Today I’m proud to count The Obelisk among the presenters for the Tour of the Doomed — the traveling incarnation of the Wisconsin-based festival Days of the Doomed set to take place this summer. I had some great times out in Cudahy at Days of the Doomed, so it’s awesome to see Mercyful Mike Smith take his game to this important next level, and all the better for the fact that the week-long run will head east, starting out at the fest’s home base of The Metal Grill — formerly The Blue Pig — and finishing in Brooklyn at the Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn.

The lineup is three bands strong with Sheavy headlining and supported by Beelzefuzz and Spillage, covering a swath of heavy from the doom-tinged Chicago-style deep-dishery of Spillage through the progressive oddness that always emanates from Beelzefuzz on stage to the we’ve-long-since-mastered-this riff rock Sheavy have been proffering for more than the last 20 years. Not a doubt in my mind the shows will be killer and there might be a few surprises in store along the way as well, so stay tuned for more as we get closer to August.

Poster and announcement from Mercyful Mike himself follow:

After a much needed break to focus on work, family, and life in general, 2017 has presented itself as a fine time to bring back Days Of The Doomed Fest. That being said, I wanted to do something different this time around, so I revisited something I had been working on since late 2011. The planets had never lined up for this to happen before, but again, 2017 presented itself as the perfect time for this to work out.

So… prepare yourselves because we are taking Days Of The Doomed Fest on the road!!! I give you TOUR OF THE DOOMED! I am absolutely ecstatic to announce that this tour will be headlined by a legendary band that will be making its first official visit to the US! The one and only… SHEAVY! Stephen Hennessey (lead vocalist) and I have been in touch for the past 6 years trying to make this happen, and we are both stoked to finally make this a reality. Through the years of doing Days Of The Doomed Fest, sHeavy has always been one of the most mentioned bands to be added to the roster. I am so happy to now be able to honor those requests!

Direct support for the tour will be supplied by the undeniably unique, heavy riffs of the mighty Beelzefuzz, and the brilliant, “bluesy-doom” sounds of Chicago’s own Spillage! But that’s not all! Each date on the tour will feature more support acts that make Days Of The Doomed Fest what it is. You will see some favorite alumni acts along the way, and of course be witness to the new crop of riff-worshiping bands as well!

The tour kicks off on 8/12 in Milwaukee, WI, and in true Days Of The Doomed Fest style, I promise you an absolutely insane line up to literally “get the show on the road”! Rosters for each date of the tour will be announced next week, so keep an eye out!

I’m really excited to be bringing Days Of The Doomed Fest to all of you, so come on out and get heavy with us!!! See you in August!!!
–Mercyful Mike

https://www.facebook.com/daysofthedoomedfest/
www.daysofthedoomed.com

Sheavy, “0000011111”

From what I hear, there’s still one band to be announced for the inuagural The Midwest Day of Wreckoning. The real question is whether or not it’s Brimstone Coven, but we’ll have to wait to find out, and either way, the lineup is already pretty impressive, with the likes of Apostle of Solitude, Droids Attack, Thorr-Axe and Superchief taking part, along with Cold Black River, Subatomic, Shogun and Heavycraft. It’s all presented by Riff Reaper Records and Mercyful Mike Productions and is set to take place Aug. 13 at The Metal Grill in Cudahy, Wisconsin.

If some of the non-band names ring familiar there, Mike Smith was the creative honcho behind the Days of the Doomed fest a few years ago. It would seem that after a couple years “off” — as much as running a management and promotion company is “off” — from larger event planning, he’s getting back in the game, and with an immediately broader stylistic reach than Days of the Doomed was prone to showing. Plus, where that fest was two days, this one is one, so probably less stress all the way around, at least somewhat.

I’ll keep an eye out for that last group TBA, and in the meantime, you can check out the fest announcement below:

Riff Reaper Records and Mercyful Mike Management & Productions bring you… The Midwest Day Of Wreckoning!

Featuring 8 of the Midwest’s very best in stoner/doom/riff-rock, Day Of Wreckoning will have something for everyone!

Bands include:
Apostle of Solitude
Thorr-Axe
Droids Attack
Superchief
Cold Black River
subatomic
Shogun
Heavycraft

The Metal Grill
5036 S Packard Ave, Cudahy, Wisconsin 53110

$10 gets in in the door for an all day event! Merch galore! Riffs galore! Grab some grub and a brew! This gig is for YOU!

Come on out and see what heaviness the Midwest is conjuring!
18+ (21 to drink with ID)

https://www.facebook.com/events/879903862156048/
https://www.facebook.com/mercyfulmikemp/
http://www.riffreaperrecords.com/

Apostle of Solitude, “Luna” official video

Anytime I get to post up some art from L.A.-based artist and all-around good guy Sean “Skillit” McEleny, I consider it a good day. The designer of artworks for Fatso Jetson, Dali’s Llama, this very website (note the header) and so many others continues his association with Wisconsin’s Days of the Doomed fest, following up on artwork contributed last year with a badass horizontal design — such is the way of things; an interesting byproduct of what shows up best on Thee Facebooks feeds and profile pictures — for Days of the Doomed IV, which rolls out starting on June 20 with Trouble, Egypt, The Mighty Nimbus and an impressive cast of others.

The poster itself calls to mind Madballs (dating myself) and any number of video game monsters, but notice the mountain druids in the background and things get even weirder and more complex. If you don’t at first see it, look on the bottom right side for where it’s noted that Days of the Doomed IV is honoring the late Jason McCash, who headlined the fest last year with The Gates of Slumber.

Click the image to enlarge for a better look:

Days of the Doomed IV is set for June 20 and 21 at The Metal Grill (formerly The Blue Pig) on Packard Ave. in Cudahy, Wisconsin, and is dedicated this year to the memory of The Gates of Slumber‘s Jason McCash. The lineup and runtimes are as follows:

Friday, June 20th, 2014 – Doors Open At 3:00 PM
3:00 – 4:00 Metal DJ
4:00 – 4:40 Ancient Dreams
5:00 – 5:40 Stasis
6:00 – 6:45 Wasted Theory
7:05 – 7:50 Witchden
8:10 – 9:00 The Mighty Nimbus
9:20 – 10:20 Orodruin
10:40 – 11:40 Blackfinger (featuring former Trouble vocalist Eric Wagner)
12:00 – 1:00 Las Cruces

Saturday, June 21st, 2014 – Doors Open At 11:30 AM
12:00 – 12:40 Flying Medusa
1:00 – 1:40 Moon Curse
2:00 – 2:45 Sanctus Bellum
3:05 – 3:50 Brimstone Coven
4:10 – 4:55 Spillage (featuring Earthen Grave guitarist Tony Spillman)
5:15 – 6:00 Stone Magnum
6:20 – 7:05 Egypt
7:25 – 8:10 Devil To Pay
8:30 – 9:15 Beelzefuzz
9:35 – 10:35 Jex Thoth
10:55 – 11:55 Age Of Taurus
12:15 – 1:30 Trouble

Skillit Art on Thee Facebooks

Skillit Art website

Days of the Doomed IV on Thee Facebooks

The lineup is set, the dates are confirmed and all there is to do for the next two-plus months is wait for Days of the Doomed IV to get here. The thoroughly metallized festival will be headlined this year by Trouble — something that, frankly, seems four years in the making — and brings over its first international act in the form of the UK’s Age of Taurus. Couple that with a reunion from The Mighty Nimbus and the fervent dooming that the likes of Jex Thoth, Orodruin and Beelzefuzz are bound to deliver while Wasted Theory and Egypt rock the place out, and I’d mark this as definitely the biggest incarnation of the fest yet. At very least, it well earns its ’70s-font logo.

A video trailer for the fest has been put together by Kathy Reeves featuring clips of music from a few of the bands — Trouble, Beelzefuzz, Blackfinger etc. — and some choice selections from the archives of classic horror. Find that and the final lineup (with runtimes, in case you have a date) for the fest below, with doomly greetings:

Days of the Doomed IV Video Trailer

With the addition of TROUBLE to Days Of The Doomed Fest IV, the line up has been finalized. The billing is as follows:

Friday, June 20th, 2014 – Doors Open At 3:00 PM
3:00 – 4:00 Metal DJ
4:00 – 4:40 Ancient Dreams
5:00 – 5:40 Stasis
6:00 – 6:45 Wasted Theory
7:05 – 7:50 Witchden
8:10 – 9:00 The Mighty Nimbus
9:20 – 10:20 Orodruin
10:40 – 11:40 Blackfinger (featuring former Trouble vocalist Eric Wagner)
12:00 – 1:00 Las Cruces

Saturday, June 21st, 2014 – Doors Open At 11:30 AM
12:00 – 12:40 Flying Medusa
1:00 – 1:40 Moon Curse
2:00 – 2:45 Sanctus Bellum
3:05 – 3:50 Brimstone Coven
4:10 – 4:55 Spillage (featuring Earthen Grave guitarist Tony Spillman)
5:15 – 6:00 Stone Magnum
6:20 – 7:05 Egypt
7:25 – 8:10 Devil To Pay
8:30 – 9:15 Beelzefuzz
9:35 – 10:35 Jex Thoth
10:55 – 11:55 Age Of Taurus
12:15 – 1:30 Trouble

Ticket, Lodging, and Travel info can be found at www.daysofthedoomed.com. Don’t miss out on the biggest doom fest in the Midwest!

https://www.facebook.com/events/407651189366176/

So after The Skull, and Blackfinger, and Earthen Grave, and Spillage, and In~Graved, and probably one or two other Trouble-member-inclusive acts I’m forgetting along the way over the last few years, Days of the Doomed has decided it’s time to cut to the chase and bring on Trouble itself. Kudos to Mercyful Mike Smith, who’s made it pretty obvious over the duration of his festival that he’s a fan. The Chicago doom legends are the final band to be announced for Days of the Doomed IV — fortunate, because I don’t think there’s any room left on the flyer — and the runtime for the two-day fest, which is set for June 20 and 21 at The Metal Grill in Cudahy, Wisconsin, has been unveiled. Not at all surprisingly, Trouble headline.

Dig:

OK! The final piece of the puzzle is in place, and we are extremely honored to announce that Chicago doom legends TROUBLE have been added to Days Of The Doomed Fest IV, taking place in Milwaukee, WI on June 20th & 21st at The Metal Grill.

Since TROUBLE’s acquisition of new lead vocalist Kyle Thomas (Exhorder/Floodgate), as well as new bassist Rob Hultz (Solace/Godspeed), they have been performing to European crowds in support of their 2013 release “The Distortion Field”. Days Of The Doomed Fest IV will be among the first shows to see the band returning to the U.S. market, and we are stoked to have them taking part!

With the addition of TROUBLE to Days Of The Doomed Fest IV, the line up has been finalized. The billing is as follows:

Friday, June 20th, 2014 – Doors Open At 3:00 PM
3:00 – 4:00 Metal DJ
4:00 – 4:40 Ancient Dreams
5:00 – 5:40 Stasis
6:00 – 6:45 Wasted Theory
7:05 – 7:50 Witchden
8:10 – 9:00 The Mighty Nimbus
9:20 – 10:20 Orodruin
10:40 – 11:40 Blackfinger (featuring former Trouble vocalist Eric Wagner)
12:00 – 1:00 Las Cruces

Saturday, June 21st, 2014 – Doors Open At 11:30 AM
12:00 – 12:40 Flying Medusa
1:00 – 1:40 Moon Curse
2:00 – 2:45 Sanctus Bellum
3:05 – 3:50 Brimstone Coven
4:10 – 4:55 Spillage (featuring Earthen Grave guitarist Tony Spillman)
5:15 – 6:00 Stone Magnum
6:20 – 7:05 Egypt
7:25 – 8:10 Devil To Pay
8:30 – 9:15 Beelzefuzz
9:35 – 10:35 Jex Thoth
10:55 – 11:55 Age Of Taurus
12:15 – 1:30 Trouble

Ticket, Lodging, and Travel info can be found at www.daysofthedoomed.com. Don’t miss out on the biggest doom fest in the Midwest!

Thanks, everyone! See you all in June!

Trouble, “Hunters of Doom” Live in Barcelona, Dec. 2013

Why, it seems like only three posts ago I was noting the impossibility of keeping up with the many recent additions to various festival lineups. And so it was. Nonetheless, we press on, and Days of the Doomed IV have checked in with a couple noteworthy inclusions to their metallic fare, including the full three-band bill for their official pre-show, which includes Indianapolis groovers The Heavy Co. and New York’s Sons of Ghidorah alongside Chicago’s Spyderbone. Not a bad lineup, and with Moon Curse — who stomped a veritable mudhole in the first day of Days of the Doomed III last year — and Milwaukee stoners Flying Medusa added, the fest proper is only getting better.

Behold the latest announcements and let your consciousness be at one with them:

It’s official! The Days Of The Doomed Fest IV Pre-Show will be held on Thursday, June 19th at The Metal Grill! Blown away by the killer bands we’ll have priming us up for the weekend! The tripped out groove of Indiana’s The Heavy Company, the stoner/doom riffage of New York’s Sons of Ghidorah, and welcome back the “Dukes Of Debauchery”, Chicago metal heads SPYDERBONE!

So many of you last year asked me, “Where has THIS band been hiding?” that it only took a second to know they must come back again! You want more Milwaukee doom? Please welcome back to Days Of The Doomed Fest IV… MOON CURSE!

Continuing on with the Milwaukee theme, I am stoked to bring you a new act from Brew Town! This semi-instrumental outfit takes its homegrown doom, mixes in equal parts ‘shrooms and THC, and proceeds to take you on a supernatural trip of the best kind! Zip up your space suits, as Days Of The Doomed Fest IV welcomes… FLYING MEDUSA!

http://www.daysofthedoomed.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/407651189366176/
http://mooncurse.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/flyingmedusa414
http://theheavycompany.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SPYDERBONE/103360236379765
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sons-of-Ghidorah/1397740957134113

The Heavy Company, Midwest Electric (2013)

With the additions of Jex Thoth and Egypt to the bill, I think it’s safe to say that Days of the Doomed IV is the biggest edition of the festival yet. Set for June 20-22 at The Metal Grill in Cudahy, Wisconsin, the lineup already boasted the likes of Blackfinger, The Mighty Nimbus, Age of Taurus, Stone Magnum, Orodruin and Devil to Pay, and it seems only to be kicking more ass as it goes along.

A witchy new logo/t-shirt design by Kathy Reeves has been unveiled as well, continuing to expand the Midwestern fest’s aesthetic reach.

Here’s the latest:

OK! You’ve seen it on the DOTD website, and I debuted this earlier on Facebook, and you all seem to dig it! So to answer your question… YES! This will be on a limited run of t-shirts available at Days Of The Doomed Fest IV! All bands will be listed on the back! Many thanks to Kathy Reeves for capturing that vintage occult/horror theme I was going for in our newest logo! Great job! Another announcement in 30 minutes!

There are certain bands that lock you in, taking you on a transcendental journey with each spin of their album. 2013’s “Blood Moon Rise” is one such album, delivering not only a collection of catchy doom ballads, but a flowing tapestry of cursed, psychedelic heavy metal. So it is with great pleasure and honor that I announce a rather rare stateside appearance at Days Of The Doomed Fest IV for… JEX THOTH!

Over the past 4 years, this band has been brought up in more than one conversation, and spoken very highly of! I am stoked that the time is finally right to bring all of you some doomed tunage from the great state of North Dakota! Days Of The Doomed Fest IV welcomes… EGYPT!

https://www.facebook.com/events/407651189366176/
http://www.daysofthedoomed.com
http://egypt1.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/JexThoth

Egypt, Become the Sun (2013)

Tomorrow is the arrival of the New Year, and among the pagan rituals, hangover-dispersal, Readers Poll results-posting and whatever other day-off-style shenanigans one might get up to, it’s also the on-sale date for Days of the Doomed IV tickets. To mark the occasion and the transition from an already-successful 2013 to a bigger 2014 to come, the festival has announced the addition of Ripple Music heavy rockers Devil to Pay to the lineup.

Devil to Pay, who released one of 2013’s best records in the form of their fourth album, Fate is Your Muse (review here), will make the drive north from their Indianapolis home-base to play Days of the Doomed IV alongside Blackfinger, The Mighty Nimbus, Age of Taurus, Wasted Theory and others. Many more bands are still to be announced, but the fourth installment of the metal-heavy doom outing, set for June 20 and 21, seems to be stepping up its game all around.

Announcement, links and Devil to Pay‘s kickass video for “Ten Lizardmen and One Pocketknife” (which premiered here) follow:

Happy New Year everyone! How about another band announcement For Days Of The Doomed Fest IV? Grab a PBR tallboy and get ready for the jams to kick your ass… from Indianapolis, I give you Ripple Music recording artist and purveyors of all things HEAVY.. Devil To Pay!

Back for its fourth installment June 20th & 21st, 2014! Days Of The Doomed Fest IV promises to bring the heavy! Bands will be announced over the next several months, so stay tuned! Tickets on sale starting 1/1/14 at www.daysofthedoomed.com!

Days of the Doomed fest IV is scheduled for June 20th & 21st, 2014 at The Metal Grill in Cudahy (South Milwaukee), WI. It is the same venue as past fests, but it is under new ownership/management! Stay tuned for more details!

https://www.facebook.com/events/407651189366176/
https://www.facebook.com/deviltopay
http://www.ripple-music.com

Devil to Pay, “Ten Lizardmen and One Pocketknife” official video