Church of Misery Announce 25th Anniversary North American Tour; Two New Songs Posted

Posted in Whathaveyou on January 2nd, 2020 by JJ Koczan

church of misery

Seen above with a friendly birthday clown, Japanese doom institution Church of Misery will return to US shores next year to embark on a special tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band. In addition to this righteous news — tickets are on sale now for most shows, with more going up tomorrow; you know how to find shit online, so you don’t need me to barrage you with the links — is the news that in addition to Black Wizard for part of the tour, they’ll also have along Forming the Void and they’ll meet up with Truckfighters and Valley of the Sun along the way. I don’t care how many acts do or don’t wind up on the bill, if you’ve got Church of Misery and Truckfighters playing a show, those two alone make it a festival. But fortunately the rest of the bill also kicks ass.

As a bonus, Church of Misery have posted recent live videos of two new songs, titled “Hungerford Massacre” and “Unabomber,” the former bridging out from serial killers to mass shootings for subject matter. Certainly there’s plenty of material to be mined there. More all the time, in fact.

Dates follow:

church of misery tour poster

Church of Misery – 25th Anniversary North American Tour 2020

Tickets are on sale now!

Church of Misery
25th Anniversary North American Tour 2020
02/05 San Diego, CA Soda Bar *
02/07 Mesa, AZ Club Red *
02/09 Austin, TX Barracuda **
02/11 Wilmington, NC Reggies #
02/12 Washington, D.C. Rock & Roll Hotel #
02/13 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts #
02/15 Brooklyn, NY Kingsland #
02/16 Boston, MA Middle East #
02/17 Montreal, QC Bar LeRitz **
02/18 Toronto, ON Hard Luck **
02/19 Chicago, IL Reggies **
02/20 Minneapolis, MN Skyway Theatre **
02/21 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club **
02/23 Winnipeg, MB The Garrick *
02/25 Edmonton, AB Starline *
02/26 Calgary, AB Dickens *
02/28 Vancouver, BC Venue *
02/29 Seattle, WA Substation ##
03/01 Portland, OR High Water Mark ##
03/03 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill ##
03/04 Sacramento, CA Harlows ##
03/05 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst ##
03/06 Los Angeles, CA Hi Hat ##

* w/ Black Wizard Feb 5th, 7th & Feb 23rd – 28th
** w/ Black Wizard & Forming The Void Feb 9th
# w/Truckfighters, Valley Of The Sun, Black Wizard & Forming The Void Feb 17th – Feb 21st
## w/ Black Wizard & Wizard Rifle Feb 29th – Mar 6th

Church of Misery features Tatsu Mikami (bass), Junichi Yamamura (drums), Yasuto Muraki (guitar) and Hiroyuki Takano (vocals).

http://www.churchofmisery.net/
https://www.facebook.com/churchofmiserydoom/

Church of Misery, “Hungerford Massacre” live Dec. 28, 2019

Church of Misery, “Unabomber” live Dec. 28, 2019

Tags: , ,

Desertfest Belgium 2019: Church of Misery, Monkey3, Inter Arma, Lord Dying and Lucy in Blue Added

Posted in Whathaveyou on June 12th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2019 banner

I saw Church of Misery last year and in case you’re wondering, yes, they’re still a damn good time. They’ll join the sub-headliner ranks of Desertfest Belgium 2019 this Fall in the company of Monkey3Inter ArmaLord Dying and Lucy in Blue, each band representing a different side of what it means to be heavy, from Lord Dying‘s born-again-melodic metal to Inter Arma‘s crush-of-death and Lucy in Blue‘s formative meandering prog rock. Desertfest Belgium wasn’t short on variety before — you got Ty Segall and Bongripper on the same bill, that’s fair enough — but this batch of five only adds to it, and you know, there’s still Sleep headlining. If you need a sure bet, that’s a good way to make one.

Still more announcements to come from the Antwerp-based Desertfest franchise, so keep an eye out. They always seem to manage a few surprises before they’re done.

To the PR wire:

desertfest belgium 2019 new poster

CHURCH OF MISERY at Desertfest Antwerp ’19! Lord Dying, Inter Arma & More

And so again it’s time to reveal another batch of deep cuts for the Desertfest Antwerp festival. First up: Church Of Misery! After their blistering set at our festival two years ago, we knew they would be back sooner or later. Their legacy in doom history is unmatched, and after several turnovers it seems this is the Church’s strongest line-up yet.

Lord Dying and Inter Arma are two of the most adventurous metal bands in the field right now, and we’re delighted you to present them at DFBE’19. Both have just released a new album, and each one boldly defies categorisation. Lord Dying finds new pathways in metal through progrock. Inter Arma has always been fiercely experimental going from strength to strength, always finding new ingredients to add to their melting pot of psych drone and sludge doom. Both come heavily recommended, and both are going to slay you all.

Monkey3 may follow a different path to musical enlightenment, but there are many ways to blow your mind. A psychedelic rock band at the absolute top of their game, just ask anyone who witnessed the headfuck that was their show at this year’s Desertfest Berlin. And finally, for those who want a trip back to the time when Crimson was King, the delicious quirky grooves of Icelandic prog jesters Lucy In Blue will do just that!

This should tide you over until our next batch, and maybe some news in between… stay tuned!

http://www.desertfest.be/tickets
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2260579413999993/

Church of Misery, Live at the Echoplex, Los Angeles, June 3, 2019

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Church of Misery to Tour US in May & June; Playing Maryland Deathfest & Austin Terror Fest

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 5th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

church of misery

Japan’s leading purveyors of riff-led mayhem Church of Misery will return to US shores this Spring to appear at Maryland Deathfest. That slot will act as the springboard for an American tour that hits the West and East Coasts and more than a few stops in between, and finds the band joined by Mondo GeneratorThe Atomic Bitchwax and Toke in alternating patterns. It’s the most Church of Misery has played in the States in at least the last five years, though they certainly led all of the Hard Rock to the slaughter at Psycho Las Vegas 2018 (review here). Their particular brand of madness only seems to win them more favor as years pass by, as though the world itself is finally losing its mind enough to catch up to their insanity.

Shows are presented by Tone Deaf Touring and came down the PR wire thusly:

church of misery poster

Church of Misery Announces U.S. Headlining Tour

Rare Stateside Live Dates from Pioneering Doom Metal Pacesetters to Include Special Festival Appearances in Austin, Baltimore

Highly respected Japanese doom metal band Church of Misery has announced a spring U.S. headlining tour. The scheduled three week trek will kick off on May 25 in Detroit, MI and run through June 16 in Cambridge, MA. Church of Misery will advance the 22 city major market tour run with an appearance at the 2019 Maryland Deathfest on May 23 and will also perform as one of the featured acts at the 2019 Austin Terror Fest on June 7.

Formed in 1996 by bassist Tatsu Mikami, the Tokyo-based Church of Misery’s formidable sound melds early-era Black Sabbath style doom with powerful psychedelic rock. Major players in Japan’s underground music scene, the celebrated quartet dwells obsessively on the topic of infamous serial killers; the subjects-at-hand are both the focus of the band’s lyrics and its overall sweeping thematic. Merging disturbing lyrical imagery and macabre news reel sound bites with infectious, wah-wah-driven acid metal, Church of Misery is a proven treat for fans of early 70’s hard rock and traditional doom metal alike.

Support on the Church of Misery U.S. tour will be provided by a rotating cast of today’s best UG rock acts including The Atomic Bitchwax, Nick Oliveri’s Mondo Generator and Toke.

Church of Misery tour dates:
May 23     Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live (as part of Maryland Deathfest) * !  (tickets + info. HERE)
May 25     Detroit, MI The Sanctuary * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
May 26     Chicago, IL Empty Bottle * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
May 27     Rock Island, IL Rock Island Brewing Company * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
May 28     Kansas City, KS Riot Room * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
May 29     Denver, CO Larimer Lounge * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
May 31     Seattle, WA El Corazon * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 1      Portland, OR Dante’s * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 2      Oakland, CA Oakland Opera House * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 3      Los Angeles, CA Echoplex * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 4      Tempe, AZ Club Red * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 5      Albuquerque, NM Sister * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 6      Oklahoma City, OK 8th Street * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 7      Austin, TX Empire Control Room (as part of Austin Terror Fest) * !  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 8     Houston, TX White Oak Music Hall * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 9     New Orleans, LA Santos * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 10   Nashville, TN Little Harpeth Brewing * $#  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 11   Atlanta, GA The Earl * #  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 12   Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 * #  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 13   Pittsburgh, PA Cattivo * %#  (on sale Wednesday, March 6 at 12 pm EST) 
June 15   Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus * #  (tickets + info. HERE)
June 16   Cambridge, MA Middle East * %#  (tickets + info. HERE)

$ = w/ Mondo Generator
% = w/ The Atomic Bitchwax
# = w/ Toke
! = Church of Misery ONLY

Church of Misery features Tatsu Mikami (bass), Junichi Yamamura (drums), Yasuto Muraki (guitar) and Hiroyuki Takano (vocals).

http://www.churchofmisery.net/
https://www.facebook.com/churchofmiserydoom/

Church of Misery, “I, Motherfucker (Ted Bundy)” official video

Tags: , , ,

Live Review: Psycho Las Vegas Friday, 08.17.18

Posted in Features, Reviews on August 18th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

psycho las vegas

08.18.18 – 5:00AM – Saturday – Hotel room

Gluttons for punishment, unite! Cast off the chains of your dayjobs and journey to a druggy boozy place where you can smoke indoors and piss away your head-earned on, well, potentially, someone else’s hard-earned. You never liked those brain cells anyway, and what good have they done?

Me, I prefer my brains melted or otherwise obliterated with fatigue. Dripping out my ears, either way. But I see some folks around here going nuclear, and hey, I get it. Safe environment, plenty of support, nothing to lose. It’s self-directed cruelty more than anything else that keeps me sober. I don’t deserve the good time everyone else is having. Kablooey.

It was an early start for a busy day. 12:30PM. I’d imagine there were people who hadn’t gone to bed yet. But DVNE were not to be missed, so, I didn’t miss them. A lot of back and forth early and not really much staying-put later makes for a hell of a time, but everything is right there around the corner and everyone here is very nice. At least the people who’ve said hi to me. I’m sure just by simple population-sample math there are one or two jerks running around, but none I’ve run into.

Witchcraft didn’t make it. That’s a band I’ve dug on some level or other for more than a decade, but wasn’t gonna cry over it. Plenty to see besides with three stages open: The Joint, Vinyl and the Pool.

And like I said, early start. Went like this:

DVNE

dvne (Photo by JJ Koczan)

Good band. That’s what I wrote in my notes. Direct quote: Good band. Pro shop. For DVNE‘s first appearance on a US stage — and sizable US stage at that, in The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino — they hit it like absolute professionals. Crisp in their sound, intense in delivery, every bit in command of the room, from “go” onward. With full lighting and production behind them, CO2 canisters firing and lasers behind and their logo blasted on massive stage-side screens, the Edinburgh progressive post-metal four-piece certainly seemed to be made to feel welcome on what to them was foreign shores. Killed. Just nailed it. They have a new record out next year following up on last year’s righteous Asheran, and playing beneath oranges and reds that echoed that album’s cover art, they delivered a set that quite frankly, unless they break up tomorrow, I sincerely doubt will be their last time on an American stage. In other words, they seem ready to hit the road in a we’re-a-full-time-band-now kind of way, and more power to them. It’ll be worth keeping an eye out in 2019 for when they come through supporting their next full-length, but in the meantime, this set was basically serving early notice of a significant arrival.

Night Horse

Night Horse (Photo by JJ Koczan)

Sure, it’s been eight years since L.A.’s Night Horse released their second album, Perdition Hymns (review here), but what the hell? The double-guitar five-piece — one of those guitarists happens to be Justin Maranga from Ancestors — took the stage and quickly warmed up their classic your-dad’s-rock-was-better vibe that, with added charm from vocalist Sam James Velde introducing them by saying, “We’re Integrity from Cleveland, Ohio,” was a total blast. I’ll admit it’s been a while since the last time I had Perdition Hymns or their 2008 debut, The Dark Won’t Hide You, on for a spin, but even though Maranga forgot his slide and no one seemed to have a beer bottle to use instead, they definitely made it work. With guitarist Greg Buensuceso and bassist Nick D’Itri holding down the other side of the stage and drummer Norm Block swinging away in the middle, they were way more locked in than one might think for a band who haven’t really kicked around all that much in at least a half-decade. Velde stepped over the barricade and into the crowd during the last song and asked everyone to sit with him on the floor — a proposition that I’d imagine would be way stickier later in the day — while he told the story of the song, and it made for a special moment, as almost everyone actually did it. He got back up and they rocked to a finish, but if you ever needed to know how much Night Horse owned that room, they literally sat it down to give some background on their material. He could do that at every show for all I know, but it was something special here anyway and I felt lucky to see it.

The Munsens

The Munsens (Photo by JJ Koczan)

Denver trio The Munsens posted a new single earlier this week called “Dirge (For Those to Come)” as a preview of their upcoming full-length, Unhanded, and with it, gave a first look at a notable change in direction, pushing more into the territory of extreme sludge than even two years ago found them on their Abbey Rose EP (review here). With guitarist/vocalist Shaun Goodwin and bassist/vocalist Michael Goodwin welcoming drummer Graham Wesselhoff, the shift is easy enough to place, but a corresponding turn to harsher vocals and more grueling fare would seem to be at hand. Most, if not all, of what they played in Vinyl was also from Unhanded, and they unfurled an onslaught of tone and noise that seemed to bounce right off the back of the room and make a wall of death with the next riff cycle. It was brutal, and not as given to crust as Dopethrone, but seemed to be somewhat of that spirit. Delivered with a likewise visual assault of strobe, their time went quick — unless I passed out from all the flashing lights — but was well enough to get the point of the evolution they’ve undergone. I don’t know if I’ll be ready when Unhanded, hits, but at least I’ll see it coming.

Temple of Void

Temple of Void (Photo by JJ Koczan)

I don’t know whether Temple of Void are the doom of death or the death of doom, but fucking hell they’re heavy. The Detroit five-piece released their second LP, Lords of Death, last year on Shadow Kingdom, and they’d only dip back once to 2014’s Of Terror and the Supernatural (review here) for “Examinate Gaze,” while everything else was from the new album. Fair enough for the significant assault factor of their death metal plunge. They took the stage to the Lords of Death intro “The Charnel Unearthing” — which given the intensity of what followed, I almost found unnecessary; they hit it so hard, why give people the chance to get ready? — and from there proffered an extremity that went beyond even the death metal to the atmospheric weight of what they were doing. Vocalist Mike Erdody had a soulful, tortured aspect to his headbanging and while behind him drummer Jason Pearce slammed into his kit with palpable resentment thereof and guitarists Alex Awn and Eric Blanchard tore into searing riffs and leads given all the more weight by Brent Satterly‘s bass, the sense of emotionalism Erdody brought to his growls was something rare on either side of the genre. It was another level on which Temple of Void make their impact felt, and a distinguishing factor that resonated throughout their time.

Church of Misery

Church of Misery (Photo by JJ Koczan)

There was something of a crunch at this point in the schedule. Church of Misery were going on in the Joint while Temple of Void finished up in Vinyl, and then by the time the serial-killer-crazed Japanese riff lords were done, Yakuza would have already started, also in Vinyl. Still, history said “go see Church of Misery,” and history wasn’t wrong. Bassist/founder Tatsu Mikami is nothing less than doom royalty, and while I’ve seen him perform with several different lineups over the years, it always seems like he’s ready to deliver no matter who’s joined him on stage at the time. Psycho was no exception as he, vocalist/thereminist Hiroyuki Takano, guitarist Yasuto Muraki and drummer Junichi Yamamura ran through a selection of the hits: “Shotgun Boogie,” “I, Motherfucker,” “Born to Raise Hell” and so on. I’m not huge on the whole serial killer thing — by coincidence, I wound up in an elevator today with one of Charles Manson’s descendants who was telling his friends it’s way less cool when it’s your family — but regardless, Church of Misery did plenty of slaying on their own and made it easy to hope they record with this lineup, as it seemed like they were more than ready to get down to business at the Sabbathian core of what the band has always been about. I did end up poking my head in to see Yakuza for a moment — and Bruce Lamont is still way ahead of his time — but Church of Misery weren’t taking no for an answer. I was back in the Joint before long as they blew out the rest of their set and any number of eardrums in the process.

Tinariwen

Tinariwen (Photo by JJ Koczan)

Absolutely stunning. I knew next to nothing about the Tuareg group Tinariwen going into the announcement they’d play Psycho Las Vegas, but the schedule cut off both the pool and Vinyl stages while they played, so clearly they were an act Psycho wanted people to see. Rightly so. Dressed in robes and traditional garb and backed by hand percussion, the band led by guitarist/vocalist Ibrahim Ag Alhabib brought a desert blues that tied to Psycho better than one might’ve ever expected. With acoustic and electric guitars, bass and deep-running vocal arrangements, dancing on stage — some dancing in the crowd too — and video of them on huge screens on either side, it was no less of a production in terms of lighting and staging than Church of Misery or DVNE had been, but the soothing vibe and ebbs and flows in the music made it a total standout. They were another one I was going to stay for a bit and then wander off and find some more coffee, but I was hooked. They could’ve played twice as long and I don’t think I would’ve moved. Their set felt like a gift and on a day that wasn’t exactly hurting for highlights anyhow, they were something truly special to behold. Their 2017 album, Elwan, was recorded in the California desert and has quickly made its way to the front of my must-purchase line.

Boris

Boris (Photo by JJ Koczan)

In their 25-plus years, enough wax poetry has been written in honor of Japanese noise and heavy rock innovators, droners, experimentalists, J-poppers and anything-else-they-want-to-be-that-day Boris that even attempting to talk about their set feels superfluous. I’d only be echoing a chorus of praise that’s resounded for the last two decades. Suffice it to say, they’re masters at what they do. Individually and collectively, guitarist Wata, drummer Atsuo and guitarist/bassist Takeshi are relentless in their forward progression, and though most of what they played after a drifting, slower opening came from the Heavy Rocks and Pink-style, the wash of noise and over-the-top push were never far off. Their 2017 album, Dear (review here), was a stunning glimpse at where they’ve been in their time and where they might still go, and bathed in fog on the Joint stage, they captured much the same feel in celebrating their past while continuing to move ahead toward something new. I don’t know if it’s possible for Boris to be underrated, but the chemistry between them on stage — whether it’s Atsuo shouting into his headset mic to raise the energy level or Wata scorching out another solo or Takeshi switching from his rhythm guitar neck to his bass neck and hurling out blistering low end runs — is among the most pivotal aspects of what they do, and as much as they’ve done to push heavy rock to multiple avenues over their tenure, they’ve only gotten to be a more potent force live.

High on Fire

High on Fire (Photo by JJ Koczan)

If a single person could embody what Psycho Las Vegas is, it might be Matt Pike. The High on Fire frontman and Sleep guitarist has played all three editions of this festival in some form or other — time for a Kalas reunion? — and he, bassist Jeff Matz and drummer Des Kensel came out like the statesmen they are; one of the most crucial bands not just in underground heavy, but in the wider sphere of metal. Hugely influential, with a maddening signature gallop and tales of war and bludgeonry to delight the downtrodden of spirit. Their upcoming LP, Electric Messiah, marks the third collaboration between the trio and producer Kurt Ballou, and while they didn’t play anything from it, they did give due representation to 2015’s Luminiferous (review here) in “The Black Plot,” “Carcosa” and “Slave the Hive,”  and 2012’s De Vermiis Mysteriis (review here) with “Fertile Green” and “Serums of Laio,” while older works like 2007’s Death is This Communion (discussed here) and 2005’s Blessed Black Wings (discussed here) made their presence felt with cuts like “Rumors of War” and “Sons of Thunder.” I’d argue they were the night’s headliners even before Witchcraft dropped off, but either way, High on Fire were more than up to the occasion, and with “Blood from Zion” from 2000’s The Art of Self-Defense late in the set, they brought together past and present in a way that was every bit the culmination of the evening. There was still plenty more Psycho after them, but no doubt High on Fire left their mark on the night and all who assembled to see them.

I don’t know if you saw it, but on the social medias I posted a picture of The Pecan and asked if anyone could turn it into the cover of Vol. 4 by Black Sabbath. Several came in, which was hugely appreciated, and among them was this one from Slevin, which I subsequently spent the rest of the night staring at because it’s so friggin’ awesome. If you need me, I’ll be meme-ing my baby. Next up, his head on Jean-Luc Picard’s body. It will happen.

Anyway, I came back to the room after the show and sorted pictures and whatnot and then crashed out pretty soon thereafter to get up early and write. My alarm was set for six and I woke up a bit before five and decided to roll with it. Psycho starts an hour later today, but is another super-busy day, so I’m going to get some more rest in preparation for that. I may or may not check in again before that review goes up, depends on time, but there are more pics after the jump here and I appreciate you reading and taking time to have a look if you do.

Read more »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psycho Las Vegas 2018 Reveals Lineup; Dimmu Borgir, Hellacopters, Godflesh, Witchcraft and More to Play

Posted in Whathaveyou on February 23rd, 2018 by JJ Koczan

Psycho Las Vegas 2018 logo

It’s only taken a few years for Psycho Las Vegas to establish itself as the premier underground festival in the US. All well and good. With 2018’s lineup, though, it’s time to start thinking of Psycho among the best in the world.

Sounds like too much? Consider Godflesh and Dimmu Borgir sharing a stage, both for exclusive West Coast appearances. Think of Sweden’s Witchcraft playing one of the two shows they’ll do in the US at Psycho, and ditto that for Japanese riff-madmen Church of Misery. Think of US exclusives from Lee Dorrian’s With the Dead, or Lucifer, whose Johanna Sadonis will also DJ the Center Bar. The commitment to up and coming underground acts local, domestic and foreign like Temple of Void, King Buffalo, Dreadnought, The Munsens and DVNE. Picture yourself watching Wolves in the Throne Room headline a pre-fest pool party with Elder, Young and in the Way, Dengue Fever, Fireball Ministry and Toke.

2018 is the year Psycho Las Vegas outclasses even itself and pushes further than it ever has in terms of stylistic reach (Integrity walks by and waves… at Boris) and the sheer power of its construction. If you’re looking for the future, you’ll find it in scumbag paradise.

Here’s the lineup:

Psycho Las Vegas 2018 poster

Psycho Las Vegas 2018

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas
4455 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89169

Tickets: https://www.vivapsycho.com/pages/tickets

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2018 lineup:
DIMMU BORGIR (west of chicago exclusive)
HELLACOPTERS (one of two shows to be played in the USA in 2018)
SUNN 0)))
GODFLESH (west of chicago exclusive)
WITCHCRAFT (one of two shows to be played in the USA in 2018)
ENSLAVED
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
HIGH ON FIRE
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT
RED FANG
ZAKK SABBATH
CHURCH OF MISERY (usa exclusive 2018 with exception to one other show in San Diego)
TINARIWEN
GOBLIN
CKY
VENOM INC
EYEHATEGOD
VOIVOD
BORIS
COVEN
INTEGRITY
PALLBEARER
WITH THE DEAD (USA exclusive 2018)
MONOLORD
LUCIFER (USA exclusive 2018)
ACID WITCH
SURVIVE
DOPETHRONE
BIG BUSINESS
UNEARTHLY TRANCE
MUTOID MAN
TODAY IS THE DAY
HELMS ALEE
SPIRIT ADRIFT
BATUSHKA
PRIMITIVE MAN
DVNE
ALL PIGS MUST DIE
EIGHT BELLS
WORMWITCH
INDIAN
NECROT
HOMEWRECKER
BRAIN TENTACLES
CLOAK
BLACK MARE
MAGIC SWORD
UADA
TEMPLE OF VOID
DREADNOUGHT
WOLVHAMMER
ASEETHE
DISASTROID
FORMING THE VOID
VENOMOUS MAXIMUS
GHASTLY SOUND
HOWLING GIANT
KING BUFFALO
NIGHT HORSE
THE MUNSENS
GLAARE

Paradise Pool Pre Party
August 16th

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
ELDER
YOUNG AND IN THE WAY
DENGUE FEVER
FIREBALL MINISTRY
TOKE

Center Bar DJ’s
Andrew W.K.
Nicke Andersson (Entombed/Hellacopters)
Johanna Sadonis (Lucifer)

https://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas/
https://www.facebook.com/events/125340824913552/
http://vivapsycho.com

High on Fire, Live at Psycho Las Vegas 2016

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Desertfest London 2018 Adds High on Fire, Church of Misery, The Obsessed, Black Rainbows, Death Alley, Akercocke and More

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 4th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

Bit of a stunner announcement from Desertfest London 2018, whose third headliner arrives in the form of High on Fire celebrating their 20th anniversary, and who’ll be joined at the Camden Town festival by doom legends The Obsessed, Japan’s number one riff export Church of Misery, plus Italian forerunners Black Rainbows, UK devil worshiping extremists Akercocke, Dutch proto-specialists Death Alley and more.

Look. I post a lot of fest updates. I mean, a lot. This is one of three slated for today, for example. Rarely does an announcement immediately up the game of a given event like this one does for Desertfest London 2018. With High on Fire completing the triumvirate of headliners alongside Monster Magnet and Graveyard, and The Obsessed and Church of Misery joining EyehategodNapalm DeathWeedeaterElderNebula and Warning on the next tier, the festival’s seventh edition moves into nigh-unfuckwithable terrain. Kudos to Desertfest on outdoing itself once again in 2018.

From the PR wire:

desertfest london 2018 square banner

DESERTFEST LONDON announce final headliner High On Fire and more acts to join the 2018 edition!

DESERTFEST LONDON announce High On Fire as final headliner and further acts to join the likes of Monster Magnet, Graveyard, Napalm Death, Eyehategod and many more to set the riff party in Camden on May 4-6th, 2018.

The final headliner for Desertfest London 2018 is an act fronted by a man who is no stranger to the DF family and all it encompasses, having headlined last year’s proceedings with one of his many musical outlets Sleep: living legend Matt Pike returns to Camden with the mighty HIGH ON FIRE. Formed in Oakland, California in 1998, the heavy metal trio have perfected their feel-good, balls-out and take-no-prisoner sound. HOF’s sludgy-thrash vibrations are an unstoppable wrecking force, with seven seminal albums under their belt; we are more than ready for the HOF tidal wave to hit.

Doom-rock trailblazers THE OBSESSED will make their first UK appearance next May after their two-decade long hiatus. Having recently reformed and playing shows met with critical acclaim, this will truly be a set to remember, and it is an honour to finally play host to one of the most iconic bands of our time.

Also returning to UK shores are Japanese overlords CHURCH OF MISERY, always delivering staggering live performances, the trio are a constant welcome addition to Desertfest. Their riff-filled, horror inspired sound has risen to fresh heights with new singer Hiroyuki Takano at the helm.

Space leaders BLACK RAINBOWS are crashing into town, fuelled by the power of hard rock and insanely good riffs. The Italian psych-fuzz trio have been storming through the cosmos for the last 10 years, their expert fusion of slick 70’s swagger with a 90’s stoner-grunge tint make them one of the most talked about and respected acts of their kind across Europe. Straight up, fuzzing good times. Speaking of heavy, London extreme metal masters AKERCOCKE are heading to familiar grounds to bring their perfected devilry to eager ears!

Dutch destroyers and feel good heroes DEATH ALLEY will bring their rock’n’roll, punked up party to Desertfest 2018. A nod to times gone past, the band plays proto-metal psychedelic music with a slab of heavy metal chucked in for good measure – if you want energy, look no further. Acclaimed newcomers PUPPY, who have been on hot on the lips of the London scene for some time now, is another welcome addition. They are hard to label but a true must-watch!

Also making up the bill are Bay Area fuzz-lovers THE WATCHERS, UK favourite psych demons OLD MAN LIZARD, Oakland’s stoner rock stalwarts BLACKWÜLF, Mancunian groove leaders PIST and heavy doom harbourers MORASS OF MOLASSES.

Desertfest London 2018
4th-6th May in Camden Town, London
3-day pass (£115) now on sale AT THIS LOCATION

Our special split payment plan is available until December 12th!
Pay half of your ticket now and the other half in January. Find more info HERE.

http://www.desertfest.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/DesertfestLondon
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_london/
https://twitter.com/DesertFest
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_london/

High on Fire, “Devilution” Live at Roskilde 2017

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Desertfest Berlin 2018: Church of Misery, Elder, Graveyard, The Black Wizards, Maidavale and Vonavibe Join Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 13th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

Desertfest Berlin 2018 welcomes its second round of bands, including the likes of Graveyard, Elder, The Black Wizards, Church of Misery, MaidaVale and Vonavibe. As is tradition, some of the bigger acts named here are shared with the London-based edition of the fest — Graveyard and Elder — though there’s usually some staggering, so while I don’t believe Church of Miseryhave joined the UK lineup, they may yet. As for the other three, to the best of my knowledge, they’re all Berlin’s as of now, so in keeping with the usual modus of the two Springtime Desertfests, they’re gradually beginning to distinguish themselves from each other even as they share groups between them in common cause. It’s always fun to see this happen over the few months that the lineups take shape.

To wit, this from the PR wire:

desertfest berlin 2018 poster

DESERTFEST BERLIN ANNOUNCES GRAVEYARD, ELDER, CHURCH OF MISERY & MANY MORE FOR 2018!

Today, a third announcement for DESERTFEST BERLIN 2018 has been revealed! Six new kick-ass bands have been added to next year’s line-up, including GRAVEYARD as second headliner! The Desertfest Berlin crew wanted the Swedes for many years, and it’s now finally happening! On top ELDER, CHURCH OF MISERY as well as many more exciting acts have been added to the 2018-festival edition, which will take place between May 4th – 6th 2018 at the Arena in the heart of Berlin:

GRAVEYARD (SWE)
ELDER (USA)
CHURCH OF MISERY (JP)
THE BLACK WIZARDS (POR)
MAIDAVALE (SWE)
VONAVIBE (GR)

But make no mistake: not even half of the entire line up is announced yet and way more great bands will be announced soon. DESERTFEST BERLIN 2018 will be outstanding, so better make sure to join the capital of the almighty Riff! Early bird tickets are already sold out, regular weekend tickets for the 7th DESERTFEST BERLIN can be purchased here: https://www.desertfest-tickets.de/produkte

DESERTFEST BERLIN @ Arena // 4th, 5th & 6th May 2018 – 2 STAGES in 1 MAIN HALL – No overlapping sets!

MONSTER MAGNET – GRAVEYARD – EYEHATEGOD – CHURCH OF MISERY – ELDER – PLANET OF ZEUS –
NEBULA – DOPELORD – YURI GAGARIN – DEATH ALLEY – JEX THOTH – THE BLACK WIZARDS – MAIDAVALE
THE NECROMANCERS – VONAVIBE – AND MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!

www.desertfest.de
www.facebook.com/desertfestberlin
www.facebook.com/events/128298847822160

Church of Misery, Live at Blowup Vol. 3, Oct. 13, 2017

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Up in Smoke 2017: Lowrider, Church of Misery, My Home on Trees, Jack Slamer & The Necromancers Join Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 13th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

Up in Smoke 2017 continues to make a compelling case for travel plans by adding the likes of LowriderChurch of MiseryMy Home on TreesJack Slamer and The Necromancers to its was-already-formidable bill featuring GraveyardSaint VitusBrant BjorkOrange GoblinToner LowStoned JesusBeastmaker, on and on. Seriously, I don’t even know why I feel like I need to write an intro for this post. Just look at the list of names in the poster. Isn’t that really all you need to know about the entire thing? What more is there to say? If you can get there, get there. Duh.

Honestly, just look at this thing. Can you believe this shit happens like every weekend in Europe this Fall, going from country to country, badass lineup to badass lineup? It’s wild. Fucking Lowrider are showing up.

Check it out and be jealous:

up in smoke 2017 poster

Here we go! We are thrilled to add 5 more bands to this year’s UP in SMOKE indoor festival in Z7 line-up!

Lowrider (Exclusive CH show)
Church of Misery Official (Exclusive CH show)
MY HOME ON TREES
Jack Slamer
The Necromancers

This 5th edition of the festival features now 20 bands!

Get your tickets on https://www.upinsmoke.de/tickets as soon as you can (they are selling fast) or share this post (public) to try to win another 2-day pass (probably the last for this year)!

IMPORTANT: the daily split of bands, the daytickets and the address to reserve your sleep-over/breakfast will be announced on August 1. Stay Tuned!

Located Pratteln, in Switzerland’s best rock venue, Z7 Konzertfabrik, only a few kilometres from the German and French borders, Up In Smoke is an indoor festival for fans of Heavy Rock – Doom – Psych – Stoner… easily reachable by plane via the Euro-Airport (Basel/Muhouse) or by public transportations (train, bus) via Basel Main Station. There are plenty of affordable Hotels and Hostels located in Basel and for “budget savers” we are also offering to sleep over + breakfast (Coffee and bread rolls) in the venue for a small fee!

How does this work? After the last concert of the day, we ask everybody to step out of the venue for a few minutes. During that time, the venue and toilets are cleaned and the floor covered with a plastic sheet. (people have to bring their sleeping bags and air mattresses)

https://www.upinsmoke.de/tickets
http://www.z-7.ch/event.php?eventid=1306
https://www.facebook.com/UpInSmokeIndoorFestivalInZ7
https://www.facebook.com/events/466424317082118/
https://www.upinsmoke.de/

Lowrider, Ode to Io Deluxe Edition (2017)

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,