Its a crying shame that tonight local art-metal sextet Smooth Sailing must compete against the staggering line-up that is the Metalliance Tour at El Corazon. Having ones CD release party fall on the same evening that St. Vitus, Helmet, Red Fang and Crowbar (among others) roll into town must be a shade heartbreaking, but if these kids truly live up to their potential, the night they had to go toe-to-toe with their formidable predecessors will be but a humorous footnote. XOXO is hands-down one of the best local metal releases of 2011: a challenging, beautiful sprawl of intensely technical metal that hits the ears like a satanic symphony penned by Slint and conducted by Godspeed! You Black Emperor. With Anadonia, Into the Storm, Oven Rake. HANNAH LEVIN
Fri., April 1, 10 p.m., 2011
