The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.

In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Antonio Santos of Places Around the Sun (Lisboa, Portugal)

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How have you been you dealing with this crisis as a band? As an individual? What effect has it had on your plans or creative processes?

Besides the obvious bad financial side in all of this as a band we got a lot of time we wouldn’t get otherwise to really write our songs without any pressure of having to go to work the next day. And that is probably the best thing out of all of the things, our hobbies became a full-time job.

With the creative process it has also helped a lot since everything stopped and it left a lot of space for the creative mind to take place. I’ve seen a lot of new ideas, whether them being podcasts, Instagram lives or new music coming up in these last months and the best part is that everyone is attending to all of it because people want something to pass their time.

In a general view I think we’re making the best of it and still manage to finish the new album we’re currently working on.

How do you feel about the public response to the outbreak where you are? From the government response to the people around you, what have you seen and heard from others?

Here in Portugal, I feel like in a way we got very lucky comparing to a lot of other countries here in Europe. Our government reacted as fast as one would ever react with such a sudden threat.

Everybody at first shared the mind set of “The virus won’t ever get here”, foolishly enough since our country relies a lot on tourism, and thousands of tourists enter our country everyday. But when it came people actually reacted fast and a lot of people went into voluntary lockdown, but of course there were those people who felt like it was an overreaction. But now I think pretty much everyone is being aware and respectful of the rules.

There’s an uneasy feeling around everyone we know, since we all work in the film and music industry, we really depend on a lot of events that can’t happen right now and probably won’t happen in the next year.

But being all creative people I think we’ll all find some way or another to keep going and adapt to this new reality.

What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?

The music community took a big hit, every band we know had their shows canceled and we were all obligated to leave almost everything in stand by. But I think everyone is aware of how hard it is for all the artists and people are sharing everyone’s work on their social media. It’s amazing to see so many people coming together to help everybody in need during this time.

Although there’s a little bit of discouragement, because we know we can’t play live, being one of the most exciting parts of being in a band, and of course the best source of income. But some of the best songs and ideas came from boredom and the need to make something, I think everyone that has the creative side should use this time to let it come into fruition. Everyone is at home and now more than ever people need the entertainment industry to help them get through all of this a little bit easier.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything? What is your new normal? What have you learned from this experience, about yourself, your band, or anything?

Me personally, I was going through a really rough time mentally before all of this. And having to suddenly stop everything really made think and reflect on everything going in my mind and I got to value a lot of things that I always took for granted and I fortunately could channel everything through music, we were in the middle of recording an album, and luckily we stopped when we were about to record the vocals, which is something that can easily be done at home, so I brought my studio set up home and really took the time to record and write everything feeling like I had all the time in the world.

I recorded a vocal idea and sent it to everyone and we went back and forth a lot and I think that really allowed us to come up with stuff we would never had the time to do before.

We as band can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on as we feel like it has some of the best stuff we’ve ever wrote and hopefully sooner than later we’ll be able to play it live.

https://www.facebook.com/placesaroundthesun/
https://www.instagram.com/placesaroundthesun/
https://placesaroundthesun.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6EtVFuD2ONPTRJ3rKnlUgi

The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.

In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Johannes from Mindcrawler (Munich, Germany)

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How are you dealing with this crisis as a band?

On a personal level, none of us has been hit particularly hard by the crisis, aside from having to stay at home for several weeks now. We are fortunate enough that all of us have jobs or studies that can be done from home. So in all, and aside from growing boredom and cabin fever, the impact has been pretty mild on that front.

However, as a band, we weren’t able to get together and play for weeks either, which is a huge bummer. Mainly because we have a ton of new material we were planning to turn into songs, in preparation of future releases and gigs. So this came to a screeching halt for now. On the flipside though, each of us has been creative from home. Writing more material, playing around with new stuff, e.g. synthie sounds and some visual shenanigans. So I guess, in the long run, we are all set.

At the moment, we are hoping that the crisis will fade away quickly. We have some significant gigs lined up for the fall and it would be a shame if those would fall through.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

Corona restrictions in Munich (as in the whole of Bavaria) have been pretty harsh in the beginning. Practically nobody was allowed to even leave the house aside from some reduced sporting activities and the like. These have been enforced pretty consistently, too. So there has been a good month or so of strictly having to stay at home. However, this has been relaxed to some extent by now. For instance, we are now allowed to meet with “one person from another household”, which is nice (but does not help much in terms of playing together as a band).

What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?

I think the music community has responded in a good way, at least in Munich. There has been plans to stream concerts without audiences, and there is some solidarity stuff going on. We feel sorry for all the hardworking, beautiful people who, in normal times, organize all the concerts and other creative offerings. They are really hit hard by this crisis, and I feel that, on top of that, they are largely left alone by the government. Honestly, I’m not sure I would be able to handle the uncertainty they are facing right now. In addition, we are not sure how the ripple effects of that will affect smaller or “semi-professional” musicians and their ability to play in the long run.

As mentioned before, for Mindcrawler, our creative process moved from a collective effort as a band to more individual efforts at home. Still, I would say we are rather inspired as a whole. I guess the good side of being stuck at home is that you pick up the guitar more often, or engage in stuff you were kinda putting off for some time (like synthies or visuals).

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

First and foremost: Stay safe, practice social distancing, wear your face masks! The more responsibly we as a community act now, the faster this shitty situation will be over.

Aside from this, we miss being on stage, and engaging with all those wonderful people in the stoner/doom scene in general. We are lucky enough that the reactions to our first release Lost Orbiter have been very kind, so we are eager to give some of the kindness back to all of you. In a first step, we are very happy that we signed a record deal with Sound Effect Records, so people will see the album released on vinyl fairly soon.

In addition, we are very eager to get back together as band and write new songs, and more importantly, to go out and play them!

http://www.facebook.com/Mindcrawler/
https://www.instagram.com/mindcrawler.band/
https://mindcrawler.bandcamp.com/
http://www.motljud.com/
https://www.soundeffect-records.gr/

The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.

In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Neil Collins of Murcielago (Portland, Maine)

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How have you been you dealing with this crisis as a band? As an individual? What effect has it had on your plans or creative processes?

We in Murcielago have been completely dormant as we figure how to be a band in this new normal. We have a new record titled Casualties completed, and were originally looking at a mid-spring release. Now we are unsure when we will be able to get vinyl pressed, and whether it is worthwhile to self-release something with no gigs on the horizon to sell them at. The few shows we have booked are already postponed until who knows when [UPDATE: The CD has been pressed and will go on sale in September].

As an individual, I have been working straight through since early March. I run a boatyard as my day job and have 20 employees. It’s been a daily worry that by being open I might put one of my people in inadvertent contact with the virus. So far, all have been well. I’m pretty spent by the stress of it by the end of the day, so not much riff writing is happening. When I do get a chance to play I usually sit with an acoustic guitar in some open tuning. Maybe our next record will sound like Fairport Convention….

How do you feel about the public response to the outbreak where you are? From the government response to the people around you, what have you seen and heard from others?

The response from the state of Maine has been very proactive and measured in my opinion. I’ve been impressed with the state officials and their message to us Mainers. The general public seemed initially to embrace the guidelines fully, but as time has passed and the economic toll is being more widely felt many are pushing back and opening when not allowed etc. In my work I see customers who disregard all of our guidelines mandated by the state and I’ve needed to address the issue. It’s not a good position to be in. I do feel lucky to have been at work all through this, though.

What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?

I have watched many streaming events either by locals or national acts and really appreciate people putting those performances out there for us all. It is encouraging to see people staying on top of their craft while we wait for the what next.

I worry for all the great venues that may never open again after things get back to what we knew before, and what that will do for touring bands and small labels that support them. I feel both inspired and discouraged depending on what minute you ask me, I guess.

I really look forward to playing with the band again and feeling the walls shake. I always do my best writing with us all in the room together. It’s been a huge part of my life for a very long time.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything? What is your new normal? What have you learned from this experience, about yourself, your band, or anything?

On a personal level I feel so grateful for my family and our home, our life in Maine and my close friendship with the other guys in the band. I’ve had many opportunities to appreciate the simple things that pass unnoticed in less trying times. As a band, we look forward to regrouping and making the air move again. We are rearranging our rehearsal space to allow for proper distancing so we can get back to playing again. I could really use that.

https://www.facebook.com/murcielagorock/
https://murcielagorock.bandcamp.com/

Shifting dynamics, readjusting priorities, moving forward, getting high and playing trippy shit. The way founding guitarist/vocalist Pat Harrington talks about Geezer making their latest full-length, Groovy (review here) — also their debut on Heavy Psych Sounds; out digitally on Friday with physical to follow June 12; preorders here — it is as much purposeful and casual as the album itself. Tightened craft delivering immersive fuzz and languid heavy blues grooves, the record is nothing if not aptly named.

I was asked over the winter to write the bio for the album, and it was clear from the first listen both that it would be a highlight of 2020 — I think pushing back the release date as they have due to COVID-19 helps in that regard — and that Geezer had arrived at a special moment for the band, which is Harrinton alongside bassist Richie Touseull and drummer Steve Markota. I did end up writing that bio, which I’ll probably post around here at some point, but as I’ve already reviewed it and I’m too busy being honored with the chance to do the full-LP stream in addition to posting this interview, I’ll spare you this time around and just say that Groovy is what happens when a band starts out with an idea of what they want to do and then are willing to be guided by their own impulses into becoming what they’re meant to be. There’s a letting go and a holding on alike as a part of that process, but the results are inarguable. And, yes, groovy.

Please enjoy the album stream and the interview. Thanks for reading and thanks to Harrington for taking the time.

Geezer, Groovy Interview with Pat Harrington

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So the record is Groovy and the lead track is “Dig.” How much was the intention to strip things down to their essentials this time around?

I guess it wasn’t really the intention, it may be more of a side-effect. The song “Dig” has been around for a few years. Dig and a few other songs on the album pre-date most of the material on the Spiral Fires EP. Somewhere along the way, we made the decision to put all the trippy weird stuff on the EP, which kind of set the more direct tone of Groovy, almost by accident.

Geezer has gotten progressively jammier on each release to this point, and Groovy seems to pull back from that a bit. Tell me about the songwriting this time around, your goals for the material and ideas you had coming off of Spiral Fires?

In addition to the reasons above, I think another big reason for the change is our drummer Steve. Unlike our previous drummers, who are very much into improvisation, Steve approaches writing and arranging in a much more deliberate manner. As we spent time developing ideas, this became part of our process. I think it’s fair to say that we brought each other a little out of our comfort zones. Richie and I kept pushing Steve into jammier territory that I don’t think he really explored before. At the same time, he made us more structured in how we put the songs together. There is still room for experimentation, but overall the songs took on a more defined feel.

Unlike other albums, we also had a concept together before all the songs were written. Once the Spiral Fires masters were handed in, we started to look at the songs we had, other ideas that were being developed, etc. Then one day it all clicked. We decided that we were going to focus on songs that were groovy as opposed to the heavier or trippy stuff. So then we should call the album Groovy, right? After that, everything kind of fell right into place.

Talk about your time in the studio for the album. At what point did you know you wanted keys on “Awake” and the title-track? Is that something you think you might explore more going forward?

The real story actually is about the time we spent BEFORE going into the studio. As we’ve already talked about, these songs are much more defined compared to most of our past work. The reason for that is we spent a long time developing the ideas and arrangements. We played most of the songs live. We gave the songs time to grow. We were very disciplined when it came to rehearsals. Everyone worked very hard at developing their parts. Richie and Steve worked especially hard to get all the grooves locked in, they became a machine! I cannot stress this enough, being in a band is HARD WORK and if you don’t take it seriously, it shows.

We spent two days recording most of the “basics”. We did it at Darkworld Studio, where we recorded the Spiral Fires EP. We had the same production team that we’ve pretty much had since the beginning. Everyone came prepared and acted professionally. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun as fuck, but all the preparation paid off. We recorded all these songs together. Standing in the same room. Feeling the kick drum. Connecting to each other. All the drums, bass, rhythm guitars and solos recorded at the same time (more or less). I’m proud to say, not every band can pull that off… we can.

The experimentation mostly came in after the fact. Steve spent weeks developing the percussion tracks (we threw tambourines around like we were AC/DC!). I also stretched out a bit with ambient guitar stuff, synth noise and acoustic guitar tracks. As you mentioned, our friend Jeff Mercel contributed keys to “Awake” and “Groovy: (Jeff also played on “Long Dull Knife” a few years back). We knew right away that we wanted some Hammond B3 type stuff on Groovy, it’s just that type of song. “Awake” has a very tight, syncopated feel to it and I thought some keys could add a softer melodic vibe to it. I was listening to a lot of Nebula at the time, I think I actually sent Jeff the song “So Low” as a reference, I think he nailed it! He really did go above and beyond and his contribution to the songs and album was immense… next level shit.

Some of the songs on Groovy have an almost escapist vibe, and then there are pieces like “Dead Soul Scroll” and “Drowning on Empty.” How comfortable are you with presenting an emotional side in lyrics in a way that’s kind of apart from the blues?

At this point, I think I’ve stripped away most insecurities I’ve had when it comes to songwriting. It took me a long time to figure out, but vulnerability in music is one of the things that people connect to the most. It’s about saying the things that people can’t (or won’t) say themselves. It gives them something to latch on to, a way to express or connect to feelings that they otherwise weren’t able to. The lyrics to both those songs are, in fact, about real personal things. I try and relay them in a way that is open to interpretation, tap into feelings without assigning them to situations. That way, people can relate them to whatever they themselves are going through. To me, that is what music is all about.

How did the Heavy Psych Sounds deal come about? What does it mean to you to be labelmates with acts like Brant Bjork and Nebula and Yawning Man?

The deal came about very fast actually. I’ve been a fan of the label for many years and I had somewhat of an internet friendship with Gabe. With the exception of the first record, this is the first time we’ve “shopped” a record and HPS was very much at the top of our list. I can’t remember how long he had the album, but I followed up with Gabe on a Thursday and by that Monday he was sending contracts. Above all else, I wanted to be on a label that treated us like a priority. Since day one, Gabe and his team have done that and continue to do so. For that, we are extremely grateful.

I am in no way trying to equate myself with these cats, but the fact is, my musical journey was very similar to the bands that were a part of the first generation of stoner rock (or whatever you want to call it). I’m the same age as a lot of these guys, our musical references are all very similar. I grew up on metal and hardcore, felt boxed in by the rules that inevitably popped up around those genres, just like those dudes. Iommi, Page and Hendrix were gods to me… so was Mike Dean and Jello Biafra… so was Chuck D and Duane Allman. Somehow when you distill all this down, a lot of us ended up just wanting to get high and play heavy trippy shit without all the hassle that mainstream music seems to impose.

Because of this, I look up to people like Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri, Eddie Glass and Mario Lalli. Not only do I love their music, they helped a lot of us figure out a way to express ourselves without having to worry about all the genre politics of the time. To be on the same label as these bands, as well as bands like Black Rainbows, Duel, Gorilla and Ecstatic Vision, is an honor and a challenge. It’s an honor to be here, but we gotta prove that we belong. That is the challenge.

Will you return to Europe to tour for the album? Any other plans or closing words you want to mention?

There were all kinds of plans. This past weekend was supposed to HPS Fest in NYC which has been postponed indefinitely. We had quite a few shows set up for this summer to promote the record, they have all been postponed indefinitely as well. In addition, we were well on our way to booking a European Tour for the late fall and that too is no more. It’s a total bummer for sure, but in the grand scheme of things, these are mild inconveniences compared to the suffering that many are going through right now, so I do my best to try and stay positive.

On that note, there is some good news here in NY. Much of the state has been moved into “Phase 1” of re-opening and our region is on schedule to enter Phase 1 this week. There is still a long way to go, but after a seemingly endless stream of bad news over the last few months, these are all very welcoming signs. Stay strong everybody, take care of yourselves and each other and we may actually make it through this thing. It will still be a while before live music returns. When it does, we’ll be there. I got a new fuzz pedal for fuck sake, I need to crank that shit and rip a hole in the sky! Ya dig?

Geezer, Groovy (2020)

Geezer on Instagram

Geezer on Thee Facebooks

Geezer on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Thee Facebooks

Fitting that the new Apostle of Solitude video should be for the closing track from their 2018 full-length, From Gold to Ash (review here), since “Grey Farewell” would seem essentially to be how the Indianapolis-based outfit are saying goodbye to that record as they move onto the next one. It is a quarantine video — four dudes in four boxes — but I’m glad for the excuse to revisit the record and to get the check-in from the band that informs they’ll enter the studio in September (outbreaks pending, one assumes) with a batch of new songs for a 2021 release on Cruz Del Sur.

2018 was an exceptionally good year for doom, with offerings from The Skull, Witch Mountain, Windhand, Pale Divine, and hosts of others alongside Apostle of Solitude in subsets traditional and otherwise. From Gold to Ash was my pick of the bunch though, and two years later, I stand by that completely. The combination of sonic force and emotional resonance the band brought to this particular group of tracks, the way their dynamic came together not just between guitarist/vocalists Chuck Brown and Steve Janiak — both now also in the reignited The Gates of Slumber and the latter also of Devil to Pay — but also with drummer Corey Webb and bassist Mike Naish made for a to-date high point in their catalog, and there’s no reason whatsoever to think they’ll backstep on the next one. I’ll happily call it highly anticipated.

Some things to watch for in the video: Action figures, R2-D2 and Devil to Pay cover art in Janiak‘s box; the same camera angle Webb used on that “Under the Sun” cover posted the other day; Brown‘s US flags that have shown up in rehearsal clips and Apostle of Solitude promo photos for years now; and Naish pretty clearly wanting to go for it and headbang the whole time. All that plus the song makes for a quality quarantine-era clip if e’er I saw one, and I’ve seen a few by now.

Dudes be like:

Apostle of Solitude, “Grey Farewell” official video

Apostle of Solitude’s music video for “Grey Farewell” from the album “From Gold to Ash” available from Cruz Del Sur Music.

Edits: S. Janiak

Recorded by Mike Bridavsky at Russian Recording, Bloomington, IN
Mixed by Mike Bridavsky
Mastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room Chicago, Il

Apostle of Solitude are completing writing and song arrangements for their fifth full length album, due to be released in early 2021; their third album on Italy’s Cruz Del Sur Music label. The band is scheduled to record the album within the familiar confines of Russian Recording in Bloomington Indiana in September, with album artwork designed by German artist Rebecca Waek.

The band’s last two albums were supported by both US and European tours, and the band hopes to do the same for this release, hopefully in 2021 assuming the current pandemic does not prohibit such plans.

APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE is:
Corey Webb – drums
Chuck Brown – guitars, vocals
Steve Janiak – guitars, vocals
Mike Naish – bass

Apostle of Solitude on Thee Facebooks

Cruz del Sur Music website

Netherlands-based DHU Records continues to scour this plague-infested globe to unearth the finest in cultistry and Sabbo-worship doom, and Paraguayan four-piece Lucifer’s Children, whose newly-digitally-issued debut full-length, Devil Worship, is streaming below, has met the mark. And so it will bear that label’s backing later this year — the three words that most define 2020: “later this year” — as DHU stands behind a limited vinyl edition of the album. This is very much the label’s M.O. It finds a cool record out digitally at some point and gets behind it for limited LP release. It’s a smart move and apparently sustainable — which is more important, ultimately — since the roster of DHU Records continues to grow and the riffs only seem to get murkier as time goes on. This is nothing less than an ecosystem at work, commercially speaking.

Thank you for attending my TED Talk on The Economics of Doom: Vinyl Sells. Please stick around for the afternoon session, in which I will expound on the value of tapes as a means of selling downloads at shows.

Oh, and here’s some background on Lucifer’s Children from the PR wire:

New signing to DHU Records: Lucifer’s Children

DHU Records is extremely excited to announce the signing of Paraguay’s Doom Metal outfit Lucifer’s Children!

Nothing makes the blood pump harder when one stumbles upon some good ol’ fashioned Devil Worshipping Doom Metal. Lucifer’s Children recently released debut album Devil Worship will most certainly make those neck muscles pulsate when banging unmercifully to the dark groove of Lucifer’s Children.

Lucifer’s Children, formed in 2017 by a coven of mutual minds; R. Doom (Guitar/Bass), Lidi Ramirez (Vocals) and Edu Centurión (Drums) to create a work of passion influenced by the Masters of Doom and Traditional Heavy Metal: Witchfinder General, Pentagram and Black Sabbath.

After a few months of rehearsing they recruit bassist Osmar “Ozzy” Duarte and will perform their first live show organized by drummer Edu Centurión.
Part of the live show was recorded by a person who had attended and uploaded the footage to several social media outlets, and immediately Rodrigo Echeverría from Chile’s underground label Alcoholic Distro contacted Lucifer’s Children and encouraged them to record a demo to release with his label. Around that time Bass player Osmar leaves the band for personal reasons.

In September 2017 Lucifer’s Children recorded their first 2 track demo called “Lucifer’s Demo”. Released independently on CD-R and on Cassette by Alcoholic Distro, it was not widely promoted, but was well received by those who heard it.
The second (and last) performance of Lucifer’s Children would be an invitation to a live show in Foz do Iguazú (Brazil).

In May of 2019 Lucifer’s Children recorded the second demo Dawning of a New Aeon which included two new tracks plus a cover of Rainbow Demon by legendary Rock outfit Uriah Heep. Dawning of a New Aeon was released independently in August of 2019 on 33 hand-numbered Cassettes by Alcoholic Distro.

Dawning of a New Aeon was met with great praise worldwide with copies being sold in France, Germany & Brazil respectively, needless to say, Lucifer’s Children were making their mark on the Heavy Underground scene.

In August of 2019 Lucifer’s Children also started recording their debut album to be titled “Devil Worship”, which was unleashed on May 18th 2020. Available on Cassette through Alcoholic Distro in Chile, on CD by Dies Irae Records in Brazil and a full wax treatment courtesy of DHU Records in The Netherlands in 2020

DHU Records is truly honored to be releasing Devil Worship (DHU056) on some very Limited Edition vinyl in late 2020

More details & info coming soon…

Go forth and listen to this Doom Metal masterpiece here: luciferschildren.bandcamp.com

STAY SAFE STAY HEALTHY
STAY DOOMED STAY HEAVY

Side A:
A1. Back From Beyond / Nigrum Somnum
A2. Brotherhood of Satan
A3. Freezing Mist

Side B:
B1. Devil Worship
B2. Black Entity
B3. Smiles on the Wall
B4. The Magician

All songs written by R.Doom
Recorded at Iodi Studios, Asunción, Paraguay by Alfredo Duarte
between August and November of 2019
Mixed and mastered by Alfredo Duarte
Thanks to Luis Centurión for the keyboards arrangements
Cover painting by Francisco Visceral

LUCIFER’S CHILDREN are:
Lidi Ramírez – Vocals
Eduardo Centurión – Drums
Samael Duarte – Bass
R.Doom – Guitars

https://www.facebook.com/LucifersChildrenDoom/
https://www.instagram.com/luciferschildren_
https://luciferschildren.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DHURecords/
https://www.instagram.com/dhu_records/
https://darkhedonisticunionrecords.bandcamp.com/
darkhedonisticunionrecords.bigcartel.com/

Lucifer’s Children, Devil Worship (2020)

The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.

In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Gero Lucisano of Argonauta Records & Varego (Arenzano, Italy)

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How are you dealing with this crisis as a label? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

Health is good, even if there is so much things to do here in Argonauta. So many releases planned and a lot more on printing. With our partner ALL NOIR, we thought it’d be better to not stop any activity, rather to push each release regularly with promotion and with a distribution “digital first” method. Keeping preorders with discounted prices and waiting for better times to ship them all around. Substantially not a big rework, only some reasonable rules: to do what is possible doing in this very moment that can be turn us useful in the near future, hopefully.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

One month of lockdown currently, now extended for another month. Schools and shops are closed and you can reach out to buy food and important genres only via a paper by the police, few hours a day. Now hopefully some shops will reopens these days and other ones next month. Schools closed till September.

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

Yes, unfortunately I’ve seen it, I lost two uncles and we were not able to see them even for the last time to say goodbye. I’m also reading a lot of news by bands with members affected and struggling with it.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a label, or personally, or anything?

The very biggest problem is that bands can’t tour, we had a lot of releases and our bands had to cancel many events and release shows. Also the pressing plants (or a part of the) are not working in the full of their capacity, thing are delayed and there is a lot of details to follow. Last but not least, shipments suffer too because of tons of flights canceled. But I’m here working to keep up all the good work. Music is so useful for me each day, helped me many times and helping me now too. I’m planning so many things and Argonauta is still here to give voice to the underground we love.

www.argonautarecords.com
www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Those who’ve followed guitarist/vocalist Francis Roberts‘ work in Old Man Wizard or the pirate-themed Dread Crew of Oddwood should have some notion of what to expect from the relatively new outfit King Gorm, but the vibe — not to mention the band — is different across the latter’s impending self-titled debut, which is set to release July 31. The San Diego-based troupe dig into classic heavy progressive rock with a deft and masterful hand, retaining an air of cultistry without proving any more cartoonish than they intend. A track from the record, “Beyond Black Rainbow,” proves the point nicely, but is just a snippet of the band’s organ-heavy, weirdo-friendly wares. I’ll hope to have more to come on this one ahead of its arrival.

Until then, the PR wire brings ample backstory and info:

King Gorm release new single “Beyond Black Rainbow”

San Diego throwback rockers KING GORM have just released their new single “Beyond Black Rainbow” via their Bandcamp. The song is recommended for fans of Rainbow and Deep Purple.

Listen to the song here: https://kinggorm.bandcamp.com/track/beyond-black-rainbow-2

From King Gorm, releases July 31, 2020.

Some bands often claim they are ‘taking it back to the days of old’, but in King Gorm’s case it is quite literal. Much like their namesake – a Danish ruler from the 900s – the San Diego collective focus on telling bard-like tales, though updated in the form of classic rock. Their self-titled début album is a bold first step, reinventing familiarity by taking the legends of old and putting a modern spin on them.

Across the record, the listener bears witness to Hammond organs and screaming guitar solos duking it out, while bass lines and frantic drumming run like madmen underneath. The freshness of this music can be attributed to numerous factors, one of which being that it was recorded live from the floor (with only vocal overdubs), thus the chemistry of the musicianship shines through such as on “Four Heroes”. The band are also unafraid to go exploring, resulting in tracks like “The Witch of Irondale”, which swings from insistent prog rock to proto-doom in its 7-minute duration, or “Slaughter the King” and “Ultimate Reality”, two songs showcasing the wild nature of the band’s live show.

So which legends’ names are heard echoing within the album’s walls? Ritchie Blackmore figures prominently, not least for his fantasy-driven lyrics and powerful rock riffing (especially during Deep Purple and Dio-era Rainbow days). Elements of Led Zeppelin (the dragons and wizards-driven “Song From Brighter Days”) and Pink Floyd also float to the surface, such as in mastermind Francis Roberts’ soothing bard-like voice (which, for a latterday reference, also bears comparison with Motorpsycho or Arjen Lucassen). But this is more than an homage – there is a real sense of taking this music to places where those bands did not reach, reshaping it in exciting ways.

King Gorm is the sound of a band who may be relatively new to each other, but certainly not new to the game. With their combined experience in an eclectic mixture of bands like Old Man Wizard, Dread Crew of Oddwood, Kirby’s Dream Band, Beekeeper, Eukaryst, White Wizzard and others), there is no shred of doubt that these four can and have put together a top-notch rock n’ roll record that is bound to capture both classic rock and fantasy fans alike.

Track listing:
1.Intro
2. Freedom Calls
3. Four Heroes
4. Irondale Burning
5. Song From Brighter Days
6. Beyond Black Rainbow
7. The Witch of Irondale
8. Slaughter the King
9. Ultimate Reality

King Gorm are:
Francis Roberts – electric guitar, vocals, music & lyrics (Old Man Wizard, ex-Dread Crew of Oddwood)
Erich Beckmann – bass guitar (Kirby’s Dream Band, Grim Luck)
Dylan Marks – drums, percussion, vocals (Beekeeper, Fermentor)
Saki Chan – Hammond organ, ARP Odyssey, mellotron, vocals

https://www.facebook.com/king.gorm.usa/
https://www.instagram.com/king.gorm/
https://kinggorm.bandcamp.com/

King Gorm, King Gorm (2020)