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No Legacy Vol. 1 Compilation Brings Together Northern and Southern California

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 8th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

Hard not to dig the mission here. Anyone who’s had the pleasure of being in one and the other can probably tell you that Northern and Southern California are fairly different worlds. Forest vs. beach, off-grid pot farmer hippies vs. those hitting the dispensary on their way to whatever charmed adventure next awaits them. Weather vs. no weather. I don’t know, man. I’m from the Northeast. All I know is that driving southward down the Pacific Coastline, there’s a marked shift in ecosystem. To put it another way: things in one place be different from things in another place. Boom. Language economy. You’re welcome.

Anyhoozle, No Legacy Records is a new imprint helmed by L.A.-based Erik Kluiber of the bands Ironaut and Void Vator, and the label’s first release, No Legacy Vol. 1: Socal/Norcal features not only his own groups but a slew of others whose geographical disparities serve here to unite them in one underground. Always cool to see bands like Disastroid and Astral Cult show up, but along with Aboleth, Hazzaard’s Cure and others, the company they’re keeping is both good and plentiful. Like I said at the outset, hard not to dig the mission.

Info follows, courtesy of the PR wire:

no legacy socal norcal vol 1

NO LEGACY RECORDS DEBUTS WITH A FULL-LENGTH COMPILATION VINYL RELEASE ‘VOL. 1: SOCAL/NORCAL’, IN CELEBRATION OF TODAY’S CALIFORNIA HEAVY METAL UNDERGROUND.

Los Angeles, CA’s No Legacy Records formally announces their debut full-length ‘No Legacy Vol. 1: Socal/Norcal’ is available strictly on vinyl pressing. Featuring nine of California’s modern heavy music acts that span the full genre spectrum of ‘heavy’, including Ironaut, Disastroid, Madrost, Astral Cult, Void Vator, and others. There are ‘no legacy’ acts on the compilation, as the label was created to specifically highlight professional up & coming bands not already in popular awareness.

California is long-known for its contributions to the heavy metal music world. Be it bands, venues, and for many eras – record labels. With the digital stream eruptions, physical music sales plummeted and many major labels focused only on their ‘legacy’ artists, or outright folded. This gave smaller, independent labels room to grow and their underground artists found that same sunlight. Recent years sprouted a resurgence of physical format music on CD, Vinyl, and even cassettes. Yet, major labels still tote primarily ‘legacy’ artists, with reissue after reissue of legendary artist releases in every color vinyl in the rainbow.

However, music lovers still attend live music shows, searching for new heavy music that doesn’t carry that hefty legacy price tag. No Legacy Records was launched for this specific purpose. Erik Kluiber, label founder and executive producer of the compilation, knows his way around the California heavy metal scene. Erik is a long time heavy music artist, currently a member of both Void Vater (guitar) and Ironaut (bass and vocals), as well as former guitarist for Gypsyhawk and White Wizzard.

According to Kluiber,
“The title is called No Legacy, because this album features exclusively contemporary up-and-coming bands in the underground California heavy music scene. From my perspective, the heavy metal movement has shifted over to an unhealthy focus predominantly fixated on established legacy acts. Metal has become all about the brands, instead of the bands.”

“I met all of the bands included on ‘No Legacy’ by sharing the stage with them at club shows across California. I hear and see hundreds of bands every year and the good ones stand out. In 2017, I had this idea of the compilation album in my head. I approached bands that made an impression the night I played with them and asked them if this idea of a compilation album was something they would be interested in participating in. I was surprised on the immediate positive feedback. They reminisced about albums like ‘Metal Massacre’ from decades ago and understood the fan crossover potential.”

The “No Legacy Volume 1: Socal/Norcal” compilation is available in a limited edition, first press run of 500 on 180 gram black vinyl, with printed sleeve insert. Executive produced by Erik Kluiber, with assembly and additional mastering by Michael Hateley at Lotus Mastering. Cover artwork, design, and layout by Ryan Bartlett. The album compilation features nine California heavy underground bands, including Ironaut, Disastroid, Madrost, Astral Cult, Void Vator, Aboleth, Grand Lord High Master, Hazzard’s Cure, Tzimani.

“No Legacy Volume 1: Socal/Norcal” Track List:

Side 1
A1. Ironaut – ‘Sick Stupid Lies’
A2. Disastroid – ‘New Day’
A3. Madrost – ‘Scorned’
A4. Astral Cult – ‘Drowning’

Side 2
B1. Void Vator – ‘No Return’
B2. Aboleth – ‘No Good’
B3. Grand Lord High Master – ‘Sludge’
B4. Hazzard’s Cure – ‘Starvation’
B5. Tzimani – ‘Final Hour’

https://www.facebook.com/Nolegacy/
http://www.nolegacyrecords.bigcartel.com/product/no-legacy-volume-1-socal-norcal

Void Vator, “No Return” official video

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Festum Carnis 2017: Private Festival to Feature Astral Cult, Nachtmystium, Ninth Moon Black and Many More

Posted in Whathaveyou on May 19th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

If you want to get a sense of how remote the area surrounding the Blue Mountain Event Center in Wilseyville, California, is, just look at it on a map. Surrounded by small towns — Bummerville (not kidding) is to the north — one finds Wilseyville about an hour and a half due east of Sacramento and two and a half hours from the Bay Area. Far enough to be far out, which seems all the more befitting a private festival like Festum Carnis 2017, the full lineup for which has been unveiled and which revels in a deep variety of metallic extremity and underground heft.

Hard not to have the eye caught by one-time US black metal innovators Nachtmystium taking part, and for the sake of the fest in general I hope they show up, but there are many, many others involved as well, from Sacramento psych rockers Astral Cult to thrashers like From Hell and Bombscare. If you want to go camping for the three-night event, you need to get in touch with the fest and secure a place on the guest list, and the info on how to do so follows here, along with the complete lineup and much more, all courtesy of the PR wire:

festum carnis 2017 lineup poster

FESTUM CARNIS, a Northern California Open-Air Metal and Camping Festival, is pleased to unveil the lineup for its 2017 incarnation, which will take place on July 7th through 9th at the Blue Mountain Event Center in Wilseyville, CA. In its fifth year, and third at this venue in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains, Festum Carnis invites you – worshippers of all things heavy and close to nature – to come witness the sonic rituals put on by over 25 artists who span the spectrum of underground heavy music, and camp out for up to 3 nights under the light of a full moon.

Blue Mountain Event Center, comprised of over 210 acres of mountainous private property with a running creek, trout pond and A.T.V trails, will open its gate on Friday afternoon for all our Guests who obtained their Passes in advance to arrive and set up camp at designated areas. Food and drinks are available at the bar inside the barn. The barn is what becomes center stage for FESTUM CARNIS that evening as the weekend festivities are kicked off with performances from acts including Nocturnal Slaughter of Portland, Reno’s Ostracized, Dead War from Santa Cruz, The New Plague from Northern California & renowned San Diego black metallers Ruines ov Abaddon. The first night of the fest closes out with the nostalgic sounds of the 80s with San Jose synthwave phenom Vector Hold.

Saturdays schedule includes performances by: standout Southern California black metal bands Conjuror, Skyeater, Coldvoid & Ritual; mock-rock greats Monkeysoop; Portland’s post-rock/psych-sludge outfit Ninth Moon Black and Oakland’s Heavy Metal/Horror supergroup FROM HELL. Late that evening, as the near full moon soars above us and the shadows of the trees shroud us in black, Illinois Black Metal legends NACHTMYSTIUM will take to the stage for what should be a transcendent set. Recently reformed and returning to the scene by way of 2 exclusive 2017 festival appearances, the band will be performing their 2004 EP “Eulogy IV” and 2005 LP “Instinct: Decay” both in their entirety.

Including sets from Lesions, Wandern, Fountain of Bile, Maldicion & more – Sunday, the final day of music and camping at Festum Carnis, is by no means a lazy day or a day to skip for travelling home. Take the always-dreaded Monday off of work and enjoy one final night of ritualistic sonic performances, which will be capped off with a spellbinding performance from Sacramento psychedelic/occult doomsters Astral Cult.

Saturday and Sunday mornings will not have performances scheduled in order to allow guests rest from the night before. For those that like to operate on little to no sleep, the mornings will feature staff-organized activities, games and workshops including a Guitar workshop with Jerry Conner of Monkeysoop, Caricature art with Missy of Monkeysoop and more! Also available for use are the many hiking trails on the property that are just asking to be ventured through, the nearby running creek and pedal boats on the trout pond. Raffles and various organized competitions will also take place throughout both days, with festival merch and other miscellaneous goodies as prizes.

FESTUM CARNIS is brought to you by Arcane Inc., a DreamMaker Project of The Ink People non-profit organization of Eureka, CA. We are honored to be sponsored this year by Broken Psyche Productions, Lagunitas Brewing, The Lazy Cocoon, and Blackstorm Music.

Please note, FESTUM CARNIS is a PRIVATE EVENT, with a VERY limited amount of tickets available. Before tickets can be purchased, an invite must be requested and confirmed. No tickets will be sold at the gates, and anyone who is not confirmed to the guest list will be denied entry. Pre-ordering tickets before the day of event IS IMPERATIVE. To request an invite, and for further information, please visit us @ http://www.festumcarnis.com/

Festum Carnis reserves the right to make adjustments and changes as necessary.

FESTUM CARNIS 2017, Full Lineup (In Alphabetical Order):
Astral Cult – Sacramento, CA (Occult Doom)
Awakened Abyss – San Jose, CA (Black Metal)
Bavmorda – Central Valley, CA (Death Metal)
Bombscare – Bakersfield, CA (Thrash Metal)
Cold Void – Southern California (Black Metal)
Conjuror – Los Angeles, CA (Black Metal/War Metal)
Dead War – Santa Cruz, CA (Blackened Death/Thrash)
Eviscerate – Santa Cruz, CA (Death Metal)
Fountain of Bile – Santa Cruz, CA (Death Metal)
From Hell – Oakland, CA (Death/Thrash Metal)
Incredulous – Napa, CA (Thrash Metal)
Lesions – Los Osos, CA (Hardcore/Doom)
Maldicion – Bakersfield, CA (Black Metal)
Monkeysoop – Texas (Experimental/Weird-Rock)
Nachtmystium – Illinois (Psychedelic Black Metal)
Ninth Moon Black – Portland, OR (Instrumental Psych/Doom)
Nocturnal Awakening – Los Osos, CA (Black Metal)
Nocturnal Slaughter – Portland, OR (Death Metal)
Ostracized – Reno, NV (Stoner/Nerd Metal)
Ritual – Los Angeles, CA (Black Metal)
Ruines ov Abaddon – San Diego, CA (Black Metal)
Skyeater – Los Angeles, CA (Black Metal)
StormBat – Santa Cruz, CA (Thrash Metal)
Suicide Forest – Tucson, AZ (Depressive Black Metal)
The New Plague – Northern California (Death/Black Metal)
Trial By Combat – Bay Area, CA (Death/Groove Metal)
Vector Hold – San Jose, CA (Outrun/Dark Synth)
Wandern – Placerville, CA (Metal)

http://www.festumcarnis.com/
https://www.facebook.com/FestumCarnis/
http://www.twitter.com/festumcarnis

Astral Cult, The Sacred Flame (2016)

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Quarterly Review: Blues Pills, Arctic, Major Kong, Hands I Annul Yours, Storm Ross, Sinister Haze, Love Gang, Nap, Manthrass, Astral Cult

Posted in Reviews on October 5th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

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Today we hit the halfway mark on the Fall 2016 Quarterly Review. Always an occasion worthy of song — or, you know, another batch of 10 records — which happens to be precisely the plan. We pick up much where we left off yesterday in working across a broad spectrum of heavy, and though there are some major releases in here as seems to be the case increasingly, please make sure to note some of the deeper underground stuff as well, whether it’s Hands I Annul Yours or Astral Cult, as nothing here is included by mistake. Some of this I’m late on, some of it isn’t out yet, but all of it is pretty current, so if there’s something here you’ve missed, bigger name or smaller, I hope you get some use out of the lot of it. Here goes.

Quarterly Review #21-30:

Blues Pills, Lady in Gold

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Blues Pills – like their Nuclear Blast labelmates in Witchcraft, Graveyard and Kadavar before them – have modernized. Their second album behind what became a landmark self-titled debut (review here) in 2014, Lady in Gold arrives with a slick production casting off the vintage vibes while holding onto classic sensibility and rightfully continuing to feature the soulfulness of vocalist Elin Larsson, joined in the band by guitarist Dorian Sorriaux, bassist Zack Anderson (ex-Radio Moscow) and drummer André Kvarnström (ex-Truckfighters). Its 10 tracks/40 minutes are unmistakably pop in their construction, and deftly, complexly arranged, and play to an alternative vision of commercial accessibility in rock that I’m not sure exists anymore even in Europe. Or needs to for an album like Lady in Gold to be successful. As they weave into and out of gospel and R&B conventions, Blues Pills take a bold step away from what one might have expected coming off their debut and ultimately define themselves precisely through that boldness. Whether that works for them in the longer term will have to remain to be seen. For now, Lady in Gold can be jarring at first, but one would be hard pressed to come up with something else out there that sounds quite like it.

Blues Pills on Thee Facebooks

Nuclear Blast website

 

Arctic, Arctic

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Los Angeles three-piece Arctic make their entry into Southern California’s crowded sphere of heavy/psychedelic rock with their self-titled debut on Outer Battery Records. To call them skate rock seems fair enough, since guitarist Justin “Figgy” Figueroa (also Harsh Toke), bassist Don “The Nuge” Nguyen and drummer Frex are all professional skateboarders, but the core of Arctic’s five-track/half-hour-flat runtime is in mixing classic stoner impulses with heavy psych jamming. Most of the record is instrumental, including 8:51 opener and longest track (immediate points) “Over Smoked,” but vocals pop up to surprise on centerpiece “Burnt Ice” and return again in form drawled enough to justify their having called the nodding closer “High” as they do. At very least they make it believable. Between the dankness throughout, the guitar-led fuzz boogie of “Cryptic Black Sun,” the natural vibes, the Arik Roper cover art and the utter lack of pretense, Arctic summarize much of the appeal of the West Coast’s current heavy movement, and so, should have no trouble continuing to make their name as part of it.

Arctic on Thee Facebooks

Outer Battery Records

 

Major Kong, Brave New Kong

Robot

Three new tracks from Poland’s Major Kong is nothing to complain about. The Lublin trio have been not-at-all-quietly stomping out quality riffs for more than half a decade now, and with “Energy Whip,” “Escape from the Holodeck” and “Pollution Halo,” the instrumentalists are in and out of Brave New Kong in under 14 minutes, working quickly and efficiently with a crisp but still thick production that pulls away from some of the focus on crush from late last year’s Galactic Cannibalism EP (review here). That may well be the Brave New Kong to which the title refers, or it’s entirely possible they’re just having fun with their own moniker – subsequent offerings will tell the tale – but Major Kong continue to be a well-kept secret for Poland’s fertile heavy underground, and if nothing else, they sound like a group due for a third full-length album, which will hopefully arrive sooner than later.

Major Kong on Thee Facebooks

Major Kong BigCartel store

 

Hands I Annul Yours, Year of Death

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One could make the argument that given the swath of cultural icons passed away, 2016 is the Year of Death to which Hands I Annul Yours are alluding to in the title of their latest Major Destroyer Records three-song tape, but aside from the fact that they specify it was 2013, one seriously doubts they give a shit about famous people dying. Beginning with the drone and feedback noise of “Year of Death Part I,” the cassette moves into a 19-minute stomp and crush that’s as misanthropic as it is weighted, and much as there is one, the prevailing sentiment is less reflecting on loss than it is rolling out claustrophobic heft. Fair enough. Following the tape-only “Verloren,” “Year of Death Part II” boasts more sample manipulation and a discernible lead from the guitar, but finds its way toward abrasion as well, rounding out Year of Death with a dissolution into feedback that would seem to bring it full circle.

Hands I Annul Yours on Bandcamp

Major Destroyer Records website

 

Storm Ross, Welcome, Sunshine

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Fortunately, the fact that Storm Ross named the opening track of Welcome, Sunshine “We Need to be Fugazi Now, More than Ever” is only the start of the 37-minute/10-track LP’s experimentalist charms. The follow-up to the Michigan-based guitarist’s 2014 return full-length, The Green Realm (review here), this new collection finds Ross himself once again making his way through soundscapes manic and pastoral with like ease, and as one piece feeds into the next on “Please Don’t Kill My Family” and “Benzie County Farm Fire, 1973” or the synth-infused, tech-shredding “Atheon” fading into the penultimate post-rock drift of “The Smiler” later (think Dylan Carlson solo gone sentimental for the West, plus a late uptick of noise), the sense of Welcome, Sunshine as a whole work is even more palpable than was the last outing, even as Ross jumps from one style to another or incorporates keys, percussion, etc., following various whims toward a universally progressive payoff. Limited to 300 copies on yellow vinyl or on cassette through Already Dead Tapes and Records.

Storm Ross on Thee Facebooks

Storm Ross on Bandcamp

 

Sinister Haze, Laid Low in the Dust of Death

STB_SINISTER_Cover

Virginian doomers Sinister Haze follow-up their 2015 debut EP, Betrayed by Time (review here), with the raw and scummed up Laid Low in the Dust of Death LP on STB Records. Recorded by Chad Davis (Hour of 13), it’s their first outing to feature Naam’s Eli Pizzuto on drums, and they do trip out a bit on guitar, but if you’re thinking slow space rock here you’ve got the wrong picture. Guitarist/vocalist Brandon Marcey (ex-Cough) and bassist/vocalist Sam Marsh lead the charge – the low-end is particularly satisfying in its roll throughout – and fellow newcomer JK (Lost Tribe) adds to the mix as well, so the spirit of Laid Low in the Dust of Death is bare-bones and classic, but positively covered in its titular dust. And maybe one or two other kinds. Six tracks split easily onto two sides, Sinister Haze’s first full-length outing comes across as a reaction against cleanliness in doom – call it gutter doom – flowing in its 12-minute closer “A Buried Dream,” but still clearly from the gut.

Sinister Haze on Thee Facebooks

STB Records BigCartel store

 

Love Gang, Love Gang

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The flute-laden heavy rock with which Denver’s Love Gang open their debut EP might stand among the best outcomes of Colorado’s marijuana legalization. A four-piece with a full sound only enhanced by the organ/woodwind work of Leo Muñoz, Love Gang self-release their first outing as four tracks that sap classic prog of its pretense and offer ‘70s heavy chemistry without leaning on vintage production. Guitarist/vocalist Kam Wentwork, bassist Grady O’Donnell and drummer Shaun Goodwin, together with Muñoz, get down to business on “Can’t Seem to Win” and the instrumental “Lonely Man,” go bluesy on “Highway” and boogie to a finish in “Sands of Time,” all the while sounding ready in their songcraft and execution for whatever label might come calling to stand behind their work. It’ll be somebody. Some bands take time to develop into their own sound, and some break the doors down out of the gate. Love Gang are the latter. Whenever they get around to a first full-length, I hope they remember to weird out a little bit.

Love Gang on Thee Facebooks

Love Gang on Bandcamp

 

Nap, Villa

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Though five of the eight tracks on Nap’s debut, Villa, have words at one point or another, it’s probably still fair to note the psych-inflected German trio as a mostly-instrumental outfit. The lyrics, when they’re there, arrive in short verses, lines included it seems more to create the impression of a human presence rather than affirm a structure. They are vague in theme for the most part, but there, though there isn’t a song in the bunch that goes as far as a chorus. No complaints. Nap, as a project, feel much more given toward the spacious and atmospheric exploration one finds in the midsection of second cut “Sabacia” than the four or five lines in the driving riff subsequent. As the record plays out, they incorporate elements of surf – surprisingly more on “Duna” and closer “Autobahn” than “Xurf,” but it could also be a Yawning Man influence surfacing – resulting in an overarching progressive feel that serves their fluidity on this first album.

Nap on Thee Facebooks

Nap on Bandcamp

 

Manthrass, Blues del Destino

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Heavy rocking Buenos Aires three-piece Manthrass issued their debut, Blues del Destino, last year and were subsequently snagged for release through South American Sludge Records, no doubt for the record’s cohesive, hard-driving bluesy push, natural tones and easy-grooving feel. The shuffle of “Una Flor” is a highlight, but neither will you find me arguing with the Pappo’s Blues cover “El Brujo y el Tiempo,” with a burlier vocal and a rolling progression that seems to sum up a lot of where Manthrass are coming from to start with, though closer “Navegar” gets down with more raucous fare. A quality first full-length with a crisp production balanced by a fervent live feel in the energy from the trio of guitarist/vocalist Mariano Castiiglioni, bassist/vocalist Ángel Rizzo and drummer/backing vocalist Fede Martínez, who are clearly versed in modern heavy as well as the classics, and are able to control their own destiny here accordingly.

Manthrass on Thee Facebooks

South American Sludge on Bandcamp

 

Astral Cult, The Sacred Flame

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Commencement comes on Astral Cult’s second album, The Sacred Flame, via the ritualized psychedelic incantations of “Prayer,” and from there, the Californian four-piece unfold a molten vision of heavy space rock that stands apart from a lot of what bands further sound in San Diego or even San Francisco are doing, vocalist Alexandre Lapuh, guitarist Ryan Musser, bassist Stefan Henskens and drummer Brazdon Goodwin (since replaced by Cristian Gonzalez) finding their footing in a lumbering and deceptively doomed “Quetzalcotl” after so much lysergic preaching on “Call of the Wild” and “Beacon of Darkness.” The range is surprising, but more so is the fluidity Astral Cult conjure between what are often disparate styles, the four-piece nearly hitting the 13-minute mark on the closing title-tack as they lay the two sides together, one into the next. It’s a rarer blend, but The Sacred Flame, at nearly an hour long, gears itself for maximum immersion.

Astral Cult on Thee Facebooks

Astral Cult on Bandcamp

 

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