Posted in Whathaveyou on January 5th, 2015 by JJ Koczan
It’ll be a riffy couple days in March when Doctor Smoke and Wasted Theory combine forces for a weekender to close out the month. For Wasted Theory, who reside in Delaware, they’ll be making their way more or less around their stomping ground of Philly, York, and Brooklyn, but Doctor Smoke are making the trek east from Ohio for the occasion, and upon doing so, they’ll meet up not only with D.C. heavy rockers Borracho, but Boston’s Gozu as well, who’ll help close out the three-date run with Wasted Theory, Doctor Smoke and Reign of Zaius at Bar Matchless in Brooklyn.
Both Wasted Theory and Doctor Smoke are supporting albums released last year. Doctor Smoke‘s The Witching Hour is the more recent of the two, and while they toured the east coast in 2014 on the heels of their prior demo, this will be the first time they’re on the coast since their debut hit. Again, for Wasted Theory, they’re on familiar turf, but since their own full-length debut, Death and Taxes (review here), came out last Spring, I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a new cut or two to work into their set, and I’ve yet to see them that they haven’t delivered live.
Dates and info follow for the tour, which kicks off March 26:
Ohio Occult-Rockers Doctor Smoke team up with Delaware Riff Slingers Wasted Theory for a 3-day run in March 2015.
Thursday, March 26th 2015 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie*
Friday, March 27th 2015 York, Pennsylvania @ The Depot* *With support from Washington DC Heavy Groove Dealers and Desertfest 2014 alums Borracho!
Saturday, March 28th 2015 Brooklyn, New York @ Bar Matchless* *With support from Small Stone Records and Desertfest 2014’s very own GOZU!
If Wasted Theory‘s intent in naming their self-released debut full-length Death and Taxes was to call to mind “sure things,” then they’ve chosen wisely. Accordingly, the eight-track, 34-minute stomper from the Southern-minded Delaware double-guitar foursome unpretentiously plays off any number of them, be it crunching heavy riffs, “whiskey-soaked” throaty vocals, lyrics about booze and cars, or classic stoner metal grooves. As Wasted Theory‘s first long-player, it builds on the steady momentum the band — comprised of guitarist/vocalist Larry Jackson, Jr., guitarist Dave McMahon, bassist Jonathan Charles and drummer/lyricist Brendan Burns (also the organizer of the Eye of the Stoned Goat festival series) — built over the course of the last couple years and two EPs, 2012’s Cinco Dechado de Cancionand 2013’s GodSpeed(discussed here), as well as a split with Jaw Horse to result in a cohesive outing based around familiar ideals. There are selections and sections where it feels like they’re playing more to expectation, particularly late on the album with the closing duo of “Tire Iron (The Stone Giant)” and “Black Widow Liquor Run,” but they never fail to engage with strongly constructed hooks and a clear-cut love of The Riff. I refuse to rag on a self-releasing band’s debut for delving into the cliché. That’s what debuts are for, and it’s to the credit of Wasted Theory that the professionalism of their production — Death and Taxeswas engineered by Paul Janocha at Ken-Del Studios in Wilmington, DE — might draw out the expectation of a more established individual sensibility. Ultimately, there are parts of their game Wasted Theory are still figuring out and parts they very much have nailed down. The “be very heavy” is taken care of.
As is the songwriting. Front to back, Death and Taxesdelivers on what the live-recorded GodSpeedpromised, which was that Wasted Theory were well on their way toward crafting lasting heavy hooks that stayed with the listener after playback stopped. Across the board the album seems to work in pairs, and cuts like opener “Dead is Dead” and the ensuing shuffle of “Boogie on Pony Boy” immediately establish the band’s methodology without giving away the total stylistic range, nestling into the particularly American dudely burl that has emerged over the course of the last several years in the wake of Down, C.O.C., Clutch, and particularly in Wasted Theory‘s case, Alabama Thunderpussy, whose earlier days seem to find a modern reinterpretation in Jackson‘s vocals. Retaining their penchant for nod-ready pacing, “Hellfire Ritual” and “Hexes” — which also appeared in that order on the Jaw Horse split — add in a less jammy take on some of Wo Fat‘s swampadelia, the latter standing out as a particularly strong ending to what would no doubt be the end of a vinyl side A before the vibe gets pushed even further on the feedback-intro’ed “Celestial Voodoo Lounge,” the only track on Death and Taxesto saunter past the five-minute mark. As side B should, “Celestial Voodoo Lounge” expands the sonic palette, with a more subdued verse and play of open parts off denser stretches, riffs at the fore either way. “Celestial Voodoo Lounge” is paired next to “Absinthe Queen,” the shortest of the bunch at 3:18, which strips the approach down to its barest parts and gives a no-frills showcase of the structures Wasted Theory are working with, verses and choruses intertwining smoothly before a guitar solo leads the way to the finish. It is both well executed and, by then, well expected.
Posted in Bootleg Theater on January 15th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Less than two months after playing this show at Mojo Main in Newark, Delaware, on Nov. 5, 2011, Premonition 13 played their last gig. I saw them close out this tour about two week after the Delaware gig, in Brooklyn with Kings Destroy and The Gates of Slumber (review here), and they were killer, but the next thing I knew, they had canceled dates on their subsequent European run, and that was the end of it. I don’t know what happened in the band, but it didn’t seem to have ended well, and Premonition 13 have been quickly forgotten in the timeline of Scott “Wino”Weinrich‘sprojects, between reunions the last couple years with Saint Vitus, The Obsessed and now Spirit Caravan. Their debut (and, it would seem, final) album, 13 (review here), had a few killer tracks, but has kind of been swallowed up by everything else Wino has had going on, between those bands and solo acoustic work, which was already also underway by the time Premonition 13 started playing out.
But though it was probably the shortest-lived of groups in which Wino has taken part, Premonition 13 had one thing to distinguish it even more than a second guitarist in Jim Karow — it had the jam. Even before they added the “13” to the end of their name, when they first started playing out, they were basically a heavy jam band. Songs emerged from those jams and that’s what you got on the album, but jamming was at the heart of their sound, and when I saw them in Brooklyn, they ended the set with a jam just to hold firm to that spirit. Thinking about it now, I can’t help but wonder if 13might have been received differently if they had presented more longer-form material — even if they kept song structures and added jams in for a few songs — but it’s moot because the band is apparently done. So it goes.As much fun as they were to watch on stage, I doubt anyone’s going to argue against another chance to see The Obsessed or Spirit Caravan instead.
Still, this jam, filmed by John Verica in Delaware on Nov. 5, 2011, showcases what split Premonition 13 from all of Wino‘s other bands to date, and emphasizes the dynamic between Wino and Karow that worked so well on stage. Please enjoy and have a great Wino Wednesday:
Premonition 13, Live Jam in Newark, Delaware, Nov. 5, 2011
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 6th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
It just goes to show you can’t ever really count out a heavy band. All those groups who say they’re done forever? Yeah, here comes Bang with a show booked at J.B. McGinnes in New Castle, Delaware, on Jan. 31. Sure, it’s been over 40 years since their self-titled came out — also a decade since Rise Above reissued it and since they last put anything out or played a gig — but never say never in doom. Even proto-doom.
The show info is in the Thee Facebooks link below (or in the paragraph above, since that’s really all there is to know), and the full story of the reunion follows here, courtesy of the PR wire:
Start The Year Off With BANG! US 70’s Proto-Metal Power Trio BANG Return!
Often called America’s answer to Black Sabbath, one of the most unsung bands in the history of US hard rock music, BANG, is back! With the heaviness of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, coupled with the groove of Grand Funk Railroad, BANG released three critically acclaimed albums on Capitol Records in the early 1970s before disappearing into obscurity for a number of years. Says original drummer and founding member Tony Diorio, “Basically we’re back to finish what was started a long time ago and cut short by forces out of our control.”
The 1971 self-titled debut album ‘BANG’ is considered an important forerunner to the early Doom Metal genre. Undoubtedly one of America’s heaviest ‘proto-metal’ bands from the period, BANG also had a strong sense of melodic power. The band’s versatility and songwriting skills are second to none. Highly regarded as a cult act by many for years, it’s now time for this truly amazing rock band to be enjoyed by a new audience worldwide!
Back in the spring of 1972, BANG was shaping up to be the proverbial ‘next big thing’. Signed a few months earlier to Capitol Records, the band’s first single “Questions” was taking off in the BillboardHot 100. With the enthusiastic support of their record label, the trio’s self-titled debut album was also climbing in the charts. The group’s management had them opening shows for just about every major band of the era. Moreover, BANG had recently opened for their all time favorite band Black Sabbath, and by common consensus of opinion, stole the show! With two band members, guitarist Frank Gilcken and lead singer/bassist Frank Ferrara, still in their teens, and drummer/lyricist Tony Diorio, BANG seemed to be unstoppable!
Somehow, though, it didn’t quite work out. Even as “Questions” was charting, a corporate shakeup at Capitol saw the band’s supporters moving on and replaced by A&R men who had their own signings to promote. With the band’s producer, Michael Sunday, also leaving the label, BANG’s support system was crumbling. Their new producer engineered a change in personnel that led to drummer/lyricist Tony Diorio’s departure. Meanwhile, the label insisted that BANG develop a more mainstream, pop oriented sound. Trying to keep the dream alive, they changed management companies, only to discover that they were being blacklisted, making gigs scarce. With a much more commercial approach, the group released a 3rd album, ‘BANG Music’ in 1973, which, although did contain some great songs and performances, failed to chart. By 1974, just a couple of years after their initial success, a tired and disillusioned BANG had lost their direction, momentum and self-belief. They went their separate ways.
Despite the relative briefness of their career, BANG left behind a powerful recorded legacy: four albums, including their unreleased 1971 concept album ‘Death Of A Country’, as well as a trio of non-album tracks that were recorded as singles when their deal with Capitol was about to expire. In 1996, much to everyone’s surprise, BANG reunited! The band recorded and released in 1998 a new album titled ‘Return To Zero’, with the more metal-oriented album titled ‘The Maze’ (featuring new versions of old favorites “Love Sonnet” and “Bow To The King”) following in 2004, proving once again that the band still had the magic that made them great back in the early 70’s!
And now, much to the excitement of their fans, BANG is preparing to play live in 2014! The group is currently rehearsing for shows in the new year. Says Tony, “We will be webcasting all our shows and fans can sign up in our forum to be notified of dates.” Frank Ferrara adds, “The three of us realized that BANG was still a musical force. And even though a lot of years have passed, we were writing songs as if it were yesterday. The dream is alive, and with renewed thirst and love of the music, we are resuming our quest.” With drummer Matt Calvarese, and the Franks, the band will remain a three piece, sounding just like the records!
Delaware-based four-piece Wasted Theory will release their second EP, GodSpeed, this coming Saturday at a show in their native state with Weed is Weed, War Injun, Foghound and Screaming Rattler at the Mojo 13 in Wilmington. The new release continues a quick start for Wasted Theory, who formed summer 2012 with riffs in hand and quickly set to work on putting them to use for their debut, the Cinco Dechado De Cancion EP, released last fall.
GodSpeedfollows a similar course to the first outing in its overall style, but is more developed, a song like “Mountain King” dripping Southern rock swagger à la Halfway to Gone‘s “Great American Scumbag” while relying on a foundation of riffs strong enough to hold up all that attitude. The dual guitars of Jackson (also vocals) and M. Kramer foster metallic tones, while Jay‘s bass — most prevalent in its intro to “Fuck You and the Horse You Rode in On” before being relegated to a backseat to the guitars in the mix — thickens in heavy rock tradition and BrendanBurns‘ drums punctuate the formidable stomp.
Burns doubles as the honcho of SnakeCharmer Booking, responsible for some righteous shows in the Delaware/Maryland area including the Eye of the Stoned Goat fests — the second of which took place last month (review here) and the third of which is Obelisk-sponsored and coming up July 27 at The Acheron in Brooklyn. So with the release of GodSpeedthis week, the upcoming gig, the drummer’s involvement in making the Mid-Atlantic that much heavier, and Wasted Theory‘s slot on Stoner Hands of Doom XIII later this year in Virginia, it seemed like a good opportunity to bug them with Six Dumb Questions, which fortunately they were kind enough to take time out to answer.
You’ll find the results below. Please enjoy:
1. Give me the background on how Wasted Theory got together.
With Delaware being so small, we all knew the same drug dealers, (just kidding)… WastedTheory was the result of many shitty auditions and failed project attempts. In the summer of 2012 we finally found a good combination of players, and it just clicked. We all came from semi-professional music backgrounds, so for us the main objective was to find musicians with the same goals but with different influences to create a style that spanned several styles within the rock genre.
2. It seems like you guys got Cinco Dechado De Canción out rather quickly after forming. How did the writing process for the material work? How does that compare to the process for GodSpeed? Is there anything in particular you were looking to change going into the new release?
It was definitely a speedy process, because most of what Cinco was made up of was riffs and lyrics that everyone already had and were combined and rewritten to fit the new framework of the band. For Godspeed, we wrote new riffs and gradually took everyone’s input and created the music from the ground up. In many ways Godspeed could be considered our first true collaboration in the respect that it was written from fresh ideas rather than existing ones. As far as changes, we wanted to experiment and start using different guitar tones, time signatures, as well as playing with some different effects. We also used some audio samples to help create a more themed and cohesive album. Also, I believe Mark may have also started purchasing a different grade of marijuana… that helped too.
3. Tell me about recording GodSpeed. Was there anything you wanted to do differently coming off the first EP? Will you guys do a physical pressing for GodSpeed, or is it digital-only at this time?
We definitely were looking to go a little more heavy, but also a little more “C.O.C.-ish” on some tracks. We wanted to add some more ambience, add some different “bluesy” highlights as well, but at the same time show our versatility and basically our ability to play different forms of the same genre. Oh Yes, there are physical copies of Godspeed that can be purchased at our shows or overseas through Ozium, and it will also be available digitally through iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, all those cool places.
4. Brendan put together the Eye of the Stoned Goat fests and you guys and Wizard Eye will be the only bands to have played all three installments so far when the next one takes place in July. Can you talk a bit about the process in putting together this festival and what it is about Wizard Eye that has made them such a regular fixture? Aside from their kicking ass, that is.
In all honesty, I really dug what Rob [Levey] was doing with Stoner Hands of Doom and I really wanted to do something similar for my area. After the ESG2 festival, I was contacted by several venues and promoters about doing the same type of festival in their towns, and I really loved the idea of doing one in New York. So, I teamed up with Pat Harrington from Geezer/the Electric Beard of Doom podcast and landed a spot at The Acheron in Brooklyn for ESG3. He and I worked on locking this show down, and landed some amazing bands for it. One of those bands naturally was WizardEye. Not only are they a great band, but great dudes too. Erik [Caplan] has been one of my biggest supporters since the first event, and they just fit each bill so perfectly.
5. You’ll play Stoner Hands of Doom later this year as well. How did that come about? Any chance of an ESG/SHOD collaboration in the future?
We would fucking love to collaborate with Rob and do an ESG/SHoD show, that would be killer. It could definitely happen in the future, who knows! We actually just happened to land a spot on this year’s show by dumb luck. We sent Rob a track from the first EP and he really dug it and asked us to join SHoD XIII. Obviously we told him fuck yeah!
6. Any other plans or closing words you want to mention?
We’ll be heading out to do tons of shows with tons of great bands this year, so please check out our site for all the dates and bands we’ll be teaming up with. Oh, and please buy the record! We are all late on our child support payments… Thank you.
Posted in Reviews on February 11th, 2013 by JJ Koczan
What was clear at the outset was that it was going to be a long night. With 10 bands in a matter of seven and a half hours, The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 was going to have to be a well-oiled machine to keep itself running anything close to smoothly. I arrived in New Castle, Delaware, shortly before the 5:30 start time and readied myself for the tide of riffs to come. The acts, there were many, did not disappoint in this regard.
JB McGinnes was the venue, located in a strip mall along a stretch shortly off I-95. I was immediately reminded of Krug’s Place in Frederick, Maryland, though the layout was different — Krug‘s is two separate rooms where JB McGinnes is a bar up front with the surprisingly large stage in back and no partition between — but the vibe was roughly the same. Food service available, some decent-enough beers if you’re looking for them, and an unpretentious vibe, somewhere between local townie, Irish and sports bar; pool tables off to one side, the kitchen (and ice cream parlor?) off to another.
The lineup ranged as far north as Pennsylvania and as far south as Maryland, and with Delaware acts Blackhand and Wasted Theory, the First State had its representation as well. Very much a regional representation, and clearly intended to be that. Thee Nosebleeds, one of several acts from Philly, started off just about on time and like a schmuck, I took notes throughout the course of the night. Here’s how it all went down:
Thee Nosebleeds
The West Philly trio got up to speed as their set went on, and I took it as a telling sign that two out of the three members wore shirts with Small Stone bands on them. Their music played out that grown-up punker sensibility, but the idea was heavy rock and it was an idea Thee Nosebleeds worked well within, playing songs that were strong in the chorus and straightforward without necessarily being boring. Vocalist/guitarist Kermit Lyman tore into several killer solos that immediately set a high standard for the night, and the band brought up Erik Caplan of Wizard Eye (a favor Caplan‘s unit would later return for Lyman) for a theremin guest spot that added some variety to the set. It was an energetic start, no frills and riffy, and in that way set the course for a lot of the evening to come.
Heavy Temple
Also a trio from Philly, but barely more than a month old and steeped in an entirely different kind of heaviness, Heavy Temple hit the stage quickly after Thee Nosebleeds wrapped. Acts shared backlined equipment all the way up until Iron Man however many hours later, but though they’re pretty clearly just starting out, Heavy Temple got their point across, blending thickened post-rock mysticism with rolling Sleep-style stoner groove. Bassist/vocalist Elyse Mitchell (ex-ChromeLord) donned a robe and black lipstick while guitarist Shawn Randles and drummer Andy Martin (the latter also of Clamfight) opted for more everyday costuming, but while they may have some presentation issues to work out, this being their first show, the songs seemed to be right where the band wanted them, and it was enough to make me look forward to how their organic tonality might develop. They had a different take than just about any other band on the bill, and the shift was welcome, if early.
Skeleton Hands
Last seen with Truckfighters in their native Philadelphia, single-guitar foursome Skeleton Hands had the first standalone frontman of the night in Pete Hagen, who introduced the band with suitable burl in a rasp of “Skeleton Hands, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!” before the testosterone-driven riffing began. Their set was tight, crisp and professional, heavy Southern metal guitar work with touches of Down or a much-less-Virginian Alabama Thunderpussy. That kind of thing doesn’t always work when yankees try it out — I didn’t even know Philadelphia had a bayou! — but Skeleton Hands were entertaining all the same and suited to the bigger stage at JB McGinnes. People were beginning to really file in as they played and they seemed to work quickly in getting a hook into the crowd, while also setting up a smooth transition into Blackhand to come, who shared a lot of their stylistic traits.
Blackhand
Newark, Delaware’s Blackhand (two “hand” bands in a row!) brought The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 to its apex of burl. The chest-thumping, boot-stomping double-guitar man-metal was like a supplement ad on late-night tv, but like Skeleton Hands, it was also a tight, pro set. Blackhand went even further into the Down/Pepper Keenan school of riffing, the two axes only adding to the overarching metallicism of what they were doing, and though their influences weren’t that far off from what Skeleton Hands or Wasted Theory still to come were working with, Blackhand were nothing if not distinct, proffering heavy rock for those perhaps looking to transition off Black Label Society into something with a little more underground flair. They also drew and held a solid crowd and I imagine made some new friends among those in the marching path of frontman Bruce Marvel, who made use of his wireless mic to stand on the speaker cabinets in front of the stage and make a rousing call to arms.
Wizard Eye
Tone! Don’t get me wrong, I get the appeal of the whole dudeliness-for-dudeliness’-sake thing, but when Wizard Eye got going, I felt like I’d just come home. The Philly three-piece — Erik Caplan on guitar/vocals/theremin, Dave on bass/vocals and Scott on drums — were the fuzziest band of the night, with a heaviness not so much displayed through aggression, but through the weight of the music itself. Caplan and Dave traded back and forth vocals and brought Thee Nosebleeds‘ Lyman up for a guest spot fronting the band, which he did with vicious energy and a more decidedly hardcore punk presence. Wizard Eye were refreshing and just the first of several acts still to come who need to get a record out. Their sound is too cohesive and too developed to have a demo’s production do it justice. Low end for days.
Wasted Theory
Fun fact: It was Wasted Theory drummer Brendan Burns who put together the whole bill for The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2. The fest was clearly a labor of love for Burns, who moonlights as SnakeCharmer Booking, and there’s little more respectable than that. His band brought the fest past the 9PM line and found the event running smoothly and with a good crowd at JB McGinnes between rocker heads, curious locals and a couple pool players toward the front, and Wasted Theory shifted the vibe sonically back toward the straightforward heavy rock of Thee Nosebleeds earlier, if blended with elements out of the more C.O.C.-inspired camp. They weren’t quite as nascent as Heavy Temple, but for having been together for less than a year, they seemed to have the idea down and guitarist/vocalist Jackson answered back Blackhand‘s Marvel by jumping on the speaker cabinet and the drum riser. The gauntlet? Thrown down.
Clamfight
It’s worth giving the disclaimer at this point that there’s just about no way I can be impartial when it comes to Clamfight. Aside from the whole helping them release I Versus the Glacier thing, I just dig them too much to offer any kind of valid critique. And so, from where I stood, from Andy Martin‘s first roar (no sign of exhaustion from the double-duty he pulled in Heavy Temple) to Sean McKee‘s first shrieking solo (wow was he loud in the mix), Joel Harris‘ riffing two-step and Louis Koble‘s in-pocket fills, I was on board already. “Sandriders” and “The Eagle” were awesome, don’t get me wrong, but the surprise of the night might have been when they broke out the ultra-brutal “Rabbit” from the first album as a closer. Clamageddon! Clampocalypse Now! A Clamtastrophe! It wasn’t like they’d been lacking in heavy up to that point, because they hadn’t, but that brought it to a different level entirely, the scathing intensity in the culminating groove an entirely different kind of chest-thumping — namely that done by the volume coming out of their cabinets and the air pushed through Martin‘s kick drum. Again, I’m not impartial in saying so, but they were the heaviest thing I saw all night, and the scariest part about it was that I don’t think they’ve even begun to peak as a band yet. I could go on. I won’t. But I could.
Beelzefuzz
Not living near them, I have too easy a time forgetting how good Beelzefuzz actually are. Conclusion? They need to get an album out. They had their 2012 demo for sale — along with some awesome-looking custom stash boxes that bassist Pug Kirby apparently crafted — and guitarist/vocalist Dana Ortt even mentioned the possibility of a new record on stage, citing the release date as, “eventually.” Bummer. Beelzefuzz have apparently hooked up with The Church Within Records, so I guess whenever it arrives, it’ll do so through that venerable imprint, but in the meantime, they had a killer set at Eye of the Stoned Goat much as they had at SHoD, and were greeted with due revelry by a host of the Maryland doom faithful who’d made the trip to New Castle. Ortt‘s guitar-as-organ and live multi-tracked vocals distinguished Beelzefuzz from everyone else in the lineup, and with Kirby and drummer Darin McCloskey‘s tight trad doom grooves, I just hope that when they finally get that album together, they manage to capture the depth of their approach as well as they carry it across live.
Iron Man
For the life of me, there needs to be a statue of “Iron” Al Morris III. Cast it in bronze and stick it right in the town center in Frederick, Maryland. I don’t know who you write to in order to make something like that happen, or even if Frederick has a town center, but seriously, Morris — 20 years on from putting out the first Iron Man CD — is worthy of inclusion in the discussion of Doom Capitol legends like Wino, Bobby Liebling and Dave Sherman. I mean that. The guy’s an icon and no one knows it, and he continues to press on with riff after riff, year after year. Frontman Dee Calhoun assured the crowd in a lengthy tuning break that the band would have a new full-length out this year — they’ve released two EPs since Calhoun joined — and the news was well met. Nothing against prior vocalist Joe Donnelly, but this being my second time seeing the band with Calhoun up front, his presence and singing style is a little more classic metal and it fits the band much better. The rhythm section of bassist Louis Strachan and drummer Jason “Mot” Waldmann made the rich grooves of “Groan” from the Dominance EP a highlight, but really, Iron Man‘s set just made me look forward to hearing what they’ll be able to do on their next record.
Pale Divine
It was late and I was beat. I don’t mind saying it. I sat at one of the tables by the side of the bar — I’d kind of moved around all night as I took notes in one spot and the next — and looked up to notice that JB McGinnes had left the tvs on for the entirety of the fest. Pale Divine and Avon Cosmetics commercials make for some pretty strange bedfellows. No wonder they didn’t book that licensing gig. The Pennsylvanian trio featured their latest album, 2012’s Painted Windows Black (review here), with cuts like “The Prophet” and set-highlight “Angel of Mercy,” and essentially playing in the dark suited the mood of their doom overall. With McCloskey returning on drum duty after playing with Beelzefuzz, guitarist/vocalist Greg Diener and bassist/vocalist Ron “Fez” McGinnis (also of Admiral Browning) explored a wrenching emotionality set to classic and traditional downtrodden riffing. Diener‘s voice in my experience is never lacking in power and presence, and anytime you put McGinnis on bass, it’s only going to make your band stronger. As technically proficient as he is bearded (and he’s plenty bearded), he’s apt to put all six of his strings to work at any given moment, and where on paper, considering Admiral Browning‘s frantic progressive instrumentalism, it might not seem like a natural fit, in reality he’s a highly adaptable musician as much at home in Pale Divine as I expect he would be on any end of the heavy spectrum. Some dudes can just play. Between his prowess, the band’s pervasive melancholy and lurching heaviness, Pale Divine made for a suitable finish to Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 and those who stuck around long enough to find out seemed to agree.
It was getting on 1:30AM by the time I left and a two-hour drive and some late-night diner burgers with good friends later, finally crashed out around four to get up the next morning and finish the drive home. As I’d known from the start it would be, it was a hell of a night, but there was a lot to see and I’ve no regrets for making the trip.
Thanks to Brendan Burns, Dustin “D-Money” Davis, Pamela Wolfe-Lyman, Chris Jones, Lew Hambly, George Pierro, John Eager and everyone else I was fortunate enough to be able to meet and hang out with in New Castle. Here’s looking forward to doing it all again next time.
Posted in Reviews on February 1st, 2010 by JJ Koczan
Both Count von Count and On the Radar veterans Electric Horsemen come out with riffs blazing on their limited-to-300-copies self-released split. The Muppetly-named Delaware four-piece start with “Pharmboss,” and the Lancaster County merchants come forth with “Prairie Witch.” It’s a short blip of a split with just those two tracks plus two others, but a loud one, and each act heaps a heavy shovel-load of sludge in their allotted time. They take turns, rather than divide up the disc into halves, which works here since they have such congruous sounds but might be awkward for bands not so similarly suited.
It’s riffs and screams on “Pharmboss,” which seems a simple enough post-Eyehategod formula until the song opens up to a massive stoner riff at 3:39, showing there’s more to Count von Count than trudging guitars and slow-paced maliciousness. When Electric Horsemen answer back with “Prairie Witch,” it’s almost an echo, since the song, despite some rawer production and volume difference, takes essentially the same tactic. Electric Horsemen sound a little dirtier, a little thicker, but if you were to put this disc on and go do laundry or whatever it is human beings do while they listen to music other than write about it in their pajamas, I’d doubt if the difference would take you aback at all.
Both Count von Count and 
