Posted in Whathaveyou on April 29th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Conan coming back to the States isn’t much of a surprise, and it’s likewise in-character for them to unfurl a whole new-album’s-worth of shows supporting — wait for it — a new album. The record in question, Violence Dimension (review here), was released just last week, and the superlatively heavy UK trio will likely spend the next two years celebrating its arrival with the special kind of crush that seems to be held in reserve for their riffing.
The poster is rad in the way of Art®, and they’ll be joined by Mares of Thrace for the run, which is also good news. The tour goes coast-to-coast and I see no real reason to try to sell you on it, because it’s Conan, and you already know they destroy.
So here’s where they’ll be doing that:
CONAN – US TOUR – AUGUST 2025!!!!!
Prepare for battle doom! Conan is coming to blaze a path with their new album Violence Dimension, and they’re bringing Mares of Thrace.
All dates on sale today at link in artist bios: @hailconan @mares_of_thrace
You can see all the cities/venues on the second slide, or below here.
8/22 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies 8/23 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme 8/24 – Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle 8/25 – Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary 8/26 – Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups 8/27 – Youngstown, OH @ West Side Bowl 8/28 – Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye 8/30 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s 8/31 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro 9/02 – TBA 9/03 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy 9/04 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl 9/05 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa 9/06 – Houston, TX @ White Oak 9/07 – Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live 9/09 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister 9/10 – Mesa, AZ @ Rosetta Room 9/11 – Las Vegas, NV @ TBA 9/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo 9/13 – Palmdale, CA @ Transplants 9/14 – Oakland, CA @ Stork Club 9/15 – Sacramento, CA @ Cafe Colonial 9/17 – Eugene, OR @ John Henry’s 9/18 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios 9/19 – Seattle, WA @ Clockout Lounge 9/20 – Missoula, MT @ VFW 209 9/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 9/23 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge 9/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Zhora Darling 9/25 – Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
CONAN is Jon Davis – Vocals/Guitars Johnny King – Drums David Ryley – Bass
Posted in Reviews on April 25th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Nearly 20 years on from their inception in 2006, Conan are an established brand when it comes to destruction, and so, that they would pointedly take violence as the theme of an album, Violence Dimension, makes sense in a way. The first lines on the record, after “Foeman’s Flesh” has laid out its tonal brunt in a signature riff from founding guitarist/vocalist Jon Davis, soon joined by drummer Johnny King and bassist David Ryley (Fudge Tunnel) — the latter of whom is making his first appearance — are, “Time will kill/This is life.” So we see that from the very outside, Conan are not only working to portray violence of the mass-scale or punch-you-in-the-solar-plexus types, but also the backdrop natural violence of the world and the fact that life ends.
This thematic plays out over a course of seven songs and 47 minutes (that jumps to eight songs/59 minutes if you get the 12-minute bonus track “Vortexxion”), and the aforementioned opener is one of three cuts over nine minutes long, alongside “Total Bicep” (9:27), “Violence Dimension” (9:14) and the finale, “Ocean of Boiling Skin” (10:04). That’s not such a radical change structurally from what Conan wrought on 2022’s attempt to crush the ridiculousness of our age, Evidence of Immortality (review here), but it does tell you that even as Conan bring in a new bassist, they remain dug into the trajectory — that’s not to say ‘path of devastation’ — they’ve been on. That’s audible in some of the speedier riffing in “Desolation Hexx” (5:18), and the later shove-mosher “Frozen Edges of the Wound,” which makes a hook of, “This is our victory/This is our time,” as well as the 46-second grindcore blowout “Warpsword,” which feels like a direct answer to the sub-minute “Paincantation” from 2018’s Existential Void Guardian (review here).
It’s a tool in Conan‘s arsenal they’ve chosen to put to use, and behind a lot of what is happening across Violence Dimension, whether it’s the mercurial tempo shifts in “Total Bicep,” which seems to be in a feedback loop of its own speed and aggression, or the title-track, which uses minimalism in its early going in a way I’m not sure Conan ever have before to create an Earth-style drone nod across much of its first half. Of course, it gets heavier to offset the quieter parts, and there are low-growled vocals later, but that the quiet part exists at all is the point.
I’m assuming that’s Ryley on vocals, stepping into the secondary-singer role formerly held by Chris Fielding, who as regards Conan has shifted back to producer-only, though if you told me Davis convinced Fielding to throw down growls on the studio versions, I’d believe it was him on the recording. Ether way , the dual-vocal dynamic that developed between Davis and Fielding was/is the most blatant example of Conan growing as a band over time while remaining committed to their core underlying approach, and even as they move forward with someone else, that isn’t being sacrificed.
And it wouldn’t be. As chaotic and as claustrophobic and intense as Conan can get — and at their heaviest, there are few heavier — they have always been methodical and conscious of what they want to do with their songs. They want them to kill, yes, but the how and why of that violence is part of what Violence Dimension is exploring. The title-track pairs well with “Total Bicep” just before it, as the prior slab is more of an assault, pushing into a midsection gallop that, while I have no idea what the song is actually about, is affecting as it slams into the subsequent slowdown, rides that nod for most of its second half, and fades out to give space to what follows.
Likewise, one could argue for “Frozen Edges of the Wound” as a reorientation or regrounding after “Violence Dimension,” since its shorter course feels more outwardly straightforward and the title-track makes a point of its atmospherics — which, rest assured, are plenty heavy all on their own, whatever take-a-breath letup they might otherwise represent. But all of this is to remind that there’s human presence behind Conan‘s inhumane sound, and that the transition to bringing Ryley into the band as a full-time member (because he and other bassists had filled in before) hasn’t derailed their progression, or even seemingly rerouted it from what their intentions might otherwise be.
That said, Violence Dimension is just the first record of the Davis/Ryley/King era — last year’s DIY 10″ Series Issue 1 EP (review here) notwithstanding — and it may turn out to be the starting point of an entirely new branching off of their sound, and you just can’t know because it hasn’t happened yet and evolution takes time. Or the world could end tomorrow. Whatever. Regardless, the remarkable nature of Conan‘s take — immediately identifiable, marked by distinctive characteristics in tone and songwriting purpose — lets it be so much its own while never quite the same twice. Aurally speaking, it is a great, hulking beast, and Violence Dimension continues this tradition organically and intentionally.
Conan have always known who they are and what they’re capable of, and though there have been changes in the band — Davis has in the past and here incorporated some ambience and drone also explored in his Ungraven side-project, which also has a new LP, Ryley coming on board, etc. — that self-awareness has never done anything but serve the band, allowing them to hit that much harder for knowing why they’re doing it and what they’re trying to convey.
“Ocean of Boiling Skin” rises at its midpoint to a huge, malevolent tsunami of a nod that comprises its final march into oblivion, and that’s how it ends save for the deluxe editions, which include “Vortexxion.” The bonus cut becomes the longest on the LP at 12 minutes, and in the spirit of “Grief Sequence” from Evidence of Immortality is centered around noise; in this case a few obscure samples bookending a large stretch of feedback and other frequency manipulations. It’s not an easy listen, but this too is the point.
The band list Violence Dimension as their seventh full-length, which is something of retcon of 2010’s Hoseback Battle Hammer EP (discussed here; review here) as their debut album — fair enough for how important a release it was for them — but wherever you number it in their discography, the fact remains they are uniquely suited to portraying this album’s theme. Cleaving skulls may not be anything new for Conan, but they’ve gotten awfully efficient at it, and Violence Dimension works well to tie in elements they’ve introduced over the last few outings while lowering a tonal palette of concrete riffs onto the collective chest of their audience. Very much what one would hope for a sixth or seventh Conan album, in other words.
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 3rd, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Topped off with Bongzilla and Conan, you wouldn’t accuse the lineup of Doom City Fest 2025 of not getting its point across in saying, “hi this year’s gonna be really frickin’ heavy.” And so it will, with Dopethrone backing those two weighty names — the former legends in the field of crusty stoner ultrasludge, the latter a singularly flattening entity in decpitation-prone doom charge — with their signature gritty sludge extremity, as long-running death-doomers Majestic Downfall from Santiago de Querétaro, Monterrey’s Black Glow, Mexico City’s Oculto and the fest-associated Vinnum Sabbathi (the latter also touring Europe this summer) give representation to the domestic Mexican underground, Black Tusk like Bongzilla are imported from Mexico’s increasingly embarrassing northern neighbors, while Bitterdusk journey north from Chile to take part in the all-dayer set for May 24.
There’s a bit of variety in terms of sound between the bands, but what it all rounds out to is the initial proposition: heft. These acts are united by a love and worship of capital ‘r’ Riffing, and as Mexico City’s heavy scene continues to flourish, Doom City provides a showcase for some of that and what looks like a killer day besides. The poster and full lineup announcement came through social media as follows:
💀 DOOM CITY FEST 2025 💀 We present you the lineup of the third edition of the thickest, loudest and highest voltage festival in the CDMX:
The news you need: Conan‘s seventh LP, Violence Dimension, is out April 25 as their first release through Heavy Psych Sounds. Between that and the player below premiering “Frozen Edges of the Wound,” if you want to skip everything else I have to say here, I’m not going to hold it against you. Sometimes a thing wants urgent listening. That should certainly apply to new Conan.
Violence Dimension follows 2022’s Evidence of Immortality (review here), which saw the band widen their atmospheric focus, experimenting with drone and weight beyond the all-out tonal crush that is their hallmark. Those looking for progression in that will want to pay attention to “Vortexxion” — listed as a bonus track — but the 10-minute “Ocean of Boiling Skin” just prior has a quiet middle to preface the album’s crescendo. That’s an important part of who Conan are as they push toward 20 years since guitarist/vocalist Jon Davis first got the band going, but it’s not the only talking point. Though consistent in production thanks to the work of longtime Conan collaborator and former bassist/vocalist Chris Fielding, Violence Dimension further stands out as the first full-length to feature Fielding‘s replacement, bassist David Ryley, known for his work in Fudge Tunnel.
I don’t think you’d be wrong to listen to “Frozen Edges of the Wound” premiering on the player below and imagine you’re hearing some extra crunch in Conan‘s riffing, a bit of noise rock working itself into one of doom’s heaviest sounds. Conan have a strong sense of identity to their work — you know it when you’re hearing them — but as time goes on, they also continue to find new methods and ideas to explore in their work. The lineup change presents some shift in dynamic, but Conan are who they are and aren’t the types to fix what was never broken in the first place. So much the better for the creative path they’re on.
April 25 is the release date. Conan do a quick swing through the Pacific Coast of Asia at the end of February and will continue on from there to New Zealand and Australia. All confirmed shows I’ve seen are below, but yes, more touring is likely, especially as they’ve already been confirmed for Desertfest London 2025 this May.
Enjoy the track:
Conan, “Frozen Edges of the Wound” track premiere
CONAN – New album “Violence Dimension” out April 25th on Heavy Psych Sounds
About the album: “Violence Dimension is our 7th full length release. We have come quite a distance in time and space since we released Horseback in 2010. One thing that binds us all is violence be that within a video game or in a movie or on the daily news. Violence affects our daily life perhaps more than love or kindness ever will. We are all bound by death whether we like it or not. This release explores the hinterland between being scared to live and bring scared to die and punches holes in the idea that we must live our life by one set of rules. We all live in the violence dimension and there is no escape.”
About the song: “A song for anyone fighting, whether that be an external or internal foe. Have strength for death comes to us all, just don’t make it an easy kill.”
Tracklist: 1. Foeman’s Flesh 2. Desolation Hexx 3. Total Bicep 4. Violence Dimension 5. Frozen Edges of The Wound 6. Warpsword 7. Ocean of Boiling Skin 8. Vortexxion (bonus track)
CONAN (UK) ASIA TOUR 2025 2/24 Mon – Tokyo 2/25 Tue – Osaka 2/26 Wed – Tokyo 2/27 Thu – Taipei 2/28 Fri – Singapore 3/2 Sun – Bangkok
CONAN (UK) NEW ZEALAND TOUR w/ BORER Thu 6 March | Valhalla, Wellington Fri 7 March | Sydenham Underpass, Christchurch Sat 8 March | Double Whammy, Auckland
CONAN (UK) AUSTRALIA TOUR 2025 w/ PALLBEARER Wed 12 March | Max Watts, Melbourne Thurs 13 March | Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide Fri 14 March | Crowbar, Sydney Sat 15 March | Crowbar, Brisbane
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 6th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
In addition to the shows listed below for tours in Asia and Australia, Conan have already confirmed for Spring 2025 appearances at Hellfest in June, and Desertfest London and Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Italy in May, so safe to say the crush-prone UK three-piece are going to do some traveling even after this big trip for February and March is done. US in the summer? Misses some Eurofests, but Conan have done just about all of them, and they’ll have just been out in Spring, so their bases are covered either way. I don’t know.
Wherever and whenever they end up, you know Conan aren’t going to let a new album go unsupported, and their new album, as their latest newsletter informs, is finished. Not saying I’ve heard the masters or anything, but it is on-form and as massive as one would expect/hope while pushing a bit deeper into the ambience of the last record and introducing David Ryley on bass in place of Chris Fielding, shifting the dynamic there a bit. It’s a little more noise rock, actually. Rawer in its shove than Conan have wanted to be in a while, but in a way that suits them. Not that I’d know.
Maybe you fly to Tokyo to see Conan in February? Trip of a lifetime, it could be.
Some of the below comes from the newsletter and the dates come from socials. Ticket links are confusing but that’s the age we live in and if you don’t want global concert monopolies, you might have to click a different link to buy a ticket in your region. A minor consideration among this future’s many horrors. I’m probably also missing a bunch of dates, so make sure you confirm some shit before you sell your car and uproot your life to get a plane ticket to Japan.
Dig it:
***CONAN – NEW ALBUM NEWS***
Our new album is DONE. It is now with Heavy Psych Sounds while they set up their PR and pre order systems. Be aware that we will have a very limited edition hand numbered version of this release with a very special insert, that will be available with our version only. We will not be advertising our version on social media, but nevertheless it will be made available here via our mailing list on the 5th February at noon, UK time. Please set an entry into your diary, you don’t want to miss this.
TOURING / FESTIVALS
We have released dates for 2025, with shows happening in Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia so far. There are MANY more more to come, so keep an eye on our social media posts in the coming months.
CONAN (UK) ASIA TOUR 2025 2/24 Mon – Tokyo 2/25 Tue – Osaka 2/26 Wed – Tokyo 2/27 Thu – Taipei 2/28 Fri – Singapore 3/2 Sun – Bangkok
CONAN (UK) AUSTRALIA TOUR 2025 w/ PALLBEARER Wed 12 March | Max Watts, Melbourne Thurs 13 March | Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide Fri 14 March | Crowbar, Sydney Sat 15 March | Crowbar, Brisbane
CONAN (UK) NEW ZEALAND TOUR w/ BORER Thu 6 March | Valhalla, Wellington Fri 7 March | Sydenham Underpass, Christchurch Sat 8 March | Double Whammy, Auckland
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 4th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Now we’re talking. If you weren’t expecting Desertfest London to drop a fresh batch of 20 names for its 2025 lineup, well, happy holidays. There’s a ton to unpack here, from Pallbearer and Conan — who’ll tour together in Australia before — to Kind making the trip to Boston, Elephant Tree signing on for what will surely be a celebration, Earth joining the ranks of the thus-far headliners Zeal & Ardor and Elder, Hippie Death Cult, The Hazytones (who rule, look them up), and a new Isaiah Mitchell collab called Chöd (I guess Brü couldn’t make it?) — it’s a ton of stuff and you can see on the poster below it’s just the tip of the Desertfest iceberg.
As a flagship of the Desertfest brand alongside Berlin, the London lineup should be stunning, and it is. Whether you’re going for Stoned Jesus, Amenra or 10,000 Years and the slew of others making their first appearances, 2025 promises to be a landmark for those lucky enough to be there to see it.
Could be you if you’re up for it. Here’s the latest:
DESERTFEST LONDON ANNOUNCES 20 NEW ARTISTS FOR 2025
The time has come for our next artist announcement! We are over the moon to welcome Seattle veterans of drone n doom EARTH as our third 2025 headliner, joining Zeal & Ardor and Elder. This appearance marks the band’s first UK show in 5 years as well as their first time on the DF London stage.
Arkansas doom quartet Pallbearer will join our stacked Saturday line up at Roundhouse, while homegrown local heroes Conan will make their long awaited return to Desertfest London.
We will also welcome the UK debut of Chöd, an audio-visual collaboration between Isaiah Mitchell (Earthless), artist Arik Roper, and Doc Kelley (Psychedelic Sangha) that is sure to take you on a psychedelic meditative journey for the ages.
Please welcome our latest additions to Desertfest London 2025:
↠ Earth headlining Sunday at Electric Ballroom ↠ Pallbearer ↠ Conan ↠ Elephant Tree ↠ Chöd ↠ Hippie Death Cult ↠ Castle Rat ↠ Avon ↠ Green Milk from the Planet Orange ↠ Servo ↠ Mr Bison ↠ Kind ↠ El Moono ↠ The Hazytones ↠ King Botfly ↠ Lust Ritual ↠ Slump ↠ Witchorious ↠ The Summit Fever ↠ Dresden Wolves
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 19th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Been about five minutes since we had some Conan news, hmm? I’d say that makes us due. The UK everythingcrushers will journey to Australia in the New Year to support Pallbearer — who also crush, but with feelings — for four shows in four days. Yeah, it’s not by any means the most extensive tour, even of Australia, but the gigs will be frickin’ awesome for the people who get to see them.
By the time they head out on this run, we’ll likely have word of Conan‘s next full-length being released — the band are set to record later this month at Foel Studios with now-former bassist Chris Fielding at the helm (like old times) — as their first offering for Heavy Psych Sounds. If all goes well, a Spring release doesn’t seem like a crazy expectation. Imagine it, new life sprouting and here comes a brand-spanking-new Conan record to snuff it out and return us to the frostbitten cruelties of tonal (nuclear) winter. Could hardly be more perfect.
Something to look forward to. Maybe you’ll get to one of these shows and maybe not. If not, rest assured Conan will have more coming as they’re likely planning to spend the bulk of 2025-26 supporting the still-to-be-tracked album hither and yon. I’ll do my best to keep up with the announcements. Here’s this one for now:
We are VERY excited to head to Australia again. This time with @pallbearer. From the socials of @UnitedFront.
“United Front Touring Presents
PALLBEARER AUSTRALIAN TOUR w/ Special guests CONAN
Renowned doom metal merchants Pallbearer make their return to Australia in March 2025 for an electrifying tour promising to deliver their signature blend of haunting melodies and crushing riffs. Joining them on all dates will be special guests UK doom metal titans Conan!
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 31st, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Conan have kept themselves plenty busy between North American and European jaunts over the last year-plus (also the last decade-plus), but at the end of November, the three-piece of Jon Davis, David Ryley and Johnny King will hit up Foel Studios to begin the recording process for their next record. It will be the first since Ryley joined the band on bass/backing vocals late in 2023, and it sees their former bassist, Chris Fielding, shift back into the producer role for Conan as he’s held for countless others at this point, and their sixth album, coming in behind 2022’s Evidence of Immortality (review here) with this year’s self-released DIY Series, Issue 1 EP (review here) keeping the momentum going in between.
This isn’t the most expansive announcement, as you’ll see. It came with a holiday merch update — Conan always have a killer sweater design at the ready for those feeling cheeky — but as it confirmed they’re on track for the Spring 2025 release that was floated in June when they signed to Heavy Psych Sounds, and as it heralds new stuff from them either way, I figured it was good news and good news is welcome by me. Conan have one more date for 2024 to go, in The Netherlands, following up on their stop at Desertfest Belgium this month, and you can read more about that below as well. No surprise they note that plans for more touring are in the works. That’s how they do. Pro fuggin’ shop.
Words in blue from the aforementioned update. Sign up for newsletters, people. These things exist for a reason:
CONAN – NEW ALBUM
We record our new album at the end of November with Chris Fielding, in Foel Studio. This will be released on Heavy Psych Sounds. We are super excited to get into the studio and build upon these awesome demo’s we have in hand. We think you’re all going to love it.
As for 2025….. We have a LOT of touring and festivals planned. You’ll hear about them in due course. Rest assured, no matter where you are on this planet, we’ll likely be playing close to you. More on that soon.
CONAN is Jon Davis – Vocals/Guitars Johnny King – Drums David Ryley – Bass
