Day two and no looking back. Yesterday was Monday and it was pretty tripped out. There’s some psych stuff here too, but we start out by digging deep into metal-rooted doom and it doesn’t get any less dudely through the first three records, let’s put it that way. But there’s more here than one style, microgengre, or gender expression can contain, and I invite you as you make your way through to approach not from a place of redundant chestbeating, but of celebrating a moment captured. In the cases of some of these releases, it’s a pretty special moment we’re talking about.

Places to go, things to hear. We march.

Quarterly Review #11-20:

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Primordial, How it Ends

Excuse me, ma’am. Do you have 66 minutes to talk about the end of the world? No? Nobody does? Well that’s kind of sad.

At 28 years’ remove from their first record, 1995’s Imrama, and now on their 10th full-length, Dublin’s Primordial are duly mournful across the 10 songs of How it Ends, which boasts the staring-at-a-bloodied-hillside-full-of-bodies after-battle mourning and oppression-defying lyricism and a style rooted in black metal and grown beyond it informed by Irish folk progressions but open enough to make a highlight of the build in “Death Holy Death” here. A more aggressive lean shows itself in “All Against All” just prior while “Pilgrimage to the World’s End” is brought to a wash of an apex with a high reach from vocalist Alan “A.A. Nemtheanga” Averill, who should be counted among metal’s all-time frontmen, ahead of the tension chugging in the beginning of “Nothing New Under the Sun.” And you know, for the most part, there isn’t. Most of what Primordial do on How it Ends, they’ve done before, and their central innovation in bridging extreme metal with folk traditionalism, is long behind them. How it Ends seems to dwell in some parts and be roiling in its immediacy elsewhere, and its grandiosities inherently will put some off just as they will bring some on, but Primordial continue to find clever ways to develop around their core approach, and How it Ends — if it is the end or it isn’t, for them or the world — harnesses that while also serving as a reminder of how much they own their sound.

Primordial on Facebook

Metal Blade Records website

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Patriarchs in Black, My Veneration

With a partner in drummer Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative, Danzig, etc.), guitarist/songwriter Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Vessel of Light, Cassius King, etc.) has found an outlet open to various ideas within the sphere of doom metal/rock in Patriarchs in Black, whose second LP, My Veneration, brings a cohort of guests on vocals and bass alongside the band’s core duo. Some, like Karl Agell (C.O.C. Blind) and bassist Dave Neabore (Dog Eat Dog), are returning parties from the project’s 2022 debut, Reach for the Scars, while Unida vocalist Mark Sunshine makes a highlight of “Show Them Your Power” early on. Sunshine appears on “Veneration” as well alongside DMC from Run DMC, which, if you’re going to do a rap-rock crossover, it probably makes sense to get a guy who was there the first time it happened. Elsewhere, “Non Defectum” toys with layering with Kelly Abe of Sicks Deep adding screams, and Paul Stanley impersonator Bob Jensen steps in for the KISS cover “I Stole Your Love” and the originals “Dead and Gone” and “Hallowed Be Her Name” so indeed, no shortage of variety. Tying it together? The riffs, of course. Lorenzo has shown an as-yet inexhaustible supply thereof. Here, they seem to power multiple bands all on one album.

Patriarchs in Black on Instagram

MDD Records website

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Blood Lightning, Blood Lightning

Just because it wasn’t a surprise doesn’t mean it’s not one of the best debut albums of 2023. Bringing together known parties from Boston’s heavy underground Jim Healey (We’re All Gonna Die, etc.), Doug Sherman (Gozu), Bob Maloney (Worshipper) and J.R. Roach (Sam Black Church), Blood Lightning want nothing for pedigree, and their Ripple-issued self-titled debut meets high expectations with vigor and thrash-born purpose. Sherman‘s style of riffing and Healey‘s soulful, belted-out vocals are both identifiable factors in cuts like “The Dying Starts” and the charging “Face Eater,” which works to find a bridge between heavy rock and classic, soaring metal. Their cover of Black Sabbath‘s “Disturbing the Priest,” included here as the last of the six songs on the 27-minute album, I seem to recall being at least part of the impetus for the band, but frankly, however they got there, I’m glad the project has been preserved. I don’t know if they will or won’t do anything else, but there’s potential in their metal/rock blend, which positions itself as oldschool but is more forward thinking than either genre can be on its own.

Blood Lightning on Facebook

Ripple Music website

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Haurun, Wilting Within

Based in Oakland and making their debut with the significant endorsement of Small Stone Records and Kozmik Artifactz behind them, atmospheric post-heavy rock five-piece Haurun tap into ethereal ambience and weighted fuzz in such a way as to raise memories of the time Black Math Horseman got picked up by Tee Pee. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. With notions of Acid King in the nodding, undulating riffs of “Abyss” and the later reaches of “Lost and Found,” but two guitars are a distinguishing factor, and Haurun come across as primarily concerned with mood, although the post-grunge ’90s alt hooks of “Flying Low” and “Lunar” ahead of 11-minute closer “Soil,” which uses its longform breadth to cast as vivid a soundscape as possible. Fast, slow, minimalist or at a full wash of noise, Haurun‘s Wilting Within has its foundation in heavy rock groove and riffy repetition, but does something with that that goes beyond microniche confines. Very much looking forward to more from this band.

Haurun on Facebook

Small Stone Records website

Kozmik Artifactz website

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Wicked Trip, Cabin Fever

Its point of view long established by the time they get around to the filthy lurch of “Hesher” — track three of seven — Cabin Fever is the first full-length from cultish doomers Wicked Trip. The Tennessee outfit revel in Electric Wizard-style fuckall on “Cabin Fever” after the warning in the spoken “Intro,” and the 11-minute sample-topped “Night of Pan” is a psych-doom jam that’s hypnotic right unto its keyboard-drone finish giving over to the sampled smooth sounds of the ’70s at the start of “Black Valentine,” which feels all the more dirt-coated when it actually kicks in, though “Evils of the Night” is no less threatening of purpose in its garage-doom swing, crash-out and cacophonous payoff, and I’m pretty sure if you played “No Longer Human” at double the speed, well, it might be human again. All of these grim, bleak, scorching, nodding, gnashing pieces come together to craft Cabin Fever as one consuming, lo-fi entirety, raw both because the recording sounds harsh and because the band itself eschew any frills not in service to their disillusioned atmosphere.

Wicked Trip on Instagram

Wicked Trip on Bandcamp

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Splinter, Role Models

There’s an awful lot of sex going on in Splinter‘s Role Models, as the Amsterdam glam-minded heavy rockers follow their 2021 debut, Filthy Pleasures (review here), with cuts like “Soviet Schoolgirl,” “Bottom,” “Opposite Sex” and the poppy post-punk “Velvet Scam” early on. It’s not all sleaze — though even “The Carpet Makes Me Sad” is trying to get you in bed — and the piano and boozy harmonies of “Computer Screen” are a fun departure ahead of the also-acoustic finish in closer “It Should Have Been Over,” while “Every Circus Needs a Clown” feels hell-bent on remaking Queen‘s “Stone Cold Crazy” and “Medicine Man” and “Forbidden Kicks” find a place where garage rock meets heavier riffing, while “Children” gets its complaints registered efficiently in just over two boogie-push minutes. A touch of Sabbath here, some Queens of the Stone Age chic disco there, and Splinter are happy to find a place for themselves adjacent to both without aping either. One would not accuse them of subtlety as regards theme, but there’s something to be said for saying what you want up front.

Splinter on Facebook

Noisolution website

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Terra Black, All Descend

Beginning with its longest component track (immediate points) in “Asteroid,” Terra Black‘s All Descend is a downward-directed slab of doomed nod, so doubled-down on its own slog that “Black Flames of Funeral Fire” doesn’t even start its first verse until the song is more than half over. Languid tempos play up the largesse of “Ashes and Dust,” and “Divinest Sin” borders on Eurometal, but if you need to know what’s in Terra Black‘s heart, look no further than the guitar, bass, drum and vocal lumber — all-lumber — of “Spawn of Lyssa” and find that it’s doom pumping blood around the band’s collective body. While avoiding sounding like Electric Wizard, the Gothenburg, Sweden, unit crawl through that penultimate duet track with all ready despondency, and resolve “Slumber Grove” with agonized final lub-dub heartbeats of kick drum and guitar drawl after a vivid and especially doomed wash drops out to vocals before rearing back and plodding forward once more, doomed, gorgeous, immersive, and so, so heavy. They’re not finished growing yet — nor should they be on this first album — but they’re on the path.

Terra Black on Facebook

Terra Black on Bandcamp

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Musing, Somewhen

Sometimes the name of a thing can tell you about the thing. So enters Musing, a contemplative solo outfit from Devin “Darty” Purdy, also known for his work in Calgary-based bands Gone Cosmic and Chron Goblin, with the eight-song/42-minute Somewhen and a flowing instrumental narrative that borders on heavy post-rock and psychedelia, but is clearheaded ultimately in its course and not slapdash enough to be purely experimental. That is, though intended to be instrumental works outside the norm of his songcraft, tracks like “Flight to Forever” and the delightfully bassy “Frontal Robotomy” are songs, have been carved out of inspired and improvised parts to be what they are. “Hurry Wait” revamps post-metal standalone guitar to be the basis of a fuzzy exploration, while “Reality Merchants” hones a sense of space that will be welcome in ears that embrace the likes of Yawning Sons or Big Scenic Nowhere. Somewhen has a story behind it — there’s narrative; blessings and peace upon it — but the actual music is open enough to translate to any number of personal interpretations. A ‘see where it takes you’ attitude is called for, then. Maybe on Purdy‘s part as well.

Musing on Facebook

Musing on Bandcamp

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Spiral Shades, Revival

A heavy and Sabbathian rock forms the underlying foundation of Spiral Shades‘ sound, and the returning two-piece of vocalist Khushal R. Bhadra and guitarist/bassist/drummer Filip Petersen have obviously spent the nine years since 2014’s debut, Hypnosis Sessions (review here), enrolled in post-doctoral Iommic studies. Revival, after so long, is not unwelcome in the least. Doom happens in its own time, and with seven songs and 38 minutes of new material, plus bonus tracks, they make up for lost time with classic groove and tone loyal to the blueprint once put forth while reserving a place for itself in itself. That is, there’s more to Spiral Shades and to Revival than Sabbath worship, even if that’s a lot of the point. I won’t take away from the metal-leaning chug of “Witchy Eyes” near the end of the album, but “Foggy Mist” reminds of The Obsessed‘s particular crunch and “Chapter Zero” rolls like Spirit Caravan, find a foothold between rock and doom, and it turns out riffs are welcome on both sides.

Spiral Shades on Facebook

Spiral Shades on Bandcamp

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Bandshee, Bandshee III

The closing “Sex on a Grave” reminds of the slurring bluesy lasciviousness of Nick Cave‘s Grinderman, and that should in part be taken as a compliment to the setup through “Black Cat” — which toys with 12-bar structure and is somewhere between urbane cool and cabaret nerdery — and the centerpiece “Bad Day,” which follows a classic downer chord progression through its apex with the rawness of Backwoods Payback at their most emotive and a greater melodic reach only after swaying through its willful bummer of an intro. Last-minute psych flourish in the guitar threatens to make “Bad Day” a party, but the Louisville outfit find their way around to their own kind of fun, which since the release is only three songs long just happens to be “Sex on a Grave.” Fair enough. Rife with attitude and an emergent dynamic that’s complementary to the persona of the vocals rather than trying to keep up with them, the counterintuitively-titled second short release (yes, I know the cover is a Zeppelin reference; settle down) from Bandshee lays out an individual approach to heavy songwriting and a swing that goes back further in time than most.

Bandshee on Facebook

Bandshee on Bandcamp

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Canadian atmospheric doom mostly-solo outfit Uncle Woe will offer a new EP, Well, on Dec. 20. The four-track outing — which is arguably album-length at 32 minutes — is an offshoot of what had originally been an LP to be released earlier this year titled Oblivion and Further Disaster. As founding multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Rain Fice — working with Melbourne, Australia-based drummer Marc Whitworth — tells it below, EP tracks “Well” and “The Many Comforts of Calamity” both also appear on that record, and there was simply more to say.

Fair enough. The textural instrumental “Sermons for the Electrical Lost” complements the long and ambient ending of “The Many Comforts of Calamity,” and as the four inclusions run shortest to longest, the 16:08 “Oblivion and Further Disaster” feels duly like an arrival point as the closer. The highlight, though, might be “Well” itself, which finds Fice layering some subtly intricate melody in the chorus, soulful as ever, the sound still drawing from the cosmic doom of YOB a bit, but never more its own in its reach or affect. Uncle Woe‘s last two full-lengths, 2022’s Pennyfold Haberdashery & Abattoir Deluxe (review here) and 2020’s Phantomescence (review here), worked toward similar ends, but “Sermons for the Electrical Lost” feels more willing to dwell in its drone even with some kind of percussion or other captured rhythmic noise in amidst the layers of guitar noise, maybe-synth, effects, and so on as the wash builds and recedes across the six minutes.

A sense of departure from “Well” and “The Many Comforts of Calamity,” which are both on the will-still-be-out-but-next-year Oblivion and Further Disaster, to “Sermons for the Electrical Lost” and “Oblivion and Further Disaster” — which are not on the LP — almost can’t be helped, but the grounding of the choruses to “Well” and “The Many Comforts of Calamity,” even as far out and echoing as they are, puts the listener in good position to take on the back half of the tracklisting. “The Many Comforts of Calamity” turns left into an airy solo over churning post-metal chug before looping back to the hook at about three minutes in, a lumber and guttural melodicism reminiscent of Beastwars but present in its craft enough for “The Many Comforts of Calamity” to serve as the transition between “Well” and the two songs built off it that became the impetus for this release.

The long fade at the end of “The Many Comforts of Calamity” is hypnotic en route to the sweeping entrance of “Sermons for the Electrical Lost,” and the intention holds firm as Fice explores the ebbs and flows of frequency layering and mashing different sounds together, kind of like they do with particles at the Large Hadron Collider — only much, much, much slower. Mournful plod marks the outset of “Oblivion and Further Disaster,” a not-there title-track for the next Uncle Woe record — anyone remember that time Blind Melon didn’t put “Soup” on Soup and it was like the best song they ever did? — and the meditative feel and downward trajectory of the first couple minutes give over to more intense battery and a harsher, heavier verse. Over the next 10-plus minutes, Uncle Woe carry “Oblivion and Further Disaster” across a multi-movement course, dropping nearly to silence after the early payoff and beginning the march toward the EP’s suitably consuming end.

And I won’t discount the journey to get there, but while raw in the recording aesthetic, when Fice rears back after the 10-minute mark and the song begins its lurching crescendo in earnest, then finds another level of impact entirely and seems to expand until 11:46 when it drops to standalone guitar and residual drone, like the bubble just popped. Some stately, doomier riffing, a light Danny Elfman influence maybe, atmospheric vocals seeming to be swallowed by the procession as it makes its way out, the last couple minutes mostly silent as if purposefully taking the time.

Whatever the actual percentage breakdown might be — it’s imaginary, so it doesn’t matter — a goodly portion of Uncle Woe‘s impression has always been based around mood, and that remains true for Well, but it’s worth emphasizing the crush that’s so vital here and how it feeds into this material’s breadth, even in ways one might not necessarily expect. Plenty of songs crush. Far fewer sound like they’re crushing the sky.

Please enjoy:

Uncle Woe, “Well” visualizer premiere

Uncle Woe – Well

EP / Lead Single from the album, Oblivion and Further Disaster

Written by Rain Fice. Performed and recorded by Rain Fice and Marc Whitworth, in Bancroft, Ontario, Canada, and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, respectively.
Release date: December 20, 2023
Label(s): Owlripper Recordings (DL), Packard Black Productions (LP)

“Well” was the easy first choice for a lead single once production of our forthcoming full-length, Oblivion and Further Disaster, started winding down. It exemplifies not only a lot of what Uncle Woe does, with its churning and revolving rhythms, and tendency to straddle the depth of pummeling molasses chug work, and vivid dream state floating (without falling hard into either extreme), but also the vibe of the whole album. It’s a bit more dialled in and dire than some of our previous works; more up front, and less meandering.

Once we’d chosen Well for the lead and the similarly straightforward album track, The Many Comforts of Calamity, as its B-side, something clicked and said that there was a bit more to the journey. It felt like there was just a little left in the story that the album hadn’t told so far.

Almost overnight the 5:00 single and matching B-side spawned another 22:00 of exploration, rounding what could have been a simple single up a bit, into a true, old fashioned EP; an Extended Play Single, as it may be referred to by the hippest of today’s youth.

The 3rd and 4th songs are the new material that fell out just for this little record. Sermons for the Electrical Lost is a six minute bit of post-rock contemplation. A Squall of feedback, some sombre clean guitar parts, and a grand, pulsing crescendo, all drenched in glorious bowed lap steel.

The sprawling, Oblivion and Further Disaster (which is not on the album of the same name) is sixteen plus minutes of pure post metal expression. Slow motion chord progressions, chaos, chugging and screaming, protracted, reverb drenched soft bits, several crescendos, and a long farewell. This is Uncle Woe in true form.

“Well” proved to be a gateway into its own little world within the world of the album. A music side-quest; this time with maybe a little bit of that aforementioned propensity for meandering, foregone on the LP itself.

This single/ep makes for a great counterpoint piece to the actual album. Also, it’s only a few minutes shy of being an album on its own.

Tracklisting:
1. Well (4:55)
2. The Many Comforts of Calamity (5:20)
3. Sermons for the Electrical Lost (6:16)
4. Oblivion and Further Disaster (16:08)

Uncle Woe on Facebook

Uncle Woe on Instagram

Uncle Woe on Bandcamp

Packard Black Productions on Bandcamp

Owlripper Recordings on Facebook

Owlripper Recordings on Instagram

Owlripper Recordings on Bandcamp

Edmonton duo Degenerator will issue their self-recorded debut album, The Abyssal Throne, on Nov. 24. My favorite part of the video for second single “Neurotronic” premiering below is when the AI not-Timothée Chalomet, who spends the whole time AI moping against magical AI backdrops just like the real Timothée Chalomet would were he not so busy adding to the canons of various franchises, finally re-meets the AI not-Zendaya, he in a hoodie on a park bench, she because of algorithmic misogyny somehow in evening wear — why can’t a robot think it’s okay for ladies to fall in love in yoga pants? — and she’s actually like the second meet-cute he has but I guess the first one didn’t work out because maybe she was also not-Timothée Chalomet, just in a purple hoodie? I don’t know. I have trouble keeping up with plotlines sometimes.

Thankfully, the barrier to entry on Degenerator‘s “Neurotronic,” audio and visual, is as low as pressing play. The cut culled from the first half of The Abyssal Throne is likewise atmospheric and catchy. In some of its harder moments, there’s a sense of metallic emotionalism that reminds of Katatonia, but by and large Degenerator — that’s vocalist, guitarist and bassist Barrett Klesko and drummer Jonathan Webster — keep the vibe geared toward a heavy alternative rock, not quite stoner or even prog-stoner, but certainly aware of and wiling to be led by its riff, and the melody of the vocals in hook digs into pop hookmaking without sounding ridiculous, and that’s something of a triumph itself. In combination with the sharper-edged “Eternalism,” the album-opener and prior single, it portrays the band as experienced songwriters at the relative outset of developing an already-broad sound.

One thing the robot-brain absolutely nails in the video, though, is the use of color. Degenerator‘s aural largesse is complemented by a shimmer the reflection of which seems only to up its stately impression, and “Neurotronic” leans directly into it, with the video moving from mostly black and white to vivid purples and pinks and deep blues and greens for nighttime that fit the track’s movement. I can’t necessarily speak to how it stands alongside the rest of the 11 tracks on the 47-minute full-length, not having heard it, but the scope is impressive and the structural foundation beneath solid enough to hold it all up. In the builds and crashes of “Neurotronic,” Degenerator present a stylistic amalgam as a cohesive, singular thing, and define a stylistic path that seems ready to be walked, preferably in the listener’s company. That’s you.

So please, enjoy. PR wire text follows after, in blue as always:

Degenerator, “Neurotronic” video premiere

Edmonton’s DEGENERATOR Presents Debut Album “The Abyssal Throne” Out Nov 24th, 2023

Album pre-order – https://degeneratormusic.bandcamp.com/

Buckle up for a relentless journey into aggressive alt-rock as Edmonton’s sonic titans Degenerator, unveils their latest creation, “The Abyssal Throne.” Led by Barrett Klesko (All Else Fails) on vocals, guitar, and bass, along with drummer Jonathan Webster (Pass of Era, ex-Striker), this highly anticipated debut release takes listeners on an exhilarating ride through stoner, sludge, grunge, and goth rock, pushing the boundaries of alternative music.

Klesko describes the project as a journey to unleash the noise that was haunting his mind. He aimed to capture the essence of the old Smashing Pumpkins, with their distorted and fuzzy guitars, while infusing a touch of gothic darkness that adds a unique and appealing layer to their sound.

Both Klesko and Webster boast prolific careers in the international music community, contributing their talents to bands such as Striker, All Else Fails, The Order of Chaos, Tyler Dory Trio, and more. Together, they form a musical powerhouse that combines their expertise into an extraordinary sonic tapestry.

“The Abyssal Throne” is more than just an album; it’s a testament to the unyielding creativity and dedication of two musicians driven by a shared passion for sonic exploration. It is recommended for fans of Baroness, Type O Negative and Alice in Chains.

Track Listing:​
1. Eternalism – 3:42
2. Finality – 4:06
3. The Day That Never Comes – 4:39
4. Darkness Prevails – 3:58
5. Neurotronic – 4:46
6. The Children of the Night – 3:59
7. Hiraeth – 4:06
8. The Spiral – 4:13
9. Heart Like a Hole – 4:15
10. For Every Truth – 5:38
11. A Way Out – 3:52
Album Length: 47:14

L-R – Jonathan Webster – Drums, Barrett Klesko – Vocals, Guitar, Bass

Degenerator, The Abyssal Throne (2023)

Degenerator on Bandcamp

Evocative and emotive Montreal-based ambient outfit Vision Eternel will mark 10 years since first laying forth the original soundscapes of Echoes From Forgotten Hearts (discussed here) by releasing what had been an EP has a 23-song limited deluxe version including an 80-page booklet/novella, new cover art, and two tapes. Ha, I bet you were expecting me to say vinyl, but the accompanying hiss of a cassette is an asset to Vision Eternel, as is the nuance of a package like this, since the solo-project of Alexander Julien has similar intricacies and quirks of sound to match the presentation, even unto its art-deco design look and entrancing film-noir engagement. Quiet on the surface. You know how it goes.

Geertruida has it set for Feb. 14, which continues a string of Valentine’s Day offerings for the romantic-in-its-wistful-way outfit. I do, however, think this might be the most expansive version of a release Vision Eternel has had, however. Even with tapes, it doesn’t seem like a minor production to put it all together — 80-page book, postcard, whatnot — but life doesn’t often give you a chance to do something like this with your work, whatever you do, so when you get one I think you probably take it.

Info follows from both the PR wire and the label’s page:

Vision Eternel’s Echoes From Forgotten Hearts To Receive Deluxe Reissue For Valentine’s Day 2024

Vision Eternel’s never-properly released 2014 soundtrack/EP, Echoes From Forgotten Hearts, will see a Deluxe Edition reissue on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2024). The 23-song Deluxe Edition will be released as a double-tape box set and digitally through Dutch label Geertruida: https://geertruida.net/releases-vision-eternel-effh.php

Echoes From Forgotten Hearts was originally composed and recorded by Vision Eternel in 2014 as the soundtrack to a short film. After three months of work, from August to November 2014, news was received that the short film had been abandoned. Not wanting to leave the material unreleased, the band returned to the studio to partly re-record and fully re-mix the material, composing and recording a couple of new songs in the process, revamping the soundtrack into an EP. By the end of December 2014, Echoes From Forgotten Hearts was completed.

The EP received discreet limited releases over the years without any promotion as the band hoped to secure a proper record deal for the material. Several offers came and went, but issues with artwork continually delayed the release. A music video for the song “Pièce No. Trois” was eventually produced in 2017, edited from footage of the band shot in 2012.

Finally, Dutch record label Geertruida (which had previously released the band’s 2020 EP, For Farewell Of Nostalgia) offered to issue an expanded edition of Echoes From Forgotten Hearts to celebrate the material’s tenth anniversary in 2024. Although packaged and promoted as a Deluxe Edition, this marks the first time the material is available properly.

The Deluxe Edition contains 23 songs. In addition to the 7-song EP Version, the release also includes the unheard 6-song Soundtrack Version, along with 10 rare studio demos, outtakes, and alternate mixes. All of the material was remastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering. A new cover artwork was painted by Michael Koelsch at Koelsch Studios, and the release features additional paintings and photography by Rain Frances at Rain Frances Art. Saff, Koelsch, and Frances all previously contributed to For Farewell Of Nostalgia.

The Deluxe Compact Cassette Edition is split over two colored tapes in a factory-numbered boxed set. It comes with an exclusive postcard and 80-page booklet containing rare pictures and a novella recounting in detail the extended play’s making, from its origin as a soundtrack through its delays, cancellations, and limited releases over the years. The Deluxe Edition of Echoes From Forgotten Hearts is available on tape and digitally on February 14, 2024.

Pre-orders will be announced soon, along with an exclusive premiere of an unreleased song and a giveaway contest for a free box set.

https://www.visioneternel.com
https://facebook.com/visioneternel
https://instagram.com/visioneternel
https://soundcloud.com/visioneternel
https://play.spotify.com/artist/52WyoEAtuPS2QJ2qYOmb6u
https://visioneternel.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/GeertruidaLabel
https://www.instagram.com/geertruida_label/
http://geertruida.bandcamp.com/
https://geertruida.net/

Vision Eternel, “Pièce No. Trois” official video

There will be much more info to come once they, you know, start listing the names of bands that will be playing the fest next April, but I’m thrilled to have The Obelisk in continued association with The Electric Highway. The site was among the co-presenters (there’s a bunch, so I’m not trying to be Mr. Checkoutmycoolface Face or anything) for the event earlier this year, and while I wasn’t so fortunate as to be there to see it, that Sasquatch video below looks pretty rockin’ and I look forward to learning who’s going to be there in 2024.

Early bird tickets — or as they call them in Europe: earlybird tickets — went on sale the other day and will be out until Nov. 30, so if you want to get together and road trip over to Calgary or something like that, hit me up. Might be fun. Maybe we could take a bus or a train! I hear Canada has those, having invested in public infrastructure and all that.

Looking at AirBNBs in Calgary. Will get back with prices.

From the PR wire:

The Electric Highway Festival (Calgary, AB) Kicks Off Early Bird Passes For 2024 Lineup

April 4- 6 – Dickens Pub

The Electric Highway Festival has launched early bird passes for their 2024 lineup being held in Calgary, AB on April 4, 5, and 6 at Dickens (1000 9 Ave SW.). Early bird passes go on sale Monday, November 6th at the cost of $65 CAD until November 30th.

Festival passes are available at www.theelectrichighway.ca/festivalstore/​

The first round of bands for the 2024 lineup will be announced on Friday, December 1st along with advance passes going on sale that same day online.

Those in the Calgary area on Saturday, December 2nd will be able to purchase festival passes in person at the La Chinga CD release show, which is a “Pit Stop on the way to The Electric Highway Festival”.

Event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1728887477610186​

Dec 2nd Tickets – https://www.showpass.com/lachingacalgary/​
​
​The Electric Highway Festival hosts various genres that range from Desert Rock, Stoner Metal, Doom, Sludge, Trippy Psychedelic, Surf Rock, Acid Rock, Noise Rock, Fuzz Rock, Space Rock, Blues Rock, Heavy Psych, Heavy Blues, Southern Rock, Fuzzy Punk, Sludgy Hardcore bands and variations of any of the previously mentioned styles.

The 2023 edition of the festival featured Californian headliners Sasquatch, one of the event’s past favorites, laying down their brand of fuzzy, kick-ass Desert Rock & Heavy Psych with direct support from Vancouver’s La Chinga who returned for their 4th appearance on the Saturday night. Black Mastiff returned to headline the Friday night with Calgary’s Gone Cosmic and HypnoPilot headlined the Thursday show with support from Citizen Rage. These were just a few of the wicked bands that played at this past year’s The Electric Highway.

www.facebook.com/ElectricHighwayFestival/
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Sasquatch, “New Disguise” live at The Electric Highway 2023

Luna, of course, is the moon. Maybe like me you remember that scene in Deep Space Nine where Jake and Nog are on the ship fully run by fancypants Starfleet cadets — who, by the way, ALL DIE but one because late-DS9 was harsh like that — and Jake names the moon as Luna and is corrected, “Nobody who lives there calls it that.” Yeah, Roman mythology and so on. There’s always a Star Trek connection, whether one is generally wanted or not.

Let’s catch up with Aawks! The Barrie, Ontario-based three-piece are proving themselves productive with the impending release of Luna, a genuine EP not in the mini-album sense but in the we-have-this-stuff-and-want-to-release-it-so-here-it-is compiling. The PR wire lays it out, but note before I turn you over to the blue text that their take on the ’80s hit “I Ran” nails it. The band — who seem to have dropped the all-caps thing in contexts other than press-release emphasis — aren’t far removed from their The Eastern Scrolls (review here) split with Aiwass and their debut album, Heavy on the Cosmic (review here), is hardly dusty at just a year old, but if you’re gonna do the thing, there’s no substitute for actually doing it, and that seems to be the ethic being observed in their heavycraft up to this point.

New, covered or live, I’m looking forward to knowing these tracks better. Black Throne Productions once again with the release. Details follow:

Heavy Psychedelic Act AAWKS To Release EP Luna

Heavy psychedelic trio AAWKS is gearing up to release the new EP Luna on December 8th, 2023, via Black Throne Productions. This immersive offering features a new original song, two dynamic covers and a live version of “All Is Fine” from the Pøølhaüs back in early 2022.

The band comments:

“LUNA – the goddess of the moon (Roman mythology)

Cultures have been obsessed with the mysterious, magnetic wonders of the moon since the dawn of time. We’ve also been fascinated by ‘the unexplained’ and tried to make meaning of the messages in dreams or weird lights in the night sky. This collection of songs entitled LUNA each represent the aforementioned subjects in some way or another. We may not have the answers but we did our best to paint the feeling and thoughts one may have while walking down a path, alone in the woods at night or maybe waking up from an odd dream that left you questioning ‘what did that mean?’

A huge thanks to Black Throne Productions and Z Hollow Studios for all the hard work.

A special thanks goes out to our brother Dan Trickett who added some bass guitar to I Ran and some sweet harmonies to Julia Dream and I Ran.”

Introducing the EP, “The Figure” emerges with an eerie soundscape before diving into ludicrously heavy groove bass riffs. This fuzz-fueled track manifests an enticing sense of intrigue with a mysterious edge. Soaring vocal melodies and instrumental arrangements ebb and flow across alternating busy and minimalist plains. Their rendition of A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS’ “I Ran” is given a full AAWKS makeover with huge bass tones and airy atmospheres. AAWKS delivers a psych infused ambient interpretation of PINK FLOYD’S “Julia Dream”. “All Is Fine” transports you to powerful and heavy experience that is AAWKS live.

Track Listing:
1. The Figure
2. I Ran (Flock of Seagulls cover)
3. Julia Dream (Pink Floyd cover)
4. All Is Fine (Live from the Pøølhaüs Feb 2022)

AAWKS is:
Kris Dzierzbicki (guitar/vocals)
Roberto Paraíso (guitar)
Randylin Babic (drums)

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Aawks & Aiwass, The Eastern Scrolls split (2023)

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: Nathanael Larochette

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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

For over 15 years I’ve been primarily creating instrumental acoustic music, particularly of a finger picked nature. It all began as a teenage obsession with heavy music that eventually sparked a deep fascination with the acoustic interludes that sporadically appeared on my favourite metal records. The first time I remember being completely blown away by acoustic riffing was when I first heard the intro to Blind Guardian’s “Time What is Time”. The next stage of my musical evolution occurred while learning the acoustic parts from Opeth and Agalloch songs while discovering dark folk classics such as Ulver’s “Kveldssanger”, Tenhi’s “Kauan” and Empyrium’s “Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays”. Other artists and influences have since shaped my sound and playing but these experiences and records formed the blueprint for much of what I do.

Describe your first musical memory.

I’m not sure if I can pinpoint my first musical memory but one of my earliest would be hearing my father playing the flute. He had a demanding job as a plant manager for Michelin but always loved art and music so in his spare time he took jazz flute lessons and I remember hearing him practicing in his office. I started playing violin when I was four so some of my earliest memories of playing music would be childhood violin lessons and recitals. In terms of listening to music, the Gameboy soundtracks for Metroid 2 and Kirby’s Dreamland became burned into my memory after playing those games for hours as a kid.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

One of my best musical memories to date would be recording my interludes for Agalloch’s fourth record “The Serpent & The Sphere”. I discovered their classic “The Mantle” in early 2003, around the time I got my first guitar, so it was surreal for me to be in the studio with them recording my music for their new album in 2013. Although it’s one of my best memories it was also quite stressful because I was so nervous. Honestly, I think the time spent hanging out with the band in the studio and watching them record was the highlight for me.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

Whenever I see humans mistreating other humans it tests my firmly held belief that we are good by nature. Although tested, there is far greater evidence supporting this belief despite how often we are told to think otherwise.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

I like to think that artistic progression leads to a deeper understanding of oneself and a deeper sense of humility because regardless of how much you do or how great you are, there is always more to learn and more work to be done. These experiences will hopefully lead to a deeper sense of gratitude for having the opportunity to express yourself through art which should ultimately lead to a deeper sense of compassion for others.

How do you define success?

Having the opportunity to continually focus energy on fulfilling work is a true measure of success for me. In a broader sense, I believe the heart of success is a balancing act that involves the simultaneous development and nurturing of one’s emotional, physical, spiritual, interpersonal and financial health. Time and again we’ve seen so-called “successful” individuals excel in one of these aspects to the total neglect of others with predictably tragic results. I believe the first and most difficult step is succeeding in treating ourselves with kindness which is a lifelong process that is too easily overlooked. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been working hard to prioritize my emotional and physical wellbeing because no amount of social or financial recognition will matter if we aren’t comfortable in our own skin. This is especially true for artists living creative lives in the digital age.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Human beings dehumanizing their fellow human beings.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

I’d love to score films and video games someday.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

I think the most essential function of art is to offer momentary relief to the artist and those experiencing it.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Any opportunity to spend quality time with my family.

[Photo by Jonathan Lorange.]

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Nathanael Larochette, Old Growth (2023)

Rocker. And I was talking about the song there, but if you took it as an assessment of yourself — i.e., that you’re a rocker — then in all likelihood you’re the target demographic for “Castle of Souls.” The new single from Vancouver troupe 88 Mile Trip doesn’t ask much from the listener, isn’t trying to do anything too fancy, but is a straightforward, classic-style groove and hook and the four-piece sound on point as they head toward the follow-up to 2015’s Through the Thickest Haze.

And no, I don’t know what’s behind the probably-nine-year stretch between 88 Mile Trip offerings, but you know, since both the band’s moniker and their last release’s title are both about having a hard time doing things — an 88 Mile Trip isn’t nothing, especially if you’re walking or biking, and maybe they got stuck in that thick haze for three or four years on their way; hell if I know — maybe we can give them a break in our content-obsessed age. That said, I guess the single counts as new content, so we’re all complicit in cultural entropy. You, me, whoever those fuckers were who bought Bandcamp this week and laid off half the staff. Knew ‘Bandcamp Daily’ was too pro to last.

But let me not get sidetracked. The third 88 Mile Trip outing doesn’t have a name yet, but I’m willing to bet that it will by the time it’s released, so stick around for more either way. Here’s details on the single, courtesy of the PR wire:

Canadian Heavy Rockers 88 MILE TRIP Release New Single, “Castle of Souls”

Heavy rockers 88 MILE TRIP have released new single, “Castle of Souls.” Recorded and produced by Derek Mattin, the song is available now on all major digital platforms, including the following:

Bandcamp: 88miletrip.bandcamp.com/track/castle-of-souls

Spotify: spotify.link/1oed3ArEXDb

Apple Music: music.apple.com/ca/album/castle-of-souls-single/1711150469

YouTube: youtu.be/-iBBhyMskJs

The new track, which will be included on the band’s as yet untitled, third collection of original material, follows 2015’s Through The Thickest Haze.

88 MILE TRIP was formed in Vancouver, BC (Canada) in 2013. Their unique blend of influences from classic rock and metal to contemporary stoner rock, doom , and hardcore make for a captivating cocktail of music that the band describes simply as “heavier rock and roll.”

88′ have played countless shows across Canada, both as a supporting act and headliner. Stay tuned for more new music and live appearances!

“Castle of Souls” single artwork by Ashy Derocher.

88 MILE TRIP is:
David Bell: Vocals
Casey James: Guitar
Darin Wall: Bass (Greyhawk, Glyph, Skelator)
Eddie Riumin: Drums (Maule)

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https://www.youtube.com/@88MileTrip

88 Mile Trip, “Castle of Souls”