Corpus Christi, Texas, three-piece Switchblade Jesus released their second album, Death Hymns (discussed here), last Fall through Cursed Tongue Records. There’s a cassette release coming up, but really the thing to talk about here is the record itself, and that’s plenty. While it clocks in at a utterly-consumable 27 minutes, Death Hymns does so in the form of a high-order ripper, a broad departure from the Southern grooves proffered on their self-titled debut (review here). That record, which was first self-released in 2013, then picked up by Kozmik Artifactz in 2014 before Ripple Music snagged it for a release in 2015 as well, was nothing if not well received and well composed, but Death Hymns takes the expectation born of that outing and even the band’s 2017 appearance on Ripple‘s The Second Coming of Heavy split series (review here), and sets it alight in a fury of prog-noise riffs and sharp rhythmic turns.
Founding guitarist/vocalist Eric Calvert — joined in the band by drummer Jon Elizondo and bassist/vocalist Chris Black — cites the latter coming into the fold circa 2017 as a source for the uptick in aggression, and part of it might stem from paring down the lineup from a five-piece, a move that brought Calvert to more of a frontman role than he’d been in previously, despite actually sharing more writing duties now. Whatever did it, Death Hymns turned in a monstrous torrent of energy, still riff-based enough to catch on with heavy heads, but moved beyond the more blues/Southern heavy-derived fare that, as Calvert notes, there’s plenty of around these days.
I know you’ve heard Death Hymns and you don’t need me to tell you any of this and you probably interviewed Calvert last week and talked about all the changes the band went through in the seven-year divide between their first album and their second. You guys talk on the regular. I know that. For me, however, the turn of sound was all the more fascinating because it continued to be underscored by a quality of songwriting that made the tracks memorable as well as forceful. You can see it in the interview. Calvert mentions “Red Plains” and I’m like, “Oh yeah dude.” It’s the kind of LP that might garner that response spontaneously with its tracks.
And this is a pretty broad-reaching conversation, from hopes for future work to the best band ever to come out of Texas — I’m not spoiling it — all the way down to gear-nerding and learning home recording in the midst of the pandemic, thereby delaying recording by, say, a year or more. Calvert, who also makes pedals under the banner of Frost Giant Electronics, had plenty to say. Best kind of interview.
As always, I hope you enjoy.
Switchblade Jesus Interview with Eric Calvert, May 5, 2021
Death Hymns is out now on LP and CD and available through Cursed Tongue Records and Switchblade Jesus. Tapes coming soon, streaming below.
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 27th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
I cannot imagine what it’s like to press a record right now, other than ‘pain in the ass.’ I mean, the vinyl resurgence has been going on long enough now that there are certainly more than the three people in the universe making it that there were like six years ago or whatever, but still, like everything else, it’s gotta be even more complicated in 2020, and there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of stuff coming out despite the fact that touring is barely happening anywhere in any context. I would think even normally-backed-up plants and manufacturers are abnormally backed up.
That doesn’t preclude preorders, though. Cursed Tongue Records has new LPs on the way from Sumokem — whose Prajnaparadha is already streaming in full — and Switchblade Jesus, who recently premiered the single “Red Plains” from their upcoming album, Death Hymns. Both are out Jan. 29 in that increasingly dim future known as 2021, and both are going live with preorders on Friday at 6PM CET, which is noon Eastern US.
Info came down the PR wire:
SUMOKEM – ‘PRAJNAPARADHA’ AND SWITCHBLADE JESUS – ‘DEATH HYMNS’ DOUBLE VINYL PRE-ORDER LAUNCHES THIS FRIDAY OCTOBER 30, 2020
Cursed Tongue Records is stoked to announce the launching one of this autumn’s most anticipated double vinyl pre-orders going down on October 30, 6PM CET (Central European Time) from their Big Cartel Store LINK HERE:http://cursedtonguerecords.bigcartel.com/products
With honor can we disclose the vinyl releases of ‘Prajnaparadha’ from Sumokem and ‘Death Hymns’ from Switchblade Jesus and with confidence state that this is truly two smashing albums that’s being offered up.
Both bands have outdone themselves and have definitively delivered some of their most creative, crushing, diverse and intriguing material to date. We are very proud to be presenting both vinyl releases and thank the bands for their trust in Cursed Tongue Records on bringing the HEAVY goods.
CTR-034: SUMOKEM (LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS) THIRD ALBUM ‘PRAJNAPARADHA’ VINYL RELEASE OUT JANUARY 29, 2021 [VINYL PRE-ORDER OCTOBER 30]
SUMOKEM hailing from the melting doom-hot-spot pot that is Little Rock, AR are back with their best and most focused effort to date. Their new album ‘Prajnaparadha’ (once again a concept album) comes almost three years after their last giant ‘The Guardian of Yosemite’ (released by Cursed Tongue Records on vinyl January 2018) and the time in between releases has been well spent mining their unique sound and style.
SUMOKEM’s third album ‘Prajnaparadha’ was released digitally on Bandcamp and all major streaming outlets on September 4, 2020. On January 29, 2021, the world sees the release of the album on, the optimal of all tangible formats, 180 grams vinyl via Cursed Tongue Records – Come take the journey with us and discover why SUMOKEM right now is one of the bands out there, doing what they do!
CTR-035: SWITCHBLADE JESUS (CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS) SOPHOMORE ALBUM ‘DEATH HYMNS’ VINYL RELEASE OUT JANUARY 29, 2021 [VINYL PRE-ORDER OCTOBER 30]
On ‘Death Hymns’ the Texan trio has turned every knob well passed 11, tuning down, speeding-up, getting noisy as fuck and more heavy than a convoy of lead-loaded lorries. Switchblade Jesus has decided to throw away the whisky-soaked, southern-blues stoner doom swagger that so gloriously served them well on their 2015 debut in favor of a way more aggressive, contemporary sludgy-thrash noise metal approach – and it freaking works. Not even a wee bit farfetched ‘Death Hymns’, sounds like the evil amalgamation of High On Fire, Kylesa and Black Sabbath with a few proggy and industrial elements tossed in the mix to create a deadly brew all of their own.
Switchblade Jesus’ second full-length album ‘Death Hymns’ releases digitally on Bandcamp and all major streaming outlets on November 20, 2020. On January 29, 2021, the world sees the release of the album on, the optimal of all tangible formats, 180 grams vinyl via Cursed Tongue Records – Prepare yourself for the heavy impact!
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 29th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
It’s been six years since Switchblade Jesus first issued their widely-lauded self-titled debut (review here). Good record, caught on with a lot of people, wound up released through Kozmik Artifactz and giving the band enough momentum to hook up with Fuzz Evil for a chapter in Ripple Music‘s split series, The Second Coming of Heavy (review here), in 2017. They’ve given hints at their direction in the years since. Certainly one would call the level of volume they displayed at Maryland Doom Fest 2018 (review here) anything but subtle, and a live video premiered here later that year contained new material from what then seemed like the far-off prospect of the trio’s second LP.
Well, here we are, and here comes Death Hymns. The album in question runs an unfuckwithably tight 27 minutes and boasts a head-crunching blend of sludge and noise riffs that feels culled from Remission-and-nothing-else-except-maybe-also-LifesbloodMastodon and maybe some pre-nü-metal Helmet thrown in, and still keeps some level of atmosphere through its centerpiece/side B leadoff title-track and momentary breathers like those in “Behind the Monolith” or at the end of “Forgotten,” the latter of which is topped with a blistered J. Robert Oppenheimer quoting the Bhagavad Gita. That popular sample is backed by “Behemoth,” which runs a heavy-thrashy two-point-five minutes and, indeed, kind of sounds like it’s in the process of becoming death, the destroyer of worlds.
I’ll hope to have more on it before it’s out, but to put it bluntly, Death Hymns is a fucking beast. Its noisy aspects might catch you off guard if all you know of Switchblade Jesus is the self-titled, but give it a chance and you will not regret letting it thoroughly pummel you.
Cursed Tongue Records has the release, and it’s out Nov. 20. Info follows from the PR wire:
SLUDGY NOISE METAL TRIO SWITCHBLADE JESUS SIGN TO CURSED TONGUE RECORDS FOR A GLOBAL VINYL RELEASE OF NEW ALBUM ‘DEATH HYMNS’ NOVEMBER 20, 2020.
Cursed Tongue Records is very happy to announce the signing of Corpus Christ, TX based heavy, sludge noise metal trio Switchblade Jesus and look forward to release their new album entitled ‘Death Hymns’ on premium vinyl. We have been following this band for quite some years, and like many of you, have been pondering when the world would see (hear) new from the terrifyingly terrific Texans.
Still vividly remembering the tight riffage and infectious grooves of ‘Bastard Son’ that so generously kicked the listener in the groin on Switchblade Jesus’s 2015 self-titled monster album. It was with much anticipation and sweating anxiety that we received the band’s newest album submission a few months back. We were blown away and after a handful of listens left hearing-obliterated, soul-depraved, head kicked-in, bone-pulverized and face-melted – but boy, oh boy was it a blissful listen and a welcoming return.
On ‘Death Hymns’ the Texan trio has turned every knob well passed 11, tuning down, speeding-up, getting noisy as fuck and more heavy than a convoy of lead-loaded lorries. Switchblade Jesus has decided to throw away the whisky-soaked, southern-blues stoner doom swagger that so gloriously served them well on their 2015 debut in favor of a way more aggressive, contemporary sludgy-thrash noise metal approach – and it freaking works. Not even a wee bit farfetched ‘Death Hymns’, sounds like the evil amalgamation of High On Fire, Kylesa and Black Sabbath with a few proggy and industrial elements tossed in the mix to create a deadly brew all of their own.
We are convinced that ‘Death Hymns’ will light up the heavy underground with an energy-packed set of high-potent metal tracks. An album meaty enough to saturate the most beef-craving metal head; dystopic and evil enough to appeal to the darkened soul of most Satan-worshipping heavy-heads; psychedelic and varied enough to keep longtime fans reminiscing about how great guitarist Eric Calvert is at churning out one infectious riff after the other. We super excited for all of you to hear it when the Texans open the floodgates upon us in November for the full ‘Death Hymns’ ordeal.
Luckily, you will not have to wait that long as the first single Red Plains will air via one of the heavy underground’s preferred musical outlets soon.
Switchblade Jesus’ second full-length album ‘Death Hymns’ releases digitally on Bandcamp and all major streaming outlets on November 20, 2020. Same day sees the release of the album on, the optimal of all tangible formats, 180 grams vinyl via Cursed Tongue Records – Prepare yourself for the heavy impact!
Side A: Scorched Red Plains Behind the Monolith
Side B: Death Hymns Forgotten Behemoth The Blackened Sun
Switchblade Jesus is: Eric Calvert – Vocals/Guitars Chris Black – Bass Jonathon Elizondo – Drums/Percussion/Synth
Posted in audiObelisk on May 6th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
If your eyes are on these words, then I’ll assume I don’t need to recount for you the legacy of pill-popping bizarro fuckall that surrounds Butthole Surfers. Though they flirted with commercial viability at one point in the ’90s — hey, didn’t we all — it was more like a rare aligning of planets than anything purposeful on the band’s part; like they and rock radio happened to be in the same dimension for five minutes. Their mission was more toward the avant noise of outsider punk and space rock, and they demonstrated to an entire generation of Lone Star denizens that it was okay to be strange, stranger and strangest. Switchblade Jesus, on the whole, aren’t so geared to weird, but they do justice to the drive of “Who Was in My Room Last Night?” which originally opened Butthole Surfers‘ 1993 major label debut, Independent Worm Saloon.
It’s an interesting and purposeful pick on the part of Switchblade Jesus, who grit up the original version of the song while keeping the central rhythm, playing up the forward push that added such a careening sense in the first place. The trio of guitarist/vocalist Eric Calvert, bassist Chris Black and drummer Jon Elizondo have shown, pretty much since Black came aboard — though I’ll allow that’s a narrative convenience; not like I was at Switchblade Jesus rehearsal to watch the shift take place — an affinity for noise rock that their prior self-titled debut (review here) didn’t have. When they featured on Ripple Music‘s The Second Coming of Heavy: Chapter 7 (review here) in 2017, it was there, and “Who Was in My Room Last Night?” seems to bring it all the more forward. Wow, almost like the band is progressing or something. Go figure.
In the enduring spirit of chaos, I’m happy to host the premiere of Switchblade Jesus‘ take on “Who Was in My Room Last Night?,” and if you’re wondering when the hell the Corpus Christi three-piece might get down to business and put out another record, they talk about it a little bit here.
Please enjoy:
Switchblade Jesus, “Who Was in My Room Last Night?” official track premiere
Switchblade Jesus on “Who Was in My Room Last Night”:
“Deciding to pull away from the norm as many of our music colleagues go the Sabbath/Zep covers we wanted to honor one of the best bands out of Texas and a song we all grew up with. This was recorded and mastered by us in our studio and honestly was a big learning experience in what goes into ‘gluing’ it all together, so we hope you guys dig this as much as we do.”
I’ve had occasion to see Switchblade Jesus live twice now, and I can attest to the asskickery you’re about to see in the live video below. In particular, the Texans’ performance earlier this year at the Maryland Doom Fest (review here) stood out to me as bringing a new dynamic to their sound and showcasing the progression they’ve undertaken since the release half a decade ago of their self-titled debut (review here), an album that garnered pervasive hyperbole for its Southern metal groove and found them aligned to Bilocation Records and Ripple Music in succession, the latter of which also late last year issued The Second Coming of Heavy: Chapter 7 (review here), a split that Switchblade Jesus shared with Fuzz Evil, which was only fitting as the Arizonans hosted the Corpus Christi outfit at the 2016 Borderland Fuzz Fiesta (review here).
It’s been a wild and bumpy few years for Switchblade Jesus, as guitarist/vocalist Eric Calvert attests, with a series of lineup changes leaving Calvert and drummer Jon Elizondo in limbo for a time before finding bassist Chris Black to round out a trio incarnation of the former four-piece. As their set at Doom Fest showed and the video below affirms, the arrival of Black and the turn to a three-piece has presented a likewise shift in the band’s mindset. They struck me as having a particular edge of noise rock, a surprisingly angular take considering what they’d done in the studio at the time. Even their tracks for the 2017 split only captured part of the story. Their second album, when it arrives next year, has the potential to surprise a lot of people, and it sounds like they know it, too. All the better.
The clip is a multi-camera shoot recorded on Nov. 10 in the band’s hometown at a room called The NASA with a screen behind and some cool wall designs. All I know about it is what I see, but Switchblade Jesus seem plenty comfortable on its stage. Here’s the set they played:
– Scorched
– The Red Plains
– Behind the Monolith
– Death Hymns
– Wet Lungs
– Take Off/Return
– Blackened Sun
– Heavy is the Mountain
– Who Was in Your Room Last Night
Of those, exactly none come from the first album, which is telling in itself. “Wet Lungs” and “Heavy is the Mountain” were on The Second Coming of Heavy, but otherwise, take it as a sign of how ready Switchblade Jesus are to move forward with their sound, and enjoy the preview of their second album due to land in 2019. I’m thrilled to be able to host it.
Calvert talked about the changes in the band and more, so please enjoy the following Six Dumb Questions under the video premiere below:
Switchblade Jesus, Live at NASA, Corpus Christi, TX, Nov. 10, 2018
Six Dumb Questions with Switchblade Jesus
—
Switchblade Jesus is five years removed from the first album and writing. In what ways do you feel the band has developed since the self-titled came out, and if it’s not too early to say, how does the new material represent that development?
It’s been a lot of growth and loss, for a bit we weren’t sure where we were going. I hate that it’s been five years, but for a moment we weren’t sure if we were going to continue, honestly, after Jason left. He was the last of the original lineup. Billy [Guerra] pretty much left three months after the Borderland Fuzz Fiesta and then Jason [Beers] followed at the end of the year, which Jon [Elizondo] and I fully supported. They wanted to focus on their family. We were in the process of writing the upcoming during then but it came to a halt in the studio because we couldn’t get the sound from that engineer that we felt captured us, so that let into some stress with everyone as well. So me and Jon sat in a limbo of sorts trying to figure out how we wanted to move forward, we almost went the Black Cobra route with me playing bass all fuzzed and distorted. We’ve tried out members before and weren’t sure if we wanted to deal with someone that wasn’t either on their game or just didn’t mesh well, ’cause dudes on the road can get to each other, so we had good hiatus (unannounced) and just wrote new stuff back and forth. During that time Jon and I recorded the split for Ripple, that was done at Ancient Sound with Chris Darlington who recorded the first album, three of the songs originally for the sophomore [LP] were used on that pressing.
After that was said and done we decided to keep rolling forward and started trying out bassists, one of the was Chris Black who is our current (and permanent). Chris has a lot of passion for black metal, early hardcore, post-metal and everything hateful, he’s also one of the best bassists in Texas let alone the southern hemisphere, so the addition of him brought something we’ve been wanting in Switchblade, a heavier, faster and more technical side of the spectrum. We reconfigured what we were doing when he joined to fit his playing style a little more as his basically a lead guitarist in a bassist’s body, which helps because I can drop out with a solo or just stop playing for depth and he keeps the train rolling. The first song we wrote with him was “Scorched,” which will start the new album off and the pace of where Switchblade Jesus is now. Also as a side note, when I saw Chris‘s Boba Fett tattoo and we discussed Neurosis I knew he was a perfect fit for us. I have no problem southern metal honestly, while I do like it, everyone and their mother is playing it and it’s hard to stand out, so this new material is more of leaving it all behind and carving your own path and not chasing someone’s coattails but setting them on fire.
You took part in Ripple’s The Second Coming of Heavy split series earlier this year. How much were those songs indicative of where the new album is headed?
That album is more of a bridge that will connect the two, uptempo songs like “Snakes and Lions” were the main focus but we still wanted to incorporate the heavy crushing feel of stuff like “Heavy is the Mountain,” so even though its a brutally fast paced album, the groove has never left. Something we wanted to make sure when we recorded “Wet Lungs” on that split plus another similar on this new one, we’re still that heavy groove laden obnoxiously loud band, just a lot angrier. Another focus on the split was to bring to light my vocals and see how well they sat with the people that like our music. I’m more of a Lemmy/Pike shouter than something soulful that was Pete on our first album, while I do sing at times the shouting felt more comfortable with the new music to convey the angst better, luckily it has gone over well and we’ve had a lot of good response to what I bring vocal-wise to the sound.
Do you know yet when or where the album will be recorded? What are you looking for in a studio sound? Any idea on a timeframe for the release?
We had a few setbacks but it’s in the final stages actually and being to be sent to Zach [Weeks] at GodCity to master it. During that hiatus Jon and I decided to build a studio and that’s where it was recorded, we where able to take our time and really focus on this new songs and get them really dialed in to the pace we liked. We wanted a harder, sharper sound than previous more of a modern feel than a vintage feel. We’re planning for early-mid next year.
I was fortunate enough to catch Switchblade Jesus at Maryland Doom Fest 2018 earlier this year. What was that experience like for you? How has the response to newer songs been live?
Maryland Doom Fest was one of our highlights this year, not just because what the event is but how welcomed we were there. It was our first time in that area and we’ve never met so music-focused people in our lives, we sold more merch and spoke to more people there than we did when we opened for Behemoth four days earlier. People on the East Coast bleed music and I love it. For me the best was able to bring Chris to that event as we’ve played together with his old band, so it was a new element for him. I had him do the merch while I packed his gear up and he was able to talk and just have a blast of a time. Also it was amazing to have people tell us they drove three-plus hours to an event because they wanted to catch us as it was our only set there. The East Coast made a lasting impression on us. The new songs seemed to have been received well, a few individuals at the Doom Fest said they were hoping to get some of the first album songs that day but really loved the new stuff and nothing negative was said so I take that as a plus. That seems to me the consensus from everyone which we love as it can be hard to grow and make sure you don’t leave your roots and original fans behind.
Texas of course has a massive history of heavy rock and roll across a wide swath of decades and bands. Who are some of your favorites to play with and for those of us not in the Lone Star State, what are the most essential names to know?
In Texas our favorites are always Hellfury, The Well, Destroyer of Light, Funeral Horse, Mothership, Doomstress, plus more than escape me at the moment. You need to get locked on Hellfury for sure, some of my best buds making some of the most angry sounds. We’re actually looking for more growth on that as well, we were booked for a fest earlier this year with Unsane, L7, Zeke and others and that’s where we’d like to focus on as well, not as many retro metal/rock sets but more progressive and modern so if anyone reading this books like that, hit us up.
You have a weekender booked for January. Any other touring plans or closing words you want to mention?
We’re planning to focus on central in 2019 to support the new release and would like to start in Colorado and do a nice tour around that area glancing a little on the East Coast as well, so if any readers would like to put their two cents in where to hit up we’re game. We’re just very fortunate to still have some kind of impact on this scene still and love all the support we’ve received. Thank you to Ripple Music, you for having us on this interview and all of the dudes that dig what we do, y’all are amazing.
Switchblade Jesus & Full Evil, The Second Coming of Heavy: Chapter 7 (2017)
Posted in Reviews on December 20th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Ripple Music‘s ongoing series of split releases, The Second Coming of Heavy, has become an essential documentary project on the state of (mostly American) heavy rock and roll. Though cumbersomely and — arguably — historically inaccurately named, in pairing acts together on vinyl like Geezer and Borracho (review here), Supervoid and Red Desert (review here), Kingnomad and BoneHawk (review here), Red Mesa and Blue Snaggletooth (review here), Chiefs and Desert Suns (discussed here), and Kayleth and Favequaid (review pending), the label has not only given its own acts a chance to shine in a special showcase, but expanded its reach and broadened its audience base while furthering the development of a straightforward heavy rock aesthetic that has helped define not only the imprint’s path, but that of many acts as well working under their influence.
For The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven, Texas and Arizona trios Switchblade Jesus and Fuzz Evil are added to this esteemed cadre of groups, each one bringing new material to mark the occasion. In the case of Switchblade Jesus, who released their self-titled debut (review here) in 2013, only to have it snagged first in 2014 for vinyl release via Bilocation Records and then a reissue by Ripple in 2015, it’s been somewhat longer than it might seem since they had anything out and they’ve been through enough changes to prove it. For Fuzz Evil, the Sierra Vista, AZ, three-piece made their own self-titled debut (review here) through Battleground Records in the second half of 2016, the turnaround is somewhat quicker, but they too have had a lineup change, bringing in Orgo Martinez, who is at least their third drummer in the last three years.
Those shifts notwithstanding, what is even more remarkable about The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven, and indeed about the series as a whole, is the diversity of sound between the two groups, both of whom function without question under the umbrella category of “heavy rock.” With three cuts from Switchblade Jesus and four from Fuzz Evil, each band gets about 20 minutes to showcase their wares on a vinyl side, and though the samplings are quick, the point of sonic variety is underscored.
It’s not that they don’t fit together — quite the opposite; they make a surprisingly complementary pair — but that they represent starkly different interpretations of what “heavy” is and does. In “Snakes and Lions,” “Wet Lungs” and the highlight chorus and chug of “Heavy is the Mountain,” Switchblade Jesus present a dudely, burly vision of riff-led semi-metallic vibing, with guitarist Eric Calvert taking over the role of vocalist and proffering an approach very much in the spirit of Orange Goblin‘s Ben Ward.
With bassist Chris Black and drummer Jon Elizondo, what was once a five-piece is now a power trio, and their sound is duly crisp as “Snakes and Lions” (5:17) leans into the forward momentum it will build over the course of its first minute. “Snakes and Lions” is ultimately Switchblade Jesus‘ most straight-ahead inclusion, and “Wet Lungs,” which is the longest track on The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven at 9:42, begins with samples of, among other things, The Louvin Brothers‘ “Satan is Real,” takes a more patient and rolling route, riding its riff comfortably while relying less on its hook than its immediate predecessor.
That leaves “Heavy is the Mountain” (7:38) as the proverbial just-right bowl of riffly porridge, which is just what it turns out to be. Taking the slick, well-paced nod of “Wet Lungs” and giving it just a bit of the energy “Snakes and Lions” brought to bear, as well as the most memorable chorus of the release as a whole — the title-line shouted upward from the mix amid suitable largesse for the subject matter — it’s enough to make one anticipate a future outing from Switchblade Jesus in this incarnation on its own, never mind the album-style flow the band conjures across just these three tracks and the fluidity with which they nestle into that groove.
The Rudell brothers — Wayne (vocals/guitar) and Joseph (bass/vocals/graphics) — who, again, aren’t that far removed from their debut album, continue forward in the spirit of that release across their four tracks, beginning with the post-Songs for the Deaf push of “Better off Alone,” which gives “Heavy is the Mountain” a run for its money in terms of the strength of its hook while also completely revamping the direction of the release overall, pulling away from whiskey-drenched dudery and more toward traditionalist desert fuzz.
But for jammier closer “Flighty Woman,” which reaches over the six-minute mark, Fuzz Evil‘s inclusions are shorter and more upfront in their structures, though still plenty weighted as “Better off Alone” gives way to the bass at the start of “Graves and Cupids.” Some talkbox/wah makes an appearance in Wayne‘s lead as they head toward the midsection and surfaces again in the second half, standing the track out even more than its chorus already did owing to the confidence in its vocal delivery and the flourish of soul emergent there.
Comprising the last 10-plus minutes of the outing between them, “If You Know” and “Flighty Woman” round out with a due focus on songcraft, calling to mind the sense of individually-focused tracks that one found on their self-titled as well — each piece standing out on its own rather than feeding as directly into an overarching whole as, say, Switchblade Jesus do on side A here. That disparity of style is no less a distinction for Switchblade Jesus and Fuzz Evil than the burl vs. the fuzz, but as the insistent rhythm of “If You Know” shifts into the thickened boogie of “Flighty Woman,” Wayne‘s vocals echoing out just a bit in a trippier fashion before the jam really takes hold and Fuzz Evil go exploring, there’s little to argue that either tack doesn’t produce success here.
As has been the case all along with The Second Coming of Heavy, this latest chapter serves this essential function in demonstrating just how far heavy rock and roll has come and the many forms it can take and still find a path to righteousness. With two separate takes, Switchblade Jesus and Fuzz Evil both resound with potential in their songwriting and in the execution of their material, and one is only left hoping it won’t be long before either is heard from again. The mission is accomplished and the mission, no doubt, will continue. Right on.
Switchblade Jesus & Fuzz Evil, The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven (2017)
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 23rd, 2015 by JJ Koczan
Corpus Christi, Texas, five-piece Switchblade Jesus have inked a deal to reissue their 2013 self-titled debut, which also saw a 2014 vinyl release on Bilocation (review here), on Ripple Music. The album landed with nothing short of a smash upon its initial arrival, and has continued to build an audience in the two years since — momentum that Ripple, who seem to be snapping up more bands each passing week, will no doubt help move forward. As it seems like the association between band and label will be ongoing, that is, not just for this reissue, it would be hard to find a more suitable home for Switchblade Jesus than where they’ve landed.
They’re on the road now with Fuzz Evil, having played El Paso last night on a quick four-date tour of Texas (one of few states one can legitimately “tour” within; see also California), and the date for the reissue is May 12, as told by the PR wire:
Ripple Music to reissue debut album from Switchblade Jesus | Share new video for ‘Oblivion’
Switchblade Jesus will be released on 12th May 2015
In the latest of a long line of formidable signings this year, LA-based record label Ripple Music is thrilled to announce the addition of Texan band Switchblade Jesus to their roster, and the official rerelease of their acclaimed 2014 self-titled debut this May.
Formed in 2010 in the land of oil and tar, the Corpus Christi outfit consisting of Peter Quarnstrom (vocals), Eric Calvert (lead guitar/vocals), Billy Guerra (guitar), Jason Beers (bass) and Jon Elizondo (drums) may be hard drinking operators of heavy rock and roll, but they are also well versed in the ways of the desert.
Switchblade Jesus, the band’s devastating right hook of a debut was originally released on Kozmik Artifactz and instantly found listeners hearing notable nods to Kyuss, Orange Goblin and Clutch deep amid from the record’s weighty grooves and vintage stoner vibes. A crushing, loose and alcohol-fuelled fistfight between heavy fuzz and wild peyote hallucinations, tracks like ‘Bastard Son’ and ‘Renegade Riders’ showcase the band’s raw and unruly power… and then some.
The band also take to the road this month to play a number of dates across their home state of Texas with Arizonan three-piece Fuzz Evil (See dates below).
22nd April – Low Brow Palace – El Paso, TX 23rd April – The Mix – San Antonio, TX 24th April – The Lost Well – Austin, TX 25th April – Club Dada – Dallas, TX
Switchblade Jesus by Switchblade Jesus will be rereleased on 12th May 2015 through Ripple Music.
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 20th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Should you happen to be feeling lucky, Bilocation Records and Switchblade Jesus are giving away one of the three test pressings for the band’s self-titled full-length (review here), which would make a nifty pickup for some fortunate heavy rocker. Apparently the test pressings worked as well, since the label went ahead and pressed Switchblade Jesus‘ album in varying editions of colored 180g vinyl and has made them available for preorder now, hand-numbered gatefold style.
The CD version of the album, which was self-released last year, has sold out quickly enough, and it wouldn’t be much of a shock if the LP followed suit upon its release next month.
Details and links come courtesy of the PR wire:
SWITCHBLADE JESUS – Switchblade Jesus LP
BILOCATION #18
Hailing from the land of oil and tar Switchblade Jesus is a 5 piece equivalent of a heard of elephants slamming into a brick wall. Jamming together since 2010 they had a killer ride so far – playing live nearly every week they were forged to a unbreakable live unit. They played a shitload of shows with great bands – just to name a few: Kylesa, Orange Goblin, The Sword, Wo Fat, Egypt, Baroness.
Asked what the fans can expect of the band, the guys state: “Loud alcohol fueled heaviness laced with fuzz and slight hallucinations of tube amps piercing your mind.” That is a word!
VINYL FACTZ
– 100x transparent green vinyl (EXCLUSIVE MAILORDER version incl. A3 poster & silkscreened card signed by the band) – 200x spooky clear/black marbled vinyl – 100x black vinyl – all high-quality heavy 180g vinyl pressed in Germany – matte laquered 300gsm gatefold cover – handnumbered
TRACKS
A1. Into Nothing 2:19 A2. Bastard Son 5:31 A3. The Wolves 3:45 A4. Sick Mouth 4:52 B1. Equinox 3:15 B2. Renegade Riders 4:38 B3. Copperhead 4:49 B4. Oblivion 6:26
