The question here I guess is when was the era of the authentic? If the implication of Paul Chavez‘s new solo krautrock, if-‘other’-was-an-actual-genre venture, Stockhausen and the Amplified Riot‘s upcoming EP, Era of the Inauthentic, is that that’s what we’re living through now, I’d be interested to find out when authenticity — that most treacherous of god-myths — was supposed to be so prevalent. Was it a time in the past? A time yet to come? Genuinely curious. Paul, if you read this, let me know.

I am wary of nostalgia, which is the death of progress, but Chavez has never wanted for individualism and Stockhausen and the Amplified Riot continues that particular thread from his work in Funeral Horse and Cactus Flowers while offering sonic departure. It feels experimental to a degree that I’m going to guess it is, but the exploratory aspects are given shape through the songs, and toward whatever it might lead, it is an introductory statement of marked reach and varied purpose. It would seem Chavez can take it anywhere he wants it to go from here, and maybe that’s the outlet he’s been looking for all along.

No audio yet, but that’ll come. For now, this from the PR wire:

STOCKHAUSEN & THE AMPLIFIED RIOT – Era of the Inauthentic

STOCKHAUSEN & THE AMPLIFIED RIOT is preparing to release the new EP Era of the Inauthentic via Artificial Head Records. Evoking a great sense of curiosity through genre-crossing to produce something memorable, Era of the Inauthentic will release on August 19, 2022.

Initially forming in early 2020 as a three-piece garage rock blues band, the pandemic put the brakes on the project and it’s now continuing as a solo project by Paul Chavez. Drawing inspiration from styles including 70s krautrock, psych rock and post-punk, along with artists such as DAVID BOWIE, KRAFTWERK, and STEREOLAB to name a few, STOCKHAUSEN & THE AMPLIFIED RIOT thrives in the realms of experimentation. Era of the Inauthentic, the title taken from a quote by Alan Vega of SUICIDE, combines an alluring concoction of textures from clean-toned and fuzz laden guitars, to dynamic percussion and audio FX.

“Adolescent Lighting” kicks off the new EP with a dynamic sound. “Hunky Punk” brings heavier guitars for a hard rock and punk fueled track, while “What if it Never Ends?” fuses distortion with a drum machine that oozes danceability. “Tilde Mae”, the longest track on the release, delivers almost twelve minutes of Teutonic riffs, punchy beats and an injection of intriguing electronics. The minimalist effect of “Intubation Blues” vocals accompanied by drums and harmonica introduces a different mood, concluding the EP with a dramatic effect.

Era of the Inauthentic is an eclectic venture through STOCKHAUSEN & THE AMPLIFIED RIOT’s distinctive sound. Powerful guitars deliver on the rock and punk elements of the project’s music, while electronics enhance the atmosphere of each track. Full of unexpected segments, Era of the Inauthentic will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Credits:
Paul Chavez – guitars, vocals, drum machines, and electronics.

linktr.ee/stockandtar
https://www.instagram.com/stockandtar/
https://twitter.com/stockandtar
https://artificialheadrecords.bandcamp.com/

Stockhausen & the Amplified Riot, “Animal Night Train” official video

Houston, Texas, four-piece Warlung will release their fourth album, Vulture’s Paradise, on Nov. 4 through Heavy Psych Sounds. It is the follow-up to later-2020’s Optical Delusions (review here) and brings nine new cuts that have clearly learned some lessons from that prior outing. “Sky Burial” (video premiering below) serves as the first single from the record, and it seems to push further along the lines of the focus on melody and hookmaking that songs like “Sun Eater” from Optical Delusions wrought, the guitars of George Baba and Philip Bennett harmonizing in readily grandiose fashion as a setup for the harmonized vocals of the chorus, resting easily on the midtempo groove from bassist Chris Tamez and drummer Ethan Tamez, whose flow extends even into the dreamy-vocal pickup prior to the solo as the halfway point leads into the back end of the song.

It’s an easy record to get lost in, or at least it would be if Warlung weren’t such skillful songwriters. Immersion and go-go-go rock and roll play out sans conflict in their sound — they do not come across like they’re competing with each other, but all working together to serve the ends of their songs — and like their work more generally, they make tonal largesse a backdrop across Vulture’s Paradise cuts like the edging-on-doom title-track and the Sabbath-meets-Styx-combo-you-know-you-always-wanted-to-hear “Demonocracy,” which follow ahead of the more direct, urgent riffing of “Return of the Warlords,” calling back to opener “Hypatia” while expanding the palette of the album overall. On that backdrop, they dance the swing of “Grave Marauders” with a pop-derived-but-not-pop ethic of craft, downing shots of ’80s metal with a ’70s rock chaser while eating mushrooms from a future that’s brighter whether they want to admit it or not.

Coming across at the outset of “Hypatia” like an American answer to London’s Green Lung, the sense of control and of the band knowing who they are and what they want to do is writ large over Vulture’s Paradise, and so help me gawd, I’ll give bonus points forever to “Caveman Blues” for the lyrics, “I’m a Stone Age stoner/I hunt and gather shrooms,” as well as for the organ that accompanies the memorable start-stop verse riff and what may or may not’ve been an inadvertent Phil Hartman reference (think ‘Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer’). Because there’s no substitute for stoner charm in heavy rock and roll. The penultimate “Worship the Void” goes deeper into guitar-forward stylization, finding the line between airy stretch-out and terrestrial riffing and then setting up shop there for its catchy four-minute duration, while closer “Runes” seems to start with highway sounds before starting a slow, from-the-ground-up linear build that underscores the melodic purpose throughout the songs prior and the progressivism in terms of arrangement that’s made the record likewise intriguing conceptually and utterly listenable.

At the risk of getting to the point, Warlung sound a like a band ready to make their mark. I don’t know what their tour plans are, even within Texas let alone the rest of the USA or beyond, but the material they present on Vulture’s Paradise is their most accomplished work to-date and deserves as much support as they can give it — something that, of course, couldn’t have happened for Optical Delusions given its timing. It’s a big universe and there are infinite possibilities at any given moment, but if you’re still reading this, I have a hard time imagining Vulture’s Paradise not leaving an impression. They could make a single out of any of its tracks and you wouldn’t call them wrong, but there’s still a flow across the 43-minute entirety that serves them gorgeously in highlighting their chemistry and sonic reach.

To wit as regards that flow, I didn’t even intend to review the album right now. This was a news post when I started out. Here we are. I guess I just got pulled in by Vulture’s Paradise. You should know that might happen.

Enjoy “Sky Burial.” Album preorders are up as of today, as per the PR wire below.

Here goes:

Warlung, “Sky Burial” video premiere

Warlung – Vulture’s Paradise

RELEASE DATE : 4TH NOVEMBER 2022
PRESALE STARTS JULY 27TH

“As our forthcoming record, we knew we had to go big on Vulture’s Paradise,” says the band. “These songs found the perfect balance of a raw, live sound and psychedelia. Though the lyrical themes revolve around death and destruction, the music is more alive and creative than ever.”

WARLUNG is a Texas rock band formed by longtime friends and brothers in 2016. Inspired by the sounds of old, they wrote heavy, catchy songs with a psychedelic twist.

By February 2017, they recorded their debut album, Sleepwalker, which was self-released the following fall. Playing festivals such as End Hip End It Fest and opening for acts like Wo Fat and Dead Meadow, they quickly gained a cult following around Texas. Less than a year later, they entered the studio to record their second album, Immortal Portal, released in February 2019. They continued to host various breweries and festivals like SXSW, and quickly became a fan favorite within the local rock community. Their audience grew as they opened for bands such as High Reeper, Forming the Void and King Buffalo.

In February 2020, they began production on their third album, Optical Delusions. They teamed up with Heavy Psych Sounds to release the new album in October 2020.

AVAILABLE IN:
15 TEST PRESS – 12″ VINYL
100 ULTRA LTD COLOR-IN-COLOR TRANSPARENT / RED SPLATTER BLUE – 12″ VINYL
400 LTD ORANGE – 12″ VINYL
BLACK – 12″ VINYL
DIGIPAK CD 6 PANELS

Tracklisting:
1. Hypatia
2. Sky Burial
3. Vulture’s Paradise
4. Demonocracy
5. Return of the Warlords
6. Grave Marauders
7. Caveman Blues
8. Worship the Void
9. Runes

All music written and performed by WARLUNG.
Recorded by Jacob Rodriguez at King Benny’s House of Sound.
Mixed by Jeff Henson and assisted by Jeff Klein at Red Nova Ranch.
Mastered by Alberto de Icaza.
Artwork by Meike Hakkaart (Art of Maquenda).

Warlung are:
Guitar/vox – George Baba
Guitar /vox – Philip Bennett
Bass – Chris Tamez
Drums – Ethan Tamez

Warlung on Facebook

Warlung on Instagram

Warlung on Bandcamp

Warlung website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds on Facebook

Houston, Texas-based five-piece Pyreship release their new album, Light is a Barrier, on April 22. Like much of everyone’s everything, the sophomore full-length from the atmosludge, post-metal-informed tone-pushers has been on hold since before the pandemic, and in fact even earlier than that. Their debut, The Liars Bend Low (discussed here), was released in 2017 through Black Bow Records, and it doesn’t seem to have been long afterward that the band set about making this follow-up, recording in 2018 and 2019 and then… And then. It’s strange to talk about these years, lost time, thinking about what momentum might’ve been or how lives might be different. They could’ve been on their fourth record by now. So could we all, I guess.

But reality comes crashing on Light is a Barrier, and if Pyreship are interested in building or portraying walls, it’s with their own sound that they do so. The five tracks and 38 minutes of Light is a Barrier do nothing to overstay their welcome — as, let’s face it, plenty of post-metal does — but in themselves balance immediacy and patience in a manner that goes beyond simple shifts in volume, as the fluidity with which “Broken Spire” opens the record demonstrates, keeping consistent with the preceding offering in the use of samples but showcasing the fleshed-out sound of the band in the moodier riff and intertwining vocals — clean croons, shouts — as vocalist Jenny Jordan, guitarist/vocalists Sam Waters and Cru Jordan Jones, bassist George Lusito and drummer Steve Smith thoughtfully bring the track to its linear apex before the rumble and feedback give way to “Anathema,” which, though it’s probably not named after the sadly defunct UK band, features a highlight surge drawn from the playbook of mid-period Isis while finding its melodic center before the crunch and sweep hit full-on.

The subsequent “Half Light” is the centerpiece and shortest track — on average the songs on Light is a Barrier are longer than those of The Liars Bend Low, but not outrageously so — but still seems to thud with extra physical presence in the low end guitar and bass while the drums hint at Through Silver in Blood-era influence and the repeated line, “Halfway through a half light,” becomes a hook built on and pushed outward lyrically, less chaotic than some of the overwhelming churn of either Neurosis or acolytes like Minsk, but drawing from them as well as sundry other atmospheric influences and melding that side of their sound with aggressive purpose, as heard in the change from dual-leads to all-riff in the song’s second half. Pyreship never quite give themselves over to complete pummel, but the message gets across anyway, and is reinforced by the chug that emerges on “Forest of Spears,” its final minute-plus dedicated to the well-worn-but-almost-always-effective sample of J. Robert Oppenheimer taking his place as death, the destroyer of worlds following the successful detonation of an atom bomb.

That’s as much a lead-in for the nine-minute finale “Highborn” as a lead-out for “Forest of Spears,” but it gives the final two songs on Light is a Barrier a side B resonance all their own and makes their pairing seem like even less of an accident. Some low growls and clean vocals early in “Highborn” recall the journey the band has undertaken over the relatively short period of the album’s span, and after a quieter midsection, Pyreship ignite the album’s final shove on a course the underlying rhythm of which will elicit knowing nods from those who’ve also been taken to school by “Stones From the Sky.” Noise on a medium-length fade caps out and as quick as they were there, Pyreship are gone, and ultimately Light is a Barrier realizes itself in a blend of what is and what might still be on the part of the band, who here grow into a method of pulling from stylistic tenets that which they feel most serves the individualized purposes of their songs and, accordingly, album. For the years it’s apparently been waiting for release, there’s nothing stale about it, and those who let themselves be carried by it will find themselves affected by the experience. They put you where they want you.

“Anathema” (premiering below) doesn’t necessarily speak for the whole record, but it gives an idea. Dig in and see where you’re at.

Enjoy:

Line-up:
Steve Smith-Drums
George Lusito-Bass
Jenny Jordan-Vocals
Sam Waters- Guitar/Vocals
Cru Jordan Jones-Guitar/Vocals

Pyreship on Bandcamp

Pyreship on Facebook

Pyreship on Instagram

Pyreship on Twitter

Pyreship website

It’s been the better part of five years since Houston’s Pyreship released their debut album, The Liars Bend Low (discussed here), through Black Bow Records. Now a five-piece and having also done a split with Forming the Void in 2018 (discussed here), Pyreship will issue their second long-player, Light is a Barrier, on April 22. Like many, they’ve apparently been sitting on the release for some time, having finished the mixing about two years ago at the dawn of the new age. In our everybody-learns-the-Greek-alphabet future, it would seem the moment to release the five-song collection has arrived.

Fair enough. I was asked by PR a little bit ago if I’d host a stream for the album, but alas I just this morning found the email that had slipped through the oh-so-visible-these-days cracks in my competency. I said I was up for it, but haven’t heard back yet if I’m too late or not. If I am, serves me right; hazards of not being able to keep up. We’ll see [edit: maybe in March?]. In the meantime, I thought it was worth supporting by posting the news about the record, so you’ll find that below.

Of course, from the PR wire:

PYRESHIP To Release New Album ‘Light is a Barrier’

Post-metal sludge outfit PYRESHIP will release their new album Light Is A Barrier on April 22nd, 2022.

“This album has been in the works for over 3 years, and we are extremely excited to finally release it for you! Recorded live over a couple of days in August 2018 at Red Tree and vocals separately in February 2019 at Dead City (both sessions engineered by Chris Ryan), we finally had our friend Aidan Cunningham mix and master it right at the beginning of the pandemic, but it just didn’t feel like the right time to release it. Now is the time, Coming 04/22/2022!”

Leave all behind and embrace the imagination of PYRESHIP. There’s a stunning ambience that flows through Light Is A Barrier, which also blends with a sense of gravitas. PYRESHIP’s sound is both grounded on earth and soaring through the heavens. Despite the shadowy twists and turns, you’ll find yourself craving more.

Line-up:
Steve Smith-Drums
George Lusito-Bass
Jenny Jordan-Vocals
Sam Waters- Guitar/Vocals
Cru Jordan Jones-Guitar/Vocals

https://pyreship.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Pyreship
https://www.instagram.com/pyreshiphtx/
https://twitter.com/PyreshipHTX
https://pyreship.com/

Pyreship / Forming the Void, Split (2018)

Houston, Texas-based psych-doomers Fostermother make their label debut on Ripple Music Feb. 18 with The Ocean, their second album. The now-trio, on-this-record-studio-duo and former-solo-project are veterans of the inaugural RippleFest Texas last year, and their self-titled first record was issued in 2020, and while we’re doing numbers, I’ll note further that “Seasons” — premiering below — is the third video they’ve put out to herald The Ocean‘s arrival. and there’s still more than a month to go before the release. Advance notice, then, has been duly served.

Like the prior clips for “Hedonist” and “Sunday” — must be awfully convenient when you can handle these things DIY-style and not have it look like crap — “Seasons” is drawn from side A of The Ocean, and it finds Fostermother spearhead Travis Weatherred leading the proceedings with a particularly thick-feeling roller of a riff that builds on the lumbering melancholia of the album’s opener, “Sunday” and finds a groove somewhere between Monolord with and October Rust-era Type O Negative, the latter also seemingly referenced in the vocal melody and effects. Weatherred, who also drums on the LP, drops the guitar later on and Stephen Griffin‘s bass comes to the fore as if to emphasize a doomed drudgery, but though the mood is familiar, their preach to the converted is sure to find willing ears, as did their self-titled prior.

“Seasons” is the missing link between “Sunday” and “Hedonist,” which is faster and hookier, but The Ocean continues to unfold across a broader range as it goes, with “Dark Desires” tapping even speedier push given righteous physicality by its low end and the centerpiece “Unholiest of Days” meeting its grim title with a Cathedral-esque verse/chorus patterning and a genuine boogie groove in something of a surprising turn. They slow it down, to be sure, but just for a bell-toller of a bridge before the main riff returns and they Sabbath swing back through the chorus again to finish out. I’m not entirely sure where the split between the two halves of the vinyl is, but “The Ocean” serves as a landmark on the album that shares its title, whether or not it’s the beginning of side B, moving from a mid-paced density into a stretch of quieter guitar, bass and drums before layered vocals bring back a larger incarnation of the riff.

Of course, they’re not the first to make big, thick-sounding noises at high volumes and liken them to massive bodies of water and/or tidal forces — likewise the emotional undercurrent contained in the material — but “The Ocean” makes a kind of chant of its title, a sub-mantra, and thereby conveys a sense of awe to go with its manifestation of plod, that last aspect brought forward in “Arrival,” which, indeed, feels like one. Classically doomed, it’s an engaging setup for “Redeemer,” which in its floating melodic vocal, tempo kick and sharper-edged riff reminds more of the Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats school of garage heavy, if holding its emphasis on the ‘heavy’ end of that bargain. A prog break in the middle is more subterfuge, as they return to the verse before ending with a chugging breakdown topped with an echoing guitar lead; unexpected and all the more welcome for that.

Who are you, Fostermother? At 6:37, the finale and longest inclusion, “Solitude” — not a Candlemass cover — answers the question with a fitting summary of elements on display across The Ocean in its tonal and emotional weight, melody and willingness to speak to ideas classic and modern to make its point. The mournful progression of guitar that, as a lead and then just as the riff itself, carries the song and album to a finish isn’t so much a grand ending as a tie-up for the entirety of the preceding LP. It makes the point rather than overstates it, and that difference makes the whole impression Fostermother make throughout The Ocean more sincere, and deeper-feeling than something simply executing ‘heavy’ for its own sake.

The depressive current of The Ocean is on full display in the video for “Seasons,” which, as one might imagine, features a lot of staring, both at the camera and off at other stuff. Action-packed it isn’t, but in its atmosphere it speaks to one of Fostermother‘s greater strengths, and something they’ll hopefully continue to explore as they move forward from here. A band who can nod, shuffle, push and plod like this is one thing. A band who can do all that and have something to say is something else.

Enjoy:

Fostermother, “Seasons” video premiere

Music Video for “Seasons” off the upcoming Fostermother album “The Ocean” on Ripple Music. Slated for Vinyl/CD/Digital release on February 18, 2022

Video by Fostermother

FOSTERMOTHER New album ‘The Ocean’
Out February 18th on Ripple Music: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/

Frontman Travis Weatherred about the album: “The album is largely about dealing depression and isolation. It also speaks on individuals who would eagerly trade everything and everyone in the pursuit of their own self-interest all while casting judgment on others. These behaviors have a negative impact on friends, family, and society as a whole. Depression is viewed in two ways lyrically; a lack of desire to take care of yourself and the drive to move past it by seeking redemption and new motivations. The Ocean represents Isolation in society. I often find my healing/coping process is found best when I clear my thoughts in quiet room which is where the album ends.”

All music was written and performed by Travis Weatherred (vocals, guitar, synth, drums) and Stephen Griffin (bass, keys, and additional guitar). It was produced and mixed by Travis Weatherred. The artwork was designed by UK-based painter Ryan T. Hancock.

FOSTERMOTHER is
Travis Weatherred – Guitar, Vocals
Stephen Griffin – Bass
Jason Motamedi – Drums

Fostermother, The Ocean (2022)

Fostermother, “Hedonist” official video

Fostermother, “Sunday” official video

Fostermother on Facebook

Fostermother on Instagram

Fostermother on Twitter

Fostermother on Bandcamp

Ripple Music on Facebook

Ripple Music on Twitter

Ripple Music on Bandcamp

Ripple Music website

Houston three-piece/former-solo-project Fostermother appeared earlier this year at Ripplefest Texas, so maybe it shouldn’t be a huge shocker to find that The Ocean — their upcoming second album — will be released through Ripple Music. If you’re paying that close attention, kudos. For the rest of us, the news of the record’s Feb. 18 arrival — which came in like five days ago, lest you think I’m on top of my shit — is welcome just the same, particularly as it brings with it a first sample of the record in question with the video for “Hedonist,” showcasing the band’s blend of heavy rock and doom elements, a classic fuzzy tone being used to deliver somewhat darker fare.

I’ve been keeping a running list of bands whose records I’m looking forward to in 2022 in the Obelisk Collective on Facebook. Fostermother are on it. I didn’t catch their self-titled when it came out — see “not on shit,” above — but there’s a lot to dig into here and I’m interested to do so.

From the PR wire:

Houston fuzzed-out doom trio FOSTERMOTHER share details for new album ‘The Ocean’ on Ripple Music; watch new “Hedonist” video now!

Texas-based doom and fuzz metal merchants FOSTERMOTHER announce the release of their new album ‘The Ocean’, coming out February 18th on Ripple Music.

Originally a solo project Travis Weatherred, quickly joined by bassist Stephen Griffin, FOSTERMOTHER made an impression within the stoner and doom scene with their self-titled debut album. Now a three-head hydra with the addition of drummer Jason Motamedi, the band signed to Californian heavy rock powerhouse Ripple Music for the release of its follow-up ‘The Ocean”. This massive-sounding 7-tracker cranks it up on all levels: it’s darker, harsher, slower, fuzzier, more rumbling than ever, and uncompromising in its ability to drag any listener into the darkest alleys of the human soul.

Frontman Travis Weatherred about the album: “The album is largely about dealing depression and isolation. It also speaks on individuals who would eagerly trade everything and everyone in the pursuit of their own self-interest all while casting judgment on others. These behaviors have a negative impact on friends, family, and society as a whole. Depression is viewed in two ways lyrically; a lack of desire to take care of yourself and the drive to move past it by seeking redemption and new motivations. The Ocean represents Isolation in society. I often find my healing/coping process is found best when I clear my thoughts in quiet room which is where the album ends.”

All music was written and performed by Travis Weatherred (vocals, guitar, synth, drums) and Stephen Griffin (bass, keys, and additional guitar). It was produced and mixed by Travis Weatherred. The artwork was designed by UK-based painter Ryan T. Hancock.

FOSTERMOTHER New album ‘The Ocean’
Out February 18th on Ripple Music: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/

TRACKLIST:
1. Sunday
2. Seasons
3. Hedonist
4. Dark Desires
5. Unholiest of Days
6. The Ocean
7. Arrival
7. Solitude

FOSTERMOTHER is
Travis Weatherred – Guitar, Vocals
Stephen Griffin – Bass
Jason Motamedi – Drums

https://facebook.com/fostermother
https://www.instagram.com/fostermothermusic/
https://twitter.com/fostermotherhtx
https://fostermother.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://twitter.com/RippleMusic
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

Fostermother, “Hedonist” official video

Fostermother, The Ocean (2022)

Houston’s Night Cobra have earmarked next February as the arrival of their debut album, Dawn of the Serpent, through High Roller and Irongrip Records. And really, fair enough. I’m not saying it’s not worth looking forward to or anything like that, just that the band — which boasts former members of Venomous Maximus, among others — already put out an EP in 2019, so if you haven’t heard them before, you can, and if you’re going to put out a record coordinated for a worldwide release in the midst of a global pandemic, you might as well plan it right. February puts them past the winter doldrums from late November usually through late January, and while the month is always crowded with new offerings, at least there’s an audience hungry for it. Who the hell isn’t exhausted come December list time?

And not that I even need to say it, but it’s not like they need to rush it out in October to go on tour or something, so sure, February’s as good a time as any. The recordings are done. Do the mix and master right and promote the hell out of it over the winter. Boom. Solid plan. Okay, so we’re a go, right?

I love pretending I’m in A&R.

From the PR wire:

Night Cobra Sign to High Roller Records; Band Completes Work on Debut LP ‘Dawn of the Serpent’

Houston Metalpunk Quintet Readies Release of Highly Anticipated Full-Length Debut; U.S. Release Set for Irongrip Records

Houston heavy metal band Night Cobra has signed to High Roller Records for the release of its debut full length LP, ‘Dawn of the Serpent’; the impending album is set for release on February 11, 2022.

Featuring current and former members of Necrofier, Eternal Champion, Venomous Maximus, Killer Hearts, and The Satanic Overlords of Rock N Roll, Night Cobra plays uncaged music for an age of discontent as heard on its celebrated debut EP, ‘In Praise of the Shadow’. Night Cobra’s fiery blend of scorching rock ‘n’ roll and blistering metal found immediate favor in underground music circles, making ‘In Praise of the Shadow’ one of Bandcamp’s all-time best selling NWOTHM releases and earning the group glowing praise for its “End Times energy befitting a trying year” (Houston Chronicle) and “searing metal with punk rock’s grit” (Houston Press).

Riding a wave of both fan and critical acclaim, Night Cobra then unveiled the five and a half minute mini-film, “Escape From Earth”, a fun flick that takes inspiration from the shelved John Carpenter film of the same name (and the proposed second sequel to ‘Escape From New York’) that would have starred Kurt Russell reprising his famous role as former Special Forces operator/war hero turned criminal Snake Plissken.

With its impending debut full length LP, ‘Dawn of the Serpent’, Night Cobra unleashes dynamic, fiery music forged in the concrete and steel of punk and heavy metal. Ominous cover artwork by Adam Burke for Nightjar Illustration (Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats) portends the calamity that the record promises. ‘Dawn of the Serpent’ will see a U.S. release via Irongrip Records with High Roller handling for the rest of the world. Night Cobra features Christian Larson (vocals), Bill Fool and Brandon Barger (guitars), Trevi Biles (bass) and The Mighty Cheech (drums).

“High Roller Records is proud to release the long-awaited debut album of Night Cobra in 2022!,” says label head Thorsten Thormann.

‘Dawn of the Serpent’ track listing:

1.) Run the Blade
2.) The Serpent’s Kiss
3.) Lost in Time
4.) Black Venom Dreams
5.) The Neuromancer’s Curse
6.) For Those Who Walk the Night
7.) In Mortal Danger
8.) Acid Rain
9.) Electric Rite

“High Roller is a premier heavy metal record label. I’ve wanted to work with them for quite some time,” says Night Cobra vocalist Christian Larson. “The stars have aligned and we are very excited to release our full-length debut, ‘Dawn of the Serpent’, with High Roller. With ‘Dawn of the Serpent’, we dive deeper into the underbelly of this depraved world. Many things are happening that align with the tech noir reality that we seem to be living in. All these moments will be lost in time.”

In additional news, Night Cobra will perform live at the 2022 Hell’s Heroes Festival, set for Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23 at Houston’s White Oak Music Hall. Presented by Pegstar Concerts, the two day music fest will showcase a hand-picked selection of international underground metal bands that includes both seminal, genre-pioneers, highly regarded modern day groups and more, in a can’t-miss concert event. Night Cobra will share the stage with Grammy-nominated Swedish doom metal legends Candlemass, California thrash metal kings Dark Angel, NYC metal mavens Riot, trad-metal titans Cirith Ungol and more in what promises to be a headbanger’s heaven.

https://www.facebook.com/NightCobra
https://www.instagram.com/nightcobraband/
https://nightcobra.bandcamp.com/
https://irongriprecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.theheavymetalstore.com/
https://www.hrrshop.de/
https://www.facebook.com/hrrecords/

Night Cobra, “Escape From Earth” official video

If you’re going to do a departure, then depart. Warlung‘s third LP and second for Heavy Psych Sounds, Optical Delusions (review here), came out in Oct. 2020 and “Sun Eater” closed side A. In so doing, it followed the classic heavy rock/metal stylings of “Phantasmagoria,” the bigger-riffed “The Scorpion in the Sand” and the sub-three-and-a-half-minute catchy run that was “Snake Eyes.” As such, its melody-forward drift, ethereal and semi-progressive unfolding was an immediate left-turn. You kept waiting for the track, which runs just under six minutes long, to burst out in volume and harder-impact fare.

Much to the credit of “Sun Eater” and the Houston-based Warlung as a whole, that never happens. Though the drums telegraph some tension in keeping the proceedings moving, “Sun Eater” nestles itself into that languid groove and remains there for the duration, giving guitarist/vocalists George Baba and Philip Bennett space to develop the richest melodies on Optical Delusions while the brotherly rhythm section of bassist Chris and drummer Ethan Tamez ensure the procession doesn’t fall apart or get lost in its own wash. The lyrics, as noted below, center around Egyptian mythology, and the subtle chant of the chorus, infectious as it is, carries that spirit of reverence as well.

The video was filmed by Bennett and features Baba walking around the desert and singing the song while the two went camping. According to the map, Big Bend National Park, which is on the Mexican border and toward the western side of Texas, is about eight and a half hours from Houston, so yeah, they were out there. Heck of a drive to shoot a video, even in such seeming spontaneous fashion, but you can’t argue with the backdrop Baba‘s walking around in. Some trippy effects on there and flowing rhythmic editing, and it works.

You’ll find the “Sun Eater” clip premiering below, followed by a few words from the band.

Please enjoy:

Warlung, “Sun Eater” official video premiere

SAYS THE BAND:
“Sun Eater is about the ancient religion of Atenism. It is sung in the narrative of Pharaoh Akhenaten and describes his adoration of the solar disk…the Aten. Sun Eater was filmed out in Big Bend National park in the Texas desert. George and Phil took a trek to camp out and clear the mind, while out their they decided to film the scenery and take shots of George singing the song. After editing the video we decided to collaborate with Palantir Visuals where they took the kaleidoscope effect to new levels.”

CREDITS:
Guitar/vox – George Baba
Guitar /vox – Philip Bennett
Bass – Chris Tamez
Drums – Ethan Tamez

Camera – Philip Bennett
Visual effects – Malichi Cull at Palantir Visuals

Warlung on Facebook

Warlung on Instagram

Warlung on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Facebook