Posted in Whathaveyou on December 20th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
One tends to think of Philadelphia post-metallers Rosetta as being vigilantly DIY since their time ended on Translation Loss, but I guess when Pelagic Records comes knocking, you answer the door. The label helmed by Robin Staps of The Ocean has tapped the band for a release of their 2017 outing, Utopioid, that’s available to preorder now and due to ship before the end of the year. Time’s running out to hit that mark, but no doubt they’ll get there, as both parties involved are perpetually on their shit — pro-shop and whatnot.
I’ll be curious to see if the alliance will continue after this record, and if it might involve tour support to get Rosetta back over to Europe sometime in 2018, but either way, Utopioid‘s a cool album (you can stream it at the bottom of this post) and if this release gets it into more ears, then all the better.
The PR wire takes it from here:
ROSETTA Joins The Pelagic Records Roster For The Release Of Utopioid Later This Month; Limited Edition Vinyl Available
Utopioid is the sixth full-length from Philadelphia’s ROSETTA. Written as a four-part song cycle that treads multipolar extremes of texture and dynamics, it reaches the highest heights and the deepest lows of the band’s career and serves as their most concept-driven work to date. An unflinching study of human aspiration, frailty, and betrayal, the album is equal parts mysticism and the band’s own biography, encapsulating and transcending their fourteen years of sonic experimentation.
Initially released earlier this year independently by the band, Pelagic will be releasing the captivating release on limited edition vinyl and CD. Secure your copy HERE.
Formed in Philadelphia in 2003 as a four-piece, ROSETTA’s first two albums — 2005’s The Galilean Satellites and 2007’s Wake/Lift — pulled together elements from ’90s hardcore, drone, doom, and atmospheric sludge metal. Informed as much by the minimal soundscapes of Stars Of The Lid as by the pulverizing weight of Godflesh, the band’s compositions had a spaced-out, exploratory feel, appropriately dubbed “metal for astronauts.” 2010’s A Determinism Of Morality moved on from celestial themes, focusing on increased melodic sophistication while honing a confrontational urgency.
After concluding a decade-long partnership with Translation Loss Records in 2013, ROSETTA embraced their newfound independence with the self-funded, pay-as-you-wish album The Anaesthete. The darkest, most unsettling album of the band’s career also marked their greatest success so far, recouping costs in twenty-four hours and remaining the top-selling release on Bandcamp for nearly a month. 2015’s Quintessential Ephemera, ROSETTA’s first effort as a five-piece, received widespread critical and audience acclaim for its energized guitar interplay and evolution of the band’s core sound.
With Utopioid, ROSETTA has again upended their stylistic palette. But as always, with ever deeper gratitude for the investment of fans around the world, they continue to search for the intersection of heaviness and beauty.
Posted in Reviews on December 20th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Ripple Music‘s ongoing series of split releases, The Second Coming of Heavy, has become an essential documentary project on the state of (mostly American) heavy rock and roll. Though cumbersomely and — arguably — historically inaccurately named, in pairing acts together on vinyl like Geezer and Borracho (review here), Supervoid and Red Desert (review here), Kingnomad and BoneHawk (review here), Red Mesa and Blue Snaggletooth (review here), Chiefs and Desert Suns (discussed here), and Kayleth and Favequaid (review pending), the label has not only given its own acts a chance to shine in a special showcase, but expanded its reach and broadened its audience base while furthering the development of a straightforward heavy rock aesthetic that has helped define not only the imprint’s path, but that of many acts as well working under their influence.
For The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven, Texas and Arizona trios Switchblade Jesus and Fuzz Evil are added to this esteemed cadre of groups, each one bringing new material to mark the occasion. In the case of Switchblade Jesus, who released their self-titled debut (review here) in 2013, only to have it snagged first in 2014 for vinyl release via Bilocation Records and then a reissue by Ripple in 2015, it’s been somewhat longer than it might seem since they had anything out and they’ve been through enough changes to prove it. For Fuzz Evil, the Sierra Vista, AZ, three-piece made their own self-titled debut (review here) through Battleground Records in the second half of 2016, the turnaround is somewhat quicker, but they too have had a lineup change, bringing in Orgo Martinez, who is at least their third drummer in the last three years.
Those shifts notwithstanding, what is even more remarkable about The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven, and indeed about the series as a whole, is the diversity of sound between the two groups, both of whom function without question under the umbrella category of “heavy rock.” With three cuts from Switchblade Jesus and four from Fuzz Evil, each band gets about 20 minutes to showcase their wares on a vinyl side, and though the samplings are quick, the point of sonic variety is underscored.
It’s not that they don’t fit together — quite the opposite; they make a surprisingly complementary pair — but that they represent starkly different interpretations of what “heavy” is and does. In “Snakes and Lions,” “Wet Lungs” and the highlight chorus and chug of “Heavy is the Mountain,” Switchblade Jesus present a dudely, burly vision of riff-led semi-metallic vibing, with guitarist Eric Calvert taking over the role of vocalist and proffering an approach very much in the spirit of Orange Goblin‘s Ben Ward.
With bassist Chris Black and drummer Jon Elizondo, what was once a five-piece is now a power trio, and their sound is duly crisp as “Snakes and Lions” (5:17) leans into the forward momentum it will build over the course of its first minute. “Snakes and Lions” is ultimately Switchblade Jesus‘ most straight-ahead inclusion, and “Wet Lungs,” which is the longest track on The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven at 9:42, begins with samples of, among other things, The Louvin Brothers‘ “Satan is Real,” takes a more patient and rolling route, riding its riff comfortably while relying less on its hook than its immediate predecessor.
That leaves “Heavy is the Mountain” (7:38) as the proverbial just-right bowl of riffly porridge, which is just what it turns out to be. Taking the slick, well-paced nod of “Wet Lungs” and giving it just a bit of the energy “Snakes and Lions” brought to bear, as well as the most memorable chorus of the release as a whole — the title-line shouted upward from the mix amid suitable largesse for the subject matter — it’s enough to make one anticipate a future outing from Switchblade Jesus in this incarnation on its own, never mind the album-style flow the band conjures across just these three tracks and the fluidity with which they nestle into that groove.
The Rudell brothers — Wayne (vocals/guitar) and Joseph (bass/vocals/graphics) — who, again, aren’t that far removed from their debut album, continue forward in the spirit of that release across their four tracks, beginning with the post-Songs for the Deaf push of “Better off Alone,” which gives “Heavy is the Mountain” a run for its money in terms of the strength of its hook while also completely revamping the direction of the release overall, pulling away from whiskey-drenched dudery and more toward traditionalist desert fuzz.
But for jammier closer “Flighty Woman,” which reaches over the six-minute mark, Fuzz Evil‘s inclusions are shorter and more upfront in their structures, though still plenty weighted as “Better off Alone” gives way to the bass at the start of “Graves and Cupids.” Some talkbox/wah makes an appearance in Wayne‘s lead as they head toward the midsection and surfaces again in the second half, standing the track out even more than its chorus already did owing to the confidence in its vocal delivery and the flourish of soul emergent there.
Comprising the last 10-plus minutes of the outing between them, “If You Know” and “Flighty Woman” round out with a due focus on songcraft, calling to mind the sense of individually-focused tracks that one found on their self-titled as well — each piece standing out on its own rather than feeding as directly into an overarching whole as, say, Switchblade Jesus do on side A here. That disparity of style is no less a distinction for Switchblade Jesus and Fuzz Evil than the burl vs. the fuzz, but as the insistent rhythm of “If You Know” shifts into the thickened boogie of “Flighty Woman,” Wayne‘s vocals echoing out just a bit in a trippier fashion before the jam really takes hold and Fuzz Evil go exploring, there’s little to argue that either tack doesn’t produce success here.
As has been the case all along with The Second Coming of Heavy, this latest chapter serves this essential function in demonstrating just how far heavy rock and roll has come and the many forms it can take and still find a path to righteousness. With two separate takes, Switchblade Jesus and Fuzz Evil both resound with potential in their songwriting and in the execution of their material, and one is only left hoping it won’t be long before either is heard from again. The mission is accomplished and the mission, no doubt, will continue. Right on.
Switchblade Jesus & Fuzz Evil, The Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter Seven (2017)
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 20th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Just a week after announcing the March 2018 arrival of their awaited next Napalm Records long-player, Mindfucker, New Jersey heavy rock kingpins Monster Magnet have revealed the full European tour they’ll undertake in May in order to support the album. We already knew they were set to headline at Desertfest in Berlin and London, but it seems that’s just the start of the run, which will cover an entire month between May 3 and June 3 and cover Western and Northern Europe as well as the UK and Ireland, ending in Dublin.
Goes without saying that Mindfucker stands among the most anticipated releases of 2018. High among them. I don’t know if the band has any plans toward doing a US tour — they’ll probably hit the New York area one way or another, Starland Ballroom at least will get a couple shows — but this stint is significant all the same and wherever they’re headed, we should basically consider ourselves fortunate they’re doing anything at all. Shit, if you wanted an excuse to travel to Europe this Spring, there it is.
It comes via the PR wire:
MONSTER MAGNET – Announce European Tour For May 2018
After letting the world know that the waiting for a new album finally comes to an end in Spring 2018, MONSTER MAGNET are ready to show once more that they are full blown pros in this carnival that is the music industry! Believe it or not, they already have confirmed a tour, visiting the biggest cities in Europe to promote the just announced album “MINDFUCKER”! No rest for the wicked!
On their last tour (and many tours before!), MONSTER MAGNET has proven, that they still kick out the jams (get the hint?), so don’t miss out on this legendary band live in May 2018! They will surely play the MONSTER MAGNET classics you know by heart as well as some songs from the new album “MINDFUCKER”, which will be “full-ahead Detroit-style, early 70s, MC5 and Stooges type of rock”, according to mastermind Dave Wyndorf himself!
MONSTER MAGNET live on tour: 03.05.18 DE – Wiesbaden / Schlachthof 04.05.18 DE – Berlin / Desertfest Berlin 05.05.18 NL – Nijmeden / Doornroosje 06.05.18 UK – London / Desertfest London 08.05.18 DE – Cologne / Live Music Hall 09.05.18 DE – Saarbrucken / Garage 11.05.18 ES – Bilbao / Santana 27 12.05.18 ES – Madrid / Sala Riviera 14.05.18 CH – Pratteln / Z7 15.05.18 IT – Milan / Alcatraz Club 16.05.18 DE – Bochum / Zeche 18.05.18 DE – Nuremburg / Hirsch 19.05.18 NL – Groningen / Vera 21.05.18 DK – Copenhagen / Pumpehuset 22.05.18 SE – Stockholm / Debaser Strand 23.05.18 NO – Oslo / Blâ 24.05.18 SE – Malmö / Kulturbolaget (KB) 26.05.18 DE – Bremen / Schlachthof 28.05.18 BE – Leuven / Het Depot 29.05.18 BE – Ghent / Vooriut 31.05.18 UK – Manchester / Gorilla 01.06.18 UK – Glasgow / The Garage 02.06.18 UK – Belfast / Limelight 03.06.18 IR – Dublin / The Tivoli
“MINDFUCKER” will be released on March 23, 2018 and can be pre-ordered right HERE!
MONSTER MAGNET line up: Dave Wyndorf (vocals, guitar) Garrett Sweeny (guitar) Phil Caivano (guitar) Chris Kosnik (bass) Bob Pantella (drums)
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Swedish classic heavy rock forerunners Graveyard have begun recording their fifth album for a 2018 release through Nuclear Blast. Yet untitled, the LP is currently being tracked at Park Studios in Stockholm and will serve as the follow-up to 2015’s Innocence and Decadence (review here). Spring tour dates are expected to accompany or perhaps precede the album release, as the revamped Örebro four-piece have already been confirmed to headline next year at Desertfest in London and Berlin in early May.
Since their sudden announced split in Sept. 2016 and subsequent return this past January with a new drummer, speculation has been rampant as to what the next Graveyard album might hold in store. The band’s increasing movement into soulful melancholy has been resonant over their last two outings especially, but with an inevitable change in dynamic and perhaps a new surge of energy as a result, the potential exists to either consciously or not revive the boogie stylings of their massively influential early works. Upbeat or down, new Graveyard is something to look forward to, for sure.
Just off the PR wire:
GRAVEYARD – Enter Studio To Record New Album
Classic rockers GRAVEYARD have entered Park Studios in Stockholm to record their yet untitled album that is scheduled for release late spring/early summer in 2018. The album is produced by Chips Kiesbye (THE HELLACOPTERS, MICHAEL MONROE, THE NOMADS) and engineered by Stefan Boman (BURT BACHARACH, ALICE COOPER, DEF LEPPARD & KENT to name a few).
After a week of recording the band have got the following words of wisdom to say about the upcoming album and the ongoing process: “It’s great to be back in the studio and laying down the basic tracks have been nothing but sheer joy. This time around we’ve got more than enough songs to fill up an album and as always the really fun and thrilling part will be to see how the recording will treat each song from rehearsals to finished mix. With that said the obvious goal is to continue our walk down GRAVEYARD’s left hand album path with yet another album filled with all killers and no fillers. We’re up for a promising start here in the studio and we can’t wait to let all of you be the judge of how you think we did. All for now back to recording.”
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
UPDATE 1:00PM: According to the Baltimore Sun, Jim Forrester was shot outside Baltimore Tattoo Museum, where he worked. Tina Giles Forrester also elaborated on the situation:
I know that there are many questions. I will not keep this private. I want everyone to know that Jim was murdered. He was shot to death by a gutless coward. This may seem harsh to put out there, but this piece of fucking shit is still out there. I will continue to tell each and every person until this waste of a fucking life is caught and has to look me in my eyes. I want justice. I will not stop until I have justice.
6:00AM Details are few and far between at the time of this writing, and it seems likely that one way or another some sort of memorial fund or benefit will be set up in his honor, so this post may be updated in the near future, but word has been made public about the passing of Rev. Jim Forrester, current bassist for Foghound and Serpents of Secrecy and a co-founder of Maryland-based heavy rockers Sixty Watt Shaman.
Born Dec. 5, 1974, Forrester, with his body covered in tattoos all the way up to the top of his shaved head — bandanna-clad, of course — his piercings and his wide smile, cut a figure that was both larger than life and deeply human. His wife, Tina Giles Forrester, made the announcement on social media:
Tina Giles Forrester:
I cannot convey the amount of sadness in my heart as I type this post. Tonight.. my husband was tragically ripped from my life, from all of our lives. I cannot express the amount of love he had for the music, his fellow artists, and fans. I am left with tragic sadness and a searing rage. I will use my last breath to make sure the animal who did this will be caught and held accountable for this senseless atrocity. I love you Jim Forrester my sweet dark prince.
While the exact circumstances of his death remain unknown — and from the statement above, it would seem some outside party was involved one way or another — the veteran heavy rocker had suffered numerous health problems over the course of this past year stemming from a blood clot in his liver, which he detailed here in an interview just over a week ago:
Jim Forrester on health issues:
Over Memorial Day weekend, the Sunday to be exact, I awoke from a dead sleep to the most abhorrent abdominal pain I’ve ever experienced… I had a blood clot in my portal vein (liver) that was cutting off blood flow to my liver, pancreas, intestines, and various extremities… Blood thinners saved my ass, but also caused esophageal varices to burst, resulting in me puking up half my blood supply, intubation, and a three-day medically induced coma in which I almost checked out a few times as well… Three days later I awoke to what I thought was a heart attack. Returned to the hospital to find a pulmonary embolism, and a grouping of blood clots behind my right knee. Another week in the hospital, and back home with increased blood thinners (self-administered stomach injections, very metal)…
I had liver issues back in 2012 that I had worked through, I thought pretty successfully… It’s no secret I previously was a drink and drug enthusiast (no hard drugs for years now I will note) as cliche as it is, and I managed to do some significant damage to myself over the years. At various points I’ve been a bit of a mess, and have a lot of regrets regarding that aspect of my time. That aside, I lived a pretty hard life for an extended spell, pushed myself physically in ways that have consequences, and some of that is a factor as well… (read more here)
Forrester was also waiting to undergo hip surgery in the New Year after dealing with long-term damage due in part to a past ACL tear, though again, whether or not any of this was a factor in his passing is unconfirmed.
After cutting his teeth in the mid ’90s and early ’00s in Sixty Watt Shaman, Forrester moved to from Maryland and took part in a band called Angels of Meth before eventually relocating to West Virginia and rejoining his Sixty Watt Shaman bandmate Chuck Dukehart in Foghound and Serpents of Secrecy. In 2014, Sixty Watt Shaman got back together to play Desertfest Berlin and a few other limited engagements to celebrate their three albums — Ultra Electric (1998), Seed of Decades (2000) and Reason to Live (2002) — but the reunion would be short-lived as old personal issues resurfaced and the band once again split.
In 2016, he added low-end charge to Foghound’s second album, The World Unseen, fueling a more aggressive take from that band as they made their debut on Ripple Music. The debut single from Serpents of Secrecy was released earlier in 2017 through an alliance with Salt of the Earth Records, and both groups had or have new material in progress for issue in 2018. His last performance was an acoustic set with Foghound on Dec. 17 at the Baltimore Tattoo Museum’s annual holiday party.
On behalf of this site and on behalf of myself, I send condolences and strength to Rev. Jim’s many friends, fans and of course his family. As a personal note, even aside from this recent interview, he and I have been in touch for years and I know he was excited to get his health problems behind him, get back on stage full-boar and get back in the studio to make new music with bandmates he truly loved. He was someone second to nobody in passion for what he did, and his death is a significant loss. As much as I’ve enjoyed his work over the years, I will remember more the sincerity of his character and the wholesome spirit beneath his gruff exterior, and like all who were lucky enough to know him during his time, I will miss Jim.
Posted in Bootleg Theater on December 19th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
Perennial progressives Black Space Riders have newly made public the cover art and tracklisting of their next album, Amoretum Vol. 1, which is set to hit ground on Jan. 26. The German space metallers will reportedly use their new offering, which follows last year’s EP, Beyond Refugeeum (discussed here) and the LP on which it was based, Refugeeum(review here), as the launch of a series of releases, looking in some way to counter the negativity of the current sociocultural sphere with a sense of positivity, love and — naturally — keyboards.
“Another Sort of Homecoming” is the first audio to be made public from Amoretum Vol. 1, and it pulses with vitality for its sub-four-minute runtime, a quick arrival after the opening track “Lovely Lovelie” gives a surprisingly gruff introduction. More so than the partially-drifting “Movements” or the post-rock-into-prog-metal closer “Fellow Peacemakers” later on, “Another Sort of Homecoming” reminds distinctly of Astrosoniq‘s penchant for blending space weirdness and heavy rock vibes, but it’s just one look of many Black Space Riders ultimately give throughout Amoretum Vol. 1 — for example, they immediately back it up with the grand chorus of “Soul Shelter (Inside of Me)” — so don’t necessarily look for the rest of the album to sound just like this.
But then, that’s never been their way. Black Space Riders have always been a challenge for themselves and for listeners who might want to put them in one category or another, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s a huge part of their appeal. They remain defiant in that regard on Amoretum Vol. 1, about which I’ll hope to have more prior to its release late next month. For now, you can see the “Another Sort of Homecoming” video below, followed by more info culled from the PR wire.
I hope you enjoy:
Black Space Riders, “Another Sort of Homecoming” official video
German Riffonauts BLACK SPACE RIDERS have revealed the artwork and track list for forthcoming LP Amoretum Vol. 1. The band has also released the official video for the first single “Another Sort of Homecoming.”
Amoretum Vol. 1 will be released on January 26. The single can be purchased and the album pre-ordered on all digital platforms, including Bandcamp, as well as at the band shop: www.blackspaceriders.com/shop
Band: BLACK SPACE RIDERS Song: Another sort of homecoming Album: AMORETUM Vol1 (2018) Music/Lyrics: BLACK SPACE RIDERS (Jochen Engelking ) based on scenes from “SPACE ANGEL” produced by Cambria Productions, CA (1962-1964)
Track List: 1. Lovely Lovelie 2. Another Sort of Homecoming 3. Soul Shelter (Inside of Me) 4. Movements 5. Come and Follow 6. Friends Are Falling 7. Fire! Fire! (Death of a Giant) 8. Fellow Peacemakers
BLACK SPACE RIDERS are: JE: Lead Vocals, Guitars, Organ, Beats SEB: Lead vocals C.RIP: Drums, Percussion SLI: Guitars SAQ: Bass Guitar HEVO: Additional Bass Guitar
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
I guess I didn’t notice that The Sonic Dawn‘s 2015 debut album, Perception (review here), sounded particularly rough in its original Nasoni Records version, but you can hear pretty clearly from the echoing reaches of “An Easy Heart to Break” the work that’s gone into remastering and remaking the album for this ‘Audiophile Edition.’ I’d be interested to know what specifically the band did to the recording — does this call for a track-by-track? — but even failing that, it’s an excuse to dig back into the record, which they followed up earlier this year with Into the Long Night (review here) on Heavy Psych Sounds, and I’m not about to complain about that. Hence the Bandcamp player at the bottom of the post.
Info follows as posted by the band on the social medias:
It’s here – the brand new Audiophile Edition of our debut album, Perception.
With its analogue remaster and fresh cut, straight out of Abbey Road Studios, Perception has never sounded better. Originally released on Nasoni Records in 2015, and sold out long ago, this is the first time the LP is available on black vinyl (180g of course). Crazy thing is, it has never been cheaper either!
Whether you prefer vinyl, CD or a high-quality download via Bandcamp, the improved sound will take you on a trip.
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 18th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
It was only a matter of time, wasn’t it, before the great American disruptor returned? As Europe’s Spring 2018 festival season continues to take shape — I’ve hardly seen a word about summer outside of a certain hellacious France-based fest held annually each June — Psycho Las Vegas 2018, set once again for the dead heat of August in Nevada’s basically-uninhabitable-were-it-not-for-air-conditioning desert stronghold of decadence, is lashing out early with its first lineup announcements and putting its tickets on sale. Waste not want not in all things, including time.
If they’re early with the first Psycho Las Vegas 2018 announcements, they’re certainly already working at the scale one expects from what’s become the US’ premium heavy festival. High on Fire, Goblin, Witchcraft, a notable underground first-timer import in DVNE, as well as the extremity of Indian, the profile of Zakk Sabbath and the spacious S U R V I V E, otherwise known as the duo behind the soundtrack to Stranger Things. I still haven’t managed to watch the second season. Any good?
Either way, this is just the start for Psycho, as we all know, but it’s a hell of a start, and on looks forward to what they build up as we get closer to next summer. They haven’t failed yet to outdo themselves in scope or scale, and they continue to give the rest of Planet Earth a run for its money in that.
The PR wire brought official word:
PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2018: Announcing Witchcraft, Goblin, High on Fire + MORE, Tix on Sale
AUGUST 17-19, 2018 @ HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO, LAS VEGAS
The award winning Psycho Las Vegas has announced its return, along with its first round of bands it plans to host next August 17-19 at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Expectations are high for the fest after last year’s massive, expertly curated selection of artists from around the globe, and if this first taste of the lineup is any indication, 2018 promises to go above and beyond, setting the desert on fire.
The list of bands they have unleashed to reign havoc as of now are:
The return and reunion of Swedish psychedelic fuzz legends Witchcraft will be playing their first US show since 2009. In line with their reputation for scoring highly coveted sets, Psycho Las Vegas will be only one of two US dates that the band will be performing in 2018. Joining the ranks are Italian purveyors of prog rock, Goblin, most notable for their original scores for Dawn of the Dead & Disturbia; beloved stoned thrashers High On Fire; guitar lord Zakk Sabbath; horror-synth group S U R V I V E, best known for scoring Stranger Things; the reunion of Chicago doom heavyweights Indian; and UK’s prog masters DVNE, who will be performing their first ever US show at this year’s fest.
The first 2500 tickets sold will also include access to the Psycho Las Vegas Pre-fest Pool Party on August 16, which is not only the most notorious pre-party in town, but also includes favorite Psycho alumni.
PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2018 AUGUST 17-19
WITCHCRAFT GOBLIN HIGH ON FIRE ZAKK SABBATH S U R V I V E INDIAN DVNE And many, many more to be unleashed…
