Posted in Whathaveyou on May 21st, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
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.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 20th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
Richmond doom cultists Windhand made their debut on Relapse Records earlier this year in the form of the Reflection of the Negative split with fellow Virginians Cough, with whom they now share bassist Parker Chandler. Their 2011 self-titled debut came out on Forcefield Records (was streamed here) and they’ve now announced that the follow-up sophomore outing, also their solo debut on Relapse, is finished and will be out this fall.
They previously announced a round of dates for June that I suspect is the first of many to come, and all that info, plus the tour poster, can be found right below this very line. No, seriously, it’s there. Just scroll down. Hell, you probably don’t even need to. Just look. I promise it’s there:
WINDHAND: Complete New Album
Map Out Summer Tour
In 2012, backwoods psychedelic doom band Windhand released their self-titled LP & it was met with critical acclaim.The band is putting the finishing touches on their second LP for Relapse, due out this fall, which was recorded & mixed by the band’s own Garrett Morris at The Darkroom & mastered by James Plotkin, in their hometown of Richmond, VA. The band will trek across North America this summer ushering their audiences into their menacing grooves & showcasing songs from their upcoming album.
About Windhand Formed in 2009, Richmond, VA’s Windhand (Asechiah Bogdan – Guitar, Parker Chandler – Bass, Dorthia Cottrell – Vocals, Garrett Morris – Guitar, and Ryan Wolfe – Drums) play what has been described as a tinnitus inducing mix of eerie psychedelia and haunting ambient doom. 2012 saw the release of their critically acclaimed, self-titled debut LP via Forcefield Records. A subsequent heavy dose of East Coast touring followed, culminating with a four week U.S. tour in August of that year.
Tour 06/05 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar 06/06 – Philadelphia, PA – Golden Tea House 06/07 – Brooklyn, NY – St. Vitus Bar 06/08 – Providence, RI – AS220 ! 06/09 – Boston, MA – O’Brien’s 06/10 – Cherry Valley, NY – Steve’s Koi Pond 06/11 – Buffalo, NY – Vault Art Space 06/12 – Pittsburgh, PA – Gooski’s 06/13 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups 06/14 – Chicago, IL – Ultra Lounge 06/15 – St. Paul, MN – The Turf Club 06/16 – Milwaukee, WI – Quarter’s Rock n Roll 06/17 – Indianapolis, IN – The Sinking Ship # 06/18 – Newport, KY – South Gate Revival House 06/19 -Nashville, TN – The End % 06/20 – Knoxville, TN – The Pilot Light % 06/21 – Raleigh, NC – Slim’s $ 06/22 – Richmond, VA – Strange Matter $
! = w/ Elder and Morne # = w/ Skeletonwitch % = w/ Generation of Vipers $ = w/ Inter Arma
Windhand & Cough, Reflection of the Negative Split (2013)
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 15th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
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-orderHERE.
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!
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 2nd, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
The Fleshland will be the fourth album overall and the Relapse Records debut from destructive Japanese bashers Coffins, who’ve filled the time since their 2008 Buried Death full-length by sharing splits with Hooded Menace, Sourvein, Stormcrow and a host of others. Relapse has pre-orders up for the album (link below) and a trailer has been unveiled containing what I assume is just a flash of the nastiness the record is sure to contain.
Says the PR wire:
COFFINS: Japanese Death/Doom Monarchs Announce Details To Debut Relapse LP
The massively anticipated fourth LP from Japan’s death/doom metal kings COFFINS will finally arrive this Summer in the form of The Fleshland, the band’s maiden LP under the banner of Relapse Records.
The Fleshland will be the first proper studio album from COFFINS since their commended Buried Death album, released by 20 Buck Spin in 2008, undoubtedly making it one of the most awaited death/doom albums of 2013. Recorded late 2012/early 2013 at Tokyo’s Noise Room Studio with engineer Shigenori Kobayashi, and produced by Bungo Uchino and the rest of COFFINS, The Fleshland shows the revamped and expanded band lineup smashing down everything in their path, having upped the lineup from a trio to a quartet with a new drummer and full-time vocalist since Buried Death. Nine grisly numbers thunder with the unbeatable mid-paced COFFINS stomp, laying down over forty-five minutes of bruising low-end sludge-infiltrated, plodding doom with possibly the best production values in the band’s meaty catalog of carnage.
Relapse will roll out The Fleshland via CD, download and mammoth 2xLP, the bloodsoaked opus now locked for a North American release date of July 9th. In addition, a deluxe black and white artwork edition on 2xLP, Cassette and CD will be made available only via Relapse direct. Today the label has released the album’s cover art — as with their previous albums, COFFINS having once again chosen the gruesome hands of Chris Moyen (Morbosidad, Black Witchery, Incantation, Blasphemy, etc.) to illustrate their works — along with a visual trailer for the album as well as preorder packages. Check it all outRIGHT HERE.
Since infiltrating the death/doom underworld in 1996, Tokyo-based COFFINS has released a mountain of material via three LPs and several EPs through labels including Razorback, Hammerheart, Imperium Productions, 20 Buck Spin and others, not to mention their arsenal of splits with bands from across the heavy spectrum including Otesanek, Spun In Darkness, Warhammer, Sourvein, Macabra, Mala Suerte and more. With a sound comparable to a bathtub drain backing up with rotting human flesh while Satan himself spins his Motörhead at half the recommended RPM’s, COFFINS releases are a detrimental purchase to all diehards of Autopsy, Hooded Menace, Pungent Stench, Corrupted and Encoffination.
Stay tuned for more info on the The Fleshland as well as 2013 live actions for COFFINS to be released in the coming weeks.
The Fleshland Track Listing: 1. Here Comes Perdition 2. Hellbringer 3. The Colossal Hole 4. No Saviour 5. The Vacant Pale Vessel 6. Rotten Disciples 7. Dishuman 8. The Unhallowed Tide 9. Tormentopia
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 4th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
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!
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 14th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
These are busy times for Richmond, VA, cult doomers Windhand. They’ve got a split coming out April 15 with like-minded sludgers Cough (more on that here), they’ve just signed toRelapse Records, and even as they put out this announcement of a run of shows to take place this June, the five-piece have issued an update concerning the recording process for their sophomore full-length, reportedly due out this fall. Oh, and they’ll be touring for that too.
Given the timing on the album, the June shows will likely make for a good opportunity to check out some new material before it comes out, and not that you really needed an excuse to check out Windhand live, but I guess it never hurts to have one handy.
We are in the process of recording a new album to be released this fall which will be followed up with a full US tour this fall. Details concerning this tour will be handled at a LATER date. Thanks.
Windhand June 2013 Tour June 5th-Baltimore @ Ottobar Upstair’s 6th-Philadelphia @ Golden Tea House 7th-Brooklyn @ St. Vitus Bar 8th-Providence @ AS220 9th-Boston @ O’Briens’s 10th-Private Coy Pond Jazz Sesh (day off) 11th-Buffalo @ The Funeral Home 12th-Pittsburgh @ Gooski’s 13th-Columbus @ Ace of Cups 14th-Chicago @ Ultra Lounge 15th-Minneapolis @ The Turf Club 16th-Milwaukee @ Riverwest Public House 17th-Indianapolis @ The Melody Inn 18th-Cincinnati @ South Gate Revival House 19th-Nashville TBA 20th-Knoxville @ The Pilot Light 21st-Raleigh @ Slim’s 22nd-Richmond @ Strange Matter
Posted in Features on March 12th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
…Yeah, I know, 24 is a buttload of records to buy in the span of about a month and a half. To do the division, it would mean buying a new album every 2.04 days. Probably not feasible in terms of time, let alone budget, but hell, it’s a nice thought and seeing the onslaught of new stuff coming between now and the end of April, I thought maybe a list would help keep it all straight. Even if I’m only helping myself, I could probably spend my time in worse ways.
Worth noting that even with 24 albums, presented below in order of release, I feel like there’s stuff I’m forgetting. Frankly, it’s an overwhelming amount of material, so if I’ve missed something or there’s something you’d like to see added to the list, as always, that’s why there’s a comments feature.
Okay. These are numbered just for fun, but listed by date:
1. Orange Goblin, A Eulogy for the Fans (March 12)
My understanding is that London’s foremost doom scoundrels, none other than Orange Goblin, have been selling copies of A Eulogy for the Fans since starting their US tour with Clutch on March 8 in Cincinnati, Ohio, but today is the official release date, and I can think of no better place to start than with the four-piece’s ferocious performance at the 2012 Bloodstock festival, captured audio and video in all its bloodsoaked glory. Not to be missed or taken lightly because it’s a live record. Album review here.
2. Borracho, Mob Gathering 7″ (March 13)
Even though it’s comprised of older tracks, the new Mob Gathering 7″ from Borracho is welcome by me for two reasons: I’ve never heard the songs before and Borracho rocks. The Washington D.C.-based riffers recorded “Mob Gathering” and “Short Ride (When it’s Over)” in 2009 and are set to release the cuts on a limited platter in black and orange swirl through Spain’s Ghost Highway Recordings and Germany’s No Balls Records. They’ve been playing live as a mostly-instrumental outfit while guitarist/vocalist Noah is out of the country on what I can only assume is an awesome spy mission, so if you need a Borracho fix — and it’s obvious from the way your hands are shaking that you do — this might be the way to go. More info here.
3. Inter Arma, Sky Burial (March 15)
Like Windhand below, Inter Arma are recent Relapse Records signees from Richmond, Virginia, and Sky Burial will serve as their first release for the label. Literally and figuratively, the album is expansive, topping 69 minutes and pummeling the whole way through with a genre-transcending concoction of bleakness that’s not so much aligned to any particular heavy aesthetic so much as it is set to its own atmospheric purposes. Through this, Inter Arma emerge terrifyingly cohesive where many others would falter, and their second LP behind 2010′s Sundown (review here) leaves a progressive impression despite an almost complete lack of sonic pretense. Mostly, it’s fucking heavy. Track stream and info here.
4. Clutch, Earth Rocker (March 19)
If 2013 ended tomorrow, Clutch‘s Earth Rocker would be my album of the year. That’s not saying the situation will be the same nine months from now when I actually start putting that list together (already dreading it), but as of March 12, it’s the cat’s pajamas and no foolin’. The long-running Marylanders outdid themselves and put together a surprisingly fast, energetic collection of songs that don’t forsake the bluesy tendencies of their last album, 2009′s Strange Cousins from the West, so much as they put some of the jamming on lockdown in favor of all-out pro-grade heavy rock and roll. The velocity is crucial and the wolfman is out, but it feels like the party’s just starting. Look for them on tour sometime between now and forever. Album review here.
5. Black Mare, Field of the Host (March 20)
Black Math Horseman and Ides of Gemini frontwoman Sera Timms (who’s also recently collaborated with Yawning Man‘s Gary Arce in the new outfit Zun) steps further out on her own with the solo-project Black Mare, from whom Field of the Host is the first album. Due March 20 on LP through The Crossing and on cassette through Breathe Plastic, limited in both cases and sure to be gone shortly after release if they’re not already taken through pre-orders. Fans of Timms‘ past works will be glad to hear the misty wash of melody and dreamy, somehow sad, languid roll of “Blind One,” for starters. Audio and info on the forum.
6. Kvelertak, Meir (March 26)
Short of setting themselves on fire, Norwegian triple-guitar six-piece Kvelertak did just about everything they could to get noticed in support of their 2010 self-titled debut LP (review here), and sure enough, their work paid off in getting signed to Roadrunner Records for all territories outside their native Scandinavia (where Indie Recordings holds sway) and trumpeting up a wave of anticipation for their second full-length, Meir. Their energetic, genre-crossing approach might not be for everybody, but the band have turned a lot of heads and I wouldn’t at all be surprised to find them on bigger tours this year with Roadrunner behind them. More info on the forum.
7. Black Pyramid, Adversarial (April 2)
This is actually the first time the Eli Wood cover art for Black Pyramid‘s Adversarial has been seen in full, so you know. The Hydro-Phonic Records release of the third Black Pyramid album and first to be fronted by guitarist/vocalist Darryl Shepard along with bassist David Gein and drummer Clay Neely punctuates the beginning of a new era for the Massachusetts trio. If the advance listen to closing track “Onyx and Obsidian” is anything to go by, they could very well be at their most potent yet, and though I’d hardly consider myself an impartial observer, as a fan of the band, this is one I’ve been looking forward to for a while now. More to come. Track stream here.
8. Moss, Horrible Night (April 2)
I’ve yet to hear the complete album, but UK trio Moss seem poised to surprise with a cleaner vocal approach on Horrible Night, their first offering since 2008′s impressive Sub Templum LP and two EPs in 2009, so in addition to wondering how they’ll pull it off, the level of the shift remains to be seen. That is, how big a deal is it? Should I call my mom? Is this something grandma needs to know about? Time will tell, but for it having been five years since the last time a Moss record reared its doomly head, it seems only fair to give the band a little breathing room on their evolution. More info and video here.
9. Mars Red Sky, Be My Guide EP (April 8)
How glad am I that French fuzz rockers Mars Red Sky have a new EP coming? Well, I’m not as happy that it’s coming as I am that it’s frickin’ awesome. The trio keep the weighted bass tones that gave so much depth to their 2011 self-titled debut (review here), but they’ve also clearly set to work expanding the formula as well, adding stomp to second track “Seen a Ghost” and an eerie repetitive sense to side B closer “Stranger,” while also broadening their melodic reach and taking claim of whichever side of the line they want between fuzz rock and heavy psychedelia while remaining so much more to the ears than either genre descriptor can offer to the eyes. At half an hour, my only complaint with it is it’s not a full-length album. Video trailer and info here.
10. Blaak Heat Shujaa, The Edge of an Era (April 9)
A sample of the poet Ron Whitehead — who also featured on Blaak Heat Shujaa‘s late-2012 debut EP for Tee Pee Records, The Storm Generation (review here) — comes to clarity just in time for the gonzo Boomer poet to let us all know that, “America is an illusion” (that may be, but it’s an illusion with an army of flying killer robots), and from there, the youngin’ desert transplants embark on a low-end-heavy freakout topped with sweet surf rock guitars and set to use in intricate, sometimes surprisingly jagged, rhythmic dances. Mario Lalli of Fatso Jetson guests, Scott Reeder produced. Review is forthcoming, but till then, there’s more info here.
11. Devil to Pay, Fate is Your Muse (April 9)
Fate is Your Muse serves not only as Indianapolis rockers Devil to Pay‘s Ripple Music debut, but also as the double-guitar foursome’s first outing since 2009′s Heavily Ever After. With tales of lizardmen attacks and the alleged end of the world, it’s got its fair share of personality, and set to the chugging riffs, melodic vocals and straightforward heavy grooves, that personality still goes a long way. I’ll have a review up before this week is out (I hope), but still, I wanted to make sure to include Devil to Pay here too, since their songs command both attention and respect. To wit, I just can’t seem to get “This Train Won’t Stop” out of my head. Video and info here.
12. Cough & Windhand, Reflection of the Negative Split (April 15)
Virginian doomers Cough and Windhand share a hometown in Richmond, a love of volume, a bassist in Parker Chandler and now a label in Relapse Records, so yeah, a split makes sense. Reflection of the Negative will be Windhand‘s first release through Relapse ahead of their sophomore full-length, scheduled for later this year (info here). For Cough, this split marks their first outing since 2010′s An Introduction to the Black Arts split with UK masters The Wounded Kings (review here), and they’ll present the 18-minute “Athame,” while Windhand bring forth “Amaranth” and “Shepherd’s Crook.” More info here.
13. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Mind Control (April 15)
What the last Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats album, 2011′s Blood Lust (semi-review here), did so well was capture the atmosphere and the grainy imagery of late ’60s/early ’70s psychedelic horror and put it into audio form. For that, Blood Lust earned massive praise, but I still think that without the central core of songwriting underneath the genre trappings, it would’ve fallen flat. When it comes to Mind Control, the question waiting to be answered is if the band wants to stick to the blueprint they’ve established or go brazenly into uncharted weirdness. I’m not really sure they can lose, either way. Info and music here.
14. Kadavar, Abra Kadavar (April 16)
Their debut on new label Nuclear Blast and the quick-arriving answer to my pick for 2012 debut of the year, Abra Kadavar arrives with plenty of anticipation leading the way. The retro-rocking German trio have their work cut out for them in following that self-titled, but however it turns out in the comparison, it will be fascinating to learn how Kadavar develops the band’s sound and whether or not they prove able to push the boundaries of their aesthetic while simultaneously setting a new standard for promo photos. New video here.
15. Spiritual Beggars, Earth Blues (April 16)
I guess when it comes to these long-running Swedes, everybody’s got their favorite lineup, their favorite tunes, etc., but for me, I’m just impressed that Michael Amott — now more than 20 years on from starting Spiritual Beggars as a side-project while still in grindcore pioneers Carcass — still has any interest in keeping the classic rock Hammond-loving outfit grooving. Their last outing, 2010′s Return to Zero (review here), was the first to feature vocalist Apollo Papathanasio, formerly of Firewind, and though those songs were solid, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re more settled in on Earth Blues when it drops via InsideOut Music on April 16. More info on the forum.
16. Beastwars, Blood Becomes Fire (April 19)
Alternating between periods of brooding intensity and all-out crushing heaviness, the second full-length from New Zealand’s Beastwars, Blood Becomes Fire, is nasty, nasty, nasty. It’s nasty when it’s quiet and it’s nasty when it’s loud. It’s the kind of record you put on and you’re like, “Damn that’s nasty.” And you’re not wrong. The four-piece — touring shortly with Unida — upped their game even from 2011′s self-titled debut (review here), and for anyone who heard that record, you know that’s saying something. I’m still in the “getting to know it” phase, but so far all that nasty feels pretty right on. More info here.
17. Ghost, Infestissumam (April 19)
Man, this one just kind of happened, huh? I suck — and I mean S-U-C-K suck — at keeping up with band hype. I’m the dude who hears the record three months later and goes, “Yeah, I guess that’s cool,” as countless reviews here can attest, including the one for Ghost‘s 2010 debut, Opus Eponymous, but with the Swedish cult heavyweights, all of a sudden I turned around and blamo, major label deal, semi-name change to Ghost B.C., and enough slathering over the impending Infestissumam to make the first album seem like less than the hyperbole it was treated to initially. Funny how that happens. Out in April? I’m sure I’ll review in June and go, “Yeah, I guess that’s cool.” More info on the forum.
18. One Inch Giant, The Great White Beyond (April 19)
Now signed to Soulseller Records, Swedish heavy rockers One Inch Giant will unveil their debut full-length on April 19 and as three of my favorite words in the English language are “Swedish heavy rockers,” I’m excited to find out how this Gothenburg four-piece follow-up their Malva EP, and if they can capture some of the extreme dynamic they brought to their live show when they toured the US last summer — a run of shows that included a stop at SHoD. Hard not to pull for a band after they come over to play club dates. More info and music here.
19. The Heavy Co., Midwest Electric (April 20)
It was actually the other day writing about The Heavy Co.‘s Midwest Electric that I had the idea for this feature, so however high the profile might be for some of these albums — Ghost walks by on their way to cash a check — it was these unpretentious Hoosier rockers and their new outing, Midwest Electric, that started me off. From what I’ve heard so far, the new collection sounds a little more confident in exploring psychedelia than did the trio’s 2011 debut EP, The Heavy (Please Tune In…) (review here), so I’m looking forward to hearing if and how that plays out over the course of the whole thing. Video trailer here.
20. Gozu, The Fury of a Patient Man (April 23)
I have an interview slated for later this week with Gozu guitarist/vocalist Marc Gaffney, and I’m even more excited for this time than I was when we last spoke, around their 2009 Small Stone debut, Locust Season (review here), since in everything but its goofball song titles, the sophomore outing marks a huge developmental step in the band’s melodic reach and songwriting chemistry. Stay tuned for that interview and check out the Bandcamp stream included with the album review here.
21. Yawning Man & Fatso Jetson, European Tour Split 7″ (April 26)
Note: I don’t actually know that April 26 is the day that what’s sure to be 2013′s most desert-rocking split is due to arrive, I just know that it’s Fatso Jetson and Yawning Man‘s European tour split, and that’s the day the Euro dates start — with performances at Desertfests London and Berlin, to be more specific. Given both the greatness of Fatso Jetson‘s last record, 2010′s Archaic Volumes (review here), and of Yawning Man‘s own 2010 outing, Nomadic Pursuits (review here), the bands’ shared lineage and the relative infrequency of their touring, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to hope that, even for a single, they pull out all the stops. And starts. And riffs. More info on the forum.
22. Serpent Throne, Brother Lucifer (April 29)
Philly-based instrumental heavy rockers Serpent Throne will follow-up 2010′s White Summer/Black Winter (review here) with Brother Lucifer, and while no one can ever really know what to expect, it’s a safe bet that the dual-guitar outfit will have the solos front and center once again. Having seen them do a couple new songs back in December, I can’t blame them in the slightest. Looking forward to letting these songs sink in for a while and having those solos stuck in my head. Track stream here.
23. Melvins, Everybody Loves Sausages (April 30)
Hey wow, a Melvins covers album. Finally, an opportunity for the band to let their hair down and go wild a bit, right? I mean, at long last, they can really feel free to indulge a little and explore their musical roots in a free and creative way. Okay, you get the point. In all seriousness, it’s a pretty cool idea and anything that teams the Melvins with Scott Kelly to do a Venom song is probably going to be a worthy cause. The most amazing part of it is they haven’t already done a version of “Black Betty.” More info on the forum.
24. Revelation, Inner Harbor (April 30)
Their most progressive outing yet and their first album since 2009, Revelation‘s Inner Harbor (review here) is bound to surprise some who thought they knew what to expect from the Maryland doom stalwarts who double as the classically rocking Against Nature. Good thing Inner Harbor had a digital release last year through the band’s Bland Hand Records to act as a precursor to this Shadow Kingdom CD issue. Rumor has it vinyl’s on the way as well, so keep an eye out, since John Brenner‘s guitar tone should be heard on as natural-sounding an apparatus as possible. More info here.
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Okay, so you’re saying to yourself, “Golly, that’s a lot of stuff.” You’re absolutely right. But even as I was typing up this feature, I got word of a new Queen Elephantine full-length coming in April, so even as much as this is, it’s not everything. And that’s not even to mention May, which will bring a new Shroud Eater EP, a new Kylesa record and a new Mark Lanegan collaboration, among however much else. Tons of stuff to keep your ears out for, and like I said way back at the top of this thing, if you have something to add, a comment’s always appreciated.
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 7th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
Sure, we all knew it was coming. Doesn’t cheapen it any. Congrats to Windhand on living the doomly dream and getting picked up by Relapse Records for the release of their next album.
Following the release of Windhand‘s forthcoming Reflection of the Negative split with their labelmates in Cough (more on that here), the five-piece will issue a new self-produced LP this fall.
The PR wire confirms the news is good:
Relapse Records this week officially welcomes Richmond, Virginia’s masters of ethereal doom metal, WINDHAND, to the label’s roster, having signed the quintet for the release of their forthcoming LP.
Stated the members of WINDHAND in response to their joining forces with the Relapse horde, “We’re all so honored to be in the company of so many amazing artists. To know that our next record will be alongside some of the albums that inspired us to play music is pretty incredible.”
WINDHAND has begun laying down tracks for the to-be-named upcoming LP in their home studio, The Darkroom, where the outfit will record and mix the entire album, and deliver it to Relapse for a Fall 2013 release date. More details will be made available as the album nears release.
Having formed in 2008 in the fertile Richmond, Virginia musical underground, WINDHAND’s incredible, organic style of low-end doom and trancelike occult/ethereal vocals helped the band catch immediate attention well beyond the region, drawing comparisons to everything from Electric Wizard and Pallbearer to The Devil’s Blood and Blood Ceremony. Continuous live shows and US tours have seen them share the stage with notable acts including Pallbearer, Tragedy, Balaclava, Iron Tongue, Bastard Sapling, Pilgrim, Elder, Pentagram, Sourvein, The Gates of Slumber, Graveyard, Thrones, Mares of Thrace, Coffinworm, Across Tundras, Primitive Weapons among countless others.
In the meantime, Reflection Of The Negative, a split album with WINDHAND and local scene brethren and now labelmates COUGH, will see release via Relapse in mid-April. COUGH leads off, delivering a characteristically electrifying down-tuned epic track, while their brethren in WINDHAND serve up two brand new epic songs for their half of the dirge, in the end bearing nearly forty minutes music from two prime acts in the contemporary doom/sludge circuit. An album trailer and preorders for the split LP are available here.
Posted in audiObelisk on March 6th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
There are few ideals that strike me as being as American as blending metal genres. Here Europe works so hard in defining and distinguishing characteristics, creating and reinforcing traditions, and then those ideas make it across the Atlantic and Americans go, “What if we put these things together?” and Europe, like the mustachioed police chief in a buddy cop comedy, gets all flustered and is like, “You can’t do that!” but the scrappy Americans — let’s say, played by a young, mulletted, less-creepy Mel Gibson — are already out the door and on tour with their blackened crust doom grind or some such improbable brew.
Put Richmond, Virginia-based five-piece Inter Arma in the Mel Gibson role and you might have a beginning point for understanding the kind of gleeful line-crossing that takes place on their Relapse Records label debut (second album overall), Sky Burial, a dynamic 67-minute melting pot that seems to want nothing so much as to turn preconceived stylistic notions on their head. This ethic isn’t dissimilar to that which typified Inter Arma‘s 2010 Forcefield Records full-length debut, Sundown(review here), just more cohesively the band’s own and more realized in terms of the overarching ambience. The 67 minutes, played out over eight tracks — four of which top 10 minutes long — are a resonant journey to undertake, and the echoes they leave ring even more massive than the guitar tones of Steven Russell and Trey Dalton.
The band — completed by drummer T.J. Childers (also The Might Could), bassist Joe Kerkes and vocalist Mike Paparo — would be hard-pressed to summarize the full breadth of Sky Burial in just one track, but the gradually unfolding intro to later cut “Westward” and the thudding, reverb laden post-metal oppression that ensues over the song’s 9:48 are as good a place to start as any. Elsewhere one might find black metal squibblies and blasts or doomed marching, but “Westward” accounts for a point on the record where Inter Arma seem most in their own element, Paparo‘s screams buried under a rising tide of vicious, insistently-rhythmic, somehow-psychedelic heft.
When the payoff hits, the effect is surprisingly cosmic, so check out “Westward” on the player here, and enjoy the commentary from Dalton and Paparo that follows. Inter Arma hit the road this weekend with Mutilation Rites, and those tour dates can also be found on the poster below:
Here is the Music Player. You need to installl flash player to show this cool thing!
Guitarist Trey Dalton on “Westward”
This is actually the last song we wrote before heading down to Nashville. If I remember correctly we finished the framework maybe a week before we left, if that. It all sort of came together while we were recording, though. With that being said, I’m the kind of dude who likes to write out a guitar solo well ahead of time. You know, craft it according to the needs of the song, but I wasn’t able to for this one. We had to rear back and shoot from the hip which put me out of my comfort zone. I’m pretty happy with how that part turned out, though. Surprised even. And because we wrote it so shortly before leaving Mike had no chance to do anything lyrically until we were there. TJ had this idea during the noisy bridge part that Mike should almost preach in a stream of consciousness kind of way. I love how that part came together. Given the songs relative infancy I think it turned out better than I initially thought it would.
Vocalist Mike Paparo on “Westward”
On our first U.S. tour in July of 2010 (with our brothers in blood Bastard Sapling) we were flying through the Mojave desert, 7 deep, in our dank van. The sun had gone down and it was still a solid 110+ degrees outside. All of the windows were down and it felt like a giant hair dryer was blowing in. The heat was getting to all of us. We passed through some particularly odd, desolate area blasting UFOmammut’s “Snailking” and the clouds started to come alive. Strange flashes of light started illuminating the night sky. Being that the Mojave is littered with military installations my mind started to wander. Was it heat lightning? Was it some sort of weapons testing? It was probably the former, but hey one can imagine. Too me, it was an almost psychedelic experience. When I first heard the opening of the song, it made me think back to this experience. I concocted a story around it. The imagery projected in the lyrics is a direct reference to this memory. As for the rest of the lyrical inspiration (i.e. most of the female narration)…well, that’s just going to have to remain a secret!
Inter Arma & Mutilation Rites on Tour
3/9 Cincy By The Slice – Cincinnati, OH 3/10 Cobra Lounge – Chicago, IL 3/11 Fubar – St Louis, MO 3/13-3/16 SXSW – Austin, TX 3/18 War Room – El Paso, TX 3/19 Chasers – Phoenix, AZ 3/20 Moustache Bar – Tijuana, Mexico 3/21 Slidebar – Fullerton, CA 3/22 Mayas – Corona, CA 3/23 Rock City – Camarillo, CA 3/24 DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA 3/25 Colony – Sacramento, CA 3/26 Highline – Seattle, WA 3/27 The Shakedown – Bellingham, WA 3/28 Rotture – Portland, OR 3/29 The Shredder – Boise, ID 3/30 Burt’s Tiki Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT 3/31 Aqualungs – Denver, CO 4/01 Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA 4/02 Medusa – Minneapolis, MN 4/03 High Noon – Madison, WI 4/04 Franks Power Plant – Milwaukee, WI
Posted in Buried Treasure on February 28th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
Once they figured out what they wanted to be as a band, Unearthly Trance only got heavier, so that the debut full-length from Serpentine Path — which unites that trio’s final lineup with guitarist Tim Bagshaw, formerly of Ramesses and Electric Wizard — should be darker and more extreme in its doomly ways isn’t so much a surprise as it is a natural evolution. Add to that vocalist Ryan Lipynsky‘s ongoing tenure in black metal progressives The Howling Wind and it makes even more sense, though Serpentine Path have little in common either with Lipynsky‘s other outfit or with Unearthly Trance. Some of Ramesses‘ death-doomiest moments might be recognizable in the eight-track/42-minute self-titled, but there’s little to none of the cultish psychedelia that offset such dirge marching in that band. With Serpentine Path, it’s pretty much all bludgeon.
The album was released last fall on Relapse and met with as positive a response as something so unabashedly negative can, and since it came out, Bagshaw (who wrote the music on the debut) has reportedly relocated to New Jersey from the UK and Winter guitarist Stephen Flam has joined as well, making the band a five-piece rounded out by bassist Jay Newman and drummer Darren Verni. I just recently came into contact with Serpentine Pathcourtesy of Flam, who was interviewed here a while back (if you didn’t read it, you should, it’s awesome), and having spent some time with the record, as usual, I a little bit regret not checking out it sooner. The drawn-out stomp of “Crotalus Horridus Horridus” and the ’90s-style leads infecting “Obsoletion” are a death-doomer’s missing link, and the purposeful unipolarity in Lipynsky‘s vocals there and elsewhere throughout the album only makes the band’s intentions clearer.
Bagshaw‘s guitar even on a shorter track like “Bats Amongst Heathens” — easy to hear a Winter influence there — crafts an abyss of tone, and as they’re no strangers to slow, lurching rhythms, Newman and Verni work well in walking the line between snail’s pace grooving and unhinged immobility. Periodic samples like that at the beginning of “Beyond the Dawn of Time” don’t so much ground the material as add to the chaos, and a song like the later “Compendium of Suffering” is given even more weirdness in its break for the vague spoken echoes playing out over the unceasing plod of the verse riff. I guess if you want the short version, Serpentine Path are seriously fucking heavy and seriously grim. They don’t stray from that modus throughout these tracks, but they don’t really need to either, since the more oppressive a song gets, the more it’s doing its job. They win no matter what.
Closer “Only a Monolith Remains” seems to have been the inspiration for the artwork as well, which seems to be nodding at Hellhammer on the front cover while on the back a sort of Cthulhu-meets-the-Pradator monolith plays host to the tracklist. The inside of the liner has snake scales embossed onto the paper, as do the lyrics, and the tray under the CD also has an embossed ouroboros, so clearly somebody was putting effort into the aesthetic from the ground up. Not the first time I’ve given Relapse‘s Orion Landau kudos and it probably won’t be the last. One way or another, Serpentine Path‘s Serpentine Pathis a record I’m glad I got to check out, since given the changes in the band they’re not likely to repeat themselves next time around.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 13th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
Three tracks, 40 minutes. Yes please. Word just came down the PR wire of the forthcoming Reflection of the Negative split between Virginian powerhouses Cough and Windhand. The release is due out April 16, and from the goatly artwork and the visual trailer posted to go with, it looks like it’s gonna be a monster. Dig:
COUGH / WINDHAND Split Album To See Spring Release Via Relapse
Relapse Records this week unveils a pummeling upcoming split between two prime acts in the contemporary doom/sludge circuit, COUGH and WINDHAND.
With both COUGH and WINDHAND hailing from the unrestrained Richmond, Virginia underground, the choice to team the two of them up for the brutal Reflection Of The Negative split album was a simple one, and the results are, as expected, thunderous and immense. COUGH leads off, delivering a characteristically electrifying down-tuned epic track, while their brethren in WINDHAND serve up two brand new epic songs for their half of the dirge. While the track listing bears merely three tracks, this monstrous split bears nearly forty minutes of premier doom at its absolute gloomiest. The album acts as a precursor for both bands’ upcoming full-lengths, which are both currently being conceived.
Reflection Of The Negative will see official release on April 16th in North America, preceded by international street dates of April 12th (Germany/Benelux) and April 15th (UK/World). Today Relapse has released a visual trailer for the LP, as well as preorders for the album including digital and CD formats, as well as a super-limited mailorder-only black/white vinyl combo.
In conjunction with the release of the split, COUGH will embark on a brutal month-long European tour. The majority of the dates will see the band joined by Witch Mountain, while several later dates will instead be with Grime, the entire trek leading up to Heavy Days in Doomtown. The festival, an international DIY doom/stoner/sludge festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, runs from May 2nd through the 5th, and will see COUGH sharing the stage alongside Graves At Sea, Pagan Altar, Samothrace, Moss, Bell Witch, Dark Buddah Rising, Lecherous Gaze, Mournful Congregation and many others.
COUGH European Tour 2013: 4/08/2013 Fonobar – Warsaw, Poland w/ Witch Mountain 4/11/2013 Nuclear Nightclub – Oulu, Finland w/ Witch Mountain 4/12/2013 Klubi – Turku, Finland w/ Witch Mountain 4/13/2013 Studioravintola Paksu – Helsinki, Finland w/ Witch Mountain 4/15/2013 Klub Püssy A Go Go – Stockholm, Sweden w/ Witch Mountain 4/16/2013 Truck Stop Alaska – Gothenburg, Sweden w/ Witch Mountain 4/18/2013 Schaubude – Kiel, Germany w/ Witch Mountain 4/19/2013 O13 @ Roadburn Festival – Tilburg, Netherlands w/ Witch Mountain 4/20/2013 DNA – Brussels, Belgium w/ Witch Mountain 4/21/2013 Raymond City – Clermont-Ferrand, France w/ Witch Mountain 4/22/2013 Saint Des Seins – Toulouse, France w/ Witch Mountain 4/23/2013 Combustibles – Paris, France w/ Witch Mountain 4/24/2013 Bastard Club – Osnabrück, Germany w/ Witch Mountain 4/26/2013 Desertfest – Berlin, Germany w/ Witch Mountain 4/27/2013 De Pit – Terneuzen, Netherlands w/ Witch Mountain 4/28/2013 Desertfest – London, England w/ Witch Mountain 4/29/2013 Péniche Inside Out – Liege, Belgium w/ Grime 4/30/2013 Halle 14. – Karlsruhe, Germany w/ Grime 5/04/2013 Ungdomshuset – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Heavy Days in Doomtown
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 14th, 2013 by H.P. Taskmaster
Following up on 2010′s genre-straddling debut LP, Sundown(review here), Richmond, Virginia’s Inter Arma will make their debut on Relapse Records on March 19 with the new album, Sky Burial. The blackened sludge outfit released the DestroyerEP in 2012 and also have a CD release of that forthcoming through Gilead Media, and information has just started to surface about the follow-up long-player, but Relapse also issued a moody trailer that gives some idea of the tension the band creates.
The PR wire has that and the album art and tracklisting:
INTER ARMA: Relapse Confirms Second Album From Blackened Southern Doom Unit
This week, underground music juggernaut Relapse Records declares the release info, cover art and more for INTER ARMA’s second LP, Sky Burial.
A highly anticipated release for fans of all extreme genres, Virginia’s crushing quintet INTER ARMA merges elements of doom, psychedelic sludge, grind, black metal and more through massive, mighty riffs to create a sound wholly their own. Following several solid demos, splits and an LP via Forcefield Records, this volatile act now delivers their Relapse debut, Sky Burial, an album easily considered an early contender for heavy music record of the year, even making Decibel Magazine’s 20 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2013 list. Emerging from the ever-fertile metal breeding grounds of Richmond, Virginia, INTER ARMA has spent the last few years touring relentlessly, perfecting a hypnotically punishing live show. Sky Burial brings that focus onto record, an album truly heavy in all senses of the word, invoking a spiritually intense journey through the halls of extreme metal. INTER ARMA has made a decisively loud proclamation with Sky Burial — this is a band that could very well be the next crown-holder in a regal line of iconic Relapse bands.
Sky Burial will see digital, CD and 2xLP North American release on March 19th, 2013, preceded by European release dates of March 15th in Germany, Benelux and Finland, and March 18th in the UK and all other territories.
Relapse today issued a Youtube teaser for Sky Burial as well as preorders for the album available here.
Stay tuned as INTER ARMA unleashes tons of other info on Sky Burial, in addition to a barrage of tour dates and more through 2013 in support of the album including a tour to SXSW and back to be announced in the coming days.
Sky Burial Track Listing: 1. The Survival Fires 2. The Long Road Home (Iron Gate) 3. The Long Road Home 4. Destroyer 5. ‘sblood 6. Westward 7. Love Absolute 8. Sky Burial
Posted in Bootleg Theater on December 17th, 2012 by H.P. Taskmaster
I’ve never been the world’s biggest Baroness fan, but if there was any band that earned respect in 2012, it’s them. Following a devastating bus crash in August, guitarists John Dyer Baizley and Pete Adams have just posted their first new footage, playing acoustic. The PR wire sent it over with some info about its origins, which you’ll find below:
BARONESS SHARE VIDEO OF JOHN BAIZLEY AND PETE ADAMS ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE
Baroness’s John Baizley and Pete Adams share an acoustic performance of “Stretchmarker” via their website (www.baronessmusic.com). The clip, recorded in Baizley’s Philadelphia art studio (www.aperfectmonster.com), marks the first performance the band members have shared since their horrific bus accident in August.
“Simply put: it’s time to get back to it. Since my belated and thankful return to the USA (after our painful test in motor coach-aeronautics) I can definitively say I’ve exhausted my reserve of potential leisure activities (there’s not that many of them, after all).” explained Baizley. “I’ve come dreadfully close to boredom, and in those moments I can’t help but focus on my glaring physical infirmities. Television offers little respite from this relative stasis; I’m sure by now I have sampled every biker-meth-dealer-zombie-low-talking-cop-crime-scene-serial-killer-real-housewife soap opera that is currently being broadcast (and there’s no small number of them). I’ve tried to fill my weekly routine with as much physical therapy as possible but the truth is, PT is not fun, and its benefits come with a great deal of mental/physical/spiritual pain and struggle. Furthermore, I believe I am getting a touch of Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to my doctors and therapists (the highlight of my week should NOT involve a clinic). Music might be the best therapy I have right now. Perhaps it’s both the cause and the cure (the thought has crossed my mind); but I feel lost without it. Pete and I have just spent a long week surveying our musical wreckage and, surprisingly, we are quite well and intact. Sure, there are some substantial obstacles to overcome before we write, record or perform any time soon; but we still have everything we need to get ‘back in’ that particular ’saddle again.’ Most of my peers are familiar with such high-school-gym-teacher poeticisms as ‘risk equals reward’ and ‘no pain, no gain;’ but did any of us every really believe there was any real wisdom in those adolescent platitudes? I didn’t. I am, however, starting to understand the essence of these and many of our other favorite clichés.
As odd as it might be for me to write these ‘updates’ after 10 years of personal silence on the internet, I feel that I owe everyone who’s voiced or given their support to Baroness a brief synopsis of our situation and more importantly a heartfelt thanks. Honestly, it has made this ordeal much easier on me. What little publicity that surrounds our crash has given voice to so many people who have shared their own stories of injury, trauma and struggle with us, and has furthered my own faith in the communicative and universal strength of music. As every singer on every stage has nightly said, ‘we wouldn’t be where we are without you.’ Thanks everyone. We look forward to seeing you soon. Here’s a short clip of a song we wrote.”
Limited quantities of the Yellow & Green Deluxe 2xLP Hardbound Book Vinyl edition from the band’s personal collection are available via Baroness’s website (www.baronessmusic.com) with all proceeds going directly to the band.
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 4th, 2012 by H.P. Taskmaster
Richmond-based cult sludgers Cough will play Jus Oborn of Electric Wizard‘s curated event at Roadburn 2013. The Virginian outfit have been at the fore of the post-Electric Wizard pack, reveling in horrific atmospheres and massive, droning riffs, so they’re a good fit on what’s quickly becoming an eclectic bill. Their last release was an ultra-badass 2010 split vinyl on Forcefield Records with like-minded British purveyors The Wounded Kings (review here), and I don’t know if maybe they’ll have new material on hand by April, but it’s worth hoping for.
In addition to Cough, Witch Mountain will play Roadburn and SabbathAssembly, Hexvessel, Crown and Tombstonedhave joined the lineup as well.
“Firstly, raise your withered stumps and welcome ye brothers of the bong, Richmond, Virginia bruisers and losers…(cue intro to Sweet Leaf)…Cough… rising through the fog like resin-zombies the appropriately named band are the epitome of evil stoned doom”, says Electric Wizard‘s Jus Oborn. “Violent, bleak and wasted… Ritual Abuse was genius… burnout and clogged with resin. We loved it!! Since then we have had many late night smokeouts with these kindred spirits and hopefully many, many more. The Acid Orgy will be heavily laced with Smoke…Hail Cough!!!”
“Once there was a legend of black cloaked cultists that haunted 1960s London, ominous and dark wearing strange occult symbols”, Juscontinues, “They handed out bizarre literature linking Satan, Lucifer and Christ …Hells Angels were our saviours working for God and Lucifer to cleanse our world. They became linked to the Manson Killings and eventually disappeared in infamy to only be remembered by a chosen few …now Dave Nuss and Sabbath Assembly recreate the rituals and liturgies of this infamous group. We can now see and hear the true vision of this paradoxical acid consciousness cult. Hail Satan, Amen?!”
“Also we have young blood for the growing acid cult… a new power trio of Finnish maniacs that deal in real heavy doom: Tombstoned“, says Jus, “We witnessed them live only a few weeks ago and were blown away (yes…they defiantly had feel of our favourite Finnish band). Heavy and cool as the grave, absolutely no pretense or hipster styling, just solid and real doom music played by people who don’t care what you think. You will fuckin love em!!!! Hail Tombstoned!”
Even More Incredible bands to be announced SOON !!!
Roadburn Festival 2013 will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Tickets for the Afterburner are still available!
Portland, OR’s Witch Mountainwill bring their crushing doom to Roadburn Festival2013 on Friday, April 19th at Het Patronaat in Tilburg, Holland.
Founded by guitarist Rob Wrong and drummer Nate Carson in 1997, this was not yet the Witch Mountain that would come to fruition. In 2009, the addition of vocalist Uta Plotkin transformed the band into something extraordinary with her bluesy, sensual and commanding voice as captured on both South of Salem(2011) and Cauldron of the Wild (2012).
Plotkin’s powerful and soulful pipes sound almost out of place, but this is exactly what makes Witch Mountain so special. She belts out the band’s massive, doomy, bluesy tunes like a metallized Janis Joplin or the lost sister of Heart‘s Ann and Nancy Wilson who chose the left-hand path.
Distilled from thick churning down-tuned guitars and dense drumming infused with Plotkin’s sad and sweet vocals, Witch Mountain lumbers without plodding and soars without drifting off. The epic sound and unique take on doom metal has earned them both a highly acclaimed reputation and a rightful place among the current crop of wickedly talented female-fronted bands. We are super stoked to welcome Witch Mountain to the Roadburn Festival during their first-ever European tour.
“2012 has been the biggest and best of Witch Mountain’s 15 year history”, says Nate Carson, “Two successful headlining American tours, two albums on Profound Lore, a new single, Scion Rock Fest (with Sleep and Saint Vitus), and now this.”
“It is truly an honor to end this year with the official announcement that we will finally tour Europe. Many thanks go out from us to Roadburn for this fantastic invitation. My only concern is that Cauldron of the Wild LP pre-orders are coming in so quickly that we may run out of vinyl before we get over there! Cheers!”
Roadburn Festival 2013 will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Tickets for the Afterburner are still available!
Posted in Bootleg Theater on November 7th, 2012 by H.P. Taskmaster
Although I don’t generally talk about them explicitly in this space, I hold some pretty strong political beliefs, and here in the US, last night we reelected a president who — despite being a war criminal — also has his upsides (it’s okay though, because they’re all war criminals and that makes it better right?). That’s all well and good, but more importantly, the state of Colorado — which I’m going to have to stop thinking of as being square — legalized marijuana. Not decrim, not medical. Like go-getcha-some “legalize it”-brand recreational use legalized. Pretty impressive.
But what I haven’t yet heard anyone talk about is the grassroots work done over the years to pave the way for this legislation by the cultural force known as Bongzilla. True, they made their home initially in Madison, Wisconsin, but surely their tireless efforts to raise weedian awareness throughout the middle states during their years together deserves some measure of credit for making this possible. Thank you, Bongzilla. Your legacy is not forgotten.
