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Former Man’s Ruin Artists Pay Tribute to Frank Kozik

Posted in Features on May 15th, 2023 by JJ Koczan

Some of the best heavy rock records of all time were released through Man’s Ruin Records. We’re talking about pivotal, genre-defining releases that continue to resonate some 20-plus years later, which in rock and roll time is an eternity. Some bands are still active and contributing, and some have left it behind, but in light of the sudden passing last week of artist and label-founder Frank Kozik, it felt right to take a look at that portion of his life he spent fostering bands and some of the impact that music has had on, at this point, two subsequent generations of heavy.

I’ve told this story before, but maybe in 2004, I was at SXSW in Austin, Texas, meandering off 6th St. in order to find a show happening in a record store. Went under the highway bridge and all that to get to Snake Eyes Vinyl. I don’t think it’s there anymore, but at the time they were hosting bands as part of the whole SXSW thing. They moved bins and so on to make room for amps, or had artists play outside; I sat on a hill and saw Kylesa on the back of a trailer on a sunny afternoon; Drunk Horse and Saviours shared the ‘stage’ inside, etc.

The narrative in my head is that I was waiting for either Drunk Horse or Saviours — I honestly don’t remember — to go on, did some shopping in the interim, and stumbled on a motherlode of Man’s Ruin CDs. Some I had, many I didn’t, but with the label defunct two years prior, the stuff was already becoming rare and, on eBay, not cheap. I grabbed a stack that was no fewer than 10 discs — including Drunk Horse — and made my way to the counter to pay, only to find out that they belonged to Becca, the woman who ran the store. She was visibly sad to be parting with them.

I said that it was okay, I would give them a good home and take care of them. And I did. I still have them the better part of two decades later. It tells you the kind of connections that listeners made to the music that Kozik put out that, even when she had decided to sell them in her shop, it was hard to let go of those albums. Kozik’s work with Man’s Ruin was special, and the heavy underground has worked on a label-as-hub model since, whether it’s imprints like Small Stone, Ripple Music, Heavy Psych Sounds, and so on. Not only is Kozik’s output through Man’s Ruin still relevant aurally and visually, but it continues to shape the structure of heavy rock’s promotional and distribution apparatus. One does not generally think of a small business as influential.

Yet here we are. Some of the below was hoisted from social media, and some folks I hit up direct or through PR, but through it all, the spirit of thankfulness is palpable, and I’ll add my thanks to that, because there’s no way I’d be sitting here writing this sentence right now if not for Frank Kozik and Man’s Ruin Records. Heavy music owes him a debt it can never repay.

Thanks to all who took part in this, and thanks as always for reading.

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Lori S. from Acid King:

Wow (#128558#)(#128546#). Um…. Don’t know what to say . Man’s Ruin and Frank were a huge part of my life and always will be . Thank you for releasing our records creating a scene that didn’t exist and for the endless amount of cool artwork that will be on planet earth way longer than all of us R.I.P.

Sometime like, 94-96 I went to visit my friend, Tim Moss in San Francisco. While running around we stopped at Man’s Ruin where he introduced me to Frank Kozik and Frank being the nice guy that he is, let me grab a bunch of posters. I was freaking out. His label opened my ears to so many bands who later would become family. His art has always been a part of my life. Below is one of the prints he let me take and it was the very first piece of art we hung at Jackalope. Oh shit and then that amazing Man’s Ruin fest at the Troubadour w/ Scott Carlson, Lori Joseph, Rich Hay, Scott Reeder and lord can only remember who else (#128514#). Thanks for everything, Frank. Rest easy.

Fatso Jetson:

Our music and art scene has lost a true godfather, Frank Kozik believed in the unique music from our desert and was responsible for some of the most influential recordings, all were released on his Man’s Ruin label. From Kyuss to Queens of the Stone Age, Brant Bjork, the Jack Saints, Desert Sessions….the list goes on and on. We are so grateful and honored to be part of his history. Thank you Frank …Fatso sends love to you and your family brother. God Speed.

Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Ché, Fu Manchu, solo):

I was having dinner with Frank Kozik one night in SF and he asked me if it was true that I was going to record a solo record. I said yes. He said he wanted to put it out. The result was Jalamanta. That was in 1999 and it was my first solo release. I had no idea then I’d still be releasing solo records 24 years later. Thank you Frank for believing in me and all the other artists and bands you believed in. It takes one to know one. Frank was, still is and will always be… a true artist. ❤️BB

Eddie Glass of Nebula:

Frank was such a cool dude and played a legendary part in the scene when it was coming up. It was so cool being on his label because he would design the covers and the Sun Creature EP came out perfectly. He will be dearly missed.

Amanda Topaz from Begotten:

Frank Kozik was a friend at a time in my life when it was really hard to be my friend. His unexpected death makes me incredibly sad an my thoughts are with his wife Sharon. Although I Haven’t seen him in twenty years I am so grateful for his generosity. I don’t think cats now realize the extent of what he gave us because now the Spotify AI Algorithm picks out what you listen to every day, AI makes your music videos for you, for all I know AI is generating your riffs for you too. But back then in New York, finishing up music school where I was lucky enough to have one of Coltrane’s bass players as a teacher – and he would tell us – We can teach you how to play the music but you have to understand that it’s the soul of our generation – we created it in the streets and in the clubs -. Imagine then as a lost child hearing THE MELVINS for the first time – this sound from the Bay Area all the way across the country – for the first time at 1 in the morning from some cd bought in an underground record shop in a back alley with a group of friends. Or the desert sessions. Or Acid King / Kyuss / Nebula/ High on Fire. It was life-changing. This was the sound of OUR generation. Kozik handed it to us on a Man’s Ruin platter. Didn’t make a dime off it – he supported the company with poster and art sales as far as I know. And he was nice enough to give our big ugly maroon 89 Chevy van the name, “La Guappa”.

Lou Gorra of Solarized (also Halfway to Gone):

Frank was a brilliant artist. We all know that. I was so incredibly humbled when one of my favorite artists of all time signed my dopey little band to one of the coolest labels of the twentieth century. My time making records for Man’s Ruin was short lived, but the memories I made during that time will remain with me for the rest of life. I’m so incredibly sad that there will be no more new Kozik art for the world to love, but I’m tearfully grateful that my music can be referenced in his monolithic legacy, even in the most minuscule way. Thank you Frank. RIP

Darryl Shepard (ex-Roadsaw, currently Kind, etc.):

Seeing as how Craig and I were both in Roadsaw and we both play on this record, I feel this should be posted here as well: Not enough can be said about Frank Kozik. His artwork defined a subculture. His record label Man’s Ruin kickstarted the global stoner rock underground into high gear. The heavy underground rock scene would not exist the way it does now without his involvement. That is not hyperbole. Roadsaw was fortunate enough to release a 7” on Man’s Ruin. We went to his art studio in San Francisco while on tour and met him while he was screen printing the covers. We played the Bottom of the Hill that night and he personally dropped off the records at the club so we’d have some to sell. An absolute legend in the art and music worlds. R.I.P. Mr. Kozik. And thank you.

Sergio Ch. of Los Natas (currently Ararat, Soldati, solo, etc.):

Frank gave me the opportunity of my life. He believed in my work and shared it to the world. Got me into the big leagues just trusting some guys from Argentina and their love for music. I wouldn´t be standing where I am right now if not for is help, art and determination. I remember after recording album Ciudad de Brahman, back in San Francisco 1999, we piled into his truck and took a ride, just pumping the album’s mix cassette tape into the car’s player. He looked at me right into my eyes in a stop light and told me, almost breaking in tears, “Sergio, your music has spirit. Never give up. I am old and tired but you must keep doing what you do.” A few [years] later, Man’s Ruin Records announced their closeup and I got a huge UPS box right at my home in Argentina, including the one inch tapes from Natas’ Ciudad de Brahman album. along with a release rights letter from Frank. What a gentleman. Will miss you Boss, thanks and love foreva.

Erik Larson of Alabama Thunderpussy:

I didn’t know Frank Kozik as well as I would have liked to, but the fact that I knew him at all is nothing short of fantastic. When we met, I was just some Metal-Punk from Virginia, and yet the man showed me and Alabama Thunderpussy nothing but encouragement throughout the years we had a working relationship. I could always count on a no bullshit opinion from him. Frank didn’t seem to tolerate bullshit. His whole approach to Man’s Ruin Records seemed to be a testament to that viewpoint, and a ‘pay attention to what’s important right now’ attitude that kept things exciting, challenging and precarious all at once. I think it is safe to say Alabama Thunderpussy would never have achieved as much as we have, had it not been for that first opportunity Frank Kozik gave to us. I’m forever grateful to him for that.

Jim Hogan of Solarized (currently Defiance Engine):

When Frank Kozik ran Man’s Ruin Records, he helped our band, Solarized, more than any other label we ever dealt with. He offered a 50% profit split, made us store posters, and he made custom screened posters for when we toured. Eventually the label folded, but he helped hundreds of bands, and he and his crew released a whole lot of great albums. His poster art, his custom vinyl toys, and his record label were nothing short of amazing. He was the only guy we ever knew who got interviewed by Newsweek. He was an outstanding human being and he is truly a brother lost.

Reg Hogan of Solarized (currently Defiance Engine):

We send our heart felt condolences to Frank’s family and friends…Frank did more to elevate scene awareness, with his passion and love for the music, than most of the music industry. We are grateful he took a shine to our brand of Jersey swamp rock.

Arthur Seay of Unida:

Was an honor to have Frank release our Unida record ‘Coping with the Urban Coyote’, which really put us on the map and allowed us to tour Europe and caught the attention of the majors lol. He was a true artist, gifted, talented and crazy as fuck.

Jason Casanova of Tummler (currently Sasquatch):

Frank was the man. Not only for his art, but his vision for Man’s Ruin and the music scene that it created. I can’t thank him enough for giving my old band Tummler a shot at putting out a record back in the heyday. The smoking bunny will live on forever. RIP dude. You rule. – C

Johan Rockner of Dozer:

RIP Frank Kozik ❤️

He signed us back in ’98 and released our two first albums In the Tail of a Comet and Madre De Dios. He was one of those who believed in us, which we are forever thankful for. Without him Dozer would not be were we are. We met him in Stockholm at his exhibition “the Stockholm job”, a really cool and down to earth kind of guy.

Ben Ward of Orange Goblin:

Sad news this morning that the legendary artist Frank Kozik has passed away. Frank did some great artwork for Orange Goblin over the years and his label, Man’s Ruin Records, was responsible for some of the coolest releases in various genres from the mid to late ’90s. His artwork lives on forever and Frank will be remembered as a kind, funny, intelligent and humble man with a very unique style and he will be missed. Condolences to his family and friends. Thank you Frank, RIP.

Sons of Otis:

RIP Frank Kozik(#128128#) Mad visionary. The ONLY label that ever paid us.

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Begotten Post “Judges” Video; Self-Titled Reissue Due July 21

Posted in Bootleg Theater on May 30th, 2022 by JJ Koczan

begotten begotten

July 21 has been set as the release date for the Black Farm Records vinyl remaster of the 2001 self-titled debut from New York’s Begotten. The Brooklyn-and-now-not-just-Brooklyn-based trio have been active again for a few years now — their 2018 Demo EP (review here) offered crunch-riff delights beyond proof of life, and they followed with an EP last year — and Begotten has been waiting for its LP issue for at least the last 12 months, as the label announced intentions toward having it out in July 2021. That is a significant delay and nothing if not emblematic of the times.

Perhaps all the more appropriate, then, that the band should have a new video up for “Judges” from the record, which takes a classically-metallic harsh view of current realities: climate change, wildfires, the planet dying under our feet and largely by our own collective hand. From its initial Sabbathian lurch to the more shuffling finish, it’s a representation of the doom-for-doomers mentality of the group, and it’s hard to ignore either the relevance of the lyrics more than two decades later — yup, shit still sucks, maybe even more, considering Begotten‘s original July 2001 release puts it before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and the 20 years of war, fire, flood, plague and political decay that have followed — or the fact that if you sat “Judges” alongside much of the current heavy underground sphere, which they’re basically doing with the vinyl reissue, it fits. Primitive times call for primitive riffs. Begotten wield theirs with due judgment.

Near as I can tell, the Roger Lian remaster of the album featured here is the one the band previously had streaming on their Bandcamp (player at the bottom of this post; if I’m wrong on that I’ll correct as need be), but in any case, doom is doom and this is doom, so doom on, doomers. Oh, did I mention Begotten were a sludge band? Ha.

I’m not generally one for issuing direct challenges to bands and I won’t here either, but I’d love to hear what Begotten could come up with for a brand new full-length.

Enjoy “Judges” and consider the possibilities. Further word on the reissue follows, courtesy of Black Farm:

Begotten, “Judges” official video

Greetings from the Farm!

Remember when we announced the reissue of Begotten’s debut album in July?

Well, the test pressing has been play tested and approved!

The whole reissue process has taken a little more time than expected, but everything is turning up super nicely.

Roger Lian (Slayer, Pantera, …) handled the vinyl remaster and rearranged track order to suit the vinyl specifications, and it sounds that huge!

Scott “Wino” Weinrich has been kind enough to pen a few words in the liner notes for this 20th anniversary reissue, and the very first time on vinyl!

Begotten’s debut is the last ever release Man’s Ruin records put out in 2000, and it’s such an honour to finally give this piece of history the vinyl treatment it has deserved for 20+ years.

No doubt you will love this new presentation of Begotten’s Doom landmark.

More news to come as soon as we can confirm exact release date.

Stay safe, drop Doom!

Begotten, EP (2021)

Begotten, Begotten (2018 Remaster)

Begotten on Facebook

Begotten on Instagram

Begotten on Bandcamp

Black Farm Records store

Black Farm Records on Instagram

Black Farm Records on Facebook

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Begotten to Reissue Self-Titled Debut on Black Farm Records

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 21st, 2021 by JJ Koczan

As the PR wire notes right off the bat, today’s the 20th anniversary of Begotten‘s self-titled debut, which has the distinction of having been the final release through Frank Kozik‘s now-legendary, genre-defining Man’s Ruin Records imprint. July 21, 2001. Guess what? The whole world was about to go to shit. Still on its way down. The fucking ocean caught fire last month. People barely blinked.

So anyway, cool for the New York sludgecrunchers that they’ve linked arms with Black Farm Records to give the album a proper vinyl reissue. I’ve no doubt it’ll be rad. What I’m a little hurt by, though, is that Begotten put out a new two-songer in March and no one even told me. You mean you’ve got 17 minutes of new heavy nod and I’m just sitting around typing away writing about 110 releases that aren’t that over the last couple weeks? Hardly seems fair. Last I heard from them was their 2018 demo (review here). Clearly I need to get caught up.

So yeah, right on with the reissue, but I’m gonna dig into the new stuff too. Both, as it happens, are streaming at the bottom of this post:

begotten

BEGOTTEN was Man’s Ruin last release 20 years ago today

Begotten celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their Man’s Ruin debut and announce the limited edition vinyl of the album on Black Farm Records.

Notoriously BEGOTTEN became the last band to release a record on legendary stoner/doom label Man’s Ruin two decades ago today. Now Black Farm Records announces the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Vinyl of the band’s self-titled release. The label, based in northern France, specializes in high quality collectible vinyl releases.

New York City in the late nineties was all about hardcore, punk and fast rock. Playing doom and stoner rock was an act of rebellion. The original self-titled Begotten album was recorded analog reel to reel and came out with Man’s Ruin’s dying breath. This was shortly before the World Trade Center went crashing down – which among all the other horrors also brought Begotten and many other NYC bands to a crashing halt. The demise of Man’s Ruin Records was as harsh a blow to the music scene, as the fall of the towers were to the City.

Two decades later, the 20th anniversary limited edition vinyl emerges just as a global plague begins to dissipate in the U.S. The meaning behind songs like “Electric Hell,” “Judges,” “Garabed’s Freedom,” resonates perhaps more than ever now. What can be heard on the album is the music of three people who have remained loyal to each other, loyal to the spirit of the music, and loyal to themselves. The album has been remastered for vinyl by Roger Lian (of Slayer fame) – the same guy who mastered it the first time for CD from the reel to reel mixes.

Begotten is Matthew Anselmo on Guitar, vox, (and synth on “Narkotizer”); Rob Sefcik on drums; Amanda Topaz on bass, vox (and bullwhip on “Garabed’s Freedom”).

begotten001.bandcamp.com
instagram.com/begottendoom
facebook.com/BegottenDoom
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instagram.com/blackfarmrecords
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Begotten, EP (2021)

Begotten, Begotten (2018 Remaster)

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Begotten, 2018 Demo EP: The Trichome’s Growth

Posted in Reviews on January 2nd, 2019 by JJ Koczan

begotten 2018 demo ep

New York riff-stompers Begotten began playing shows again a couple years ago, having been long defunct following the release of their lone, self-titled album in 2001. That record was remastered in 2018 with the addition of two previously unreleased tracks, “Nomad” and “Apache” (premiered here), and has held an auspicious place in heavy rock trivia for being the final release on Man’s Ruin Records before the storied label went under. The band followed suit soon enough after, spending the intervening years, as they tell it, with guitarist/vocalist Matt Anselmo being diagnosed with throat cancer, bassist/vocalist Amanda Topaz losing much of her ability to hear, and drummer Rob Sefcik joining anti-genre purveyors Kings Destroy. As to the impetus for a reunion, I couldn’t possibly say, but it’s resulted in the first new material from the band since their debut in the form of 2018 Demo EP, which brings forth six songs of nodder riffs and loose-feeling-but-nonetheless-heavy groove. The recording, helmed by Kol Marshall and Joe Kelly at Suburban Elvis Studios (also Eternal Black), was done over the course of two days, and sounds and feels live with an intent toward rawness and grit.

A demo, in other words. And it was unquestionably released in 2018, so that settles that. What I’d argue with as regards the title, however, is the “EP” portion of it. 2018 Demo EP, which slogs through a four-minute introduction with “Surrender to the Doom” before loosing the roller “WhiteOut” — which I’m just gonna guess isn’t about fixing typographical errors; think “Snowblind” in concept and sound — is 38 minutes long. That’s a full-length. While I’m sure Begotten have more material hanging around, their dirt-caked sludge has enough time in these songs to demonstrate its variety of composition and overarching flow, the dynamic in swapping vocals between Anselmo and Topaz, and the shifts between harsher, Bongzilla-style crust screaming, as on “WhiteOut” and the cleaner melodies of “Cold Earth,” “Levitator ADX” and “Apache,” which follow and each hover on either side of eight minutes long, thereby comprising the bulk of the offering, growing more immersive and more spacious as they play one into the next.

That in itself speaks to 2018 Demo EP as an album, and while I don’t want to get hung up haggling over the delineation — as, yes, I know, I do — the fact is that EPs and LPs are regarded on different levels. This is a demo, clearly marked, so that’s its own consideration as well, but especially as “WhiteOut” unfolds into “Cold Earth,” and especially with the instrumental intro “Surrender to the Doom” and its companion outro “Into the Trichome” at the end, 2018 Demo EP moves like an album. It has two sides — somewhat uneven in length with a split after “Cold Earth,” but still — and it seems to reach further as it plays through until the final deconstruction and ringout at its conclusion. Particularly with a production that’s so willfully raw and a live-seeming recording method, there’s nothing missing here to stop it from being a full-length demo. That said, the fact that Begotten call it a demo speaks to a desire on their part to refine what’s here or otherwise progress from it.

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Not that it’s fair to compare something from 17 years earlier, but indeed, the self-titled had a cleaner sound, if like-minded in terms of the space captured. It’s hard to know their future intent, but if 2018 Demo EP is a precursor to a record to be made either with this material — you’ll note “Apache” already showed up on the first LP’s remaster — or other songs building off it, then this release only bodes well and shows the three-piece as ready to take on that task. What concerns me about that is the idea of this six-songer as an EP, as though a complete album would require more; either more songs or more runtime. It wouldn’t. If Begotten wanted to take the lessons from this demo and hit the studio to churn out the same songs in the same order, they’d have a tight, effective full-length. They have that now, just with a barebones, straightforward production that, by my estimate, doesn’t really hurt the songs as it is. In the post-Sleep largesse of “Levitator ADX,” one can hear hints of the psychedelic spaces the band are reaching for via the late wah of the guitar, and as a demo, that’s how it should be. That can certainly be expanded in a final version of a track, with layering, etc., but if Begotten are thinking a full-length needs to top 50 or even 40 minutes to be effective, all they need to do is listen to their own demo for proof to the contrary.

“Cold Earth,” “Levitator ADX” and “Apache” play out in order from shortest to longest, and as each one takes hold from the other, Begotten bring the listener deeper into a wide-open murk that still holds a foundation in the crunch of their tones. Sefcik is a grounding force for some of the jammier aspects, but well fluid enough in his style of play as to give Anselmo and Topaz room to explore riffs and melodies around that solid rhythm, and the upfront buzz of “Levitator ADX” and comparatively far-back riffing of “Apache” are indicative of the ability of the trio to shape their sound within the reaches of a mix. That only adds to the molten, classic stoner vibe so prevalent throughout 2018 Demo EP, and though the rest of what follows remains colored by the sludgy surge of “WhiteOut” early on, Begotten show that more than a decade and a half on from their debut, they have something to add to a New York heavy scene that’s cycled through a generation of followers in the time of their absence.

Given the length of time they were inactive, I won’t feign prescience as to what they’ll do next, but a demo says they’re evolving. You do a demo before you make a record of one sort or another. If that’s where Begotten are headed, they’ve given themselves some crucial lessons to learn with 2018 Demo EP, and in more than just nomenclature. One only hopes that if and as these songs do lead to another outing, the band holds firm to the aspects of their approach that seem to have carried over so effectively from their debut: their range, their ability to fluidly shift between tempos and aggression levels, their penchant for leaving structure behind when it suits the song, and so on. Strange to think of a band that got their start 22 years ago as holding promise, but Begotten‘s 2018 Demo EP is so much less about retread and so much more about looking forward that one could hardly do otherwise.

Begotten, 2018 Demo EP

Begotten on Thee Facebooks

Begotten on Bandcamp

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Live Review: Shroud Eater, Eternal Black and Begotten in Brooklyn, 09.05.17

Posted in Reviews on September 7th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

shroud eater photo jj koczan

You ever have one of those bands you just can’t seem to see? I’ll try not to bore you with the barrage of internal links, but I’ve been writing about Miami’s Shroud Eater for eight years since their demo (review here) arrived on my doorstep in 2009, and yet, at every opportunity when I’d otherwise see them, something has come up, the show has been canceled, I’ve moved out of the state, whatever it might be — point is it’s always been something. Well not this time, god damn it. This time I was going to finally see Shroud Eater.

The good news is it worked out. The Floridian three-piece hit Brooklyn’s venerated Saint Vitus Bar with support from reformed riffers Begotten and the doomly Eternal Black for a Tuesday night lineup that had no dip front to back. The bad news? Pretty much the only reason I was able to be there was because I was on my way to New Jersey for my grandmother’s funeral later in the week. Further bad news? Shroud Eater canceled the rest of their tour and were turning back south after this show in order to prepare for Hurricane Irma, which had already been called the strongest storm ever seen in the Atlantic Ocean, begotten-Photo-JJ-Koczanto make landfall in their peninsular homeland.

Even with these things hanging overhead, though, the most was made of the night and I can’t speak for anyone else, but from where I stood the show was killer. Begotten were onstage when I walked in, guitarist/vocalist Matthew Anselmo immediately placing himself in the running for the title of “most New York dude ever” as he led the band through a soundcheck and asked afterward if that wasn’t the start of the set. Bassist/vocalist Amanda Topaz and drummer Rob Sefcik (the latter also of Kings Destroy) confirmed that, indeed, the show wasn’t yet starting, the sound guy told everyone to hit the bar for a couple minutes, and all seemed more than happy to oblige.

When they did get started with the show proper, Begotten‘s post-Sleep lumbering came through with due thickness, Topaz‘s Sunn amp sitting precariously atop her bass cabinet while Anselmo‘s Marshall JCM 2000 stood like a totem at the head of a full stack. This was only the second show Begotten have played since reuniting, begotten-2-Photo-JJ-Koczanand they did four songs in the set, among them “Apache,” which was among the lost tracks that premiered here last October to mark their getting back together, and “Judges,” which was the opener of their 2002 self-titled debut, released by Man’s Ruin Records. They actually had that disc for sale, as well as an original Frank Kozik poster for the release in metallic ink that was nothing short of stunning to behold, but the highlight was that they also played a new song, giving a clear signal that they’ll move ahead toward the creation hopefully of a second long-player.

After 15 years since the debut, I don’t think anyone will be in a rush to put a timeline on that, but it was welcome news all the same. When they were done, Eternal Black took the stage quickly, sharing drum gear — guitarist/vocalist Ken Wohlrob noted the Kings Destroy kickdrum head on the kit through which drummer/best-guy-ever Joe Wood was playing, eliciting a chuckle from all, including bassist Hal Miller — and set about rolling forth their likewise dense-toned doomer grooves. Their self-released debut, Bleed the Days (review here), came out Aug. 8 and was still pretty fresh in mind, and their straightforward and roughed-upeternal-black-photo-jj-koczan take on classic, traditionalist riff-led doom was no less welcome from the stage than from that disc. If anything, more so for the voluminous onslaught through which the persistent roll seemed to emanate.

I dug that record — I dig that record. A lot. And granted, I’m biased as regards the band because of my overarching love of Joe Wood (who really is the best guy ever; it’s like his thing) and because I find the gritty edge they bring to Maryland-esque doomery speaks to a particularly Northeastern, particularly New York intensity that always seems to remind me of home. Music like Eternal Black‘s has to come from someplace crowded. Population density is a factor, and I don’t think you could produce a song like the downtrodden “Sea of Graves” without it. One way or another, Bleed the Days is easily among the best doom offerings I’ve heard in 2017, first album or not, and the three-piece made it clear at the Vitus Bar as they had when I saw them at Maryland Doom Fest last year (review here) that the process of their coming together as a band is still veryeternal-black-photo-jj-koczan much at its beginning stages. That is to say, they killed and they sound like they’re only going to keep getting better.

And then my brain finally got to process Shroud Eater live. I’ve had bands-I-should’ve-already-seen out the wazoo over the years, but few have had the kind of consistent stretch of Shroud Eater. Yet, as I stood in front of the Saint Vitus Bar stage and tried my best to snap photos of them in the drawn-down lighting, I couldn’t help but feel like it was somehow serendipitous to catch the three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Jean Saiz, bassist/vocalist Janette Valentine and drummer Davin Sosa in support of 2017’s Strike the Sun (review here). Released through STB Records — whose honcho, Steve, was also on-hand for the show and someone else I was long overdue to meet in-person — the second Shroud Eater full-length is hands down the band’s best work yet, and though it was shroud-eater-photo-jj-koczanobvious in talking to them that concerns of family back in Florida and the impending potential for storm destruction were weighing heavily on them, let alone the general bummer of having to cancel shows in the first place, they were nonetheless devastating onstage.

A performance that galloped and slammed and crashed and careened and lumbered and did all that stuff that means it basically kicked the living shit out of the room, Shroud Eater‘s set came through with density to match either of the acts that preceded them and a sense of motion that was all their own. Songs like “Awaken Assassin” from the new record and the furious 2015 single “Face the Master” (video premiere here) brought forth groove and pummel in kind, and with samples between various tracks, traded vocal parts from SaizValentine and Sosa, and an overarching intensity that came through even the most atmospheric of stretches, Shroud Eater made me so fucking happy I was finally getting to see them that I’m not sure I can shroud-eater-photo-jj-koczanhonestly say I’d trade having done so at any point in the last eight years for the experience of watching them play this set. That’s as sincere as I can be about it.

So — clearly not a night for critical impartiality. From feeling lucky to see Begotten on their second show back to having Eternal Black in the middle as the icing on an evening the cake of which just happened to be a long, long, long-awaited Shroud Eater set bludgeoning my consciousness, what the proceedings might’ve lacked in my emotional distance from them, they more than made up for in my raw enjoyment — which, if it’s going to be one or the other, I’ll take. When Shroud Eater were done, I’m fucking proud to say I was the first person to shout for one more song and even prouder to say they played it, and as I stood among friends in the crowd like Kings Destroy vocalist Steve Murphy and guitarist Carl PorcaroClamfight drummer/shroud-eater-photo-jj-koczanvocalist Andy MartinDave from Made in Brooklyn SilkscreenersSteve from STB Records and others, I was reminded of how special some nights can become when the planets finally align just so in order to make them happen.

The rest of the week? We’ll see how it goes for things like familial grief and category five storms — I wished Shroud Eater safe home and safe afterwards; spent the last eight dollars I had to my name on a copy of their Three Curses and Strike the Sun tapes (wanted the CD but didn’t have the requisite $10 and wasn’t about to be like, “Hey you need to buy bottled water for survival this week, can I get a free disc?”) — but this one was restorative on just about every level possible and a show I hope not to forget anytime soon.

More pics after the jump. Thanks for reading.

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Begotten Stream Two Lost Tracks Recorded in 2001

Posted in audiObelisk on October 19th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

begotten

Just how far ahead of their time were New York riffers Begotten? Take a listen for yourself to these two lost cuts from 15 years ago and find out. I’ve gone on at some length over the last couple years about the effect that a changing social media landscape and generational shift has had on a period of heavy rock in the late-’90s and early-’00s, so I’ll spare (most of) that, but like NYC compatriots in Atomic Number 76, Kreisor, Puny Human, M-Squad and a host of others — The Brought Low might be considered survivors — the trio Begotten were a prime example of a band about to have their time who found it cut short. Tracked in 2000 and released in 2001, their self-titled debut was the final CD to come from the groundbreaking Man’s Ruin Records, and like many of that imprint’s acts — Suplecs, MassCavity, etc. — they were left wondering what to do next when label honcho and design artist Frank Kozik pulled the plug. The record, a quality offering of post-Sleep tonal weight with flashes of New Yorker edge and more psychedelic impulses, never got the push it deserved, and they never did another. End of story.

Yes and no. The MySpace era and many of the acts who thrived in the day may have dissipated, but in the case of Begotten, before they went their separate ways, they took part in what seems to be numerous studio and taped rehearsal sessions after the album came out, and it’s from those that “Apache” and “Nomad” come. The two songs — other versions of which you can actually still find archived on their MySpace page, linked below — are presented here in somewhat raw fashion, but give credence to what I’m talking about as regards those years in general, which is to say that if it showed up in my inbox today, the work of guitarist/vocalist Matthew Anselmo, bassist/vocalist Amanda Topaz and drummer Rob Sefcik — the latter of whom would resurface years later in Brooklyn’s Kings Destroy — would fit right in.

Insert your favorite cliche about the old being the new here, but listen to Begotten lumber their way through “Apache” in the context of what bands like Monolord are doing now and I think you’ll hear the adage is easily applied. In tone and the emergent jammed-out feel of “Apache,” as well as in the more intense initial chug that follows in “Nomad” (Sefcik‘s drum intro reminding a bit of Kings Destroy‘s “Stormbreak” from their second album) before that song nears the halfway mark and gloriously spaces itself out, ne’er to return, Begotten‘s emphasis on swing and laid back heft seems prescient in hindsight.

My understanding is that Begotten might start jamming together again at some point, but whether or not that comes to fruition, the three-piece left behind a quality curio in their self-titled, the value of which extends way beyond its tertiary trivia, and “Apache” and “Nomad” show there was clearly a progression underway in their sound that, to-date, remains unrealized. Seems to me that in another 10-15 years — maybe sooner; things move quickly these days — when this era of heavy rock gets mined for reissues the way releases from 1968-1975 have been, Begotten will be more than ready for a second look, whatever else their future as a group may hold.

Sefcik offers some comment on the tracks under the player below.

Please enjoy:

Rob Sefcik on “Apache” and “Nomad”:

So if I remember correctly we went in to record these because we felt we were really hitting our stride. I’m not sure if we had any intention of releasing them at the time but they were definitely a reflection f what we were going for — music that had weight but also an earthy spirit and a sense of freedom. Keeping things super heavy but maintaining a certain loose, jammy vibe is always easier said than done, but we felt like we were getting there with these tunes.

The consensus is that they were recorded late spring/early summer 2001, about a year or so after the record was out. There was a pretty good amount of other material, at least an album or two’s worth. They were recorded in Manhattan but in true stoner rock fashion no one can remember the name…

We definitely have some other recorded material that we have not been able to locate, but I’m sure it will rear its head. For Amanda, these songs for her personally were, ‘an expression of the sublime beauty of the gut-wrenching agony of her existence at the time.’ I was just tying to have a good time, ALL the time, ha.

Begotten on Thee Facebooks

Begotten on MySpace (yup)

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