[Click play above to stream Captain Caravan and Kaiser’s Turned to Stone – Ch. 6 split in its entirety. Album is out Friday on Ripple Music.]
And yea, ‘Second Coming of Heavy’ did beget ‘Turned to Stone,’ and there was much rejoicing and sharing of riff. This sixth installment of Ripple Music‘s second and seemingly ongoing — they just announced the seventh chapter — brings together Egersund, Norway’s Captain Caravan and Helsinki, Finland’s Kaiser for a 43-minute up-and-comer fuzzfest, both bands united by a shared respect for their elders in heavy rock and roll while each fostering their own presentation of their revels. Curated by John Gist of the promotional concern Vegas Rock Revolution — he helmed Turned to Stone Ch. 5 (review here) as well — the two-sided 43-minute outing finds both bands at a somewhat urgent moment.
For Captain Caravan, their participation in Turned to Stone Ch. 6 follows the 2018 release of their Shun the Sun EP (discussed here). With their lineup solidified behind powerhouse vocalist Johnny Olsen in guitarist BK Saestad, bassist Geir Solli and drummer Morten Skogen, they’re due for an offering at least like this if not a full-length, despite having issued a couple of singles here. Their Finnish counterparts in Kaiser — guitarist/vocalist Olli “Otu” Suurmunne (also ex-Altar of Betelgeuze, currently Headless Monarch and other projects), bassist Pekka “Pex” Sauvolainen (ex-Ajattara, current Amputory) and drummer Riku “RiQ” Syrjä — arrive with a similar context, their debut album, 1st Sound (just tried to buy a copy, CD is sold out), having been released in 2018.
And though four years isn’t an eternity for any band — though you’d be forgiven for mistaking at least some of the last four years for one — it’s long enough to drag on one’s momentum with so much out there. No, I’m not saying art is a competition and groups should push to have releases out all the time for the sake of new ‘content,’ unless what they’re shooting for is mass appeal, but if Captain Caravan and Kaiser are both feeling some pressure to make something happen, they realize that in the infectious shove of their songs.
The release begins with Captain Caravan‘s “Down.” And guess what? It sounds like Down. Specifically, like Down circa “Temptation’s Wings” from their seminal 1995 debut, Nola, but Olsen‘s vocals are a distinguishing factor and in line with a longstanding tradition of Swedish belters from Fredrik Nordin of Dozer to The Quill‘s Magnus Ekwall and any number of others you want to name. In style, he’s more John Garcia than Messiah Marcolin, but that’s suited to the progression of Captain Caravan‘s five inclusions here, as “Sailors” takes hold and slows the pace from the more raucous and immediately familiar opener. Songwriting, tone, performance — all locked in.
“Painted Wolf” specifically recalls Euro heavy rock of the mid-aughts — Dozer again, Astrosoniq from the Netherlands, Lowrider to a lesser extent — with a burner of a solo and a desert-inspired-but-not-desert-rock groove throwing its considerable weight around like it’s nothing in a vital, welcome nod, while “She Can” spaces out a bit in its middle before hitting into its own larger-sounding payoff, constructed of the root chug of its verse but spreading wider with just an edge of Queens of the Stone Age in the guitar. Burl comes forward in “Void” as Captain Caravan make a hooky exit, hitting into a C.O.C.-style chugger turnaround with what’s either organ or guitar-as-organ thrown in at the end like a final knockout punch to the temple.
Kaiser answer back with deep low end and consuming fuzz tones on “Howl,” the first of their four contributions to the split, and maintain both the high production and high energy standards that Captain Caravan set forth. Vocals are further back in the mix and a little blown out, for a feel in listening that’s different enough to be removed from the A side, but not so wildly disparate that the two bands don’t make sense together. “Howl” builds a tower out of low end — really, someone should send Pex a thank-you card for this tone — but its ultimate appeal resides as much in the capstone vocal melody, which feels like a big reveal held back for just the right moment of adrenaline. Effective all the more leading into the 2:28 “Fire,” which is the hardest-thrusting piece on Turned to Stone Ch. 6. All go, all gnash, right on.
The subsequent “Black Sand Witch” — not to be confused with “Black Sandwich,” if it needs to be said — is a roller that evens out the pace and retains its thickness, with a moment of hat-tipping to Dead Meadow before its full force returns for the chorus. Thick thick thick. Dense dense dense. Samples throughout act as another tie to the roots of modern heavy, and that will hold true for nine-minute closer “Phoenix Part 1, 2, 3: Fission, Death, Rebirth” as well, which picks up from the ultra-dense ending of “Black Sand Witch” with a more patient linear intro until its surge at 59 seconds in, the full roll hypnotic with lead guitar layered over top. Instrumental in its first two parts, the song veers into all-out Sleep noddery before whipping into its culmination in the last minute-plus, a post-Oliveri blast of heavier-than-you’re-thinking punk scorching to a finish.
Both acts deliver here, living up to the opportunity showcasing their respective sounds to the wider audience of Ripple‘s split series. They share a riotous vibe at times, but each one has something individual to bring to the fold, and so even as what’s essentially another EP from them, there’s a sense of atmosphere that comes through as well. It’s nobody’s first time at the dance, in other words, and from the cover art through all the swing and the very last propulsion of its very last riff, Turned to Stone Ch. 6 delivers quality of the standard one would expect while sounding exciting and of its place. For the converted, or those who’ve had experience with these acts, it should be a no-brainer. For everyone else, call it brain well spent.
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 8th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
They just keep churnin’ ’em out as hot on the heels of the August release of Turned to Stone Ch. 5 (review here), Ripple Music has announced the next installment of its ongoing split series with Kaiser from Finland and Norwegian rockers Captain Caravan coming together to share a 12″ platter on Nov. 18. Kaiser have the honors of the first single in “Fire” — named perhaps for the emoji the usage of which it is intended to inspire — and I’m sure that Captain Caravan won’t be far behind in unveiling a track, as that seems to be how this kind of thing goes.
You’ll recall that Turned to Stone Ch. 5 united Australian acts Duneeater and Planet of the 8s, and Ch. 6 has a regional aspect as well — as the PR wire notes, both groups are Scandinavian — but I’m not necessarily thinking that’s how the series is going to evolve, though I say that based entirely on my own supposition. Maybe the guy to ask would be returning curator John Gist. But certainly if Ripple wanted to do a country-specific split, there are no shortages of acts in either Finland or Norway who could pair up. Something to keep an eye on, I guess.
Haven’t heard this one yet apart from the single, but each installment has been a pretty reliable source of something cool to check out, so feel free to do that with the song below if you’re do inclined.
From the PR wire:
Ripple Music announce ‘Turned To Stone Chapter 6’ split with Scandinavian stoner rockers CAPTAIN CARAVAN and KAISER; stream debut single “Fire”!
Ripple Music present the brand new new chapter of the revered ‘Turned To Stone’ split series by pairing up the stoner rock power of Scandinavian units CAPTAIN CARAVAN and KAISER. ‘Turned To Stone Chapter 6’ will be issued on November 18th, with preorder and a first track available now!
Curated by John Gist (Vegas Rock Revolution, Doomed & Stoned Show) as part of Ripple Music’s thematic ‘Turned To Stone’ split series, ‘Turned To Stone Chapter 6′ puts the pedal to the metal with nine rubber-burning anthems that skyrocket all fuzz levels and inject a healthy dose of fun in both bands’ unstoppable quest for the Stoner Rock Grail.
Listen to Kaiser’s brand new track “Fire”
About this new collaboration, Helsinki fuzz rockers KAISER comment: “It was early 2020 when we started to hunt a publisher for our ‘1st.Sound’ EP. We started to get desperate as we realized that record labels don’t do EPs anymore. We were about to do it all DIY: publishing, vinyl plant, and distributors were already looked up. But then our loyal Gandalf John Gist hooked us up and asked ‘would you like to do a split with Captain Caravan for Ripple Music?’ We were like ‘Fuck yeah, we’ll do it!” It was a relief, and what better way than doing it with our Norwegian awesome bros?”
Norway’s stoner blues mongers CAPTAIN CARAVAN add: “We are very excited to have this opportunity. This split shows a different side of us with more up-tempo songs than on our 2018 album Shun the Sun. We cannot wait to have it released on Ripple Music together with our long-time friends in Kaiser.”
The album will be available on November 18th in various limited vinyl formats, classic vinyl formats, as well as CD and digital. Preorder is available now through Ripple Music.
‘Turned To Stone Chapter 6: Captain Caravan and Kaiser’ Out November 18th on Ripple Music
TRACKLIST: 1 Captain Caravan – Down 2 Captain Caravan – Sailors 3 Captain Caravan – Painted Wolf 4 Captain Caravan – She Can 5 Captain Caravan – Void 6 Kaiser – Howl 7 Kaiser – Fire 8 Kaiser – Black Sand Witch 9 Kaiser – Phoenix Part 1, 2, 3: Fission, Death, Rebirth
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 16th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
The final two acts announced for Esbjerg Fuzztival 2020 are The Goners, the new Salem’s Pot offshoot, and Captain Caravan. From Sweden and Norway, respectively, they’ll head to Denmark in early May to play the two-day festival, which will also be preceded the day before by a free pre-party, at which Australia’s Khan and Sweden’s Stew will accompany a screening of the heavy rock documentary Such Hawks, Such Hounds, which, somewhat oddly, I’ve never seen, aside from the bonus scene with Wino talking about his pepper garden and knowing that Sleep‘s telling of the story of Dopesmoker in the film essentially helped revive their career. But yeah, never seen it. Go figure. I hear good things.
Speaking of good things, the lineup for Esbjerg Fuzztival 2020 in its full-packed-with-band-itude can be seen on the posters below (click to enlarge and then click to shrink again), and the fest put out word that it’s still a go as of now despite current restrictions on travel and some such. Whether there will be any changes ultimately of course depends on the ongoing pandemic, but what the hell doesn’t at this point.
Here’s what they had to say about all of it:
We are thrilled to announce THE GONERS at Fuzztival ’20!
A new fuzz’n’roll band from Sweden with their debut album out in March on the famous RidingEasy Records, Fuzztival is looking to be the band’s first festival appearance. At least we think so! You will probably recognise the unique vocals from the famous Salem’s Pot as well as the approach to songwriting, and we can’t wait to see this band in action!
The temperature are rising in Norway, and we’re positive it’s largely because of the scorching desert riffs of CAPTAIN CARAVAN!
Signed to Cursed Tongue these desert rockers are sure to satiate your thirst for the riff!
Just when you thought it couldn’t get more badass, we go right ahead and do a free pre-party the day before — just because we think you deserve it! Adding Khan and STEW to play as well as screening ‘Such Hawks Such Hounds’ during the day! We’ll have plenty of our Fuzz IPAs on tab as well as a selection of other beer!
Are you psyched yet?!
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We just wanted to reach out once more to assure everyone: Fuzztival is going ahead as scheduled!
While the next 4 weeks are going to suck for so many bands, fests, and events, right now we have nothing that should indicate that Fuzztival would have to be cancelled.
We get why you ask us, and we get why you’re nervous. We are reaching out to say: Please don’t hesitate buying a ticket. While the pandemic is bad enough, not selling tickets would be so much worse for a small DIY fest as ours.
Stay safe & wash your hands. That apply in general as well. /Thomas & Bo
Posted in Features on December 20th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Please note: This post is not culled in any way from the Year-End Poll, which is ongoing. If you haven’t yet contributed your favorites of 2018 to that, please do.
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It just wouldn’t be a year if it wasn’t completely overwhelming, right?
2018 has certainly met that standard and then some. The swath of output, whether it’s a new generation adopting and adapting established methods or out and out reinventing the stylistic wheel and then pushing it uphill on a seemingly endless barrage of tours, has been staggering, and it’s still happening. There’s a little more than a week to go in the year. You think a band isn’t putting something out today? Of course they are. It’s every day. It’s all the time.
But this year wasn’t just about quantity either. I think one of my biggest struggles in writing about albums in 2018 — and with the last Quarterly Review and various premieres and video posts that were basically album reviews in disguise, let’s estimate we’re somewhere past 300 records reviewed one way or another — was in conveying just how killer so much of the stuff coming through was. How many times can you say the word “awesome?” Well, I’m sure we’ll see it a few more times before this list is over, so there you go.
I say something like this every time I do a list, but please keep in mind these are my picks and I’m one person. But I am a person. I know there’s the whole internet-anonymity thing, but I assure you, I’m a human being (more of a cave troll, really) typing these words. I’m all for everyone sharing their own picks in the comments, and all for passionate advocating, but please, let’s keep it civil and respectful. These things can spiral out of control quickly, but let’s remember that we’re all human beings and worth of basic courtesy, even if some of us are dead wrong about a good many things. You should definitely punch nazis, though.
Thanks in advance for reading. Here we go:
[UPDATE: You’ll notice the inclusion of an ’18a.’ I had Stoned Jesus in my notes as number 18 initially and they got dropped as I was adjusting things along the way. I’ve added them back in, but it didn’t seem fair to bump everyone else down after the post had already been published. That was the best I could come up with for a solution. If you’re pissed about one more killer record being added, please feel free to email me and tell me all about it.]
Chicago’s The Skull had no small task before them in following up their 2014 debut, For Those Which are Asleep (review here) — let alone living up to their pedigree — but their second album demonstrated a creative growth that sacrificed nothing of memorability when it came to songs like “Breathing Underwater” and “All that Remains (Is True).” They got down to work and got the job done, which is what a working band does. 2018 was by any measure a fantastic year for doom, and The Skull were a big part of why.
The Dec. 2017 murder of Rev. Jim Forrester was tragic. No other way to say it. Foghound, who were in the midst of making Awaken to Destroy at the time, put together an album that not only features Forrester‘s last recorded performance, but pays respect to his memory while the wound is still raw and manages to kick ass all the while. It’s a record that can’t ever be divorced from its circumstances — just can’t — and so it can be a heavy listen in more than just its tones, but it’s basically Foghound proving they’re unstoppable. And so they are.
Who among us here today is not a sucker for Orange Goblin? Come forward an be judged. I mean, really. Nine records deep, the London sceneforgers are nothing less than an institution, beloved by boozehounds, riffhounds, doomhounds, and really, a wide variety of hounds the world over. Also dudes. With its essential title-track hook and highlight cuts in “Ghosts of the Primitives” and “Burn the Ships” — or, you know, any of them — they added to one of heavy’s most unshakable legacies with an album as furious as it is welcoming to its generations-spanning fanbase.
There are two kinds of people in this world, and they’re both Fu Manchu fans. Clone of the Universe turned heads with a guest appearance from Rush‘s Alex Lifeson on the 18-minute side-B-consuming “Il Mostro Atomico,” but really to focus on that instead of “Intelligent Worship,” “(I’ve Been) Hexed,” “Don’t Panic,” “Slower than Light,” etc., is only seeing half the point of the album in the first place. The long-running lords of fuzz hit a new stride with 2014’s Gigantoid (review here), and Clone of the Universewas in every way a worthy successor.
It was an unenviable task before Witch Mountain in replacing vocalist Uta Plotkin, but founding guitarist Rob Wrong and drummer Nathan Carson found the right voice in Kayla Dixon and solidified the lineup with her and bassist Justin Brown enough to make a declarative statement in Witch Mountain‘s self-titled LP. That’s the story of it. They pulled it off. Met with what was unquestionably a bummer circumstance, they pushed through and moved their sound forward through a new beginning — and not their first one. Watch out when their next record hits.
Richmond, Virginia, doomers Windhand‘s second collaboration with producer Jack Endino produced a marked and purposeful expansion of their sound, encompassing classic grunge influences and a heavy psychedelic swirl that added color their previously-greyscale sonic haze. Resonant in tone and emotionalism, Eternal Return readjusted Windhand‘s trajectory in such a manner that, where one might’ve thought they knew where the band were headed in terms of their progression, they’ve made themselves a less predictable outfit on the whole. For that alone, it’s a triumph. Then you have the songs.
I don’t even want to admit how long I was waiting for Sun Voyager‘s first long-player to show up, but when it finally did, the New York trio did not disappoint. Catchy, energetic, fuzzed-out tunes with driving rhythms and a heavy psych flourish, they tapped into shoegaze and desert vibes without losing any sense of themselves in the process, and if the extra wait was so they could be so remarkably coherent in their expression on their full-length, then I wouldn’t want it to have shown up any sooner. An easy pick to stand among 2018’s best debut albums. Now to wait for the next one.
It should tell you something that after working quickly to produce three albums, Louisiana’s Forming the Void are still defined by their potential. If I had my druthers, I’d put the recent Ripple signees on tour for the bulk of 2019, across the US and in Europe for festivals and support-slot club shows, really give them an opportunity to hammer out who they are as a band and then hit the studio for LP four. I don’t know if that’ll happen, but they’d only be doing the universe a favor by kicking into that gear. As it stands, their progression is palpable in their material and they stand absolutely ready for whatever the next level might be for them.
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22. Spaceslug, Eye the Tide
Released by BSFD Records and Oak Island Records. Reviewed June 29.
Aside from the speed at which Spaceslug have turned around offerings — with Eye the Tide following 2017’s Mountains and Reminiscence EP (review here) and Time Travel Dilemma (review here) full-length and their 2016 debut, Lemanis (review here) — the Polish outfit have undertaken significant progression in their sound, moving from pure heavy psychedelic warmth to incorporating elements out of extreme metal as they did on Eye the Tide. Adding to the latest record’s accomplishment is the smoothness with which they brought seemingly opposing sides together, only adding depth to an approach already worthy of oceanic comparison.
Conan‘s reign of terror has been unfolding for more than a decade now, and each of their albums has become a kind of step along a path of incremental growth. Consider the melody creeping into the shouts of founding guitarist Jon Davis, or the emergence of bassist Chris Fielding as a vocal presence alongside, the two sharing a frontman role more than ever before while welcoming drummer Johnny King to the fold of destructive tonality and doomly extremism. Existential Void Guardian may end up just being another stomp-print on their way to the next thing, but it affirmed the fact that as much as Conan grow each time out, their central violence continues to hold sway.
Look. A new Pale Divine record doesn’t come along every day, so yeah, their self-titled was probably going to be on my list one way or the other, but it definitely helps that not only was it their first outing in six years since 2012’s Painted Windows Black (review here), but it had the songs to live up to a half-decade-plus of anticipation. It marked the first studio appearance from bassist/backing vocalist Ron “Fezz” McGinnis alongside guitarist Greg Diener and drummer Darin McCloskey — now both of Beelzefuzz as well — and made a strong argument for how much Pale Divine deserve more than 20 years on from their initial demo to be considered classic American doom.
The return and rise to prominence of Washington pure heavy rockers Mos Generator might be the underground’s feelgood story of the decade, but it hasn’t by any means been easily won. In addition to rebuilding the band however many albums ago, guitarist/vocalist Tony Reed has put in innumerable hours on tour and worked to actually develop the group creatively in addition to in terms of stage presence. This is shown throughout some of the classic prog elements making their way onto Shadowlands, and perhaps some of the collection’s moodier aspects are born of the aforementioned road time as well. Hard for that kind of thing not to be a slog after a while, but at least they have killer tunes to play.
The only safe bet about Stoned Jesus‘ fourth long-player, Pilgrims, was that it was going to sound different than the third. That 2015 outing, The Harvest (review here), preceded the band touring to celebrate the fifth anniversary and after-the-fact success of 2012’s Seven Thunders Roar (review here), but Pilgrims defied narrative in that instead of incorporating elements from the second record in more of a heavy psych or jam sound, Stoned Jesus instead showcased a tighter, more sureheaded sense of craft than they’ve ever displayed before, and arrived on Napalm Records with a collection of songs that demonstrated the growth and sense of creative will that drives them. While one can take a look at their moniker and think immediately they know what’s coming, Stoned Jesus have made themselves one of the least predictable bands in heavy rock.
“Pirate Smile.” “Lines.” “Whatever.” “It Ain’t Right.” “Threes.” “Cinderella.” “Generals.” “Big Enough.” “Alone.” “Lucky. Mike Cummings, Jessica Baker, Erik Larson. Every player, every song, every minute. If you want to know what heart-on-sleeve sounds like, it fucking sounds like Backwoods Payback. In their line from hardcore punk to grunge to heavy rock, they encompass experiences and emotionalism that are both shown in raw form throughout Future Slum, and build all the while on the chemistry they set out in developing with 2016’s Fire Not Reason (review here), when they welcomed Larson to the lineup on drums and revitalized their mission. Also worth noting, they were the best live band I saw this year. Anywhere.
No question the excitement of C.O.C. putting out their first record with frontman Pepper Keenan involved since 2005’s In the Arms of God was one of this year’s top stories in heavy. And No Cross No Crown tapped directly into the spirit of 1994’s Deliverance (discussed here) and 1996’s Wiseblood (discussed here) in terms of direction, while updating the band’s style with a four-part 2LP in mind. In some ways, it’ll be their next album that really gives listeners a sense of where they’re at and where they might be headed, but as welcome returns go, having Keenan alongside Mike Dean, Woody Weatherman and Reed Mullin is in no way to be understated, and neither is the quality of their output together, then and now.
It is no simple feat to hypnotize an audience and convey serenity while at the same time holding attention with songcraft, so that the listener isn’t actually so much unconscious as malleable of mood and spirit in such a direction as the band suggests. Greek trio Naxatras have worked quickly to become experts at this, and their third full-length fosters tonal warmth and jammy progressions with an overarching naturalism that finds them so committed to analog recording that one can buy direct transfers of the tape master of III. Some acts take classic-style practices as an aesthetic choice. With Naxatras, it seems to be the stuff of life, yet their sound is only vibrant and human in a way that, at least one hopes, is even more representative of the future than the past.
It was time for Clutch to make a change in producers, and the Maryland overlords of groove seemed to know it. Known as a live band, they went with Vance Powell, who’s known a live band producer. The results on Book of Bad Decisions might not have been so earth-shatteringly different from 2015’s Psychic Warfare (review here), which was the too-soon follow-up to 2013’s Earth Rocker (review here) — both helmed by Machine — but the inimitable four-piece indeed succeeded in capturing the electricity of their stage performance and, as ever, treated fans to a collection of songs bearing Clutch‘s unmistakable hallmarks of quirky lyrics, funky rhythms and heavy roll. They may always be a live band, but Clutch‘s studio work is in no way to be discounted, ever, as this record reaffirmed. Plus, crab cakes.
After 2012’s In Dreams and Time (review here), I wasn’t sure Ancestors were going to put out another record. They kicked around word of one for a while, but it wasn’t until the end of last year that it really seemed to congeal into a possibility. And by then, who the hell knew what they might get up to on a full-length? With Suspended in Reflections, in some says, they picked up where they left off in terms of finding a niche for themselves in progressive and melodic heavy, but I think the time showed in the poise of their execution and the control of the material. Suspended in Reflections can’t help but be six years more mature than its predecessor, and that suits its contemplative feel. In tracks like “Gone,” and “The Warm Glow,” they tempered their expansive sound with an efficiency that can only be had with time.
The narrative here was hard to beat. Matt Pike spending an album cycle talking about Lemmy Kilmister and paying homage to his dirt-rock forebear and the gods of old? It doesn’t get much more perfect than that. Electric Messiah was the third collaboration between High on Fire and producer Kurt Ballou behind 2015’s Luminiferous (review here) and 2012’s De Vermiis Mysteriis (review here), and while it seemed after the last record that the formula might be getting stale, the band only sounded more and more lethal throughout the latest offering. Even putting aside their contributions to underground heavy, they’ve become one of the most essential metal bands of their generation. Metal, period. Doesn’t matter what subgenre you’re talking about it. If you’re listening to High on Fire, you know it. Usually because you’ve just been decapitated.
You know, if you take the time to separate Yawning Man from their 30-plus-year history and their legacy as one of the foundational acts of what later became desert rock, and you listen to The Revolt Against Tired Noises, you’re still left with basically a dream of an album. Mostly instrumental, as is their wont, they nonetheless had bassist Mario Lalli (also Fatso Jetson) sing this time around on a version of the previously-unreleased “Catamaran,” which Kyuss covered once upon a whenever although Yawning Man had never officially put it to tape. But really, that and all other novelty aside, guitarist Gary Arce, Lalli and drummer Bill Stinson are a chemistry unto themselves. I don’t know if they’ll ever be as huge as they should be, but every bit of acclaim they get, they’ve earned, and if The Revolt Against Tired Noises helps them get it, all the more so.
Swedish heavy rock mavens Greenleaf have become an entirely different band than they once were. No longer a Dozer side-project from guitarist Tommi Holappa with a rotating cast of players, they’re a solidified, road-tested, powerhouse unit, and Hear the Rivers bleeds soul as a result. Holappa, frontman Arvid Hällagård, bassist Hans Fröhlich and drummer Sebastian Olsson sound like they’re absolutely on fire in the album’s tracks, and far from being staid or formulaic as one might expect a sixth long-player to be, Hear the Rivers built on what the band accomplished with 2016’s Rise Above the Meadow (review here) and came across as all the more vital and nearly frenetic in their energy. I won’t say Greenleaf has seen their last lineup change, because one never knows, but the band as they are today is the realization of potential I don’t think even Greenleaf knew was there.
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10. Gozu, Equilibrium
Released by Blacklight Media / Metal Blade Records. Reviewed April 4.
Five records deep into a career into its second decade, Gozu haven’t had a miss yet. Admittedly, some of their early work can seem formative considering where they are now, but still. And after the 2016 rager, Revival (review here), to have the band return to the same studio — Wild Arctic in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where strides producer Dean Baltulonis — for the follow-up allows for the four-piece to directly show how their sound has grown more encompassing in the last couple years. And it has. Equilibrium is a rich and varied listen that holds true to Gozu‘s well-established penchant for soulful vibes and crunching, hard-hitting riffs and groove, but while it shares the directness of approach with Revival, it makes moves that a band could only make moving from one record to the next. I expect nothing less their next time out as well, because a decade later, that’s Gozu‘s proven track record.
The battle for the best album title of 2018 ended early when New Jersey everything-rockers Monster Magnet announced the release of Mindfucker. And what else to call a Monster Magnet LP at this point? They’ve stopped writing to genre. They’re driven by the creative mania of frontman/founder Dave Wyndorf, and they’ve seen psychedelic expanses and commercial success the likes of which would serve the tenure of four lesser bands. What’s left to do but whatever the hell you want? So that’s what Monster Magnet are doing. It just so happens that while they’re doing it, they’re still basically outclassing the entirety of the former planet earth as songwriters. As Monster Magnet fan in 2018, there was nothing more I could’ve asked than what Mindfucker delivered. And if you’re still trying to get your brain around it however many months later, you’re not alone. I think that’s the idea.
Best doom album of 2018. The combination of craft and passion behind the delivery. The way the dark tones fed into the emotions so clearly on display and sheer presence of it in listening to songs like “Keeping the Lighthouse,” “Ruination by Thy Name” and “My Heart is Leaving Here.” Apostle of Solitude never seem to be the highest profile band out there, but their work seems never to be anything less than outstanding, and I refuse to accept them as anything less than among the most pivotal American acts out there making traditional doom. And not just making it, but making it their own, with a sense of new pursuits and individualism that extends to playing style as well as atmosphere. I know doom isn’t exactly in short supply these days — figuratively or literally — but if you miss out on what Apostle of Solitude are doing with it, you’ll only regret it later. I’ll say it one more time: Best doom album of 2018.
Every now and again, anticipating the crap of an album really pays off, and such was the case with Holy Grove II, the Ripple Music debut from the Portland outfit whose 2016 self-titled (review here) seemed like such a herald of excellence to come while also, you know, being killer. Holy Grove II brought the four-piece of vocalist Andrea Vidal, guitarist Trent Jacobs, bassist Gregg Emley and drummer Eben Travis to entirely new levels of composition and execution. In songs like “Blade Born,” the shorter, sharper “Aurora,” the patiently rolling “Valley of the Mystics,” “Solaris” and closer “Cosmos,” which boasted a not-really-necessary-but-definitely-welcome guest vocal appearance from YOB‘s Mike Scheidt, — and oh wait, that’s all of the tracks — Holy Grove entered a different echelon. Anticipation will likewise be high for Holy Grove III, but it’ll be hard to complain with this record to keep company in the meantime.
Over five All Them Witches albums, the Nashville four-piece have gone from a nascent heavy Americana jam band to one of the most distinct acts in the US underground. Their development in sound is chemistry-driven, so it was a risk when the founding trio of bassist/vocalist Charles Michael Parks, Jr., guitarist Ben McLeod (who also produced) and drummer Robby Staebler welcomed new keyboardist Jonathan Draper into the lineup to take the place of Allan van Cleave. Amid a more naturalist production than that of 2017’s Sleeping Through the War (review here), the revamped four-piece flourished in terms of songwriting and conveying their stage-born sonic personae. From the gleeful fuckery of opener “Fishbelly 86 Onions” to the memorable moodiness of “Diamond” and the back-end jam “Harvest Feast” en route to the stretched-out end of “Rob’s Dream,” All Them Witches essentially confirmed they could do whatever they wanted and make it work.
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5. YOB, Our Raw Heart
Released by Relapse Records. Reviewed June 7.
Actually, if you want a sample of YOB‘s raw heart, the place to go is probably 2014’s Clearing the Path to Ascend (review here), but whatever the Eugene, Oregon, shapers of cosmic doom might’ve lacked in titular accuracy on their eighth long-player, they made up for in a new, statesman-like posture. Their approach was mature, hammered out to a professionalism working completely on its own terms, and they never sounded so sure of who they are as a band or as confident of their direction. In extended cuts “Beauty in Falling Leaves” and “Our Raw Heart,” they explored new and progressive textures and melodies, and managed to reaffirm their core aspects while finding room for conveying emotion that came across as nothing but ultimately sincere. They have been and still are one of a kind, and as they continue to move forward, they remain a band that makes one feel lucky to be alive to witness their work. Our Raw Heart was perhaps more refined than it let on, but the heart was there for sure, as always.
I’m not going to say I wasn’t a fan of the (relatively) harder-hitting approach Brant Bjork and his Low Desert Punk Band took on 2014’s Black Power Flower (review here) and 2016’s Tao of the Devil (review here), but Mankind Woman brought in some more of his soul influences, and whether it was the subtly subversive funk of “Chocolatize” and “Brand New Old Times” or the callout “1968” and laid back vibes of the title-track and “Swagger and Sway,” Bjork — working with guitarist Bubba DuPree on songwriting and production — offered a definitive look at what has made his 20-year solo career so special and demonstrates not only his longevity and his legacy, but his will to continue to progress as an artist honing his craft. His discography is well populated by now to be sure, but Mankind Woman represents a turn from the last couple records, and if it’s in any way portentous of things to come, it bodes well. Bjork is right at home nestled into classic-style grooves, and his legacy as one of the principal architects of desert rock is continually reaffirmed.
They’ve been great, not just good, for a long time now, and as forerunners of the San Diego heavy scene, they’re godfathers to an up and coming generation of bands taking their influence — let alone acts from the rest of the world — but Black Heaven is a special moment for them because of its departure. No, it wasn’t not the first time guitarist Isaiah Mitchell sang on an Earthless recording, but it did represent a tip of the balance in that direction for the band on a studio full-length, and that resulted in a special moment. Album opener “Gifted by the Wind” was one of the best songs I heard this year, and while “End to End” and the all-thrust “Volt Rush” affirmed that more traditional songwriting was well within the grasp of Mitchell, bassist Mike Eginton and drummer Mario Rubalcaba, they still found space for a sprawling jam or two, keeping their claim on the instrumentalism that’s (largely) fueled their tenure to date. Earthless don’t want for acclaim, but every bit of it is earned, and while their primary impact has always been live, Black Heaven saw them construct a traditional-style LP that still bore the hallmarks of their collective personality. It was the best of all worlds.
In the dark early hours of 2018, the Rochester, New York, trio of guitarist/vocalist Sean McVay, bassist Dan Reynolds and drummer Scott Donaldson issued the Repeater EP (review here) as a follow-up to their 2016 debut, Orion (review here), so Longing to Be the Mountain didn’t exactly come out of nowhere, but even with Repeater preceding its arrival, I don’t think anyone necessary expected King Buffalo‘s second album to have such a scope or to be so engrossing with it. In its melody, patience, atmosphere and heft, it was an absolute joy to behold. Its songs were memorable at the same time they were far-reaching, and while Orion was already my pick for the best debut of 2016, Longing to Be the Mountain realized even more potential than that record had hinted toward. It could be intimate or majestic at its whim, and its dynamic set an individual characterization of heavy psychedelia and blues-style sprawl that the band wholly owned. With production by Ben McLeod of All Them Witches behind them, they worked to serve notice of a progression undertaken the results of which are already staggering and still seem to be looking ahead to the next stage, literally and figuratively. One of the principal standards I use in constructing this list every year is what I listen to most. That’s this record.
Obviously, right? To some extent, when Sleep surprise-announced on April 19 they’d release their first album in 15 years the next day, and then did, they took ownership of 2018. Even with records still to come at that point from YOB and Sleep guitarist Matt Pike‘s own High on Fire, there was no way that when the end of the year came around, it wasn’t going to be defined by the advent of a new Sleep record. And even if it sucked, it would probably still be Album of the Year, but fortunately, as Pike, bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros (also Om) and drummer Jason Roeder (also Neurosis) took their long-running stage reunion to the studio, they brought material that highlighted the best elements from all players. Pike‘s wild soloing, Cisneros‘ meditative vocals and Roeder‘s intricate but smooth style of roll all came together in older pieces like “Antarcticans Thawed” and “Sonic Titan” and newer highlights “Giza Butler” and “Marijuanaut’s Theme,” and aside from the excitement at their existence, they showed the mastery of form that Sleep had been demonstrating live since 2009 and which they hinted toward in the 2014 single, The Clarity (review here). A new Sleep full-length was something long-discussed, long-rumored and long-considered, but when it finally happened, I think the results vaporized expectation in a way no one could’ve anticipated. There’s a reason Sleep are Sleep. Having The Sciences as a reminder of that brought about the defining moment of 2018.
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The Next 20
Indeed, it wouldn’t be much of a Top 30 at all if it didn’t go to 50. Don’t try to make sense of it, just look at the records.
31. Atavismo, Valdeinfierno
32. Grayceon, IV
33. Clamfight, III
34. Seedy Jeezus, Polaris Oblique
35. Megaton Leviathan, Mage
36. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Wasteland
37. Arcadian Child, Superfonica
38. Freedom Hawk, Beast Remains
39. The Machine, Faceshift
40. Messa, Feast for Water
41. Black Rainbows, Pandaemonium
42. Church of the Cosmic Skull, Science Fiction
43. Domkraft, Flood
44. Träden, Träden
45. Mythic Sunship, Another Shape of Psychedelic Music
46. Samavayo, Vatan
47. Foehammer, Second Sight
48. Bongripper, Terminal
49. Mansion, First Death of the Lutheran
50. Sunnata, Outlands
51. Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters, Come and Chutney
Believe me when I tell you, I sweated over this section more than I did the actual top 30. Mansion should be higher. So should Chubby Thunderous, though something in me thought they might like being #50 on a list of 30. Church of the Cosmic Skull, Clamfight, Black Rainbows, Foehammer, Seedy Jeezus, Messa, Domkraft. All of these were fucking awesome. And there are more (we’ll get there). Eventually numbers add up. I won’t say a bad word about any of these. That’s it.
Honorable Mention
This section always winds up expanded as other people point out things I missed and so on, but here’s what I’ve got in the immediate, alphabetically:
Alms, Act One
Ape Machine, Darker Seas
Belzebong, Light the Dankness
Black Moon Circle, Psychedelic Spacelord
Blackwater Holylight, Blackwater Holylight
Bong, Thought and Existence
Carpet, About Rooms and Elephants
Churchburn, None Shall Live… The Hymns of Misery
Deadbird, III: The Forest Within the Tree
Dead Meadow, The Nothing They Need
Death Alley, Superbia
Drug Cult, Drug Cult
Dunbarrow, II
Electric Citizen, Helltown
Eagle Twin, The Thundering Heard: Songs of Hoof and Horn
Evoken, Hypnagogia
Funeral Horse, Psalms for the Mourning
Fuzz Evil, High on You
Graven, Heirs of Discord
Graveyard, Peace
Green Dragon, Green Dragon
Green Druid, Ashen Blood
Here Lies Man, You Will Know Nothing
High Priestess, High Priestess
Horehound, Holocene
IAH, II
JIRM, Surge ex Monumentis
Killer Boogie, Acid Cream
Lonely Kamel, Death’s Head Hawkmoth
MaidaVale, Madness is Too Pure
Moab, Trough
Mountain Dust, Seven Storms
Mouth, Floating
Mr. Plow, Maintain Radio Silence
T.G. Olson, Earthen Pyramid
Onségen Ensemble, Duel
Orango, Evergreen
Owl, Nights in Distortion
Pushy, Hard Wish
Rifflord, 7 Cremation Ground/Meditation
River Cult, Halcyon Daze
Rotor, Sechs
Somali Yacht Club, The Sea
Sumac, Love in Shadow
Sundrifter, Visitations
Svvamp, Svvamp II
Thou, Magus
Thunder Horse, Thunder Horse
Weedpecker, III
Special Note
Somehow it didn’t seem appropriate to include these in the list proper because they’re not really underground releases, but there were two more records I especially wanted to highlight for their quality:
Alice in Chains, Rainier Fog
Judas Priest, Firepower
Best Short Release of the Year
Normally I’d do this as a separate post, but as a result of being robbed earlier this year, I feel like my list is woefully incomplete. If you have any demos, EPs, splits, singles, etc., to add to it, please feel free to do so in the comments below. Still, the top pick was clear:
Rarely do two bands work in such coherent tandem to their mutual benefit. Here are a few other essential short releases for 2018, alphabetically:
All Them Witches, Lost and Found
Alunah, Amber & Gold
Canyon, Mk II
Demon Head, The Resistence
Destroyer of Light, Hopeless
Ecstatic Vision, Under the Influence
Godmaker & Somnuri, Split
Holy Mushroom, Blood and Soul
King Buffalo, Repeater
Minsk & Zatokrev, Split
Sleep, Leagues Beneath
Stonus, Lunar Eclipse
Sundecay, Gale
Looking Forward
A good many albums have already been announced or hinted at for 2019. I in no way claim this to be a complete roundup of what’s coming, but here’s what I have in my notes so far, in absolutely no order:
Kings Destroy, Lo-Pan, Cities of Mars, Heavy Temple, Mr. Peter Hayden, Curse the Son, High Fighter, Destroyer of Light, Year of the Cobra, Buffalo Fuzz, Zaum, The Sonic Dawn, Alunah, Candlemass, Elepharmers, Grandier, Dorre, Abrahma, Mars Red Sky, Eternal Black, Elephant Tree, Atala, No Man’s Valley, Sun Blood Stories, Crypt Sermon, The Riven, Hibrido, Snail, Red Beard Wall, 11Paranoias, Dead Witches, Monte Luna, Captain Caravan (LP), Swallow the Sun, Oreyeon, Motorpsycho, Vokonis, Hexvessel, Saint Vitus, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Kind, Mastiff, Shadow Witch, Om.
Okay, That’s It
Yeah, no, I’m serious. List is done. Everybody go back to your lives. Your families miss you.
Really though, while this is by no means my last post of 2018, I can’t let it pass without saying thank you so much to everyone for checking out the site this year, or for just digging into this, or for sending me music, or hitting me up on social media, sharing a link, anything. Thank you. Thank you. I could never have imagined when it started out where it would be now. Or that I’d still be doing it. Your support means more to me than I can say, and I thank you so much for being a part of this with me.
So thanks.
If you have something to add to the list, please do so by leaving a comment below, but keep in mind as well the above note requesting civility. Please don’t make me feel stupid because I forgot your favorite record. I forgot a lot of people’s favorite records. I’m one dude. I’m doing my best.
And please keep in mind if you’ve got a list together that the Year-End Poll is open and results will be out Jan. 1.
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 16th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
So the original plan, as discussed when they posted the video for the single ‘Crown’ earlier this year, was that Shun the Sun would be a debut EP from Norwegian heavy rockers Captain Caravan. As anyone who’s ever made any can tell you, plans change. Shun the Sun has expanded from an EP to an LP and, with a digital release set for Nov. 23 — keep an eye out — it’ll now be issued on vinyl by the venerable Cursed Tongue Records, whose pickups have become something of a regular feature around these parts. No coincidence there, since the label does good work and is driven by masterful taste in fuzz and heavy whatnots, and that thread certainly continues with Captain Caravan, as the band have newly unveiled a video for the title-track of Shun the Sun ahead of the initial digital offering (IDO) of the record’s entirety.
You can dig into that at the bottom of this post, as well as the prior clip for “Crown,” because one likes to be thorough. To that end, the copious PR wire info comes courtesy of Cursed Tongue.
Have at it:
CAPTAIN CARAVAN SIGNS TO CURSED TONGUE RECORDS FOR A WORLD WIDE RELEASE OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM ‘SHUN THE SUN’ DUE FOR SPRING 2019.
Cursed Tongue Records is happy to announce the signing of Norwegian fuzzy stoner rockers Captain Caravan for a vinyl release of their debut full length album ‘Shun The Sun’ spring 2019. On rare occasions a band comes along that needs little to no time to impress on a paramount scale – fast rewind a few months and enter Captain Caravan on the Cursed Tongue Records band spotlight radar.
We quickly sensed that something grand was underway when JJ at The Obelisk posted a short article about a promising band from Norway that seemingly came out of nowhere. Upon listening to Captain Caravan’s first single “Crown” featuring new singer Johhny Olsen, we instantly knew that this was the real deal, and that a future album would kick some serious ass on the stoner rock scene. After having played the band’s debut album ‘Shun The Sun’ an almost illegal number of times, it’s with confidence that we can say that this is indeed going to happen.
On ‘Shun The Sun’ you will find an unpretentious uppercut to the established horde of stoner/desert/fuzz rock bands as Captain Caravan kicks in the door and claims the crown as the new overlords of riff-heavy, metal-capped stonerized desert rock with melodies so infectious they will keep you humming long after album closer “Book Of Oblivion” takes home the last trump card. But don’t take our words for it, go take a listen to for instance the title track or “Shadow King” to realize the maturity, musicality and “surplus” the four captains of the caravan play with. Fans of such heavy hitters as Sasquatch, Mountain Dust, Greenleaf, Dozer and Wo Fat will find plenty to love on the Kent Stump (of aforementioned Wo Fat fame) mixed and mastered ‘Shun The Sun’.
Captain Caravan from Egersund, Norway were formed in 2015 when BK, Morten, Christian (previous singer) and Geir got together following individual projects, and started to rediscover their collective craft. Based on common musically influences from southern rock, stoner rock and classic rock, the band quickly started writing songs. Slowly, defining their musical profile and sharpening the pen the band began to evolve on their winning formula.
2018 started with a lot of changes. The band parted with Christian and were now looking for a new vocalist. Different singers were tried and tested but Johnny Olsen turned out to be the perfect match for Captain Caravan and after a bit of jamming Johnny got aboard. He was undoubtedly the last piece needed for the band to travel down the somewhat bumpy road with a lot of new inspiration, developing a lot of good ideas, writing new material.
Johnny is a great vocalist and writer, and with loads of experience on stage, and his approach in general, he is clearly the natural born front man. Earlier Johnny has been busy with bands like Moth Circus and Alien Ken, plus several other bands and guest appearances in different projects.
Former Pawnshop guitarist BK Sæstad, well-known for their classic releases and worldwide touring in the early 2000s, is the main songwriter and musician in Captain Caravan, putting his signature on the sound of the band and the main context of the songs, then flavored by Geir and Morten in the rhythm section. Captain Caravan is definitely not the same as Pawnshop, but still one can recognize BKs playing style and sound – It’s all in there somewhere.
Longer, heavier and more experimental songs became the focus, with the powerful, growling, yet melodic voice of Johnny, the band now clearly got their own new sound in place sounding nothing quite like they had done before. Suddenly everything was beginning to gel and the material fell quite easy in place for them.
Captain Caravan started the recording of what was initially supposed to be a six track EP and the single ‘Crown’ was laid down by guitarist BK at his own studio, then mixed and Mastered by Kent Stump from Crystal Clear Sound Recording Studio in Dallas Texas. After the release of ‘Crown’ the band witnessed great feedback and big ups from both fans and reviewers. Among them Niels from the Danish label Cursed Tongue Records. Shortly thereafter Captain Caravan signed with Cursed Tongue Records, plans were then rescheduled and the band was now aiming for a full length album to be released digitally November 23rd, 2018 with vinyl LP slated for release early spring 2019 – things do change fast when on a roll.
The rest of the album was brought to life same way as the band did for ‘Crown’; recordings were done at the bands rehearsal location and at BKs Studio, and Kent at Crystal Clear Sound then took over the material for mixing and mastering both for digital release and vinyl.
Although the band could not be happier than they are with what they have achieved in this process, they still want to get out there with the fans, playing gigs, sharing their new music with as many as possible. Captain Caravan now plan several gigs and touring across boarders in times that come – who knows, they might show up at your doorstep in the near future.
Quotes from the band:
“With this album under our belt, we’re ready to get back to what it’s all about : rocking the house!”
“What it comes down to for us, is that we really dig what we’re doing, and we’ve brought a lot of people something they really dig too. We want people out there to discover our music and share their experience with others, then we have achieved our main goal the band besides having a blast ourselves”.
Band and label clicked from the get go, an instant connection was immediately established and both are dead set on bringing their absolute best. We feel that Captain Caravan sits well in with the rest of the Cursed Tongue Records roster as the label expand on hosting the best from the heavy underground. Cursed Tongue Records will as per usual roll out the red carpet treatment featuring high-quality heavy-weight vinyl in different editions. Also getting the talented Diogo from Soares Artwork to do the album artwork together with Cursed Tongue Records will ensure an equal visual pleasing experience – in other words, we have seen the gatefold artwork and it rocks!
So brace yourself for impact soon as the album will release digitally on Captain Caravan’s Bandcamp page next Friday (November 23rd) and get ready to groove along to an absolute monster of an album!
CTR-018: CAPTAIN CARAVAN – ‘SHUN THE SUN’, vinyl official release date: actual date TBA – March/April 2019
Captain Caravan is: Johnny Olsen – Vocals BK Sæstad – Guitar Morten Skogen – Drums Geir Solli – Bass
All songs written and arranged by Captain Caravan
Produced by Captain Caravan Recorded at BK Studio by BK Saestad Drums on Dirty Red Velvet recorded by Arvid Tjelta Mixed and Mastered at Crystal Clear Sound by Kent Stump Front cover artwork by Soares Artwork Photo by Joakim Kyrø Layout & design by Michael Andresakis
Track listing:
Side A 1. Crown 2. Illusion of Meaning 3. Shun the Sun 4. Godkiller
Side B 5. Zombie Machine 6. Shadow King 7. Dirty Red Velvet 8. Book of Oblivion
Though they’re by no means playing the kind of retroist boogie rock that’s become a staple of the Scandinavian heavy underground over the course of the last 15 years, there is something traditional at the heart of Captain Caravan‘s new single, ‘Crown.’ The first audio to come from the Egersund, Norway, four-piece’s impending EP, Shun the Sun, “Crown” speaks to the pre-mobile social media style of heavy rock of the late ’90s and early ’00s, the earlier work of bands like Dozer, Spoiler from the Netherlands, or even some of Roadsaw‘s younger days. To be sure, there’s a shuffle to the rhythm of “Crown,” but in their production and tonality, Captain Caravan — not to be confused with Sweden’s Captain Crimson, despite the shared affinity for alliteration — owe as much to the post-grunge halcyon days of stoner vibes as to the foundational moments of heavy rock.
Part of that blend of influences no doubt stems from guitarist BK Saestad‘s tenure in Pawnshop, who made their debut with 1997’s Broke and released two more albums through Beard of Stars Records in 2000’s Aloha from Saturn and 2002’s Cruise’o’Matic, before an eight-year studio hiatus. After another eight years beyond that, I’m not sure it’s fair to call Captain Caravan a direct extension of what Saestad was doing with his prior band, but those elements are there all the same, and blended with what drummer Morten Skogen, bassist Geir Solli and new vocalist Johnny Olsen bring to the mix — the latter given to an especially soulful approach in his first appearance with the group — they make “Crown” just under six minutes of classically heavy groove and an unpretentious good time that speaks well of things to come as the lineup continues to solidify on the EP and beyond.
I’ll rarely pick on a new band and say they’re destined to do great things, etc., because the only thing worse than hyperbole is speculative hyperbole and for all anyone knows they could nix the entire project tomorrow, but Captain Caravan are cohesive enough in their approach to show marked potential in this single of the sort that would make it not surprising in the least if they were picked up by some label if not for the Kent Stump-masterd Shun the Sun itself, then for whatever might follow it. It’s always encouraging to hear a new band who start out so clearly having learned the lessons of their members’ own sonic past.
They hit the public domain B-roll pretty hard for the “Crown” video, which you can see below, followed by some more background about the band, their initial singles, and of course the requisite links.
Dig it:
Captain Caravan, “Crown” official video
“Crown” from the upcoming EP “Shun the Sun” is the first song featuring new singer Johnny Olsen. Music recorded by BK Sæstad in BK Studios. Mixed and Mastered by Kent Stump from Crystal Clear Sound – Recording Studio and Wo Fat fame. Video directed by Alan Smithee.
Crown is available for streaming and download on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, Google Play, Amazon, YouTube and more!
Established Spring 2015 in Egersund, Norway by Morten Skogen (drums, former Alien Ken, Antarctica), BK Saestad (guitar, former Pawnshop), Geir Solli (bass, former Antarctica) and Christian Stokkeland (vocals). Based on common musically influences from southern rock, stoner rock and classic rock, the band started writing songs resulting in the first release Life`s a Drag in 2016. Followed up by the singles A State Of Sleep and Rock Golem spring 2017.
2018 started with a lot of changes. The band parted with Christian and focused on writing new material and looking for new vocalist. After several auditions, CC contacted Johnny Olsen (former Moth Circus, Alien Ken), who Morten new from Alien Ken, where Johnny used to join on vocals occasionally. Johnny seemed to be the perfect match for CC and a new area begun!
The band is currently recording the new EP “Shun the Sun” due for release Autumn 2018, distributed on vinyl and digital. Mixed and Mastered by Kent Stump from Crystal Clear Sound – Recording Studio and Wo Fat fame, the EP will differ from earlier releases. Longer, heavier and more experimental songs, with the powerful, growling, yet melodic voice of Johnny. We are very excited to share the new music with you!
