The first Indica Blues full-length, Hymns for a Dying Realm, bleeds its affinity for doom through riff after riff, whether it’s the classic charge of “Knight’s Return” or the lumbering of “Scum River” or the searing at the end of “Psychedelic Haze,” and to expect anything less of We Are Doomed, which will be the Oxford, UK, four-piece’s follow-up to that debut, just seems silly. Particularly as the new record is being issued through APF Records, whose presence in the well-populated underground of the United Kingdom has only grown in recent years, with a consistency of quality maintained across a swath of styles. I could go on here, but you know the story. And if you don’t, the record’s streaming down below.

We Are Doomed — a sentiment it’s getting increasingly difficult to argue against — will be out this winter with APF‘s stamp of approval behind it.

The label’s announcement follows here:

** Indica Blues sign to APF Records **

We’re no stranger to the heaviest and grooviest tones Oxford has to offer at APF Records – see Desert Storm and The Grand Mal – which is why we’re all the more eager to get better acquainted as we welcome the city’s heavy-psych doomsters Indica Blues to the APF family.

Formed in Oxford in 2014, Indica Blues are a monolithic trip. On their previous releases – 2016’s Ruins On The Shore EP and debut full-length, 2018’s Hymns for a Dying Realm – a real love for the entire stoner-doom pantheon, from Kyuss to Electric Wizard, shines through, along with, unsurprisingly, a healthy respect for the blues. Deservedly, those early releases earned both praise from respected outlets of the scene as well as tasty support slots with some of our favourite acts around; notably Elder, Samsara Blues Experiment and Mars Red Sky.

But that is just the beginning.

APF are beyond stoked to be releasing Indica Blues’ upcoming sophomore full-length, currently expected to drop around the winter of 2020/21 – and let us tell you now, it’s huge. Recorded by Steve “Geezer” Watkins at Woodworm Studios and mastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio, it delivers on the promise of being their most massive sounding release to date, with chunkier riffs, groovier hooks, wider ranging vocal stylings and more ethereal melodic deviations than have come before. So be sure to check out yet another member of the growing “Roxford” revolution and get the Indica Blues today.

Indica Blues are:
Andrew Haines-Villata – Bass
Tom Pilsworth – Vocals, Guitar
John Slaymaker – Guitar
Rich Walker – Drums

http://www.facebook.com/Indicabluesuk
https://indicablues.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/apfrecords
https://www.instagram.com/apfrecords/
https://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://apfrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.apfrecords.co.uk/

Indica Blues, Hymns for a Dying Realm (2018)

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

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

Days of Rona: Ryan Cole of Desert Storm (Oxford, England)

—

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

It’s proving very difficult and has affected us as a band like most others it seems. Our new album Omens is out May 1st and was also supposed to be the first date of our three-week UK/European tour to promote it, which included a slot at London’s Desertfest. All shows are cancelled and we’re working hard to reschedule the tour for October. The two shows in Netherlands will now be in January 2021.

I also feel that our PR could be slightly affected too, magazine’s like Kerrang! Have postponed their issues for three months, and I’d be surprised if more don’t follow. I do of course completely understand why they have taken those steps and measures, and Claire [Bernadet] at Purple Sage PR is working as hard as she can to secure reviews/features, etc., which we appreciate. The Covid-19 is crippling a lot of businesses, economies as well as people’s lives… but it is what it is. It’s very difficult as an underground band that has put in a lot of time, money and effort.

Luckily the five of us in the band are in good health as things stand, and we’ll just have to hope we can pick things back up again when it all blows over.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

In UK it’s all a bit odd… Many people have been furloughed and are isolating, but there are lot that are not taking it seriously, not complying with rules and advice. I think we’d benefit by more draconian measures and enforce a stricter lockdown. Hopefully the sooner that happens, the sooner we’ll be past the peak and see a fall in cases. I still think things won’t revert back to normal until August/September, but only time will tell.

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

Yeah it’s really bad. Some people have lost jobs, or had to deal with pay cuts. A lot of bands are out of pocket and promoters/festivals have cancelled many events/festivals. We are so lucky to have a great NHS here in UK though. Doctors and nurses that are working around the clock to help people. It’s also nice to see people volunteering and helping more vulnerable people like the sick and elderly. It’s bizarre to be alive during a pandemic like this. It feels something out of a movie like 12 Monkeys or Stephen King’s The Stand!

It’s strange how our new video for the track “Black Bile” depicts the Black Plague… another pandemic. Strange timing…

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

We’d just like people to know that we are working hard to be on the road again soon, and if people want to help us, they can check out our new music on YouTube, Spotify or Bandcamp and pre-order the album, which would be greatly appreciated in these tough times. It would also help support our label APF Records. One thing about isolation which is a positive, is that it gives people the opportunity to explore more music.

www.facebook.com/desertstormuk
www.desertstorm.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/desertstormuk
www.youtube.com/desertstormuk
www.desertstormband.com
www.desertstorm.bigcartel.com

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

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

Days of Rona: Graham Bywater of Possessor (London, United Kingdom)

—

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

Hi, we are all doing Ok thanks! All things considered. Nathan (Perrier, drums) has temporarily set up shop with his family in the Isle of Wight, but took his drums with him as he’s a wise chap. This has helped us greatly as we have a new album to release this year so we’ve still been able to rehearse via dictaphone messages on WhatsApp and video recordings. It’s actually proved to be a lot of fun as the other two of us are still in London. I’ve been taking Nathan’s drum tracks and recording along to them. We’ve hammered out some solid demos and a few entertaining covers to keep us amused and inspired. We’ve done a hefty little cover of ‘Paper Plane’ by Status Quo. Maybe one day we will share it.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

It’s pretty intense and unsettling. We can’t leave the house unless it’s to buy grocery’s or collect prescriptions and essentials. Minimal exercise is not really agreeing with me as I walk everywhere I go and need the fresh air.

The pubs and swimming baths closing was the final nail in the coffin for me.

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

Absolutely. It’s 110% screwed up everyone’s plans. We had two big shows coming up (Riffolution Festival and Desertfest) which both had to be postponed. It’s really heartbreaking as there is so much work put into these things to make them run smoothly for artists, labels and promoters so I feel bad for everyone involved. We’d been waiting to play Desertfest for a while so that one was a particular disappointment. We have other festival shows booked for later in the year but it’s hard to know if we should be excited or expect the worst.

That’s my main issue with the pandemic, it’s impossible to know how long this is likely to last, or what the outcome may be. I know a lot of folk are really missing playing live and even simply rehearsing. This is going to really make or break a lot of stuff. And that’s a little scary.

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

Well for anyone’s who’s a fan of either Possessor or any of the other Killer bands on the wonderful APF Records, we want everyone to know that we have a new album completely written and if things pan out in our favour we will be stepping back into Bear Bites Horse Studios with our buddy Wayne Adams to record it late June. But as with everything, this is completely up in the air right now.

Musically, expect the best Possessor record yet with some new gnarly twists and turns. You’ll also get a little more Neil Peart worship than usual. But all in all, expect full on horror metal to warp your party brains and help you remember the good times.

Everyone needs to try and stay focussed and positive as hard as that may be. We also need to support each other in whatever way we can and not forget what makes us happy.

Personally I’m keeping super isolated beside a quick walk round the block each day to help me keep my mental health in check. I’ve had the chance to catch up on a ton of films which I always find quite therapeutic.

I feel blessed that even though this isn’t ideal I get to spend every moment of every day with my wife and two little ones at our humble flat in South London.

I can’t complain.

http://www.facebook.com/possessorband
https://possessor.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/apfrecords
https://www.instagram.com/apfrecords/
https://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://apfrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.apfrecords.co.uk/

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Andrew Field of APF Records (Manchester, UK)

—

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?

As the owner of a small label which is largely dependent on sales of LPs and CDs, COVID-19 has presented a few challenges. First of all, there’s the fact my next big release (Desert Storm’s Omens album on 1st May) is being manufactured right now and I don’t know whether I’ll get the stock in time. Then there’s the fact our distributor has shut their offices, and online retailers like Amazon aren’t taking receipt of-third party items at the moment. Plus, with lots of people so sadly losing their jobs or being furloughed at present LPs are becoming an item many people don’t need or can’t afford just now.

Then there’s the daily question about whether or not we should still be shipping LPs, which involves a trip to the Post Office. How I’ve handed that thus far is by only going to mail records out when I have to go food shopping, as the Post Office is next to the supermarket. But I can see a time real soon where that won’t be an appropriate or safe thing to do.

A lot of our album sales come from APF’s 26 bands playing gigs. None of them are playing live at the moment, so that income stream has gone. Many people think a record label can survive on streaming income, but the reality is that we get no income from Bandcamp streams and just 0.004p per track play from Spotify.

On the upside, I’ve suddenly got lots of time to make plans for the future. Usually it’s seat of your pants running APF. This amount of free time is quite useful.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

I live in Manchester, England where we are in a semi-lockdown. We haven’t got anywhere near the peak infection period yet so I anticipate that lockdown becoming more robust over the next week or so.

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

I like to accentuate the positives rather than focus too much on the negatives. It’s been great watching bands create original content online, with the recent Kurokuma / Friendship live stream on YouTube being a fine example. And people are rediscovering their record collections and seeking out new tunes to fill their time.

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

I’m staying indoors unless I have to go buy food. And if you find music helps you through these difficult times, APF has got your back.

https://www.facebook.com/apfrecords
https://www.instagram.com/apfrecords/
https://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://apfrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.apfrecords.co.uk/

Should it come as any surprise that Beggar‘s new track is very, very, very heavy? Probably not if you heard the other one they posted from Compelled to Repeat, their impending debut album due out April 3 through the UK’s go-to imprint for such particular madness, APF Records. Indeed, “Blood Moon” follows behind “Nine Atmospheres” and teases a bit of breadth in the guitar before slaughtering the proceedings outright with some final blasting. I haven’t seen the actual lyrics, but the PR wire’s description thereof would seem to be nothing if not fitting.

And likewise, I haven’t heard the entire record yet, but the London four-piece have certainly made an impression thus far.

To wit:

Nihilistic Sludge Metallers BEGGAR Release New Single ‘Blood Moon’ Ahead of Album Release

On tour throughout March

Debut album Compelled to Repeat to be released via APF Records 3rd April 2020

As the COVID-19 virus sweeps fear across the globe, BEGGAR are preparing to emerge from the anarchic underground of London, lobbing their brooding new single ‘Blood Moon’ in frustration into the faces of a panicked populace.

And the narrative of the single couldn’t be more timely, focusing on hyper-charged consumption and a rampant, morbid thirst for the new. It considers the human with its augmented online identity as something like a virus that subsumes host after host in an unstoppable and unaccountable spree of osmosis and cannibalism.

Propounding a kind of sludge-meets-extreme-metal pandemic of tar-thick riffs and groove, blasts, emotional vocal discharge and genre-bending brutality, the four-piece are set to release their debut album Compelled To Repeat on 3rd April via APF Records.

Pre-order Compelled To Repeat here: https://apfrecords.co.uk/albums/compelled-to-repeat

Comments vocalist Charlie Davis: “‘Blood Moon’ is a cryptic horror story about the erosion of the boundaries of the self in a sea of technology, information and media.

“Musically this song kicks off the album as we mean to go on – dissonant, angular, ugly, and then rolling, groovy, almost psychedelic. It charges out of the gate, rabid, then it turns into swagger and stomp.”

Recorded with Wayne Adams (responsible for recent works by Green Lung, 11Paranoias and Terminal Cheesecake) at Bear Bites Horse, London and mastered by the master of noise himself, James Plotkin (Sunn O))), ISIS, Pelican and Earth), Compelled To Repeat is a fuming tornado of aggression and frustration, offering a glimpse into a new sphere of savagery.

FORTHCOMING GIGS/TOUR DATES:
26 March – London launch at the Dev, UK (with Road Mutant, Wallowing)
27 March – Bristol launch at Old England, UK (with TBA)
28 March – Record Junkie, Sheffield, UK (with Dopelord)
29 March – The Bread Shed, Manchester, UK (Riffolution Festival)
30 May – APF Records Third Birthday, Alma Inn, Bolton, UK
6 June – Boom, Leeds, UK (Stonebaked Festival)
15-19 July – Obscene Extreme Festival, CZ
5 Nov – Star & Garter, Manchester, UK (with Desert Storm)
6 Nov – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow, UK (with Desert Storm)
7 Nov – Tap ‘n’ Tumbler, Nottingham, UK (with Desert Storm)

Beggar are:
Charlie Davis (vocals/bass)
Abraham Whitworth (guitars)
Jake Leyland (guitars/vocals)
Bertrand Sautier (drums)

http://www.facebook.com/beggarband
https://www.instagram.com/beggar_uk
http://thusspokethebeggar.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/apfrecords
https://www.instagram.com/apfrecords/
https://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://apfrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.apfrecords.co.uk/

Beggar, “Blood Moon”

Just last night at the Waterloo Music Bar in Blackpool, UK sludge metallers Desert Storm wrapped up a tour with veterans of the form Raging Speedhorn that began on Jan. 25, and with their new video for “Black Bile,” they bring word of a follow-up to their 2018 third album, Sentinels (review here). The new LP is called Omens and will be out May 1 through respected Britriff purveyor APF Records.

They’ll celebrate, naturally, with more shows. They play Desertfest London that weekend — it wasn’t on their list of tour dates I think because the fest hasn’t announced its day-splits yet, but since they’re booked elsewhere for May 1 and 2, I surmised they’d be in London on the third; apologies if I’m in error — and they’ll also headline the first night of Southwest Heavyfest 2020 with Sail and a bunch of bands with markedly-less-readable logos. There’s also a European tour in May and June (dates below) and a Fall tour of Europe in the works and they won’t by any means be the first for the Oxford five-piece, who appeared at Keep it Low in Munich this past October and have brought their hard-burl riffing hither and yon for over a decade at this point. You’ll note I called Raging Speedhorn veterans in the paragraph above. Four LPs and going on 13 years deep into their tenure, one can only say the same about Desert Storm themselves. They’ve been around.

Omens was recorded by Steve Watkins at Woodworm Studios, who also did some work on Sentinels, specifically on that album’s opener “Journey’s End.” One can hear some of the same tonal sensibility emerge in “Black Bile” in the new video, and though Desert Storm aren’t strangers to incorporating melodic vocals alongside the more gruff approach of Matthew Ryan, they bring that to a different place in the new track, more fluid with the rest of what surrounds and naturally integrated into the songwriting. That bodes well for Omens as a whole, but they’ve ever been a band to just do one thing straight across the entirety of a release, so it’s a wait-and-see kind of thing for how it’ll all play out.

May 1 it is.

As for the video: Cinematic in its photography, directed by Josh Horwood. It’s plague beaks and ominous running through the woods, being taken over by evil, murder, and so on. You know how it goes. Apparently this kind of thing just happens all the time in the UK. Good thing they have the NHS.

Enjoy the clip:

Desert Storm, “Black Bile” official video premiere

Elliot Cole on “Black Bile”:

“Black Bile lyrically is based around the idea of the black plague. In the video the plague doctor is also represented as a grim reaper / Freddy Kruegger type menace…haunting the sick in their dreams. Musically the song is one of the heaviest, yet most progressive songs we have written.”

Taken from the album Omens, released by APF Records 1st May 2020.

Order the album from:
https://desertstorm.bandcamp.com/
https://apfrecords.co.uk/shop

Recorded & mixed by Steve ‘Geezer’ Watkins at Woodworm Studios between August – December 2019.
Mastered January 2020 by Tim Turan @ Turan Audio.

Video by Josh Horwood

Desert Storm have been making a name for themselves since they formed in late 2007. From the beginning the band have worked hard…with 3 albums and relentless touring of the UK & Europe with the likes of Karma To Burn, Nashville Pussy, Peter Pan Speedrock, Honky and Hang The Bastard as well as support slots to the likes of Orange Goblin, Red Fang, American Head Charge, Weedeater, Crowbar, Mondo Generator, The Atomic Bitchwax and festival appearances at Bloodstock Festival, Hammerfest, Hard Rock Hell, Giants of Rock, The Bulldog Bash, Desertfest (UK/DE) & Roadkill Festival.

In early 2018 Desert Storm released their fourth album, Sentinels, on APF Records and spent much of the next two years playing live in support of it – including tours with Karma To Burn, Boss Keloid and Raging Speedhorn and support slots to Corrosion of Conformity, Skindred and Komatsu.

The quintet entered the studio again in late 2019 and return on 1st May 2020 with their fifth album, Omens. To celebrate the release they play at Desertfest London before heading out on a European tour with UK dates to follow in November.

Desert Storm release shows:
MAY 1 Firehouse, Southampton, UK w/ The Earl of Mars, Under, Grand Mal
MAY 2 Southwest Heavyfest 2020 The Cobblestones, Bridgwater, UK
MAY 3 Desertfest London, London, UK

Desert Storm is:
Matthew Ryan – Vocals
Ryan Cole – Guitar
Chris White – Guitar / Bass / Keyboards / Backing Vocals
Elliot Cole – Drums
Chris Benoist – Bass

Desert Storm on Thee Facebooks

Desert Storm on Instagram

Desert Storm on Bandcamp

Desert Storm website

APF Records on Thee Facebooks

APF Records on Instagram

APF Records on Bandcamp

APF Records website

Always nice to go someplace new, and Stockport, UK, shenanigans-laced heavy progressive rockers Under will make their way to five new stops on next month’s run alongside Somaesthesia from Edinburgh, including that band’s hometown. For Under the occasion remains 2018’s sophomore LP, Stop Being Naive (review here), which was released through APF Records, as well as a split with Kurokuma that came out this past November. They worked reasonably quickly coming off their debut to the second record, so it doesn’t seem unlikely they might have more new material in the works as they tread the yet-untrod-by-them ground of this tour, but whether they do or don’t, if you happen to be in town, they seem like they’d be a wild one to catch. Bring forth the wackiness. Also make it heavy. Fun ensues.

Dates from the PR wire:

Under February 2020 Tour

One of the UK’s best kept secrets, Under head out on a 5-date tour charting parts of the north of England and Scotland in February. A band that regularly leaves audiences in open-mouthed amazement/disgust. Upon a base of gigantic doom and sludge riffs à la Swans and Melvins, Under build a mesmeric house with bricks forged by Mr. Bungle and The Dillinger Escape Plan.

Each of these cities is a first-time play for the trio and they’ll be supported by post-metal doomers, Somaesthesia from Edinburgh.

Under are still riding a surge of underground attention and success since 2018’s Stop Being Naive, released on APF Records. Before that came Slick in 2017. Most recently they released a split 7” with Kurokuma on Astral Noize Records.

Muscular musical talent, a twisted sense of humour and three-part harmonies combine in a way never seen before – don’t miss this.

Thursday 20th February: Head of Steam, Newcastle
Friday 21st February: Conroy’s, Dundee https://www.facebook.com/events/3270655823007804/
Saturday 22nd February: Henry’s Cellar Bar, Edinburgh – https://www.facebook.com/events/1075815852810191/
Sunday 23rd February: 13th Note, Glasgow – https://www.facebook.com/events/543523523163034/
Monday 24th February: The Fulford Arms, York – https://www.facebook.com/events/2457073694532470/

https://www.facebook.com/understockport
https://understockport.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/under_ist_krieg/
https://www.facebook.com/apfrecords
https://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/

Under, Stop Being Naive (2018)

The UK sludge boom continues unabated, and APF Records is very quickly becoming the go-to outlet for the particular style of bastardry one finds around England these days, which is as likely to pull influence from Nails as Orange Goblin, Down and Eyehategod as much as Electric Wizard. It’s a new generation of disaffected dudes. And what’s changed? Hell, Voidlurker are from frickin’ Birmingham. You’d have a hard time arguing that fuckall doesn’t run across decades when it comes to an act coming from the same place that gave the universe Black Sabbath. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, the working class play loud. So do the middle class, but probably on nicer gear. Or at very least, when it gets stolen on tour they can replace it easier.

You get the fucking picture.

Voidlurker tick the boxes sonically — riffs: check, shouts: check, nod: check, aggro: check — and are recording their debut EP with Chris Fielding at Foel Studio, so one would not expect that to sound anything but more punishing than their 2018 demo, which you can stream below. It’s two songs, so not a huge ask even if you’re busy, but again, I’d expect the EP to cover some more ground style-wise when it lands, reportedly early next year.

Here’s what APF has to say about it. Merry sludgin’ Xmas:

Voidlurker sign to APF Records

Birmingham-based doom / sludge trio Voidlurker are the latest addition to our filthy and expanding APF Records family.

Following on from their devastating performance at this year’s Bloodstock Festival, and fresh off a killer set last weekend in support of Raging Speedhorn, APF will be releasing their debut EP in early 2020.

Recorded by Chris Fielding at Foel Studio it’s chock full of crushing guitars, bass fuzz, and groove to snap your neck to. You’re in for a treat.

Merry fucking Christmas.

Voidlurker is:
Brad Thomas – Guitar and vocals
Andrew Rennie – Bass
Jack Bourne – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/voidlurker/
https://voidlurker.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/apfrecords
https://www.instagram.com/apfrecords/
https://apfrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://apfrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.apfrecords.co.uk/

Voidlurker, Demo (2018)