Last year, I was fortunate enough to be asked to stand among the presenters for Greek heavy rock forerunners 1000mods‘ first US tour, and no joke, it was an absolute honor. Over the last decade-plus, the four-piece have become an essential piece of the European heavy underground, and their 2016 album, Repeated Exposure To… (review here), only worked to increase their profile, it was the best-case-scenario to watch that manifest in their conquering new territory and places they hadn’t been before. Had nothing to do with me, but on a watching-hard-work-pay-off level, it was a joy to see.

The trend continues in 2019 as 1000mods come closer to wrapping the cycle for Repeated Exposure To… by hitting Australia for the first time. They’ll head that way in April to appear at the Mojo Burning Festival on April 6 in Brisbane, and with dates slotted for before and after, they’ll cover a good amount of ground on the 10-day run. The Obelisk isn’t the only presenter, of course, but to even have a logo on the bottom of the poster for this one is humbling, and I thank Beats Cartel for the opportunity.

Listen to 1000mods. Go see 1000mods. It’s as simple as that.

I wanted to include the full tour announcement here for posterity, so you’ll find that below, but specifically note that tickets are on sale now. Links are provided with the dates.

Go go go:

GREECE’S 1000MODS ANNOUNCE FIRST EVER AUSTRALIAN TOUR

TIX ON SALE NOW

Greece’s 1000mods bring their psychedelic onslaught to Australia this April, touring nationally on the back of a Mojo Burning festival appearance.

Having risen from smokey basements to packed arenas, leaders of the now-legendary Greek heavy rock scene 1000mods offer inspired, powerful and uniquely fresh tunes having shared the stage with some of the world’s largest acts including The Black Keys, Mastodon, The Black Angels and Graveyard. The last few years have included a slew of sold out venues across Central Europe, Scandinavia, Britain, the US, Canada and Mexico on the back of their thick and heavy analogue sound and relentless touring schedule.

Described as having live ‘flawless flow’ (Soundgaze), the Greek Stoner lords have become known for remarkably passionate stage performances and soccer stadium-like crowd sing-a-longs amidst international festival appearances at Hellfest Open Air, Desertfest (Athens, Belgium, London and Berlin), Up in Smoke, Riff Ritual and many others including a recent sold out home show (3500 capacity) at renowned Athens venue Theatro Vrachon (PIC). This is a Rock band on the verge of international stardom who are widely considered to be the new-found power of the European (some say “worldwide”) heavy rock scene.

Album releases Super Van Vacation, Vultures (2014) and Repeated Exposure To… (2016) have netted the band one hundred thousand fans and kudos world wide, chalking up over 30 million track views on YouTube.

The 2019 Australian Tour, covering shows in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Geelong, Adelaide, Perth and Scarborough, marks the first time the band have ventured onto Australian shores, a task not taken lightly by the band or promoter Christian Tryhorn of Beats Cartel who says of the upcoming tour “We’re long term fans of 1000mods and are excited to now be in the position of bringing them into the country for the first time. Their raw power and riffage is some of the best in the world, each album gets better with every listen! Can’t wait to show the people of Australia one of the best live acts in Europe”.

1000mods will also be a part of an upcoming feature length documentary entitled ‘Greek Rock Revolution’, a tale of the rising Rock scene in Greece amidst nation-wide economic turmoil. The documentary will be released in March and also features Tuber, Naxatras, Puta Volcano, Planet of Zeus and more.

Heavier than life, psychedelic, trippy, hauntingly melodic and dangerously addictive, catch 1000mods live in Australia for the first time ever, travelling East to West for Beats Cartel and HEAVY Mag. With tour help from Young Henrys, Maric Media, Orange Amplifiers, The Obelisk and Tuff Cuff Records.

*All show details and on-sale tickets at www.beatscartel.com/tickets

1000mods is:
Dani G. / Bass & Vox
Giannis S. / Guitars
George T. / Guitars
Labros G. / Drums

https://www.facebook.com/1000mods/
https://1000mods.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/1000mods

1000mods, Repeated Exposure To… (2016)

There’s nothing like motivation. The first Crypt of the Riff festival was held last May. The second? Last month. The third will be in April at the same venue in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that hosted the second one, which is Voodoo Belfast. Set up by Plain Living Promotions, the one-day fest will feature six acts with the headliner as Dead Witches, who will release their second album, The Final Exorcism, on Feb. 22 through Italy’s Heavy Psych Sounds, who are also co-presenters.

Rounding out the bill are Northern Irish acts Elder Druid, Bad Boat, So Much for the Sun and Owlcrusher as well as Ireland’s Tome, which, if you’ve got a quota for sludge, should be well enough to meet it easily. The night will range in atmospheres from dark and crushing to darker and crushing-er, and with Garganjua having headlined the first one and Ten Ton Slug the second, Dead Witches stand in a position of increasing prominence in being selected to top the bill. I’m not saying I’ve heard their album or anything, but I have, and no doubt their headlining slot at Crypt of the Riff will be a treat for those fortunate enough to see it.

Between that and the kind of hunger on display from someone who might decide to put together three fest’s in a year’s time, I’m definitely stoked to be involved with Crypt of the Riff Vol. 3 in the small way that I am. If you get to go, shoot video and send it my way.

Here’s the announcement from the fest itself:

Crypt of the Riff Vol. 3 – April 18 – Voodoo Belfast

Delighted to announce that Dead Witches (ENG) will headline the third edition of Crypt of the Riff.

‘Haunting vocals, heavy riffs, fuzzed bass, savage drumming, Dead Witches will take you to another world… a world of darkness. The brainchild of drummer Mark Greening (founding member of ELECTRIC WIZARD, RAMESSES and WITH THE DEAD) with bassist Carl Geary, guitarist Oliver Irongiant and vocalist Soozi Chameleone.’

Support from:
Elder Druid
Owlcrusher
TOME
So Much For The Sun
Bad Boat

Event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1885639041531535/

Thursday 18th April
Voodoo Belfast
7pm | £8 online/£10 on the door

Ticket link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/crypt-of-the-riff-vol-3-tickets-54102585289

Massive thanks to Goatess Doomwych for the incredible poster design!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1885639041531535
https://www.facebook.com/plainlivingpromotions/
https://cryptoftheriff.bigcartel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/VoodooBelfast/

Dead Witches, “Fear the Priest”

This is a pretty good example of how I regularly conduct business with this site. I’m dicking around looking at Star Trek memes on social media and Jon Davis from Conan gets in touch and tells me he’s got a new management thing going called Blackskull Services and do I want to present a tour with Kurokuma and Blind Monarch? My responses: Awesome, and yes. Done. I did not at that point have to turn anything over to a lawyer, there were no deals made, money did not exchange hands. It was, even in the stale form of typed communication sent across long distances — telegraph by any other name — remarkably human. Three minutes later, I was back to Trek memes.

And nifty as they are, even niftier is the two Sheffield outfits getting together to kick ass, destroy minds, harvest souls, and so on. I’ll admit this run is my first exposure to Blind Monarch, but their story checks out with their eponymous demo posted last year, a dense glob of sludge clocking in at 12 minutes of head-stomper riffing plus a bit of chanting that’s its own excuse for being. Kurokuma, it just so happens, released their two-songer Dope Rider EP in July on Doom Stew and hit the road in Eastern Europe this past summer to support it. If you haven’t heard, it’s the good kind of cavernous and can be streamed in full on the player at the bottom of this post.

Proud to be involved in the small way I am with a run of shows that’s sure to be just an absolute wash of beer and noise. If you’re in their path, be in their path.

Info follows from the PR wire:

KUROKUMA AND BLIND MONARCH ANNOUNCE UK TOUR

Blackskull Services are proud to announce the addition of Blind Monarch as the main support for Kurokuma who are hitting the road in Feb/March in one of the few UK tours Kurokuma they will be doing in 2019!

Please keep an eye on the Blackskull Services and Blind Monarchs event tabs on our pages for ticketing info and other supports as announced.

27th Feb – Newcastle, Trillians w/ Goblinsmoker
28th Feb – London, The Black Heart
1st March – Nottingham, Soan w/ Bismuth
2nd March – Bristol, The Gryphon
3rd March – Coventry, The Phoenix

In association with The Obelisk and Off Me Nut Records.

Blind Monarch commented, “As the frosts thaw, the Blind Monarch begins a pilgrimage from beneath the shadow of the Dark Peak. To spread a dismal gospel across a land of despair, all that hear the word shall fall under that terrible shadow.”

Kurokuma further commented “We’ve been wanting to do a run of shows with Blind Monarch for a long time. They have some serious gear and tone and we played plenty of times here in Sheffield with ’em so now it’s time to take it on the road. It’s gonna be our last tour for a while. Come and watch us get topless in late February, early March.”

https://www.facebook.com/kurokumauk/
http://kurokumauk.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/blindmonarchband/?
http://blindmonarch.bandcamp.com/

Kurokuma, Dope Rider (2018)

Blind Monarch, “Blind Monarch (Demo)”

My general tack in talking about gender on this site is not to. I try not to post album art that has shitty objectification of women on it, and if I think something is outwardly misogynist, I’ll say so one way or another, but I cringe when I see male writers and PR people and labels using tags like “female-fronted,” etc., and I usually try to mention it as little as humanly possible. I don’t know if the method is politically sound or what — I’d have to talk to my theorist wife about it, and she’s sleeping at the moment — but the way I see it something can’t be normalized while still being made exotic. That is, when a band has three or four dudes in it, one doesn’t call them “male-fronted.” Women in bands is a thing that happens. The proportions as relates to the general population are ridiculous — see: shitty misogyny, above — but I try not to position lady-inclusion in my writing as something abnormal, because it isn’t something abnormal and it shouldn’t be treated that way. I don’t expect or want or think I deserve kudos for that, and fuck you heartily if you think I’m saying this to be self-righteous.

I’ve been sort of loosely involved in presenting Ode to Doom at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC for a little over two years. I signed on initially because I liked the idea of someone still putting on underground heavy shows in Manhattan where so much of that business seems to have migrated to Brooklyn during the course of the last decade-plus. Claudia Crespo, who is the promoter behind the series, is well beyond admirable for her dedication to the cause, and the events she has curated have highlighted some of the finest in heavy that the Eastern Seaboard has to offer, from groups like Geezer to Tarpit Boogie to Eternal Black and Shadow Witch and on and on. It’s awesome, to be blunt, and the next one is a special lineup along the lines alluded-to above, so yeah, it seemed well worth an extra plug to me.

I know this week is Thanksgiving and that people will be recovering this week from the holiday, but if you, like me, have found spiritual restoration in riff form, I’ve no doubt you’ll find it again Saturday night at Arlene’s with Heavy Temple, Fox 45, Nine Layers Deep and Sabba on a reasonably early bill.

Dig the info:

Next up, an all female-fronted Ode to Doom, with #Sabba, Nine Layers Deep, Fox 45, and Heavy Temple @ Arlene’s Grocery!!! Save the date, November 24th!! Doors open at 6:30, show kicks off at 7!! Flyer by Ritual Design!

Sabba at 7
Nine Layers Deep at 8
Fox 45 at 9
Heavy Temple at 10

Claudia Crespo on Nov. 24 Ode to Doom:

I’ve been doing Ode for a little over two years now and this one coming up on the 24th has been marinating in my mind for some time now, really about a year. I find the growing number of women in the metal scene (particularly in the Doom Community) only getting larger, stronger, and more in your face (which is a great thing). With groups like The Doom Hag, it was only a matter a time when I felt a show like the one coming up was wanted or maybe even a little needed. I’m super proud and stoked to support that.

Ode to Doom Nov. 24 event page

Ode to Doom on Thee Facebooks

I can only be honest with you — I have no fucking idea why Kristonfest was like, ‘Hey, we’ll put an Obelisk logo on our poster.’ Anyone with the kind of pull to put together a festival with the likes of Earthless, The Hellacopters, Dozer, Kadavar, Mondo Generator, Church of the Cosmic Skull, Arabrot and Turbowolf needs me like they need a hole in the head. It’s there, the round one next to the memento mori skull at the bottom, and I’m proud as hell of it. But yeah, I don’t deserve that. Here’s a festival in Madrid that will have at least six years of history behind it by the time it comes around in May, and I’m some schlub sitting at my laptop. Something there doesn’t make sense. I’m honored, as the robot said: Does not compute.

Hey, thanks to Kristonfest 2019 for letting me be involved in the small way that I am. I was touched at the sentiment before, but now that the lineup is complete, that’s even more the case. If you can make it to Madrid, you should do that. I mean, you should do that anyway because traveling is amazing, but all the more so when an event of this caliber is involved. Thank you. And thank you for reading, because I’ll tell you outright the only reason anyone gives a shit about this site is because you read it. You will not find me deluding myself that it’s my charming personality and copious wordsmithery making the difference. It’s you. So thanks.

Here’s the final lineup announcement:

Kristonfest 2019

FRIDAY, MAY 10 | WARM UP PARTY KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA CARACOL (MADRID)

SATURDAY MAY 11 | KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA LA RIVIERA (MADRID)

For this 2019, the main novelty is that the next edition will be composed of 2 days: A first day framed in a Warm Up Party or party presentation in the Caracol Room and a second day in the usual La Riviera, both in Madrid.

The Hellacopters, Earthless, Dozer and Nick Oliveri’s Mondo Generator complete the poster of the next Kristonfest 2019, joining KADAVAR, Turbowolf, Church of the Cosmic Skull And Arabrot.

Tickets per day and bonuses now available: www.kristonfest.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/391742591310823/
http://www.kristonfest.com
https://www.facebook.com/kristonfest
https://twitter.com/Kristonfest
https://www.instagram.com/kristonfest

Dozer, “Empire’s End” official video

No secret at this point that I enjoy presenting shows in foreign lands. Places I’ve never been and may never be so fortunate as to go — to have The Obelisk reach somewhere I can’t is huge for me. I’ve partnered with Argonauta Fest before, which is of course run by Argonauta Records, and as that festival blueprint expands with the exclamatory four-band evening Volume! in Viareggio, Italy, I’m once again thrilled to be involved in the small logo-on-poster way that I am. These things matter to me and it’s a good show, so what the hell.

Volume! is something of a mini-fest, or at least somewhere between that and a label showcase, but either way it’s held at a venue called GOB (as opposed to a magician with the name) and will feature Varego, Rancho Bizzarro, SuperNaughty and Vesta on a bill that runs between amtmosludge and straight-up heavy rock and roll. It looks like a cool time, and all the bands either have new records or new records in the works — I think Varego were in the studio recently — so all the better they’re getting together for a killer night on the northern Italian coastline.

Here’s the info and links for the fest. If you can make it there, why wouldn’t you?

Volume! Argonauta Fest LIVE at GOB

Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 10 PM

GOB – Ganz of Bicchio – Circolo ARCI
Via Fosso Matelli 1 int 26, 55049 Viareggio, Italy

VOLUME! is the new Argonauta Records event in collaboration with GOB!

VOLUME! born as one of the satellite events of Argonauta Fest!

VOLUME! is four bands of Argonauta Records roster!

VOLUME! will be an evening dedicated to the right guitars!

VOLUME! will be an evening with lots of Heavy Rock!

VOLUME! is a new series of events sponsored by Argonauta Fest that was created with the aim of breaking down the barriers between fans, bands and insiders. Thanks to the collaboration with the GOB, we present this first appointment made of four bands of the Argonauta roster: Rancho Bizzarro, SuperNaughty, Vesta, Varego. An evening of Stoner Rock and Post Metal you can’t miss! We are waiting for you!

https://www.facebook.com/events/334225154013818/
https://www.facebook.com/argonautafest/
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords/
http://www.argonautarecords.com

Rancho Bizzarro Mondo Rancho EP

Looks like good times ahead. I’ve been asked if I’d like to be a media sponsor for Kristonfest 2019 and my answer was pretty much, “duh yes.” I framed it nicer than that, but that was the gist of it. The festival will be held in Madrid on May 10 (a pre-show) and May 11 (the fest proper) and so far four bands have been announced: Kadavar, Arabrot, Turbowolf and Church of the Cosmic Skull, giving an immediate sense of variety in underground heavy from the ultra-harmonies of the latter UK outfit to the mega-hooks of the former to Arabrot‘s noise assault and Turbowolf‘s classic-styled hard rock. Much to dig for just being four acts so far, but I have it on good authority more killer stuff is to be announced, so keep an eye out.

The info below was run through a major internet company’s translation matrix, so keep that in mind as you peruse, but I think the point gets across. Tickets are on sale now:

Kristonfest 2019

FRIDAY, MAY 10 | WARM UP PARTY KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA CARACOL (MADRID)

SATURDAY MAY 11 | KRISTONFEST 2019
SALA LA RIVIERA (MADRID)

For this 2019, the main novelty is that the next edition will be composed of 2 days: A first day framed in a Warm Up Party or party presentation in the Caracol Room and a second day in the usual La Riviera, both in Madrid.

Having said that, the eighth edition of the Kristonfest will be held on May 10 and 11, 2019 and as the first round of confirmations we are proud to present the KADAVAR Germans, who in a short time have become the spearhead of a new generation of artists who have revived and refreshed the most classic sounds of legends like Black Sabbath or Pentagram, adding rhythms more typical of psychedelia or stoner-rock.

Another great confirmation is the TURBOWOLF, English quartet that burst with great force with the edition of its first disc in 2011 and that dragged a debt after having recorded 3 discs and still not to come to Madrid to present it. The wait has been long but we are sure it will be worth it!

In similar circumstances we find CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL, a kind of hippie commune formed by 7 musicians reminiscent of the Electric Light Orchestra, Deep Purple or Fleetwood Mac and that in the European scene is one of the sensations of the moment, Mission fulfilled! It will be the first time they have performed in Spain and we are sure that their show will be one of the highlights of Kristonfest 2019.

To close this first round of confirmations, we are especially excited to announce ARABROT, one of the successful bands of the past Roadburn and that will delight us with their vision of the darker side of rock, evoking the icy landscapes of their native Norway and reminding us of brushstrokes of artists that we admire a lot like Wovenhand, Neurosis or Melvins to name a few.

TICKETS ALREADY ON SALE: WWW.KRISTONFEST.COM

https://www.facebook.com/events/391742591310823/
http://www.kristonfest.com
https://www.facebook.com/kristonfest
https://twitter.com/Kristonfest
https://www.instagram.com/kristonfest

Church of the Cosmic Skull, “Evil in Your Eye” official video

Two underrated progressive and aggressive acts — that’s Berlin trio Earth Ship and the five-piece Rising from Copenhagen — will head out together this Fall on a five-date run through Germany for which I’m thrilled to have The Obelisk among the presenters. From Earth Ship‘s individualized approach to sludge rock and Rising‘s grown affinity for a prog-metal approach to doom, each band offers something different from the other, and yet they should still make for an excellent and complementary pairing. It may not be the longest tour ever, but it’s bound to give German crowds something different from everything else happening as we head toward the end of the year.

Both bands are coming off 2016 releases — Earth Ship released Hollowed through Napalm and Rising had Oceans into Their Graves out on Indisciplinarian — and by astounding coincidence, both band will have new albums out in October. I know! What are the chances? Anyway, I know not everyone who reads this either is in Germany now or is going to be there in November, but even if you’re elsewhere and you get to check out either Rising or Earth Ship on the Bandcamp players below and maybe dig something you haven’t hear before, that’s still a win as far as I’m concerned. Either way, this tour seems like it’s going to be something special with the two new albums hitting around the same time and both groups being so much on their own respective wavelength.

If you do get to a show, consider me jealous. The PR wire has more info on the impending records and more background on the bands. As well as the dates, which, you know, you definitely want in there.

Dig it:

EARTH SHIP ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES FOR THE FALL OF 2018!

WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS RISING!

Doom and sludge heavyweights EARTH SHIP have announced a bunch of German tour dates for the Fall of 2018! The Berlin-based trio has teamed up with Denmark’s RISING, both bands are set to release their brand new records this October and will introduce them live on stage.

Ever since their inception in 2010, EARTH SHIP have built their reputation in the vast field of the stoner, doom and sludge underground scene as one of the most relentless and heavy-hitting live bands out there. With their thunderous blend of sludgy riffs, bluesy leads, virulent vocals and a massive dose of both groove and humour, vocalist Jan Oberg, his wife Sabine (bass) and Sebastian Grimberg (drums) have taken EARTH SHIP to the stages of Desertfest, Stoned From The Underground or Pelagic Fest, and toured with bands like RED FANG, TORCHE, CROWBAR or VOIVOD.

After 3 albums on Pelagic, the band signed with Napalm Records for the release of their 4th and critically acclaimed studio album „Hollowed“ in 2016. But the alliance didn’t last long, and the band returned to the welcoming arms at Pelagic for album #5: Resonant Sun.

Resonant Sun will be released on October 5th, perfect in time for a German headline tour with support by very special guests Denmark’s RISING in November!

Epic metal five-piece RISING, formed in 2008, have just finished their fourth full-length album which will be released this October on Indisciplinarian. In 2016, the band released their third album ‘Oceans Into Their Graves’, which was followed by numerous shows all over Europe with bands alike Gold or Orm including festival appearances at such as Copenhell or Roskilde Festival. With their exciting mixture of all that is heavy, RISING own a very special trademark of modern metal sounds while retaining their unique blend of the 70’s and 80’s classic Heavy Metal with the heavier aspects of the more recent alternative and progressive variations of the genre. Their upcoming brand new record will showcase the band’s diversity, musical talent, live power and RISING’s best album to date!

Teaming up with EARTH SHIP to tour both hotly anticipated records will surely please all fans of the Sludge, Doom and Heavy Metal. „We’re happy to return to Germany to play shows in November with the great Earth Ship in support of our forthcoming album!“ RISING comments. „We have some of most persistent and dedicated supporters in Germany, and it always kinda feels like coming home when touring there, as we’re always met with love and open arms. So, expect a fiery set of both new and older tunes and a band going for the throat…or thereabouts. We can’t wait, see you all in November!“

Make sure to catch this heavy package live on the following dates, presented by ALL NOIR, LEGACY, METAL.DE and THE OBELISK:

13.11.18 Hamburg – Fundbureau
14.11.18 Osnabrück – Bastard Club
15.11.18 Köln – Sonic Ballroom
16.11.18 Dresden – Loco
17.11.18 Berlin – Cassiopeia ( + Grim van Doom, Blacksmoker, Praise The Plague )

www.facebook.com/wearetheearthship
www.facebook.com/risingdk

Earth Ship, Hollowed (2016)

Rising, Oceans into Their Graves (2016)