If the crunch in the guitars of Sylvia‘s self-titled debut seem vaguely familiar, or if the overarching claustrophobic density of the eight-song outing sounds vaguely familiar, one might point to the involvement of Today is the Day mastermind Steve Austin, who is listed along with Shaun Curran and the band as having produced (though Curran recorded), and who also mixed and mastered the album at his Austin Enterprise studio. That influence shows up in some of the songs are a particular and peculiar atmospheric darkness — cuts like “Teddy Worm” and “Space Jaguar” make a few twists as well that are easily enough read as reminiscent — but the bulk of Sylvia‘s Sylvia is more stylistically nuanced than can really be tied to one band or another. The Portland, Maine, four-piece lock into black metal blasts and squibblies on “The Wolves of Brunch,” and offer Iron Monkey-style sludge on “Hot Summer Knights,” leaving plenty of room for on-a-dime shifts into post-High on Fire thrash, but really, it’s the combination of all these elements with just a touch of New England mosh on “Luv U 2 Death” and closer “Ukelalien” that gives the 31-minute long-player its personality. Well, that and the joke titles. Half of these songs showed up on Sylvia‘s 2012 Lizard Birdman demo, but the foursome of guitarist/vocalist Candy, bassist Reuben J. Little (both formerly of Portland mega-doomers Ocean), guitarist Sean Libby and drummer Andrew have a crisper sear to the sound of the full-length, and while that might actually take away from some of the lo-fi black metal edge, in turn, it also brings a more complex feel overall in letting the other stylistic elements shine through. The difference comes across clearly on opener “Lizard Birdman,” which at five minutes is the longest track on Sylvia (immediate points) and which sets an immediately blended tone for the rest of the songs to follow in one way or another.

A guest guitar spot from Gozu‘s Doug Sherman on the leadoff track makes it even more of a wrench in the gears of expectation, but “Lizard Birdman” also throws off the listener vocally. The first lines of the record are the only instance of clean vocals. Granted, they’re still shouts, but compared to the rasps that show up throughout the rest of the album, it might as well be Perry Como. One gets the sense in comparing “Lizard Birdman” to the rest of Sylvia, especially the 2:20 rush of “Teddy Worm,” which follows, that the band’s intention was to throw listeners off immediately. “Lizard Birdman” could just as easily have been the closer, but it’s where it is on purpose and toying with the audience seems to be why. A noble enough endeavor, and the opener is effective in its mission. Though the ensuing “Teddy Worm,” “Space Jaguar” and “Hot Summer Knights” essentially lean one way or another on influences from sludge, black metal, crust and thrash, committing to any over the other only for the briefest of moments if at all, the context for the brew is changed by the album’s first impression. Whether or not it makes the overall listening experience stronger than it otherwise might be, I don’t know, but it speaks to a meta-intent on the part of Sylvia, and as “Space Jaguar” switches between blackened screams and deathly growls en route to jagged and punkish starts and stops, it’s hardly the last time the four-piece will endeavor to make a show of their individuality and willful crossing of stylistic lines. The slower “Hot Summer Knights” takes peak-era Crowbar riffing and pairs it with an intense, semi-shuffle, splitting almost at the halfway mark to directly play one off the other. Following, “Luv U 2 Death” is no less ambitious, building to its darkened hardcore beatdown via black metal raging to start off the back end of the album perhaps in more typical fashion for the band’s general approach than “Lizard Birdman” started the first, though there’s still plenty of stylistic chicanery to come.

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You’ll probably note that as Ice Dragon announce “Steel Veins, take two” at the start of the track, there’s the sound of a can opening. A burp follows shortly thereafter, and soon, the garage-doom riffage is underway. The prolific Boston four-piece announced their new single, Steel Veins b/w Queen of the Black Harvest, as being older school, and the leadoff track bears that out, though inevitably some of the psych rock vibing of their last album, Born a Heavy Morning (review here), has bled in as well. Still, the harsher vocals in the call and response chorus and the plodding feel of the riff should sit well with anyone who’s been checking out 2012’s Tome of the Future Ancients lately.

The second and longer track, “Queen of the Black Harvest” keeps the live-in-studio vibe going (belch included), but satisfies a classic Pentagram vibe more than the A-side of the digital only release, and where “Steel Veins” borders on screams, “Queen of the Black Harvest” borders on harmonies. For what it’s worth, one is no less fluid than the other, and whichever feel Ice Dragon are working with, they’re able to make it their own, as the creepy slowdown and resumption of the instantly-familiar verse riff will attest. Ditto that for the backwards cymbals and spooky ambient vocals later into the cut, which lead to what if I’m not mistaken is a (sampled?) gong backing that central riff. Even when they’re going “traditional,” Ice Dragon can’t seem to keep from getting weird.

All the better. No word on if Steel Veins b/w Queen of the Black Harvest will get a physical release, but here’s what they had to say about the single on Thee Facebooks, followed of course by the thing itself, which is up for pay-what-you-will download on their Bandcamp:

New release from Ice Dragon

Almost finished with a new “single”. 2 tracks, b/w and all that shit. I hope you guys appreciate all the fucking cables we have to put up with around here. hahaha. Kinda classic “Ice Dragon” sound on these jams, no funny business. Well… maybe a little.

Here’s a trick. Solo a vocal, guitar, bass, whatever. Then send that into the mixer, use the insert as a direct out into another channel, then hook a pedal up on the aux send/return. Then you can eq them differently, adjust the send levels, add another insert, etc. etc. It’s essentially like duplicating a track in the ‘puter, but doesn’t sound like sterile beige ass and gives you more options.

https://www.facebook.com/icedragonofficial
http://icedragon.bandcamp.com/

Ice Dragon, Steel Veins b/w Queen of the Black Harvest (2013)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (1967)

Earlier today I had what I can only refer to as a Hendrix-panic. I was minding my own business this afternoon and all of a sudden, nothing else would do. It was Jimi Hendrix or it was nothing, and it’s almost never nothing, so there you go. I put on “May this be Love,” so it seemed only fair to cap the week with the record it comes from, 1967’s Are You Experienced, the debut from The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Yeah, it’s an obvious choice — nothing underground about it unless you’re listening for the proto-heavy that’s in there that others won’t hear — but what the hell, it’s about as classic as classic gets.

This is the version with bonus tracks. Under normal circumstances, I’d prefer to keep it to the original tracklisting, but in this age of at-no-cost immediate access, I won’t play the choosy beggar. At least not this time. I figured there wasn’t much likelihood of complaint about an hour of Hendrix either way, and Are You Experienced is one of those records that’s so omnipresent I feel like it’s almost passed over. It’s a given. Think of listening to it again like re-reading Huck Finn, or watching Spaceballs or Young Frankenstein again as an adult. Totally different level of enjoyment. When was the last time you really listened to this album?

For me it was a couple hours ago, but I think the point stands. There ain’t no life nowhere.

—

Pretty wild couple days this week. Monday feels like forever ago for only having been the usual number of hours. Next week’s even farther away from sane with the Thanksgiving holiday and all. I’ll have a new podcast put together sometime, maybe have it go up on Thursday if I’m feeling fancy and want to mark the occasion. The Patient Mrs. and I are headed out of town to see family for the weekend — traveling from Massachusetts to Maryland, to Jersey, to NYC, to Massachusetts over the course of four days — so I won’t have much else up toward the end of this week coming up, but things will get back to normal after that. At least for a month.

I’ll also be back in New York on Dec. 5 and 6 for shows. Want to see Mountain God and The Golden Grass and it just happens they’re playing on successive nights. I’d call myself a citizen of the East Coast if I didn’t think it’d make me sound like a pretentious jackass. Cough cough.

Before my wife and dog and I hit the road, look out for reviews of Sylvia and Black Skies, new audio from Elliott’s Keep and the aforementioned podcast, as well as whatever else I can think of to toss in there and whatever it might be that I know I’m forgetting to mention. There’s something. I know there’s something. Ah well. If I can think of it, I’ll let you know.

And if not, I’m pretty sure you’ll survive. In so doing, I hope you’ll have a great and safe weekend and that you’ll please take some time to check out the forum and radio stream.

The Obelisk Forum

The Obelisk Radio

You know who’s gonna argue with a Sixty Watt Shaman reunion? Frickin’ nobody, that’s who. Maybe suckers and squares, but suckers and squares can both get bent. That’s right — I said it.

Of course, we already knew that Sixty Watt Shaman have reunited for shows from the prior announcement of their appearance at The Eye of the Stoned Goat 4 in Massachusetts next year — stoked, even though it seems to have moved since last I heard — but the good news torn fresh from the PR wire below is that in addition to gigging, the band will also be releasing new material. Now, it’s not specified whether it’s an EP or a new full-length, but confirmation of new material is more than I had 20 minutes ago, so you won’t hear me complain.

Here’s how it is:

SIXTY WATT SHAMAN: Maryland Riff Rock Heroes Reunite For 2014 Live Actions

Reissues And New Material Planned

Maryland’s SIXTY WATT SHAMAN rides again, as the act has risen from the ashes to make their return to the stage and studio in 2014.

The classic SIXTY WATT SHAMAN lineup of vocalist/guitarist Dan Soren, bassist Rev Jim Forrester and drummer Chuck Dukehart III — three quarters of the crew who brought the band’s Seed of Decades and Ultra Electric albums to fruition — will be delivering a set of time proven classics as well as some new surprises to celebrate the relaunch of this mighty outfit. Additionally, the band welcomes Todd (TI) Ingram from King Giant aboard as their new lead guitarist to help write the next chapter in their sonic legacy. TI is no stranger to the genre as his heavy riffs and blistering leads are a signature part of KG. On the new band activities, Chuck Dukehart III stated, “We are beyond ecstatic to be making music together again! SIXTY WATT SHAMAN is and always will be a brotherhood and we are bonded by blood. It’s always been ingrained in our bones. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to writing this next chapter of the journey with my brothers in arms.”

For 2014, SIXTY WATT SHAMAN has confirmed their spot headlining the much revered The Eye of the Stoned Goat IV Fest in Worcester, Massachusetts on May 3rd. The two day fest is an intense gathering of bands from across the rock/doom/psych scene, this year set to include twenty acts including Curse The Son, Foghound, Kingsnake, Cortez, Volume IV, Beelzefuzz, Ichabod and more.

Besides additional live ventures coming together for the year, SIXTY WATT SHAMAN will also be reissuing select material from the band’s back catalog, and will also step back into the studio to bring a fresh batch of tunes to life.

A household name in the underground rock community, SIXTY WATT SHAMAN formed in Baltimore in the mid-1990s, and released three full-length albums between 1998 and 2002; their Ultra Electric debut on Game Two Records and the subsequent Seed of Decades and Reason To Live via Spitfire Records. Over the years they toured nationally with Nebula, Spirit Caravan, Black Label Society, Crowbar, Clutch, Corrosion Of Conformity, Alabama Thunderpussy and others, and trekked Europe alongside Karma To Burn.

Stay tuned for more Sixty Watt updates on SIXTY WATT SHAMAN in the coming months, including the launch of www.SixtyWattShaman.com.

https://www.facebook.com/SixtyWattShaman

Sixty Watt Shaman, “New Trip” from Seed of Decades (2000)

I think I finally figured out what I like so darn much about We are Here, the six-song debut from Brooklyn heavy plodders Blackout. It often happens early into a stoner rock band’s career that they have one riff to rule them all. There’s one song that everyone in their scene knows them for and at least for a while, that’s their hit. With Blackout, almost every riff is that riff, so by the time you get around to the end of side B and the we’ll-just-go-right-over-these-skulls march of “Seven,” the scale of judgment is completely thrown off. I’m not saying it’s revolutionary — the three-piece seem purposefully bent on not fucking with what the Melvins got right the first time around — just that, while formative, it’s done remarkably well.

The vinyl edition of We are Here arrives, with a download card, pressed on 180g wax, but rather than the pressing info (one can only imagine it’s limited to some number or other), the highlight of the album is the crushing weight of it. There’s an almost garage sense of dirty echo to Christian Gordy‘s guitar, Justin Sherrell‘s bass and Taryn Waldman‘s drums, and that gives the recording, which was helmed by Rob Laasko and mastered by Kyle Spence of Harvey Milk, a raw feel, but it lacks nothing for heft in part because of that space created in the audio and how well the three-piece fills it with nodding, unashamedly heavy groove, at least partially derived from Sleep, but already en route to an individual push.

Part of the reason I say that comes down to Gordy‘s vocals, which have a compressed effect on them on each of the tracks. In another context, this might get redundant, but as We are Here doesn’t overstay its welcome and as so much more of the focus to songs like “Indian” and the side A closer “Smoker” is on the riffs, the compression gives the songs just a touch of something to distinguish them, just something to make them weird, and both in theory and in the actual finished product of the album, the effect is to make Blackout stand out. They’re not trying too hard to be unique, they’re not trying too hard to fit into a genre. They’re being themselves and writing songs, and what came out of that on their debut is all the stronger for it.

Things get pretty blown out as “Seven” heads toward its inevitable collapse and the needle makes its return, but in the context of the heft thrown around on “Amnesia” and the ensuing creeper progression in “Smoker” — which, the more I hear the record the more it replaces “Seven” as my pick of the bunch — it works, and if it’s an added level of quirk in line the vocals and garage stomp, that’s fine too. Included with the record and download is an insert with the lyrics on one side and Blackout‘s should-be-iconic band photo on the other, so any way you want to look at it, We are Here is as complete a document of the band’s arrival as one could ask.

Blackout, We are Here (2013)

Blackout on Thee Facebooks

Blackout on Bandcamp

Up to this point, the chief appeal of Chilean duo has been the tone. Their first two albums — 2012’s Chapter II: Vulgo Gratissimus Auctor (review here) and their 2011 self-titled debut (review here) — practically shocked the listener once it was understood that there was no bass, and that guitarist/vocalist Néstor Ayala and drummer/backing vocalist Francisco Alvarado were creating that richness of sound with just the two of them. That and a burgeoning lean toward catchy hooks made particularly the second album and the band’s ensuing digital EPs and singles indicative of potential for something more intricate and skillfully crafted, and their third album, Plan B: Sin Revolución no hay Evolución, arrives self-released on CD/digital with vinyl due March 2014 on Bilocation Records as the realization of that potential. In the layers of Ayala‘s vocals and in the songs overall the band’s melodic sensibility has bloomed, and the 10-track/55-minute offering is all the more engaging for it. One is tempted to compare it on paper to Torche, who also blended thick tones, pop melodies and irresistible hooks to satisfying effect, but the reality of Plan B: Sin Revolución no hay Evolución is different, less upbeat musically and more socially themed in its lyrics, as heard on the extended “40 Years Ago,” which deals directly with the 1973 coup in Chile that saw the rise of Augusto Pinochet, even breaking in the middle to a long sample (in Spanish) of the news about the government being overthrown by the military before the lyrics (in English) return to decry the theft of natural resources for capitalist ends and land on repeating the lines, “Never again in our country.” That the words to that song and all the others save for the mostly-acoustic “Time to Flee” would be in English is even more interesting in the context of an anti-colonialist stance, but ultimately the album is about more than just that, with opener “Don’t See You Around” offering a laid back, rolling groove that catches the ear immediately and allows At Devil Dirt a platform from which to launch the varied explorations of “I Lost My Guide,” “Mommy,” “40 Years Ago” and so on.

Unmistakably, the mood of closer “There is Not a God or a Devil” is darker than a lot of the rest of Plan B: Sin Revolución no hay Evolución, and while “40 Years Ago” is mournful, then the finale is more horror-themed, but even in those last moments, At Devil Dirt hold to a psychedelia that sounds full and heavy and balanced. The inclusion of a cover of The Beatles‘ “Across the Universe” is telling, and that famous single is treated to a suitable rumble and vocal layering, but really, the songs showcase a diversity of spirit each almost unto itself, and where “Don’t See You Around” is practically dream-pop with tonal gravitational pull, “Conscience” takes more of a heads-down rush to get to its own strong chorus, more definitively stoner rock in its vibe, with rougher vocals over top of the continually-impressive low end. Those vocals still arrive in layers, whether it’s Ayala adding tracks to his own voice or Alvarado backing, and provide the uniting factor that ties much of the record together throughout the various shifts in mood and approach. The semi-title-track, “Sin Revolución no hay Evolución,” begins one of the album’s most significant of these moves, though admittedly it’s more thematic than sonic, acting as a kind of introductory chapter in a four-piece set of political material. There are those automatically turned off by social consciousness in music. I’m not one of them. South America has beautiful traditions both of heavy rock and political philosophy in art, and At Devil Dirt in no way sacrifice songwriting for message, so all the better. “Sin Revolución no hay Evolución” keeps firm to the opening duo’s memorable ethic, pulling back on some of the crunch of “Conscience,” and even with the long break from about 3:20 to 9:37, “40 Years Ago” carries with it one of the most resonant hooks At Devil Dirt have composed to date, which leaves a lasting impression even though the slower third movement of the song doesn’t return to it (I had been hoping for just one final runthrough). The second-longest cut, “People Raise Again” (6:30) ups the pace initially and moves fluidly through a languid verse chug that devolves into droning and noise that foreshadows the psychedelia to come on “I Lost My Guide” and “Mommy.”

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The track “Behind the Light” on Red Fang‘s third album, Whales and Leeches, paints a fairly grim picture. Lyrics like, “It’s so insane to be alone/With all the time I gave away,” fit neatly with the classic rock and roll notion of the weary traveler, the artist who, having given up what commonly passes for a normal existence for his craft, wonders what could’ve been. With as much time as the Portland, Oregon, four-piece spent on the road supporting their 2011 sophomore outing and Chris Funk-produced Relapse Records label debut, Murder the Mountains (review here), no doubt the band has had some opportunity to stew  on it, and for being known essentially for a party atmosphere and ridiculously catchy songs like “Wires” from the last album or “Prehistoric Dog” from their 2008 self-titled debut — they have a propensity for putting the hooks up front, and “Blood Like Cream” from the latest continues the trend — “Behind the Light” presents something of a departure in atmosphere.

It’s the centerpiece and emotional low of Whales and Leeches, which the band returned to Funk to produce after what seems to have been a hurried songwriting process — deadlines to meet — and it’s followed by the record’s greatest triumph, “Dawn Rising,” on which YOB‘s Mike Scheidt guests on vocals alongside Red Fang bassist/vocalist Aaron Beam. Though “1516” provides some of his best tradeoffs to date with guitarist/vocalist Bryan Giles, Beam is featured more prominently throughout Whales and Leeches than anything Red Fang has done up till now, and his voice — in a somewhat cleaner approach than Giles‘ shouts — stands up to the dynamic both with the guitarist and within the emotionality of his own presentation, be it “Behind the Light,” the driving forward thrust of “Voices of the Dead” or the semi-psychedelic capstone(r) “Every Little Twist.” Of course, it’s the versatility of Beam, Giles, guitarist/vocalist David Sullivan and drummer John Sherman at the core of what gives Red Fang their personality. The difference this time appears to have been that Beam stepped forward to meet the challenge of the rush to put the album together.

So be it. If Red Fang were in a hurry, at least it was for a good cause. They took a break from songwriting to play Soundwave in Australia earlier this year, and have already toured the West Coast in support of Whales and Leeches with East Coast dates to follow next month and Europe in 2014 continuing a road-dog touring cycle that hardly seems to have stopped at all since before Murder the Mountains was released. Turn around and he’s Red Fang with another three weeks’ worth of dates in one region or another. At least thus far, it’s much the same for Whales and Leeches, and in talking to Beam about the album, I was interested to get a notion from him of where he thought it was all heading and what his vision of “success” was for the band. Particularly as he’s emerged in this material — not quite to a frontman role, but not far from it — I was curious to see where he felt it’s all been leading, what it is keeping them moving forward other than the obvious need to sell shirts on tour.

When we spoke, Beam was in New York City to do East Coast press. He’d flown in overnight from Portland and you could hear in his voice that specific I’ve-recently-been-in-an-airport exhaustion. Nonetheless, he spoke not only about his and the band’s motivations, but about the construction and recording of Whales and Leeches, his growing comfort as a singer, the prospect of spending most of 2014 on tour, and much more.

You’ll find the complete Q&A after the jump. Please enjoy.

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In news you care way less about, I’ve been made a press partner with both the London and Berlin Desertfests again and I’m proud and happy to be continuing this site’s relationship with the expanding and continually impressive festivals. In news that’s a little more holy-shit-pardon-me-while-I-pick-up-my-jaw, Spirit Caravan — guitarist/vocalist Scott “Wino” Weinrich, bassist Dave Sherman and drummer Gary Isom — have reunited and will be among the headliners for both Berlin and London in 2014. I’m floored.

Rumors have been going around of a Spirit Caravan reunion for years and escalated recently, but this is the first official word of a reunion from the legendary trio, whose 1999 debut, Jug Fulla Sun, remains one of the finest American heavy rock records ever released. Keep an eye out for more to come on the reunion and more from the London and Berlin Desertfest. Other confirmed acts for Berlin are Gozu, Elder, Black Rainbows, Causa Sui, Prisma Circus, Huata and Sardonis.

The PR wire makes it official:

SPIRIT CARAVAN (USA) – EXCLUSIVE REUNION SHOWS AT BOTH DESERTFESTS

Here we are ! First headliner confirmed for both DESERTFEST LONDON & BERLIN is… the cult band SPIRIT CARAVAN, finally back after 12 years !!!

When The Obsessed folded in 1995 Scott “Wino” Weinrich moved from California to his native Maryland to create the band Shine. After a demo entitled “Powershine” and a 7″ EP “Lost Sun Dance” release during 1997 Shine became SPIRIT CARAVAN as he was joined by bass player Dave Sherman and drummer Gary Isom.

A 7″ single shared with Sixty Watt Shaman in 1999 was their first release together and several others followed : their first full-length album “Jug Fulla Sun” in 1999, a second EP intitled “Dreamwheel” later the same year, and after an extensive U.S. and European tour, their sophomore effort, “Elusive Truth” in 2001.

While SPIRIT CARAVAN’s sound isn’t drastically different from the aforementioned The Obsessed, who welded the foot-stomping organic qualities of Grand Funk Railroad with no-frills American roots punk like The Dictators, all the while observing Black Sabbath, SPIRIT CARAVAN injected a healthy dose of cryptic psychedelia to their mix. Scott “Wino” Weinrich’s guitar tone evinces the slow burning wisdom derived from many decades of hard living and touring in the underground music community.

The band received a lot of praise from the doom/stoner community but, unfortunately, SPIRIT CARAVAN split-up in May 2002… But as he showed many times in the past, Wino is like a phoenix ! And now it’s time for SPIRIT CARAVAN to be reborn !!

Let´s celebrate SPIRIT CARAVAN´s EXCLUSIVE Reunion shows at DESERTFEST LONDON & BERLIN !! Order now your tickets to attend this amazing event by sending an email at TICKETS@DESERTFEST.DE

Spirit Caravan, Jug Fulla Sun (1999)