Seeing the appeal of Monolord‘s Empress Rising doesn’t require an especially deep dive. Issued in April 2014 through what was then EasyRider Records — and it was bullshit they had to change the name, but RidingEasy has certainly been no worse for the wear since — the Gothenburg, Sweden, trio’s debut full-length is comprised of five tracks running 46 minutes given to massive, tectonic tonality, far off, watery vocals, and a consuming, nigh-on-irresistible nodding groove that runs across the entirety of the thing regardless of the tempo or volume of what’s actually being played.

Guitarist/vocalist Thomas Jäger, bassist Mika Häkki and drummer/coffee-enthusiast Esben Willems hit into a time-tested/time-approved formula of tonal largesse and hard-hitting landing that, by the time they were halfway through the 12-minute opener and longest track (immediate points) “Empress Rising,” seemed to denote them with the sense of royalty they were conveying in the lyrical repetitions of the song’s/album’s title. Listening back to it with six subsequent years of hindsight, it feels like a clarion — a call to worship for the converted that caps with a swirling solo and moves smoothly into the next round of pummeling with the emergence of the instrumental “Audhumbla.”

And of course, by then, Empress Rising is well under way, and nearly a third of its runtime is dedicated to that leadoff track. Reasonably so. On paper, what makes Monolord‘s first outing so effective could hardly be simpler: it’s very, very heavy. But what that doesn’t tell you is how it’s heavy. I’m a fan generally of burying vocals in the mix to play up a notion of big-sounding guitar and bass, and certainly that’s going on here with Jäger‘s effects-laden voice cutting through as though up from a watery grave, but it’s also a question of impact with Monolord. Plenty of bands play loud, play thick, but Empress Rising brought a sense of hitting hard to that as well in Häkki‘s way, way underrated bass work and in Willems‘ drumming.

I remember hearing it at the time and placing the three-piece mentally in the kind of post-Electric Wizard sphere of riff-worship that had been taking shape since the Dorset doom legends put out Witchcult Today, but that’s not ultimately what Monolord were after in terms of style. Their approach to heavy throughout — and this was their first offering, the band having formed in 2013 with Jäger and Willems coming out of Marulk and Häkki, originally from Finland, a former member of Rotten Sound — was raw not in presentation, but in its core. It was a barebones, primitive take that nonetheless was able to harness memorable progressions through hammering riffs and repeated lines into the heads of their listeners. See “Empress Rising” itself, as well as “Harbinger of Death.” And if you weren’t a convert by then on your way to place a backpatch order, “Icon” and “Watchers of the Waste” stood like sentry reinforcements waiting to unleash further crush, each progression seeming to manifest the sound of a boulder rolling downhill, demolishing whatever might have the misfortune to be in its path.

They were well-hyped in 2014, and fair enough. What struck me the first time I saw them play live (review here) wasn’t just the size of the crowd they brought in, but indeed, the way they seemed to slam home each part of their songs, geared for maximum crater-making. However, what I didn’t take into account was how much their approach would resonate especially with a next-generation fanbase. Not the stonerrock.com crowd, but those finding bands through the YouTube algorithm, through social media word of mouth and other such Millennial/post-Millennial means. And how new to that crowd what Monolord were doing would be as “Watchers of the Waste” stomped to its swinging, would-be-languid-if-it-weren’t-so-bludgeoning, about-to-fall-apart-the-whole-time finish.

Not that those people hadn’t heard Sleep, Electric Wizard, etc., or couldn’t at that point have seen them play live, but the difference really is one of generation. Already so well established as leaders of genre and influential, those bands inherently couldn’t be fresh-sounding in the way a new group putting out their first record could. The energy behind Empress Rising was different, and it put a charge into those who heard it that quickly thrust Monolord into the upper echelon of heavy acts in the middle and later heavy ’10s, the arguments in the band’s favor much bolstered through the hard work they put in touring and the fact that they seemed to realize and take hold of the momentum as they were building it, returning to the studio on the quick to work on their next record.

When you think about bands who emerged over the last decade, the advent of Monolord and the brash way they elbowed into underground consciousness have to be considered. In a busy European sphere that a few years earlier saw the rise of Kadavar in similar generational circumstances — though of course a different aesthetic — Monolord flourished, and by meeting the demands of festivals from Roadburn to Freak Valley to Psycho Las Vegas, the band’s reputation only seemed to grow.

In 2015, they offered up the second LP, Vænir (review here), and that together with 2017’s Rust (review here) found them pushing forward in terms of sound, adding a feeling of space to the proceedings and beginning to take psychedelic cues building on elements like Jäger‘s vocals throughout Empress Rising or even the wah-coated lead that caps the title-track, by now a recognizable landmark for the band even as they’ve progressed beyond it in terms of their craft. In late 2018, they signed to Relapse Records and went on to offer my pick for 2019’s album of the year in No Comfort (review here), their fourth album a triumph that underscored the notion of their being a way forward for them creatively, so that they weren’t trapped or typecast by what they did on Empress Rising, but able to continue to grow as they will.

There was no way to know six years ago the band that Monolord would become over the next half-decade (-plus), but if you look beneath the earth-flattening force of Empress Rising, there are hints to find of what Vænir, Rust and No Comfort would bring. Think of it as having fun with hindsight. To wit, the record’s been through something like nine pressings and Monolord have put out an alternate version that’s all-instrumental (as they have for the second and third LPs, I think). One way or the other, Empress Rising was a crucial moment of arrival for a band whose influence could be almost immediately felt in the wake of their debut.

As always, I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.

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I shaved about two minutes off my run just now by making the simple decision to go faster. The mornings are darker than they were. A few weeks ago I’d watch the sun start to come up circa 5:45AM, now I’m out and back in the dark. It has been taking me, loosely, about 14 minutes to go 1.3 miles around my neighborhood, up the big hill, around through the little walking park, back down, up and around to the house. Doing that in 12 minutes isn’t breaking any land-speed records, I’m all too aware, but it was satisfying to decide to do a thing and to do it.

Among the things I most miss about having an (active) eating disorder is the sense of control. To be in charge of my body was a glorious thing. I decided what went in and when and how it came out. It was a beautiful, often disgusting, sometimes painful process. But what isn’t? I have felt myself out of control lately. I’ve also decided to grow out my beard a bit and that’s messing with my perception of how my face looks. But stress in the house, the dog, the kid, etc. It is a lot, and I have found that anytime I seem to feel anything, it manifests in food/weight-related concerns. It isn’t even conscious, but I’ve caught it happening after the fact and lately have asked myself, “Did I really have too much almond butter for dessert or am I just tired of stepping in dog piss EVERY FUCKING DAY?”

You know, the big, important questions.

“Don’t be crazy,” has ascended to the level of personal mantra.

I’m so ready to get rid of the dog. So ready. The Pecan is now pointedly scared of being near her, because she jumps on him and bites him, and even as he’s swinging his arms and legs to hit and kick her will yell “No Omi!” as loud as he can. Unfortunately — I would argue for everyone — as ready as I am, I’m equal parts not-in-charge of making that decision. Apparently.

Today is my 16th wedding anniversary. 09.25.04. Morale in the house is low. The Patient Mrs. is teaching an extra online class this semester and that, in combination with reworking her regular classes to suit pandemic-time teaching, has resulted in her spending longer days in front of her laptop doing the less-preferred parts of her job. I am a fucking wretch, as usual. Heightened only by the dog, who as I see it has made everything worse while bringing zero joy into the house. Zero. No joy. It has been well over two months at this point. Net negative.

The Pecan is getting up. He will run in the closet soon and take a dump, then need to be changed. He will delay on his way down the stairs and then kick me when I finally lay him down to change his diaper because, well, he hates getting his diaper changed and has since he was about four months old and was capable of forming an opinion about anything. One might think such a child would embrace the notion of potty-training, but then one would be showing an incomplete awareness of toddler-logic, which is to say, the logic one might encounter from the average chimpanzee or a super-smart potbelly pig. He’ll be three next month and has had a runny nose for the last three weeks.

It has been… a challenge. I took a whole xanax yesterday afternoon and fell asleep on the couch while he beat me with Matchbox cars. First thing he did when I got him yesterday afternoon from upstairs after he blew off his nap — fucking again — was smack me in the groin. Granted that’s about at his smacking level, height-wise, but I wasn’t splitting hairs so much at the time as I was seeing stars. Doesn’t even matter anymore.

He had his speech assessed this week, and we haven’t gotten the official scorecard yet — which I’m assuming is somehow sponsored by the new Dew Garita! — but the teacher was impressed with his vocabulary. They must have asked him about trucks. Kid can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the difference between a front-end loader and a backhoe, and if you don’t already know that difference, drop me a comment and I’ll be glad to fill you in.

We’re going to Connecticut today, staying over at The Patient Mrs.’ mother’s not-winterized place on the shoreline. I haven’t slept there yet this season, but I prefer it there Spring and Fall anyway, as it gets too hot for me in July/August. Anyway, We were going to go Saturday but our niece texted and asked if she could hang out with us while her mother and brother did something else and fucking a, I’ll drive north in I-95 afternoon traffic for that kid any and every day of the week. She was born the night Obama got elected. It was magic. A hope for a greater future that would seem to have evaporated in the looming, swollen face of fascism.

I don’t think I have time to get into the American political situation. I’ll say rest in peace RBG, they should’ve indicted those cops in Louisville who straight-up murdered Breonna Taylor in bed, and hooray for 200,000 COVID deaths! That’s like a fifth of the global total! Come on people, winter’s coming. I know we can hit 300k by January! USA! USA! USA!

Also, Biden’s gonna lose. Even if he wins, he’ll lose. Calling it now. I’ll be like doom metal’s own Nate Silver — everything predicted in the most pessimistic terms possible. “Uh, well Brian, current polls show we’re universally fucked.”

But hey, I gotta go get this kid from upstairs and then get in the shower because I stink like the fetid corpse of American democracy. Who fucking cares how Aaron Sorkin would write it? The New York Times is clueless. Post another news piece about the super-rich home-schooling their children while sailing around the world, why don’t you? Really live up to that East Coast liberal elite stereotype. Fucking hell.

Have a great and safe weekend. Wear your mask and for god’s sake put your fucking nose in it. Jesus. How hard is that?

I’m off. Gimme show and lots of good reviews next week. Don’t forget to hydrate. So important. And this went longer than I originally intended, so thanks again for reading if you made it this far.

FRM.

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This kind of thing happens every now and again throughout the course of a year, where there just happens to be one day filled with killer releases. It’s convenient if periodically overwhelming, and even in this age of preorders and stuff just showing up in the mail — a somewhat disconnected process compared to going to a shop and asking at the counter if something is in yet, but again, convenient — a day like that can be special. I remember days like that going back a longer time than I care to admit, and yesterday was definitely one of them as well.

If you felt the North American continent rumble just a little bit, that was probably just the combined weight — applied one on the West Coast, one on the East — of Fu Manchu and Floor putting out records at the same time. What will no doubt be two of 2014’s best releases when the year is done both arrived on April 29, but they were hardly the end of the story. In case you missed any of it, here’s a convenient (there’s that word again), alphabetically-organized assemblage from which to organize yourself before payday:

1. Floor, Oblation

Released by Season of Mist. File picking up the first Floor record since 2004’s Dove as a no-brainer. The Miami trio of guitarist/vocalist Steve Brooks, guitarist Anthony Vialon (interview here) and drummer Henry Wilson have been kicking around doing stuff live since a little while after they released their 8CD Below and Beyond box set in 2009, but Oblation (review here) is the new album and spiritual successor to 2002’s landmark self-titled outing. Following that one up is no easy task and they know it, but I think history will serve Oblation well in the long run, songs like “Love Comes Crushing” and the eight-minute “Sign of Aeth” expanding the sludge-pop formula that made Floor‘s early work so vital without sacrificing the hooks that at this point have spanned more than a decade en route towards timelessness. Floor on Thee Facebooks.

Floor, Oblation (2014)

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2. Fu Manchu, Gigantoid

Released by At the Dojo. The first new Fu Manchu self-release after two full-lengths on Century Media and a handful of reissues through their own imprint, Gigantoid brings a rawer sound from the widely influential SoCal fuzz stalwarts. They recorded with Moab guitarist Andrew Giacumakis, and while the album boasts some quintessential examples of what’s always made the Fu‘s songwriting so infectious — looking at you, “Anxiety Reducer” and “Radio Source Sagittarius” — their hardcore punk roots come through on “No Warning” and Gigantoid rounds out with an extended jam led by bassist Brad Davis on “Last Question” and filled out through a barrage of effects from guitarist Bob Balch. If I can get to it today I’ll have an interview up with guitarist/vocalist Scott Hill (otherwise tomorrow), and a review is forthcoming, but the short version is Gigantoid is one of the year’s best, no doubt. Fu Manchu on Thee Facebooks.

Fu Manchu, Selections from Gigantoid (2014)

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3. Jeremy Irons and the Ratgang Malibus, Spirit Knife

Released by Small Stone. Swedish upstarts Jeremy Irons and the Ratgang Malibus offer engaging touches of heavy psychedelic blues and expanded-definition stoner rock on their third long-player and Small Stone debut, Spirit Knife (stream/video premiere here), working naturally in a classic heavy context without pretending the last 40 years never happened. The album is immersive and atmospheric, offering standout moments of righteousness in 10-minute opener “Fog by the Steep,” “Clang,” “Point Growth” and elsewhere, and provides a look at a unit with the potential to continue to expand their sound going forward. Seems like JIRM have thus far flown under North American radars for the most part, but Spirit Knife is worth the effort of tracking down, and by that I mean clicking “play” on the Bandcamp stream below to hear it for yourself. Give it some time to unfold and you won’t regret it. Jeremy Irons and the Ratgang Malibus on Thee Facebooks.

Jeremy Irons and the Ratgang Malibus, Spirit Knife (2014)

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4. Revelation, Salvation’s Answer

Released by Shadow Kingdom. Perennially underappreciated Maryland doomers Revelation and Pittsburgh’s Shadow Kingdom Records are no strangers. The label has handled reissues of 1992’s Never Comes Silence, 1995’s …Yet So Far, and 2008’s Release, in addition to having the first release of 2009’s For the Sake of No One and 2012’s Inner Harbor. This time, the band and imprint partner up for a revisit of Revelation‘s 1991 debut, Salvation’s Answer, and while the look is overdue, it’s no less welcome for its late coming. Salvation’s Answer might sound raw 23 years after the fact, but its elemental sound remains deceptively atmospheric, and like much of Revelation‘s earlier output, it wears a deep-running melancholy on its sleeve and blends progressive guitar work with a strong foundation of metallic groove. Revelation on Thee Facebooks.

Revelation, Salvation’s Answer (1991/2014)

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5. Salem’s Pot, …Lurar ut dig på prärien

Released by EasyRider Records. Mired in drug-derived riffing and classic horror/exploitation ambience, Swedish four-piece Salem’s Pot have plenty of scummer groove in common with Electric Wizard on their debut, …Lurar ut dig på prärien, but if worshiping at the altar of Sabbath and drawn-out fuzz was a crime, we’d all have been put to death years ago. Their reverential depravity comes through in the three extended tracks, “Creep Purple” (14:28), “Dr. Death” (9:52) and “Nothing Hill” (9:12), and the album unfolds in a haze of degenerate psychedelia. It’s crafted with vinyl in mind, but give me a CD to get lost in front-t0-back without having to worry about changing sides, because Salem’s Pot isn’t the kind of listen where you want to have anything whatsoever to do with consciousness. You could tag it derivative, but what isn’t? Familiar though it might be, it’s still worth a nod. Salem’s Pot on Thee Facebooks.

Salem’s Pot, “Nothing Hill” from …Lurar ut dig på prärien (2014)

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6. Wovenhand, Refractory Obdurate

Released by Deathwish Inc. History has taught time and again not to be surprised when it comes to the David Eugene Edwards-led outfit Wovenhand, and their seventh offering and first for Deathwish Inc., Refractory Obdurate continues to expand beyond genre bounds, incorporating tonal weight into their signature brilliant arrangements so that songs like “Masonic Youth” (get it?) and “Hiss” pummel their payoffs as much as they enhance the atmospheres of “Salome,” “King David” and the joyously rumbling “Good Shepherd.” Wovenhand are a singular entity on stylistic terms, and Edwards‘ commanding presence burns through this material even at moments when he seems consumed by the full-breadth chaotic churning surrounding him in the mix. Refractory Obdurate — culling influences no less a patchwork than its cover art — is the work of genius, driven by faith and in perpetual development. Wovenhand on Thee Facebooks.

Wovenhand, Refractory Obdurate (2014)

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That’s a pretty good day. If I left anything out or if you’ve already picked any of these up, I hope you’ll let me know in the comments. Thanks as always for reading.

The May 13 release date for HORNSS’ full-length debut, No Blood No Sympathy, is quickly approaching, and the San Francisco trio have a self-made video for the track “Debreeding” to help smooth the way for its arrival. Like “Heir to the Pickle Throne,” which was premiered here last month, “Debreeding” is a catchy and driving track, tying growed-up punker recklessness to headbang-ready thrashisms with an underlying fuckall that comes through as loud as the fuzz itself. The clip is short at just over three minutes, and “Debreeding” itself is shorter than that, but the setup in the video and the execution once the song gets going make it worth the time nonetheless. Enjoy.

HORNSS have also announced a quickie Euro tour around a performance at the Incubate festival in the Netherlands this September. Info follows the video, courtesy of the PR wire:

HORNSS, “Debreeding” official video

HORNSS Premiere New ‘Debreeding’ Video + Announce Incubate Festival 2014 Appearance

Unlike some who are content to adopt that desert sound, HORNSS were born into it. Moulded by it from the very beginning in the case of members Mike Moracha and Nick Nava, who originally got their start in the Palm Springs band Solarfeast alongside ex-Kyuss/Evolution’s End member Chris Cockrell.

Formed in 2010 with a line-up completed by drummer Bil Bowman (formerly of Zodiac Killers, blackQueen and Scrog) HORNSS have taken to the stage in support of Fatso Jetson, Naam, Windhand, YOB and The Freeks and are every inch the band you’d hope they would be given the ancestry, influence and arid air that forged their formation.

Thanks to the LA based label EasyRider Records, this May the trio will have a debut album to call their own. Recorded at Earhammer Studios in Oakland with Greg Wilkinson, if you were sold on the strutting doom groove of their demo The Red Death then No Blood, No Sympathy is going to blow your mind and then some. Drawing on influences such as Hawkwind, St. Vitus and The Ramones HORNSS deliver devastating doom, death punk fury (both Mike and Nick were also founding members of San Fran punk band The Jack Saints), stoned out meanderings and crushing desert progressions that will strike a chord no matter where your allegiances lie.

HORNSS take to the road throughout August/September for a European tour in support of their debut album No Blood, No Sympathy, which will be released via EasyRider Records on 13th May. The trio will also appear at the Incubate Festival in Tiburg, Netherlands on 21st September 2014.

HORNSS:
Mike Moracha – Guitar, Vocals
Nick Nava – Bass, Vocals
Bil Bowman – Drums

European Tour:
29th August – Utrecht @ ACU (Netherlands)
30th August – Siegen @ Vortex Musikclub (Germany)
5th September – Linz @ Ann And Pat (Austria)
6th September – Feldkirch @ Graf Hugo (Austria)
12th September – Ilirska Bistrica @ MKNZ (Slovenia)
20th September – Kortrijk @ The Pits (Belgium)
21st September – Tilburg @ INCUBATE FESTIVAL (Netherlands)

www.hornss.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/HORNSS
http://instagram.com/hornssband

As advertised, there’s little mercy to be found in the approach of San Francisco trio HORNSS. The stoner-thrashing three-piece will make their debut on EasyRider Records May 13 with No Blood No Sympathy, a full-length that takes great and efficient pleasure in crossing the line between heavy rock and metal over the course of its nine-songs/28-minutes, cuts like “Troubled Rose” metering rolling groove with gnarled-distortion even as the later “Debreeding” portrays the crossover punk roots of early thrash with a modern twist of fuzz and satisfying runs of bass. Guitarist/vocalist Mike Moracha and bassist/vocalist Nick Nava hail from the desert punker outfit Solarfeast, whose Brant Bjork-produced debut, Gossamer (discussed here), proved ahead of its time in its blend of heavier punk and hairier tones, and joined here by drummer Bil Bowman, they charge through a crust-laden half-hour of power, somehow making a fluid course from the jam-room stonerisms of “War Gods of the Deep” to the metallic push of “Debreeding.”

I can only imagine there’s some in-band joke that comes with the title “Heir to the Pickle Throne,” but the track all the same to neatly rounded up some of HORNSS‘ stylistic breadth, which finds unity both through the production and the consistently dark overtones. A midpoint stop and slowdown shows off some of their nodding groove, and the hesher-thrashing central riff gets treated to Sleep’s Holy Mountain-style vocal compression, giving a true sense of stoner idolatry to the metal surrounding. It’s not everything HORNSS have to offer on No Blood No Sympathy, but it’s a decent start, and presents a foreshadowing shift from the straight-ahead High on Fire via much dirtier Red Fang aggression of “The Red Death” that will come to further fruition on side B cuts like “Ejaculation of Serpents” and “Haunter of the Dark.” So while I might have no idea what a pickle throne is or what one might inherit upon their coronation thereof, it seemed like the one to pick anyway. Hopefully you agree.

Check out “Heir to the Pickle Throne” below and stay tuned for a pre-order link. No Blood No Sympathy is out May 13.

San Franciscan trio HORNSS to Release Debut Album via EasyRider Records

No Blood No Sympathy to be released on 13th May 2014

Unlike some who are content to adopt that desert sound, San Franciscan trio HORNSS were born into it. Moulded by it from the very beginning in the case of members Mike Moracha and Nick Nava, who originally got their start in the Palm Springs band Solarfeast alongside ex-Kyuss/Evolution’s End member Chris Cockrell.

Formed in 2012 with a line-up completed by drummer Bil Bowman (formerly of Zodiac Killers, blackQueen and Scrog) HORNSS has taken to the stage in support of Fatso Jetson, Naam, Windhand, YOB and The Freeks and are every inch the band you’d hope they would be given the ancestry, influence and arid air that forged their formation.

Thanks to the LA based label EasyRider Records, this May the trio will have a debut album to call their own. If you were sold on the strutting doom groove of their demo The Red Death then No Blood No Sympathy is going to blow your mind and then some. Drawing on influences such as Hawkwind, St. Vitus and The Ramones HORNSS deliver devastating doom, death punk fury (both Mike and Nick were also founding members of San Fran punk band The Jack Saints), stoned out meanderings and crushing desert progressions that will strike a chord no matter where your allegiances lie.

Their debut album No Blood No Sympathy will be released via EasyRider Records on 13th May.

HORNSS:
Mike Moracha – Guitar, Vocals
Nick Nava – Bass, Vocals
Bil Bowman – Drums

HORNSS on Bandcamp

HORNSS on Thee Facebooks

Instagram – @hornssband

EasyRider Records

Last I heard of Austin trio The Well was their 2012 single, Seven (review here), which apparently means I have some catching up to do on their 2013 First Trip EP, already in its third pressing. While I ponder whether or not that means it’s actually the third trip, the three-piece have inked a deal to release their full-length, Monomyth, through ascendant imprint EasyRider Records. They join an impressive and growing roster of acts, from Hornss and Salem’s Pot to Electric Citizen and Sons of Huns. Solid company to keep.

Here’s looking forward to the arrival of Monomyth (perhaps the band Monomyth can name their next album The Well). If you happen to be in Texas this week for SXSW, they’re playing several showcases. Details on that, the announcement of the signing, background on the band and the stream of First Trip follow, should you like to familiarize:

THE WELL signs with EasyRider Records

The Well Signs with EasyRider Records, Catch them at SXSW this week!

EasyRider records is very excited to welcome Austin’s Hottest Export The Well to the EasyRider family. Their upcoming full length “MONOMYTH” will release in late summer of 2014! The Well is a 3 piece out of Austin TX, that captured my attention a few months ago. The sound is raw and big and extremely catchy. The are a hard working band from Austin that have come a long way and are excited to hit the road and support this beast of a record. They will be ALL over SXSW this week here are the dates and shows….

SXSW
3/12- RoadHouse Management/Nuclear Blast Official Showcase @ Red 7
3/13 – Unofficial Showcase Sons of Huns Orchid, Scorpion Child and Mothership. @ Wonderland.
3/14 – Texas Rock ‘n Roll Massacre – Sons of Huns Orchid, Scorpion Child and Mothership. @ Spider House Ballroom.

More About The Well –
Austin based Power trio The Well formed in early 2011 lead by Guitarist/vocalist Ian Graham. Seeking a sound that grew from his own nostalgic desire, Ian sought a return to the musical memory of his youth. He began crafting songs that emulated the classical heaviness of his childhood heroes. Riffs the size of mountains, distorted and cuttingly sharp—slow, patient, dominating and heavy. The kind of sound that smashed open the doors and let loose the darkness. To help him capture the tonality of the sound inside his head, he enlisted the talents of bassist Lisa Alley and drummer Jason Sullivan.

In the Spring of 2012 The Well began working with Tia Carrera’s Jason Morales and recorded their debut 7? at the Barbeque Shack. By the fall, the band was back in the studio, this time at Ohm Recording Facility with Producer Mark Deutrom (The Melvins and Sun O)))) and Engineer Chico Jone working on a full length LP. The Well recorded with Converse Rubber Tracks during SXSW 2013, and put the resulting track, “Eternal Well” with a handful from the Ohm sessions together to form their EP entitled, “First Trip”.

The end of that year would see The Well performing alongside such acts as NAAM, Orange Goblin, Holy Grail, Lazerwulf and Dead Meadow. Sonic Vault Austin named The Well their 2013 Metal Band of the Year and the Austin Chronicle invited the band to be their showcased artist in their PaperCuts Series for February of 2014.

With ever growing press both locally and nationally, a 2014 SXSW Nuclear Blast showcase alongside the likes of Orchid and Kadavar, the band is ready for a busy year of touring and promoting their upcoming release.

http://thewellaustin.bandcamp.com/
www.instagram.com/thewellband
https://www.facebook.com/thewellband

The Well, First Trip EP (2013)

Fast-moving L.A. upstart imprint EasyRider Records continues a quick ascent since starting last year, this time signing Ohio retro rockers Electric Citizen for the release of their debut album, Sateen. The record is due out July 1, and the four-piece have a handful-plus of shows booked to precede it, some including the Mad Alchemy light show, which is sure to be a good match for Electric Citizen‘s heavy psychedelics.

Release info and a stream of the new track “Burning in Hell” follow here, courtesy of the PR wire:

Electric Citizen sign with EasyRider Records To Release Debut Album

EasyRider Records, the LA based label responsible for releases by the likes of Monolord, Sons of Huns and Salem’s Pot this week announced the signing of the heavy psychedelic outfit Electric Citizen.

Following on from limited edition vinyl/cassette-only releases on The Crossing and Breathe Plastic Records, the winners of this year’s Best Rock Band honor at the 2014 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards will release their debut album, entitled Sateen on 1 July 2014.

Taking their name from a song by the legendary Notting Hill Gate set the Edgar Broughton Band, Electric Citizen is the brainchild of guitarist Ross Dolan, enigmatic vocalist Laura Dolan, Nick Vogelpohl (bass) and Nate Wagner (drums).

Despite only forming last March the band has had a busy year turning heads and ears onto their dark and esoteric brand of haunting ’60s West Coast folk and quintessentially British sounding rock. Recorded and produced by fellow Ohioan and local legend Brian Olive (Greenhornes, Soledad Brothers) at The Diamonds, Electric Citizen follow in the footsteps of other, similarly 1970s obsessed anti-modernists Blood Ceremony, Wolf People, Graveyard and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. Drawing on influences and eras synonymous with the heaviest of heavy psychedelic rock and archaic ill vibes, and music by bands such as Shocking Blue, Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Black Widow and Amon Düül II.

The band takes to the road over the next few months ahead of Sateen’s official release on 1 July 2014 via EasyRider Records (www.easyriderrecords.com).

Tour Dates:
Wednesday, March 19 – Double Door (Chicago) w. Mad Alchemy
Thursday, March 20 – Pyramid Scheme (Grand Rapids) w. Mad Alchemy
Friday, March 21 – Corktown Tavern (Detroit)
Saturday, March 22 – Happy Dog (Cleveland)
Friday, April 4 – Northside Tavern (Cincinnati) w. Valley Of The Sun
Wednesday, April 9 – w. Spirit Caravan (Columbus)
Saturday, April 26 – Milwaukee Psych Fest
Wednesday, May 7 – MOTR (Cincinnati) w. Aqua Nebula Oscillator

www.electriccitizenband.com
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Electric Citizen, “Burning in Hell”

One has to wonder if Monster Magnet had any idea that their toss-off lyric “Goofballs and ’70s nipples” would become the rallying cry for a generation of doom videos mining old movie footage to find both. Probably not. All the same, Swedish doomers Salem’s Pot — who will release their debut LP, …Lurar Ut Dig På Prärien, April 29 on EasyRider Records — certainly seem to have taken the lesson to heart. What their new video for the song “Nothing Hill” lacks in being safe for work, it more than makes up in horror-flick psychedelics, drug use, lady-murder and, indeed, boobage. I guess at that point, work probably isn’t a consideration.

Fair enough. Salem’s Pot‘s 2013 tape, Watch Me Kill You (review here), was right on with no shortage of sleaze to go with its post-Electric Wizard ultra-stoned riffing. Roadburn had the official premiere of the video, so cheers to them, and if you’d like to check out a version of “Nothing Hill” that maybe doesn’t start out with a gagged naked woman getting her throat cut, there’s a the audio just under the PR wire info below.

Enjoy:

Salem’s Pot, “Nothing Hill” official video

Sweden’s band of blood drunkards Salem’s Pot return this April to consecrate their union with the LA based label EasyRider Records with a follow up to last year’s Watch Me Kill You.

Following in the footsteps of the sprawling and self-indulgent jam albums of the early 1970s, over three tracks of swirling heavy psych …lurar ut dig på prärien offers the listener little chance of escape. Summoning the writhing sounds of demon fuzz and distant death knells the opening swell of ‘Creep Purple’, a 14 minute purge of lo-fi garage metal riffs and lysergic comedown finds Salem’s Pot setting out their stall from which to peddle the darkest of doom.

Loose, low slung and inspired by the legends of Sabbath and the extended jams of Hawkwind ‘Dr Death’ and the pounding ‘Nothing Hill’ complete the unholy trinity of tracks replete with lyrics that propel the listener into worlds unknown. Atmospheric realms populated with weed and witches in a reality as miserable and malevolent as it mind-bending and majestic.

To hear the track in full visit https://soundcloud.com/easyriderrecords/salems-pot-nothing-hill

Salem’s Pot:
Mentor Mike – Organ, Cult Leader
Nateonomicon – Guitar, Accordion, Howls
Pre-historic Pete – Bass, Howls
The Eagle – Drums, Percussion, Shruti-box

Track listing:
1. Creep Purple (14:28) 2. Dr. Death (9:52)
3. Nothing Hill (9:12)

Label: EasyRider Records Formats: LP/Digital/CD/Cassette
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youtube.com/user/easyriderrecords
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Salem’s Pot, “Nothing Hill”

EasyRider Records is set to release Empress Rising, the full-length debut from Swedish riffers Monolord on April 1. Set to be a double-LP, the album leads off with its longest and titular track, and the trio have just today premiered a video for “Empress Rising” that finds them basically riffing out in their practice space. Appropriately tinted green, some of the angles are curious in not showing the band members’ faces, but hey, the track is over 12 minutes long, so maybe they figured anyone who watched it for that much time was going to get to know them one way or another. So it goes.

The album is available now to preorder. That info, the video (which Terrorizer premiered) and more on Monolord follow here, courtesy of the PR wire:

Monolord, “Empress Rising” official video

Monolord -Video and Pre Sale are LIVE!

Following on from the premiere of the LP’s title track last December via Roadburn, Sweden’s psychedelic doom band Monolord release their first full length Empress Rising via Easy Rider Records this April. The five-song album clocks in at almost fifty minutes of skull crushing heavy grooves and guitars that summon the spirits of Norse gods when played at volume.

Originally formed as a side project in 2013, Monolord is made up of Swedish rockers Thomas Ja?ger, Esben Willems and Mika Ha?kki. Born out of the Swedish boogie band Marulk as a means to make heavier, more psychedelic sounds, founding members Ja?ger and Willems added Ha?kki (The Don Darlings, ex-Rotten Sound) to their line-up and realised instantly that they had something very special. Recording commenced in early 2013 and in no time at all the LP was picked up by EasyRider Records, one of the newest and most passionate purveyors of heavy doom, metal and rock’n’roll.

Monolord however is for more than just doom-metal fanatics and this epic record will satisfy all fans of guitar driven rock, stoner and monolithic riffs.

With all the flavours of an iconic doom classic Empress Rising follows in the footsteps of Sleep’s Holy Mountain, Pallbearer’s Sorrow and Extinction and Electric Wizard’s Witchcult Today with melodic vocals and harmonies that are as mind bending as they are anthemic. Already touted by some as one of the year’s most highly anticipated doom debuts this is a shot of pure hellfire, unrestrained from first to last.

Monolord – Empress Rising Track List
Empress Rising (12:20)
Audhumbla (7:23)
Harbinger of Death (8:35)
Icon (8:15)
Watchers of The Waste (9:49)

Monolord is:
Thomas Ja?ger – Guitar, Vocals
Esben Willems – Drums
Mika Ha?kki – Bass

Album pre-order link – http://www.easyriderrecords.com/product/monolord-empress-rising-pre-order-contest/

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EasyRider Records