Posted in Whathaveyou on January 26th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
A fair amount going on early this year for Ecstatic Vision, which is reasonable because they kick a more than fair amount of ass. The Philly psychblasters are continuing to support last year’s Elusive Mojo (review here) even as they work toward the March 17 release of Live at Duna Jam, which captures their performance at the ultimate daydream of a getaway festival, held annually on a Sardinian beach (see photo above; I don’t know who took it or I’d give credit). Before they go on this massive European tour newly announced, they’ll play two hometown Philadelphia dates with long-running Oregonian classic heavy gurus Danava on March 31 and April 1, which, if it needs to be said, is a good-ass show.
The Euro tour starts April 27, and includes stops at Astral Festival in Berlin, Desertfest London, Sonic Whip, Berlin Desertfest, Gockelscream, Esbjerg Fuzztival, and probably others that I missed on the list below, but if that seems like a lot of festivals, it is. And if you’d ever seen Ecstatic Vision live you’d want them to come and play your festival too.
From social media:
Ecstatic Vision – Live at DunaJam LP, CD, and DVD dropping in March on @heavypsychsounds_records !
Live At Dunajam is the brand new album of the US psychedelic wizards Ecstatic Vision. Recorded live at the legendary Dunajam in June 2022. Mixed by Joe Boldizar. Mastering by Claudio Gruer at Pisi Mastering. Layouts by Branca Studio. Cover album photo by David Wiggins.
“A secret show in hidden location, we absolutely laid everything to waste. You should be excited about this – pure lawlessness.”
Ecstatic Vision European Tour: 27/04/2023 FR Lille La Bulle Café 28/04/2023 FR Paris La Maroquinerie 29/04/2023 NL Haarlem Slachthuis 30/04/2023 UK Bristol Astral Festival 01/05/2023 UK Leeds Old Woollen 02/05/2023 UK Glasgow Ivory Blacks 03/05/2023 UK Preston Continental 04/05/2023 UK Newcastle upon Tyne Lubber Fiend 05/05/2023 UK London Desertfest 06/05/2023 NL Nijmegen Sonic Whip 07/05/2023 FR Reims Les Vieux de La Vieille 08/05/2023 FR Nantes Décadanse 10/05/2023 ES Barcelona Sala Meteoro 11/05/2023 ES Zarogoza Sala Utopía 12/05/2023 ES Pozal de Gallinas Valladolid 13/05/2023 PT Lisboa Galeria Zé dos Bois 14/05/2023 PT Porto WS69 15/05/2023 ES Madrid Sala Silikona 16/05/2023 FR Toulouse Connexion Live 17/05/2023 FR Montpellier L’Antirouille 19/05/2023 FR Grandfontaine Brasserie de Framont 20/05/2023 DE Münster Rare Guitar 21/05/2023 DE Berlin Desertfest 22/05/2023 CZ Pilsen Anděl Music 23/05/2023 AT Linz Kapu 24/05/2023 DE Jena KuBa 26/05/2023 DE D.-Dittersbach GockelScream #4 27/05/2023 DK Esbjerg Fuzztival 28/05/2023 DK Copenhagen Råhuset 30/05/2023 FIN Helsinki G Livelab 31/05/2023 EST Tallinn Sveta 01/06/2023 LV Riga NOASS art centre 02/06/2023 LTU Vilnius XI20 03/06/2023 PL Warsaw Hydrozagadka 04/06/2023 PL Krakow Alchemia 06/06/2023 NL Utrecht dB’s
ECSTATIC VISION is Doug Sabolik Michael Field Connor Kevin Nickles Ricky Kulp
Posted in audiObelisk on January 26th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Evansville, Indiana’s Faerie Ring will release their second album, Weary Traveler, on April 14 through cooperation between King Volume Records, Wise Blood Records and Kozmik Artifactz. The follow-up to 2019’s The Clearing (review here), the album is a six-song beast of mammoth fuzz and doomly celebration, presented across two three-song sides running 40 minutes with to-tape production by Alex Kercheval at Postal Recording Studio, dialed in for largesse from the outset on its leadoff title-track and “Silver Man in the Sky” (premiering below), moving between slowed-down ’80s-metal-at-night chug and lumbering still-kind-of-a-party doom, catchy all the while and setting out on the journey not so much weary as resolute.
“Weary Traveler” is the shortest song here at 5:05 — it bookends with closer “Motor Boss” at 5:37 — and though it’s among the more unabashedly massive, “Silver Man in the Sky” is emblematic of the accessibility of the album as a whole at 6:36 of fluidly unfolding plod, more intricate in its weaving together layers of Kyle Hulgus‘ and James Wallwork‘s guitars (the latter also handles vocals) atop the emergent roll and will to boogie that’s made to flow so well through Alex Wallwork‘s bass and Joey Rhew‘s drumming.
Whether it’s the turn of “Weary Traveler” to an almost bomb-tone nod filled out by swirling feedback later, the apparently-hammer-on-a-pan bangs mixed well into the rhythm of “Silver Man in the Sky,” the slowed-down The Sword twists in the second half of “Never Rains at Midnite,” or the noisy intro to the shoving “Lover” on side B after the nine-minute psych-doom outbound adventure of “Endless Color / Dope Purple,” the shimmering latter stretch of which reminds of some of King Buffalo‘s ambient flourish after so much by marching, or the harmonica-laced shuffle and swing of the speedier-but-still-thick “Motor Boss,” each piece on Weary Traveler offers something to distinguish it from the bunch while adding to the overarching scope of the album.
The narrative — blessings and peace upon it — has it that this is the result of the fact that, while the band recorded live, being in the studio with Kercheval for a week allowed them time to experiment and flesh out happy accidents during the recording, try new ideas and offbeat ways of doing things. Fair enough. That’s not something every act gets to do, and Weary Traveler is indeed stronger for the attention to detail, but the real story of the album is more about the growth in songwriting and the clarity of the band’s presentation even as they drop to noise before the finish in “Lover” or the fact that “Endless Color / Dope Purple” — which, yes, does have some organ on it — is able to move from its initial march into its long stretch of hypnotic drift with such organic seeming care.
So, attention to detail. Fine. But Weary Traveler has some funk to it too tucked in amidst the doom. The relatively uptempo beginning and bassy punch in “Never Rains at Midnite,” the blues-via-tonal-wash of “Motor Boss,” and even the direct transition from “Lover” that leads into it are emblematic of Weary Traveler functioning as a good time, daring to have and to be fun, and that doesn’t necessarily feel transgressive as much as it’s simply something not every band is willing to do. It makes the listening experience front to back on Weary Traveler easier to undertake — the record is not at all the slog its title might imply — and even in the construction of the tracklist, how they start side B with “Endless Color / Dope Purple” before the (relatively) speedier concluding one-two of “Lover” and “Motor Boss” demonstrates the care put into this particular execution of their craft; a significant step forward from where they were on The Clearing even as it expands on the ideas that first album put forth.
The pan, the piano in “Never Rains at Midnite,” the looping their sounds through an AM radio discussed below, these are nifty bits of nuance and though that sounds like I’m devaluing their effect on the record, I’m not. But without the underlying foundation that’s present here in the songs, Weary Traveler would simply fall flat instead of triumphing as it does.
Still, there’s something insular about these tracks, something dug into itself and its own making — the process as part of the outcome, maybe. And maybe hearing that in the music is what I get for reading the bio and the power of suggestion there, but still, even in the depth of tone between the guitars of Hulgus and Wallwork there’s evidence of just how purposeful each consideration on Weary Traveler is, and even if some ideas were birthed by off-the-cuff studio experiments — I’d also believe “Endless Color / Dope Purple” didn’t have a title before it was recorded, but I don’t know that — that shouldn’t be taken to mean Faerie Ring didn’t have their collective shit together going in to work with Kercheval. At their core, these songs have been ironed out and honed for maximum impact.
Their affect is modern — they sound big, they speak to classic metal early and more cosmic fare later on, and they blur the lines between different heavy styles in between, etc. — and their sound, crushing and spacious in kind, is still developing. After going from one extreme of recording in a basement to the other of working in a pro-shop studio, one might expect them to find a space in between for a crucial third album (unless they decided this is how they want to roll, which would also be understandable, considering the results), but wherever they end up, it seems likely the lessons they learn across Weary Traveler — how to be as much Red Fang as Electric Wizard while being neither, for example — will serve them well as they move forward. What matters more than that, though, is that Faerie Ring declare essential aspects of themselves here and present them to the listener in a spirit of mutual appreciation — because make no mistake, they’re into it too — and righteous, dug-in, weighted revelry.
“Silver Man in the Sky” premieres on the player below, followed by more from the PR wire.
Please enjoy:
Faerie Ring, “Silver Man in the Sky” track premiere
Faerie Ring on “Silver Man in the Sky”:
“The main riff in Silver Man in the Sky was conjured within a dense weed fog mid-2019 at 3am. With it came images of mysterious blades, lightning, and an even more mystifying silver skinned man looming in the æther. If you have an ass, it’ll kick it. Our ode to the almighty Power Trip.
Our hearts might’ve said Power Trip, but our Caveman hands said Electric Wizard. This entire album was recorded live in studio straight to tape just how God intended. Two Sunn Model T’s roaring into infinity. Stacks of ’70s $50 solid state Peaveys were the icing on the cake that really set this track off. By the end of the session, our V’s were flying us.
This was our first foray into recording at a real studio. With that came the ability to experiment and try things outside the box. Objects that weren’t musical all the sudden became the key to unlocking a song. We needed a striking steel sound, therefore I found myself in the booth with a doobie hanging out of my mouth hitting an iron skillet with a hammer into a vintage $20,000 Telefunken Mic then cooking our dinner in it an hour later. What really blew our minds was the pan strike turned out to be in the same key that we were playing and slid in pitch perfect with the rest of the song. Lightning in a bottle kept getting captured over and over like that. I credit that to living at the studio for a week creating this album for your consumption. An undeniable banger for all banging’s sake! A monolithic celebration for all things volume.”
Faerie Ring – Weary Traveler Release Date: April 14, 2023 Labels: King Volume Records with Wise Blood Records and European distribution through Kozmik Artifactz
Faerie Ring, the hazy and gloomy stoner doom band from Evansville, Indiana, channels their love for bombastic riffs, soaring vocals, high fantasy, and science fiction into Weary Traveler, a mystical and weed-inspired romp recorded by Alex Kercheval (Coven) and set for release through King Volume Records on April 14, 2023.
Weary Traveler is a marked step forward in the band’s songwriting and recording processes. While their debut album (2019’s The Clearing) was an amalgam of massive riffs recorded in a friend’s basement, Weary Traveler delivers a coordinated and deliberate buffet of cohesive songs meticulously written by the band. Just as important, the album was professionally recorded at Postal Recording Studio in Indianapolis by Alex Kercheval, an essential part of the legendary rock band Coven. Under Kercheval’s guidance, the band recorded directly to tape and took numerous opportunities to experiment in the studio.
“Alex Kercheval is a genius,” says guitarist Kyle Hulgus. “In the beginning of ‘Lover,’ one of our singles, we have a section that sounds like it’s coming through a radio… Well, Alex did this by broadcasting the raw tape tracks over AM radio, then recorded the radio, dialed it in, then bounced that through a series of outboard pre-amps for about 15 seconds. It was amazing.”
Experimentation was a key part of the creative process in Weary Traveler. For “Silver Man In The Sky,” another single, the band wanted the sound of an anvil, so they took an iron skillet (which the band wound up cooking in a few hours later) into the recording booth and bashed it with a hammer in front of a $20,000 Telefunken microphone. As Kyle recalls: “There was a moment in the song where we were sending a signal from a Steinway piano worth more than my house through a Death By Audio Fuzz Delay into a Sunn Model-T. I felt like a mad scientist.”
Working in a professional studio also gave them access to professional equipment for the first time. From the Steinway piano to the Telefunken microphone, the band found the perfect complements to its arsenal of Sunn Model-T & Orange amplifiers and Big Muff & Turbo Rat pedals. With these components combined, the band created an album that is crisper and more focused—while still generating the same loud energy that made The Clearing so impressive. Incredibly, Alex Kercheval managed to capture the entire album in one go, which provided him and the rest of the band with multiple days to perfect the record’s sound.
Weary Traveler is punctuated by three distinctive, enthralling singles: “Silver Man In the Sky,” “Never Rains at Midnight,” and “Lover.” “Silver Man In the Sky” combines massive, Sleep-inspired riffs with Brant Bjork-styled flourishes, “Never Rains At Midnight” is a foot-stomping headbanger that displays traces of Trouble and The Obsessed, while “Lover” channels Fu Manchu energy through a gloomy Doom delivery. Overall, Weary Traveler is a six-pack of masterful riffage and stunning melodies.
Recording: Alex Kercheval & Morgan Satterfield at Postal Recording Studio Mastering: Cauliflower Audio Art: Jerry Hionis (@Wyrmwalk) Logo: Daniel Porta (@thepitforge)
Band: James Wallwork (Guitar & Vocals), Kyle Hulgus (Guitar), Alex Wallwork (Bass), Joey Rhew (Drums)
Posted in Questionnaire on January 26th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: Curtis Dewar of C-Squared Music & Heavy Business Podcast
—
How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I do PR for metal and hard rock bands.
I started off initially writing for several underground sites and just kind of fell into it if I’m being perfectly honest. I had someone ask me if I could help them with their PR and I just said “sure” and then I got a few more jobs offered to me and I just kept saying yes. :)
Finally, I started my own company Dewar PR back in 2014 and I had that going until June 2021 when I started C Squared Music with Corinne Westbrook. I met Cori in February of that year and we just clicked, so we decided to start working together and so far it’s been a great working relationship! We also work with Holly Royle who does freelance PR for us and Aliyah Daye does the C Squared Podcast with us as well. All of three of them are absolutely amazing to work with and we all get along fantastically.
Describe your first musical memory.
This is gonna sound so uncool, but my first musical memory is having the vinyl edition of the Disney Jungle Book soundtrack. I played that fucking thing over and over and over and over again.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
This would probably be the first metal album I actually bought which was “To Hell With the Devil” by Stryper on cassette. I had heard a few of their singles on Much Music (Canadian equivalent to MTV) and was super excited to own a copy as up to that point I only had pop albums.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
Hmm… Probably when I was running Dewar PR in that I thought I could do it all myself. I kinda started to realize in Nov./Dec. of 2020 that I couldn’t and in order to grow I’d need to change something, so when I met Corinne a couple of months later, everything just popped into place in terms of a vision for how to grow things.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Not sure on this one. I personally think progression is good and that growth is something all artists should strive for.
How do you define success?
I *personally* define success in terms of “am I doing what *I* want to do?” That’s really it.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
A lot of ripoff artists in this industry. Or even worse are people who are selling advice that don’t actually know what they are doing. There are a TON of “coaches” who will sell all sorts of advice that is just crap or not correct for that musician’s genre.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
Well I’m not a musician, I’m a PR so I’m not sure if this counts!
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
BELIEF. The artist needs to convey that they truly believe in their art in whatever they are doing and it doesn’t matter what style that is. It could be death metal, doom metal, metalcore or whatever.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Getting a break for a few days over the holidays! I rarely take any time off (And probably won’t take much this either), but it will be nice to be able to catch up on things and get ready to kick butt in the new year.
Posted in audiObelisk on January 26th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Calgary-based sludge rockers Owls and Eagles will make their debut on June 1 through Moments Records with the narrative album, Patience Vol. 1. You’ll find the first single from the record, “Enlightenment,” streaming on the Bandcamp embed below, and if you want to skip over the rest of my blah blah and just hit up the audio, I won’t be offended. I get it.
For those sticking around, a bit of context. Owls and Eagles is comprised of vocalist/drummer Mark Russell and guitarist/vocalist Ross Ferguson. Russell is the founding frontman of the crossover hardcore outfit Citizen Rage, whose latest EP, called simply Black EP and the band’s sixth such short release named for a color — in 2017, they put out five of them: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Pink — was issued in 2020. Making his first appearance in Citizen Rage on Pink was Ferguson. And he wasn’t the only swap-out in the band during those years either.
Now, Citizen Rage are still active — they’ll play 2023’s The Electric Highway festival alongside Sasquatch, Black Mastiff, La Chinga, and others. Indeed, Owls & Eagles will play as well. All of this is to tell you that it’s probably fair to call Owls and Eagles a side-project, but as “Enlightenment” informs, it’s more than enough of a stylistic turn from the other band to make sense as its own thing. The six-minute-long track starts minimal and slow, a creeping intro with vague echoing whispers spoken over, unveiling its crunch-toned nod of a groove at 1:19 with a riff that reads like a declarative sentence. It comes on, sets up shop, and the roll it begins holds for the duration.
Russell and Ferguson share vocals in the verses and chorus, complementing each other not so much in harmony or direct call and response, but in dueling shouts into the proverbial void that remind a bit of Sweden’s Cities of Mars if more prone to a bit of barking by the finish. Their two-piece configuration gives an edge of rawness to their sound — producer Jamie Kovalsky at Prohibitor Studios also helmed Citizen Rage‘s Black, so there’s another thread linking the two bands — but that suits the sludgier vibe well and the echo on the vocals allows a sense of room to permeate just the same. It’s not a huge giant lumber, but neither is it in any danger of not getting the point across.
I haven’t heard all of Patience Vol. 1 as yet and honestly I don’t even know if it’s done, but “Enlightenment” came my way and I dug the groove and thought you might too. Simple as that. You’ll find the song and a bit more about it from the band below. Hope you enjoy:
Owls & Eagles on “Enlightenment”:
Our story starts with Patience realizing her home has become poisoned by hate, greed, and corruption. She makes a choice; she chooses to leave this place she has called home since birth. For once in her life, she sees everyone for who they really are, liars, cheaters, destroyers, killers of the land, pure evil at its fullest. She leaves and never turns back.
Produced and engineered by Jamie K at Prohibitor Studios Calgary. Artwork by Tannis Paige. Scheduled to release June 1st 2023 on Moments Records.
Owls & Eagles are: Ross Ferguson – Guitar/Vocals Mark Russell – Drums/Vocals
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 26th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Considering that Polymerase were seven years between getting together in 2014 and putting out their first EP, Unostentatious (review here), a two-part debut album featuring (at least) three different drummers, while not necessarily ostentatious, certainly smacks of ambition. The Philippines-based outfit were largely instrumental at the time, save for the sludgy barks in the rawer fourth-of-four “Green is the Color of Evil,” and the will toward spaciousness shown in a cut like “Lightbringer//Lightgiver,” with its echoing lead guitar singing out in its midsection surrounded by cliffsides of tonal plod, was already expanded upon as the band collaborated with Misstiq to expand “A Night with a Succubus” with synth and piano as a standalone single.
All of that is to say I have no idea where Polymerase might be headed with Dreams and Realities I & II, the impending two-part long-player to be released through Sliptrick Records sometime in 2023, but the quick turnaround from the EP is encouraging, and if they’re continuing to feel their way through vaporous heavy psych and stonerly methods, so be it. Given what they’ve already put out, some variety seems only reasonable to expect as Polymerase solidify their lineup and approach.
From the PR wire:
Sliptrick Records Welcome Philippine Stoner Rock Group POLYMERASE
Joining the ranks at Sliptrick Records: Polymerase (PH) Stoner Rock | Heavy Psych | Space Rock | Experimental Rock
Polymerase started in 2014 with brothers, Vincent and VN in Quezon City but unfortunately because of a hard drive malfunction their original recorded songs were lost in the abyss. It wasn’t until 2021 that they were able to record their debut EP, Unostentatious, which was released via bandcamp. The EP received a good recognition in the international stoner community. The line at this time was Vincent on Guitars, VN on Vox and Francis on Drums.
The group then started work on tracks for their new 2-part album Dreams and Realities I and II with part 2 recorded earlier this year. All the guitar parts and vocals were done by Vincent with bass parts by Bobby. Drum tracks were recorded separately by different drummers. They were: Fabio Allesandrini of the trash metal act Annihilator, Krzystof Klingbein who does sessions for Vader, and James Koerl, a graduate from Berklee College of Music.
Later in 2022, Polymerase signed a deal to release Dreams and Realities I and II via Sliptrick Records later this year.
Polymerase are: Vincent Jose – Guitars/Vocals Bobby Legaspi – Bass/Guitars Eugene Castro – Drums Allan Paul Galiga – Session Bassist
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 25th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
To be sure, this is information that would’ve been handy to have yesterday, when I posted Stoned Jesus‘ new single “Thoughts and Prayers”, but, well, I was already days late on that news and so this coming in on what seems like such a quick turnaround isn’t actually that quick a turnaround at all. I’m just trying not to be behind, which I’ve been already since last week (or like four years ago?) and so posting this now rather than letting it sit. If you could see the Google Doc that I use to keep my notes in where I organize my days, weeks, months, it would make probably only a little more sense, but still a little more.
Check out Stoned Jesus though, keeping good company with Elephant Tree, Psychlona, Samavayo, and fellow Ukrainians and Season of Mist labelmates Somali Yacht Club, as they head out on the beginning of their tour cycle supporting the upcoming album, Father Light, which, as noted yesterday, is out March 3. They’ll do Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Italy — Torino and Bologna — and hit Sonic Whip in the Netherlands, which I hope is recorded this year as well as it was last year, resulting in live releases from Elephant Tree, among others.
These won’t be the last shows Stoned Jesus announce supporting Father Light, but this’ll be their first tour following the album’s arrival, so here are the dates as seen on the social medias. You’ll find the three album singles streaming at the bottom of this post:
Behold the first cities of #FatherLightTour – with more dates and territories to be added along the way! Looking forward to share the stage with Somali Yacht Club, Elephant Tree and Samavayo and to play the new and the old songs for y’all :)
28.04.23 (AT) Innsbruck, pmk (w/Elephant Tree) 29.04.23 (IT) Bologne, Heavy Psych Sounds Fest 2023 30.04.23 (IT) Turin, Heavy Psych Sounds Fest 2023 01.05.23 (CH) Aarau, KIFF (w/Elephant Tree) 02.05.23 -TBA- 03.05.23 (DE) Stuttgart, Goldmark’s 04.05.23 (DE) Fulda, Kulturkeller (w/Samavayo) 05.05.23 (DE) Cologne, Club Volta (w/Somali Yacht Club & Psychlona) 06.05.23 (NL) Nijmegen, Sonic Whip 07.05.23 (DE) Hannover, Faust (w/Samavayo) 08.05.23 (DE) Dresden, Beatpol (w/Samavayo) 09.05.23 (CZ) Brno, Kabinet MUZ
Recording line-up Igor Sydorenko (Arlekin, Voida, Krobak, Snakerider) – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, organ on track 3 Dmytro Zinchenko (Doomed City, Orkectr Che, Sekunda Kota, Smeyushiysa Tigr, Small Depo) – drums and percussion, backing vocals Sergii Sliusar – bass, backing vocals
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 25th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
March 10 has been set as the arrival date for Witchrot‘s Live in the Hammer, the follow-up to their 2021 studio debut, Hollow (review here), and reportedly a herald of a second record to come from the Toronto-based four-piece. Fuzzed and Buzzed will handle the release, Tony Reed mastered, preorders are up, and everything seems to be in line to keep the momentum the band had coming off the debut, which came after a lineup split that went viral, blah blah.
I’ll be honest: I know that kind of thing is good for clicks, building a social media following, and so on, and I understand that the quantifiable terms of that following go a long way toward defining how well regarded a band is at this point in time, but I would have to work hard to care less. Whether or not someone becomes a meme has nothing to do with their music — somehow I feel old believing that — and it’s the music that will ultimately outlast any incurred virality. I hope they sold shirts, but I dug Hollow on its own terms and expect no different with the live record. Not even sure why I need to say that, so maybe I’ll just shut the fuck up and post the press release.
Here you go:
WITCHROT Announce Spring Tour
Sizzling, soulful and bewitching, WITCHROT is gearing up for their latest offering Witchrot: Live in the Hammer, due out for its international release March 10, 2023. Shortly after, the band will hit the road in Canada in support of the album. Their tour kicks off on March 31st at the Ottowa House of Targ and wraps on May 13th at Sudbury Townhouse Tavern. Full dates below. Tickets can be found HERE or purchased at the door of each venue.
March 31 Ottawa House of Targ April 1 Sherbrooke Murdoch April 2 Montreal Turbohaus April 13 London Richmond Tavern April 14 Sarnia Mauds April 15 Hamilton Casbah May 11 Toronto Hardluck May 12 Barrie Infinity Zero May 13 Sudbury Townhouse Tavern More about Live In The Hammer:
All sleaze and psych, Live In The Hammer has the fuzz fueled quartet playing in the grease trap of Ontario. Smoky vocals overtop mesmeric psychedelic doom fill the room to the brim. Pre-orders for Live In The Hammer are available HERE:https://witchrot.bandcamp.com/music
Formed in Toronto in 2018, WITCHROT was founded by Lea Reto (vocals) & Peter Turik (Guitar). After some international press over band disputes, betrayals, and a temporary break up, the band recruited Lea’s boyfriend Nick Kervin (Drums) and Cam Alford (Bass). Together they recorded the band’s debut full-length Hollow (2021) and most recently Live In the Hammer. Currently, Nick “Nido” Dolphin has joined the band on bass.
Pulling from the lost psychedelic masterpieces with fuzz erupting like a volcano and the ethereal shoegaze music of the late 80s and 90s, WITCHROT has carved their own haunting path. The all-consuming wave of divine music that is terrifying by its sheer velocity and force rather than dissonance.
Simultaneously beautiful and putrid, Live In The Hammer pays homage to the grime of the past, paved over by the glitz of the present. Live In The Hammer was recorded at Boxcar Sound in Hamilton, and mastered by Tony Reed at Heavy Head Recording.
The bubbling cauldron that is Live In the Hammer, serves as a bridge between Hollow and the band’s forthcoming next album, currently in the works. There’s no escaping the strange web of WITCHROT. Fall into the chasm and embrace the dark.
WITCHROT is:
Lea Reto – Vocals Peter Turik – Guitar Nick Kervin – Drums Nick “Nido” Dolphin – Bass
Posted in Questionnaire on January 25th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: Djordje Skorupan of Tona
—
How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I’m putting ideas into words and transforming them into rhythmic melody.
I started singing cos everyone else was afraid of microphone.
Describe your first musical memory.
This is kinda funny. First musical memory is “Say Say Say” by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. I used to sing that song in the hallway of our building, much to our neighbours’ delight.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Thin White Rope live, the only religious experience in my life.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
When my first band broke apart along with friendships.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
It should leads to knowledge and satisfaction, but sometimes it leads to abyss.
How do you define success?
Freedom.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
War.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
Rap album.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
To make you feel.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
