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Ape Machine Stream Coalition of the Unwilling; US Tour Begins March 11

Posted in audiObelisk, Whathaveyou on March 8th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

ape machine

Back in November, as underappreciated Portland, Oregon, heavy rockers Ape Machine were getting ready to offer up their new release, Coalition of the Unwilling, on Heavy Psych Sounds, they marked the occasion with a 20-date tour, and as they make ready for the domestic release on March 11, it seems only fair to do about the same amount of road time. Just wouldn’t be Ape Machine if they didn’t. To-date, their career is marked out by quality songcraft, righteousness of performance and a readiness to hand-deliver their rock to just about any audience that will have them. Their last album, 2013’s Mangled by the Machine (review here), further cemented their approach, and though it’s somewhere between an EP and an LP in length, the six-track, 25-minute Coalition of the Unwilling makes a fitting answer in terms of their classic-style chemistry, from the fading-in guitar solo of opener “Crushed from Within” through the “Ape’n’Stein” take on The Edgar Winter Group‘s “Frankenstein” and into the subdued, vocal-led closer “Never My Way.”

Through all six cuts, Ape Machine‘s take doesn’t ask much of the listener except maybe to come along for the ride, and what it delivers in return is engaging bounce and a partially Led Zep-inspired, crisply-presented vibe that holds true throughout “Crushed from Within” and the swaying “Disband,” vocalist Caleb Heinze very much at a ape machine coalition of the unwillingfrontman’s position ahead of the guitar of Ian Watts, Brian True‘s bass and Damon de la Paz‘s drumming. With a singer of such ability, it would be easy for Ape Machine to lose balance, but they never have and they don’t on Coalition of the Unwilling, either, which moves through the shuffling “Give What You Get” into the more instrumentally-minded fare “Under this Face” and “Ape’n’Stein” — the latter of which actually is instrumental — before unfurling the minimalist guitar and cymbal washes that start the more brooding finale “Never My Way,” which does bring Heinze‘s vocals back into bluesy focus, but with a corresponding change of context, less upbeat initially and moving through a heavier apex with some choice soloing by Watts before they roll the track to its ending.

Like I said at the outset, Coalition of the Unwilling was issued last Fall by Heavy Psych Sounds, so I wouldn’t call this a premiere or anything, but I’m happy to feature it nonetheless leading up to the domestic release, for the quality of Ape Machine‘s output, its total lack of pretense and the work the band have put in supporting it already and which they’ll continue to put in on their upcoming US tour. The dates for that run, coincidentally, can be found under the player below, on which you can stream Coalition of the Unwilling in its entirety.

Please enjoy:

APE MACHINE LIVE:
03/11 Seattle, WA @ Highline
03/12 Eugene, OR @ Luckey’s
03/13 Fresno, CA @ Audie’s
03/14 Los Angeles, CA @ Los Globos
03/15 San Diego, CA @ The Merrow
03/16 Tucson, AZ @ Congress Club
03/17 El Paso, TX @ Mesa Music Hall
03/18 Austin, TX @ Peckerhead’s – SXSW
03/19 Ft Worth, TX @ Lola’s Saloon – Fuzzed Out Fest
03/20 Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone
03/21 Birmingham, AL @ The Nick
03/22 Chattanooga, TN @ Ziggy’s
03/24 Mobile, AL @ Blind Mule
03/25 Gruene, TX @ Gruene Harley Davidson – Giddy Up Rally Pre-Party
03/26 Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar
03/28 Scottsdale, AZ @ Pub Rock
03/29 Long Beach, CA @ The Prospector
03/30 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
03/31 Portland, OR @ Star Theater

Ape Machine on Thee Facebooks

Ape Machine website

Ape Machine on Twitter

Ape Machine Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds

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Ape Machine to Release Coalition of the Unwilling on Nov. 20; Euro Tour Starts Next Week

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 6th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

ape machine

After completing yet another US tour over the summer, Portland, Oregon’s Ape Machine begin a run through Europe next week. Their new album — I think it’s an album; was initially announced as an EP, so I’m not sure — is called Coalition of the Unwilling, and it’s out Nov. 20 on Heavy Psych Sounds following the band’s Live at Freak Valley (review here), which came out earlier this year on Ripple. They’re a good band, but even more than that, Ape Machine continue to break their collective ass in terms of the work they put in. They’ve hit the road hard for several years now, played fests, one-offs, crossed the country and so on, and letup just doesn’t seem to be a factor when it comes to their ethic. It’s admirable as hell that they haven’t strangled each other by now. Plus, they rock.

They’ve posted a new song, “Under this Face,” as demonstration of that fact, and you can find it under the PR wire info below:

ape machine coalition of the unwilling

Rock’n’roll ain’t dead! Portland rockers APE MACHINE to release “Coalition Of The Unwilling” this month on Heavy Psych Sounds; European tour to kick off next week.

Rock’n’roll has never been so alive, as Portland’s most exciting and hard-hitting riff merchants APE MACHINE are set to make heads turn again, with the imminent release of their fourth album on Heavy Psych Sounds. “Coalition Of The Unwilling” will land this November 20th in all good record stores.

The name APE MACHINE is a nod to the days of reel-to-reel magnetic tape audio recording; a fitting moniker for the Portland heavy-hitting quartet as the band plays through vintage tube amplifiers and lays down its songs using exclusively throwback quality studio equipment.

With a heady mix of animal aggression and technical precision, APE MACHINE’s music carries an organic depth and warmth rarely heard since the time of rock’s glorious early years (or your Dad’s bad ass record collection) infused with an exceptional modern sensibility. When the mystical lyrics of vocalist Caleb Heinze lock in with the band’s stone-cold groove, the band demonstrates an earth-shaking ability to rock. A true four-piece, the group has been called “a rock and roll band with a finger on the pulse of the 70’s and their asses firmly in the present” and “real heavy-psych for the iPhone generation” that delivers “true guts and glory rock and roll”.

After the Portland foursome has established their rock supremacy with third album “Mangled By The Machine” in 2013 (Ripple Music) and several tours including a smashing performance at Freak Valley Festival in 2014, APE MACHINE are taking another great turn this year by signing on Italian powerhouse Heavy Psych Sounds for the release of their fourth full-length “Coalition Of The Unwilling”.

APE MACHINE – New album “Coalition Of The Unwilling”
Out this November 20th on Heavy Psych Sounds
Pre-orders from November 5th at this location

TRACK LISTING:
1. Crushed From Within
2. Disband
3. Give What You Get
4. Under This Face
5. Ape’N’Stein
6. Never My Way

Catch them on their European tour now:
12.11 – BENEVENTO (Ita) TBA
13.11 – ZEROBRANCO (Ita) Titty Twister
14.11 – ZEROBRANCO (Ita) Altroquando
15.11 – CASTEL D’ARIO (Ita) Hostaria
16.11 – STRETTI DI ERACLEA (Ita) Chinaski
17.11 – ERBA (Ita) Centrale Rock
18.11 – CAGLIARI (Ita) Bohemien
19.11 – OSSI (Ita) Alex Bar
20.11 – MUNSTER (De) Rare Guitar Shop
21.11 – SIEGEN (De) Vortex
22.11 – BERLIN (De) Bassy
23.11 – TBA
24.11 – TBA
25.11 – Frankfurt (De) TBA
26.11 – MANNHEIM (DE) 7er
27.11 – ERFURT (De) Tiko
28.11 – OLTEN (Ch) Coq D’Or
29.11 – BASEL (Ch) TBA
30.11 – ITALY TBA
01.12 – INS (Ch) Schuxenhaus
02.12 – ST GALLEN (Ch) Rumpeltum
03.12 – ZUG (Ch) Galvanik “Whau! Bar”
04.12 – LUZERN (Ch) Bruch Bros
05.12 – ROMA (Ita) Sinister Noise

APE MACHINE IS
Caleb Heinze – Vocals
Ian Watts – Guitar
Brian True – Bass
Damon De La Paz – Drums

http://apemachine.com/
https://www.facebook.com/apemachinemusic
https://twitter.com/apemachine
http://www.heavypsychsounds.com/shop.htm

Ape Machine, “Under this Face”

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