The new album by Portland-based heavy rockers Ape Machine, Mangled by the Machine, was released May 14 on Ripple Music. Next Friday, the band starts a run of shows alongside Greek riffers Nightstalker (new video here) that includes a stop June 1 at the Freak Valley fest.

Kudos to the band for getting out and getting their passports together and all the rest of it. Mangled by the Machine is available to stream following the PR wire info below, courtesy of the Ripple Music Bandcamp:

APE MACHINE Gearing Up For European Tour

Portland, Oregon heavy rockers APE MACHINE are set to kick a 13-date trek across Europe next week in support of their newest release, Mangled by the Machine.

The tour, which begins on Friday, May 31st in Münster and includes an appearance at the Freak Valley Festival (June 1st in Netphen - www.freakvalley.de) will see APE MACHINE providing direct support for Small Stone recording artists NIGHTSTALKER. Tour dates are as follows:

MAY 31st – Münster @ Rare Guitar
JUNE 1st – Netphen @ Freak Valley Festival
JUNE 2nd – Antwerpen @ Antwerpen Music City
JUNE 4th – Paris @ Glazart
JUNE 5th – Leuven @ Rockbar
JUNE 6th – Aachen @ Wild Rover
JUNE 7th – Hasselt @ Carpe Diem
JUNE 8th – Würzburg @ Immerhin
JUNE 9th – Salzburg @ Rockhouse
JUNE 11th – St. Gallen @ Rümpeltum
JUNE 12th – Feldkirch @ Graf Hugo
JUNE 13th – Erfurt @ Stadtgarten
JUNE 14th – Berlin @ Dazzle Berlin

Mangled by the Machine was released on May 14th via Ripple Music. This already critically-acclaimed album was immediately made available on CD, black vinyl and digital formats. Earlier this week, Ripple Music issued a limited edition (100 copies only) Splatter Vinyl that comes with a signed poster of the album’s original cover concept. To order, visit ripplemusic.bigcartel.com.

A conceptual album that mixes animal aggression and technical precision, APE MACHINE’s Mangled by the Machine carries an organic depth and warmth rarely heard since the time of rock’s glorious early years, and infused with an exceptional modern sensibility. When the pissed-off, protest-minded lyrics lock in with the band’s stone-cold groove, APE MACHINE demonstrates an earth-shaking ability to rock. A true four-piece, the group has been called real heavy-psych for the iPhone generation that delivers true guts and glory rock and roll. Mangled by the Machine will be available as CD, digital, and vinyl releases. For Fans of: Quicksand, Led Zeppelin, The Sword, Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Jethro Tull, and The Rival Sons.

Ape Machine, Mangled by the Machine (2013)

Well, this is good news:

RED FANG ANNOUNCE THIRD STUDIO ALBUM OUT THIS FALL VIA RELAPSE RECORDS

RED FANG return this fall with their as-yet-untitled third studio album on Relapse Records. The Portland-based group is currently in the studio finishing the disc with the producer Chris Funk (Decemberists) and mixer Vance Powell (White Stripes, Raconteurs, Kings of Leon). This same team worked on RED FANG’s last album Murder the Mountains, tagged by NPR as “a sleeker style of riff-heavy metal” (April 2011) and Alternative Press magazine as “a near masterpiece of tangled tar pit riffs and whisky-and-bong-hit vocals” (April 2011).

“We’re hyper excited about this new album. The basic tracks are like rabid monkeys we’re wrangling at Type Foundry in our hometown of Portland, OR. Producer Chris Funk has almost been amputated twice. Surprise guests abound! We’re in the final moments before all systems are go on this sucker. Dig people!” -Red Fang

On Friday, May 24th, RED FANG will head to the picturesque Gorge Amphitheater outside Seattle for their first festival appearance this year at Sasquatch! The band will then hit the road for European trek through mid July with festival stops at Sonisphere, Download, Hellfest, Reload, Full Force, Open Air and Eistenaflug among others. Expect the group to announce a full U.S. run for late summer.

Formed in 2005, RED FANG–Bryan Giles (Guitar/Vocals), Aaron Beam (Bass/Vocals), David Sullivan (Guitar), John Sherman (Drums)–has two albums under their belt: their 2009 self-titled debut on Sargent House and 2011’s Murder the Mountains on Relapse Records. Listen to both of the above albums streaming on www.redfang.bandcamp.com.

The band spent the past few years touring the world and wining over audiences at clubs and festivals like All Tomorrow’s Parties, Rock on the Range, Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival and Metallica’s Orion Music & More Fest. After more high-profile tours with Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan, Helmet, Saint Vitus and more, the band expanded their global footprint with a European trek and festival appearances across the continent. 2013 promises to be the biggest year yet for the Portland, OR-based group who show no signs of slowing down. Their intense live performances–along with their unique brand of humor, catchy songwriting and independent attitude–are sure to turn a few heads in 2013 and beyond.

Red Fang, Murder the Mountains (2011)

Taking the well-honed darkness of Atriarch‘s 2011 debut, Forever the End (review here), to someplace entirely more goth and dramatic, the 2012 sophomore outing, Ritual of Passing, intrigued both in concept and execution, and found the Portland act discovering their niche within not only their own severely crowded scene, but also the wider sphere of the heavy underground. Released on CD by Profound Lore last October, Ritual of Passing is also out now in vinyl issue through Seventh Rule Recordings, which is the impetus behind the tour. See how everything ties together?

Here’s the info:

ATRIARCH West Coast shows…

5/22 Thee Parkside San Francisco, CA W/ Wild Hunt, Lycus, Caffa
5/23 The Catalyst Atrium Santa Cruz, CA W/ Gloam
5/24 Five Star Bar Los Angeles, CA W/ Lightning Swords of Death, Usnea, Deathkings
5/25 924 Gilman Berkeley, CA W/ Worm Ouroboros, Sutekh Hexen, Gloam
6/5 White Owl Portland, OR

Atriarch, “Parasite” from Ritual of Passing

Portland metallers Lord Dying will debut on Relapse July 9 with the full-length Summon the Faithless. The record follows a 2011 demo and some hard touring alongside the likes of Witch Mountain and Down and is now available for preorder at the link below.

Today the band also unveiled the album’s tracklisting and Death-esque cover art (click to enlarge) and a video trailer, sent down the PR wire for all to see and be steamrolled by:

LORD DYING: Reveal Debut Album Details

Album Out July 9th on Relapse Records

LORD DYING come from Portland, Oregon, a place over abundant with purveyors of the heavy riff.  A region where the inhabitants are plagued with nerve and joint damage due to lack of sunlight. In a time where everyone is trying to out-sludge or out-doom each other LORD DYING gives something less than a fuck. They are a metal band with members of Black Elk , Portals, Le Force, and Damn Your Eyes, who in their short, one year’s time as a band have shared the stage with Down, Unsane, Yob, Valient Thorr, Black Cobra and many others.

The band recently completed work on their debut Summon the Faithless.  The album is set for release July 9th via Relapse Records.  The album will be available in CD, LP and digital formats.  The album is available for pre-order HERE.

After releasing a self-titled EP in 7″ form, the dudes kicked it up a notch, heading out on national tours with Witch Mountain followed by a long trek with label-mates Red Fang and Black Tusk.  Fast forward to 2013 and LORD DYING are poised to be the new heavyweight champions of metal.  Smashing the riffs of High On Fire into the groove of Kylesa, LORD DYING have delivered one of the most impressive metal debuts in a long, long time.  A young band that has matured well beyond their years into a fully developed titanic heavy metal machine, LORD DYING’s new album is poised to be one of the best debuts of 2013.

Look for a summer tour to be announced shortly.

Summon the Faithless Tracklisting:
1)    In a Frightened State of Gnawed Dismemberment
2)    Summoning the Faithless
3)    Greed is Your Horse
4)    Descend Into External
5)    Dreams of Mercy
6)    Perverse Osmosis
7)    Water Under a Burning Bridge
8)    What is Not…is

LORD DYING Live:
May 23 Seattle, WA Chop Suey w/ Glose, Tacos!

For More Info Visit:
https://www.facebook.com/LordDying
http://lorddying.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/Lorddying
http://instagram.com/lorddying#
http://www.relapse.com/

Lord Dying, Summon the Faithless album trailer

The language in the description below is a little hyperbolic, but the track “Darkside” below from Dark‘s Dark Round the Edges 1972 private press heavy psych full-length speaks for itself. To the best of my knowledge, the UK outfit never released another album, but this one was reissued in 2002 by Akarma as well, so this isn’t the first time someone has found it deserving of another look. The passionate party behind the latest version is Portland, Oregon-based Machu Picchu Records, which currently has Dark Round the Edges up for pre-order and will ship CDs and vinyl upon the official June 25 release date.

Info, links and music:

DARK – “DARK ROUND THE EDGES” LP/CD

NOW TAKING ORDERS – SHIPPING ON JUNE 25, 2013

One of THEE greatest guitar-heavy psych records in the world, “Dark Round the Edges”was originally issued in an edition of around 50 copies, mostly for friends, family, and the odd record company. Its reputation has since blossomed into something resembling a redwood, or perhaps an original Van Gogh. This album is the holy grail for lovers of fuzz-driven hard rock, and has been the most sought-after privately pressed LP on the planet.

We’ve spared no expense to bring you the deluxe reissue of this classic, an album be- loved by heads & cosmic couriers around the world for its great songwriting, terrific instrumental workouts, and mysterious vibe. ZERO TIME IS NOW.

•Officially licensed by Dark, who will receive royalties from sales of this album

•Remastered and restored by Warren Defever for maximum brilliance

•Sleeve notes by the group’s songwriter and guitarist Steve Giles, including a complete group history

•Sleeved in a tip-on gatefold jacket, with an expanded version of the original booklet – 20 pages of lyrics and never before seen photos from the group’s personal archives

http://machupicchurecords.com/

Dark, “Darkside” from Dark Round the Edges (1972)

I’m all for bands recording as much as possible and releasing it themselves, and I’m all for warts-and-all live bootlegs, so it’s no big surprise that when it comes to Beaverton, Oregon’s Doomsower and their first official bootleg, Upon an Obsidian Throne, I’m right on board with the proceedings. The doomly rocking three-piece manage to sneak four songs into the half-hour set, which was recorded earlier this year at the second annual Ceremony of Sludge, put on by the folks at Captain Couch Records at The Alleyway in Portland, and yeah, it’s pretty raw-sounding, but so was Doomsower‘s 1974 full-length (review here), so even for being bare-bones, Upon an Obsidian Throne is at very least consistent.

More importantly, it’s also comprised completely of what I assume is new material written since the release of 1974 – well, maybe not completely, since it starts out with a nod to “War Pigs” and that’s definitely older — and the songs feel suitably developed from the analog-minded lurch-and-groove of the album, whether it’s the bizarre, droning course of “Astoria,” which might actually be more than one song, or the riffed-out chorus to “Shrine of the Timber Gods.” I’ll give “Troll Hunter” best title, and though like a lot of bootlegs you kind of have to adjust your ear to the sound of it, Upon an Obsidian Throne winds up well worth the effort, sounding on the proto-metal shuffle of “Magic Bullet” like it’s just begging for a tape release. Or, for that matter, a tape trade.

Obviously I don’t know whether these four songs will appear on Doomsower‘s next studio offering or not, but taken on its own level, Upon an Obsidian Throne gives a decent showing of where the three-piece might be headed, blending brash heavy rock and crunchier doomed passages to something engagingly heavy and a little dangerous at the same time. In hopes of getting to know it better and maybe spreading the word a bit, I’ve made it the Add of the Week for The Obelisk Radio, so you can hear it in rotation as part of that playlist, as well as download it from the player below, which comes directly courtesy of the Doomsower Bandcamp. Either way, please enjoy.

Doomsower, Upon an Obsidian Throne (2013)

Portland-based sludge destroyers Lord Dying will release their debut album on Relapse Records this summer. As the band proved when they came East last summer with Witch Mountain (review here), they are viciously heavy and apparently ready to put in even more road time, so the forthcoming should be one to look forward to. Keep your eyes open for a release date and more info to come, but here’s some background and upcoming shows courtesy of the PR wire:

LORD DYING Complete Work on Relapse Records Debut – Announce Regional Shows

LORD DYING come from Portland, Oregon, a place over abundant with purveyors of the heavy riff. A region where the inhabitants are plagued with nerve and joint damage due to lack of sunlight. In a time where everyone is trying to out-sludge or out-doom each other LORD DYING gives something less than a fuck. They are a metal band with members of Black Elk , Portals, Le Force, and Cremains, who in their short, one year’s time as a band have shared the stage with Unsane, Yob, Valient Thorr, Black Cobra and many others.

After releasing a self-titled EP in 7″ form, the dudes kicked it up a notch, heading out on national tours with Witch Mountain followed by a long trek with label-mates Red Fang and Black Tusk. Fast forward to 2013 and LORD DYING are poised to be the new heavyweight champions of metal. Smashing the riffs of High On Fire into the groove of Kylesa, LORD DYING have delivered one of the most impressive metal debuts in a long, long time. A young band that has matured well beyond their years into a fully developed titanic heavy metal machine, LORD DYING’s new album, set for a summer release on Relapse Records, is poised to be one of the best debuts of 2013.

The band commented on completing their debut:

“We recently finished work on an offering of pummeling riffs and all things metal and we couldn’t be happier with it. So crack a brew, bang your head, and enjoy.”

LORD DYING has select dates scheduled in the coming weeks; look for more shows including a national tour to be added soon.

LORD DYING Live:
April 6 Seattle, WA at Sunset Tavern w/ The Anunnaki and Stoneburner
April 20 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios w/ Floor, Norska, Black Pussy, Hot Victory
May 2 Olympia, WA McCoy’s Tavern w/ Helms Alee, Federation X
May 23 Seattle, WA Chop Suey w/ Glose, Tacos!

Lord Dying, 2012 Fall Tour EP

For anyone who heard Portland, Oregon, four-piece Diesto‘s 2010 sophomore full-length, High as the Sun (review here), the new track “Arrows” is going to be something of a culture shock. Sure, that album had its moments of righteously heavy crunch — “Waiting for the Fall” comes immediately to mind, but there were others — but at 4:40, “Arrows” is two minutes-plus shorter than everything the last record had to offer, and it uses its time to altogether more extreme ends, casting off some of the cleaner incantations in favor of abrasive yells set to churning riffs and impressively dueling modern solos.

Whether it’s a side-step or evident of a lasting shift in Diesto‘s approach will have to wait for their next LP to be seen — that is, they’re by no means limited to one sonic idea and they seem like a creative enough outfit to know it — but the tight, effective lurch of “Arrows” features on a new Eolian Empire compilation. Dubbed Keep Our Heads: Heavy Vibes from Portland, Oregon, it brings together a whopping 26 bands — Norska, Crag Dweller, Gaytheist, Lord Dying, Towers, and so on — to showcase not only the heaviness that’s thriving in Portland’s underground, but the many different faces that heaviness shows.

In that effort, few bands sum up the idea as well as Diesto, who both crawl and blast within the relatively brief span of “Arrows.” Doubtless Eolian Empire – helmed now by members of the also-included Rabbits (they of the creative postage) — had that in mind in having them take part in Keep Our Heads, but they’re just one of many in the impressive assemblage. The full tracklisting and more info on the release can be found under the player below. Keep Our Heads: Heavy Vibes from Portland, Oregon is due out on a limited tape run May 1.

Please enjoy “Arrows,” by Diesto:

Contrary to the plodding dreary doom their name might imply, Portland, Oregon’s Crag Dweller get down — and I do mean get down – with classic proto-heavy shuffle and spontaneous blues shred on their late-2012 debut full-length, Magic Dust, resulting in a collection that might draw one to conclusions about which magic dust they were talking about were it not all so soaked in booze. The trio of guitarist/vocalist Richard Vivarelli, bassist/vocalist Clifton Martin and drummer Travis Clow boogie hard enough on the first couple tracks that it seems like the wheels are about to come off, but their stomp has only just begun its full reveal.

Their songs are familiar as much as they’re endearing, but they’re more the latter, and Crag Dweller – one might recognize the cover art style of Adam Burke from his work with Ice Dragon and his own band, fellow Portlanders Fellwoods – do right to allow their audience little time to stop and think. The opening “Chrononaut” on Magic Dust and “So Far, So Good, So What…” both get underway in hurry-we-gotta-go-this-way-right-now fashion, barely stopping to show off how catchy they actually are before rushing through to the next part, the next groove, the next swaggering lead. Martin‘s bass tone, well, it’s just right. He opens “Chrononaut” at a creep and “The Gate” with immediate swing, and there as well as running alongside the piano on “Gotta Have It” and the organ (if not, that’s a nifty guitar effect) that shows up in the unspeakable groove toward the end of “Chrononaut,” his presence oppositeVivarelli’s guitar bolsters the songs more than just saying so implies.

Ditto that for Clow as well, since if all three members weren’t on board, the energy in “Gotta Have It” or the brashness of “True Believer” would fall flat, which they most certainly don’t. The good news? Crag Dweller recorded Magic Dust live. The bad news? Nothing I can think of except for the fact that they’re on the other side of the country. There’s no letup in the pocket groove of “Madness” or the start-stop funk at the heart of closer “Motel Burnout,” and as much as I love a CD issue, Magic Dust seems like it’s just itching for someone to pick it up as a vinyl release. After digging this and the 2012 demo that preceded it with some of the same tracks, I’m inclined to hope for the band’s sake that it happens soon.

If you’re in California this coming weekend, Crag Dweller have shows in Chico, Eureka and San Francisco, and they’re back in Portland for a gig April 5. More details are that their Bandcamp page, from whence I also swiped this player:

Just when you thought you might get through April without buying yet another record, here come Portland-by-way-of-Providence malevolent doomers The Body with a new EP. The duo-plus will deliver their latest work, Master, We Perish, through the venerable At a Loss Recordings on April 30 — which is sure to be a dark day for humanity and a good day for the doomed.

The PR wire has the grim and gory details:

THE BODY: New Scourge From Apocalyptic Duo Set For Release Via At A Loss

In an ongoing pilgrimage towards the apocalypse and perpetual hatred for humankind, earthmoving doom duo THE BODY will dispense their latest scourge upon the masses in the coming weeks.

The newest wave of abhorrence from the nomadic family, Master, We Perish shows THE BODY’s nihilistic audio terror ever-forward with three new tunes sure to cause birds to fall from the sky and traumatize nonbelievers, once again recorded at Providence, Rhode Island-based Machines With Magnets (Battles, Daughters, Lightning Bolt, Chinese Stars). Blackened bursts of noise-drenched, low-fi doom are fueled by percussionist Lee Buford’s hypnotic, tribal rhythms via thunderous macaroni drums, the melee infiltrated by guitarist/vocalist Chip King’s penetrating vocal screech. The clan also recruited Leslie Weitz (Otesanek), Chrissy Wolpert (Assembly Of Light Choir) and Reba Mitchell (Whore Paint) for vocal contributions throughout the torrid endeavor adding an array of eerie dynamics to the songs. Saddened confessions of mental anguish are ended with a pump of a shotgun, a sludgy foreshadowing of the coming explosion of tortured screams. Feedback and noise erupt into the slow crush and the bellowing of an end to beliefs and an end to these truths…

With mangled-human cover art by Manifester, Master, We Perish is to be released as a 12” EP, CDEP, cassette and digital download on April 30th. The new hymns are to be disbursed once again by At A Loss Recordings, the group who also claimed responsibility for previous attacks from THE BODY including last year’s reissue of the band’s self-titled LP, their collaborative release with Braveyoung, and most notoriously, their revered and feared 2010-released All The Waters Of The Earth Turns To Blood. Preorders of all formats are available here.

Stay tuned to your trusted media sources for further updates as transmissions from THE BODY and their latest endtime message are broadcasted in the coming weeks.

Master, We Perish Track Listing:
1. The Ebb And Flow Of Tides In A Sea Of Ash
2. The Blessed Lay Down And Writhe In Agony
3. Worship

Unless you work at The Onion or are on-set editing new episodes of Arrested Development, this is probably the cleverest thing you’re going to see today. Portland, Oregon’s Rabbits last year made a release called Flexihead in honor of Record Store Day. It’s a postcard on one side and on the other is a playable record with two opposing covers — Minor Threat‘s “Straight Edge” and Black Flag‘s “Wasted.”

As if the pairing of those two tracks wasn’t enough — notice “Wasted” comes after “Straight Edge” — the manner of presentation for Flexihead is what makes it. They even went so far as to include a Dorothy Parker quote on the back. The cleverness is pervasive. Check it out:

They only made 250 copies of the 5″ x 7″ postcard, so I felt lucky to get one, and I’ll honestly say that in the whole of my music connection — by no means the world’s largest archive of riffs, but by no means inconsiderable at this point — Flexihead is a one of a kind. Here’s a closer look at the Coke vs. Coors Light art by Kevin Abell:

Now for the big question: Does it play? Not on my turntable it sure doesn’t. I gave it a couple shots and after that decided I didn’t want to either break the arm on my record player or damage the postcard anymore than shipping already had, bent corners and such. Fortunately others had better luck, and the tracks can be heard below, or at the Rabbits Bandcamp, if you’d prefer something even less of the physical realm:

Feel free to applaud the ingenuity of Rabbits on Thee Facebooks

…And it looks like they’re not coming back. Can’t say I blame them, what with the social safety net, centuries of cultural richness, and Scandinavian riffing, but even so, wow, this is the longest list of tour dates I’ve seen in a while.

Good for Red Fang and all, but with so many cities and countries being stormed, one has to wonder how on earth they’re going to have time to get a follow-up out to 2011′s excellent Murder the Mountains. Guess we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, there isn’t one part of this that doesn’t bleed its excellence:

Red Fang European Summer 2013 Tour Dates Announced!

May 31 Madrid, ES Auditorio Miguel Rios, Sonisphere
June 01 Barcelona ES Parc del forum,Sonisphere
June 04 Athens, Greece Gagarin 205
June 05 Thessaloniki , Greece Eightball
June 06 Istanbul , Turkey TBA
June 08 Kiev, Ukraine Bingo
June 09 St. Petersburg,Russia Zal Oghidania
June 10 Moscow, Russia Plan B
June 11 Krasnodar, Russia Arena
June 12 Rostov, Russia Podzemka
June 13 Murg-Oberhof , GER Cafe Verkehrt
June 14 Interlaken,Switzerland Greenfield
June 15 Sliedrecht,Netherlands Elektra Tuinfest
June 16 Donnington, UK Download
June 17 Belfast, Northern Ireland Limelight
June 18. Ireland, Dublin Whelans
June 19 Bristol, UK The Fleece
June 20 Jaworzno, Poland Metalfest
June 21 Geneve,Switzerland Fête De La Musique
June 22 Clisson FR Hellfest
June 23 Gigors et Lozeron FR Gigors Electric
June 25 Rome , IT Traffic
June 26 Milano , IT Solo Macello
June 27 Salzburg , Austria Rock House Bar
June 28 Roitschzjora, GER Full Force Festival
June 29 Osnabrück, GER Bastard Club
June 30 Dessel , Belgium Graspop Metal Meeting
July 02 Eindhoven, Netherlands Effenaar
July 03 Marburg GER KFZ
July 04 Bochum GER Matrix
July 05 Sulingen GER Relaod Festival
July 06 Bingen GER Bingener Open Air
July 09 Feldkirch, Austria Poolbar Feldkirch
July 10 Esslingen, GER Komma
July 13 Neskaupstadur, Iceland Eistnaflug Festival

I remember when YOB‘s 2000 demo got re-released in 2009, I held off buying it. My thinking was that sooner or later the thing would show up on CD and I didn’t need to shell out for the vinyl, which, well, wasn’t a format I wanted to deal with anyway. Sure, YOB occupy a slot on my ever-rotating list of favoritist favorite bands, but what was the point in buying a copy of their demo on vinyl and feeling stupid later when I finally got it on the CD I wanted in the first place?

Well, the point turned out to be that there was no CD coming. Probably I could’ve asked someone and found that out, or done even the most cursory level of research and found out that Raven’s Eye Records, the label run by the artist Sean Schock (also of Geistus and H.C. Minds), wasn’t doing a CD pressing and that once the vinyl run was gone, that was it. That the label, like the band, was based in Eugene, Oregon, and that even in this day of interwebular immediacy, it might not be so easy to come by. But yeah, I didn’t do that research or ask anyone if a CD was coming. Hey, it was 2009. I was busy not having a job.

YOB‘s demo retreated to that place in my mind that holds the list of music I should pick up at some point. I guess half of me was still holding out hope that a compact disc release would come along sooner or later, and it just took that long for me to finally resign myself to the fact that one wasn’t, but at long last, I snagged a copy of the 12″ version on eBay late last year. It was my Xmas present to myself, a little something to get me through the cold months. Calling it a treat in such a manner didn’t really take away from the fact that I was a stubborn dumbass for not buying it in the first place, but it did give that all-too-familiar feeling of dumbassery a nicer frame than it usually gets.

The package showed up a couple weeks back. Not exactly timely for the holidays, but whatever. I was still happy to see it, except for the fact that at this point, I own two turntables and neither of them works. So yeah, after three-plus years, I decided to buy YOB‘s very first demo — three tracks, “Silence,” “Revolution” and “Dogma,” coupled with a live recording of a song called “White Doom” recorded in 2005 at CD World in Eugene, pressed up with artwork by Brian Mercer – and I don’t have a way to play it.

One of these days, I’m gonna hear this fuckin’ thing. “Revolution” is up on the YouTubes, so that’s easy enough to check out, but hearing how different it is from the version that appeared two years later on YOB‘s 2002 12th Records debut full-length, Elaborations of Carbon, does little more than tantalize and make me want to listen to the other tracks. I’m sure it’s up for download somewhere, but screw that. I’ve waited this long, I can keep on staring at the LP sleeve until one of the two turntables — which are stacked one on top of the other with posters on top, for that extra touch of class — is repaired or a third is acquired. Patience has always been one of my stronger qualities.

YOB, “Revolution” Demo

The expansion of Ripple Music continues unabated with the addition of Portland, Oregon’s Ape Machine to the roster. Ape Machine have two records out and Ripple‘s lined up to handle the third, reportedly dubbed Mangled by the Machine. That’s out soon, and in the meantime, sink your teeth into the weighty info below:

APE MACHINE Signs Worldwide Deal With Ripple Music

RIPPLE MUSIC is proud to announce the signing of acclaimed, hard-hitting American heavy rockers, APE MACHINE to their ever-expanding roster!

The band’s third album, Mangled by the Machine, is set for worldwide release on RIPPLE MUSIC in the coming months as the band takes off to plow over the masses on a full-scale European Tour, including appearances in all the major heavy rock festivals.

APE MACHINE commented yesterday upon the new alliance; “We are very excited to be a part of the Ripple family and to work with one of the most genuine heavy rock labels in the world! It’s clear that these guys don’t compromise in terms of putting out creative music and are true believers of heavy rock. The variety of bands and the sheer quality of music they’ve released speaks for itself. We’re very honored that our music earned its place among their ranks!”

APE MACHINE have established a worldwide reputation with their effortless blending of Rock n’ Roll, Blues, Stoner-Rock, and Psychedelia. APE MACHINE is out to pound the apathy out of otherwise jaded listeners with a wall of heavy Rock n’ Roll. The name APE MACHINE is a nod to the days of reel-to-reel magnetic tape audio recording; a fitting moniker for the heavy-hitting quartet as the band plays through vintage tube amplifiers and lays down its songs using exclusively throwback quality studio equipment. With a heady mix of animal aggression and technical precision, APE MACHINE’s music carries an organic depth and warmth rarely heard since the time of rock’s glorious early years (or your Dad’s bad ass record collection) infused with an exceptional modern sensibility. When the mystical lyrics of vocalist Caleb Heinze lock in with the band’s stone-cold groove, APE MACHINE demonstrates an earth-shaking ability to rock. A true four-piece, the group has been called “a rock and roll band with a finger on the pulse of the 70′s and their asses firmly in the present” and “real heavy-psych for the iPhone generation” that delivers “true guts and glory rock and roll.”

Keeping in line with their proud “retro” heritage, the new album, Mangled by the Machine, was recorded on analog tape and is being pressed from analog lacquers and plates, which will ensure the highest quality analog sound and fidelity.

With a catalog of underground releases, APE MACHINE has gained accolades, awards and a hard earned cult-like status. They have established themselves as the go-to band for those searching out more than just a few killer riffs; a foundation of heavy that will flourish under the Ripple Music banner.

I recall digging Fellwoods‘ 2011 album, Wulfram, when they released it under their prior moniker, The Moss (review here), so it seems only natural to engage the follow-up, a 2013 EP called Gyromancer, which you’ll find above. The creepy, riffy Portland foursome have been playing shows and kicking around since the full-length — they also had a split with Ice Dragon out last year — and the new release seems to take the analog doom ethic to newfound sci-fi weirdness. Observe the concept, hoisted from their Bandcamp page:

This album tells the tale of an endangered civilization who has known for centuries that it’s home planet will suffer catastrophe as it is slowly sucked into a massive black hole. Plying all their planetary resources, they create a gargantuan spacecraft/arc capable of sustained deep space travel. They plot a course to another viable solar system, and escape just as their planet is being torn apart. Attempting to utilize the black hole’s herculean gravitational energy to propel them on their journey, they are accidentally captured in its grasp and must enter it’s dark and unknown depths. While there they encounter a traveler, The Gyromancer, who holds the secret to their salvation. Enjoy!

Sold.

It’s a good cap for what was a busy week, between trying to bang out the Neurosis review and the Corrections House review earlier and the Graveyard review today and still try to get a record or two in as well, but what the hell. There’s next week for other stuff. I’m gonna do what I can when I can and let the rest work itself out. It may or may not, but ultimately there’s little I can do to put more hours in the day.

This weekend, The Patient Mrs. and I head north to Massachusetts once more to look at a handful of houses for purchasing and subsequent residing in. Would be cool to find a place, especially since we’re still way ahead of actually needing to be up there for the start of the fall semester when she starts teaching, but I try not to hold my breath with that stuff. Too easy for things to fall through. While we’re up there, though, I’m gonna try to get out to see the recently-reviewed Gozu in Allston on Saturday. There’s family doings in Connecticut beforehand, but we’ll see. I’ve got my fingers crossed we get up there in time and I’m not completely dead to the world from the trip.

If I do get out to that, I’ll review next week, and also to come are writeups for New Keepers of the Water Towers and Helen Money, both of whom have fascinating new albums up for release. I’ll also have an interview with Pittsburgh’s Low Man and whatever news, videos, etc. come my way. I’ve been trying to stay on top of that as much as I can — it still nags at me that I only just now put up the news that Lord Dying signed to Relapse up, speaking of Portland bands — so hopefully it’s been of some use along the way. We’re coming up on four years of The Obelisk next week too, so I’ll probably take a minute out to mark that occasion, much as it is one mostly to me.

Special thanks to everyone who’s bought a Clamfight CD so far. If that’s not you, please feel free to rectify the situation.

Hope you dig the Fellwoods above, and that whatever your plans, you have a great and safe weekend. I’ll be running back and forth, but I’ll check in on the forum too, so if you’re around, please say hi or why you’re looking forward to the Clutch record, or whatever else might come to your mind (seems to me we’re due for a good trolling, hmm…), and otherwise I’ll be back in front of the keyboard on Monday with more zany shenanigans.