Posted in Whathaveyou on September 22nd, 2017 by JJ Koczan
This one’s coming up quickly, so keep an eye out. French trio Frank Sabbath released their second album, Telluric Wanderers (discussed here), last year through Argonauta as the follow-up to their 2015 self-titled debut (review here), and even after two later-2016 sessions-type offerings posted on their Bandcamp, it would seem the Paris/Montpellier troupe are unwilling to let 2017 pass without a proper full-length, so on Oct. 2 they’ll drop Are You Waiting?, of which they’re giving a first taste now in the off-the-wall “Sasume.”
Crazed is nothing new as regards a general status for these guys, but I feel like this might even be a different level in that regard. Not sure how I feel about those maybe-Japanese vocals, but it’s weird, and the bass tone is inarguable, so there are definitely elements working in its favor.
Are You Waiting? will be Frank Sabbath‘s first record through their new label, Bermuda Cruise, and you can see more info about it below, courtesy of the PR wire, as well as hear “Sasume” if you’re feeling particularly brave:
Frank Sabbath is proud to reveal the cover and first extract from their new album, Are You Waiting?
With their third album Are You Waiting? the French psychedelic jokesters Frank Sabbath present a concentrate of their composition style in four songs, ranging from high energy psychedelic rock, to progressive doom-laden melodies, and trippy atmospheric soundscapes.
The first track off the album, “Sasume,” album premiere is a japanese infused psychedelic tune, reminding the seemingly forgotten times where humor did belong in rock music.
Are You Waiting? will be released on CD and digital format by the new associative label Bermuda Cruise, which is focusing on psychedelic, experimental and improvised music. The date of release for the album is set to October 2nd.
Frank Sabbath is: Guillaume Jankowski : Bass Baptiste Reig : Drums, vocals Jude Mas : Guitare électrique, vocals Léo Minart : Sound engineer, tapist
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 22nd, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Desertfest London 2018 comes out of the gate with some pretty huge confirmations for next Spring. The fest will feature Monster Magnet headlining and a return appearance from Eyehategod, as well as — just days after they announced their reunion lineup — the reformed heavy psych rockers Nebula. The set at Desertfest London 2018 is the first confirmation from Eddie Glass and company, and I’m thrilled to say I wrote the announcement for that one as well as for Monster Magnet, which I totally scammed myself into doing, citing the New Jersey connection in the process.
Also confirmed for the bill are the doomily delightful Jex Thoth, Greek burl-bringers Planet of Zeus and the also-worthy-of-alliteration-but-really-enough-is-enough Black Moth and The Black Wizards. All told it’s an immediately awesome and varied bill that sets up the fest — to be held from May 4-6 in Camden Town — with multiple avenues for further expansion. And no doubt it will expand, with more lineup announcements to come along with ticket info and all the rest over the coming months as we move into the end of 2017 and the arrival of the New Year.
But one way or another, the season has started. Check it out:
MONSTER MAGNET, NEBULA AND MORE KICK OFF DESERTFEST 2018!
Desertfest aims to get bigger and better every year, and for our 7th edition it’s no different. Ladies and gentlemen, bow down to the Bullgod because Monster Magnet are headlining Desertfest 2018!
That’s right, New Jersey’s finest rock exports, Monster Magnet, are set to steamroll through Camden as headliners of Desertfest. The bona fide stoner psych living legends are approaching three decades of bringing the world acid freakouts and riff rock anthems; freakouts and anthems which, it’s no understatement to say, helped shape the stoner rock scene.
From their boundary breaking psych in early releases to the hard rock stomp through the noughties and their recent return to early influences, Monster Magnet have a knack for putting out iconic albums, before doing it all better live. We were always going to have Monster Magnet play eventually and 2018 is the year it happens. We can’t wait to be part of the biggest singalong in Desertfest history when Powertrip hits.
Joining them are the recently resurrected early stoner kings, Nebula, who return from an eight year hiatus in 2018. Steered by the riffs of Eddie Glass, Nebula tore through the turn of the millennium thanks to releases such as To The Center and Charged; must own LPs for anybody reading these words.
Also on the bill are barons of the Bayou, Eyehategod. Shaped by destruction, the sludge metal heroes have a life beaten coarseness that brings a next level of harshness to their sound. Pioneering sludge with their 1990 release, In the Name of Suffering, Eyehategod’s brutal assault through the nineties is something to behold. Then, after a decade away, the band came back stronger with 2014s self-titled, rawer, angrier and more driven than before. Having smashed The Electric Ballroom to pieces in 2015, Eyehategod are back at Desertfest.
We also have performances from High Priestess of occult rock Jex Thoth, stoner strut from champions of the Greek underground Planet of Zeus, the garage infused sound of Black Moth and the soulful proto-doom of The Black Wizards. Of course, that’s only the beginning. We have dozens of huge bands to announce over the next few months so keep your eyes open.
Alongside that mammoth announcement, tickets are now on sale for Desertfest 2018. As ever, we’re offering affordable hotel and hostel packages, which you can find out about here. Also, for the first time ever, we’re also offering a split payment plan. With our payment plan, you’ll pay half now and half early next year, making it easier to get your ticket for Desertfest 2018. For more info on our payment plan, click here.
It’s going to be another huge weekend in Camden. We can’t wait for you to see what we have in store for our 7th edition of Desertfest.
[Click play above to stream The Pact by Lucifer’s Chalice in full. Album is out Sept. 29 on Shadow Kingdom Records.]
There is a branch of doom and darker-tinged metal that remains steeped in olden ways. Released this past February as a digital offering by the band, the debut full-length from Lucifer’s Chalice, dubbed The Pact, finds wider issue through Shadow Kingdom Records and belongs to this branch. With influences culled from the early New Wave of British Heavy Metal — Cirith Ungol, Pagan Altar, Witchfinder General, youngest Iron Maiden, etc. — and classic Sabbathian doom, its four tracks feel as much ready to have the logo representing them scrawled sloppily on the front of a high-school notebook as flown proudly on a denim “battle vest” backpatch.
The Durham, UK, four-piece of guitarist/vocalist CW, lead guitarist SRM, bassist DH and drummer KShevil sound like they’d be just fine with either, if the songs are anything to go by. Earning immediate points by opening with the 11-minute “Hung at the Crossroads,” the hook and gallop of which serve as a table-setting representation of the band’s methods in general, The Pact unfolds brazenly and with a cassette-ready feel that has become cult metal in a way that is perhaps outside Lucifer’s Chalice‘s control, but nonetheless feels prevalent in their late-’70s/early-’80s vibe, persistent in spite of a modern production that’s telling of its actual time — i.e., now — especially in the drums, which if they were actually tracked in 1981 would have the snare likely be obtrusively loud in the mix and coated in reverb. Fortunately (mostly), that emblematic nuance of the era to which The Pact owes so much of its affect has been left by the wayside.
What’s been kept in place is careening riffs leading a charge topped by raw but proto-soaring vocals, and those elements provide the crux of The Pact‘s castle-storming, rusty-axe-wielding 36-minute charge. Though it begins with a mournful lead over a strummed central figure, it’s “Hung at the Crossroads” that begins the thrust in earnest, and the song moves fluidly through its extended runtime, gaining momentum as it works through its verses and chorus toward a slowdown just before the five-minute mark that brings a few minutes of doomier impression-making, to which CW‘s voice is well-suited in post-Candlemass fashion. Following a solo from SRM, a subsequent verse, and another lead, KShevil‘s drums signal a tempo change and the initial push resumes just before nine minutes in and holds sway for the remainder prior to the crash that brings on the sample from 1960’s The City of the Dead in which Massachusetts villagers burn Abigail Adams as a witch.
That’s as fitting an intro as one could ask for the 10-minute track itself, which builds into a rolling first verse quickly and holds to a method ultimately similar to “Hung at the Crossroads” before it, with straightforward push and some underlying doomly swing in the drums to go with its horror-based Satanic lyrical theme, storytelling done in the second-person such that “The devil owns your soul/Hell will be your home.” Of course, the familiarity and blatant play to style is an important part of the aesthetic for Lucifer’s Chalice, and the band have that moniker to live up to, after all, so the adoption cliché isn’t necessarily unwelcome, particularly with the solo it leads to and the uptick in tempo past four minutes in, heading to a midsection that holds to its central modus where the preceding cut veered away and an end that is perhaps the most Maiden-esque stretch here, setting up “Full Moon Nights” and “Priestess of Death” as a shorter side two with another big finish and quick fade.
“Full Moon Nights” arrives with no less than Klaus Kinski as Dracula in Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre from 1979, hearing the howling of wolves and calling it the music of the children of the night. Not a minor reference to make, but the song lives up to it with the fervency of its metallic shove, marked out by the kind of riff from which thrash would’ve taken influence three and a half decades ago and CW pushing his voice to and beyond its breaking point. A more turning progression arrives as the title-line is delivered, but it’s not long before Lucifer’s Chalice are heading forward again, and in the second half of “Full Moon Nights” the energy of their thrust picks up and is drawn toward another extended ending, this one consuming the full last minute and adding a sense of grandeur to counterbalance what’s still been a fairly raw production throughout. The Pact pays one more visit to the VHS shelf to break out 1971’s Twins of Evil for the sample that begins closer “Priestess of Death,” the hook of which is arguably the most memorable since “Hung at the Crossroads” and which reaffirms the devil worship of “The Pact” and “Full Moon Nights.”
As with those cuts, the source material is referenced in the lyrics, and it’s the guitars doing most of the heavy lifting in establishing the personality of the piece — a dual-layered lead as they move through the third minute is a standout point leading into more full-on thrashing and another precise, crashing run through the chorus prior to a surprisingly shredding solo. That gives way to a temporary slowdown that seems like it might be the band’s ending statement, but as “Hung at the Crossroads” did so skillfully, “Priestess of Death” also returns to its core to finish out, capping The Pact on a sudden but effective snap. Lucifer’s Chalice are hardly reinventing classic metal on their first record, but neither is that their intent. Rather, they pay homage to the Metal of Old with these four songs and in theme and purpose begin to stake out the approach they’ll hopefully continue to develop as they move forward, forging themselves in steel and casting outward with doom and pre-thrash malevolence.
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 22nd, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Illinois trio Earth Witch will release their debut album, Out of the Shallow, on vinyl through Cursed Tongue Records before the end of the year. They mark the fifth pickup from the emergent imprint behind Neon Warship, Devil’s Witches, Green Yeti and Mental Tremors, and the second to come from the US. First issued independently earlier this year on CD/DL, Out of the Shallow makes an immediately burled-out impression, dense in its riffing and decidedly belonging to the up-and-coming generation of heavy rock — the Bandcamp boom — but listening to the shouted vocals and dense riffing, one is reminded as well of the bluesy undertones of Egypt and Wo Fat as well.
The songs offer straight-ahead pummel and should make for a heavy platter, all the better since it seems Cursed Tongue has plans for deluxe editions, probably multiple colors, and so on. Preorders start in November for the December release, and you can stream Out of the Shallow in its entirety now on the player at the bottom of this post. Because it’s the future and that’s how shit works here.
Dig and enjoy:
EARTH WITCH SIGN TO CURSED TONGUE RECORDS
Earth Witch has signed to Cursed Tongue Records for a release of their highly appraised debut album ‘Out Of The Shallow’ coming late 2017. The label is extremely happy to have inked a deal with this hard hitting ensemble and look forward to give OOTS the full red carpet vinyl treatment. Expect several different vinyl editions, TP’s, posters, patches, etc. Already garnering quite a following and appraisal from around the scene amongst fellow musicians, fans and reviewers alike plus also securing them a place on the Doom Charts for March 2017 there is no questioning the band’s merits.
“It’s a real honor to get to work with such talented and focused people as the guys behind Earth Witch and we look forward to pay the much needed respect and acknowledgement to this high-octane stoner rock gold nugget, says Niels Bartholdy of Cursed Tongue Records.
Following up their doom laden 2013 Earthbound EP, Earth Witch unveils their debut longplayer, Out of the Shallow, that shows the trio in their truest rock n’ roll meets doom form. After founding members Ivan Catron (Guitar/Vocals) and Nathan Landolt (Drums) parted ways with their first bassist, they were joined by Derrin Coad (Bass/Vocals) for a Black Sabbath cover set on Halloween. The underlying doom sound remained a vital driving force in the writing, however the band was able to speed things up and get more technical with the new lineup.
Out of the Shallow pays tribute to Iommi style guitar solos and the driving force of rock bands like Red Fang, The Sword, and Kadavar. The 42 minute album was written over the course of two years and tracked in late 2015 with Brandon Carnes in Springfield, IL. From the fast paced high energy opening track until the last chords fade out, Earth Witch keeps the listener headbanging throughout. Album art by David Paul Seymour, with logo and additional layout by Mike Tirehaus. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Brandon Carnes (Looming) in Springfield, IL at Southtown Studios, Out Of the Shallow was released digitally on Bandcamp as well as on CD and tape in March 2017.
Earth Witch – ‘Out Of The Shallow’ will be Cursed Tongue Records fifth release in just little more than a year. Pre-orders will go online Friday, November 3rd with an expected official release date early December just in right time for the Christmas shopping. So looks like the present hunt is an easy solve this year.
Earth Witch live: Oct 21 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, IA Oct 25 The Swan Dive Austin, TX Oct 26 Saturn Bar New Orleans, LA
Earth Witch is: Ivan Catron – Guitars, Vocals Derrin Coad – Bass, Vocals Nathan Landolt – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 22nd, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Greek progressive heavy rock four-piece Tuber are getting ready to hit the road this Fall. They go on the strength of their massively well received 2017 full-length, Out of the Blue (discussed here), which has only helped put emphasis on the booming scene in Greece generally. You might recall Tuber was out in Europe earlier this year, playing Desertfest Berlin 2017, following up on a wider bit of touring they did in 2016 — those shows, like these, presented by Total Volume Agency — so yeah they seem due to hit the road again, and no doubt with Out of the Blue behind them, no doubt it’ll be a killer vibe at the gigs.
Dates follow here, as posted by the band in the poster below and dutifully transcribed by yours truly:
Tuber – Out of the Blue Tour
This fall we embark on a European tour supporting our new record “Out Of The Blue”. See you on the road!
Tour planning by Total Volume, stef@totalvolumeagency.com. Graphics by Original Replica.
Tuber live: 03.11.17 Robot Budapest 04.11.17 Rockhouse Salzburg 07.11.17 White Rabbit Freiburg 09.11.17 Jagerklause Berlin 10.11.17 Cadillac Oldenburg 11.11.17 Vortex Siegen 12.11.17 Walhalla Karlsruhe 15.11.17 Viper Room Vienna 16.11.17 SKC Fabrika Novi Sad 17.11.17 Daos Club Timisoara 18.11.17 Flying Circus Cluj 01.12.17 8Ball Club Thessaoniki 02.12.17 AN Club Athens 04.01.18 Downtown Nicosia Nicosia
Tuber grew up in a sunny place, south of Greece, in an island called Crete. They were hiding from the sun, jamming in dark studios and playing their music in rock caves. As they moved north, sounds became lighter, since they started miss hot ground. Balance came as a result of smash, dark embraced light and improvisation turned into an effortless and instinctive process. Tuber moved their interest into new forms, founding themselves experimenting with compositions that combine mixed styles and sounds from different ground. Focus is now on rock aesthetic flirting with psychedelic atmosphere and a touch of romantic mood. At this time Tuber live in Serres, forming their feelings and thoughts into music and words, still learning how to leave with reality and reinventing it with love.
Tuber is: Yannis Gerostathos Yannis Artzoglou Nickos Gerostathos Paris Fragkos
[Click play above to stream the new split between Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors in its entirety. Seven-inch is out Sept. 22 via Twin Earth Records and King Pizza Records.]
It’s a quick one, but there’s enough cacophony in the split between Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors to make a larger impression than its seven-minute runtime might lead you to believe. The two New York-based bands pair up for a mini-platter with the cooperation of their respective labels, Twin Earth Records and King Pizza Records, and really, that’s about where the cooperation ends. From the point of its existence onward, the split is much more about brash noisemaking than being friendly, though both bands certainly seem to be having a good time. Maybe “mischief” is the right word. Yeah. It’s like if the night before Halloween was a two-song sampler of what these groups have to offer; as though a release might somehow throw rolls of toilet paper into the tree in your front yard or egg your car. Take that, suburbia.
Pressed in an edition of 500 copies with smaller numbers on clear (150), gold (150) and black (200) vinyl, the split brings one song each from Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors, both of whom are following up on relatively new releases. In the case of the four-piece Heavy Traffic, their sixth full-length, Plastic Surgery (review here), was issued late in 2016 via Twin Earth, and the 4:44 of “Daylight Ripoff” begins side A with a fervent charge that answers the heavy psychedelic blister-raising they proffered with the album, which was the debut of the lineup that found guitarist Ian Caddick and drummer/vocalist/cover-artist Tav Palumbo — both formerly of Santa Cruz, California, blowout psych-gazers Spanish Moss — joined by bassist Dave Grzedzinski and drummer Dan Bradica (which presumably moved Palumbo to guitar/vocals, though don’t quote me on that).
Whether or not “Daylight Ripoff” was recorded at the same time as Plastic Surgery or under similar live-tracked conditions, I don’t know, but it’s certainly a believable. The song begins with just a momentary wail of feedback before lurching forth with a blast and wash alike, melodic vocals topping a thrust that could just as easily have come from modern black metal as heavy psych. It’s a surprising way to begin, and no doubt that’s exactly what Heavy Traffic had in mind. About 20 seconds in, they find their footing a prog-metallic churn of intertwining guitars at 53 seconds, they slam on the brakes to hit into a Sabbathian lumber that will slow even further as they hit the second minute, maintaining a spaciousness and fuzzed tonality as it nods itself seemingly into oblivion. The “but wait — there’s more!” moment happens just before the three-minute mark when they bring back the melodious assault that began “Daylight Ripoff” and cycle through it and the more angular riffing again before a distant lead echoes out behind tense chug and a build on the toms in the last minute.
This fades out relatively quickly and relatively noisily and “Daylight Ripoff” seems like anything but as it ends having been marked by its dizzying tempo changes and drawn together through the vague but resonant vocals laid over its shifting bulk. One might be tempted to call it a kitchen-sink approach, but Heavy Traffic keep the arrangement to their two guitars, bass, drums and voice, even if those common elements are put to uncommonly madcap use. In relation to Plastic Surgery, “Daylight Ripoff” feels altogether more unhinged than groove-rolling cuts like “Rule of Nines” or “Three Stigmata,” and whether its punkish refusal to settle into a pace or method is indicative of an overall shift in direction on the part of the band or just a one-off experiment in style and/or structure, it’s impossible to say, but the weirdo vibe suits Heavy Traffic well. If “Daylight Ripoff” is them continuing to refine and explore options with their approach and this relatively new lineup, one can hardly argue with either the variety or the intensity with which they deliver.
Though their inclusion is shorter and more straightforward, The Mad Doctors hardly come across as subdued upon the flip to side B. Their cleverly-titled “Yuengling Malmsteen” checks in at 2:57 and is the first new music they’ve had out since their earlier-2017 sophomore full-length, No Waves, Just Sharks (discussed here). The trio of guitarist/vocalist/recording engineer Seth Applebaum, bassist Joshua Park and drummer Greg Hanson, who also runs King Pizza Records, employed a few guests throughout that album for vocals and had spoken word samples peppered throughout as they shifted between surf punk and heavier impulses, crafting a rare union in atmosphere that actually worked without being either overly punkish, overly surfish, or a crude amalgam of desert and garage, while still sounding impressively off the rails and unpredictable — it really was something, if you didn’t hear it — but here it’s just the three of them and they once again adjust the balance.
“Yuengling Malmsteen” doesn’t feel intended to be a summary of The Mad Doctors‘ sound as a whole — I suspect it would have at least as tough a time in providing that summary as I just did — so much as a quick-burst showcase of their craft in general. Its push begins with a deceptive jangle before unveiling a full tonal boar moving at a crisp tempo that shortly opens to the first verse. Momentum is held in Hanson‘s drums throughout and before the first minute is done, The Mad Doctors have trod through the verse and chorus both in shoving, party-time fashion. Not a moment is wasted, but “Yuengling Malmsteen” doesn’t necessarily feel stripped down either — vocals are soaked in reverb and the guitar and bass are both weighted and present a depth of tone, the former particularly with a quick-but-drawn lead around two minutes in that shimmers before a final chorus takes hold to drive the song to its somewhat understated finish. The thickened thrust that kicks in before each verse proves especially righteous, and “Yuengling Malmsteen” is primarily about motion and its own forward drive, which it fulfills while giving the sense that if one just continued to let the record play, Applebaum, Park and Hanson would be on to the next track in no time at all.
Of course, that’s not the case, but in each band giving listeners a look at what they do, Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors both acquit themselves well in terms of songwriting and style without necessarily sounding like they’re competing with one another in the way of splits with groups more sonically akin. That’s not to say they don’t have anything in common, just that while both show a strong sense of personality on this short release, those personalities are distinct enough that there’s never going to be any confusion about who it is saying what with their material. Heavy Traffic raise a few questions as to where they might be headed and The Mad Doctors reaffirm the deceptive depth of their latest album, and among the traits the two bands share is a clear efficiency with which this is accomplished. Like I said at the outset, it’s over and done in about seven minutes.
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 21st, 2017 by JJ Koczan
If you were wondering how The Obsessed were going to follow-up the earlier-2017 release of their comeback LP, Sacred (review here), now we know. The Wino-fronted verifiable doom legends will go back to the start (or the sort-of-start, anyway) and reissue their 1990 self-titled debut via Relapse, complete with their 1985 Concrete Cancer demo and a boatload of live tracks. Right on.
Already own the record? Fair enough. Me too. And I’ll admit, I was kind of like, “Well yeah, that makes sense, cool I guess, been out of print for a while, etc.” and a little meh on the notion — until I actually listened to the version of “The Way She Fly” that you’ll find down at the bottom of this post. It sounds fucking great. I don’t know who handled the remastering process, but clearly it’s somebody with a love for the work. Really, give it a shot. Not like it’s long or anything.
The Obsessed launch a massive headlining tour on Sept. 27 and will be out again in December with Clutch and The Devin Townsend Project. Dates and all other info came down the PR wire:
THE OBSESSED Announces Reissue Of Legendary Self-Titled Debut Album + Concrete Cancer Demo
Originally released in 1990 and out-of-print for almost two decades, the now legendary debut album from doom godfathers THE OBSESSED will once again see the light of day in multiple deluxe formats. Now completely remastered with previously unreleased bonus tracks, including the highly sought-after Concrete Cancer demo, expanded artwork, never-before-seen photos, and extended liner notes from frontman Scott “Wino” Weinrich, this is the definitive edition of THE OBSESSED’s self-titled debut, a true piece of doom history!
Weinrich comments: “This record defines the passion, the pureness, and vibrancy of youth, and the fierce love, loyalty, and dedication to this music. I am happy and proud it lives once again! Thanks to all who believe, Wino.”
THE OBSESSED’s self-titled reissue is due out November 17th on 2xCD, LP, 2xLP, and digital formats via Relapse Records. Physical bundles and digital preorders are available via Relapse Records HERE and streaming services at THIS LOCATION.
THE OBSESSED will embark upon a US fall headlining tour beginning September 27th in Asheville, North Carolina and ending October 27th in Baltimore, Maryland. Direct support will be provided by Cobalt and Iron Tongue on select dates. Additionally, the band will join Clutch and Devin Townsend Project for a winter run of shows to close out the year. See all confirmed dates below.
The Obsessed (Reissue) Track Listing: 1. Tombstone Highway 2. The Way She Fly 3. Forever Midnight 4. Ground Out 5. Fear Child 6. Freedom 7. Red Disaster 8. Inner Turmoil 9. River of Soul 10. Concrete Cancer (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette) 11. Feelingz (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette) 12. Mental Kingdom (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette) 13. Hiding Masque (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette) 14. Ground Out – Feelingz (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 15. Concrete Cancer (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 16. No Blame (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 17. Mental Kingdom (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 18. Tombstone Highway (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 19. Iron and Stone (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 20. Rivers of Soul (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 21. Sittin on a Grave (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 22. Freedom (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985) 23. Indestroy – Kill Ugly Naked (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
Concrete Cancer Demo Track Listing: 1. Concrete Cancer 2. Feelingz 3. Mental Kingdom 4. Hiding Masque
THE OBSESSED: 9/27/2017 Mothlight – Asheville, NC 9/28/2017 Clermont Lounge – Atlanta, GA 9/29/2017 Whitewater – Little Rock, AR 9/30/2017 Fubar – St. Louis, MO ^ 10/01/2017 Hi Tone – Memphis, TN ^ 10/02/2017 Lost Well – Austin, TX ^ 10/03/2017 Lolas – Ft. Worth, TX ^ 10/05/2017 Beauty Bar – Las Vegas, NV 10/07/2017 Cal Jam – San Bernardino, CA 10/08/2017 Elbo Room – San Francisco, CA * 10/09/2017 Old Nicks – Eugene, OR * 10/10/2017 Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR 10/12/2017 Studio Seven – Seattle, WA * 10/13/2017 The Pin – Spokane, WA * 10/16/2017 7th St. Entry – Minneapolis, MN * 10/17/2017 Cactus Club – Milwaukee, WI * 10/18/2017 Barauerhaus – Lombard, IL * 10/19/2017 Woodward Theater – Cincinnati, OH * 10/20/2017 Trixies – Louisville, KY * 10/21/2017 Chameleon Club – Lancaster, PA * 10/24/2017 Saint Vitus – Brooklyn, NY * 10/25/2017 The Cafe at Parlor – Newport, RI * 10/26/2017 Voltage Lounge – Philadelphia, PA * 10/27/2017 Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD * ^ w/ Iron Tongue * w/ Cobalt
w/ Clutch, Devin Townsend Project: 11/29/2017 Cone Denim Entertainment – Greensboro, NC 12/01/2017 House Of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC 12/02/2017 Revolution – St. Petersburg, FL 12/03/2017 Revolution – Fort Lauderdale, FL 12/05/2017 Backyard Stage @ St. Augustine Amphitheater – St. Augustine, FL 12/06/2017 Vinyl Music Hall – Pensacola, FL 12/08/2017 Varsity Theater – Baton Rouge, LA 12/09/2017 The Aztec Theater – San Antonio, TX 12/10/2017 House Of Blues – Houston, TX 12/12/2017 Gillioz Theater – Springfield, MO 12/13/2017 Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE 12/15/2017 Limelight Eventplex – Peoria, IL 12/16/2017 Marathon Music Works – Nashville, TN 12/27/2017 Upstate Concert Hall – Clifton Park, NY 12/28/2017 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ 12/29/2017 The National – Richmond, VA 12/30/2017 The International – Knoxville, TN 12/31/2017 Express Live – Columbus, OH
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 21st, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Today begins Roadburn season — the hap-happiest season of all. The Netherlands-based festival begins the run toward Roadburn 2018 by announcing Godspeed You! Black Emperor will headline two nights, Jacob Bannon of Converge will curate as his band returns for two more full-album sets, Panopticon will play twice, Ivar Bjørnson of Enslaved and Einar Selvik of Wardruna will follow-up their performance of Skuggsjá in 2015 with Hugsjá, which sounds even cuddlier, UK psychedelic gurus The Heads will return, Bell Witch will play an album in full that, as of today, isn’t even out yet, and many, many more have been added.
In other words, Roadburn 2018 is a Roadburn. Tickets go on sale on Oct. 19 and will no doubt be gone if not immediately than shortly thereafter. It is my sincere hope, as always, to be at Roadburn come April. This would be my 10th time in Tilburg for the fest and it already looks like the kind of maddeningly complex avant-garde art-project gathering that has made past years so special.
More to come, of course. In the meantime, if you get to check it out, I wrote the announcement for The Heads, which was a lot of fun. Here’s that along with everything else for Roadburn 2018 so far:
Roadburn 2018 first confirmations; includes festival headliners, curator and poster artist.
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR will perform two different sets as Saturday and Sunday headliners
JACOB BANNON confirmed as the 2018 curator
CONVERGE will perform two shows, including a You Fail Me set
Einar Selvik & Ivar Bjørnson will present HUGSJÁ for the first time outside of Norway
BELL WITCH will perform two sets including new album Mirror Reaper in full
PANOPTICON to make their Roadburn debut playing two different sets.
Roadburn’s official poster artist for 2018 is RICHEY BECKETT
Tickets will go on sale on October 19.
Roadburn Festival is proud to announce the first artists for the 2018 line up, which will take place at the 013 venue, Tilburg, The Netherlands between April 19-22.
Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers commented:”At Roadburn, we’re always looking to push the envelope when it comes to working with creative and diverse artists; we’ll never settle for toeing the line. These first artists should give you an idea of the direction that Roadburn will be taking in 2018, but as ever, don’t assume you have us sussed – we always have more up our sleeve!”
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR
Godspeed You! Black Emperor have slid smoothly into our collective consciousness, picked apart the very notion of what it means to be a band and teetered on the precipice between serenity and all out chaos. The diversity of their output and their ability to always keep us guessing is a big part of why having them perform two headlining sets at Roadburn feels like a natural fit.
Their varied back catalogue makes for rich pickings, should they choose to cycle back through previous representations of the band; should they opt to look forward, into the unknown, we await with baited breath to see what is delivered during their two separate performances. Their live shows are renowned for being all-encompassing, immersive experiences, where even the visual aspect is overwhelming, usually including film projection performances that gain as much impact to the overall event as the music itself, the two interwoven as one. No doubt their Roadburn performances will be ones for the history books.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor will perform at the 013 venue on Saturday, 21 April and Sunday, 22 April. Read more here.
2018 CURATOR: JACOB BANNON
When Converge performed two groundbreaking sets at Roadburn 2016, followed by Jacob’s Wear Your Wounds set at Roadburn 2017, we knew we’d found a kindred spirit. Known not only for his audio output, but also for his visual art and founding role in Deathwish Inc; Bannon’s influence is broad and his Roadburn wish list is very much in tune with our own visions.
Jacob commented: “It is an honor to be working as the curator for Roadburn Festival 2018. The festival is unlike any other, showcasing the most forward thinking artists and musicians of the heavy music world. As this year’s curator I will reach across its sub-genres to bring together an array incredible bands/musicians; expanding the reach of the festival while celebrating the world of extreme music that we all love.”
Jacob Bannon will curate the main stage at the 013 venue on Friday, 20 April, and Het Patronaat on Saturday, 21 April. Read more here.
CONVERGE
The aforementioned Converge sets in 2016 were something truly special to behold. The Blood Moon set – which featured Chelsea Wolfe, Steve Von Till and Stephen Brodsky – will go down in Roadburn history, and the one-off Jane Doe set has already been committed to record such was the impact of the performance.
The relationship between Converge and Roadburn is far from over, and we’re thrilled that these four incredible musicians will return to the Roadburn stage for two essential sets in 2018.
Jacob Bannon elaborates on the performances: “In 2016, we played our Jane Doe album in its entirety at Roadburn Festival. For our 2018 return, we will perform our album You Fail Me in its entirety. Originally released in 2004, this album marked a turning point for our band internally and in many ways it is considered the beginning of the modern era of our band. This performance will be a one time only event, exclusive to Roadburn.”
“It took our band nearly five years to cut and shape our most recent album The Dusk In Us. Scheduled for release on November 3rd through Epitaph and Deathwish, it is a very emotional album for the band. All four of us went through a lot of trials and tribulations in those years and it is reflected in those songs, connecting with our lives ways hard to put into words. It will be an honor to play this material in its entirety for the Roadburn audience. We hope it will be as special for you as it will be for us.”
Converge will play The Dusk In Us on Thursday, 19 April, and You Fail Me on Friday, 20 April at the 013 venue, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Read more here.
HUGSJÁ
This new collaborative musical piece is designed by former Roadburn curators, Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik, combining indigenous and contemporary music with Norse and Norwegian poetry, accompanied by instruments from the Stone Age through to the present day. It’s set to be a monumental follow up to Skuggjá’s international premiere at Roadburn 2015.
A series of concerts named Nordvegen (‘the northern road’ – an ancient shipping route connecting Norway to the rest of the world for some 3000 years), was performed in four harbors along the west coast of Norway in late May and early June of 2017. The audience was taken on a spectacular journey along this route in a musical declaration of love to Norwegian coastal culture and Norse history. The concerts were inspired by local history in each of these places. The Nordvegen concerts created an acoustic and intimate basis for the grandiose commissioned work, Hugsjá, which received its world premiere in Bergen concert hall Grieghallen on May 31st. Originally commissioned by and performed at Bergen International Festival, the piece will now sail southwards to Roadburn 2018.
Einar & Ivar will also be taking part in a “guided tour” of Hugsjá; explaining more about the origins of the composition, and taking questions from the audience.
Hugsjá will be performed on Saturday, 21 April at the 013 venue. Read more here.
BELL WITCH
Although it’s not yet released, the upcoming 83-minute album from Bell Witch, titled Mirror Reaper, is already making waves on Planet Roadburn. Recreating the record in all it’s crushingly exquisite glory requires the input of Erik Moggridge (Aerial Ruin), who we are delighted to welcome to Roadburn to complete the performance of Mirror Reaper.
As Moggridge has appeared on all Bell Witch releases to date in some capacity, we are thrilled that Bell Witch have agreed to perform a second set of music with him. Expect his fragile yet evocative vocal style to lend an even more ghastly and ethereal quality to Bell Witch’s already otherworldly sound.
Bell Witch will perform on Saturday 21 April at the 013 venue and Sunday, 22 April at Het Patronaat. Read more here.
PANOPTICON
For the past decade, Austin Lunn has created some of the most evocative and personal American black metal in relative isolation. With only a few shows under their belt, the band has astounded and delighted with each appearance in their short live tenure. To make this Roadburn appearance even more special, we’ll be treated to two separate sets during the festival.
Panopticon will perform selected songs from a new double album entitled The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness during one set, and a career spanning selection of tracks will be performed during the other. From the rawer, vicious material compiled on the early …On the Subject of Mortality collection to the groundbreaking bluegrass-heavy Kentucky to the shimmering melody and majesty of recent releases Roads to the North and Autumn Eternal – this is a rare treat and we can’t wait to feel the soot and smoke in our hearts and heads as Panopticon levels the venue.
Panopticon will perform at Het Patronaat on Friday, 19 April, and the 013 venue on Saturday, 20 April. Read more here.
EX EYE
When word got out that master saxophonist Colin Stetson had put a new metal band together called Ex Eye, excitement levels were high. The relentlessness of the band’s assault, the enormity of its scope and the unbound energy they exhale means that they make music that might skip your brain altogether and activate your nervous extremities all by itself. Just seeing a legendary figure like Colin on stage playing metal would be satisfying enough; that he’s recruited people like Liturgy’s Greg Fox on drums, bassist Shahzad Ismaily (who’s played with the mighty Secret Chiefs 3) and guitarist/composer Toby Summerfield to complete this stellar line-up is just icing on the cake.
Ex Eye will perform at the 013 venue on Thursday, 19 April. Read more here.
THE HEADS
The Heads have a special place in the history of Roadburn. Not just because the UK psych lords have made multiple visits over the years – 2006, 2008, artists-in-residence in 2015 – but for the transformative effect their sets have had on the crowds, the vibe, the very fest itself. Nobody takes Roadburn to where The Heads take Roadburn.
“Roadburn is the best festival The Heads have played,” enthuses guitarist/vocalist Simon Price. “The vibes, the crowds, the bands, the organisation; it’s the whole package. Roadburn always delivers. Playing on stage or just wandering around, it makes me grin. It is The Heads’ spiritual home. We can’t wait to bring it on again in 2018.”
The Heads will perform at the 013 venue on Saturday, 21 April. Read more here.
IGORRR
The brainchild of French composer and multi-instrumentist Gautier Serre, IGORRR is genuinely disorienting. One of the most excitingly unpredictable acts in any genre you might want to try and shove them into, its wild character and fearless will to experiment are the staples of the sort of creativity we fiercely stand behind at Roadburn. What choice did we have but to bring this wrecking ball of delirious creativity to Roadburn and see and hear for ourselves how it all translates to the stage with a full band playing it?
Igorrr will perform on Friday, April 20 at the 013 venue. Read more here.
AERIAL RUIN
Aerial Ruin – AKA Erik Moggridge – may be best known to many on the basis of his frequent appearances on albums by the mighty Bell Witch, but his own project displays a remarkable sense of texture and delicacy that is equal in its melancholy yet entirely independent. Aerial Ruin’s recently released Nameless Sun beautifully follows the tradition set forth on its predecessor Ash of Your Cares in offering up eerie acoustic confessionals that can raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Moggridge plays guitar with the precision of a spider slowly building its web; everything falls into place delicately yet with a brilliant and focused grace.
Aerial Ruin will perform on Saturday, April 21 at the 013 venue. Read more here.
SANGRE DE MUERDAGO
Led by Pablo C. Ursusson, a musician and lyricist who has also done work in painting and sculpture, Sangre de Muerdago is deeply connected to the very earth of their Galicia homeland. With a background in Spanish punk and other kinds of countercultural movements, the band is the vehicle through which these musicians leave the harshness and aggression aside and channel the folk tales of Galicia through traditional instruments and gentle, haunting, ancient-sounding singing.
Sangre de Muerdago will perform at Het Patronaat on Friday, 20 April. Read more here.
RICHEY BECKETT
Having made a dent in the Roadburn psyche earlier this year when he took part in the Full Bleed art exhibition at the 2017 edition of the festival, Richey Beckett will be returning next year. This time he will be our official poster artist, creating the artwork that will adorn our posters and merchandise for the 2018 edition.
Based in South Wales, Beckett is a highly talented artist with his roots firmly planted in the natural world, where he draws much of his inspiration from.
Beckett comments: “Being invited to create visual artwork for this year’s Roadburn is a tremendous honour. Roadburn isn’t just another heavy music festival, it’s something that over the years has evolved into a pilgrimage of a worldwide community; a celebration of music, the creative spirit and camaraderie.” Read more about Richey Beckett here.
TICKET ONSALE DATE
Roadburn 2018 tickets will go on sale on October 19. They will be available to purchase in person from the 013 box office from 18.30- 20.30 local time, and online worldwide from 21.00 CEST. Ahead of the tickets going onsale, we will be able to confirm more details of the line up, plus camping options in Tilburg during the festival.
