Exile on Mainstream Announces 25th Anniversary Parties in Berlin & Leipzig

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 5th, 2023 by JJ Koczan

Two nights each in Berlin and Leipzig, on successive nights no less. This is a recipe for ‘everybody’s friends’ when it’s over, and as that’s pretty on-brand for Exile on Mainstream — founder/honcho Andreas Kohl, who knows more than everyone but, like, isn’t a dick about it, keeps the circle pretty tight — but with reunions from End of Level Boss and Ostinato, the ever-mobile Darsombra making an overseas voyage to appear, The Moth who released one of this year’s best records, Conny Ochs and Bulbul, A Whisper in the Noise and Fireflies and Gaffa Ghandi, you get a whole bunch of different styles that somehow fit under a vague descriptor like ‘prog’ just because everyone involved is super-intentional about what they’re doing.

That applies to the label as well. Congrats and much respect to Andreas on 25 years of his label and the badass celebration he’s lined up for it. Still more names TBA, as it happens.

Info follows as posted on socials. Well, not exactly as posted. It was an Instagram textblock thing and I broke it up into paragraphs to make it easy to read. Me back in 2014 would probably laugh at me in 2023 doing that. “Short paragraphs. Who ever heard of that shit?”

And so on:

exile on mainstream 25th anniversary parties

25 Years Exile On Mainstream

8/9 May 2024 – Berlin, Neue Zukunft

10/11 May 2024 – Leipzig, UT Connewitz

25 years! A quarter century of Exile On Mainstream. So, let’s celebrate. In a big way. On the 8th and 9th of May, we’ll meet in Berlin at the Neue Zukunft, and on the 10th and 11th of May in Leipzig, the city where it all began for us.

Both the Neue Zukunft and the UT Connewitz are inseparably connected to the history of Exile On Mainstream, supporting us far beyond the ordinary.

As it has become a tradition by now, and because we are hopeless romantics, we have three special reunions for the festival: Ostinato, A Whisper In The Noise, and End Of Level Boss will reunite for one-time only performances bringing back memories of the early days of EOM and connecting to current sounds and tunes on the label.

But that’s not all: get ready for some collaborations between the invited bands, which are as much a label tradition.

Tickets presale is open: https://shop.mainstreamrecords.de/product/eom25tic

http://www.mainstreamrecords.de
https://www.youtube.com/@exileonmainstream3639

The Moth, Frost (2023)

Conny Ochs, “Hickhack” official video

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audiObelisk: Listen to Roadburn 2012 Audio Streams from AUN, Dark Buddha Rising, Dopethrone, End of Level Boss, Necros Christos, Saturnalia Temple, Spiders and The Wounded Kings

Posted in audiObelisk on June 26th, 2012 by JJ Koczan

Roadburn audio stream season continues today with the next batch of sets recorded at this year’s fest at the 013 popcentrum and Het Patronaat in gorgeous Tilburg, the Netherlands. Any excuse to relive those four days back in April and I’ll take it. Thanks as always to Walter and the Roadburn crew and to Marcel van de Vondervoort for overseeing the recording process.

Please enjoy:

AUNRoadburn 2012

Dark Buddha RisingRoadburn 2012

DopethroneRoadburn 2012

End of Level BossRoadburn 2012

Necros ChristosRoadburn 2012

Saturnalia TempleRoadburn 2012

SpidersRoadburn 2012

The Wounded KingsRoadburn 2012

Read The Obelisk’s coverage of Roadburn 2012 here.

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audiObelisk: Stream New End of Level Boss Track Now

Posted in audiObelisk on June 17th, 2011 by JJ Koczan

Seeing its North American release July 26 is Eklectric, the third album from British riff-loving noisemakers End of Level Boss. For anyone who’s followed the band since they were formed by ex-Hangnail guitarist Heck Armstrong and released their Prologue debut in 2005 — like the new one, on Exile on Mainstream — it’s an interesting record because Armstrong has basically remade the whole band.

Lead guitarist Roland Scriver (formerly of Sloth) came aboard for 2007’s Inside the Difference Engine, but the rhythm section is entirely new, which means Armstrong is the only remaining original member. Fear not, however, End of Level Boss‘ nuanced technicality and righteously heavy tonality remain in tact, as the track “Thee Absurd” from Eklectric shows.

Special thanks to Exile on Mainstream for letting me host the song. I get kind of a Soundgarden meets AmRep vibe from it. See what you think and let me know. Here it is followed by some info from the label’s website:

[mp3player width=460 height=120 config=fmp_jw_widget_config.xml playlist=end-of-level-boss.xml]

After a quiet period End of Level Boss returned to the fray in 2011 with their third album, Eklectric, released via Exile on Mainstream Records. Continuing in their all-consuming search for twisted riffs, the London-based band returned to the analogue domains of Earth Terminal Studios, England, (the same location used for their highly acclaimed 2007 release, Inside the Difference Engine) during the dying days of 2010. Bringing in a completely new rhythm section [Peter Theobalds (ex-Akercocke/Gonga, also of Obiat) on bass, and Neil Grant (ex-RAAR) on drums] the band have unleashed an angrier, dirtier sound, recorded live to tape across four short winter days.

Having recruited ex-Sloth guitarist Roland Scriver for lead guitar duties on their previous album, this third incarnation of EOLB have uncovered a mutual need to blend the familiar with the bizzare, resulting in the first End of Level Boss album to be written collectively, through intensive jam sessions, by the entire band.

End of Level Boss, Eklectric:
01. As the Earth Forgets Us
02. This is Not the Way it Was
03. Mouth of Hats
04. Thee Absurd
05. Senescence
06. Thud
07. Blueshift
08. If Not All
09. Lost in the Etalon
10. Red Grey Eye

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