It was almost two months ago now, but Naam‘s performance at Desertfest in London still stands out to me as a highlight of that weekend. That wasn’t the first exposure I had to their new album, Vow (review here), but I definitely felt like I got a new level of appreciation for the space rock push of that material by seeing it live, and it’s made the record that much more of a joy to live with since.

That being the case, as I post this press release of newly-announced North American Naam dates, please consider it coming with my recommendation to check out the band live should you get the chance. I feel like they’re a better band than people know at this point, and since they just got back from doing two months in Europe, I can only imagine they’re even tighter than they were when I saw them. Really. If you get to go, you should go.

Here’s the info and dates:

NAAM ANNOUNCE US TOUR IN SUPPORT OF NEW LP, “VOW”

NAAM has announced US touring in support of the newly released Vow LP via Tee Pee Records.

Naam’s Vow, opens yet another chapter for this Brooklyn-based heavy psych band, breaking new ground both sonically and progressively. Dark melodic tones, vocal harmonies, and heavy synthesizer presence accompany the listener in the shift towards Naam’s astral plane. As deep, doom-ridden tones and tribal drums accompany the acid-casualty grooves and freakouts of Naam past, Naam future presents not only a more progressive and developed concept through music, but also through the concept of spirituality.

The band just finished up a long tour throughout Europe and are set to bring songs from their heavy and heady masterpiece to US crowds.

Naam on tour!
Jul. 06 New York, NY – Studio at Webster Hall
Jul. 07 Montreal, QC – iL Motore
Jul. 09 Toronto, ON – Wreck Room
Jul. 10 Rochester, NY – Bug Jar
Jul. 11 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
Jul. 12 Columbus, OH – Double Happiness
Jul. 13 Grand Rapids, MI – Pyramid Scheme
Jul. 14 Chicago, IL – Reggie’s
Jul. 15 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock
Jul. 16 Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s Oasis
Jul. 18 Winnipeg, MN – Windsor Hotel
Jul. 20 Edmonton, ON Pawn Shop (w/ Weedeater)
Jul. 21 Calgary, AB – Palomino
Jul. 23 Vancouver, BC – Astoria
Jul. 24 Seattle, WA – Highline
Jul. 26 Portland, OR – The Know
Jul. 31 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
Aug. 01 Tempe, AZ – Rocky Point Cantina
Aug. 05 Lawrence, KS – Czar Bar
Aug. 06 Oklahoma, City OK – Conservatory
Aug. 07 Dallas, TX – Club Dada
Aug. 11 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Aug. 18 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus Bar

Naam, “In the Hour” from Vow

In just over a month’s time, Baltimore heavy psych rockers The Flying Eyes will be making a return trip to Europe for an extended, two-month tour. Joined for the majority of the trek by like-minded Brooklyn duo Golden Animals, the four-piece are out supporting their newly-released third album, Lowlands (you can see their video for the track “Under Iron Feet” here), while Golden Animals will be marking the issue of their new full-length, Hear Eye Go.

So although both acts have records they’re pushing, a month-plus on the road together is an occasion worth marking, and they’re doing exactly that with the release of a new split 7″ single on H42 Records. Set for release Aug. 1 — the same day The Flying Eyes‘ tour begins, by amazing coincidence — in an edition of 400 hand-numbered copies in red, black or “weird clear,” “Raise Hell”/”Never was Her Name” gives just a quickie sampling of where each band is at and provides lucky Euro-type showgoers with something to remember the tour by.

The Flying Eyes‘ contribution “Raise Hell” strikes first with an engaging sub-retro classic rock fuzz shuffle, stomping out the lines “Show me how to pray/So I can raise some hell” for a chorus that sounds like it’s ready to do just that, and Golden Animals‘ “Never was Her Name” offers a brief, two-minute meditation on its title line and amid meandering psychedelic guitar, the two-piece honing a moody sensibility that’s not at all cornball in its theatricality. H42 Records will start taking pre-orders shortly for 90 copies, while the rest will be available at shows only.

Today I have the extreme pleasure of hosting both “Raise Hell” and “Never was Her Name” for streaming. You’ll find them on the player below, followed by the dates and more info on the upcoming European tour. I hope you enjoy and get to use these songs as a springboard to check out Golden Animals and The Flying Eyes‘ new records :

[mp3player width=480 height=200 config=fmp_jw_widget_config.xml playlist=the-flying-eyes-golden-animals.xml]

The Flying Eyes Over Europe 2013

THE FLYING EYES are a heavy, psychedelic rock band hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. Their name comes from a 1962 science fiction novel about giant, disembodied eyes that descend from outer space to control humanity. They have achieved a notable following in Europe with sold out club tours and highlights including: the Burg Herzberg Festival (sharing the main stage with Jeff Beck and Hawkwind), an appearance on the legendary Rockpalast television show, the Orange Blossom Special festival (DE), Stoned From The Underground (DE) and Trutnov Open Air (CZ). They recently finished their album “Lowlands” (produced by Rob Girardi and mixed by “Frenchie” Smith who discovered them at SXSW), which was paid for entirely through the support of their loyal social media following.

Modern-day psychedelic pioneers, GOLDEN ANIMALS, are a rock duo formed in Brooklyn, but owe much of their sound and vision to the 3 years they spent submerged in the rattling, secluded heat waves of the Southern Cali Desert. Their sound is a dead-ahead, no bullshit, loud, minimalist vehicle for strikingly well crafted, powerful songs. Referencing influences from Billie Holiday to Dr. John to Lou Reed to The Doors with many stops between, they believe in the simple as a means to the powerful.

01.08.2013 – DE Leipzig, Plaque
02.08.2013 – DE Bad Kötzting, Voidfest
03.08.2013 – DE Stuttgart, Zwölfzehn
04.08.2013 – DE Dresden, Chemiefabrik
06.08.2013 – DE Halle/Saale, Hühnermanhattan
07.08.2013 – DE Berlin, Festsaal Kreuzberg
08.08.2013 – DE Frankfurt/M., Nachtleben
09.08.2013 – CH Vinelz, Open Air am Bieler See
10.08.2013 – CH Sargans, Out In The Gurin
13.08.2013 – DE Kassel, H.Schmiede
14.08.2013 – DE Riegsee, Raut Oak Open Air (private)
15.08.2013 – DE Ludwigshafen, Club London Underground
16.08.2013 – DE Nürnberg, Misty Mountain Festival
17.08.2013 – DE Groß Lindow, Open Air Groß Lindow
19.08.2013 – PL Szczecin, Morion*
20.08.2013 – PL Zielona Gora, Rock-Out*
21.08.2013 – PL Poznan, Pod Minoga*
22.08.2013 – PL Gdynia, Desdemona*
23.08.2013 – PL Warszawa, Harenda*
24.08.2013 – PL Krakow, Kawiarnia Naukowa*
28.08.2013 – CZ Prague, Klub 007 Strahov*
29.08.2013 – DE Jena, Black Night *
30.08.2013 – DE Schüttorf, Komplex*
31.08.2013 – BE Brussels, DNA Café *
01.09.2013 – BE Wortel, Jeugdklub ‘t Slot*
02.09.2013 – DE Hannover, Mephisto @ faust *
03.09.2013 – DE Bremen, Meisenfrei*
04.09.2013 – DE Bielefeld, Forum*
05.09.2013 – DE Ahaus, Logo *
06.09.2013 – DE Siegen, Vortex*
07.09.2013 – DE Hamburg, Haus III70*
09.09.2013 – DE Freiburg, White Rabbit *
10.09.2013 – DE München, Backstage *
11.09.2013 – IT Milano, Lo-Fi *
15.09.2013 – IT Roma, Sinister Noise *
17.09.2013 – CH Genève, Le Kab *
18.09.2013 – ES Barcelona, Rocksound*
19.09.2013 – ES Madrid, La Boite*
20.09.2013 – ES Leon, Taberna Belfast*
21.09.2013 – ES Hondarribia, Psilocybenea*
23.09.2013 – FR Chambéry, Brin De Zinc *
24.09.2013 – DE Konstanz, Kulturladen*
27.09.2013 – DE Kiel, Schaubude*
28.09.2013 – SE Gothenburg, Showdown *
29.09.2013 – DK Copenhagen, Loppen *
* = w/ Golden Animals

The Flying Eyes on Thee Facebooks

Golden Animals on Thee Facebooks

H42 Records

Saint Vitus originally released V on Hellhound Records in 1990. For the subsequent 22 years until the release of 2012’s Lillie: F-65, it served as the doom legends’ final album with Scott “Wino” Weinrich on vocals. He was replaced by Christian “Chritus” Linderson (now of Goatess and Lord Vicar) for 1992’s C.O.D. and original singer Scott Reagers would make a return on 1995’s Die Healing. Meanwhile, Wino himself went on to reform The Obsessed and release Lunar Womb and The Church Within in 1991 and 1994.

A Southern Lord reissue in 2004 — when the label was arguably at its most doomed with releases relatively concurrent by Goatsnake, SunnO))), Sourvein, Earthride and Place of Skulls, among others — helped bring V to the attention of a generation of heads who comprised a post-internet market not previously exposed to it. The next year’s revisit to 1990’s Live would only further the band’s resurgent reach. As such, when at the start of the 2013 clip of “Patra (Petra),” Wino says Saint Vitus have had a lot of requests for it, it’s not such a surprise. True, it’s not a standout cut like “Ice Monkey” or “I Bleed Black,” but with V winding up as a landmark in the band’s catalog, it makes sense that a track like “Patra (Petra)” would find an audience 23 years down the line.

This footage was shot in Bologna, Italy, on March 23 at the Zona Riveri. Saint Vitus is Wino on vocals, Dave Chandler on guitar, Mark Adams on bass and Henry Vasquez on drums, and the band was touring with Mos Generator at the time in support of Lillie: F-65.

Please enjoy “Patra (Petra)” and have a great Wino Wednesday as we continue to the countdown to the 100th edition.

Saint Vitus, “Patra (Petra)” Live at Zona Riveri, Bologna, 2013

Anybody remember that scene in Independence Day when Will Smith suckerpunched that alien in the face and said “Welcome to Erf?” like human beings are all tough and these aliens who just jetted across the galaxy to try and mess with us were chumps? I’ve never seen Philly twosome Sadgiqacea before but I imagine that catching them on the Fourth of July would probably feel something like being punched in the face. Only with volume. Welcome to Erf.

Sadgiqacea (which is pronounced “sadji-whozawhatsits”) are out supporting their Candlelight Records debut, False Prism, and if you ever wanted to know what a long-ass tour looks like, it features two shows in Jersey:

SADGIQACEA: Rigorous U.S. Summer Tour Begins Next Week

With the release of their debut LP False Prism still fresh, Philadelphia-based spiritualistic sludge duo SADGIQACEA will embark on a rigorous tour of the country beginning on the 4th of July, just a week and a half away.

SADGIQACEA draws from a melting pot of influences that together presents a lush yet tension-filled sound. Their unique and intriguing debut full-length, False Prism, was recorded and produced by Chris Grigg (Woe), a forty-minute audio journey bearing four mammoth songs sparring use of overdubs to preserve the authentic recording quality of their live performances. False Prism was released via Candlelight on CD and limited edition vinyl via Anthropic Records in May.

Following sporadic, regional shows supporting the release of the record, SADGIQACEA will take on as much of the country as possible this Summer as their brutal forty-two date trek with brethren Hivelords kicks off on Independence Day. View the full tour itinerary below and watch for additional updates on the band to be posted in the coming days.

SADGIQACEA 2013 Summer Tour w/ Hivelords:
7/04/2013 Sex Dungeon – Lindenwold, NJ
7/05/2013 Meat Locker – Montclair, NJ
7/06/2013 The Acheron – Brooklyn, NY
7/07/2013 Munchouse – Providence, RI
7/08/2013 Charlie’s Kitchen – Boston, MA
7/09/2013 St. John Basement Venue – Portland, ME
7/10/2013 Wilder Zangcraft – Lowell, MA
7/11/2013 Ralph’s Diner – Worcester, MA
7/12/2013 Reg Studio Theater – Jamestown, NY
7/13/2013 Rock Room – Pittsburgh, PA
7/14/2013 Bourbon Street Café – Columbus, OH
7/15/2013 Melody Inn – Indianapolis, IN
7/16/2013 Cobra Lounge – Chicago, IL
7/17/2013 The Wisco – Madison, WI
7/18/2013 The P.I. – Wausau, WI
7/19/2013 Nomad Pub – Minneapolis, MN
7/20/2013 Vaudeville Mewws – Des Moines, IA
7/21/2013 The Hideout – Omaha, NE
7/22/2013 Bad Haus – Kansas City, MO
7/23/2013 Kirby’s Beer Store – Wichita, KS
7/24/2013 Lost Lake – Denver, CO
7/25/2013 Burt’s Tiki Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
7/26/2013 The Shredder – Boise, ID
7/27/2013 Kraken Bar – Seattle, WA
7/28/2013 The Know – Portland, OR
7/29/2013 Tiny Tavern – Eugene, OR
7/30/2013 Hemlock Tavern – San Francisco, CA
7/31/2013 Alex’s Bar – Long Beach, CA
8/01/2013 The Dive Bar – Las Vegas – CA
8/02/2013 District Tavern – Tucson – AZ
8/03/2013 Train Yard – Las Cruces – NM
8/04/2013 TBA – San Antonio, TX
8/05/2013 Dirty Dog – Austin – TX
8/06/2013 The Big Top – New Orleans, LA
8/07/2013 Atmosphere Bar – Tallahassee, FL
8/08/2013 Epic Problem – Tampa, FL
8/09/2013 The Fountainblueeuuarghh – Miami, FL
8/10/2013 TBA – Orlando, FL
8/11/2013 Shantytown – Jacksonville, FL
8/12/2013 TBA – Columbia, SC
8/13/2013 Courtroom At Getty’s – Rock Hill, SC
8/14/2013 The Milestone – Charlotte, NC
8/15/2013 Roger’s – Chesapeake, VA
8/16/2013 TBA – Richmond, VA
8/17/2013 The Kyber – Philadelphia, PA

Sadgiqacea, “The Spoils of Harvest”

One of my very favorite aspects of Grails is seeing what people call them. Because of all the many bands out there, the eclectic Portland outfit are among the most purposefully genre-less, and just when you think you’ve got a handle on what they’re doing, they delight in slipping that grip. They’re headed out on their first North American tour in two years — their last full-length was 2011’s Deep Politics (review here) and they released a split with Pharaoh Overlord last year on Kemado — and they’ll be bringing side-project Lilacs and Champagne and Wreckmeister Harmonies along on the trip.

Also sprach the PR wire:

GRAILS ANNOUNCE US TOUR

HEADING OUT FOR FIRST NORTH AMERICAN DATES IN 2 YEARS WITH LILACS & CHAMPAGNE AND WREKMEISTER HARMONIES

The Portland-based out-rock/crate-digger quartet Grails have announced their first US tour in nearly two years. The dates, which primarily focus on major cities along the east coast, directly precede the band’s previously announced appearance at Kentucky’s coveted Boomslang Festival (full tour dates below). Grails are noted and respected not only for their unique and meticulous composition style, but also for their virtuosic instrumental prowess and riveting live shows. The scarcity of their performances renders attendance at these shows a veritable necessity.

Joining the group will be Lilacs & Champagne, the production moniker of Grails members Alex Hall and Emil Amos, who just dropped a video for “Sensations” from last year’s self-titled album on Mexican Summer, and Wrekmeister Harmonies, the musical mantle of Chicago-based multimedia composer JR Robinson, whose recent Thrill Jockey LP You’ve Always Meant So Much To Me bridges the chasm between minimalist neoclassical and blackened doom to harrowing and gorgeous results.

GRAILS TOUR DATES (all with Wrekmeister Harmonies and Lilacs & Champagne except where noted):
Sep 10 Nashville, TN The End
Sep 11 Atlanta, GA The Earl
Sep 12 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Sep 13 Baltimore, MD Metro Gallery
Sep 14 Philadelphia, PA Boot and Saddle
Sep 15 New York, NY St Vitus
Sep 16 Boston, MA Great Scott
Sep 17 Montreal, QC Il Motore
Sep 18 Toronto, ON The Drake
Sep 19 Detroit, MI Magic Stick Lounge
Sep 20 Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen
Sep 21 Lexington, KY Boomslang Festival *(only Grails)

Grails, “I Led Three Lives!” official video

When last we left them, London-based stoner rockers Steak were fighting an evil slave baron named Lazarus. At least that was the setup from the four-piece’s 2012 debut EP, Disastronaught (review here), an engagingly heavy and righteously fuzzed first outing from the band, who made no bones about who they were or what they wanted to be musically, embracing the desert roots of Kyuss and the subsequent expansion of the style by European outfits like Dozer and Truckfighters. The latter act plays a pivotal role on the follow-up to Disastronaught as well, since the five-track, why-would-anyone-else-ever-try-to-top-this-title Corned Beef Colossus EP was recorded and mixed in Sweden by Truckfighters’ own Oskar Cedermalm and Niklas Källgren at their Studio Bombshelter in Örebro, and Källgren even donates some lead guitar to the opening cut, “Black Milk.” Steak toured with Truckfighters last year in support of the first EP, so that their stamp would show up isn’t necessarily a surprise, but what’s most encouraging about the self-released Corned Beef Colossus – aside from that title, which wins whatever contest you want to put it in – is how much Steak emerges sounding like themselves, playing off influences rather than playing to them. The new collection also picks up the comic book-style narrative of the prior release, which, in keeping consistent with the last review, I present here in its full text:

As the darkness deepens in Cyclone City, its oppressed people languish under the control of the evil Lazarus.

A fight back is taking place led by the band of brothers known as Steak. The unlikely heroes are heading up an underground resistance to take on the might of Lazarus and his army of Doom Riders and are proving to be a thorn in the side of this repressive machine.

Back in his lair, the evil Lazarus and his villainous Professor Griz have been using the flesh of human slaves to create his sickest killer yet, The Corned Beef Colossus. Finding Steak in one of their favoured illegal drinking dens, the Colossus unleashes his might in an epic battle.

Have Steak met their meaty match? Will Large pull through and is this four armed stranger here to stay?

The story continues…

The line “Will Large pull through,” would seem to be a reference to now-former drummer Dan Kinsey, who’s been replaced by newcomer Sammy, who seems to be unrepresented in the artwork. Nonetheless, Sammy joins the returning lineup of vocalist Kippa, guitarist Reece Tee (also of DesertScene and the Desertfest) and bassist Cam, all three showing a clear development sonically from where they were a year ago. Bolstered by the richness of its production, Corned Beef Colossus excellently balances tonal weight and motion of groove, and where Disastronaught was a strong opening statement, the tracks “Black Milk, “Liquid Gold,” “Glanshammar,” “Whiskey Mule” and “Acid Dave” affirm the band as finding their own niche within the current, crowded sphere of British heavy rock and emerging as one of their scene’s most satisfying acts.

So yes, “The story continues,” but it also keeps in some degree to the same parameters as last time out. While Steak have unquestionably grown within their sound, they haven’t made an attempt to fix what wasn’t broken from last time out, and as a companion piece to Disastronaught, Corned Beef Colossus maintains the straightforward structural sensibility of its predecessor. The cuts here also continue a lot of the charm present in the material last time out, songs working efficiently to maximize their impact over the course of the EP’s relatively-quick 26 minutes. “Black Milk” and “Liquid Gold” make a particularly effective opening duo, each with a distinct mood and feel, but a consistent strength in its hook – Kippa’s vocals reinforcing the rhythms set forth by the guitar but beginning to show some melodic breadth of their own, especially on “Liquid Gold” – while the guest lead from Källgren adds further distinction to the leadoff on “Black Milk.” His tone should be readily recognizable for anyone who heard Truckfighters’ last outing, 2009’s Mania, but he sits in well alongside Reece and Cam in the second half of the song, rejoined by the vocals for a final chorus toward the conclusion. Though it’s working in a mood if its own, somewhat darker, with the vocals further back in the mix, “Liquid Gold” is perhaps the most tonally satisfying track on Corned Beef Colossus, proffering a near-overdose of bass from Cam as an undercurrent of low end for the drums to slice through en route to punctuating and, eventually, driving, the groove in the chorus. Reece seems to be taking cues from Källgren in the final minute’s solo, but it works well in the fade-out ending, which leads to the Kyuss-derived centerpiece “Glanshammar,” also the shortest cut here at 3:26 where everything else hovers between five minutes and the 6:34 of “Liquid Gold.”

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Talk to Tony Reed for about 30 seconds and you’re going to know he’s a pretty self sufficient guy, so it’s not much of a surprise he’d start selling his own wares sooner or later. The guitarist/vocalist of Mos Generator, Stone Axe and HeavyPink has opened a webshop for HeavyHead, his own imprint, where he’s selling items from his bands (I still have some HeavyPink 7″s left as well), including what looks like an exclusive in the form of a Mos Generator bootleg CDR recorded in 2006.

Mos Generator also have a new live album coming recorded on their most recent European tour. Details follow courtesy of the PR wire:

Tony Reed (Mos Generator / Stone Axe / HeavyPink) Opens HeavyHead SuperStore

Renowned heavy rock musician and engineer Tony Reed (Mos Generator, Stone Axe, HeavyPink) has launched HeavyHead SuperStore, the official merch site for Mos Generator, Stone Axe, HeavyPink and other Reed-related bands.

The store offers CD, vinyl, t-shirts and other assorted items from Reed’s many projects, many of which can only be found at HeavyHead. Items exclusive to HeavyHead SuperStore include rare live recordings from the vaults of Mos Generator and more. To check out the selection, visit heavyheadsuperstore.storenvy.com.

In other news, Mos Generator will be releasing a live album recorded in Germany on the band’s last European tour. The album is expected to see the light of day later this summer through Holland’s Lay Bare Recordings. More details to come.

heavyheadsuperstore.storenvy.com
www.facebook.com/MosGenerator
www.facebook.com/pages/STONE-AXE/186663969482

Tony Reed, “Forever My Queen” (Pentagram Cover)

It was a really, really busy weekend. I’m glad to say I did actually get to stand still for a bit and watch each of the 19 acts performing at Days of the Doomed III at The Blue Pig in Cudahy, Wisconsin, but I was just as likely to be parking myself somewhere to pop open the laptop or back and forth in front of the stage taking pics.

At one point, one of the dudes working at the venue said to me while I had the computer open, “You’re supposed to be enjoying yourself, not working.”

And it occurred to me that this is how I enjoy myself.

A 20-minute break between each band didn’t leave much wriggle room to go searching for the perfect shot of each band and still give the actual set the clacky-clacky it deserved. As such, I wound up with a lot of photos, and since I wouldn’t have time to include them in the actual live-blog posts (day one and day two), it only seems fair to give them their own post.

Below — with setlists when I could get them — you’ll find pictures of Iron Man, Penance, Venomous Maximus, Kings Destroy, Lucertola, Moon Curse and Gravedirt from day one, and The Gates of Slumber, In~Graved, Dream Death, Pale Divine, Earthen Grave, Leather Nun America, King Giant, Spillage, Chowder, Beelzefuzz, Gorgantherron and Whaler from day two.

Pics start after the jump. Hope you enjoy:

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