Mr. Bison Sign to Ripple Music; New LP & Split with Spacetrucker Coming Soon
Look, I’m a gentleman of a certain age, so I remember the first time I encountered the character who in the US version was called M. Bison in Street Fighter II. He whipped my ass. I got mine in the end, and so on through the Turbo, Hyper and sundry other editions of the game, but the threat from M. Bison never dissipated. As such, even now when I see Mr. Bison — the name given to the character everywhere else — coming to the US to play Planet Desert Rock Weekend this month and announcing they’ve been signed to Ripple Music, there’s a decent sense of threat in my mind. Watch out for Mr. Bison because if you’re not ready they’ll whip your ass.
Maybe that’s true and maybe not. Their 2018 outing, Holy Oak (review here), had a more complex agenda, much to its credit, and a broader sonic reach suited the band. Apparently well enough to catch the ear of Ripple, which is saying something. Planet Desert Rock Weekend won’t be their first time in the States, but it feels celebratory nonetheless as they move forward toward their next LP and it’s revealed they’ll take part in Ripple‘s new Turn to Stone split series, following up on the wildly successful The Second Coming of Heavy 10-part excursion.
Good stuff all around. I like a feelgood story, so here’s one:
Mr Bison Sign To Ripple Music, Record New Album and Prepare to Storm the Stage at Planet Desert Rock Weekend in Las Vegas
Preparing to deliver on the promise of their 2018 album Holy Oak, heavy psychedelic trio Mr Bison has signed with US purveyors of riff-heaviness, Ripple Music, to bring the band’s latest mesmerizing slab of acid jamming to the world.
MR. BISON, formed by Matteo Barsacchi (Guitar/Vocal), Matteo Sciocchetto (Guitar/Vocal), and Matteo D’Ignazi (Drum/Sound Effect/Vocal) established themselves as one of the most exciting combos in the heavy psych underground. After We’ll Be Brief and the critically acclaimed Asteroid , their singular assault on heavy, distorted blues couldn’t help but be noticed. A U.S.A tour soon followed then dozens of gigs in the Italian peninsula, opening for the likes of DANKO JONES, RED FANG, MONDO GENERATOR, KARMA TO BURN, MY SLEEPING KARMA, and many more. Following a sold out European tour, the trio raged back with the critically-hailed HOLY OAK.
Now it’s time for the next step. Signing to Ripple Music, the band keeps its unusual lineup, two guitars, drums and . . . no bass! In other hands this set up could be a disaster, but in the capable hands of these maestros, the two guitars together create a massive wall of sound where you won’t even notice the absence of bass. First coming out with a 12″ side of vinyl for the new Ripple Music Split LP Series, “Turn to Stone” where they share vinyl with US space rockers Spacetrucker, a new full-length will follow in 2020.
Imagine being in an overloaded black van on the roads of the Big South, playing nothing but early 70’s legendary acts like the almighty Capt Beyond, Orang-Utan mixed with one of the most powerful band of our days, Motorpsycho. And that’s Mr Bison. A refreshingly uplifting blast of gutsy, 70s-inspired stoner rock, played with passion and high energy that puts the power back into the classic power-trio formula.
About the new songs, Matteo D’Ignazi says, “The new songs are a concentration of stoner rock and psychedelic moments, dilated atmospheres that alternate with monolithic riffs. We are proud to be part of the Ripple family, one of the labels that has produced dozens of albums that we have always treasured! Being part of it now is a dream come true.”
Look for “Turn to Stone” the new split series to hit the streets early late 2019/early 2020. And be sure to catch Mr Bison live as they hit the stage at Planet Desert Rock Weekend in Las Vegas.
For more information on Planet Desert Rock Weekend: https://www.facebook.com/VRRProductions/
For Tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/planet-desert-rock-weekend-v2-weekender-pass-tickets-56264327117
www.facebook.com/mrbisonband
http://mrbison.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://twitter.com/RippleMusic
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/
