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Stone Deaf Premiere “Spitshine” Video; Royal Burnout Due May 4

Posted in Bootleg Theater on April 11th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

stone deaf photo Cody Isaman

Made up of a crisply-produced eight tracks of well-sourced heavy rock and roll, Stone Deaf‘s Royal Burnout is set to release on May 4 through Black Bow Records. The album, which is the Denver four-piece’s second behind a 2015 self-titled, is something of a departure for the label, which has to this point specialized in supporting the UK underground in its various forms of sludge, doom and heavy impulses, owned as it is by Conan guitarist/vocalist Jon Davis and affiliated as it often is with his Skyhammer Studio and the recordings done there by Chris Fielding.

Well, Stone Deaf didn’t record at Skyhammer. stone deaf royal burnoutThey tracked with guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist/drummer Dustin Chapin, who also mixed, mastered and had a hand in the design of the album along with bassist/vocalist Cody Isaman. And they don’t play sludge. They play essentially a high-desert version of low desert rock, taking a strong influence from the pop-heavy stylings of Queens of the Stone Age and perhaps imagining what they might’ve become if they’d kept working in the vein of their own debut, with songwriting crystal clear in its structure and intent and an edge of heft in their tones. And hooks. Hooks for days.

Royal Burnout, if it’s got anything, has got that. With Isaman and Chapin sharing vocal duties while Jarron French provides the bounce on drums and Scott Anderson adds further guitar and keys,there’s variety in the songs between a hand-clapper like the closing title-track and the start-stop turns of “Room #240” earlier. “Deathwish 62” crunches up classic desert-punker riffing while “Boozy Spool” engages a more urbane feel, touching on modern pop rock, but at the same time offering some of the album’s heaviest riffing.

There’s a balance to be struck between these various impulses, and Stone Deaf have command enough of their craft to find it. The leadoff cut, “Spitshine,” provides a decent summary of some of the punk and heavy rock vibes Royal Burnout works through, and I’m happy today to be able to premiere Dustin Chapin and Cody Isaman‘s video for it ahead of Royal Burnout‘s release next month. Please find the clip below, followed by more info from the PR wire.

And please enjoy:

Stone Deaf, “Spitshine” official video premiere

Stone Deaf on “Spitshine”:

“Spitshine,” the intro song to Royal Burnout, leads you into a musical freakshow. Like a rusted hardtop filled of strung out carnies and miscreants changing gears down a long desert road, and a roller coaster that guides you through the soundtrack of a fucked up circus. Showcasing fast paced rhythms and black and white melodies, it’s the first song of a tall, downwards spiraling slope, and that’s only the beginning of the show. Welcome to Royal Burnout.

Formed in late 2014 in New Castle, Colorado, STONE DEAF’s approach to music is a timeless fusion of melody and driving rhythms blending solid rock vibes, psychedelic elements, and sludgy low-end riffs. The band released their self-titled debut album in 2015 and has since spent their time fine-tuning their approach and honing their craft on stage while writing their next record, which now comes to life in Royal Burnout.

With eight new jams packed into a thirty-three-minute album, Royal Burnout was recorded produced, recorded, and mastered by Dustin Chapin at The Launch Complex, New Castle, Colorado, with photography by Marin Forcella and design by the band’s Dustin Chapin and Cody Isaman.

Royal Burnout will see release on CD and digital platforms through Black Bow Records on Friday, May 4th. STONE DEAF is booking shows in support of the album, with a short run through the Southwest being organized for mid-Summer. Stand by for audio samples, preorder info, tour dates, and more in the weeks ahead.

STONE DEAF Live:
5/11/2018 Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO
6/29/2018 5 Star Bar – Los Angeles, CA
7/01/2018 Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ

Royal Burnout Track Listing:
1. Spitshine
2. Room #240
3. Buzzards
4. Monochrome
5. Boozy Spool
6. Deathwish 62
7. That Lefty Request
8. Royal Burnout

STONE DEAF:
Cody Isaman – bass, vocals
Scott Anderson – guitars, keys
Jarron French – drums
Dustin Chapin – guitar, vocals, keys, drums

Stone Deaf website

Stone Deaf on Bandcamp

Stone Deaf on Thee Facebooks

Black Bow Records website

Black Bow Records on Bandcamp

Black Bow Records on Thee Facebooks

Black Bow Records on Twitter

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Live Review: The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 in Delaware, 02.09.13

Posted in Reviews on February 11th, 2013 by JJ Koczan

What was clear at the outset was that it was going to be a long night. With 10 bands in a matter of seven and a half hours, The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 was going to have to be a well-oiled machine to keep itself running anything close to smoothly. I arrived in New Castle, Delaware, shortly before the 5:30 start time and readied myself for the tide of riffs to come. The acts, there were many, did not disappoint in this regard.

JB McGinnes was the venue, located in a strip mall along a stretch shortly off I-95. I was immediately reminded of Krug’s Place in Frederick, Maryland, though the layout was different — Krug‘s is two separate rooms where JB McGinnes is a bar up front with the surprisingly large stage in back and no partition between — but the vibe was roughly the same. Food service available, some decent-enough beers if you’re looking for them, and an unpretentious vibe, somewhere between local townie, Irish and sports bar; pool tables off to one side, the kitchen (and ice cream parlor?) off to another.

The lineup ranged as far north as Pennsylvania and as far south as Maryland, and with Delaware acts Blackhand and Wasted Theory, the First State had its representation as well. Very much a regional representation, and clearly intended to be that. Thee Nosebleeds, one of several acts from Philly, started off just about on time and like a schmuck, I took notes throughout the course of the night. Here’s how it all went down:

Thee Nosebleeds

The West Philly trio got up to speed as their set went on, and I took it as a telling sign that two out of the three members wore shirts with Small Stone bands on them. Their music played out that grown-up punker sensibility, but the idea was heavy rock and it was an idea Thee Nosebleeds worked well within, playing songs that were strong in the chorus and straightforward without necessarily being boring. Vocalist/guitarist Kermit Lyman tore into several killer solos that immediately set a high standard for the night, and the band brought up Erik Caplan of Wizard Eye (a favor Caplan‘s unit would later return for Lyman) for a theremin guest spot that added some variety to the set. It was an energetic start, no frills and riffy, and in that way set the course for a lot of the evening to come.

Heavy Temple

Also a trio from Philly, but barely more than a month old and steeped in an entirely different kind of heaviness, Heavy Temple hit the stage quickly after Thee Nosebleeds wrapped. Acts shared backlined equipment all the way up until Iron Man however many hours later, but though they’re pretty clearly just starting out, Heavy Temple got their point across, blending thickened post-rock mysticism with rolling Sleep-style stoner groove. Bassist/vocalist Elyse Mitchell (ex-ChromeLord) donned a robe and black lipstick while guitarist Shawn Randles and drummer Andy Martin (the latter also of Clamfight) opted for more everyday costuming, but while they may have some presentation issues to work out, this being their first show, the songs seemed to be right where the band wanted them, and it was enough to make me look forward to how their organic tonality might develop. They had a different take than just about any other band on the bill, and the shift was welcome, if early.

Skeleton Hands

Last seen with Truckfighters in their native Philadelphia, single-guitar foursome Skeleton Hands had the first standalone frontman of the night in Pete Hagen, who introduced the band with suitable burl in a rasp of “Skeleton Hands, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!” before the testosterone-driven riffing began. Their set was tight, crisp and professional, heavy Southern metal guitar work with touches of Down or a much-less-Virginian Alabama Thunderpussy. That kind of thing doesn’t always work when yankees try it out — I didn’t even know Philadelphia had a bayou! — but Skeleton Hands were entertaining all the same and suited to the bigger stage at JB McGinnes. People were beginning to really file in as they played and they seemed to work quickly in getting a hook into the crowd, while also setting up a smooth transition into Blackhand to come, who shared a lot of their stylistic traits.

Blackhand

Newark, Delaware’s Blackhand (two “hand” bands in a row!) brought The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 to its apex of burl. The chest-thumping, boot-stomping double-guitar man-metal was like a supplement ad on late-night tv, but like Skeleton Hands, it was also a tight, pro set. Blackhand went even further into the Down/Pepper Keenan school of riffing, the two axes only adding to the overarching metallicism of what they were doing, and though their influences weren’t that far off from what Skeleton Hands or Wasted Theory still to come were working with, Blackhand were nothing if not distinct, proffering heavy rock for those perhaps looking to transition off Black Label Society into something with a little more underground flair. They also drew and held a solid crowd and I imagine made some new friends among those in the marching path of frontman Bruce Marvel, who made use of his wireless mic to stand on the speaker cabinets in front of the stage and make a rousing call to arms.

Wizard Eye

Tone! Don’t get me wrong, I get the appeal of the whole dudeliness-for-dudeliness’-sake thing, but when Wizard Eye got going, I felt like I’d just come home. The Philly three-piece — Erik Caplan on guitar/vocals/theremin, Dave on bass/vocals and Scott on drums — were the fuzziest band of the night, with a heaviness not so much displayed through aggression, but through the weight of the music itself. Caplan and Dave traded back and forth vocals and brought Thee NosebleedsLyman up for a guest spot fronting the band, which he did with vicious energy and a more decidedly hardcore punk presence. Wizard Eye were refreshing and just the first of several acts still to come who need to get a record out. Their sound is too cohesive and too developed to have a demo’s production do it justice. Low end for days.

Wasted Theory

Fun fact: It was Wasted Theory drummer Brendan Burns who put together the whole bill for The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2. The fest was clearly a labor of love for Burns, who moonlights as SnakeCharmer Booking, and there’s little more respectable than that. His band brought the fest past the 9PM line and found the event running smoothly and with a good crowd at JB McGinnes between rocker heads, curious locals and a couple pool players toward the front, and Wasted Theory shifted the vibe sonically back toward the straightforward heavy rock of Thee Nosebleeds earlier, if blended with elements out of the more C.O.C.-inspired camp. They weren’t quite as nascent as Heavy Temple, but for having been together for less than a year, they seemed to have the idea down and guitarist/vocalist Jackson answered back Blackhand‘s Marvel by jumping on the speaker cabinet and the drum riser. The gauntlet? Thrown down.

Clamfight

It’s worth giving the disclaimer at this point that there’s just about no way I can be impartial when it comes to Clamfight. Aside from the whole helping them release I Versus the Glacier thing, I just dig them too much to offer any kind of valid critique. And so, from where I stood, from Andy Martin‘s first roar (no sign of exhaustion from the double-duty he pulled in Heavy Temple) to Sean McKee‘s first shrieking solo (wow was he loud in the mix), Joel Harris‘ riffing two-step and Louis Koble‘s in-pocket fills, I was on board already. “Sandriders” and “The Eagle” were awesome, don’t get me wrong, but the surprise of the night might have been when they broke out the ultra-brutal “Rabbit” from the first album as a closer. Clamageddon! Clampocalypse Now! A Clamtastrophe! It wasn’t like they’d been lacking in heavy up to that point, because they hadn’t, but that brought it to a different level entirely, the scathing intensity in the culminating groove an entirely different kind of chest-thumping — namely that done by the volume coming out of their cabinets and the air pushed through Martin‘s kick drum. Again, I’m not impartial in saying so, but they were the heaviest thing I saw all night, and the scariest part about it was that I don’t think they’ve even begun to peak as a band yet. I could go on. I won’t. But I could.

Beelzefuzz

Not living near them, I have too easy a time forgetting how good Beelzefuzz actually are. Conclusion? They need to get an album out. They had their 2012 demo for sale — along with some awesome-looking custom stash boxes that bassist Pug Kirby apparently crafted — and guitarist/vocalist Dana Ortt even mentioned the possibility of a new record on stage, citing the release date as, “eventually.” Bummer. Beelzefuzz have apparently hooked up with The Church Within Records, so I guess whenever it arrives, it’ll do so through that venerable imprint, but in the meantime, they had a killer set at Eye of the Stoned Goat much as they had at SHoD, and were greeted with due revelry by a host of the Maryland doom faithful who’d made the trip to New Castle. Ortt‘s guitar-as-organ and live multi-tracked vocals distinguished Beelzefuzz from everyone else in the lineup, and with Kirby and drummer Darin McCloskey‘s tight trad doom grooves, I just hope that when they finally get that album together, they manage to capture the depth of their approach as well as they carry it across live.

Iron Man


For the life of me, there needs to be a statue of “Iron” Al Morris III. Cast it in bronze and stick it right in the town center in Frederick, Maryland. I don’t know who you write to in order to make something like that happen, or even if Frederick has a town center, but seriously, Morris — 20 years on from putting out the first Iron Man CD — is worthy of inclusion in the discussion of Doom Capitol legends like Wino, Bobby Liebling and Dave Sherman. I mean that. The guy’s an icon and no one knows it, and he continues to press on with riff after riff, year after year. Frontman Dee Calhoun assured the crowd in a lengthy tuning break that the band would have a new full-length out this year — they’ve released two EPs since Calhoun joined — and the news was well met. Nothing against prior vocalist Joe Donnelly, but this being my second time seeing the band with Calhoun up front, his presence and singing style is a little more classic metal and it fits the band much better. The rhythm section of bassist Louis Strachan and drummer Jason “Mot” Waldmann made the rich grooves of “Groan” from the Dominance EP a highlight, but really, Iron Man‘s set just made me look forward to hearing what they’ll be able to do on their next record.

Pale Divine

It was late and I was beat. I don’t mind saying it. I sat at one of the tables by the side of the bar — I’d kind of moved around all night as I took notes in one spot and the next — and looked up to notice that JB McGinnes had left the tvs on for the entirety of the fest. Pale Divine and Avon Cosmetics commercials make for some pretty strange bedfellows. No wonder they didn’t book that licensing gig. The Pennsylvanian trio featured their latest album, 2012’s Painted Windows Black (review here), with cuts like “The Prophet” and set-highlight “Angel of Mercy,” and essentially playing in the dark suited the mood of their doom overall. With McCloskey returning on drum duty after playing with Beelzefuzz, guitarist/vocalist Greg Diener and bassist/vocalist Ron “Fez” McGinnis (also of Admiral Browning) explored a wrenching emotionality set to classic and traditional downtrodden riffing. Diener‘s voice in my experience is never lacking in power and presence, and anytime you put McGinnis on bass, it’s only going to make your band stronger. As technically proficient as he is bearded (and he’s plenty bearded), he’s apt to put all six of his strings to work at any given moment, and where on paper, considering Admiral Browning‘s frantic progressive instrumentalism, it might not seem like a natural fit, in reality he’s a highly adaptable musician as much at home in Pale Divine as I expect he would be on any end of the heavy spectrum. Some dudes can just play. Between his prowess, the band’s pervasive melancholy and lurching heaviness, Pale Divine made for a suitable finish to Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 and those who stuck around long enough to find out seemed to agree.

It was getting on 1:30AM by the time I left and a two-hour drive and some late-night diner burgers with good friends later, finally crashed out around four to get up the next morning and finish the drive home. As I’d known from the start it would be, it was a hell of a night, but there was a lot to see and I’ve no regrets for making the trip.

Thanks to Brendan Burns, Dustin “D-Money” Davis, Pamela Wolfe-Lyman, Chris Jones, Lew Hambly, George Pierro, John Eager and everyone else I was fortunate enough to be able to meet and hang out with in New Castle. Here’s looking forward to doing it all again next time.

Extra pics after the jump. Thank you for reading.

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