Death, doom and evil have been heavy metal’s trinity ever since Black Sabbath linked din to the demonic in 1970, but no band has distilled the darkside down to a more noxious sonic venom than SLAYER. Since 1983, this L.A. quartet has set a notorious standard for its brutally rendered depictions of all-too-real violence and destruction. But there’s more to Slayer than charnel-house lyrics. Over the years, the band’s thrashing speed-metal has mutated into a multifaceted onslaught of ever-shifting meters, otherworldly sonorities and savagely virtuosic ensemble interplay that has few peers. Slayer’s upcoming LP “Diabolus in Musica” doesn’t break any new stylistic ground, but it vividly showcases the band’s often astonishing fury. Slayer performs Monday at Metro. (Sold Out)
THE A LIST
Kraftwerk, Wednesday at the Riviera Theatre: Kraftwerk arguably was the only band ever to influence prog-rock and disco, and its cold, repetitive, minimalist electro-pop was the very antithesis of rock ‘n’ roll in the early ’70s. Yet the Arctic allure of Kraftwerk’s aesthetic continues to creep like frostbite through pop music’s veins. It’s been a while since the band recorded any new music, but this is still a major event. 4746 N. Racine Ave. 312-559-1212.
Leo Kottke, Saturday at the College of DuPage: A dazzling finger-picking guitarist, Leo Kottke has consistently kept his records and performances fresh and intriguing with his penchant for unexpected covers, slyly unorthodox originals and black-humored songs sung in a deep voice that’s drier than a drought-scorched August pond. A must. 425 22nd St., Glen Ellyn. 630-942-4000.
Olu Dara, late show Friday at Schubas: You need either a lot of chutzpah or an encyclopedic musical background to encompass the entire African musical diaspora in your repertoire. Fortunately, Olu Dara possesses both. Having worked with Art Blakey, Sam Rivers, Taj Mahal and James “Blood” Ulmer, this Mississippi-born cornetist/guitarist is up to the task of mingling Afro-Cuban pop, blues, New Orleans street jazz and hip-hop on his fine debut LP “In the World: From Natchez to New York.” 3159 N. Southport Ave. 773-525-2508.
Kieran Kane, early show Friday at Schubas: Once a successful cog in the C&W music machine, singer/songwriter Kieran Kane opted out to found his invigorating Nashville label Dead Reckoning, which showcases country songwriting unbeholden to formula, either mainstream or alternative. Kane’s great new LP “Six Months, No Sun” ranges through gospel, jangly pop and Parisian bleu-grass without ever losing its connection to tradition. 3159 N. Southport Ave. 773-525-2508.
Los Amigos Invisibles, Friday at the Double Door: Of all the bizarre musical couplings of the post-modern ’90s, few are more surprising than the Stereolab-meets-Wild Cherry futurist disco of these Venezuelans. Though Los Amigos Invisibles are simply out for a good time and a packed dance floor, their fusion of raw ’70s booty groove and cool, spacey Latino techno feels good on both the ears and the hips. 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-489-3160.
Paul Kelly, Wednesday at the Double Door: The self-effacing title of Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly’s fine new LP “Words and Music” pinpoints why this talented 20-year journeyman isn’t a bigger star. Kelly’s music uses little more than drums and guitars to deliver songs stamped with indelible melodies and lyrics that consistently shun the trite and familiar. 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-489-3160.
Uzeda, Saturday at the Empty Bottle: On its new LP “Different Section Wires,” Sicily’s Uzeda hammers out a classic, Steve Albini-ish clang of mangled sheet-metal guitar and pummeling bass. But if the sound is familiar, the approach isn’t. Draped like razor-wire over frighteningly taut rhythms, Uzeda’s bristling attack uncoils with a blend of precision and ferocity that seamlessly crosses punk with the avant-garde. 1035 N. Western Ave. 773-276-3600.
Walter Williams Band, Friday at Lounge Ax: Nope, it’s not a misprint. These 20-year regulars of myriad Chicago watering holes are bringing their ’70s country-rock to the Mecca of cool. What next, Ouray? Heartsfield? 2438 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-525-6620.
Other Concerts
Everclear, Thursday at the Aragon Ballroom: Everclear’s rapid transformation from second-tier grunge hacks into sophisticated punk-pop tunesmiths is a testament either to frontman Art Alexakis’ precocious musical skills or his knack for staying one step ahead of the trends. Though the band’s latest LP “So Much for the Afterglow” musters a more ambitious high-watt eclecticism than ’95’s “Sparkle & Fade,” there are fewer memorable hooks. 1106 W. Lawrence Ave. 312-559-1212.
Savatage, Thursday at Metro: One of heavy metal’s dirty little secrets is that its lion-maned welders are often first-rate instrumentalists, which explains why many gravitate towards symphonic conceptualism as they “mature.” These veteran howlers are a case in point, and the latest in their florid series of prog-metal operettas, “The Wake of Magellan” finally gives headbangers their very own “Pirates of Penzance.” 3730 N. Clark St. 773-549-0203.
Also: Jerry Jeff Walker, Friday at House of Blues; Robert Gordon, Friday at FitzGerald’s.
