Formula 400 Announce New Album Divination Out May 19; Premiere “Whiskey Bent”
On this very day, as they take the stage among the sprawling multitudes at Stoner Jam in Austin, Texas, riff-slinger San Diego four-piece Formula 400 announce their new album, Divination, will be released on May 19 through Animated Insanity Records. To mark the occasion, they’re premiering the opening track “Whiskey Bent” — a harrowing lyrical tale of post-gig debauchery one night after a show at Count’s Vampd in Las Vegas — at the bottom of this post. Go ahead and hit play, I’ll wait.
Those who take on “Whiskey Bent” will find the barriers to entry are markedly low. Amid a gruff vocal, you might notice a general uptick in production value as compared to Formula 400‘s 2020 debut, Heathens (review here), while continuing that record’s penchant for accessible riffs and inviting groove. As a first glimpse of what’s to come on Divination, it bodes well in its on-paper construction and full-toned out-speakers realization, and alongside pieces like “Born to Lose” and “Bottomfeeder,” its unabashed, metal-rooted heavy rock reminds of aughts-era European acts like Mustasch, (later) Sparzanza, Mother Misery and, to some extent, Spiritual Beggars with how it lands in a place that would be commercially viable if the infrastructure were there (radio, tv, now internet, etc.) to receive it.
Rest assured, Formula 400 do just fine as-is, and though “Whiskey Bent” is short as it leads the way at the outset of Divination, it’s a strong foot forward daring the listener to give as much volume as possible in the listening.
Art, info and more follows from the band via the PR wire:
Dan Frick on “Whiskey Bent”:
Basically after our gig at Vampd and a night of already drinking a lot, we went to the golden nugget and hung out in the hotel for a bit, I think I downed another six pack in my room before Lou and I headed to the casino. We went to the casino bar and started doing shots and drinking jack and cokes. I blacked out at that point, and Lou somehow got me back to my room upstairs.
No one knows what happened, really, but for some reason I left my room to go back downstairs to the casino. Apparently I was found by a person walking by passed out in the planter on Fremont Street. They called an ambulance and filled me with hydrating fluids, but I didn’t have an ID on me, so I was detained by security until they could figure out who I was.
They are anticipating an early May release for digital and likely cds not long after that I would think. Vinyl will be later in the year .
The label is Animated Insanity Records. First single is Whiskey Bent written by Dan Frick (Ride the Sun/Shield of Snakes) and is about a night in Las Vegas playing a Vegas Rock Revolution Presents Friday Night Rock with Void Vator, Fostermother + Sonolith and Dan ended up on whiskey bender that took him wandering the streets of Sin City and finally crashing in the bushes at Golden Nugget. HA!
Formula 400 has shared the stage with John Garcia, Nebula, Unida, Void Vator, Steak, 16, The Freeks, Hippie Death Cult , Destroyer of Light, Fostermother and others along with upcoming show with The Well.
Have played at Planet Desert Rock Weekend III, Ripplefest Texas, Maryland Doomfest, Stoner Jam (Austin) and SoCal Heavy Jam.
Formula 400 live:
3/16 Austin TX Stoner Jam
3/17 Houston TX Black Magic Social Club
3/18 San Antonio TX Faust Tavern
3/28 San Diego CA TilTwo w/ The Well
4/22 Pour House with Blackwülf and Great Electric Quest
Formula 400 are:
Dan Frick: Guitar and Vox
Kip Page: Bass
Ian Holloway: Guitar and Vox
Lou Voutiritsas: Drums
https://www.facebook.com/formula400sd
https://www.instagram.com/formula400sd/
https://formula400.bandcamp.com/
