Posted in Bootleg Theater on January 29th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
The desert continues to fascinate. Dual-guitar four-piece Tribesmen make their home in Coachella, California (never heard of it), and their instrumental approach definitely takes some cues from the airy tones of Yawning Man that one imagines are just floating by on hot, dry desert winds, but that’s not quite the end of their base of influence on their latest single, “Alpine.” A strong undercurrent of post-rock à la Russian Circles or, to keep with vocal-less acts, Explosions in the Sky, emerges as the new song plays out its five-minute course, the video featuring the band performing one at a time and then all together in the Coachella Valley Art Center with various projections on and around them. The guitars of Wilber Pacheco and Alec Paul Corral are a big distinguishing factor, coming together periodically for a wash of ringing echo when not exploring their own whims over the foundation made firm by bassist Leslie Romero and drummer Freddy Jiminez, and that gives a somewhat psychedelic feel, but in both their presence in the video and in the meter of the song itself, they show little tendency toward shoegazing.
While that’s the case for “Alpine,” it’s not universally true, as the dreamy sprawl of “Under the Ice” from Tribesmen‘s 2013 EP, Blue, demonstrates. There, Romero‘s bass plays an even more considerable role in providing the anchor around which the guitars wisp, but with “Alpine,” it’s more about the four members all working together on a singular linear build, Jiminez signaling a next stage in the takeoff at around 2:30 in with a steady kick-line where previously he’d been mostly adding to the ambience on cymbals and toms. A break to quiet atmospherics is answered with more fervent pulsating just before the four-minute mark, and what stems from there is where the post-rock element is really most evident, because instead of going for an all-out heavy payoff, they run a few rounds through a kind of indie boogie that comes as a genuine surprise with what precedes. Given the fluidity they’re able to craft, I’m inclined to think of stepping back from that kind of precipice as a conscious choice rather than a songwriting fluke on the part of a young band, but either way, it’s ultimately this restraint that winds up as the most lasting impression of the track.
Tribesmen have a couple singles and the EP available as pay-what-you-want downloads via their Bandcamp, and it seems fodder for an investigation. Post-desert rock? As I said, that part of the world continues to fascinate.
Posted in Reviews on January 29th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
If you’re ever looking to win an award for understatement, call Peter French‘s resumé “enviable.” In 1971, the same year Leaf Hound put out their seminal Growers of Mushroom debut LP, French was fronting Atomic Rooster for the In Hearing Of…album, and 1972 found him taking over for Rusty Day in Cactus for ‘Ot ‘n’ Sweaty. It was a short period of time, but a few landmark contributions. Though Growers of Mushroomwas widely bootlegged and officially reissued along the way, Leaf Hound wouldn’t put out another record until 2007’s Unleashed. With French up front, guitarist Luke Rayner, bassist Ed Pearson and drummer Jimmy Rowland, they’d begun playing out again circa 2004, released a live single through Rise Above in 2006 as a precursor to the album, continuing to tour and do periodic shows. They appeared at Roadburn in 2006 and 2012 both — at the latter playing Growers of Mushroomin full — and at Desertfest in 2012, and in July of that year did two nights in Tokyo that are now presented through Ripple Music as the Live in Japan 2012 CD/DVD (or LP/DVD) package. It’s noteworthy for a few reasons, among them that although they switched out Pearson for Peter Herbert on bass, this incarnation of Leaf Hound had already been active more than five years, over twice as long as the band’s original run.
Of course, Leaf Hound continues in large part to be defined by Growers of Mushroom and the swagger of that era, something that French‘s voice is able to convey some 40 years later on Live inJapan, but on the CD, cuts from Unleashedfeature pretty heavily as well. And where the studio version of that album didn’t quite convey the same kind of spontaneous edge, on stage in Tokyo the newer material meshes well with the old, so that original cuts like “Freelance Fiend” — as signature a riff as the band has — “Work My Body” and “With a Minute to Go” fit easily alongside “Barricades,” “Stop, Look and Listen,” and “One Hundred and Five Degrees.” A vinyl-ready 38 minutes for the audio portion concludes with the Howlin’ Wolf cover “Evil,” which Cactus also covered prior to French joining. There are a few bold exclusions from the CD, including “Sad Road to the Sea” and “Growers of Mushroom,” but the former seems not to have been played at all and the latter appears on the DVD with an extended jam featuring a bass solo from Herbert and subsequent guitar spaceout from Rayner that presumably would’ve put the audio over a vinyl runtime. Add to that the jam in “Work My Body” and maybe Leaf Hound were concerned about upsetting the flow of the audio or repeating themselves too much. Still, as omissions go, those are noteworthy ones for fans of the band.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 29th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
You know what they say: “Blink and you’ll miss a shit-ton of adds to the Roadburn lineup.” Okay, they don’t say that, but I do. I had already planned on putting up the sundry bands that joined Roadburn 2014’s impossibly-large roster yesterday, and then today they also put on Harsh Toke‘s first European appearance, and well, hard to say no to that. There’s a lot to dig through here, so I won’t delay.
Skateboards, palm trees, psychedelic bands: these are enduring iconic symbols of California. Whether it’s pavement or guitars, the state has a rich and colorful history when it comes to shredding. Ready for the next chapter? Meet San Diego’s Harsh Toke!
Emerging from the same scene as Earthless, these four dudes share the mighty trio’s predilection for non-stop guitar-heavy psych rock awesomeness. They even have a professional skater in their ranks, too. Justin “Figgy” Figueroa’s searing guitar is alive with reverb and delay, climbing the wall of sound like some fast-growing new hallucinogenic strain of bougainvillea.
Meanwhile, Richie Belton’s grooving bass line dives into the rip current of Austin “Buya” Ayub’s smashing drums as Gabe Messer (“I’m on the space key,” he said by way of introduction in a video interview with Front magazine) sends one wave after another into the mix.
Tee Pee Records took notice and released the band’s invigorating debut full-length, Light Up and Live, which not only put Harsh Toke in excellent company label-wise but also earned them a spot on many Best Of 2013 lists. Recorded by Astra’s Brian Ellis and mastered by Carl Saff (Earthless, OFF!, Unsane), you might also recall that Light Up and Live was Roadburn’s Album of the Day on Friday, November 1st.
So far, US audiences have had a chance to trip out on some captivating Harsh Toke gigs. This year will be Europe’s turn. One of the enduring hallmarks of the Roadburn Festival is the incredible instrumental magic that happens on stage — Earthless in 2008 and Heavy Jam in 2012 are just two stellar examples. With that in mind, we are ultra stoked to offer Harsh Toke a residency to play their first-ever European shows exclusively at Roadburn Festival 2014 on Saturday, April 12th and Sunday, April 13th (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Traditionally, Roadburn audiences have shown a voracious appetite for high grade spaced out jams. Harsh Toke promises to deliver a cosmic buffet that will satisfy. Get ready to feast on some very tasty sounds!
Horisont To Return To Roadburn Festival 2014
Sweden’s Horisont will return to Roadburn after their highly acclaimed 2012 performance. This time, the band will be playing Cul de Sac, the friendly music cafe located across from the 013 venue, in Tilburg, The Netherlands on Saturday, April 12th. Since they were on tour with Scorpion Child, we eagerly tabbed them play the 2014 festival.
If you are an avid heavy 70s aficionado, or a lover of supreme hardrock, you will definitely dig Horisont. The band excels at crafting old school, bluesy hardrock, and on their latest album, Time Warrior, released on Rise Above Records, Horisont even incorporates heavy metal, while remorselessly going for the throat. The fact that the lyrics are sung in Swedish and English adds to band’s appeal.
Continue to stake their claim that Horisont may be the best new talent to emerge from the ever-fertile Swedish rock scene, the anticipation for their Roadburn appearance will be massive. Make sure to be there early, as Cul de Sac can only host 175 people.
Jackson Firebird To Deliver Rugged, Explosive, Full-Filt Aussie Rock ‘n Roll at Roadburn 2014
Aussie full-tilt garage rockers, Jackson Firebird, will bring their mightly wallop to Roadburn Festival 2014 on Saturday, April 12th at Cul de Sac in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Delivering their volatile live power to much acclaim Down Under, the duo of Dale Hudak and Brendan Harvey, will also leave Roadburn wild-eyed and breathless the moment their growling guitars, dirty riffs, and super tight beats kick you in the teeth.
The duo’s high octane debut album, Cock Rockin’, is one helluva wild ride — you want rock with no shame, stripped back, simple, dirty and in-your-face? Jackson Firebird has it in spades. Be forwarned, as Hudak and Harvey go straight at it!
Roadburn Festival 2014 will run for four days from Thursday, April 10th to Sunday, April 13th 2014 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Evil Invaders To Kick Ass at Roadburn Festival’s Hardrock Hideout on Wednesday, April 9th
In addition to Death Alley‘s gnarly shake appeal we’ll crossover into the retro-thrash movement as well at Roadburn Festival‘s traditional Hardrock Hideout on Wednesday, April 9th at Cul de Sac in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Belgium’s Evil Invaders offer a speedy but melodic old school rip fest, forging 80-ish inspired (thrash)metal along the lines of Exciter, Exodus, Agent Steel, Mercyful Fate and WASP among others. It’s really impressive to see these kids galloping away, pedal to the metal, rockin’ their denim-clad asses and sounding like the real deal from the early eighties!
The relentless neck wreckers of Evil Invaders simply kick ass and should have you headbanging and air guitaring to bring you back to those fast rude speed ‘n’ roll heavy metal days!
Just do yourself a favor and thrash until you crash at Roadburn’s Hardrock Hideout. Doors open at 8pm and admission is FREE!
Roadburn Festival 2014 – Cul de Sac: Atlantis and Yama To Play On Saturday, April 12th
Next to the announcement of Ggu:ll, Mühr, Seirom and Ortega, we’re continuing to showcase Dutch bands that have their own vibe while at the same time possessing a certain Roadburn flair, by giving Utrecht‘s Atlantis and Tilburg‘s very own Yama, the opportunity to connect with the international Roadburn community on Saturday, April 12th at Cul de Sac in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
With three critically acclaimed albums, Carpe Omnium, Mistress Of Ghosts, and Omens, plus their intense live shows, Atlantis has become a respected name in the post-metal / rock scene.
Their latest release, Omens, is an intense, engaging, bleak, and heavy affair, which compelled us to let Atlantis return to Roadburn Festival, after performing at the 2012 Afterburner.
While all music is written by Gilson Heitinga, Atlantis live is a full blown band. By creating a deafening wall of sound with their mixture of noise, doom, ambient, industrial, electronica, and metal, Atlantis tears down the walls between these genres, leaving their audiences in a state of awe.
Named after the Tibetan God of Death, Yama built a reputation as a solid live band over the last couple of years, and played festivals like Yellowstock and Freak Valley. Currently working on their debut full-length, Yama deliver heavy, fuzzed out stoner rock, underpinned with massive grooves — think Goatsnake meets Graveyard with occasional High on Fire type riffs thrown in for good measure!
Roadburn Festival 2014 will run for four days from Thursday, April 10th to Sunday, April 13th 2014 at the 013 venue, Het Patronaat and Cul de Sac in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Tickets for the traditional Afterburner event on Sunday, April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands are still available. Get in on the actionHERE!
Harsh Toke, Live at Unit B Skate Park, Santa Ana, CA, Dec. 2012
Posted in Bootleg Theater on January 29th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
With reunion slots booked at Desertfest in London and Berlin this April as well as Hellfest in France this June — nothing Stateside yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed — it seemed fitting to take a look at some of the very last Spirit Caravan recordings. The tracks “The Last Embrace” and “Brainwashed” were included as the first and second cuts on disc one and “Dove-Tongued Aggressor” track one of disc two of the 2003 MeteorCity compilation, The Last Embrace, which as the band’s to-date swansong culled to one place the bulk of their studio output. With material from everything the trio put out during what’s now become their initial run save for 1999’s DreamwheelEP — their two full-lengths, 1999’s Jug Fulla Sun and 2001’s Elusive Truth, with some alternate versions, and songs from their early demos and split 7″ with Sixty Watt Shaman and the 2002 So Mortal Be single — it’s about as complete as one could ask of a 2CD release. As to why Dreamwheelwas left out, I guess between runtime considerations and the fact that it was still in print on MeteorCity, they figured there was no need. Fair enough.
For the leadoff, “The Last Embrace” hardly hints at the tonal warmth and groovy vibes to come throughout. Spirit Caravan were always plenty heavy, but “The Last Embrace” centers more around an emotional resonance than a fuzzy one. Over acoustic guitar and a straightforward rhythm from bassist Dave Sherman and drummer Gary Isom, Wino delivers a subdued, melancholy vocal with image-based, almost impressionist lyrics contemplating time and mortality, maybe the end of the band. It’s a dark mood to start with, if a great song, but as Spirit Caravan were done by that time — Sherman had released Earthride‘s self-titled EP in 2000 and followed in 2002 with the Taming of the Demons full-length, and The Hidden Hand‘s Divine Propagandasurfaced the same year as The Last Embrace— there wasn’t going to be a more fitting title for their final release.
Whether or not The Last Embrace will remain that, I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Enjoy “The Last Embrace” and have a fantastic Wino Wednesday:
Posted in audiObelisk on January 28th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Pat Harrington of Geezer‘s slide guitar fits so easily in with The Heavy Company‘s bluesy push that on first listen to “State Flag Blues,” you might not even give it a second thought. It makes enough sense alongside the guitar and vocals of Ian Gerber, the bass of Michael Naish and the drums of Jeff Kaleth throughout the six-and-a-half-minute new single from the Lafayette, Indiana-based outfit that it feels like of course it would be there. It’s not obvious, Harrington being in New York and The Heavy Company being in the Midwest, but works really, really well.
“State Flag Blues” is the latest output from The Heavy Co., whose 2013 full-length, Midwest Electric (review here), found them refining blues-psych jams for loose grooves, not sloppy, but human. The new single builds on that, adds Harrington for the guest spot, and brings a newfound political edge to the lyrics. Gerber champions an anti-prejudicial stance and calls out Indiana governors Mitch Daniels and Mike Pence by name in the last verse:
Well, you ain’t my man, Mitch And Pence, you son of a bitch Keep your hands off of my Hoosier home ‘Cause I’ll tell you right now Even in my hometown We think your shit is getting old
It’s a particularly bold statement in a heavy genre that’s usually apolitical if not inherently conservative, but you won’t find me arguing either with the message or how well Gerber, Naish and Kaleth make it flow in the song itself. If it’s a one-time thing or a new direction, I don’t know, but it comes across with conviction and the band’s usual lack of bullshit, and the track is cool, so there you go. That’s about all I need to post it.
Find the song on the player below, followed by some words from The Heavy Company about its origins and a quote from Harrington about contributing slide guitar. Enjoy:
The Heavy Company, “State Flag Blues” (2014)
Every once in a while you have to shake things up a bit. That’s what State Flag Blues is meant to do. While most of our counterparts in the stoner/doom genre are focusing on wizards, dragons, and galactic travel, The Heavy Co. has decided that it’s time to use their music for change. Don’t get us wrong. We love talking about wizards, dragons, and galactic travel, but sometimes you have to get your head into the real world. Being the proud Hoosiers that we are, we figured we aren’t going to let a small minded agenda get in the way of the social progress that desperately needs to happen. Not only in Indiana, but in our country as well. It might not be the popular thing to do, but it’s the right thing. Coincidentally, with yesterday’s passing of musician/activist Pete Seeger serving as a poignant reminder, we hope this song finds its way to the ears of those who need to hear it the most.
We hope you dig our new tune. We also really appreciate Pat Harrington of Geezer for lending his bodacious slide guitar to the track. As we say around here, he’s good company.
Please tune in…
Says Pat Harrington:
When Ian asked if I was down to play slide guitar on a new THC track, I said yes right away. I was a fan of their last release, Midwest Electric and definitely relate to who the band is. We both tread in those waters between blues and doom, too heavy for the blues purists and not heavy enough for the doom purists, so I was more than happy to contribute what I could to a kindred spirit. The fact that it was a good ole fashioned protest song just made it all even cooler! It was a lot of fun to do and I’m proud to be a part of it.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 28th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Recently pared down from a four-piece to a trio following the departure guitarist/vocalist Liz Walshak, Boston heavy thrashers Rozamov will set out on an East Coast tour next month, beginning with a show Feb. 15 at Brooklyn’s The Acheron, where they’ll match wits with the mammoth plod of Eggnogg in what I can only imagine is a show that will test the structural integrity not only of that building, but of the sundry warehouse spaces sharing the block with it. Good bill, in other words.
Speaking of, Rozamov will be back up in MA and closer to home in May for Eye of the Stoned Goat 4. Details on that and more follow below, delivered with care down the PR wire:
Rozamov Announces February East Coast Tour Dates, Playing New Material
One of Boston’s most crushing doom exports, Rozamov have announced a run of East Coast tour dates beginning February 15th at The Acheron in Brooklyn, NY. Recently reborn as a more aggressive and pummeling three piece, the band has been hard at work on their most genre-pushing and crushing music yet and will unveil some of the fruits of their labor on this run.
In addition, Rozamov is offering their most recent EP Of Gods and Flesh for free download for a limited time on Bandcamp. Of Gods and Flesh was recorded at Q Division studios in Somerville, MA by AJ Peters (Summoner, Batillus) and self-released this past summer.
FEBRUARY EAST COAST TOUR 2/15- Brooklyn, NY @ The Acheron w/ Godmaker, Eggnog, Crushed 2/16- Washington, DC @ Velvet Lounge w/ The Osedax, Gholas 2/18- Columbia, SC @ Foxfield Bar w/ Darkentries & TBA 2/19- Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn w/ Wolves and Jackals, Crawl 2/20- Savannah, GA @ Graveface Records 2/21- Raleigh, NC @ The Maywood w/ Corpse Mountain, Heron, Dreaded 2/22- Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ The Osedax, Thrones of Deceit, Vorator 2/27 – Manchester, NH @ The Shaskeen w/ Vaporizer
5/3-5/4/14- Worcester, MA @ Ralph’s – Eye of The Stoned Goat w/ Order of The Owl, Sixty Watt Shaman, Summoner, Cortez, Phantom Glue + others
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 28th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
If you felt a doomly shake under your feet just now, no doubt that was Portland, Maine (there’s a twist!), trio Ogre, who’ve let word drop of their coming fourth album, The Last Neanderthal, with the force of any number of tectonic plates. The three-piece will issue The Last Neanderthalthrough Italian imprint Minotauro Records (hopefully) in late March, with cover art by drummer Will Broadbent, whose classic-comic style meshes perfectly with the band’s homage to the vaunted traditions of riff.
That album art and the tracklisting for The Last Neanderthalcame down the PR wire, and of particular note is the cover song “Soulless Woman” by heavy ’70s rockers Ogre. That’s right. Ogre covering Ogre. It’s almost high-concept enough to make your skull cave in. Which no doubt was the whole idea.
Get informed, because knowledge is power and the squares are always near:
The album, which is titled “The Last Neanderthal”, is in the final stages of completion, and we’re hoping for an early March release (date is not set in stone yet, but I’ll keep you posted once we get more info). The master is in the label’s hands and the artwork is getting its finishing touches as I type this email. After that, it will be off for duplication.
The album has eight tracks on it and will be released by Minotauro Records in deluxe mini-LP format with obi strip and a foldout poster containing a reproduction of the album artwork (done by our drummer, Will Broadbent) and lyrics. I’ve attached a jpg of the front cover to this email.
Here’s the tracklisting of the album:
Shadow Earth Nine Princes in Amber Bad Trip Son of Sisyphus Soulless Woman (cover of a song by uber-obscure 70s rock band named…Ogre) Warpath White Plume Mountain The Hermit
Posted in Reviews on January 28th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
It’s unavoidable when it comes to Blackfinger, so one might as well just come out and say it: Yes, Eric Wagner used to be in Trouble, and as a member of that band he had a hand in crafting some of the best American doom ever and cementing a legacy that has spent three decades rippling outward from their Chicago hometown. All of this is true. It’s also true that Wagner isn’t in Trouble anymore, and while he’s also joined forces in The Skull with fellow Trouble alums Ron Holzner (bass) and Jeff “Oly” Olson (drums), the five-piece project Blackfinger has been looming in the background for several years now — Wagner was interviewed here about it in 2011, and the name was tossed around at least a year earlier than that in connection with Dark Star Records, who now handles the digital release of Blackfinger‘s self-titled debut, while The Church Within presses the CD and vinyl. On the album, Wagner is joined by guitarists Rico Bianchi and Doug Hakes, bassist Ben Smith (since replaced by Willie Max, also of Spillage) and drummer Larry Piatz, and those who’d approach it thinking they’ll get a port of Trouble‘s doom probably haven’t been paying attention either to Blackfinger‘s development or the last for records Trouble put out before Wagner left in 2008.
Blackfinger‘s Blackfingermay touch on some of the same ideas as material from Wagner‘s past — the short “All the Leaves are Brown,” which was also an advance single, has a classically driving head-down motor-riff, and cuts like “Why God” and “Till Death Do Us Part” offer some immediately familiar swinging rhythms — but the album overall presents a personality distinct from Trouble both in where it wants to go and how it gets there, however impossible it may be to view the one without the context of the other. Notably, the piano- and string-infused “As Long as I’m with You,” the particularly Floydian strums of “For One More Day” and the intimate acoustic-led finish of highlight “Keep Fallin’ Down” present a depth of mood and breadth of songwriting that, to compare, Trouble had little interest in displaying on their 2013 post-Wagner outing, The Distortion Field(review here). Taken in combination with rockers like “Yellowood,” with its lurching starts and stops, and guitar-fueled fare like “My Many Colored Days,” “Till Death Do Us Part” and “Here Comes the Rain,” Blackfingercomes across as more varied and a richer listening experience. Opener “I am Jon” and the fourth track, “On Tuesday Morning,” work to bridge the gap from one side to the other, so where it might otherwise come across as bipolar, the album flows well through these atmospheres.
