One thing about O’Brien’s Pub in Allston, Massachusetts, is that it’s not the Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ, and for that, I’m a little bummed watching this video for Infernal Overdrive‘s “Duel” from their soon-to-be-released Last Rays of the Dying Sun debut full-length (review here). No denying the band’s Massachusetts roots, I guess. Guitarist/vocalist Marc Schleicher used to be in Cracktorch (they weren’t the problem) and they’re playing one of the release shows for the album — the one around the release — in MA as well. And they recorded there too, now that I think about it. Points for consistency.

Some things to watch for in the “Duel” video: a Darryl Shepard cameo at 1:02 (he’s later mentioned in the on-screen “texts” as well) and references to both Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Big Lebowski. Also make sure you get a look at bassist Keith Schleicher‘s Shiner Beer t-shirt, since if you’re ever lucky enough to catch Infernal Overdrive at a show, chances are he’ll be wearing it. The clip was directed by Mike Gill and the assistant director was Roadsaw‘s own Tim Catz, whose debut column you may have seen here last week.

Dig it:

And since I’ll be headed up that way March 3 and I thought you might want to as well, here’s the flyer for the Last Rays of the Dying Sun release shows — one in Massachusetts and one in Jersey:

When I reviewed the self-titled demo from South Jersey non-retro heavy rock classicists Infernal Overdrive last year, the first thing that came to my mind about the songs was that they sounded tailor made for Small Stone Records. The four cuts included on Infernal Overdrive were riffy but not definitively stoner, Southern but not just Southern, and always with an eye toward ‘70s rock landmarks like Cactus, Free and Grand Funk Railroad. Maybe more than one eye, in fact. Either way, it worked out. Small Stone picked up the band for the Feb. 28, 2012, release of their first full-length, Last Rays of the Dying Sun, and as the title might suggest, classic rock references abound. Jimi Hendrix, whose posthumous First Rays of the New Rising Sun came out in 1997, is among them, obviously, but there are depths of style to which Infernal Overdrive dig that result in a mix more directly their own. In addition, guitarist/vocalist Marc Schleicher draws on his experience in Boston Southern rock acts Quintaine Americana and Antler (the latter also Small Stone alumnae) to add a modern feel to the classic ethic, and coupled with the dual-guitar antics of Schleicher and lead axe-handler Rich Miele and a well-utilized knack for injecting memorable choruses with distinct personality, the result is a blend across these eight tracks (even the fact that there are eight tracks on the album feels like a reference to the ‘70s) that’s familiar within the scope of American heavy rock, but not as easily pinned down beyond that to any single band. Nonetheless, much like the demo, Last Rays of the Dying Sun is right at home within Small Stone’s milieu, other Northeastern acts like The Brought Low and Roadsaw making fine enough comparison points to establish some idea of what Infernal Overdrive are working with stylistically.

The band returned to Andrew Schneider (Throttlerod, The Brought Low, partner in Coextinction Recordings) to record the full-length, and with what he was able to bring out of them on the demo, it’s no surprise. It’s easy to view Last Rays of the Dying Sun as an extension of their previous outing, both sonically and in terms of content. All four songs from Infernal Overdrive show up on side A of Last Rays of the Dying Sun, and in three-fourths the same order as they appeared before, opening with “I-95” and moving into “The Edge” and “Duel.” The longer “Motor,” which was 12 minutes on the demo and approaching 14 here, keeps its position as the closer, so in a way, that’s the same as well, but there are four other tracks between “Duel” and it that comprise the previously-unheard portion of the record. Both the newer and older material though sound crisp and fluid (Chris Goosman mastered), the shorter “I-95” and “The Edge” setting the tone quickly with unpretentious shuffle and Miele’s smooth leads, and stating in certain terms the rock ethic to be expanded on as the album progresses with songs like “Cage” and “Electric Street Cred.” “I-95” is no less engaging as an opener than it was on the demo, and Mike Bennett’s drumming (probably the most direct beneficiary of Schneider’s production; the guy just knows how to mic drums) and Keith Schleicher’s bass allow the guitars a solid foundation on which to speed up the motoring riff of “The Edge,” setting up the hooky chorus with a well-honed casual air, like it’s just the way it goes, man.

That sense of casualness – it’s not exactly laid back, but has a pack of cigarettes rolled up its sleeve and at least one hole in its jeans – adds a lot of the charm to what Infernal Overdrive are doing musically, which is neither lazy nor unstudied. Wails and one of Last Rays of the Dying Sun’s several big rock finishes cap “The Edge,” as if to highlight the idea that no one is taking themselves to seriously, and “Duel” commences with what can only be the basis for the song’s title in the interplay between Schleicher and Miele’s guitars. Bennett’s drums stomp and the bass walks in lock step with the guitar for the verses, but ultimately steps back to give the soloing room to breathe, and handclaps, tambourine and some guest vocals from Schneider in the final chorus give a party atmosphere to the ensuing and somewhat predictable conclusion, and following a quiet intro, “Cage” keeps the momentum going with thicker-sounding guitar, more claps and plenty of “mm-hmm” and “alright” peppering from Schleicher. The vibe of “Cage” is more modern, but the chorus asking the question “Can I be your little animal?” is all classic rock and a pretty good example on the grander scale of the way Infernal Overdrive mix the modern with the big-engine ‘70s. It’s something of a comedown after “Duel,” but “Cage” picks up at the end with some righteous solo work and Keith’s most impressive bassline underneath. Three big rock finishes in a row might seem ballsy, but it’s nothing in comparison to the fade-out/fade-back of highlight cut “Deported to Jersey,” which ends side A with a preview of what “Motor” will later do for the album as a whole, working deft riffing, skillfully arranged vocals and unashamed catchiness into the first four minutes before the fadeout starts. They go all the way to silence and rest there for a couple seconds before coming back to wrap in what can increasingly be thought of as the standard fashion for Last Rays of the Dying Sun.

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If you’re reading this in other parts of the world, some of the references might be lost on you. You maybe didn’t grow up listening to tales of the Jersey Devil that stalks the Pine Barrens in the southern part of the state. You probably never rode your way down the winding hellmouth that is the Garden State Parkway (or the Turnpike, for that matter, which is guaranteed death by boredom if nothing else kills you first). In the true tradition of South Park‘s episode where New Jersey takes over the country, the Alexander Von Wieding cover for Infernal Overdrive‘s debut full-length is “a Jersey thing.”

The band, on the other hand, rock universal. Definitely have this record on my list of anticipated 2012 releases, but here’s a glimpse at the cover in the meantime:

I don’t know if being so late to Kyuss Lives! the other night made me more in a hurry to get to The M-Room for the start of the Small Stone Records showcase in the Philadelphia Film and Music Festival or not, but considering that it took me an hour to go seven exits sound on the Garden State Parkway, I was glad to have allotted myself the extra time. It being my second time in Philadelphia in a week, the drive was familiar, and once I got on the Turnpike, not bad in terms of traffic, but it was moot anyway, since (as I found out upon arrival) the first band wasn’t going on until 8:30 or so.

There were a couple years there where I never missed a Small Stone showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas. It was 2004-2007, and I still consider those to be some of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Memories of those days and nights (hazy at times) came back throughout the course of the evening, but it was a different kind of vibe altogether in Philly. The M-Room is a small place, essentially a bar split in half with a pub on one side and the venue on the other. The space where the bands play is rectangular, and the stage has a kind of divot cut out the right side. For being small though, it’s got decent sound, as I found out earlier this year when I drove down to see Lo-Pan and Backwoods Payback do a show together.

Both of those bands played last night, as did Virginian rockers Freedom Hawk, New Orleanian mainstays Suplecs, and my current home-state heroes, Infernal Overdrive, who kicked off the night. Their set seems as good a place to start the notes as any, so here goes:

Infernal Overdrive: They’re Jersey‘s rock hope. They don’t yet have a record out (it’s reportedly being mastered), but I’ve heard some of the tracks, and if their live show is anything to go by, the thing is going to smoke. Fronted by the classic rock charisma of Marc Schleicher (ex-Cracktorch), they were perfect to start the night off, and their album has quickly become an anticipated release for 2012. As drummer Mike Bennett launched into a solo toward the end of their set, Schleicher — whose brother Keith more than ably rounds out the rhythm section on bass — jumped off the stage and danced his way through the crowd like a stoner rock James Brown. I’ve seen him do it before, but it’s awesome to watch someone have so much fun making good music, and with the show-stopping lead work of guitarist Rich Miele, Infernal Overdrive‘s potential was practically dripping from the ceiling. Killer band. If you don’t know their name yet and you dig the rock, you will.

Freedom Hawk: Hard to argue with straightforward fuzz rock topped with vocals that sound straight off Bark at the Moon, and that’s what Freedom Hawk does best. Their first album, which came out on MeteorCity was a little less realized than the new Holding On, but the four-piece’s development has taken a really interesting course. Like Sheavy before them, they’ve successfully partnered stoner riffing with an early Ozzy Osbourne vocal approach — guitarist T.R. Morton does it really well both live and on record — and their set was strikingly tight. The last time I saw them was a few years back in Manhattan, and they were all around a better band this time, guitarist/bassist brothers Matt and Mark Cave were in tandem enough to underscore the relation, and drummer Lenny Hines very casually kicked ass. Seriously. He was casual about it. I don’t know how else to say it than that.

Lo-Pan: I’ve said an awful lot about Lo-Pan this year, but what struck me most about this set, aside from the fact that I could see Lo-Pan twice in the same week and still be way into it, was “Bird of Prey.” Not three days after seeing Kyuss Lives! do “Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop,” and “Bird of Prey” was better. That sounds like hyperbole, but it’s honestly how I feel about it. So much of their material is upbeat, quick — it kind of rushes at you as they play it — and then the big slowdown in “Bird of Prey” is a completely different atmosphere and the hard-touring Ohio foursome have mastered it. Their set, as ever, was a highlight of the night. I don’t even know how many of their shows I’ve caught at this point — frontman Jeff Martin told me before the show started that he’d seen more of me in the last two months than his family — but the songs haven’t lost any of their power for the increasing familiarity, and I find I’m no less excited about Salvador today than I was when I first heard it toward the end of last year. If it wasn’t so much work on the band’s part, you could almost call it magic.

Backwoods Payback: Were the local draw as much as anyone was. The West Chester, PA, two-guitar four-piece play so loose that you think at any point the whole song could just come apart as they play it. What makes them works so well on stage is that it never does, but every time I’ve seen them, it’s looked like the band just wrote these songs an hour ago. They have a freshness and an energy to them, and I’m apparently not the only person who thinks so, as they pulled in the biggest crowd of the night. Of all the bands on Small Stone‘s roster currently (and it’s a packed lineup), I feel like Backwoods Payback could really go anywhere with their sound. They have a kind of country underpinning  that’s bound to poke its head up sooner or later, and frontman Mike Cummings looks ready to break out an acoustic guitar at any moment. They’re a fascinating act to follow, but more than that, their rock is damn heavy. It was a tough spot for them to be sandwiched in between Lo-Pan and Suplecs, but they gave a solid showing, as always.

Suplecs: At one point during their set, Suplecs guitarist Durel Yates made mention of the band’s being used to playing three hours at a clip in New Orleans. Watching them both in Philly and earlier this week in Brooklyn, I believe it. The set they played at The M-Room wasn’t a completely different list of songs, but they definitely took it in a different direction, and where in Brooklyn, I’d been struck by the variety in their material — the jams, the punk, the stoner — last night it was more straight up rocking. “Gotta Pain,” “Stand Alone” and “Tried to Build an Engine” from Mad Oak Redoux were highlights, and they made it readily apparent why they were headlining instead of playing anywhere else on the bill. Having not seen them in at least six years (Tuesday notwithstanding), it was interesting and encouraging to see them as the statesmen of the Small Stone lineup, even though they just put out their first record through the label. They still threw some jams in at the end, and they killed, plain and simple. When they finished, the crowd shouted for one more song, and they delivered yet again. For a band that’s had so much bad luck in their time together — from the dissolution of Man’s Ruin Records just before a European tour to Hurricane Katrina more or less derailing them entirely — you couldn’t help but be glad they were getting their due at The M-Room. Great band. They need to put out another record before half a decade has passed.

I said my goodnights and marched back to my car — parked right outside Kung Fu Necktie about a block away — just in time to see the young woman in parallel parked in front of me back into it. There was no damage, and I’d just gotten a sandwich I was going to have for a late dinner, so I waved her off after only the most cursory of “What the hell?”s and made my way back to the hotel, to futz around with pictures and eventually crash out in anticipation of getting out before noon checkout today. The short version is it worked out.

One more night to go tonight. I’ll have a report at some point tomorrow of tonight’s bands — no later than Monday. For now, there are a few extra pics after the jump, so please, enjoy.

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And if not, why not? I know it’s been a minute since I reviewed their Andrew Schneider-produced demo, but man, I’ve been rocking Infernal Overdrive lately like nobody’s business, and if you haven’t been it’s time you changed that. They’re like Red Bank‘s answer to Cactus. Awesome high-grade rock and roll, classic but modern, riffy but not cliche. All killer, all energy.

I’ve heard a couple tracks from their forthcoming full-length and they rule, but if you’re looking to get on board — and you should — here’s three from the demo, just because I dig the band and want to post the tracks.

With production by Andrew Schneider (Throttlerod, The Brought Low, Hackman) and mastering by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance East in Boston, there’s no doubt that New Jersey riff rockers Infernal Overdrive are going for that Small Stone Records sound. The four tracks that comprise their new self-titled EP fall in line with the kind of straightforward guitar-led rock the Detroit label has proffered for well over a decade now, and with a similar southern/classic ‘70s influence to New York’s The Brought Low, Infernal Overdrive seem remarkably conscious of what they’re doing sonically. More so than you might expect for a band just releasing their first EP.

The story goes that when guitarist/vocalist Marc Schleicher (ex-Cracktorch, Antler) moved from Massachusetts to central New Jersey, he got hooked up with drummer Mike Bennett and guitarist/backing vocalist Rich Miele (both ex-Loud Earth). Keith Schleicher (relation assumed) was added on bass and Infernal Overdrive began rocking out early 2008. The EP was recorded over two days in February and four in April, and though that seems quick, none of the songs feels rushed or underdone. Schneider, who also shows up on extra backing vocals, makes his mark sound-wise in the tone of Schleicher and Miele’s guitars and Bennett’s snare sound, which has the same pop Schneider has become known for – not too bright, but able to cut through the mix and propel the songs forward. Some of Schleicher’s leads, as on EP closer “Motor,” feel a little too thought out, too structured where what I’d like to hear is a little bluesy ‘70s recklessness, but they get the job done nonetheless, and the vocals are never out of place.

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