Richard HolmesSong
Cleveland Metal
Artist
Midnight
Midnight backstory
Launching out of Cleveland, Ohio back in 2003, Midnight quickly gained a cult following for their high octane Motörpunk and Venomous speed metal.
More than 20 years later, mainman Athenar is riding higher than ever: 2025’s Hellish Expectations was one of our albums of the year, and ever more ‘violators’ are being drawn to Midnight’s unholy cause.
This spring, Athenar is paying his respects to his local scene, with the Steel, Rust And Disgust collection. Boasting two original songs – the title track and Cleveland Metal – the album will be dominated by covers of Ohio acts such as legendary hellraiser Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, revered punks Dead Boys, Synastryche, Kratos, Electric Eeels, David Allan Coe, Rocket From The Tombs, False Hope and Rubber City Rebels.
“The idea to record an album of all cover jams with a certain theme is nothing quite new,” says Athenar of the album. “The original title for this album was gonna be Throw Ups as an homage to the David Bowie’s Pin Ups album, also of covers. Although Throw Ups is only two syllables, and I need six. I guess I could’ve called it Throw Downs Throw Outs Throw Ups, but that would just be fucking stupid.
“I just wanted to record some songs by bands who shared the same sights, sounds and sewage of my region of birth,” he continues. “Some of these tunes you may have heard, some you may have not. So please, do yourself a favour and check out the original versions… if you want to transform into a total fucking slimebag that is!”
In Athenar’s own words
“‘Cleveland’ and ‘metal’. Those two words flow together like molten steel. This title was directly taken from a compilation album of the same name released in 1983 on Clubside Records, pre–Auburn Records.
“The song was written as an erotic love letter to the cursed city whence I was thrusted upon and its fellow inhabitants of subhumans.”
The verdict on Cleveland Metal
Athenar has been knocking out anti-anthems like there’s no tomorrow in recent years… and Cleveland Metal is up there with the likes of F.O.A.L. (Fuck Off And Live) and Fucking Speed And Darkness as a blistering example of the man’s talent.
The grit, the spit, the spurts of pure adrenaline… they’re all there, just as you’d expect.
Indeed, this catchy cut is a fitting homage to Athenar’s birthplace. It reeks of dive bars and tastes of steel.
And it’s sure to be in Midnight’s sonic armoury, as the band torches the globe once again this year.
What’s next for Midnight?
Steel, Rust And Disgust will be released on May 23 via Metal Blade Records. The band also have a string of European dates lined up in 2025, including performances at the Underground Gathering Festival in Leipzig on May 31, the Metal Fields festival in Wisen, Austria on July 25 and 26 and London’s New Cross Inn on August 1.