It had been my original and stated intent to catch Los Angeles-based cellist Alison Chesley — who has performed under the moniker Helen Money since releasing a self-titled album under it in 2007 — at the St. Vitus bar on Friday night. So firm was I in this intent that I stayed at my office until 9PM so I could leave right from it to get into Brooklyn for the show in time to catch her with minimal traffic hindrance. I’d picked up my car from the mechanic earlier in the day and was all good to go.

All good to go, that is, until I started said vehicle and found it had no headlights — a fact I’d failed to notice since it was still light out when I drove it from the mechanic’s to my office. Some wire accidentally bumped, and there you go. This was enough for me to miss the show. I called The Patient Mrs., who in fact offered to come drop off another car — because she’s wonderful — but the timing wouldn’t have worked anyway.

I had a solid 15 to 20 minutes of feeling bad for myself while I waited for her to pick me up at my office before I remembered that Helen Money had a second show booked for Sunday night at The Acheron, a venue I’ve generally avoided since I and someone on their behalf engaged in a bit of needless mutual dickery early in 2011 (though I was there later that year), and suddenly it seemed far less dramatic. I’d still be able to see Helen Money while she was in town, still be able to pick up a copy of her latest album, Arriving Angels (review here), and though it was a Sunday night and I had to work Monday morning, stubbornness won out.

So off I went. My car was still at the mechanic’s, but The Patient Mrs. was kind enough to lend me hers for the evening and I trucked across Manhattan and into Brooklyn for the show; a bill which Chesley was sharing with San Diego doom-dub machinist Author & Punisher and Philly metallers A Life Once Lost. Nothing against either, both are well established in what they do — and I can’t even think of the name A Life Once Lost without having the hook of their “The Hunter” run through my head — but it was Helen Money I was going to see, so I made sure to get there early.

Familiarly, I was a little too early, but after standing around for about an hour, Chesley took her cello out of a case with a sticker for her old outfit Verbow on it and took the stage in front of the other bands’ backlined equipment, standing with pedal boards in front and to the side of her. She was alone — Arriving Angels features outside contributors, something of a departure — but more than held her ground as a solo artist. She’s hardly the first to construct a larger-than-one-person sound using loops and effects, and the drama a cello can create without accompaniment has been proven time and again, but Helen Money is nonetheless a singular, individual project, as much sonically as practically. She may or may not be moving in the direction of working on fuller arrangements for studio material going forward, but for what it is now, for Helen Money to work, it almost had to just be her.

She mostly kept to Arriving Angels material for the setlist, with each of the eight tracks accounted for save the closer, “Runout,” and a good portion of them presented in the same order as on the album. Helen Money‘s propensity to play heavier and louder parts off softer ambience showed itself throughout as she bowed or plucked the cello strings, a kind of frantic energy taking hold at points that was suitably electric for her distorted tone. Some of the most effective moments of Arriving Angels arrive when she makes that sudden jab, and using sampled drums — it’s Neurosis/Sleep drummer Jason Roeder contributing the loops to the studio versions, and presumably his samples live as well — “Radio Recorders” and “Beautiful Friends” were all the more visceral in the live setting of The Acheron, which was mostly held in attentive check throughout, save for some conversation in back and spillover noise from The Anchored Inn next door.

Two or three times, Chesley spoke off-mic from the stage about a song before she played it. I was standing in back by then, so couldn’t really make out what she was saying, but her point got across anyway once the next piece began. Dipping back to the self-titled, she touched on the shorter “Hendrix” before rounding out with the march of “Schrapnel” and the stark, sometimes furious Arriving Angels title cut. It wasn’t quite 10PM when she finished and said a humble goodnight, and I was soon enough on the road back to Jersey, the looming week and temptation to make it back before midnight overwhelming all other impulses. Plus, you know, I had to give my wife’s car back.

Extra pics after the jump.

Read more »

I really dug Ukrainian trio Stoned Jesus‘ 2012 outing, Seven Thunders Roar, and if last year’s Readers Poll was anything to go by, I wasn’t the only one. As such, when it comes to the news below that they’ve replaced their drummer, Vadim Matijko, who wasn’t their first but who played on the album nonetheless, it’s kind of a bummer since I wouldn’t want anything to derail the progress the Kiev outfit has made to this point. So it goes. Guitarist/vocalist Igor Sidorenko seems to have it together in terms of leading the band, and they’re off to a busy start with their new guy, Viktor, with work being done on a new video and a mini-tour in May that will include a slot on the Freak Valley festival. Hopefully more new material isn’t far behind.

The band sent along the following announcement, and here’s Seven Thunders Roar (review here) again in case anyone missed it the first time or wants to revisit:

Stoned Jesus Finds New Drummer: “Electric Mistress” Video and Mini-Tour To Follow

A new kid behind the drumkit is spotted on the set of “Electric Mistress” video. “The times they are a-changin'” Igor (vocals, guitar) muses. “Vadim expressed his desire to leave to concentrate on his brutal-death band a month before our Moscow show. We’re grateful to him for these two and something years we spent together and we’re definitely still friends. Besides he’s still into music!”. Viktor, a newcomer, is reported to be deeply involved in the working process, and his live debut with the band is scheduled for May 16th in Kiev’s Underground Music Hall.

“Electric Mistress” video is again directed by legendary Viktor Priduvalov and is expected late April. It is “some kind of a Lynch story with us in minor roles”, Igor adds. With their Freak Valley 2013 slot confirmed (with Orange Goblin, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Long Distance Calling, Causa Sui and The Machine among others), the band is to announce dates for their May mini-tour soon.

Last week, when I ended off with Lamp of the Universe, I noted that I was doing so because having searched for the bleakest, heaviest and most chaotic thing I could find, I decided to go the opposite route. If I’d kept that search up, there’s a good chance I might’ve landed on Finland’s Dark Buddha Rising. Along with the striking, blood-covered impression the band made at Roadburn last year, their 2008 album, Ritual IX, was previously written about here, and when they want to get there, they can be about as dark as anything I’ve heard. This track, the 43-minute Ritual IX closer, “Enneathan,” is a little more varied than that, hypnotically building its pace to chaotic swirl before diverging to primordial drones, but it’s longer than anything they did before or since, so screw it. Long song wins.

In a couple minutes — pretty much as soon as I finish this post — I’m going to head to Brooklyn to catch Helen Money at the St. Vitus bar. Her latest album, Arriving Angels (review here), was killer and I’d like to buy it in person, plus I’ve nerded out on her stuff for more than half a decade and it’s high time I caught a live show. Provided a meteor doesn’t strike between now and then, I’ll have a review of that on Monday, and also next week, look for a writeup on Shallow Grave‘s new album, which is awesome, and a Q&A with The Kings of Frog Island about their latest. If I get the chance to transcribe it, I might do Pombagira‘s interview as well, but don’t quote me on that. Either way, good times to come.

Monday I’ll also have a Clamfight update on their doings, which as one would have to expect, are excellent.

It’s Not Night: It’s Space are playing Monday night in Manhattan, and though a Monday show’s a hard sell and I usually work late, I’m gonna give that my best shot too. Got my fingers crossed I can get my ass in gear for it. Lot of good shows coming up. Much to see, much to do.

As always, I hope you have a great and safe weekend. If you haven’t checked in on the forum lately, it rules and you should. I’m sure I’ll be there all weekend while I continue to blow off the work I should’ve been doing today. Huzzah!

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

And they say there’s nothing to be gained from spending your days dicking around on the internet. Wait, do they even still say that? Okay, I don’t know what anyone says about anything, but I know toadlicking tripped out doom when I hear it, and Swedish trio Salem’s Pot certain-fucking-ly provide that on their new tape, Watch Me Kill You. The name and the lack of lineup info, and even some of the stonerly swing later into the song itself might bring on an Uncle Acid comparison, but Salem’s Pot seem to be on a thicker vibe tonally, less classic horror atmosphere and more traditional doom lumber cut through by echoing space-minded vocals. Right on.

Seems I missed out on buying the tape, which couples “Watch Me Kill You” with the Wicked Lady cover “Run the Night” and was released last month by Ljudkassett in suitably limited fashion, but even with a decidedly-less-cult digital listen, it’s hard to fuck with the riffy psychosis of the 16:25 title-track, which plods its way through a tortured riff and morose vocals on a seemingly never-ending spiral into the purple-hued abyss. Smooth low-end rumble and crashes hold the movement together when the face starts to melt on the guitar, and after slogging through about 10 solid minutes of downer alchemy, Salem’s Pot kick into a faster stoner groove that’s as much Goatsnake as what came prior was Reverend Bizarre at their most ethereal. Listening back, you can hear the amps farting out the distortion. Once again, right on.

It’s almost impossible to come out of Salem’s Pot with a clean conscience. Their take on Wicked Lady‘s “Run the Night” follows the effects wash deconstruction that caps “Watch Me Kill You” and shows the same kind of affinity for slow-it-down-and-blast-it-out that Wicked Lady themselves once showed for flapper hotties. Of course the song works at the slower pace — its stomp is well suited to Salem’s Pot‘s thick, lower-budget Electric Wizardry, miserable and psych in like measure. Salem’s Pot don’t really sound like them either, but it’s a convenient stopping point for a comparison since the higher-than-thou ethic seems pervasive here as well. Sweden’s answer to Ice Dragon, maybe? Maybe.

Either way, one thing is sure, and that’s that next time around, I don’t plan on missing the tape. Watch Me Kill You is done just this side of 24 minutes, but it’s an easy 24 minutes to get stoked on if you’re down with modern doom that has its eye on candlelit miseries. Could easily see these guys under the banner of someone like Rise Above in the future.

Salem’s Pot on Thee Facebooks

Salem’s Pot on Bandcamp

Before they head overseas to play both Desertfests and the Barrosela Metalfest in Portugal, US doom legends Pentagram will make a stop at Brooklyn’s St. Vitus bar, as the latest in an increasingly long line of impressive gets for the venue that’s also included such landmark acts as Eyehategod, Floor (who’ll be there next Friday) and Saint Vitus themselves. Pretty fucking astounding, if you ask me. I’ll be on a plane while the show is happening, but this one’s bound to be a good time for anyone who can make it out and/or won’t be able to see the band at this year’s Maryland Deathfest.

Dig it:

Heavy metal legends, PENTAGRAM, will be returning to the road in 2013 in Europe, as well as North America, for select shows and festivals. The band will once again perform at Maryland Death Fest as well as Farmageddon Records Music Festival, Metaldays (Slovakia), Barroselas Metalfest XVI (Portugal), and more. PENTAGRAM’s list of confirmed performances can be found below.

PENTAGRAM will have new merchandise designs available exclusively at these shows. Also, the band has listened to their fans and will be performing some classics and fan favorites that have never before been performed live! Be forewarned, everything’s turning to night!

PENTAGRAM
04/16 Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus Bar
04/25 Berlin, DE Astra *Desertfest 2013*
04/26 Barroselas, PT Barrosela Metalfest XVI
04/28 London, UK Electric Ballroom *Desertfest 2013*
05/26 Baltimore, MD Forme Sonar Compound *Maryland Deathfest 2013*
07/20 Warsaw, PL Days of Ceremony 2013
07/22 Tolmin, SI Metaldays 2013
07/25-07/28 TBA, Montana Farmageddon Records Music Festival

There are few lines drawn in heavy underground rock that Madison, Wisconsin, three-piece Romero don’t cross on their debut full-length, Take the Potion. Fluidly touching on heavy rock, crashing into doom and caustic sludge while keeping an eye toward the pop melodies of Torche, the post-hardcore threat of later Akimbo and leaving room for a Sleep-derived riff-out at the end, the seven-track collection is perhaps most surprising in how well it’s all held together. Worth noting in that regard that for a band putting out their first album, Romero aren’t lacking for experience. Guitarist/vocalist Jeffrey Mundt drummed for Naked Aggression in the ‘90s, among others, and Take the Potion (released by Grindcore Karaoke) follows two preliminary singles, Couch Lock and Solitaire +1 (more on them here), so it’s not unexpected that Romero would come into their full-length debut with a decent sense of how they wanted to sound. Indeed, both sides of Couch Lock – those being “Couch Lock” and “In the Heather” – show up on Take the Potion as well, the latter as the closer. What surprises is the level of cohesiveness the three-piece harness throughout the songs, working in a variety of structures and with a swath of influences beyond those noted above, so that the oncoming rush of opener “Compliments and Cocktails” gives way to a catchy stoner verse and chorus before opening to a midsection of tom-heavy beefy hardcore shouts, like all of a sudden Pro-Pain showed up at the studio as Romero were 2:57 seconds into the 6:22 track and decided to take over. Maybe that’s a stretch, but it’s to the band’s credit – the rhythm section of bassist Steve Stanczyk and drummer/vocalist Benjamin Brooks alongside Mundt — that they’re able to transition so smoothly back into the more melodic verse and chorus. “Compliments and Cocktails” is a solid beginning in that it sets up the listener to never quite know what turn Romero might make within a song – after conveying monotony in the opener’s chorus without actually becoming monotonous, they even throw in a little organ near the end – and the rest of Take the Potion doesn’t fail to catch off guard, whether it’s the creeping initial build of second track “Couch Lock” or the stomp that shows up later in the yelling stretch of “Wheeling Deervish” on side B. Throughout, Romero, who recorded and mixed over the course of last year in cooperation with Mark Whitcomb (Phillip Cope of Kylesa mastered), distinguish their methods and showcase a powerful approach that sounds natural even as it melds genre elements often thought of as being at odds.

Primarily, this shit is heavy, and heaviness seems to be its main concern. That is, I don’t imagine Romero sat around in smoking jackets and plotted out second by second how they were going to tie different pieces of heavy rock together to create their own sound from them. More likely they just focused on writing good songs, which however impressive the other achievement might be is at the root of what makes it so. “Couch Lock,” re-recorded and cleaner-sounding than it was on the single, starts slow and arrives at a massive lumber signaled by Brooks’ drums, the plod soon topped with layers of shouting from the drummer and Mundt. Just when it seems they’ve exhausted the part, about two minutes later, they pick up the pace and shift into a faster, driving groove no less heavy but rife with energy and inviting swagger, riding the part out until the final hits recall the stomp from whence they emerged. Two tracks in, and already Romero’s Take the Potion has convinced me to do just that – I’m on board to follow them wherever they might go – and the psychedelic opening of “One Means Four,” some chime added for percussive ethereality, proves easy enough to follow. Stanczyk’s bassline holds the intro together, so that when the track kicks into the shouting verse and cleaner chorus, it makes an eerie kind of sense, gang shouts coming on near the midpoint to foreshadow a surprising rush in what turns out to be a deceptively linear build, breaking here, swarming there, never quite fully playing its hand until the last minute, when it brings back those shouts for another go. By the time you’ve caught up to it, Romero have moved onto the shorter (4:00, the shortest on the album) title-track, a centerpiece that casts off the long-intro ethic of “Couch Lock” and “One Means Four” in favor of immediate pummel with its verse riff. Brooks works a groove out on his ride while the trio crafts momentum out of what’s otherwise a familiar stoner progression, mounting effective stops in the chorus, Mundt’s guitar leading one riff cycle into the next. A solo after the chorus leads to a quieter break, still in motion and bouncing in Stanczyk’s bass, but topped with quick spoken word that leads to crashes that to my ears are enough to justify the Akimbo comparison above. That burst of energy transitions smoothly into the early shuffle of “Distraction Tree,” marking the movement into a second half of Take the Potion no less seamless than the first.

Read more »

Bangalore-based sludge five-piece Bevar Sea will take part in a new tribute to Motörhead featuring Indian bands. No easy feat to pick a Motörhead track for a cover. Do you go with something obvious? “Stay Clean” or the so-landmark-it-practically-has-a-fence-around-it “Ace of Spades?” Bevar Sea decided on another route, snatching up the 1983 B-side to the single “I Got Mine,” “Turn You Round Again,” betting that although the song’s been on numerous comps in the 30 years since its first appearance, it’s probably still unknown to most of the people who’ll catch the tribute. Smart move, most likely.

Bevar Sea released their Billy Anderson-mixed self-titled debut last October (track premiere here) and still have copies available on their Bandcamp page. More info about the tribute can be found on its Thee Facebooks, and to go with the lyric video Bevar Sea took a hypnotic fight scene from 2010’s Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster. So what you get here is a sludgy Motörhead cover and kickass kung fu choreography. That’s a win even before the band get down to creative subtitling.

Check it out: