Kannenberg (guitar and vocals), and Matt Suttler (bass and vocals). The members of Nite Sprites have experience in several local bands, including Glory ‘N Perfection, Shitstorm, and the vampire-themed heavy metal band Dracla, all of which have played at the Sinkhole over the years. Nite Sprites describes their sound as “pretty straight-up rock and roll,” citing influences such as Thin Lizzy and Steely Dan, with a particular emphasis on the dual lead guitar harmonies of the former. They have played at a variety of events and festivals throughout the city this past year, including Cinco de Mayo on Cherokee and the annual Whiskey War Festival at the South Broadway Athletic Club. The band has a three-track demo EP available on their Bandcamp page and is currently writing material for a full-length album.
Trashgoat is a relatively new arrival to the St. Louis metal scene. Founding members Ethan (drums) and Jude (vocals) first met at Abbath and Obituary’s co-headlining show at the former Ready Room in October 2019; the duo later recruited guitarist Andrew and bassist Zach to round out their lineup. They describe their music as “medieval-sounding black metal” in the vein of bands like Enthroned, Emperor, and Sargeist, and also take influence from the more thrash-oriented early pioneers of the genre, such as Bathory, Venom, and Hellhammer. The band has several demo songs available on their Soundcloud page; much like St. Louis black metal royalty Stormruler, their song titles and lyrics appear heavily inspired by the video game series Dark Souls. The members of Trashgoat have previously performed at the Sinkhole, and are regulars at Midwest Metal Punks’ programming throughout the city.
“I booked their first show in August, and they’ve continued to grow immensely since then,” said Midwest Metal Punks’ Beeck of Trashgoat. “They’re also some of my most devout attendees, so I try to hook them up with shows when I can. They’re bringing the element of true satanic metal to the show, which is obviously necessary.”
Mindclot is a St. Louis crust punk band featuring vocalist Mike Mutersbaugh, drummer Eric Scherer, guitarist Keith Clements, and bassist Scott Rehme. They play in a style of metallic hardcore commonly known as D-Beat, named for the distinctive drum pattern popularized by iconic British crust punk band Discharge. Mindclot has played with many of the best underground metal bands in St. Louis, including Extinctionism, Coffin Fit, and Bloodspawn. The band recently released a 7-track EP titled Illness, which can be listened to through the YouTube channel Felopunk and is also available on their Bandcamp page.
The final act of the evening, Sarkatha of Lawrence, KS, is the only band from outside of St. Louis. The band grew out of jam sessions between drummer Adrian Cullen and guitarist/vocalist Eli Mardis, who later recruited Jack Bryan as their bassist. They describe their sound as “blackened speed metal” and “rock without mercy,” counting bands like Motörhead, Celtic Frost, and Sepultura among their inspirations. The band has spent much of the past year playing at bars and house shows around Lawrence, with the DIY venue the Toilet Bowl being a favorite venue. Sarkatha is currently working on an EP that they expect to release in early 2023; in the meantime, they recommend that people check out the music video for their song “Gehenna”.
The performances at Saturday’s show will start at 8:00PM. Taelor Beeck will be bartending and acting as emcee for the evening, which will include a champagne/sparkling juice toast at midnight.
“This is the only NYE event in town that is catered to those who love rock and roll,” said Taelor Beeck. “If you’ve been to one of my shows, you know it will be worthy of your presence. If you haven’t, this is your chance.”
“Chaos, speed, blood, no mercy,” declared Eli Mardis of Sarkatha. “The dawn of 2023 will be baptized in fire, high-speed d-beats and shreddery from the most extreme band out of Lawrence fucking Kansas. Top-tier underground acts Trashgoat, Mindclot, and Nite Sprites will bring the heat with their devilish revelry as well. Prepare for true rock without mercy, beware and be there!” | David Von Nordheim
