Toronto heavy rockers Ol’ Time Moonshine release their third full-length, Magic, on Aug. 5 through Salt of the Earth Records. Preorders for the album are open… now.
No, wait.
Okay… now. Yes.
It is the band’s second release through Salt of the Earth following behind 2017’s ambitious and conceptual The Apocalypse Trilogies (review here) and 2014’s The Demon Haunted World (review here), and works off the band’s stated ethic of turning, “lead into gold,” in classic alchemical fashion.
There’s no denying that when a band clicks in terms of sound, chemistry, dynamic, even just personally, there’s an a-very-good-thing-is-happening serotonin release, or as the long-player puts it, a kind of Magic. Ethereal as the notion might be, if their intent is to convey these more-than-sum-of-parts aspects of what happens when the jams work, well, they’ve got the right jams. And the ethic holds, from the Deliverance-era C.O.C. burl of “Chrononaut” (premiering below), “Dark Clouds of Doom” and “Hexslinger” punching through the opening salvo, to the later hooky nod of “Sweet Black Angel,” the momentary letting loose of the seven-minute “Higher Learning” (longest track and presumed end of a vinyl side A), or the head-down shove that caps the penultimate “Transmissions” (shortest track at 3:30), which moves from highlight vocal melodies and open spaces into one of Magic‘s most physically urgent progressions and still leaves room for “Where Giants Rest” to close out with pointed structures encased in a slower, more languid flow and just a moment’s break before the last, swirling solo takes hold to lead the way out of the album.
Along their many-riffed and delightfully crunchy path, the four-piece of guitarist/vocalist Bill Kole, bassist/backing vocalist Jesse Mackowycz, guitarist Chris Coleiro and drummer Adam Saitti are united in their purpose toward both sides of the style in which they reside — they’re heavy and they rock — but there is more character in their delivery and songwriting than a simple aping of genre tropes would imply. Truth is there always has been, but the John Critchley recording and Greg Dawson mix — the latter crucial since it brings a harder edge to the presentation than the band has had previously — as well as the fresh take on groove of Saitti and Mackowycz, who are both new to the band as of this record, creates a combination of elements that seems to bring it all together such that by the time Angela Neatby of well-kept-Québecois-secret Muffler Crunch sits in alongside Kole on vocals for “Please, Please” after the first four cuts, the very arrangement of the album itself becomes part of the richness that continues to grow as “Sweet Black Angel” rolls out languid after.
As you listen to “Chrononaut” on the player below, keep in mind not only it as part of a first-of-three as it seems very much intended to be in the company of “Dark Clouds of Gloom” and “Hexslinger,” but also how some of the later instrumental melodicism will manifest on vocals as well as guitar, Magicproving able to evoke mood while also going about its tasks of craft with a we’re-just-a-band-playing-riffs-man-shaped void where pretense might otherwise be. Like the record as a whole, “Chrononaut” reveals more depths of tonality and mix on subsequent listens, and really, going through a couple times will only get the song stuck in your head, which after listening once is where you’ll likely want it to be. So have fun with that.
Band comment, album preorder links and other info follow.
Please enjoy:
Ol’ Time Moonshine, “Chrononaut” lyric video premiere
Ol’ Time Moonshine on “Chrononaut”:
“Chrononaut” opens the album strong and was an easy choice for the first single with its heavy groove and big chorus. The lyrics tell the tale of the Chrononaut, a time travelling scientist seeking to find the beginning and end points of history to help them understand their place in time and space. Gabby Vessoni created the official lyric video for us, and did an amazing job.
Ol’ Time Moonshine have dabbled in the dark arts of riff alchemy with their third album, “Magic”. A rockin’ & rollin‘, dynamic exploration of all that is heavy, these 8 tracks are loaded with hooks and full throttle groove. Lead turned into gold.
Recorded and engineered by Juno award winner John Critchley and mixed and mastered by Greg Dawson (Grale, Olde), Ol’ Time Moonshine have never sounded better, expanding on the sound of their first two releases to deliver their darkest, most dynamic album yet.
Less conceptual than their sophomore release, “The Apocalypse Trilogies”, but still layered in meaning (and riffs!), “Magic” is a much more melodic album than their previous releases, but certainly no less heavy in execution.
“Magic” sees Ol’ Time Moonshine welcome a new rhythm section: Adam Saitti (Gypsy Chief Goliath, Georgian Skull) on drums and Jesse Mackowycz (Bad Blood, Quarter Tank) on bass.
Pre-release On Sale Date: July 18th, 2022 Album Launch: August 5th Available on CD and digital
In Canada: http://www.oltimemoonshine.bandcamp.com US & International: http://www.saltoftheearthrecords.com
Available on all major streaming services on or shortly after launch date.
Ol’ Time Moonshine: Bill Kole – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar Chris Coleiro – rhythm and lead guitar Adam Saitti – drums Jesse Mackowycz – bass and backing vocals
This year’s Maryland Doom Fest has already begun. It started last night and will continue through Sunday, packing as much volume as possible between the first switched on amplifier and the final, inevitable broom swept across the floor afterward at Cafe 611 in Frederick, MD, where the fest is held. These shows are jammed. They start early. They go late. There’s nothing else quite like Maryland Doom Fest out there, and when you go, you’re made welcome whether you’re a regular or not. It’s too intimate a space and too cool a crowd for bullshit attitudes to survive. Relax and enjoy the tunes.
I’m sad to say I’m not there this year — let’s call it “family stuff” and leave it there — but the lineup is incredible and I wanted to do at least some tiny measure of tribute to that, so here we are. Some of these bands are MDDF veterans — Apostle of Solitude, Zed, Foghound, Faith in Jane, Caustic Casanova, etc. — but some are new to the event as well — Coven, Great Electric Quest, Formula 400, and others — so it’s a good mix, and you know I’m a sucker for ending epic, so The Age of Truth seemed perfect for that. They’re gonna kill it this weekend playing songs from Resolute and everyone there will know it long before they go on and they’ll still kill it. That’s just how it goes down there. You’re gonna have a good time.
Thanks if you listen, thanks if you’re reading. Thanks in general. And if you’re at the fest this weekend, enjoy it.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com.
Full playlist:
The Obelisk Show – 06.24.22 (VT = voice track)
Coven
Wicked Woman
Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls
Zed
Chingus
Volume
Apostle of Solitude
Apathy in Isolation
Until the Darkness Goes
VT
Problem With Dragons
Live by the Sword
Accelerationist
Horseburner
A Joyless King
The Thief
Thunderbird Divine
Qualified
Magnasonic
Heavy Temple
A Desert Through the Trees
Lupi Amoris
Great Electric Quest
Seeker of the Flame
Chapter II – Of Earth
Formula 400
Ridin’ Easy
Heathens
Horehound
Hiraeth
Collapse
VT
Shadow Witch
Witches of Aendor
Under the Shadow of a Witch
Faces of Bayon
Ethereality
Heart of the Fire
Ol’ Time Moonshine
Raven vs. Hawk
The Apocalypse Trilogies
Caustic Casanova
Truth Syrup
God How I Envy the Deaf
Foghound
Known Wolves
Awaken to Destroy
Orodruin
Into the Light of the Sun
Ruins of Eternity
Faith in Jane
Gone Are the Days
Mother to Earth
Alms
The Offering
Act One
Guhts
The Mirror
Blood Feather
VT
The Age of Truth
Return to the Ships
Resolute
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is July 8 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 31st, 2021 by JJ Koczan
As suspected, the lineup announcement for the 2022 Maryland Doom Fest is relatively short on fluff. No flowery descriptions of the acts involved, no hype about how important it is to get together in these times of plague and support the community, the underground, whatever it is. That’s all true enough, but as ever, Maryland Doom Fest is putting the name out there for you to see, and if you know, you know. If you’re a part of that family down there in Frederick, you’ve already got your calendar marked. This is who’ll be at the reunion.
And to that, with bands like Horehound, Thunderbird Divine, Caustic Casanova, fest-organizer JB Matson‘s own Bloodshot, Faith in Jane, ZED, Helgamite, Shadow Witch, The Age of Truth, Apostle of Solitude, Horseburner, Dead East Garden, Strange Highways and Foghound on the bill, this one will no doubt feel like a reunion in no small part. These acts and some of the others as well have shared MDDF bills in the past, and indeed, some were included in the announcement for January’s Doom Hawg Day as well, as was speculated. Still cool to see some of those returning coming across the country to do it, though, be it ZED or Formula 400.
Set for June 23-26 at Cafe 611 and Olde Mother Brewing in Frederick, MD, and of course subject to some changes between now and June, the lineup for Maryland Doom Fest 2022 is as follows:
Maryland Doom Fest 2022 Lineup
Black Road Dust Prophet Ol’ Time Moonshine High Priestess Wrath of Typhon Alms Black Lung Thunderbird Divine Atomic Motel Byrgan Faces of Bayon Grief Collector Crystal Spiders Helgamite Shadow Witch The Age of Truth Heavy Temple Problem with Dragons Strange Highways Fellowcraft Formula 400 Tines Indus Valley Kings The Stone Eye Crow Hunter Caustic Casanova Coma Hole Wizzerd Mythosphere Horehound Bloodshot NobleSoul Coven ZED Faith in Jane Future Projektor Apostle of Solitude Orodruin Dead East Garden Ritual Earth Grave Next Door Black Sabbitch Lost Breed Horseburner Foghound Hot Ram Flummox
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 22nd, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Maryland Doom Fest 2021 is set for Halloween Weekend, Oct. 28-31, in Frederick, Maryland. Some of the acts on the newly announced bill are carryovers from the first-delayed-then-canceled 2020 edition — among them Sasquatch, Worshipper, and so on — but it’s worth noting that among those and others, the likes of The Age of Truth will have a new record out by this Fall, and pre-pandemic, Boozewa didn’t even exist. So yes, things have changed.
For further proof of the festival’s stylistic branching out — and with this many bands, they’d just have have to — you’ll note the departure in the poster art from the fest-standard purple toward a greater range of color. The music they’re pushing is likewise broader in palette, and to think of seeing the likes of Howling Giant and Revvnant alongside Arduini/Balich, Omen Stones, and Place of Skulls is an encouraging thought indeed. This even was much-missed last year.
Expect a time-table sooner than later, as organizer JB Matson doesn’t screw around when it comes to that kind of thing. The lineup announcement — short and sweet, as ever — is further proof of same.
I don’t know what the world’s gonna look like come Halloween, but I know damn well this is one reason I’m glad I got that vaccine.
[UPDATE 04/30: Black Road and Vessel of Light can’t make it. Lo-Pan and When the Deadbolt Breaks have been added. If there are any further changes, I’ll probably just make a new post.]
To wit:
Here is the Md Doom Fest 2021 roster folks!!! Halloween weekend – Oct 28-31, 2021 WE CANNOT WAIT TO DOOM WITH YOU!!
Lineup:
Poobah, Sasquatch, Place of Skulls, Lo-Pan, Lost Breed, Cavern, Horseburner, Spiral Grave, The Age of Truth, Mangog, Wrath of Typhon, Helgamite, Almost Honest, Indus Valley Kings, VRSA, Monster God, Et Mors, Astral Void, Worshipper, Boozewa, Admiral Browning, Omen Stones, Formula 400, Molasses Barge, Arduini/Balich, Dirt Eater, Dyerwolf, Ol’ Time Moonshine, Shadow Witch, Revvnant, Bloodshot, Ritual Earth, Gardens of Nocturne, Conclave, Crow Hunter, Bailjack, Warmask, Akris, Alms, Thunderbird Divine, Strange Highways, Howling Giant, Yatra, Jaketehhawk, When the Deadbolt Breaks, Grave Huffer, Dust Prophet, Plague Wielder, Weed Coughin, Morganthus, Tines
The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.
In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?
Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan
Days of Rona: Bill Kole of Ol’ Time Moonshine (Toronto, Canada)
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How have you been you dealing with this crisis as a band? As an individual? What effect has it had on your plans or creative processes?
Ol’ Time Moonshine was in the studio laying down drums and bass for our new record at the beginning of March when the reports of the virus started to become more frequent. It wasn’t long before the shelter in place/quarantine orders came down. It’s now been a bit more than 10 weeks since we’ve all been in the same room playing together. We’ve been working on our parts for the record and taking care of some band business and promotion, including uploading our releases to streaming services after more limited release. The uncertainty of what the musical landscape will look like when this is all over has been weighing a bit heavily – a number of venues in our province have already shut down permanently since the pandemic began, and a lot more are close. Even when they open up, the capacity restrictions are likely to devastate their businesses. As a band we’re just taking everyday and doing what we can; looking after all the little projects we always said we’d do if we ever had time. The plan right now is to get back and start tracking guitars and vocals in June, which was our original target for completing the record. We’re lucky to live in an era of connected technology that can keep us together and informed if we choose to use it that way.
I’m blessed to work for a wonderful, family owned film audio support business that has kept me on payroll, even when the office was shut, and we’ve reached a point where I’m able to come in to the office safely, mostly working alone, for a few hours a few days a week. It helps break up the monotony of the days, and I’ve been walking the few kilometres to work to avoid public transit and get some exercise. It’s been wonderful to see my family pull together and be strong in the face of this, and to have friends and family making masks for one another, shopping for those less mobile, trying to make the kids in the neighbourhood feel special on their birthdays, etc. I finally was able to teach my daughter the basics of riding her bike after several seasons of trying, and we’ve done lots of work on our apartment to freshen it up. I’ve been working on a few album covers and posters in my free time (and a lot of revisions on posters due to shows moving). I’ve tried to keep getting up at the same time everyday and keeping somewhat of a schedule so that the days don’t just fade away into one another. Motivation has its good days and bad days, but I try not to be hard on myself. I’ve found my emotions bubble closer to the surface; joy and sadness bring me to tears pretty quickly these days. Trying to look at the positives each day and stay strong for my family and friends.
How do you feel about the public response to the outbreak where you are? From the government response to the people around you, what have you seen and heard from others?
I generally feel that the federal and provincial and municipal governments have done a decent job of looking after their people in this crisis, though there is always room for improvement and some communities have been more affected than others. Unfortunately, a few have felt that the rules they make do not apply to them. We’re seeing that in a lot of places, though, not just Canada. I fear that a lot of restaurants, theatres, venues and other cultural institutions may not weather this storm without further intervention. It will certainly be interesting to see what survives and thrives on the other side of this unprecedented economic disaster. On a personal level, most of my friends and family have remained rational and followed precaution. I’m proud of them. I am particularly proud of my friends and family in health care and food service that have sacrificed so much to ensure our safety and wellbeing. I haven’t had anyone close to me pass from COVID-19 complications, but I do have several friends and family members that have lost loved ones. It’s probably too late and too difficult for most, but I feel a stricter lockdown, sooner, would have been more effective then and less painful now. We’re a bit too eager to get back to “normal” and I fear that opening up too soon will undo the progress we’ve made. We just loosened a few restrictions last week, and already people are getting lax about wearing masks and distancing. As someone with asthma and autoimmune issues I need to be a bit extra cautious, and it can be disheartening to see someone not wearing a mask in an enclosed space like a store, or just as bad, wearing it as a chin strap or taking it off to lean over a protective barrier and speak to them.
What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?
I think most of the people in my musical circle have adapted well, but miss being able to see each other and hang out at shows. I’ve watched a number of great live streams, and some cool pro-shot shows are coming online soon. It’s not entirely the same without the atmosphere and immersion, but it’s the best we’ve got for the moment. I’ve had more time to listen to music, so I’ve been diving in and doing a lot of deep listening, catching a lot of great records I missed the first time around. There have been some great articles and discussions in the scene, and it’s been fun to see what a lot of my fellow musicians have been listening to. I’ve talked to a few groups of musicians about contributing guitar or vocals to a few different projects outside of OTM. I’m really proud of the record Ol’ Time Moonshine is working on, and I REALLY want to get it finished and out there. We’ve gone through a lot these past few years since the release of “The Apocalypse Trilogies”, so it has been a bitter pill to swallow to see us get all of our game pieces in order just for the game to change, but we’ll adapt and move forward, we always do. It could have been much worse, though, so I’m grateful we haven’t lost more. So many friends have had to cancel their release parties and tours. So many promoters and touring companies have lost their livelihood for the perceivable future. So many recovering addicts and people with mental health issues have lost their support. If you are having a good, positive day and feel you can handle it, please, reach out to someone you know who might not be and let them know they have someone that loves them.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything? What is your new normal? What have you learned from this experience, about yourself, your band, or anything?
I don’t think things can possibly go back to the way they were. It’s all going to be a bit different, and take some getting used to. I think some have found they are stronger than expected, and some are not as strong as they thought. We need to be compassionate and help one another, especially those that fall through the cracks, and we need to take better care of our mental health. We need to be kinder, and more honest with ourselves and loved ones. I miss my US and worldwide doom family, and hope the borders open back up soon and that everyone stays safe so we can enjoy live music again soon.
[TO ENTER GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment on this post with your email address in the form. You’ll be contacted at that address if you win.]
My pleasure today to partner up with Salt of the Earth Records for a nine-album prize pack giveaway that includes releases from Cortez, Scissorfight, Buzzard Canyon, Ol’ Time Moonshine, When the Deadbolt Breaks, Atala, Oxblood Forge and Shadow Witch.
The occasion is the June 16 release of Cortez‘s new album, The Depths Below, and to mark it, the label is giving away CD copies of its entire catalog and then some out of its online distro, plus buttons and stickers and presumably any other whatnot they might have laying around the office. You never know with this kind of thing. “Here’s a stapler just for the hell of it!,” and so on.
Please note: I don’t think you’ll actually get a stapler. You will get plenty of killer releases though, which Salt of the Earth details below. Leave a comment on this post to enter. Winner is chosen one week from today, on June 8. Good luck to all:
To celebrate the much anticipated release of CORTEZ “The Depths Below”, we would like to hook a lucky The Obelisk reader up with a killer collection of heavy ass tunes!
The whole damn complete SALT OF THE EARTH RECORDS catalog!!!
CORTEZ – “The Depths Below” (not pictured, but you still get it!) SCISSORFIGHT – “Chaos County” BUZZARD CANYON – “Hellfire & Whiskey” OL’ TIME MOONSHINE -“The Apocalypse Trilogies” WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS – “Until It All Collides”
Plus from the gems from the SALT OF THE EARTH RECORDS distro vaults…
CORTEZ – “Thunder In A Forgotten Town” ATALA -“S/T” OXBLOOD FORGE – “S/T” SHADOW WITCH – “Sun Killer”
And of course we will also throw in some badass Stickers and Buttons too!
Remember: The Obelisk does not keep, sell or otherwise use any personal info submitted. Email addresses are gathered simply so the winner can be notified. The end. Thanks.
[TO ENTER GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment on this post with your email address in the form. You’ll be contacted at that address if you win.]
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 14th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Lineup additions have continued to come out over the last week-plus since Pittsburgh-based fest Descendants of Crom made its first announcements with the formidable likes of Earthride, EYE, Foghound and Stinking Lizaveta taking part. West Virginian instrumental trailblazers Karma to Burn, New Jersey rock destroyers Solace, Kansas boogie-thrusters The Midnight Ghost Train — as the names have appeared, the geographic reach of Descendants of Crom 2017, which is set for Sept. 30 on the Cattivo Nightclub‘s two stages, has only expanded, but perhaps the biggest addition yet brings the festival much closer to home.
Penance released their Alpha and Omega album in 2001 via the Martyr Music Group, and with it debuted a five-piece incarnation that will play for the first time in 15 years at Descendants of Crom, in a great add to the bill that fulfills the stated mission of the fest in honoring Pittsburgh’s own underground contributions as well as looking outside its borders. Badass all around.
In addition to the already-noted, Cant, Ol’ Time Moonshine and Archarus, have also been added, so the more right on. Here’s the latest from the fest, including some comment from organizer Shy Kennedy on Penance signing on:
DESCENDANTS OF CROM – Penance to Headline with ‘Alpha & Omega’ Lineup
All-day fest set for Sept. 30, 2017, with two stages fueled by riffs created by the riddle of steel.
This all day music festival is the first of its kind in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The underground scene of stoner and doom here is healthy and thriving and the location at Cattivo Nightclub is perfect with two large floors, a stage on each, and good sound with friendly staff.
Descendants of Crom Festival lineup: CANT MONOLITH WIELDER OL’ TIME MOONSHINE ARCHARUS HORSEBURNER WASTED THEORY FOGHOUND EYE BRIMSTONE COVEN SOLACE THE MIDNIGHT GHOST TRAIN KARMA TO BURN VALKYRIE EARTHRIDE STINKING LIZAVETA PENANCE (Alpha & Omega lineup)
Shy Kennedy on Penance headlining:
It all starts out with an idea of, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be great if there were a gig in Pittsburgh that had a bunch of riff-fueled bands of all rock and metal genres?’ It’s the perfect place for it, really. The scene here is supportive and it’s an accessible city to many. It doesn’t come out of nowhere –- you have to make it happen.
Next, who headlines this underground, doom-rooted event? The answer would be Penance but they’ve been dormant for some time. The Alpha & Omega lineup are all right here and nearly all active in the scene someway or another. Turns out that you just have to ask. Penance are as excited to be a part of the Descendants of Crom as I am. A lot of the seasoned fans are going to appreciate this and for those who aren’t familiar with Penance are going to get a little lesson in Pittsburgh Doom History.
DESCENDANTS OF CROM will bring great regional talent to a hungry crowd, utilizing national fan favorites to lure them to learn about these other amazing artists. This first year is anticipated to be a contender among other established annual fests and will not be an event to miss.
Posted in Reviews on January 2nd, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Now having spanned multiple years since starting way back in 2016, this Quarterly Review ends today with writeups 51-60 of the total 60. I’ve said I don’t know how many times that I could go longer, but the fact of the matter is it would hit a point where it stopped being a pleasant experience on my end and I’d rather keep things fun as much as possible rather than just try to cram in every single release that ever came my way. Make sense? It might or it might not. I can’t really decide either. From the bottom of my heart though, as I stare down the final batch of records for this edition of the Quarterly Review, I thank you for reading. Let’s dive in.
Quarterly Review #51-60:
Crippled Black Phoenix, Bronze
Nine albums and just about 10 years on from their 2007 debut, A Love of Shared Disasters, the UK’s Crippled Black Phoenix arrive on Season of Mist with the full-length Bronze and remain as complex, moody and sonically resolute as ever. If we’re lucky, they’ll be the band that teaches a generation of heavy tone purveyors how to express emotion in songwriting without giving up the impact of their material, but the truth is that “Champions of Disturbance (Pt. 1 & 2),” “Deviant Burials,” “Scared and Alone” and take-your-pick-from-the-others are about so much more depth than even the blend of “heavy and moody” conveys. To wit, the spacious post-rock gaze of “Goodbye Then” gives a glimpse of what Radiohead might’ve turned into had they managed to keep their collective head out of their collective ass, and the penultimate “Winning a Losing Battle” pushes through initial melancholia into gurgling, obtuse-but-hypnotic drone before making a miraculous return in its finish – then closer “We are the Darkeners” gets heavy. Multi-instrumentalist, founder and chief songwriter Justin Greaves is nothing shy of a visionary, and Bronze is the latest manifestation of that vision. One doubts it will be the last.
Nothing shy about Trouble in Eden, the third full-length from San Jose heavy rockers Zed and second for Ripple Music. From its hey-look-guys-it’s-a-naked-chick cover to the raw vocal push from Pete Sattari –which delves into more melodic fare early on “The Only True Thing” and in rolling closer “The Mountain,” but keeps mostly to gruff grown-up-punker delivery throughout – the 10-tracker makes its bones in cuts like “Blood of the Fallen” and the resonant hook of “Save You from Yourself,” which are straightforward in intent, brash in execution and which thrive on a purported “rock the way it should be” mentality. Well, I don’t know how rock should be, but Zed – Sattari, guitarist Greg Lopez, bassist Mark Aceves and drummer Rich Harris – play to classic structures and seem to bring innate groove with them wherever they go on the album, be it the one-two punch of “High Indeed” and “So Low” or the Clutch-style bounce in the first half of “Today Not Tomorrow,” which leaves one of Trouble in Eden’s most memorable impressions both as a song and as a summary of their apparent general point of view.
Limited to just 200 copies on We Empty Rooms and Gotta Groove Records, the Collective Fictions split 180g LP between Melbourne noise duo Dead and Mark Deutrom (Bellringer, Clown Alley, ex-Melvins) is a genuine vinyl-only release. No digital version. That in itself gives it something of a brazen experimentalism, never mind the fact that one can barely tell where one track ends and the next track starts. Purposeful obscurity? Maybe. It’s reportedly one of a series of four LPs Dead are working on for the next year-plus, and they present two cuts in “Masonry” and “In the Car,” moving through percussion and mid-range drone to build a tense jazz on the former as drummer Jem and bassist Jace make room for the keys and noise of BJ Morriszonkle, which continue to play a prominent role in “In the Car” as well, which is also the only inclusion on Collective Fictions to feature vocals, shortly before it rumbles and long-fades snare hits to close out Dead’s side of the LP, leaving Deutrom – working here completely solo – thoroughly dared to get as weird as he’d like. An opportunity of which he takes full advantage. Over the course of four tracks, he unfurls instrumentalist drone of various stripes, from the nighttime soundscaping of “The Gargoyle Protocol,” which seems to answer the percussive beginning of Dead, through the spacier reverb loneliness of “Presence of an Absence,” like a most pastoral, less obtuse Earth, dreamy but sad in a way that denotes self-awareness on the part of the title, or at very least effective evocation thereof. Likewise, “Bring the Fatted Calf,” with its gong hits, Master Musicians of Bukkake-style jingling and minimalist volume swells, is duly ritualistic, which makes one wonder what the prog-style keys at the open of “View from the Threshold” are looking at. Deutrom moves through that side-closer patiently but fluidly and ends at a drone, tying up Collective Fictions as something of a curio in intent and execution. By that I mean what seems to have brought the two parties together was a “Hey, wanna get weird?” impulse, but each act makes their own level and then works on it, so hell yes, by all means, get weird.
Any record that starts with a narration beginning, “In the not too distant future…” is going to find favor with my MST3K-loving heart. So begins The Apocalypse Trilogies: Spacewolf and Other Dark Tales, the cumbersomely-named but nonetheless engaging Salt of the Earth Records debut full-length from Toronto’s Ol’ Time Moonshine, whose 2013 The Demon Haunted World EP (review here) also found favor. The burl-coated outing is presented across three chapters, each beginning with its own narration and comprising three subsequent tracks – trilogies – tying into its theme as represented in the cover art by vocalist/guitarist Bill Kole, joined in the band by guitarist Chris Coleiro, bassist John Kendrick and drummer Brett Savory. They shift into some more complex fare on the instrumental “Lady of Light” before the final chapter, but at its core The Apocalypse Trilogies remains a (very) heavy rock album with an undercurrent of metal, and whatever else Ol’ Time Moonshine bring to it in plotline, they hold fast to songwriting as the most crucial element of their approach.
Italian four-piece Ufosonic Generator (also stylized as one word: UfosonicGenerator) make themselves at home straddling the line between doom and classic boogie rock on what seems to be their debut album, the eight-track The Evil Smoke Possession, released through Minotauro Records. Marked out by the soaring and adaptable vocals of Gojira – yup – the band offer proto-metal shuffle on shorter early cuts “A Sinful Portrait” and the rolling nod of “At Witches’ Bell,” but it’s the longer pairing of “Meridian Daemon” (7:47) and “Silver Bell Meadows” (6:53) on which one finds their brew at highest potency, sending an evil eye Cathedral’s way without forgetting the Sabbathian riffery that started it all or the Iron Maiden-gallop it inspired. They cap with the suitable lumber of their title-track and pick up toward the finish as if to underscore the dueling vibes with which they’ve been working all along. Ultimately, the meld isn’t necessarily revolutionary, but it does pay homage fluidly across The Evil Smoke Possession’s span, and as a debut, it sets Ufosonic Generator forward with a solid foundation on which to progress.
Issued digitally in late-2015 and subsequently snagged for a 2016 vinyl issue through Krauted Mind, Nocturnes is the debut full-length from Dublin five-piece Mother Mooch, and in its eight tracks, they set their footing in a genre-spanning aesthetic, pulling from slow-motion grunge, weighted heavy rock, psychedelic flourish and even a bit of punk on the shorter, upbeat “My Song 21” and “L.H.O.O.Q.” Those two tracks prove crucial departures in breaking up the proceedings and speak well of a penchant on the part of vocalist Chloë Ní Dhúada, guitarists Sid Daly (also backing vocals) and Farl, bassist Barry Hayden and drummer Danni Nolan toward sonic diversity. They bring a similar sensibility to the closing Lead Belly cover “Out on the Western Plain” as well, whereas cuts like opener “This Tempest,” “Into the Water” and “Misery Hill” work effectively to find a middle ground between the stylistic range at play. That impulse, seemingly innate to their songraft, is what will allow them to continue to develop their personality as a band and is not to be understated in how pivotal it is to this first LP.
To my knowledge, this only-70-pressed five-song tape release is the second self-titled EP from off-kilter North Carolina heavy rockers The Asound following a three-songer back in 2011 (review here). Offered by Tsuguri Records, the new The Asound starts with its longest track (immediate points) in the 6:54 “Moss Man” and touches on earliest, most righteous High on Fire-style brash, but holds to its own notions about what that that blend of groove and gallop should do. Through splits with Flat Tires (review here), Magma Rise (review here), Lenoir Swingers Club (review here) and Mark Deutrom (review here), the trio of Guitarist/vocalist Chad Wyrick, bassist Jon Cox and drummer Michael Crump have always had an element of the unpredictable to their sound, and that’s true as centerpiece “Human for Human” revives the thrust of the opener coming off “Controller”’s less marauding rhythm, but the sludgy rollout and later airy lead-work of “Pseudo Vain” and chugging nod of closer “Throne of Compulsion” speaks to the consciousness at play beneath the unhinged vibes that’s been there all along. They’ve sounded ready for a while to make a full-length debut. They still sound that way.
Immediate bonus points to Richmond, Virginia’s Book of Wyrms for titling a track on their full-length debut “Infinite Walrus,” but with the Garrett Morris-recorded tones they proffer with the seven-song/53-minute Sci-Fi/Fantasy (on Twin Earth Records), they don’t really need bonus points. The five-piece of vocalist Sarah Moore Lindsey, six-stringers Kyle Lewis and Ben Coudriet, bassist Jay Lindsey and drummer Chris DeHaven mostly avoid the sounding-like-Windhand trap through stretches of upbeat tempo, theremin and other noise flourish, and harmonies on guitar, but they’re never far from an undercurrent of doom, as opener “Leatherwing Bat” establishes and the long ambient midsection and subsequent nod of centerpiece “Nightbong” is only too happy to reinforce. “All Hallows Eve” gets a little cliché with its samples, but the dueling leads on 11-minute closer “Sourwolf” and included keyboard noise ensure proper distinction and mark Book of Wyrms as having come into their first long-player with a definite plan of action, which finds them doing well as a showcase of potential and plenty immersive in the here and now.
Despite the sort of cross-cultural ritualism of its cover art, Oxblood Forge’s self-titled debut EP has only the firmest of ideas where it’s coming from. The Whitman, Massachusetts-based five-piece boasts former Ichabod vocalist Ken MacKay as well as bassist Greg Dellaria from that band, and guitarist Robb Lioy (also in Four Speed Fury with MacKay) alongside guitarist Josh Howard and drummer Chris Capen, and in a coherent, vigilantly straightforward five-tracker they touch on aggressive fare in “Lashed to the Mast” as their Northeastern regionalism would warrant – we’re all very angry here; it’s the weather – and demonstrate a knack for hooks in “Inferno” and “Sister Midnight,” the latter blending screams and almost Torche-style melodies over clam chowder riffing before closer “Storm of Crows” opens foreboding with Dellaria’s bass and moves into the short release’s nastiest fare, MacKay sticking to harsher vocals as on the earlier “Night Crawler,” but in a darker instrumental context. They set a range here, and might be feeling things out in terms of working together as this band, but given the personnel involved and their prior familiarity with each other, it’s hard to imagine that if a follow-up is in the offing it’ll be all that long before it arrives. Consider notice served.
Ukrainian trio The Heavy Crawls set out as a duo called just The Crawls and released a self-titled debut in 2013 that was picked up in 2015 by ultra-respected German imprint Nasoni Records. Under the new moniker, they get another stab at a first album with the 10-track/42-minute classic rocker The Heavy Crawls, the three-piece of founding guitarist/bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Max Tovstyi, drummer Inessa Joger and keyboardist/vocalist/percussionist Iryna Malyshevska evoking spirited boogie and comfortable groove on “She Said I Had to Wait” and the handclap-stomping “Girl from America.” Elements of garage rock show up on “Too Much Rock ‘n’ Roll” and the soul-swinging “I Had to Get Away,” but The Heavy Crawls are more interested in establishing a flow than being showy or brash, and the payoff for that comes in eight-minute closer “Burns Me from Inside,” which stretches out the jamming sensibility that earlier pieces like the organ-laced “One of a Kind” and the staccato “Friday, 13th” seem to be driving toward. Some growing to undertake, but the pop aspect in The Heavy Crawls’ songcraft provides intrigue, and their (second) debut shows a righteous commitment to form without losing its identity to it.
vocalist Jesse Mackowycz, guitarist Chris Coleiro and drummer Adam Saitti are united in their purpose toward both sides of the style in which they reside — they’re heavy and they rock — but there is more character in their delivery and songwriting than a simple aping of genre tropes would imply. Truth is there always has been, but the John Critchley recording and Greg Dawson mix — the latter crucial since it brings a harder edge to the presentation than the band has had previously — as well as the fresh take on groove of Saitti and Mackowycz, who are both new to the band as of this record, creates a combination of elements that seems to bring it all together such that by the time Angela Neatby of well-kept-Québecois-secret Muffler Crunch sits in alongside Kole on vocals for “Please, Please” after the first four cuts, the very arrangement of the album itself becomes part of the richness that continues to grow as “Sweet Black Angel” rolls out languid after.
