One thing’s for sure: When boozy Swedish doom rockers The Graviators decided to call their new album Motherload, they weren’t kidding. The 2LP — their third overall and second for Napalm Records — checks in at a massive 76 minutes, and is an undertaking front to back of bluesy classic heavy rocking and pure, traditional-style doom. They’ve got one foot in the grave and one in the arena, in other words, and across Motherload, they put on a show of considerable proportion, beginning right from the start of “Leif’s Last Breath/Dance of the Valkyrie” to showcase a varied but fluid and engaging approach from the four-piece of vocalist Niklas Sjöberg, lead and rhythm guitarist Martin Fairbanks, bassist Johan Holm and drummer Henrik Bergman.

As a frontman, Sjöberg is a steady presence in the mix, but as the opening cut shows, he’s not an overbearing singer and knows when the song is best served by stepping back to let Fairbanks top a building Sabbathian groove with a worthy solo. The shortest of Motherload‘s nine cuts is “Bed of Bitches” at 5:31, so everyone gets plenty of room throughout to ply their trade, whether it’s on the hook-laden “Narrow Minded Bastards” (video premiere here) — Holm‘s bassline alone makes the song a necessity — or the longest form works, “Lost Lord” (11:09) and “Druid’s Ritual” (13:50), each of which serves as the finale for its half of the album and offers a spirited jam to mark the occasion, Fairbanks leading the way on guitar, but both Holm and Bergman exploring as well a jazzy and deep-running rhythm section dynamic that’s obviously developed over the course of The Graviators‘ years since making their self-titled full-length debut in 2009.

Those songs provide a neat summary of the scope, but whether it’s that bass ‘n’ drum swing and spacey guitar, huge riffing, wailing doom defiance, bottle-tipping rush or plodding, feedback-heavy doom, Motherload delivers what Motherload promises, whether it’s the traditional metal of “Tigress of Sibiria,” the eerie spaciousness of “Drowned in Leaves” (note the “Die Young” reference from Sjöberg in the second half), or the floor-shaking siren-topped nod of “Eagles Rising.” The Graviators tie it all together through a clear affinity for big riffs, big tones all things wicked and/or doomed, and even though one could hardly accuse them of brevity, Motherload is never more over-the-top than it wants to be and The Graviators never meander so far that they lose sight of serving the track at hand.

It’s my pleasure today to host a full stream of Motherload for those who’d go wandering through its blue skies and murky depths. The album hits beginning this week (it’s out April 8 in North America), and The Graviators start a European tour to support it on April 21, playing the Berlin Desertfest and Copenhagen’s Heavy Days in Doomtown along the way. More details about the release and tour dates can be found under the player below.

Please enjoy:

After the release of their fantastic and critically acclaimed full length “Evil Deeds” and the split 7″ with their label mates MONKEY3, THE GRAVIATORS return with their latest studio effort “Motherload”. The brilliant vintage analog sound combines the Hard Rock of the Seventies with a good dose of Doom Metal and Stoner Rock. For the very first time, THE GRAVIATORS pay homage to their cultural heritage. The result is the song “Leifs Last Breath / Dance of the Valkyrie”. It is an epic track that could have been written by Quorthon (BATHORY) himself. The songs give off an occult vibe that mainly results from the enthralling vocals. A special bonus is the re-recording of “Druid´s Ritual”, a classic from the band’s back catalogue. The song clocks in at almost 14min and is a testament to the band’s brilliance. “Motherload” is an impressive Doom Stoner Metal album filled with highlights and will elevate THE GRAVIATORS from being an insider’s tip to the top of the scene.

Release Dates:
ESP/SWE/NOR: 02.04.2014
G/A/S, FIN & Benelux: 28.03.2014
EUROPE: 31.03.2014
USA/CAN: 08.04.2014

THE GRAVIATORS on Tour
21.04.14 SE – Stockholm / tba
22.04.14 SE – Lund / Hemgarden
23.04.14 DE – Berlin / Jägerklause
24.04.14 DE – Wiesbaden / Kulturpalast
25.04.14 NL – Groningen / Vera
26.04.14 DE – Berlin / Desertfest
27.04.14 DE – Köln / Underground
28.04.14 DE – Dresden / Ost Pol
29.04.14 DE – München / Feierwerk
30.04.14 DE – Dresden / Ost-Pol
02.05.14 DE – Jena / Black Night
04.05.14 DK – Copenhagen / Heavy Days Doom Town

The Graviators on Thee Facebooks

Graviators at Napalm Records

The sound that Swedish heavy rockers The Graviators showcase on their impending third album, Motherload, is a melting pot of doomed influences. Their second outing under the banner of Napalm Records behind 2012’s Evil Deeds sophomore outing, Motherload arrives as advertised: It’s a bit of everything. Listen hard across its formidable span and you’re just as likely to hear shades of Electric Wizard as Kadavar, of Graveyard as Cathedral as Pentagram, but always at the core there remains a firm current of Black Sabbath, and from that the band does not waver. They’ve worked quickly since getting their start half a decade ago, but prior to, guitarist Martin Fairbanks did a stint in Kaptain Sun predecessors Clandestine, and he and vocalist Niklas Sjöberg are also currently members of NYMF, whose split 7″ with Dozer marked that band’s recorded return in 2013.

Even so, you can drop as many names as you want and it does little to convey the fluidity of The Graviators‘ doom ‘n’ roll. The four-piece of Fairbanks, Sjöberg , bassist Johan Holm and drummer Henrik Bergman are no less at home in a boogie rock shuffle as a nod-ready doom riff, and as the force tying it together and laying down the hook in a song like “Narrow Minded Bastards,” the charismatic Sjöberg excels in classic frontman form, ready with a “yeah” at the end of each verse to carry the listener along with the groove. Their video for “Narrow Minded Bastards” is relatively simple in concept — band, rocking, in a room — but interestingly shot and actively cut so there’s no drag and it does well to convey the swagger inherent in the track. Of course, Motherload has much more to offer than just that, or presumably they’d have called it something else, but as a first impression, “Narrow Minded Bastards” hits all its marks easily and should have no problem digging into the consciousness of the willing.

Today I have the pleasure of hosting the premiere for the “Narrow Minded Bastards” video. Please find it below, and enjoy:

The Graviators, “Narrow Minded Bastards” official video

The Graviators are set to release Motherload on April 8 in North America. Other dates and more info:

Sweden´s Doom / Stoner Metal Band THE GRAVIATORS will release their highly anticipated third album Motherload in on April 8th in North America (international release dates are below). Motherload will be made available as a limited Digipak Edition and 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Edition!

Swedish doomers The Graviators released their sophomore outing, Evil Deeds, through Napalm Records on 2012 and this spring they’ll follow up with Motherload. Also a Napalm release, the album’s nine tracks and artwork have been posted today and come courtesy of the PR wire, who remains diligent in the face of an ever-shifting world climate.

The video below for “Häxagram” comes off their last album, but you can probably anticipate audio and video evidence of the new one in the months to come. Until then, get yourself informed:

THE GRAVIATORS to Release Motherload April 8th in North America on Napalm Records

Artwork and Track Listing Revealed

Sweden´s Doom / Stoner Metal Band THE GRAVIATORS will release their highly anticipated third album Motherload in on April 8th in North America. (International release dates are below) Motherload will be made available as a limited Digipack Edition and 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Edition! Today the artwork and track listing have been revealed.

THE GRAVIATORS was formed deep in the woods of southern Sweden in 2009, with a vision to write and record music inspired by the sounds of the great rock ‘n’ roll groups of the 70’s. With a mix of heavy, yet melodic riffs, that will take you on a trip back in time, when bands like Black Sabbath and Pentagram took heavy rock to new heights, The Graviators caught the ear of Swedish label Transubstans who signed them in early 2009. On December 11th, The Graviators self titled debut hit the stores.

In September 2011, The Graviators entered Studio Berno to record their second album, entitled Evil Deeds. Producer Berno Paulsson have produced such records as Spiritual Beggars “Another way to shine” and The Haunted “The Haunted made me do it”. It was recorded with analouge equipment, for that retro feel! The record featured Petrus Fredestad on Hammond organ, Wurlitzer piano & Synths. Petrus was also a guest musician on Graveyard’s album “Hisingen Blues”. His own band is called First band from outer space. At the end of 2011 The Graviators were approached by Austrian record label Napalm Records, who signed the band to a worldwide record deal. The Graviators released the second album in the fall of 2012 on Napalm Records.

Motherload Track Listing:
1. Leifs Last Breath / Dance of the Valkyrie
2. Narrow Minded Bastards
3. Bed of Bitches
4. Tigress of Siberia
5. Lost Lord
6. Corpauthority
7. Drowned in Leaves
8. Eagles Rising
9. Druid’s Ritual

Release Dates:
28.03.2013 G/A/S & BE/NE/LUX
31.03.2013 EUROPE
02.04.2013 SWE & NOR
08.04.0213 USA / CAN

For More Info Visit:
http://www.napalmrecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/thegraviators

The Graviators, “Häxagram” official video

What’s that you say? A really fucking cool European tour with a good bunch of bands playing in awesome cities across a beautiful continent that I’d love to see? Well, I guess it’s another day in riffy paradise. To be honest, that’s a scenario that plays out so often these days, I’m not even sure how this qualifies as news, but screw it. Tour dates is tour dates.

And if you gotta have tour dates, Brain Police, Greenleaf, The Graviators and Mirror Queen (featuring Thomas Bellier of Blaak Heat Shujaa) is good tour dates to have. Ignore my didn’t-get-the-Fulbright bitterness and dig this:

BRAINBANGERS BALL II

Brain Police (ICE)
Green Leaf  (SWE)  -feat. members of Dozer & Truckfighters –
The Graviators (SWE)
Mirror Queen (NYC/USA)
Expect an ass kicking night of Heavy Rock, Riffs & Beers….

09.10.12 GER Berlin, Lido
10.10.12 GER Frankfurt, Bett
11.10.12 GER Stuttgart, Zwoelfzehn
12.10.12 GER Munich, Feierwerk
13.10.12 GER Dresden, Groovestation
14.10.12 AUT Linz, Kapu
16.10.12 AUT Wien, Arena
17.10.12 AUT Innsbruck, PMK
18.10.12 CH Geneva, L ´Usine
19.10.12 CH Winterthur, Gaswerk
20.10.12 GER Altenkunstadt, Nepomuk
21.10.12 BEL Brussels, Magasin 4
22.10.12 GER Köln, Underground
24.10.12 GER Hamburg, Molotow
25.10.12 GER Jena, Rose
26.10.12 GER Siegen, Vortex
27.10.12 GER Osnabrück, Westwerk

https://www.facebook.com/BrainPoliceIceland
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenleaf/201303846564632
https://www.facebook.com/thegraviators
https://www.facebook.com/mirrorqueennyc