Posted in Whathaveyou on November 25th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Fresh off the Tee Pee Records release of their debut, For Those Which are Asleep (review here), Chicago’s The Skull will hit the road mostly in the Midwest starting Dec. 11. They’ll make it as far east as Baltimore — which if you’re looking at a map is pretty far east, at least as the US goes — before swinging back around to Ohio and Indianapolis and so on as they head toward a hometown gig Dec. 19 at Reggies in Chicago and a stop at The Metal Grill in Cudahy, Wisconsin, a venue they’ve played before as part of Days of the Doomed fest.
Though I won’t get to catch them this time out, I’ll keep my fingers crossed this is just the first leg of more to come as The Skull set about giving their record its due. Having just put out one of 2014’s finest doom albums, they’ll hopefully be riding pretty high when they open up this run in Pittsburgh.
The PR wire brings the announcement:
THE SKULL: December U.S. Tour Dates Announced
THE SKULL — the heavy doom-rock band featuring original TROUBLE members, vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson, alongside longtime former TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner with SACRED DAWN guitarist Lothar Keller and former PENTAGRAM guitarist Matt Goldsborough – have recently announced a December U.S. tour to promote their debut record, “For Those Which Are Asleep” released worldwide this month (November 4) via Tee Pee Records. Confirmed tour dates are listed below.
December 11 – 31st Street Pub – Pittsburg, PA December 12 – Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD December 13 – The Foundry Concert Club – Lakewood, OH December 14 – Rock Star Pro Arena – Dayton, OH December 15 – The 5th Quarter Lounge – Indianapolis, IN December 17 – Fubar – St. Louis, MS December 18 – Brauerhouse Lombard – Lombard, IL December 19 – Reggies – Chicago, IL December 20 – the Metal Grill – Cudahy, WI
Posted in Bootleg Theater on November 25th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Seems unfair to call the video put out today by Topeka blues bashers The Midnight Ghost Train a “teaser,” since it’s longer and less promo-speaky than a lot of album teasers wind up being — plus it has a plot and production value — despite its function being roughly the same in giving fans of the trio a glimpse at the new record’s sound and atmosphere. Their slammed-home boogie seems to be in good standing, and as for atmosphere, well, all you really have to do is look at the big sky country and the expanses of land featured in the clip to see where The Midnight Ghost Train are coming from on Cold was the Ground, their new album, which is out March 2015 on Napalm Records.
I’m looking forward to hearing what they’ve come up with this time out, so even just a sneak peak at some of the riffing here is welcome as far as I’m concerned. The story of the video seems to center around the overall-clad guy who resists and then finally succumbs to the band’s riffy wiles after pretty much the whole world around him has already done the same. The last holdout. That same gentleman also features on the album cover for Cold was the Ground, which presumably was put together around the same time as this short film, and does well in the form of silent expression. No doubt his experience in the clip mirrors that of many who’ve discovered The Midnight Ghost Train these last couple years, so much awareness of them having come from word of mouth from those who’ve caught them killing it live on stages throughout the US and Europe.
They’ll likely keep doing that as well, unhindered by blizzards or barbecue sauce on the face or whatever it might be. Preorders for the album reportedly start Dec. 2. Enjoy the video:
The Midnight Ghost Train, Cold was the Ground short film
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you… The Midnight Ghost Train’s very own short film for the new album “Cold Was The Ground”. We created this film to give you a listen, (and a look) at the new record. A bit of a tease. This is for the fans. Enjoy.
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 25th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
I do not know down what horrific avenues Legion of Andromeda‘s first album, Iron Scorn, will take listeners upon its release in Feb. 2015, but I do know that the Tokyo-based death-doom-death-doom — they’re extreme enough to warrant two of each — two-piece served vicious notice with their 2013 self-titled demo (review here), and that their sound is based around unbridled aural punishment. So yeah, I’m expecting Iron Scornwill be pretty heavy.
Two early preview tracks, “Overlord of Thunder” and “Scourge of Pestilence,” providing lumbering, gurgling indication of the same. Check them out below if you dare, along with info on the release that came down the PR wire:
LEGION OF ANDROMEDA to release debut album, recorded with Steve Albini
Today, At War With False Noise and Unholy Anarchy announce February 20th, 2015 as the international release date for Legion of Andromeda’s debut album, Iron Scorn. Conceived, constructed, and assembled in 2012 by the demented minds of -M- (axe/machinery: Japanese) and -R- (vokills: Italian) and lurking within the inhuman megalopolis of Tokyo, Legion of Andromeda is blessed by the will of total war.
Sculpted in reiteration, repetition, and cyclical rotation, Legion of Andromeda’s impenetrable cacophony outbursts the breath of cosmic frost: raw, minimal, brutal; primitive, obtuse, barbaric. Albeit genuinely inspired by such diverse acts as Big Black, Suicide, Godflesh, Ildjarn, Swans, Khanate, VON, and Pan Sonic, among others, the band have crafted a totally original and unique sound.
The duo’s first offering, released in November 2013 and quickly sold out within a few months, was a four-track/32-minute self-titled demo comprising total aural disintegration, and was recorded, mixed, and mastered in August 2013 by Shigenori Kobayashi (Coffins/Sete Star Sept) at Noise Room Studio in Tokyo for maximum audial displeasure.
In July 2014, Legion of Andromeda recorded their first proper full-length with the legendary Steve Albini (Neurosis/High On Fire/Nirvana) at his own Electrical Audio in Chicago. Titled Iron Scorn, the album is colossal, punishing, and devastating in terms of production, dynamics, and sound. Albini’s extraordinary engineering skills and unique genius brought to life a real monster, a huge sonic crusher of devastating proportions. The record, mastered by John Golden (Melvins/Om/Sleep/), will be released on February 20th, 2015 on vinyl format only by At War With False Noise in the EU and Unholy Anarchy in the US. On the artwork side, the insanely talented Tony Roberts (Conan/Electric Wizard/Unearthly Trance) provided visual aggression to the album. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Legion of Andromeda’s Iron Scorn 1. Transuranic Ejaculation (05:43) 2. Cosmo Hammer (06:21) 3. Overlord Of Thunder (06:01) 4. Scourge Of Pestilence (04:04) 5. Sociopathic Infestation (07:30) 6. Aim At The Starless Sky (06:13) 7. Fist Of Hammurabi (07:03)
Live to hate. Cosmo Hammer Master Of The Universe.
Posted in Reviews on November 25th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Listening to Murcielago‘s self-titled, self-released debut, it’s not a huge surprise that some of it comes across sounding akin to Boston heavy rock headliners Roadsaw. There are commonalities superficial and otherwise. First of all, their lineup boasts guitarist Ian Ross, who also plays in Roadsaw. The album was recorded by Benny Grotto, who has also helmed outings for Roadsaw, at Mad Oak Studios in Allston, Massachusetts, which is owned by Roadsaw vocalist Craig Riggs. Riggs also makes a guest appearance on the boogie-fied penultimate cut, “Zora,” backing up bassist NeilCollins, whoworks in a somewhat likeminded style vocally at points throughout as well. And aside from the consistency of Ross‘ guitar tone and being demographically similar — at least the three-quarters of the band that’s notRoss; that part is demographically the same — the two acts share a core approach based around giving modern heavy interpretation to classic methods. As I understand it, Ross joined Murcielago after they had already been together for some time with Collins, guitarist/backing vocalist Matthew Robbins, who also sings lead on “Fairlane Swain” and took the photo on the cover, and drummer Brian Chaloux, so I don’t know where they were in terms of writing this material when he came aboard, but his tone, even in combination with Robbins‘, is recognizable. Murcielago distinguish themselves through what they do with their riff-led heavy grooves, and in the subtly brooding personality that emerges on cuts like opener “Bulldozers,” which leads off the 10-song/43-minute offering nestling quickly into a steady rolling groove that proves to be a specialty of Murcielago as the album progresses. Ultimately, if they prove anything across Murcielago‘s span, it’s that they know what they want sound-wise and they know how to make it a reality, which is more than a lot of “first albums” can offer.
If you’re a fan of unpretentious American heavy, Small Stone-style rock, there’s going to be little here with which to find argument. “Bulldozers” and “Money,” both right around six minutes, show off the fullness of sound Murcielago can harness when they so choose and the swing that they can bring to a rhythm, Collins giving away some punk roots in the chorus of the latter, which hits hard after a start-stop verse. Unsurprisingly for a two-guitar four-piece, there’s a good bit of soloing to be had, and Ross and Robbins trade off readily — the former in the right channel, the latter in the left — adding salt to “Money,” which but for “Fairlane Swain” is the longest track here at 6:01. “Cheebahawk,” which follows, is shorter and faster both, but not so far removed in spirit, its straightforward push, crisp cymbal sound and Collins‘ vocal command guiding from a riff-heavy beginning into a quick, semi-twanging midsection that presages some of what’s to come on “Smoke Season” before returning to the thick-toned riffs and a one-into-the-next solo from Robbins and Ross, leading to the last verse and chorus. When it arrives, “Smoke Season” is the first of three shorter pieces. It and the later “Like Bricks,” which provides a split between highlights “Way too Far” and “Fairlane Swain,” are interludes, and the backwards-cymbal-forwards-guitar “The Last Line” is the album’s outro after “Zora.” They get progressively longer until the last one, but the difference is “Smoke Season” is acoustic — Collins and Robbins working together on guitar — and it’s probably the most classic rock stretch of Murcielago, which is fitting since it kicks off a strong middle-third and comes before the fuzzed out “Don’t Do Nothin’,” Collins channeling his inner Riggs with just the right riff to do so over. One of the record’s most resonant hooks, “Don’t Do Nothing” gives way to the no-frills stomp-and-run of “Way too Far,” and the two make for an excellent pair, showing off some of Murcielago at their best.
That said, Murcielago is also a record that becomes a richer listen as it goes on. If one looks at the tracklist as divisible into three sections, “Bulldozers,” “Money” and “Cheebahawk” make for a solid lead-in, “Smoke Season,” “Don’t Do Nothin’,” and the mega-catchy “Way too Far” push further into quality songwriting and begin to expand the instrumental scope, and with “Like Bricks” as an intro, “Fairlane Swain,” “Zora” and “The Last Line” show that they’re not afraid to shake up their own approach, whether it’s with Chaloux‘s backwards cymbals on the outro, bringing in Riggs on “Zora” — which seems to be about a two-year sailing trip undertaken by Collins from 2004 to 2006 — or Robbins taking lead vocal charge on “Fairlane Swain.” At 7:44, the latter strikes a balance between instrumental progression and a foundational hook revolving around the lines, “Heavy metal parking lot/Just a dimebag of shit pot…” describing scenes taken from what seems to be personal reference — a photo of a 1966 Ford Fairlane provided by and presumably featuring one Steve Swain flipping off the camera is included in one of the inside panels of the six-panel digipak — atop a riff that’s just about universal before delivering the title line with underclassman’s reverence to a classic image of cool. Or is it contempt? Either way, the album’s instrumental payoff follows, built from the ground up and boasting highlight guitar work from both Robbins and Ross, and “Zora” gives a Dozer-worthy last kick in the ass before the quiet psych-bluesy “The Last Line” caps off a record that doesn’t seem to want to end. Fair enough, but by the time it gets there, Murcielago‘s Murcielago can’t be accused of leaving something unsaid. Rather, the foursome’s debut delivers a complete-album feel and a vibe that develops as it unfolds and helps greatly to individualize the band. Whatever, and whoever, they may share, Murcielago leave their first long-player behind them having given the listener a sense of who they are musically and what they want to accomplish here and going forward stylistically. They’re not green as musicians and they don’t sound like it, but the self-titled neither lacks pulse nor wants anything for songwriting.
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 25th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
A couple interesting points about the new Sun Voyager track, “God is Dead.” It is declarative (or at least without punctuation) where the Black Sabbath song of the same name from last year’s 13 full-length was an interrogative. Neither is the first to use the title, though, and looking at the lyrics to Sun Voyager‘s cut, it doesn’t seem to be in conversation with the other. Fair enough. It’s also a preview of Sun Voyager‘s forthcoming full-length, which is now slated to release in Jan. 2015 on King Pizza Records, and it arrives as part of a compilation from the label, which specializes primarily in punk, and on which it is the longest song at 4:28.
It also brings word that Sun Voyager will have a split tape out in a couple weeks with Greasy Hearts, who are labelmates and also featured on the same compilation, which is titled Surfin’ on Pizza Lightning, because of course it is.
NEW SONG PREMIERE ON NEW KING PIZZA COMP
HEY Y’ALL,
We’re not going to bore you with a too lengthy of an update today….
BUT WE HAVE A NEW SONG.
It’s on King Pizza Records’ new compilation titled “Surfin’ On Pizza Lightning,” which features songs by a bunch of our friends including a song by Greasy Hearts which will be on our SPLIT. Yea, that’s right. We have a split coming out in about 2 weeks. It’s with Greasy Hearts and it’s rad. Can’t wait for you guys to hear it. This song, which is called GOD IS DEAD, is not on the split but it WILL be on the full length along with Gypsy Hill and will be released in January.
my god is dead but your god’s dead too our father left us with everything but the truth drifting and drowning in this sea called life my god is dead but your god’s dead too
Carlos – Vocals, Guitar Stefan – Bass Kyle – Drums
Recorded at Ghostload Sound May 2014 Engineered by Seth Applebaum Mastered by Jeff Rendano
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 24th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Black Cobra at this point — the most recent was with Lo-Pana couple months back in Cambridge — but I’ve never watched them get on a stage and not subsequently destroy that stage and the room surrounding with a relentless assault of volume and intensity. The news that they’re doing a run down the West Coast with Wolvhammer is nifty, and though I won’t get to see them this time, it’s good to know they’re out there, but the buried lead here is that they’ve begun writing for a follow-up to 2011’s excellent Invernal (review here) and that indeed is something to look forward to.
Not much info on the new record yet, but that progress is even vaguely underway is more than I’d heard to this point, so right on. The PR wire has info:
BLACK COBRA To Headline West Coast December Tour With Wolvhammer; Band Continues To Hatch New Material For Next LP
With the dust settling on the country consequent to the band’s recent full US tour with support from Lo Pan, San Francisco’s most devastating duo, BLACK COBRA, will shred the West Coast this December with support from Midwest cult, Wolvhammer.
As Wolvhammer treks westward on the second phase of Desanctifying North America 2014, they’ll liaise with the mighty BLACK COBRA in Portland, Oregon on December 3rd. From there, the two bands will lay down an extremely diversified but wholly deadly salvo of metallic destruction in Seattle, Eugene, Sacramento, Los Osos, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Los Angeles and Ventura before the final gig of the tour for BLACK COBRA in San Francisco on December 13th, while Wolvhammer tours back east.
BLACK COBRA West Coast Tour w/ Wolvhammer: 12/03/2014 Rotture – Portland, OR 12/04/2014 Highline – Seattle, WA 12/05/2014 Wow Hall – Eugene, OR 12/06/2014 Press Club – Sacramento, CA 12/07/2014 Sweet Springs – Los Osos, CA 12/08/2014 Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA 12/10/2014 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 12/11/2014 Complex – Los Angeles, CA 12/12/2014 The Garage – Ventura, CA 12/13/2014 Thee Parkside – San Francisco, CA
While little else from BLACK COBRA is available for public consumption at press time, the band has been slaving away on new material which is being penned for their next full-length album which will be completed in the first several months of 2015 for release later in the year.
Posted in On Wax on November 24th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Perpetually and gleefully weird, Texan outfit The Linus Pauling Quartet — in which, make no mistake, there are five members — toy with Lovecraftian themes on their new single, “C is for Cthulhu,” conjuring the Great Old One himself with a hook worth of its Sesame Street-style title. The band’s heavy riffing style comes out in full force across the five-minute cut, pressed with the B-side “My Desire,” a cover of back-in-the-day Houston noisemakers The Pain Teens, in a red 7″ platter edition of 300 copies, the guitars fuzzed out and appropriately lumbering for their subject matter. Production-wise, it’s less raw than some of what Linus Pauling Quartet have done in the past — recording was helmed by bassist Stephen Finley — but particularly for only being a release with two tracks, goes a long way toward showcasing the band’s sans-pretense quirk and open creative sensibility. That is to say, whatever they feel like doing, there’s a good chance they’re going to do it.
“C is for Cthulhu” itself has a metallic feel, thanks in no small part to its burly riff and some death growls backing the chorus. They’re deep in the mix — the lines being, “Don’t eat/Don’t sleep/Hear me calling from the deep,” one imagines that (presumably it’s) guest vocalist Stevie Sims is taking the role of Cthulhu himself in backing guitarist/vocalist Clinton Heider — but set a weighted atmosphere for the track surrounding, and The Linus Pauling Quartet revel in it. With Heider, Finley, guitarist/backing vocalist Ramon “LP4” Medina, organist/synth-specialist Charlie Horshack, Sims, drummer Larry Liska and Erich Zann (another Lovecraft reference) credited with violin, there’s plenty going on throughout “C is for Cthulhu,” but the structure remains straightforward, and it’s the aforementioned chorus that’s the center around which the rest churns. Some vague chanting crops up as they move past the halfway mark and into a fervent solo section with Heider forward in the mix, but they pull back to the verse and give the chorus another runthrough, extending the end on the way to a last-minute kick in pace that rounds out. Flip the record over, and you might think it’s a completely different band.
Having another vocalist plays a big role in that regard. The core five-piece of the band is the same — Sims and Zann, if Zann is a real person,are out — but Heider steps back on vocals and Carol Sandin Cooley takes the mic. A veteran of Houston experimentalists Sad Pygmy, Cooley establishes a punkish command over the rawer-sounding guitar buzz of “My Desire,” The Linus Pauling Quartet taking The Pain Teens‘ noise-caked proto-industrial thud and approaching it with clear reverence. In another context, the main riff could just as easily be grunge as Godflesh, but the heavy treatment it gets — meaner than “C is for Cthulhu” — is one that suits it. “My Desire” is far less playful than its companion A-side, but culminating in a cut-off swell of noise that ends cold for the needle return, it goes show that the band who a couple years ago put out a 3CD set called Assault on the Vault of the Ancient Bonglords neither take themselves too seriously nor are purely interested in screwing around. Or if they are, at least they make it work.
My copy of the 7″ came with a 9 of clubs that had one of the clubs scratched off and what looks like a custom design on back, a sticker, and a download code featuring alternate masters of the two tracks, plus the art itself, which comes on a quality stock that unfolds to the liner notes and lyrics for “C is for Cthulhu.” C is for Cthulhu follows 2013’s Find What You Love and Let it Kill You 7″ EP, and one can only imagine what horrors The Linus Pauling Quartet have yet to come.
The Linus Pauling Quartet, C is for Cthulhu (2014)
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 24th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Seems an unlikely coincidence that German two-piece The Picturebooks played Astra Kulturhaus last night and here they are today being announced for Desertfest Berlin 2015, which is held at the same venue. You’d almost swear these things were planned out ahead of time. The duo are currently on tour among the formidable ranks of Kadavar and The Shrine and were previously announced for Roadburn 2015 as well. Still fresh of the release of their RidingEasy Records debut and third album overall, Imaginary Horse, they’re also veterans of this year’s Desertfest in Belgium.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up on the bill for London as well (they recently played in Camden Town for the first time), but that announcement hasn’t come yet, so don’t quote me on it. The bluesy roll of Imaginary Horse can be heard in full below and it comes with the info from Desertfest Berlin, in case, you know, it slipped your mind in the three days since they last added a band. Ha:
Alright folks, here we go!
Today we announce a band you have surely heard of in the last couple of weeks and months: the German duo The Picturebooks!!
Their unique sound combines a great bluesy-driven-altern rock mixed with garage and punk elements. Currently supporting Kadavar allover europe, they got amazing feedbacks from press and fans for their incredible live shows. Yesterday, they blew the Astra Kulturhaus Berlin, and will do it again next year! Seeing them live and listening to their tunes, you can´t stand still, promised. This will be FUN!!
Get your limited HARD TICKET (with a free Desertfest T-Shirt) or a PRINT-AT-HOME TICKET onwww.desertfest.de/tickets! Make your choice
DESERTFEST BERLIN #4 – APRIL 23th, 24th, 25th 2015 ASTRA KULTURHAUS / F-HAIN/X-BERG BERLIN (GER)
Red Fang + Orange Goblin + My Sleeping Karma + Black Pyramid + Karma To Burn + Brutus + Dopethrone + The Atomic Bitchwax + The Picturebooks + Lo-pan + Mountain Witch + Mother Engine + many many more acts:)
