Posted in Whathaveyou on March 12th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Thus a good bill gets better. Having Earthride headline will do that for a doom fest — just ask the one in the band’s native Frederick, Maryland — but bringing aboard Solace and Horehound as well as the Salt of the Earth Records-affiliated Thunderbird Divine and Via Vengeance, plus Connecticut‘s own Arduini/Balich (well, Connecticut and Pittsburgh, anyhow; Butch can travel east with Horehound) and Knoxxville, which features JB Matson, who organizes the prior-alluded-to Maryland Doom Fest, on drums, certainly doesn’t hurt either. New England Stoner & Doom Fest 3 has done precisely this and unveiled its daily lineups as well, and it’s a doozy. I don’t know if the fest is done or if more bands will be added, but seriously guys, this is plenty. Let’s call it a fest and run with it. It doesn’t exactly feel like anything’s missing, if you know what I mean.
I mean it’s frickin’ packed.
Will I tourist my ass to Jewett City (never been there, much to my chagrin) to the festival? I hope so. I had every intention of being there last year and had to pull the plug not literally at the last minute, but literally about an hour before I’d have headed out, so with the residual sting of that, I can only stare at the lineup, pre-fest included, and think it looks like an awfully fun time. A lot of an awfully fun time.
Dig:
NEW ENGLAND STONER & DOOM FEST 3 ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!
Earthride confirmed as Friday night Headliner, Arduini/Balich, Solace, Horehound, Via Vengeance, Thunderbird Divine, and Knoxville added.
Nomad Cabinets will be providing an excellent backline of Cabs and ListenToNewEngland.com added as sponsor as well.
Friday Lineup: Earthride Worshipper Solace Yatra Bone Church High Reeper Red Stone Chapel Arduini/Balich Heavy Temple Buzzard Canyon Problem with Dragons O’k and the Nightcrew
all ages doors 6pm
Saturday Lineup: Tyrant (Rob Lowe Ex-Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus on vocals) Playing new album “Hereafter” in entirety plus a classic Tyrant set Churchburn Wolftooth Orodruin Summoner Shadow Witch (Blacklight Encore show) Entierro Horehound Lotek Cruiser Mourn the Light Gorge Black Horse Rebellion Black North Coma Hole
all ages doors 5pm
Sunday Lineup: Warrior Soul (Last Decade Dead Century 30th Anniversary) Curse the Son Kingsnake Barishi Red Mesa Grey Skies Fallen Clamfight Thunderbird Divine When the Deadbolt Breaks Via Vengeance Knoxville Afghan Haze Sentinel Hill
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 17th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
Connecticut’s New England Stoner & Doom Fest 3 continues to take shape ahead of next May 15-17 in Jewett City at Altone’s Music Hall. The third lineup announcement brings locals, travelers, touring bands and a bit of sonic diversity, so pretty much whatever you could ask. High Reeper and Heavy Temple — hey, that’d be a cool tour, wouldn’t it? — join the ranks of Orodruin and Worshipper and others making the trip from various distances, along with Vermont’s Barishi, Grey Skies Fallen from NY, whose new record will be out by then, and CT’s own Afghan Haze. I’ve been privy to a few other potential additions to come to New England Stoner & Doom Fest 2020 and there are a few more doozies in the works, so sit tight, but already we can start to see the shape of the fest as we’re just more than halfway through the announcements.
Tickets are on sale Jan. 3, which seems as good a time as any.
Here’s word from the fest:
The New England Stoner and Doom Fest 3 is coming May 15-17, 2020 at Altone’s Music Hall in Jewett City, CT and is promising to bring you the best concert going experience it possibly can. You will experience many of the best bands the underground stoner/doom metal scene has to offer on 2 stages over 3 days with no overlap. You will be hit with a non stop sonic assault on the senses with the opportunity to see every band featured. Weekend passes go on sale Jan 3, 2020 at newenglandstoneranddoomfest.com.
Moving on with our 3rd roster announcement, we would like to welcome the following bands:
High Reeper
Formed in 2016, High Reeper is made up of Zach Thomas, Justin Di Pinto, Andrew Price, Pat Daly and Shane Trimble. Originally started as just a studio band, it rapidly became apparent that these songs were meant to be heard live and loud. The band made their debut in the Philly/DE stoner rock scene in early 2017 with success which was followed up by the recording of their self-titled debut in May. With a sound deeply rooted in modern stoner rock while still giving a nod to the earliest Sabbath records, High Reeper’s self titled debut is driven by pounding rhythms, thick guitars and soaring, screeching vocals. For their second record, the addition of Di Pinto on drums helped focus their sound in an even more powerful direction. The result is a new record with riffs that are even heavier than before that explore new directions, including the ballad “Apocalypse Hymn”. After a successful 2018 European tour that included Desertfest Berlin, High Reeper Will once again tour Europe in 2019 visiting ten countries as well as an appearance at Desertfest London.
Heavy Temple
Heavy Temple is a trio of doom metal deviants determined to take you on a wild stoner rock expedition. Having made waves first in their hometown of Philadelphia and then throughout the global heavy rock scene after tours with Corrosion of Conformity, Ruby the Hatchet, Mothership, and Ecstatic Vision, this is a band who are ready to break on through to the other side. Veterans of countless festivals, including Psycho Las Vegas, Muddy Roots Music Festival, Days of Darkness and Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, Heavy Temple are here to drown you with dark riffs, heavy vibes and a rip roaring good time.
Barishi
In a scene that has become largely repetitive, nostalgia driven, and prone to navel gazing, few bands stand out as breaking new ground. With their sophomore full-length ‘Blood from the Lion’s Mouth’, BARISHI demonstrate that it is still possible to challenge the established formulas of the metal genre by recombining its musical DNA. There is an undeniable progressive undertone in their modern approach to hard guitar based music, but at the same time, the Americans delve into the darker side of extreme sound that defies the happy fret-fingering all too often employed by their peers.
BARISHI were formed by guitarist Graham Brooks, bassist Jon Kelley, and drummer Dylan Blake in Southern Vermont in the spring of 2010. The US band originally performed as an instrumental trio throughout the east coast of the United States, which they relentlessly toured. Their unique style of gritty progressive metal was completed with the addition of vocalist Sascha Simms in 2012. They have shared the stage with everyone from Mastodon to The Flaming Lips. In 2016 the quartet completed a U.S. tour with Weedeater, Author & Punisher and Today is the Day. They are set to release their much anticipated label debut ‘Blood from the Lion’s Mouth’ September 16th, 2016 on the esteemed Season of Mist record label. BARISHI provide the listener with earth-shattering grooves and savage vocals born in the verdant mountains of Vermont. Prepare to be pounded on and thunderstruck with ecstatic metal from the ancient hills of New England.
Grey Skies Fallen (NY)
Grey Skies Fallen are seasoned veterans of the doom scene delivering melodic epic doom, their latest full length is out now and was mixed by the legendary Dan Swano.
Afghan Haze (CT)
CT has some great new bands that have hit the ground running recently and Afghan Haze is one of them, releasing their debut EP “Burnt Offering” and looking to release much more in 2020, they have pummeled every stage they have played with their brand of Evil Louder than Hell Psychedelic Doom.
We’d also like to announce our Prefest party on May 14th at 33 Golden in New London, CT for the 3rd straight year. New London is just minutes away from the main fest.
The first band to be announced is:
Dust Prophet (NH)
Hailing from Manchester, New Hampshire, Dust Prophet came together in 2018 as the project of longtime friends and musical collaborators Sarah Wappler (bass) and Otto Kinzel (guitar). Soon joined by fellow scene veterans Heather Lynn (vocals) and Marc Brennan (drums), the band shifted into high gear writing music. They released their apocalyptic debut single The Big Lie in October 2018, putting them on the map with critics and listeners in the underground music scene. Recorded by Kinzel at his home studio, with post-production done by Massachusetts studios Amps vs. Ohms and New Alliance East. Dust Prophet is on the fast track to notoriety… if the world doesn’t end first. Look out for Dust Prophet performing across New England this year. In 2020 Dust Prophet will be also performing at the Maryland Doom Festival, (June 18th-21st) in Frederick, MD.
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 2nd, 2019 by JJ Koczan
Alright everybody, back to real after the holiday. Maybe you scammed a four-day weekend out of Thanksgiving. If so, good work. If not, you’ll get ’em next time. One way or the other, today’s the day reality sets back in. Sucks, right? Usually that’s how it goes.
But if you’re looking for a bit of post-turkey escapism, mark your calendar for New England Stoner & Doom Fest 3 in Jewett City, Connecticut. Being held next May 15-17 at Altone’s Music Hall, the annual gathering has already made its first lineup announcement with resurgent doom mystics Orodruin leading a pack that also included Kingsnake, Clamfight, Worshipper and others, and to that significant heft, it now adds Churchburn — who are bound to be just about the heaviest band on any bill they play anytime they play anywhere — Baltimore’s Yatra, whose second LP will most likely be out by then, Boston progressive heavyweights Summoner, Connecticut’s own Curse the Son, hopefully also with a new record out, Irata from North Carolina, HeWolf from Virginia, and Red Mesa from way out in New Mexico.
Interesting to see the festival increasing its reach. How far it will go in the end of course remains to be seen as there are more than 40 acts promised and nowhere near that yet unveiled. So, as I say around here from time to time (and by that I mean pretty much daily), more to come.
For now, the following:
New England Stoner & Doom Fest 3 – Second Lineup Annoucement
The New England Stoner and Doom Fest 3 (NESDF3) is taking place at Altone’s Music Hall in Jewett City, CT on the weekend of May 15-17 of 2020. The first roster announcement made a short time ago included Orodruin, Worshipper, Wolftooth, Lotek Cruiser, Red Stone Chapel, Bone Church, Shadow Witch (Blacklight Encore), Kingsnake, and Clamfight. Already looking like it’s going to be a great time, we add the announcement of the following bands (With many to come) 40+ total over 3 days.
All band, vendor, and sponsor submissions and inquiries: Newenglandstoneranddoomfest@gmail.com
Churchburn (RI)
Churchburn is the musical collaboration between two of the undergrounds masters of misery. Dave Suzuki, best known for his mesmerizing guitar work and brutal drumming in Vital Remains and Ray McCaffrey, who carved out sonic drum patterns for Sin Of Angels and Grief. The two have set out to share with the world their love of the riff. Not only the heaviest but also the most haunting. Each song is crafted with the most sinister of intent. Churchburn want the listener to feel a true sense of dread as each song progresses.
Yatra (MD)
YATRA’s eclectic sound includes elements of doom and heavy metal mixed with explorations into sonic territories that provide a unique sound.
HeWolf (VA)
Grunge! Ear polluting power-trio, former members of Iron Reagan, Darkest Hour, Alabama Thunderpussy, HRM, Crackhead, the Medusa.
Irata (VA)
Irata is loud, heavy rock from Greensboro, NC on Small Stone Records and they deliver every time live!!
Curse the Son (CT)
Emerging from the untimely demise of stoner rockers Sufferghost, Curse the Son is a plodding distorted sonic wall of Sabbathian riffage. A power trio in the truest sense…..screaming amps…tons of fuzz…fat bass..thick riffin…lots of smokin! Get high, tune low & play slow.
Red Mesa (NM)
Out of New Mexico on Desert Records, Red Mesa will have you cruising through the desert full throttle.
Summoner (MA)
Summoner, the band formerly known as Riff Cannon. Same dudes, same music, different name. Summoner are a heavy rock band from Boston, MA. They sling riffs so you don’t have to……
Already announced: Orodruin Worshipper Wolftooth RED STONE CHAPEL (Germany) Lotek Cruiser (Canada) Shadow Witch (Blacklight Encore) Kingsnake Clamfight Bone Church
