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audiObelisk Transmission 052

Posted in Podcasts on October 5th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

Click Here to Download

 

Here is the Music Player. You need to installl flash player to show this cool thing!

Whenever the hell it was that I started really doing podcasts again on a roughly-monthly basis, I said that there would be no theme from one to the other. That’s a rule I’ve bent a couple times since, and this is one of those instances as well. This podcast takes a look at the rather extensive lineup for Desertfest Belgium 2015 (posted in full here). It was a particular challenge to keep it to what’s become the standard two-hour format, but in the end, I think the tracklisting below brings together the headliners and some of the lesser known bands in a way that speaks to the breadth of the festival itself. Or at least I hope it does. It’s a killer mix, either way.

Worth noting that this is the second podcast this year that has started with Goatsnake. That is not an accident. I tried to keep things as current as possible here, and their new one destroys. I think the only cuts not from the band’s latest album are Bongzilla, Monomyth and Monolord, and well, the songs included speak for themselves either way.

Desertfest Belgium 2015 happens this weekend at Trix in Antwerpen. If, like me, you won’t be there, hope this provides a bit of fodder escapist daydreaming. If you’re going, it’s never to early to get psyched on it. Either way, please enjoy:

First Hour:
0:00:00 Goatsnake, “House of the Moon” from Black Age Blues
0:05:17 Crystal Head, “Wouldn’t You Know” from Crystal Head
0:08:05 Orange Goblin, “Demon Blues” from Back from the Abyss
0:12:40 Ufomammut, “Temple” from Ecate
0:20:08 Fever Dog, “The Great Tree” from Second Wind
0:26:05 Causa Sui, “Echo Springs” from Euporie Tide
0:30:56 Dozer, “Flood” from Beyond Colossal
0:34:46 Monolord, “Icon” from Empress Rising
0:42:56 Mars Red Sky, “The Light Beyond” from Stranded in Arcadia
0:50:55 Stoned Jesus, “Silkworm Confessions” from The Harvest

Second Hour:
1:00:00 Fatso Jetson, “Flesh Trap Blues” from Split with Herba Mate
1:06:25 Bongzilla, “H.P. Keefmaker” from Apogee
1:16:46 Earth, “Badgers Bane” from Primitive and Deadly
1:29:05 The Machine, “Chrysalis (JAM)” from Offblast!
1:45:16 Monomyth, “Huygens” from Monomyth

Total running time: 2:02:20

 

Thank you for listening.

Download audiObelisk Transmission 052

 

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Desertfest Belgium 2015 Adds The Machine, Bathsheba and Wucan; Lineup Finalized

Posted in Whathaveyou on September 23rd, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2015 banner

It has been a pretty wild ride watching Desertfest Belgium 2015 take shape. From the first announcements through these — which are reportedly the final ones before the schedule of runtimes is put out on Friday — the festival has taken on bigger and bigger names, expanding well beyond the desert to grow into an entity of its own and a landmark for the fall season. The last adds are The Machine, newcomers Bathsheba, who intrigue on lineup alone, and Wucan, who I don’t know but who pretty much win the contest for genre descriptors based on what they’re quoted as being below. They join one of the least fuckwithable lineups in the multi-year, multi-city history of Desertfest.

Announcement came through like so:

desertfest belgium 2015 poster

We still owed you a couple of names to complete our line-up, and here they are: from The Netherlands we have THE MACHINE to provide their experimental heavy rock sound. From Germany we have WUCAN with their “Topsy-Turvy Higgledy-Piggledy Folk-Blues-Psych-Stoner-ProtoMetal-Soul”. And to round things off, there’s the Belgian BATHSHEBA, a super doom band of sorts involving members from Serpentcult, SardoniS and Death Penalty.

Later on this week we will announce the names of the turntable wizards (including a very special guest on Saturday!) that will rock the time inbetween the concerts & the afterparties.

We also know a lot of you are waiting for the time schedules so you can start plotting your trajectory. Well, the wait is almost over… on Friday we publish the schedules!

Bands already confirmed are:
Earth, Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Bongzilla, Fatso Jetson, Dozer, Moon Duo, Greenleaf, Valient Thorr, Ufomammut, Stoned Jesus, Causa Sui, Siena Root, Monolord, Mars Red Sky, Glowsun, Papir, Carlton Melton, Monomyth, Child, Harsh Toke, Planet Of Zeus, Pendejo, Vandal X, USA Out Of Vietnam, Banda De La Muerte, Tangled Horns, Psychonaut, The Progerians, Crystal Head, The Heavy Crown, Wheel Of Smoke, Sunder, Fever Dog, Black-Bone and 3rd Ear Experience.

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
3 day tickets (96€) on sale HERE

More infos at www.desertfest.be

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

The Machine, “Coda Sun” official video

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Desertfest Belgium 2015 Adds Earth, Stoned Jesus, Papir, Crystal Head, Pendejo, Banda de la Muerte and USA out of Vietnam

Posted in Whathaveyou on September 2nd, 2015 by JJ Koczan

trix, yo.

They still have more to announce. That might be the most terrifying part of the whole thing. Desertfest Belgium 2015 came out of the gate swinging — I don’t even know what these clichés are supposed to mean; are they boxing horses or something? — and the festival, which is set for Oct. 9, 10 and 11 at Trix in Antwerp has only continued to get more and more lethal. Now Earth are headlining? What, were the fucking Beatles busy? Jesus, guys. Save some for next year.

Next year, I’m sure, will be even more ludicrous in that wish-you-were-there kind of way. But for this year, yes, there’s still one more announcement to come for Desertfest Belgium 2015, and after reading the below news that EarthStoned JesusPapirCrystal HeadPendejoBanda de la Muerte and USA out of Vietnam have joined the already-kicked-ass ranks, it’s less of a question of imagining who might be added than of asking who’s left that’s not already playing.

Heavy rock and roll, my friends:

desertfest belgium 2015

EARTH to headline DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015, plus seven more bands announced!

For its next-to-last announcement, DESERTFEST BELGIUM is proud to welcome megalithic legends EARTH to the bill, for the first time ever at Desertfest! In addition, the festival also confirmed Ukraine’s number one heavy mongers STONED JESUS, Copenhagen’s instrumental drone trio PAPIR, eclectic foursome USA OUT OF VIETNAM, Argentina’s sludgers BANDA DE LA MUERTE, British rockers CRYSTAL HEAD, Bruges vintage THE HEAVY CROWN and the one and only PENDEJO!

Day tickets on sale next week with final announcement!

Bands already confirmed are:
Earth, Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Bongzilla, Fatso Jetson, Dozer, Moon Duo, Greenleaf, Valient Thorr, Ufomammut, Stoned Jesus, Causa Sui, Siena Root, Monolord, Mars Red Sky, Glowsun, Papir, Carlton Melton, Monomyth, Child, Harsh Toke, Planet Of Zeus, Pendejo, Vandal X, USA Out Of Vietnam, Banda De La Muerte, Tangled Horns, Psychonaut, The Progerians, Crystal Head, The Heavy Crown, Wheel Of Smoke, Sunder, Fever Dog, Black-Bone and 3rd Ear Experience.

Unfortunately, Sourvein have been forced to cancel their European tour for personal reasons. Full statement from the band follows:

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, a family emergency has occurred and can’t be delayed at this time. We’ll have to postpone our upcoming tour until 2016. Thanks for understanding it’s family first in this type of situation. Shows will be rescheduled and we will see you in 2016. Can’t wait to see everyone in europe. Thank you, Sourvein.”

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
3 day tickets (96€) on sale HERE

More infos at www.desertfest.be

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

Earth, Primitive and Deadly (2014)

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Desertfest Belgium 2015: Mars Red Sky, Harsh Toke, Black Bone and Vandal X Added to Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on August 20th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2015

Desertfest Belgium 2015 continues to add to its enviable lineup. As in, I’m envious that I probably won’t get to go. Harsh Toke will hit it up as part of their just-announced European tour, and French heavy psych mavens Mars Red Sky are most certainly welcome on any lineup I’m writing about. Black Bone and Vandal X also join the bill, which hey, just for fun, let’s remind that it already featured fucking Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Fatso Jetson, Ufomammut, Dozer, Greenleaf and Bongzilla.

That list of bands was only going to be like three long and then I kept seeing more. I could’ve kept going. The full list is below. It’s insane:

desertfest belgium 2015 poster

Mars Red Sky, Harsh Toke, Black Bone and Vandal X confirmed for DESERTFEST BELGIUM

European heavy/stoner/doom gathering DESERTFEST BELGIUM has a few more announcements coming this summer, and we’re happy to bring four more bands to the 2015 bill today: France’s finest heavy psych trio MARS RED SKY, San Diego’s cosmic jammers HARSH TOKE, some straightforward rock’n’roll with Eindhoven’s BLACK-BONE, and last but not least, German prog noise duo VANDAL X. Antwerp is set to be borne away by a whirl of fuzz-drenched rock and psychedelia in October!

Bands already confirmed are: Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Bongzilla Fatso Jetson, Dozer, Moon Duo, Greenleaf, Valient Thorr, Ufomammut, Causa Sui, Siena Root, Monolord, Mars Red Sky, Sourvein, Glowsun, Carlton Melton, Monomyth, Child, Harsh Toke, Planet Of Zeus, Vandal X, Tangled Horns, Psychonaut, The Progerians, Wheel Of Smoke, Sunder, Fever Dog, Black-Bone and 3rd Ear Experience.

More acts to be announced soon…

On the other hand, we are sorry to announce the cancellation of Philly’s psych act Ruby The Hatchet, who won’t be touring Europe this fall due to personal reasons.

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
3 day tickets (96€) on sale HERE

More infos at www.desertfest.be

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

Mars Red Sky, “The Light Beyond” official video

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Desertfest Belgium 2015 Adds Bongzilla, Sourvein, Monolord, Monomyth and Tangled Horns to Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on August 4th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2015 banner

After losing the Melvins a couple weeks ago, Desertfest Belgium 2015 has hardly had time to look back, such have been the rigors of putting together such a kickass assemblage. This time around, it’s the reunited Bongzilla who join the marquee names of Orange Goblin, Fatso JetsonDozer and Goatsnake, and North Carolinian sludge stalwards Sourvein, who played both Desertfest London and Roadburn in 2014 but have spent the bulk of 2015 working on their new album and Metal Blade debut, Aquatic Occult, with Mike Dean at the helm.

In addition to those two, Swedish mega-plodders Monolord, Dutch progressive heavy instrumentalists Monomyth, and Antwerp hometown heroes Tangled Horns have been put in the lineup, making the three-day Desertfest Belgium 2015 an even more impressive front-to-back run. I’m saying I’d like to go. I probably already said that. I’m saying it again. I doubt I will, but I’d like to.

Imagine the chance to see Ufomammut and Monolord back to back. I’d love to see how the timetable for those three days is going to shake out:

desertfest belgium 2015 poster

Bongzilla, Sourvein, Monolord and more to play DESERTFEST BELGIUM this October!

The DESERTFEST BELGIUM just confirmed some truly heavy names for its second edition in Antwerp! How about some Southern sludgey goodness with the legendary BONGZILLA and scene mainstays SOURVEIN? In addition to that double team of awesomeness, we are proud to add Sweden’s crushing doom meisters MONOLORD, Dutch trance space rockers MONOMYTH and local Antwerp pride TANGLED HORNS to the list.

Bands already confirmed are: Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Bongzilla Fatso Jetson, Dozer, Moon Duo, Greenleaf, Valient Thorr, Ufomammut, Causa Sui, Siena Root, Monolord, Sourvein, Glowsun, Carlton Melton, Monomyth, Child, Ruby The Hatchet, Planet Of Zeus, Tangled Horns, Psychonaut, The progerians, Wheel Of Smoke, Sunder, Fever Dog and 3rd Ear Experience. More acts to be announced soon…

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
3 day tickets (96€) on sale HERE

More infos at www.desertfest.be

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

Bongzilla, Live in Brooklyn, NY, June 12, 2015

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Desertfest Belgium 2015 Adds Goatsnake, Dozer, Ruby the Hatchet, Sunder, Moon Duo and The Progerians to Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 23rd, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2015 banner

Well shit, Desertfest. If you wanted me to come that badly, you could’ve just booked a flight. I’d show up. I guess going out and getting Goatsnake to headline is a pretty badass way to send the message as well though, so I won’t argue. I’m not sure I’ll actually be able to make it — do you have any idea how much a week in Europe costs? It’s insane — but it’s nice to feel wanted, even in this most abstract and completely imaginary of ways.

Along with Goatsnake, the golly-I-wish-they’d-do-another-record Swedish heavy rockers Dozer will be brought in for an appearance — oddly enough not accompanied by Lowrider — and Ruby the Hatchet, Sunder, Moon Duo and The Progerians have been added to the bill as well, which, if you’ll recall, wasn’t exactly hurting, with Ufomammut, Orange Goblin, Greenleaf, Siena Root and so on already confirmed.

Still, if the question is “Goatsnake?” then the answer is definitely Goatsnake.

This from the PR wire:

desertfest belgium 2015

Goatsnake, Dozer, Moon Duo and more added to the DESERTFEST BELGIUM lineup!

We are happy to announce that Californian sludge-blues royalty GOATSNAKE have been added to the DESERTFEST ANTWERP 2015 line-up! Additionally, we have confirmations for the touring beast that is DOZER, the face-melting psych of MOON DUO, those fine purveyors of stoner SUNDER and RUBY THE HATCHET, and another slice of Belgian psych with THE PROGERIANS. Spread the news!

Bands already confirmed are: Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Fatso Jetson, Dozer, Moon Duo, Greenleaf, Valient Thorr, Ufomammut, Causa Sui, Siena Root, Glowsun, Carlton Melton, Child, Ruby The Hatchet, Planet Of Zeus, Psychonaut, The progerians, Wheel Of Smoke, Sunder, Fever Dog and 3rd Ear Experience.
More acts to be announced in the coming weeks…

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
3 day tickets (96€) on sale HERE

More infos at www.desertfest.be

After a great first edition that saw the likes of Electric Wizard, Brant Bjork, Yob, Kadavar tear down Antwerp, the DESERTFEST promoters decided to run their second Belgium edition this fall. Located in Antwerp outskirts, the Trix venue will once again host the world’s best heavy bands, spread over three stages drenched in that underground atmosphere we all love. Beware of the sandstorm!

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

Goatsnake, Live in Glendale, CA, May 21, 2015

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Desertfest Belgium 2015: Melvins Out; Ufomammut, Causa Sui, Valient Thorr, Carlton Melton, Child and Wheel of Smoke In

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 13th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium 2015 banner

Am I crazy, or does demanding a refund after the Melvins drop off a festival bill seem completely over the top? I mean, I agree Desertfest Belgium 2015 should give their customers the chance to back out if they so desire, but who goes to a fest to see one band in the first place? And it’s not like the Melvins aren’t on tour nine months out of every single year. I guess it just wouldn’t occur to me to be like, “No Melvins? Fuck this!” but then, I’m not the hugest Melvins fan anyway. Maybe those people exist. Takes all kinds.

Desertfest Belgium 2015 looks pretty sweet with Orange Goblin and Fatso Jetson on top of the bill, and adding UfomammutCausa SuiValient ThorrCarlton MeltonChild and Wheel of Smoke, as they have today certainly doesn’t hurt their case any. I don’t have tickets, but if I did, I’d keep them.

Kind of a bummer situation that seems to have led to the Melvins backing out, though. You can read about it below, as sent down the PR wire:

desertfest belgium 2015 poster

MELVINS FORCED TO CANCEL DESERTFEST 2015

We have to start off this announcement with some very unfortunate news: Melvins will not be playing the 2015 edition of Desertfest Belgium.

The band was forced to cancel their appearance at the festival due to an exclusivity contract for their shows at the 2015 Incubate festival in Tilburg. This fact unfortunately only surfaced after our public announcement had been made. We have tried to negotiate a deal that would be satisfactory for both events, but to no avail. Desertfest Belgium has no choice but to accept there will be no Melvins at our 2015 edition.

We want to stress that we at Desertfest were not made aware of this exclusivity deal at the time the booking was confirmed. Please understand that the band also has no choice in the matter.

We can only offer you our sincere apologies, and we hope we have your understanding and support in this most unfortunate turn of events. But in the case this makes you reconsider your purchase of an early bird ticket, we want to offer our supporters the chance to demand a refund.

Tickets will be refunded for two weeks on from today (until 27/7), contact us through contact@desertfest.be.

However, before you make such a drastic decision, you may first want to read this first:

NEW NAMES confirmed for DesertFest 2015!

UFOMAMMUT
Ufomammut needs no introduction, as they have long established their status as one of the most potent, powerful and artistic contemporary doom artists in existence. They offer a unique brand of psychedelic sludge, blending primordial acid with sinister atmospheres and gloomy sounds of vintage electronics.

In fifteen years the band has performed at international music festivals like Roadburn, Hellfest, Dour Fest, Stoned from the Underground, Up in Smoke and many more… Their live show is supported by the internationally acclaimed video and graphic art of Malleus, whose visuals match the devastating impact of Ufomammut’s massive sound.
http://www.ufomammut.com/

VALIENT THORR
“My God they’re striking. All Hail Thorriors!” – Wayne Kramer, MC5. A wild-ass rock’n’roll band said to hail from the inner core of the planet Venus. Since crash landing on Earth in the year 2000 they’ve played well over 1500 shows all over the world, including stints at festivals like Download, Sonisphere, Hellfest, Graspop and Roskilde.
http://www.valientthorr.com/

CARLTON MELTON
They play live, loud, improvised, experimental, instrumental, psychedelic music that they record in a geodesic dome near the coast of Northern California. This should tell you everything you need to know about this bunch of rock royalty (including ex-members from cult band Zen Guerilla). Long Live Dome Rock!
http://www.carltonmeltonmusic.com/

CAUSA SUI
Causa Sui’s sound has been described as the sound of a giant wave rolling up through the last four decades of rock. Over the course of eight albums since 2005, they have developed an eclectic instrumental sound that owes as much to electric Miles Davis or Can as it does to more familiar stoner rock. They are now recording the follow-up to the highly acclaimed ‘Euporie Tide’ album from 2013.
http://elparaisorecords.com/artists/causa_sui

CHILD
Formed in the rock n roll underground of Melbourne, Australia in 2012, Child take pride in upholding the strong tradition of Australian rock that preceded them with the likes of AC/DC, The Easybeats, Rose Tattoo or Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs. Drawing influence from an ever growing sonic palette, you will find Child’s roots tightly entwined in and around the Blues whilst taking a heavier and more visceral approach.
https://childtheband.bandcamp.com/

WHEEL OF SMOKE
Wheel of Smoke (Leuven, BE) has been dwelling the Belgian underground rock scene with smoking mix of heavy, 70’s tinted rock, blended with a dash of grunge and postrock. They’ve shared the stage with many bands including Baby Woodrose, Hypnos 69, Sungrazer, The Machine, My Sleeping Karma…
https://wheelofsmoke.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE
http://www.desertfest.be/

Ufomammut, Live at Saint Vitus Bar, May 19, 2015

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Desertfest Belgium 2015: Orange Goblin, Greenleaf, Siena Root, Glowsun and Planet of Zeus Added to Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 7th, 2015 by JJ Koczan

desertfest belgium banner

Not a bad day’s work on the part of Desertfest Belgium 2015, which casually tossed out the additions to its lineup of headliner Orange Goblin as well as new Napalm Records signees Greenleaf, their labelmates in Glowsun, plus Stockholm’s Siena Root and Planet of Zeus. For a bill that already boasted Fatso JetsonFever Dog3rd Ear Experience and Psychonaut — oh yeah, and the frickin’ Melvins — it’s a cool bunch of invitees to throw into the mix. I’d say I’m surprised, but really, a Desertfest with a badass lineup is about as surprising as a sunrise. It has quickly become one of the underground’s most reliable brands, and the second Belgian installment seems no exception.

Announcement follows, snagged from the PR wire:

desertfest belgium 2015 poster

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015: Orange Goblin, Greenleaf, Siena Root, Glowsun and Planet Of Zeus join the lineup in Antwerp!

DESERTFEST BELGIUM – the ultimate heavy/stoner/psych/doom meeting – is set to happen again in Antwerp this fall! The Melvins, Fatso Jetson, Orange Goblin, Greenleaf and many more are set to play the notorious Trix in Antwerp this October. Spread the word…

The Desertfest promoters always have lots of great stuff up their sleeve, and they will once again treat all the heavy music fans to a cracking weekend in Antwerp, hosting the best heavy bands across three days of sonic madness.

Bands already confirmed: The Melvins, Orange Goblin, Fatso Jetson, Greenleaf, Siena Root, Glowsun, Planet Of Zeus, Psychonaut, Fever Dog and 3rd Ear Experience. Many more acts to be announced during the summer, stay tuned!

DESERTFEST BELGIUM 2015
October 9-11th at Trix Muziekcentrum – Antwerp
Early bird tickets (80€) on sale HERE

After a great first edition that saw the likes of Electric Wizard, Brant Bjork, Yob, Kadavar tear down Antwerp, the DESERTFEST promoters decided to run their second Belgium edition this fall. Located in Antwerp outskirts, the Trix venue will once again host the world’s best heavy bands, spread over three stages drenched in that underground atmosphere we all love. Beware of the sandstorm!

More infos at www.desertfest.be
https://www.facebook.com/events/906737689368055/
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium
https://twitter.com/desertfestBE

Black Moth, “Room 13” Live at Desertfest Belgium 2014

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