[To enter giveaway: Leave a comment on this post with the name of the city where you want to see the show. Make sure your email is in the form provided so I can contact you if you win.]

So here’s the deal: All Them Witches start a tour tomorrow of the Midwest and Eastern Seaboard, ranging as far as Minneapolis and Milwaukee, Burlington and Montreal, and Atlanta and Durham. It’s 23 days of total roadtime, as the now-trio continue to support last year’s ATW (review here). I’ve been given the chance to give away a pair of tickets to any of the shows on this tour — they’re all listed below, but obviously, as the tour starts March 1 — aka tomorrow — it’s gotta be done on the quick.

Thus, a rush. If you can go see All Them Witches sometime in the next three-plus weeks, just leave a comment on this post and let me know what city. If you win, I’ll email you and let you know. I’m going to pick a winner as soon as possible this weekend, but if you’re in Atlanta or Charlotte, North Carolina, it might be tricky. I’m not saying don’t enter, but I’m not saying cancel grandpa’s birthday on account of the surefire evening plans either.

Pretty simple deal, all told. Here are the tour dates:

All Them Witches w/ Plague Vendor:
Mar 1 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Mar 2 – Charlotte, NC @ Visulite Theatre
Mar 5 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
Mar 6 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi
Mar 7 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Mar 8 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Back Room at Colectivo Coffee
Mar 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
Mar 10 – Madison, WI @ High Noon
Mar 12 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Stache
Mar 13 – Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag
Mar 14 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
Mar 15 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
Mar 16 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
Mar 17 – Montreal, QC @ L’Astral
Mar 19 – South Burlington, VT @ Showcase Lounge
Mar 20 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Mar 21 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Mar 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Mar 23 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Mar 24 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall

As ever, I keep no emails, I sell no emails. I have no interest in or knowledge of such things. The only reason I want your email address is to tell you if you win. Thanks for reading and for your support. Good luck to all who enter.

[To enter giveaway: Leave a comment on this post with the name of the city where you want to see the show. Make sure your email is in the form provided so I can contact you if you win.]

http://allthemwitches.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/allthemwitches
https://www.instagram.com/allthemwitchesband/
https://twitter.com/allthemwitches
http://www.allthemwitches.org/

All Them Witches, ATW (2018)

This is the second post I’ve made where it says Solace have finished recording their new album. Here’s the first. Sue me. Last time around, it was basic tracks that were done. This time, all the overdubs, vocals, solos, etc. are finished and the record, which might be called The Brink, or might be called The Brink (Broken Bodies and Suffering Spirits), or might be called Broken Bodies and Suffering Spirits, is ready to move onto the mixing stage. They’re slated to go back into the studio in March — if I’m in NJ when they go, I hope to be there for at least part of it — and work on that, but if you think that after nine years since they dropped the most excellent 2010’s offering, A.D. (review here), I’m going to be making any guesses as to how or when or what their new record is going to sound or look like when it’s done, you’re missing out on one of the great joys of Solace, which is their unpredictable, whirlwind nature.

This is also the second post where I’m including a tracklisting put up by the band for the album. This one has 11 songs where the last one had 10, and the difference is in a track called “Shallows Fade.” Could be nothing more than an interlude recorded when the overdubs were being done, or it could be an entirely new song they decided they couldn’t leave out. Again, you never really know, and that’s why it works.

Solace play New England Stoner & Doom Fest II in Connecticut this May. Here’s their update from the social medias:

It’s official: 11 new tunes are finished. Just some minor tweaking and mixing and the new Solace album “The Brink” (Broken Bodies and Suffering Spirits) will be on its way to the masses!

It’s the last time we will be recording at this place. As of March first Trax East is officially sold and new owners are coming in and taking over. Been recording here since around 1991. It’s an end of an era…. gotta figure out how and where we will finish this new SOLACE record now….

1- Breaker Of The Way
2- Desert Coffin
3- Dead Sailors Dream
4- Waste People
5- The Light Is A Lie
6- Crushing Black
7- Bird Of Ill Omen (Remix)
8- Shallows Fade
9- The Brink
10- Until The Last Dog Is Hung
11- Dead Sailors Reprise

Hang in there and stay tuned!

https://www.facebook.com/SolaceBand/

New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, trio Almost Honest release their sophomore full-length, Seiches and Sirens, through Electric Talon Records on March 22. There’s riffs and shenanigans a-plenty on the 10-track/45-minute album, and from the sharp-edged opening gallop and chug of “Fools Gold Flesh,” they toast elements of heavy rock, progressive metal, and the odd bit of thrash for a blend they call “groovy sexy Viking funk doom rock.” The cumbersome genre designation could be taken for what it is, but it’s also emblematic of the tongue-in-cheek vibe that a lot of Seiches and Sirens — which was produced by Gary Conahan at Dynamo Audio in Lancaster — carries across in songs like “Interstellar Executive” or “Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus,” or “Call of the Mothman.” And the self-awareness extends as well to their imprint, Electric Talon Records, as some of their fuzz could easily be traced to a Valley of the Sun influence. These are all catchy, mostly uptempo heavy rockers reminding a bit of some of what Howling Giant or Bloodcow bring to bear in terms of nerd-meets-riffs sensibility in storytelling. Helping distinguish Almost Honest — even their choice of Megadeth songs to name themselves after kind of forces one to ask if they’re serious — from that set are the triad vocals of guitarist Shayne Reed, bassist Seth Jackson and drummer Quinten Spangler, who fluidly split off during verses and effectively make use of trades like that in “Fools Gold Flesh” or “Stonecutter,” where the melodic singing gives way to almost Scissorfight-style narration.

I’m honestly not sure where the “Viking” part comes in, but as Reed, Jackson and Spangler careen and crash through songs like “Whale Bones” and the penultimate “Wiwadvhv” — for which I’d love to see a lyric sheet — Seiches and Sirens derives an all-the-more varied identity from its shifts in vocals, and much like New Cumberland itself is situated west of Philadelphia and still a good distance east of Pittsburgh, so too do Almost Honest‘s brand of heavy draw aspects of punk and metal and rock into its fray. “Jenny Greenteeth” is the longest inclusion on the album at 6:43, and it gives over to militaristic snare near the halfway point only to embark on a particularly engaging and plus-sized bounce riff in an instrumental section that in turn ends up back in the chorus with keyboard accompaniment. One could call that a show of craft and structure, but by the time they’re that deep into the tracklisting, Almost Honest have long since demonstrated their mettle in that regard, and whether it’s the early Giraffes-style swagger of “Keystone” or the sheer WTF-ery of “Dancing Shaman and the Psychedelic Cactus,” their gleeful weirdness never comes at the expense of songwriting. You’ll pardon me if I avoid the “some of these songs are goofy as hell but the band is serious” cliché, but in the balance between the two sides, it’s character put to use in making songs and not the other way around.

“Stonecutter,” which you can hear premiering below, emphasizes that well. Bursting to life from an opening gong hit, the track makes good use of its vocal variety, with a melody following the guitar in the chorus and lines spoken both by the title character and the spirit itself he’s speaking to, while holding itself together instrumentally and building momentum toward a faster payoff later. It’s immediately catchy, and so represents Seiches and Sirens well in that regard, and also shows off the personality very much at play throughout the entire record. Good fun.

Almost Honest will be touring weekender-style throughout the Spring after the arrival of Seiches and Sirens on March 22. You’ll find those dates, as well as some comment from the band about “Stonecutter,” beneath the player that follows.

Please enjoy:

Almost Honest on “Stonecutter”:

“The song was inspired by a Japanese folktale about a stonecutter who was tired of living an average life. What is different in our version however is that it features a funky doom-ridden twist on the tale. I love the groovy jams, angry spirits, and a chorus that you can sing along to as you work. They don’t call us a groovy sexy Viking funk doom rock band for nothing.” — Quinten Spangler

“I enjoy the fact that we have all been assigned different characters or roles during the song. Quinten is the mountain spirit, Seth is the narrator, and I am the stonecutter. Doing this makes the song feel alive and it gives it more story. I also like to refer to it as Almost Honest the musical. Hit us up Broadway.” — Shayne Reed

Seiches and Sirens by Almost Honest is officially released on 22nd March 2019 through Electric Talon Records.

Pre-order the album here – https://almosthonestpa.bandcamp.com

Almost Honest live:
Mar 22 JB Lovedraft’s Harrisburg, PA
Mar 23 The Pinch Washington, DC
Mar 30 Black Forge Coffee Pittsburgh, PA
Mar 31 123 Pleasant Street Morgantown, WV
Apr 13 Gold Sounds Bar Brooklyn, NY
Apr 26 Cherry Street Station Wallingford, CT
Apr 27 13th Floor Music Lounge Florence, MA
May 17 Westside Bowl Youngstown, OH
May 18 Rosen Krown Rochester, NY

Almost Honest are:
Shayne Reed – Guitar/Vocals
Seth Jackson – Bass/Vocals
Quinten Spangler – Percussion/Vocals

Almost Honest on Facebook

Almost Honest on Instagram

Almost Honest on Twitter

Almost Honest on Bandcamp

Almost Honest website

Baltimorean doomers Haze Mage began life as Blood Mist, releasing their self-titled debut EP (review here) in 2017 through Grimoire Records. The name may have changed, but the likelihood to put out a song called “Bong Witch” remains the same: Very likely. Their awaited debut album, Chronicles, and their first release as Haze Mage — though a version of Blood Mist also came out under that moniker — is set to arrive on April 19, just in time for the five-piece to make a release party of their appearance at Grim Reefer Fest in their hometown the next night. They’ll be joined in that endeavor by Ruby the Hatchet, Heavy Temple, Yatra and more, so indeed, one way or the other, a party is assured.

No audio yet, but the album info and cover art that would seem to derive its many characters from the track titles — the aforementioned “Bong Witch,” as well as “Dread Queen,” “Storm Blade,” “Priest of Azathoth,” etc. — have been revealed, and you’ll find them below, courtesy of the PR wire:

HAZE MAGE To Release Debut Full-Length, Chronicles, Via Grimoire Records In April; Album Details And Preorders Posted

Grimoire Records presents Chronicles, the debut full-length recording from Baltimore, Maryland-based fantasy doom metal act HAZE MAGE. The record will be released in April, and this week, the label has issued details on the sprawling release including album artwork, preorders, and more.

Forged in late 2015, HAZE MAGE creates riff-driven, anthemic fantasy metal that transports listeners to a world of ancient dark forests, savage beasts, and gloomy landscapes engulfed by a menacing miasma of haunting haze. HAZE MAGE weaves their fantasy world through lyrics and sound that draw inspiration from many sub genres of metal including Black Sabbath, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Sword, Clutch, High On Fire, and Sleep to create what they have dubbed “sword and sorcery doom.”

Having quickly gained attention in the Baltimore metal scene thanks to their exuberant and thundering stage shows, HAZE MAGE first caught the ear of local label and friends, Grimoire Records, in the summer of 2016. In 2017, Grimoire recorded and released the band’s Blood Mist debut EP to critical praise.

HAZE MAGE has performed at a number of notable annual events including Artscape, Days Of Darkness Festival, Shadow Woods Metal Fest, and Light City, and has maintained a presence in the Baltimore metal scene at clubs such as Metro Gallery, The Ottobar, Rams Head, and Soundstage. Additionally, the band also organizes their own annual spring event titled Grim Reefer Fest, that brings together bands from various metal genres from all over the region.

In Spring 2019, HAZE MAGE will release their first full-length album titled Chronicles through Grimoire Records. Chronicles is an expansion of the fantasy world created in their debut EP. The album and its concept have been in development since 2017 as part of an even broader narrative yet to come. Each song introduces a new character or piece of lore for the listening adventurers to encounter. Chronicles was recorded, mixed, and mastered between fall 2018 and winter 2019 by Grimoire Records’ co-founder and audio engineer Noel Mueller. The artwork was created by John De Campos/Ghost Bat Illustration with additional layout work by Noel Mueller, with photography by Shane Gardner.

Chronicles will see release on limited edition CD, and digital download via Grimoire Records on April 19th. Preorders have been posted HERE.

Watch for audio previews and more from Chronicles to be issued in the days ahead.

Chronicles Track Listing:
1. Haze Mage
2. Storm Blade
3. Bong Witch
4. Fire Wizards
5. Corpse Golem
6. Priest Of Azathoth
7. Harbinger
8. Dread Queen

HAZE MAGE has also booked the new installment of Grim Reefer Fest at the Ottobar in Baltimore, appropriately scheduled for 4/20 in conjunction with the release of the Chronicles album. In addition to HAZE MAGE, the event features sets from Ruby The Hatchet, Heavy Temple, Horseburner, Mountainwolf, Book Of Wyrms, Tombtoker, labelmates Yatra, and more. Watch for additional tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead.

HAZE MAGE Live:
4/20/2019 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD @ Grim Reefer Fest

HAZE MAGE:
Kevin Considine – guitar
Nick Jewett – guitar
John De Campos – drums
Scott Brenner – bass
Matthew Casella – vocals

https://www.instagram.com/hazemage
https://www.facebook.com/hazemage
https://hazemage.bandcamp.com
http://www.grimoirerecords.com
http://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/GrimoireRecords
https://twitter.com/grimoiremetal

Haze Mage, Blood Mist (2017)

One night, more than several years ago, I saw Pelican and Scissorfight on the ‘Champions of Sound’ tour put together by Hydra Head in Manhattan at the old Knitting Factory. They played in the mid-level room — there were three; top, middle and basement — and with the ceiling overhead and the stage kind of tucked into the corner of that dark space, it was the moment where the band really clicked for me. I’d dug Australasia well enough, but seeing the power and presence they brought to the material live was another thing entirely, and while I’d have called myself a fan before, ever since I’ve measured that in a different way.

I’ve seen Pelican a few times since then, of course, and they’ve broadened their sound immensely since that landmark — though it’s been a minute, their most recent offering was 2013’s Forever Becoming (review here), newly remixed and remastered — but as they get ready to release the new 7″ Midnight and Mescaline, I think about the split 7″ I was so happy to pick up at that show and I have to give a little smile thinking someone might have a similar experience at their run of dates this June. Though the room will probably be bigger.

From the PR wire:

PELICAN To Release Midnight And Mescaline 7″, Band’s First New Music In Six Years, As Record Store Day Exclusive; June Tour With Cloakroom Booked + Remixed & Remastered Version Of Forever Becoming LP Out Now

PELICAN, the instrumental quartet whose singular vision of heavy music eschews classification, is set to release their first new music in six years via a two-song 7″ on Southern Lord coming as an indie exclusive on Record Store Day (April 13th, 2019 #RSD2019). The band’s penchant for commanding live performances will be apparent when they head out for a run of US tour dates this June, accompanied by Midwestern masters of thunderous slowgaze Cloakroom.

Channeling the visceral intensity of their live shows, PELICAN’s “Midnight And Mescaline” is an unrelenting riff marathon, careening from eviscerating heaviness to metal-infused fretboard frenetics to cathartic melody in a compact five-minute sprint. Paired with B-side “Darkness On The Stairs,” the new release taps into the band member’s shared roots in the late ’90s DIY music scene, reinvigorating the quartet with impassioned punk ferocity.

In conjunction with the 7″ and tour announce, Southern Lord has just digitally released a deluxe reissue of the quartet’s 2013 album Forever Becoming, featuring vastly improved mix and mastering of the original songs replete with a revised version of the previously Japan-only bonus track “Bardo.” Initially recorded by Chris Common under optimal conditions at Chicago’s Electrical Audio, Forever Becoming was mixed in less-than-ideal circumstances at a makeshift studio in Los Angeles, yielding mixes that varnished the incredible tones generated during tracking. When the subject of a vinyl repress came up, Common, now helming his own proper studio, asked for another crack at mixing the album. The result brings a new level of low-end depth, atmospheric clarity, and tight, punchy heaviness to the album. Vinyl pre-orders are coming soon and is available from all digital retailers and streaming services now.

Across almost twenty years, five full-lengths, seven EPs, and hundreds of live shows, PELICAN has cultivated a chemistry that borders on telepathy, catapulting the band from basement shows in their native Chicago to outlier appearances at international music festivals including Primavera, Roskilde, Pitchfork, Bonnaroo, Roadburn, and Maryland Deathfest, and headlining tours across four continents.

Watch for additional tour dates and music announcements from PELICAN to be posted shortly.

PELICAN w/ Cloakroom:
6/20/2019 Loving Touch – Ferndale, MI w/ Greet Death
6/21/2019 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
6/22/2019 Bar de Ritz – Montreal, QC
6/23/2019 Great Scott – Boston, MA
6/24/2019 Brooklyn Bazaar – Brooklyn, NY w/ Planning For Burial
6/25/2019 Boot & Saddle – Philadelphia, PA w/ Planning For Burial
6/26/2019 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD
6/27/2019 Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA
6/28/2019 Northside Yacht Club – Cincinnati, OH
6/29/2019 Metro – Chicago, IL w/ Young Widows

http://www.pelicansong.com
http://www.facebook.com/pelicansong
http://www.twitter.com/pelicansong
http://www.instagram.com/pelicansong
http://www.southernlord.com
http://www.southernlord.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/SLadmin
http://twitter.com/twatterlord

Pelican, “Deny the Absolute (2019 Version)” official video

Since its first iteration, the Oslo-based fest Høstsabbat has made a point to be supportive of the native-Norwegian underground. This coming October, they’ll up the stakes in that regard by adding a whole new stage and venue to the proceedings. For a show that takes place in a spot that already has two stages and, well, there just happens to be a third right across the street that has another one, it’s a natural kind of growth to happen. Barren Womb, Golden Core, Superlynx, Magmakammer, Orsak:Oslo, Acârash, Kanaan, Astrosaur and Subnoir will hold sway over the new stage and in addition being a badass homage to the festival’s home city and country — though I wouldn’t have minded seeing SÂVER added again now that their record will be out — and while I’m not sure how the timing will work out with the two stages back at the Kulturkirken Jakob, that’s a chance for someone like me coming from outside or even for someone from Norway unfamiliar, to get a lesson in what the scene there is all about. It’s an opportunity.

Announcement from the fest follows:

As Høstsabbat has been growing over the years, since our humble start in 2013, our intentional focus on showcasing the Norwegian underground has lost turf to bigger acts from foreign countries. It’s been super fun to be able to book top shelf bands from different corners of the world, but it’s no secret that our focus on the always brimming scene in our native country has lost ground.

Fear no more!

Høstsabbat 2019 will include a third stage, at the awesome bar and stage at Verkstedet Bar, literally a 30-second walk from the church. This stage will consist of Norwegian bands ONLY. After months of planning, we feel we have captured the essence of bands, set to break through to the next level. It’s hard to describe the quality and diverse impact of this stage, and we would like to thank all the bands for making this vision become reality.

It’s a tremendous joy to welcome these nine acts to Høstsabbat 2019, illustrated on a stunning poster by the incredibly talented Trine Grimm (Trine Grimm Tattoo), who is also set to curate the art program this year, alongside our long-time companion Linda K Røed!

There you go, Boom!

Bands:
Barren Womb
Golden Core
Aca?rash
Superlynx
Magmakammer
Astrosaur
Orsak:Oslo
SUBNOIR
Kanaan – Band

FESTIVAL TICKETS
http://bit.ly/HSfestivalpass

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST – HØSTSABBAT 2019
http://bit.ly/HS2019playlist

https://www.facebook.com/events/274561413173994/
https://www.facebook.com/hostsabbat/
http://hostsabbat.no/

Superlynx, “Hex” official video

Saint Vitus have never been much for following the rules, so hey, 35 years after making an absolute doom metal landmark in their 1984 self-titled debut, why not put out a new, also-self-titled album with original vocalist Scott Reagers back in the band? Season of Mist, which has been the band’s label home since their 2012 comebacker, Lillie: F-65 (review here), will stand behind the new offering — recorded, like its predecessor, by Tony Reed — and the band will support it on a month-long European tour beginning in April, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band.

They’re streaming the track “12 Years in the Tomb” right now and as you can hear at the bottom of this post, the deranged style of founding guitarist Dave Chandler and Reagers‘ vocals sound like long lost friends finding each other after years apart. And so they are.

Album’s out May 17. Preorders are up now from the label, which posted the following:

Saint Vitus – Saint Vitus

Taken from the album “Saint Vitus”. Release date: May 17, 2019. Order here: http://smarturl.it/SaintVitusShop

Seven years after their epic comeback album, ‘Lillie: F-65’ (2012), legendary doom metal trailblazers SAINT VITUS return with their eponymous new album. The band sees the return of their original vocalist, Scott Reagers, as well as the addition of new bassist Pat Bruders (DOWN, ex-CROWBAR), who join long-time drummer Henry Vasquez and founder/guitarist Dave Chandler. As if in a time machine, the seasoned quartet pick up where their 1985 classic ‘Hallows Victim’ left off. Saint Vitus delivers nothing less than the truest and most enduring representation of original and fundamental doom metal.

Tracklisting:
1. Remains
2. A Prelude to…
3. Bloodshed
4. 12 Years In The Tomb
5. Wormhole
6. Hour Glass
7. City Park
8. Last Breath
9. Useless

Recording: Heavyhead Recording co. Port Orchard, WA (US)
Producer/sound engineer: Tony Reed

SAINT VITUS ’40 F’N Years’ European Tour 2019:
w/ special guest Dopelord unless noted
Apr 3 Gothenburg (SE) @ Sticky Fingers
Apr 4 Stockholm (SE) @ Debaser Strand
Apr 6 Jyväskylä (FI) @ Lutakko
Apr 7 Helsinki (FI) @ On The Rocks
Apr 9 Oslo (NO) @ Blaa
Apr 10 Copenhagen (DK) @ Pumpehuset
Apr 11 Berlin (DE) @ So36
Apr 12 Hamburg (DE) @ Headcrash
Apr 13 Bomal-Sur-Ourthe (BE) @ Durbuy Rock Festival
Apr 14 Dortmund (DE) @ Junkyard
Apr 15 Cologne (DE) @ Luxor
Apr 17 Birmingham (UK) @ Mama Roux
Apr 18 Leeds (UK) @ Brudenell
Apr 19 Glasgow (UK) @ Audio
Apr 20 London (UK) @ The Underworld Camden
Apr 21 Paris (FR) @ Petit Bain
Apr 23 Nantes (FR) @ Le Ferrailleur
Apr 24 Toulouse (FR) @ Le Rex
Apr 25 Barcelona (ES) @ Boveda
Apr 26 Madrid (ES) @ Copernico
Apr 27 Barroselas (PT) @ Swr Metalfest
Apr 28 Bilbao (ES) Kafé @ Antzokia
Apr 20 Fribourg (CH) @ Fri-Son*
May 1 Milan (IT) Circolo @ Circolo Magnolia
May 2 Zurich (CH) @ Dynamo*
May 3 Karlsruhe (DE) @ Dudefest
May 4 Leipzig (DE) @ Ut Connewitz
*No Dopelord

BAND LINE-UP:
David Chandler (guitar)
Scott Reagers (vocals)
Henry Vasquez (drums)
Pat Bruders (bass)

https://www.facebook.com/saintvitusofficial
https://twitter.com/saintvitusband
http://saint-vitus.tumblr.com/
http://www.saintvitusband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/seasonofmistofficial
https://www.twitter.com/seasonofmist
http://instagram.com/seasonofmistofficial
http://www.season-of-mist.com/

Saint Vitus, “12 Years in the Tomb”

As Irata stream the title-track of their upcoming album, Tower, they don’t seem to give away an awful lot about the record itself. After all, it’s only 2:45, but in context of the full LP, maybe they are sending a few signals after all. That runtime, for example, is already shorter than anything that appeared on 2015’s second album, Sweet Loris, and it introduces the fullness of tone with which they’re working as well as some of the basic influences driving them. It’s also the opener, so “Tower” is what Irata wanted to put forward on Tower, as well as what they thought they should name the album after. So it’s quick, but it does offer some information about the record.

Subsequent tracks — not that I’ve heard it or anything — are longer and touch on a variety of progressive elements classic and modern, metal and rock, but as an introduction to what’s coming, “Tower” ends up doing just fine. I’m saying I don’t think you’re gonna hear it and complain. Unless you stub your toe in that two-plus minutes or something. Or the egg salad has gone bad. Whatever.

Irata, to go with the news that Tower exists, has a song streaming, and will be released May 24 on Small Stone, also have a bundle of tour dates for March including a stop by SXSW for Small Stone‘s showcase — legendary fuzz and shenanigans — as well as the Stoner Jam that all the cool kids will be at. You should go to both. You’re awesome. They’ll let you in.

From the PR wire:

IRATA: North Carolina Heavy Rock Unit Joins Small Stone Records For The Release Of Tower; Band To Play Small Stone SXSW Showcase + Additional Tour Dates Announced

Small Stone Records is pleased to welcome Greensboro, North Carolina-based heavy rock unit IRATA to their expanding roster of riff-heavy eminence. The band will release their Tower full length this May.

Issues the band of the union, “We are thrilled to be teaming up with a label that supports so many talented bands. We are happy to be a part of the Small Stone family.”

Since its 2007 genesis at the hands of founding members Jon Case (bass, vocals) and Jason Ward (drums, vocals), this Greensboro, North Carolina outfit has mutated restlessly, moving from its initial morphine-infused heavy fusion through math-y metal and finally to the soaring, technical heavy rock of its current approach. Over those dozen years, IRATA has made its presence known in metal and hard rock circles throughout the Southeast and beyond. Thanks to its growth from a trio with guitarist Cheryl Manner to a four-piece with the addition of guitarist Owen Burd, IRATA is evolving yet again.

With Burd’s talents on guitar, vocals, and trumpet added to what had already felt like a complete equation, IRATA is pushing itself to new vocal and instrumental heights. Accordingly, its upcoming LP Tower applies impressive musicianship and complex textures to increasingly approachable tunes that teeter between hard rock and prog-metal. It’s like the sports car version of Don Caballero.

Tower was recorded in vaunted hometown studio Legitimate Business and produced by All Them Witches guitarist Ben McLeod, with co-production by Legit Biz engineer and heavy metal mastermind Kris Hilbert. Flavors of Mastodon, Kylesa, Helms Alee and Sandrider mix with Smashing Pumpkins-reminiscent textures and clarion Perry Farrell-style vocals, creating a heavy palette that is both innovative and familiar.

Additional info on IRATA’s Tower, including preorders and teaser tracks, will be available in the coming weeks. In the meantime, IRATA will kick off a short stretch of live dates next month. Set to commence March 8th in Asheville, North Carolina and run through March 16th in New Orleans, Louisiana, The Rising Sun Tour includes a performance at Small Stone’s special SXSW showcase March 13th alongside their new labelmates Tia Carrera, Irata, La Chinga, Sundrifter, Dwellers, and The Cold Stares. See all confirmed dates below.

IRATA – Rising Sun Tour:
3/08/2019 Odditorium – Asheville, NC
3/09/2019 Maggie Meyers Irish Pub – Huntsville, AL
3/10/2019 Growlers – Memphis, TN
3/11/2019 Double Wide – Dallas, TX
3/12/2019 Over Flow Festival @ Super Happy Fun Land – Houston, TX
3/13/2019 Small Stone SXSW Showcase @ Lamberts – Austin, TX
3/14/2019 Spider House Stoner Jam – Austin, TX
3/15/2019 The Mix – San Antonio, TX
3/16/2019 Santos – New Orleans, LA

IRATA
Jon Case – bass, vocals
Jason Ward – drums, vocals, synth
Cheryl Manner – guitar
Owen Burd – guitar

http://www.facebook.com/iratabandofficial
https://iratalive.bandcamp.com/
https://www.iratalive.com/
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.facebook.com/smallstonerecords
http://www.smallstone.bandcamp.com

Irata, Tower (2019)