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Ogre Announce Weekender Tour

Posted in Whathaveyou on August 20th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

While it looks like Ogre won’t be appearing at next weekend’s Vultures of Volume fest in Delaware as was originally slated, the illusive Maine-based doom rocking trio will still be out and about in the Northeast. Shows for a weekender they’re calling the “Trilogy of Terror” are booked in Philly, Connecticut and New Hampshire, and they’re playing with some excellent local support, including Heavy Temple and Cactus Hag. No doubt the good times will abound as they say goodbye to summer and continue to support their 2014 release, The Last Neanderthal (review here), their first album since getting back together after initially calling it quits half a decade ago.

That album is a worthy cause to support, and the notice the band sent down the PR wire is right when it urges you to catch them if you can. Ogre don’t really tour at this point, and who knows how long it’ll be before they next set foot back into civilization from their home in the northern wilds.

Or, as they put it:

ogre kung fu necktie

Portland, Maine doomsters OGRE are closing out the summer with three out-of-town gigs over the Labor Day weekend. The “Trilogy of Terror”, as the band has dubbed the trip, begins on Thursday, August 28th with the band’s first ever show in Philadelphia, performing at Kung Fu Necktie with local support from Heavy Temple and Skeleton Hands. Then, they will head up the coast for a Friday, August 29th show in New Haven, CT at Three Sheets with VRSA and Mind Over Master. The road-trip ends on Saturday, August 30th at Sonny’s in Dover, NH. Opening that show will be Cactus Hag and Black Norse.

OGRE is not sure when they’ll be hitting the road again, so try to catch them at these gigs if you can. For more info about the shows and to see drummer Will Broadbent’s killer gig flyers, check out the band’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rockogre

OGRE’s most recent CD, The Last Neanderthal, was released by Italy’s Minotauro Records in March 2014 and is still available at numerous on-line retailers and through the Minotauro website (www.minotaurorecords.com).

https://www.facebook.com/rockogre
http://www.minotaurorecords.com

Ogre, “Nine Princes in Amber” Lego video

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The Top 15 of the First Half of 2014

Posted in Features on June 23rd, 2014 by JJ Koczan

It’s custom around here to do a Top 10 of the First Half of the Year, in advance of doing a Top 20 of the Year in December. The idea is that the later list will basically build on the earlier one. That’s never really how it works out — albums always drop off or appear unexpectedly depending on what gets listened to most, what gets reviewed late, etc. — but it always works out to be a good time anyway, and that’s really what it’s all about.

The difference this year is that instead of doing a Top 20 in December, I’m planning on expanding to a full Top 30, so to do a Top 10 of the stuff from January until now makes less sense. So here we are with a Top 15. A slightly longer list, but still the same basic idea as years past otherwise. These are albums I’m expecting will turn up again at the end of the year on the final Top 30, and though some will and some won’t and almost all of them will move around, there are more than a handful — particularly if we’re counting by fingers — of essential records released over the last six months recounted here.

If you missed something, I hope it’s something cool you get to check out, and if I missed something (as I inevitably did), I hope you’ll let me know in the comments. Please note that this is full albums only, no EPs, splits, singles or demos.

Enjoy:

 

15. Greenleaf, Trails and Passes

Released by Small Stone. Reviewed April 25.

I’ll freely admit I was more than a little thrown off by the change in approach on Greenleaf‘s fifth album. Where prior outings like 2012’s Nest of Vipers (review here) and 2007’s megatriumph Agents of Ahriman had been lush heavy rock affairs helmed by Dozer guitarist Tommi Holappa with a slew of guests on vocals, organ, etc., Trails and Passes dialed back the “extras” in favor of a more stripped down, stage-ready approach. Holappa‘s songwriting alone would likely be enough to have Greenleaf on this list one way or another, and Trails and Passes is one of the year’s best. The turn was just unexpected and I feel like I’m not caught up to it yet.

 

14. Druglord, Enter Venus

Released by STB Records. Reviewed Feb. 14.

Initially put out in a limited tape run in late 2013 (review here), the Enter Venus full-length from Richmond-based sludgers Druglord codified the noisy murk of their prior outings into one devastating wave of lurching riffage and echoing shouts. The Virginian three-piece recorded with Garrett Morris of Windhand and the STB vinyl topped off with artwork by W. Ralph Walters, making for a package both visually and sonically devastating, and though it’s short for an album at under a half-hour, the 12″ still earns the nod for the unmitigated heft its four songs carry. It’s one you can either dig or miss out, but Druglord show there’s more room for invention in sludge.

 

13. Wovenhand, Refractory Obdurate

Released by Deathwish Inc. Reviewed May 15.

There really isn’t much left to say when it comes to Wovenhand and their driving force, frontman David Eugene Edwards. Their first for Deathwish Inc., Refractory Obdurate is the latest document of one of this generation’s most accomplished songwriting progressions. It follows a brilliant record in 2012’s The Laughing Stalk (review here) and likely precedes one in whatever they decide to do next, and the enduring fascination on Edwards‘ part with tonal weight and groove continues to push Wovenhand into a creative territory that is without genre. Nobody else comes close.

 

12. Papir, IIII

Released by El Paraiso Records. Reviewed Jan. 24.

Quick-working Danish jammers Papir made a strong impression with IIII early in the year, offering a progressive take on the style of heavy instrumental jamming that has flourished throughout Europe over the last half-decade or so. Immediately individualized, the Copenhagen three-piece carried across four intricately constructed pieces, most open with the 21-minute “III” but never lacking for twists and turns that were an utter joy to follow. A band that has already collaborated with the even-jammier Electric Moon and who’ve aligned themselves with Causa Sui‘s El Paraiso Records, they seem like a safe bet to continue to grow into reliable purveyors of high-quality instrumental heavy psychedelia.

 

11. Ogre, The Last Neanderthal

Released by Minotauro Records. Reviewed March 10.

Its arrival was heralded by the righteousness of a Lego video for “Nine Princes in Amber,” though even that was little preparation for the classic doomery that would take place on the return long-player from Portland, Maine’s Ogre. The trio of guitarist Ross Markonish, bassist/vocalist Ed Cunningham and drummer Will Broadbent broke up in 2009, got back together in 2012, and with their fourth album, they made it clear they still had plenty to offer those who worship trad-style riffing, Sabbathy grooves and the kind of hooks that stay with you for days. The Last Neanderthal had plenty of those, and “Warpath,” the aforementioned “Nine Princes in Amber,” “Bad Trip” and “Son of Sisyphus” tapped into what makes the best of doom so ready for repeat listens.

 

10. Floor, Oblation

Released by Season of Mist. Reviewed April 22.

Another reunited trio, Floor had it tough coming into their first album in a decade, Oblation. The legacy of their 2002 self-titled would loom large over anything they put out, and guitarist/vocalist Steve Brooks had since gained a huge following as the spearhead of Torche, but four years after they started playing shows again, Floor met the challenge head-on with Oblation‘s 14 tracks, showing a natural progression from where they left off so long ago without seeming like they were trying to recapture a past that inevitably would prove irretrievable. Instead, they’ve set themselves on a course for continuing to develop as a band, and though Torche have a new album expected out this summer on Relapse and doubtless that will take some time and focus away from Floor, hopefully they keep pursuing that growth.

 

9. Mos Generator, Electric Mountain Majesty

Released by Listenable Records. Reviewed March 14.

I’ll claim no impartiality when it comes to Port Orchard, Washington, heavy rock purveyors Mos Generator or the craftsmanship of guitarist/vocalist Tony Reed, but if half the point of a list like this is to nerd out over albums you dig (and I’ll gladly argue that it is), then Electric Mountain Majesty is right where it should be. Reed, bassist Scooter Haslip and drummer Shawn Johnson are clockwork-reliable when it comes to putting out high-grade material, and their second record since getting going again after Reed‘s few years in Stone Axe pushed beyond the considerable accomplishments of 2012’s Nomads (review here) and brought their sound to new and at times surprisingly doomed places while still keeping their core in a love of classic heavy rock songwriting. From where I sit, new Mos Gen is never one to pass up.

 

8. Blood Farmers, Headless Eyes

Self-released. Reviewed March 24.

Not that I didn’t expect a new Blood Farmers release to be cool, but Headless Eyes was still a surprise when it arrived earlier in 2014. Who was to say what the New York trio would concoct after a 19-year studio absence? Of course, what they came out with was dead-on horror-loving doomly plod, cuts like the instrumental “Night of the Sorcerers” and the deceptively catchy “Headless Eyes” not only worthy of Blood Farmers‘ substantial legacy but building on it. Void of pretense, Headless Eyes resonated with a brooding atmosphere capped by the surprising closer, “The Road Leads to Nowhere,” a cover of the theme from The Last House on the Left and positioned the three-piece of vocalist Eli Brown, guitarist/bassist David Szulkin and drummer Tad Léger among the fore of traditional doom’s practitioners.

 

7. The Golden Grass, The Golden Grass

Released by Svart Records. Reviewed March 25.

After seeing them live late last year (review here), digging their 456th Div. tape (review here) and putting their debut single on the best short releases of 2013 list, I had little doubt that their self-titled debut full-length would deliver a satisfying listen. Sure enough, the five-tracks of the quality-over-quantity release did precisely that, the Brooklyn three-piece harnessing unashamed positive vibes to mesh with a burgeoning psychedelic feel, catchy hooks and classic-style road songs serving as a reminder of the good times that rock and roll both provides and complements. Now that summer is here, I expect to revisit The Golden Grass plenty of time over these sunny, hot months, since it would seem the year has finally caught up with the band’s warmth and day-long spirit. The Golden Grass are reportedly headed to Europe later this year, so more to come on them for sure.

 

6. Ararat, Cabalgata Hacia la Luz

Released by Oui Oui Records. Reviewed April 4.

Every time I think I’m out, Cabalgata Hacia la Luz pulls me back in. The third full-length from Argentina trio Ararat seems to hit me with a different song each week. This week, it’s the six-minute “El Hijo de Ignacio,” with the insistent, punkish drums from Alfredo Felitte, backing noise and later keyboard eeriness from Tito Fargo and the low bass rumble of Sergio Chotsourian (ex-Los Natas), whose vocals seem to hover over the rest of the mix as though piped in from someplace else entirely. The whole album had a hypnotic effect that pulled the listener away from how diverse it actually was, moving into and out of heavy psych atmospherics with expert smoothness, but the more attention you paid, the more rewarding the experience became, as Ararat defied any expectations that might have come from their 2012 sophomore outing, II (review here), and boldly pushed toward new avenues of progression.

 

5. Conan, Blood Eagle

Released by Napalm Records. Reviewed Jan. 22.

Who’s heavier than Conan? The superlative UK trio have spent the two years since the release of their full-length debut, Monnos (review here), solidifying their dominance, and their first album for Napalm Records plays out like a victory lap over the skulls of lesser riffs. Opening with the near-10-minute lumber of “Crown of Talons,” Blood Eagle solidified the two-sidedness of Monnos into a back-breaking doom assault, and their pummel remains unparalleled as they continue to grow as players and songwriters. This year has also seen producer Chris Fielding join the band on bass, and as badass as Blood Eagle is — one would rarely think of a song called “Gravity Chasm” as being so aptly-named — I can’t help but look forward to hearing what Conan do from here and how they continue to refine one of doom’s most bludgeoning approaches.

 

4. Dwellers, Pagan Fruit

Released by Small Stone. Reviewed May 22.

It’s the songs. I really, really dug Dwellers‘ 2012 debut, Good Morning Harakiri (review here) as well, and I won’t say a bad word about that album, but Pagan Fruit is in a different class altogether. And you know, it’s not just the songs. It’s how the songs play next to each other, the mood they create, and the hooks that Dwellers bring to the table with so much stylistic poise, calling the bluffs of any number of heavy psych blues rockers on “Totem Crawler,” or “Creature Comfort,” or “Son of Raven” or “Spirit of the Staircase.” The Salt Lake City-based trio of guitarist/vocalist Joey Toscano, bassist Dave Jones and drummer Zach Hatsis brought new levels of cohesion to their sound throughout Pagan Fruit and it remains an album that I have yet to get enough of hearing, one that seems to offer more each time I put it on and let my mind drift to its patient, open spaces.

 

3. Fu Manchu, Gigantoid

Released by At the Dojo Records. Reviewed May 14.

From here on out, on any given day, any one of these is my album of the year. What a thrill it was to put on Fu Manchu‘s first album in five years, Gigantoid, and have it roll out such a tight-knit collection of heavy rolling excellence. The West Coast stoner riff gods of gnarl stripped down their production inspired in part by a reissue campaign of their earlier work on their own At the Dojo Records label, and the punkish feel suited them better than even they likely could’ve expected. With its opening four-song punch, the no-frills shot of “No Warning” and the closeout jam at the end of “The Last Question,” Gigantoid felt like more than one could’ve reasonably asked from a Fu Manchu long-player 20 years on from their debut, but the vitality they showed in its tracks, paired with the efficiency with which the songs were executed, showcased a timeless, perpetual appeal. They know what they’re doing and how they want to do it, and just because there was no doubt going into Gigantoid doesn’t make the end product any less of a payoff.

 

2. Mars Red Sky, Stranded in Arcadia

Released by Listenable Records. Reviewed on March 11.

I’ve gone on at some length about what I find so appealing in the second full-length from Bordeaux trio Mars Red Sky, so even putting aside the deft hand with which they incorporated further heavy psych soundscapes into their songwriting, let me just focus on how memorable Stranded in Arcadia actually is. That was true as well of Mars Red Sky‘s 2011 self-titled debut (review here), but these songs are more ambitious, from the eight-minute opener “The Light Beyond” to the gorgeous melody-wash in the chorus of “Join the Race” and the stomp in the de facto closer “Seen a Ghost” before the leadout/refrain “Beyond the Light” calls all the way back to the first track. The development of Mars Red Sky‘s take isn’t necessarily such a surprise — the debut had its psychedelic, jammy feel as well — but the fact that the trio of guitarist/vocalist Julien Pras, bassist/vocalist Jimmy Kinast and drummer Matgaz managed to elicit such development while remaining true to the warm tones and humble, unpretentious vibe of the debut only makes Stranded in Arcadia more remarkable. I wouldn’t stop listening to it if I could.

 

1. Wo Fat, The Conjuring

Released by Small Stone. Reviewed June 18.

It wasn’t easy to hold off on reviewing the fifth album from the Texas power trio for as long as I did, but I thought the record was too good to jump the gun on, and so yeah, it’s a pretty recent writeup, but I feel comfortable putting The Conjuring at number one here because I’ve actually had a while to live with these songs. Or maybe “live in” them would be a better way to say it, since the dense wall of fuzz and jammed-out distortion Wo Fat create across this record is basically thick enough to take up residence. Recently back from a European tour, Wo Fat hit the road supporting their finest work to date, and as the lineup of guitarist/vocalist Kent Stump, bassist Tim Wilson and drummer/backing vocalist Michael Walter are more or less self-sustaining in their own Crystal Clear Sound studio in Dallas, there’s no reason they can’t just keep developing along the path they are. The Conjuring boasts their best jams yet but also holds firm to the already-planted-in-your-consciousness hooks that Wo Fat have long since established a penchant for, and one could just as easily put the band at the fore of traditional heavy rock riffing as of American heavy psych jammers. Any way you look at them, they’re at the top of their class.

Quick honorable mention goes to Radio Moscow, The Wounded Kings, 1000mods (review forthcoming), Eyehategod, Abramis Brama, Truckfighters, Valley of the Sun, the live Causa Sui record and Alcest. Been a hell of a year so far, and I’m already putting together a list of anticipated records for the next six months, so there’s much more to follow.

Thanks as always for reading.

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GIVEAWAY: Enter to Win a Copy of Ogre’s The Last Neanderthal!

Posted in Features on March 24th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

Well, this one pretty much sells itself. Leave a comment on this post to enter to win a copy of Portland, Maine, trio Ogre‘s new CD, The Last Neanderthal, from Minotauro Records. I’ve got one copy of the album to give away (plus some nifty buttons), and as long as you enter with your email address in the appropriate box in the comment form, you’re eligible to make it yours.

Two things to note: First, I don’t keep email addresses and I wouldn’t know what to do with them if I did, so if privacy is your concern, I have neither the time nor the inclination to violate it perhaps other than with a note to let you know you’ve won the CD. Second, the album (review here) smokes and is well worth your time. Presented with weathered-looking art from drummer Will Broadbent in a sturdy gatefold-style digipak, it’s a doomer’s delight of underground riff worship and heavy groove, up to and including the cover “Soulless Woman,” originally performed by ’70s heavy rockers Ogre. Yup, Ogre covers Ogre. The concept alone should be enough to blow your mind.

If not, be sure to check out the most excellent Lego video for The Last Neanderthal highlight “Nine Princes in Amber,” posted for a refresher of the album’s righteousness and will to not take itself too seriously. Ogre — Broadbent, guitarist Ross Markonish and bassist/vocalist Ed Cunningham — have also just been added to the bill of The Eye of the Stoned Goat 4, which is set to take place May 3 and 4 at Ralph’s Rock Diner in Worcester, Massachusetts. They’ll be in good company alongside the reunited Sixty Watt Shaman, Kings Destroy, Beelzefuzz and many others.

CD winner is chosen at random. Good luck to everyone who enters and thanks for your continued support of this site.

Leave a comment on this post to win! Don’t forget to include your email address in the contact form!

Ogre, “Nine Princes in Amber” Lego video

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Live Review: Ogre and Eldemur Krimm in Portland, Maine, 03.14.14

Posted in Reviews on March 17th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

I’d never been to Portland, Maine, but a CD release show for Ogre‘s first record in six years, The Last Neanderthal (review here) with Eldemur Krimm on the bill was a fitting occasion for a trip I’ve been wanting to make anyway, so tack two hours of Friday evening Boston traffic onto the already-two-hour trek, and I was off. The stretch of Portland I saw on arrival struck me like a lot of post-industrial towns, and really not so far from what I caught of Portland, Oregon, last month — lots of art, lots of Southeast Asian cuisine, more ice on the sidewalk. The show was held at Geno’s Rock Club. Local proggy types Sunrunner opened.

With four vocalists between the two guitarists, bassist and a ukulele player who remained seated for the duration — I guess it’s hard to find a strap — Sunrunner were rife with melodic intricacy. Singers traded parts, executed harmonized arrangements mostly with success and earned a warm reception from the crowd, who must have been waiting outside in the cold for the show to start and continued to pile in throughout the five-piece’s set. They were there plugging their second full-length, Time in Stone, and weren’t my thing, really, but decided to thrash out a bit at the end, which metered some of the indulgent moments. Basically at that point I was waiting for Eldemur Krimm to start.

Exactly when the last time I saw the reactivated Portlanders, I couldn’t tell you, but it was around the time they put out Dirigo, their 2003 debut, so somewhere in the neighborhood of a decade-plus. They were a trio then, now the four-piece of guitarist/vocalist Fred Dodge, guitarist Neil Collins (also of Murcielago), bassist Jason Marshall and drummer Stefen Samuels hit the Geno’s stage in high spirits and offered me a reminder of what had made me enjoy Dirigo in the first place. Well at home in those songs, on that stage and kicking ass, Eldemur Krimm struck a balance between mid-’00s stoner and classic heavy rock quirk. They were fluid and relaxed in their groove, void of pretense, but the material was motor-ready all the same, and the audience went right along with them.

By then there was a more than solid crowd at Geno’s. Dirigo‘s memorable opener “Elephant Gun” was placed after “Black Fog,” which followed it on the album, and “She’s Maid of Wood, Pt. 2” from the self-released 2008 sophomore CD, Trainwreck on a Ship, led off. The people knew them, and with what looked an awful lot like a hat made of or at very least covered in electrical tape, Dodge made for a considerable presence up front during the songs. Marshall and Collins provided backing vocals to add to what already felt like a party, and both “Astronaut” and “Chopper Reject” were enough to make me pull out my copy of Dirigo again and give it another spin. Some technical troubles early on, but it was hard to imagine a better way to set up Ogre‘s set.

They did play exceptionally well next to each other — obviously this wasn’t the first time the two Portland locals have shared a bill — but Ogre distinguished themselves in their doomier feel, and where Eldemur Krimm had focused mainly on older material, Ogre celebrated The Last Neanderthal‘s arrival with a setlist taken half from it. “The Jaded Beast” and “Ogre” from the trio’s 2003 debut, Dawn of the Proto-Man, “Age of Ice,” which was on their original demo in 2000 and also showed up on 2012’s reunion compilation, Secondhand Demons, and a quick closing finale of what might’ve been a cover of “Naked Lady” by The Bags were older, and the rest of the set found bassist/vocalist Ed Cunningham, guitarist Ross Markonish and drummer Will Broadbent tearing through new tracks, beginning (rightfully) with “Nine Princes in Amber,” one of The Last Neanderthal‘s catchiest hooks.

Granted, in that category it has some competition, but it made a raucous start. As on the album, it gave way to the Sabbathian creepings of “Bad Trip,” and Ogre continued to play classic heavy rock off doom in much the same way as Eldemur Krimm had off punk and stoner vibes. Markonish quickly pulled attention with his lead work, which Cunningham and Broadbent met head-on with an array of killer grooves and fills. Something else Ogre had that worked with Eldemur Krimm was no delusion of grandeur. From the start of “Nine Princes in Amber,” it was clear that I was watching three friends who enjoy playing together have fun with a batch of new songs. That’s what it was. There were a smattering of birthdays that had been shouted out all night from the stage — Sunrunner rattled off five or six alone — and that only added to the already friendly mood. Ogre weren’t trying to “make it,” they were trying to have a good time. From what I could tell, that’s exactly what they had.

Maybe too much of one. “Warpath” and “Son of Sisyphus” had been thrills, but Geno’s brought up the house lights somewhere right around “Age of Ice” in what was a pretty clear signal to wrap it up. Ogre blasted their way through the closing cover anyway, and when they were done, the room was at full brightness. Coupled with the fact that it was past one by then and I had two hours’ road time waiting, I took it as a sign to head toward the exit. Made it home just a little before 3:30AM, which felt like good time.

Thanks to John Pegoraro for the company (his review is here) and Neil Collins for the accommodation.

More pics after the jump.

Read more »

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Ogre, The Last Neanderthal: Clubbed in the Head

Posted in Reviews on March 10th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

Like the best of band breakups, Ogre‘s didn’t last. The Portland, Maine, trio called it quits in 2009, following the Shadow Kingdom reissue of their 2008 Leaf Hound Records single-track third album, Plague of the Planet (review here). They first got together for a gig in 2012 and last year set to writing what would become their fourth full-length, The Last Neanderthal, released through Minotauro Records. Recorded by Abel Adame at Acadia Recording in Portland, presented in a gatefold-style thick-stock digipak with an Obi strip and foldout poster in the liner notes of the weathered-looking cover art by drummer Will Broadbent, it’s an outing that comes with some measure of self-awareness hinted at through the title, the band perhaps referring to their own approach as the titular last neanderthal, positioning themselves as keeping their style simple and traditional in a world that’s gotten too complex for its own good. That’s speculative on my part, but if true, it sells short some of the cleverness in Ogre‘s songwriting and the obvious chemistry between Broadbent, bassist/vocalist Ed Cunningham and guitarist Ross Markonish (also synth), despite falling in line with the obvious tongue-in-cheek joy the three-piece take in covering “Soulless Woman” by a heavy ’70s rock group that also reportedly just happened to be named Ogre.

That song arrives fifth of the total eight tracks on the 47-minute album, signaling a turn from The Last Neanderthal‘s most doomed material — “Bad Trip” and “Son of Sisyphus” — to its more upbeat and deceptively nuanced finishing three: “Warpath,” “White Plume Mountain” and “The Hermit,” the latter of which is the longest cut at a fully-used 10:45. A 45-second intro, “Shadow Earth” leads the way curiously into immediate highlight “Nine Princes in Amber,” which serves as The Last Neanderthal‘s most singularly infectious hook. It’s a song Ogre played at their first reunion show, so one expects it’s been around a while, but either way makes an excellent introduction of its own to what’s on offer with the band’s return — though as landmark as that chorus is and with its position as the first real song in the tracklist, I’m not sure why they’d want to delay in getting to it by putting “Shadow Earth” there to start with. It’s Ogre‘s first album in six years, however, so I guess they can start it however they want. There’s little rust to be found throughout The Last Neanderthal for their several years away, Cunningham reaching high into his vocal register to inject trad-metal righteousness into “Nine Princes in Amber” before the slow count-in of “Bad Trip” signals a turn to more doomly atmospheres that Markonish‘s guitar soon enough underscores with lead riffing before a bass-driven break toward the midsection adds stoner creepiness to the whole affair, the vocals taking on a Mike Patton-style snide air of command.

Read more »

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Ogre Pick up the Pieces in “Nine Princes in Amber” Lego Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 11th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

Portland, Maine, doom rockers Ogre have booked a release party for their forthcoming fourth full-length and first in six years, The Last Neanderthal. The show is set to take place March 14 at Geno’s in the trio’s hometown, and the recently reactivated Eldemur Krimm, as well as Sunrunner, share the bill. Minotauro Records has the release of the album, as previously reported, and the first new Ogre audio since 2008’s Plague of the Planet has surfaced in the form of a stop-motion video for the song “Nine Princes in Amber.”

A catchy, upbeat rocker of a track, set to be the second on the record, “Nine Princes in Amber” finds Lego visual accompaniment. We get to see all nine princes, we get to see sword and gunfights, and if I’m not mistaken, there are even a few ogres in there as well (at very least orcs). The clip is good fun and the song itself rips, so it seems only appropriate to share. Let’s hope this sets off a spate of Lego stop-motion doom clips, soon enough to be compiled onto a DVD and sold until either a lawsuit or broken legs at the hand of a Lego goon squad occurs. A goon squad easily disassembled into their component parts and rearranged into mutants with extra torsos where their legs should be, of course.

Video and show info follow. Right on:

Ogre, “Nine Princes in Amber” official video

Little Will C. has completed the first official video from “The Last Neanderthal!”

OGRE is now ready to unveil our new disc to the world, “The Last Neanderthal.” We’re happy to announce that we will be appearing with our old friends ELDEMUR KRIMM, who have recently reemerged, and prog rock superstars Sunrunner, who just came out with a whopper of a new disc, as well!

Ogre CD release event page

Ogre on Thee Facebooks

Minotauro Records

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Ogre to Release The Last Neanderthal on Minotauro Records

Posted in Whathaveyou on January 28th, 2014 by JJ Koczan

If you felt a doomly shake under your feet just now, no doubt that was Portland, Maine (there’s a twist!), trio Ogre, who’ve let word drop of their coming fourth album, The Last Neanderthal, with the force of any number of tectonic plates. The three-piece will issue The Last Neanderthal through Italian imprint Minotauro Records (hopefully) in late March, with cover art by drummer Will Broadbent, whose classic-comic style meshes perfectly with the band’s homage to the vaunted traditions of riff.

That album art and the tracklisting for The Last Neanderthal came down the PR wire, and of particular note is the cover song “Soulless Woman” by heavy ’70s rockers Ogre. That’s right. Ogre covering Ogre. It’s almost high-concept enough to make your skull cave in. Which no doubt was the whole idea.

Get informed, because knowledge is power and the squares are always near:

The album, which is titled “The Last Neanderthal”, is in the final stages of completion, and we’re hoping for an early March release (date is not set in stone yet, but I’ll keep you posted once we get more info). The master is in the label’s hands and the artwork is getting its finishing touches as I type this email. After that, it will be off for duplication.

The album has eight tracks on it and will be released by Minotauro Records in deluxe mini-LP format with obi strip and a foldout poster containing a reproduction of the album artwork (done by our drummer, Will Broadbent) and lyrics. I’ve attached a jpg of the front cover to this email.

Here’s the tracklisting of the album:

Shadow Earth
Nine Princes in Amber
Bad Trip
Son of Sisyphus
Soulless Woman (cover of a song by uber-obscure 70s rock band named…Ogre)
Warpath
White Plume Mountain
The Hermit

https://www.facebook.com/Rockogre
http://www.minotaurorecords.com/

Ogre, Plague of the Planet (2008)

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Ogre to Release New Studio Album

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 25th, 2013 by JJ Koczan

Reunited Maine traditional doom trio Ogre do a pretty comprehensive job of telling their own story below (which is awesome), so I’ll keep it short. Needless to say, the thought of a new Ogre studio full-length — it’ll be their first since Shadow Kingdom released Plague of the Planet in 2009 (review here) right around the time of their initial breakup — is a pleasant one.

The band sent over the following announcement that they’ve signed to the also-reignited Minotauro Records and have much in the works. Behold:

OGRE is psyched to announce that we have signed a deal with the newly recharged Minotauro Records (Italy) to release our as-yet-untitled fourth full-length album. Minotauro, whose history goes back to the mid-1980s, is a well-regarded underground metal label best known for releasing such classic Paul Chain doom metal albums as “Detaching from Satan”, “Alkahest”, and “In the Darkness”. In addition to recently reissuing those Chain albums, Minotauro is now delving into releasing new music, with OGRE being one of the first bands signed.

The impetus for this new album really came from the reunion show that we did back in September 2012. We wrote one new song (“Nine Princes in Amber”) for that show and originally planned just to record that song and one more for a 7” record. However, once we started working on this new material, the ideas kept flowing and, before we knew it, we had enough songs for a full-length. We recorded three songs for the album back in April and are going back into the studio this weekend to record the remaining four tunes. We’re really excited about these songs, which are some of the heaviest we’ve come up with yet.

In addition to the new album, there are a couple of other “new” OGRE releases that have come out recently. Originally available only at our reunion show, the “Secondhand Demons” CD-r compilation has gone into a second pressing of 50 copies, available through our Facebook site. This compilation includes demo tracks, rare songs, live versions, and a bunch of covers (Vitus, Rush, Sabbath, Buffalo). We already are down to our last few copies, so anyone who would like one should act fast. We’ve also made the compilation available for digital download (along with the rest of our catalog) for those who prefer digital files. All proceeds from these sales will go straight to the cost of mixing and mastering the new album.

Last but not least, we have a very unique release to announce. Our 2008 album, “Plague of the Planet”, has just been released in a super limited edition DVD-audio quadraphonic mix! The album was completely remixed from the master tapes into vintage quadraphonic sound (70s style!) and also includes a bonus track of a quad mix of “Colossus” from our first album. This DVD will play in Dolby Surround on any DVD player, provided you have a surround set up (e.g. for movies), but if you have a player that decodes DVD-audio discs, then you will be able to hear the album in hi-resolution, lossless sound. As an added bonus, if your player is hooked up to a TV, the music is accompanied by a visual slideshow that features expanded album artwork by our drummer Will Broadbent, who did the amazing original art for the album.

The quad mix has been released by the Quadro-Surround label out of Germany, which specializes in limited pressing quad mixes of modern albums. Up until now, the label has only released jazz, folk, classical, and Latin music, but it was looking to expand into the rock world, and “Plague” is its first rock/metal release. There were only 100 copies pressed, and the band only has a few to sell at gigs, so if anyone is interested in getting a copy, please order directly from the Quadro-Surround website. The site is rather rudimentary, but Dietrich (who runs the label) is a straight-up guy. E-mail him, pay through PayPal, and he’ll get it right out to you. The mix is definitely pretty wild at times.

That’s about it for now. We’ll make sure to keep our Facebook page updated with info on the new album as it develops. Thanks!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/OGRE/279815828785274
http://ogrereal.bandcamp.com/album/secondhand-demons
http://www.quadro-surround.de/english/avaiable_productions.html

Ogre, Secondhand Demons (2012)

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