Posted in Whathaveyou on February 1st, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Not an insignificant bit of touring here as Conan go coast to coast and (just about) top to bottom in the US in support of their latest full-length, 2022’s Evidence of Immortality (review here), in 20 days. They start in Chicago, start out the East Coast in Boston then head south before turning west to go through New Orleans and Austin, Texas — those drives alone — and back up the West Coast until, on May 25, they hit Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle and the tour ends. Shit, I’m exhausted just looking at it.
Before they reach American shores, the e’er-devastating trio will at least be in London for Masters of the Riff II (info here) in March and in April they’ll be at Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Italy (info here), so it’s possible more tour dates are impending for Europe. One way or the other, dudes keep busy, and that’s about the end of my insight on the topic.
Dates follow. Tickets are on sale at the link below:
CONAN – ***ANNOUNCEMENT*** US TOUR – MAY 2023
We are super excited to revisit the USA, this time the fucking insanely cool THRA!!! @thra_phx in just a few months. We are touring to support the release of our new album EVIDENCE OF IMMORTALITY. See you there!! Go check tickets atwww.linktr.ee/hailconan
Fri 5/5 – Chicago, IL – Reggies Sat 5/6 – Detroit, MI – Sanctuary Sun 5/7 – Youngstown, OH – West Side Bowl Tue 5/9 – Boston, MA – Middle East (Upstairs) Wed 5/10 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus Thu 5/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Warehouse on Watts Fri 5/12 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Sat 5/13 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House Sun 5/14 – Piedmont, SC – Tribble’s Mon 5/15 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl Tue 5/16 – New Orleans, LA – Siberia Wed 5/17 – Austin, TX – Lost Well Fri 5/19 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Sat 5/20 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Underground Sun 5/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Resident Mon 5/22 – Oakland, CA – Golden Bull Tue 5/23 – Sacramento, CA – Café Colonial Wed 5/24 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall Thu 5/25 – Seattle, WA – Northwest Terror Fest
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals Chris Fielding – Bass Johnny King – Drums
Posted in Reviews on August 29th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Rest assured, Conan will put down their double-sided battle axe when you come and take it from their cold, dead hands, and that’s going to be hard to do since, as the first track of their fifth album, Evidence of Immortality, asserts, “A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots.” In continued association with Napalm Records, the boots-covered-in-red-mud UK three-piece of founding guitarist/vocalist Jon Davis, bassist/vocalist/producer Chris Fielding and drummer Johnny King return from the field with six tracks for a 50-minute double-LP that reassert the band’s sheer aural dominance.
It’s been a long, insane four years since the trio unveiled 2018’s Existential Void Guardian (review here), and Conan are past 15 years as a band but show little interest in settling into a comfortable veteran status. True, they know who they are as a band and Davis has driven a consistent vision for what he wants that to mean since before their landmark 2010 EP, Horseback Battle Hammer (discussed here; review here), with a sound based on unmatched riff largesse, minimalist lyrical narratives — often just words used as evocations; I’m actually a big proponent of Conan‘s lyrics as an undervalued aspect of their work, and not even just for the efficiency — turned in this case to a world where ideas like “Levitation Hoax” can be taken from real life and turned to the band’s bludgeoning purposes, Davis‘ shouts and Fielding‘s growls rising up from amid King‘s blasting drums and their own furious assault of groove in that single following the aforementioned 10-minute opener.
That lead song stakes its riff like a flag in the ground, not so much to question what’s real, but working to turn the confusion of our age into an aural metaphor of its own ridiculousness. Plus to destroy. These things Conan do with grim determination, cheeky revelry, and a craft recognizable from miles away. They are inimitable and influential in kind, and whether it’s the lumbering force of “A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots” or the build of intensity from “Levitation Hoax” into the galloping of “Ritual of Anonymity,” their pattern of holding to their central stylistic purpose while offering instances of forward progression holds plain across the span. “A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots” takes about two and a half minutes to settle into its rolling-over-your-skull central/verse riff, and by that point, Evidence of Immortality has already let the audience know it is in the hands of masters.
Circa 2022, Conan are nothing if not that, from Davis‘ riffs and shouts to Fielding‘s production and backing barks — the call and response in the first half of “Levitation Hoax” is a particular joy — to King matching his cymbal crashes to the guitar’s chug later in “A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots.” But there are instances of reach too. The band’s underlying influence of ’90s crunch metal and noise rock comes through, and the sheer amount of feedback on Evidence of Immortality isn’t necessarily anything new from them, but it is prevalent. After the shove shove shove that culminates in “Ritual of Anonymity,” side B brings “Equilibrium of Mankind” and “Righteous Alliance,” both eight-minute crushers that reinforce the central message of Conan‘s return after the longest break between albums of their career (the extenuating circumstances go without saying): if you counted them out, those’ll be your limbs on the floor. You’ll probably want help picking them back up for reattachment.
The construction of Evidenceof Immortalityis further proof of Conan‘s intention. The three songs on the first side clearly fit together toward a united purpose. Same is true of the lurching, deathly shout-along in “Equilibrium of Mankind” and its companion, the we-took-a-doom-riff-and-made-it-kill “Righteous Alliance,” which drops out to feedback and cymbal wash at about 5:20 into its total 8:35 to dedicate the remainder of its time to a glorious, marching celebration of slog. Slog worship. And a fitting lead-in for 14-minute instrumental closer “Grief Sequence,” which is easily, hands-down the most atmospheric work Conan have ever done, unfolding a five-minute mire before lumbering through the next five minutes until a John Carpenter-style keyboard line — it’s actually former bassist David Perry (now of Dead Void in Denmark) — picking up from the ambient organ-style sounds that have run alongside the guitar, bass and drums to that point.
If you’re looking for firsts on a band’s fifth record, that’s a first. Though Davis has delved into synthesized sounds in other projects, working that into Conan both feels and is new. And if you’re listening digitally — as likely most will — it is a hypnotic finish to a collection that has found Conan playing to what have always been the band’s strengths while branching outward from there. On vinyl, it’s somewhat different, since the limitations of the format mean “Grief Sequence” appears standalone on side C with an etching on side D. This leaves one to wonder how many will, having heard and processed “Grief Sequence” as it is in relation to the rest of what’s come before it, swap out an entire LP just for that rather than simply go back to “A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots” after “Righteous Alliance.” Depends on the listener, obviously, and with digital as the main means by which Evidence of Immortality will be consumed — or through which it will consume — it’s a non-issue. Still, vinyl being what it is leaves “Grief Sequence” a bit out in the cold.
Given the song’s experimental feel, that’s all the more something to watch out for as a listener, because its further establishing of Conan as a forward-thinking veteran act isn’t to be discounted. I have to think that if they didn’t want it to be there, it wouldn’t be. That is, if Evidence of Immortality ended after “Righteous Alliance,” they could’ve easily written a shorter interlude or something like that to fill it out past a 36-minute runtime. “Grief Sequence,” on practical and aesthetic terms, is much more than that. More than a decade and a half on from Davis‘ starting the band, Conan are willing to take risks as well as to sound the familiar war horns of devastating tonal heft, higher-in-the-throat/lower-in-the-gut shouted vocals, and a general aura of violent threat. If that isn’t commendable, nothing is.
I guess this is where I’m supposed to wrap up by calling them immortal or making some clever-but-still-cliché remark about their work living forever. Well fuck that. Everything fucking dies. Everything decays. Everything ends. Evidence of Immortality isn’t asserting otherwise so much as pointing out the folly of believing the plainly stupid. In other words, watch your fucking head.
UK crushmasters Conan edge closer to the Aug. 19 release date of their new album, Evidence of Immortality, with the video below. “Righteous Alliance” is the second single to come from Conan‘s fifth full-length — you can see their prior clip for “Levitation Hoax” hear the bottom of this post — and it brings a fresh(ly decayed) eight and a half minutes of outright crush presented wrapped in a video wherein Jon Davis, founding guitarist/vocalist, goes to buy a guitar — quick plug for Sam’s in Chester (not London as I initially thought) — and a cheeky Wayne’s World reference at the end in if-you-know-you-know fashion.
But by the time “Righteous Alliance” is done, you won’t really know anything except that Conan continue to dominate sound with a rare cruelty and that the rawness and dirt that comes through their tones this time is 100 percent owned. It’s theirs. “Righteous Alliance” sounds like it was recorded onto sweat more than a hard drive, and the live footage that makes up most of the video — black and white first, then color and mirrored, etc. — is grainy and a likewise fitting context for the song.
Hey guess what? Conan are really fucking heavy. If you’re saying, “yes we know that,” you’re right. And I’m not taking away from the band’s ethic of consistency. Despite shifts in the rhythm section before they settled on the trio of Davis, bassist/vocalist/producer Chris Fielding and drummer Johnny King (also Dread Sovereign), they’ve always stuck to the central tenet of putting heft first, and that has suited them and allowed them to build a reputation for aural impact that’s nearly unmatched. There’s grit in “Righteous Alliance” though, and with it being longer than prior single “Levitation Hoax,” there’s room for it to flesh out and really tell the listener something about the record from which it comes.
A bit of humor in the clip doesn’t hurt either. I asked Davis what kind of guitar he picks up at Sam’s and he said, “The guitar is made by Tttides guitars (David from Luxembourg). It’s his take on the BC Rich Ironbird, but the body is just slightly smaller,” just in case you’re curious. It certainly seems to get the job done.
Enjoy:
Conan, “Righteous Alliance” official video
Following their much acclaimed 2018 full-length, Existential Void Guardian, and their Live at Freak Valley record released just last year, England’s doom metal masters CONAN strike back again! The trio’s fifth studio album, entitled Evidence of Immortality, drops August 19, 2022 via Napalm Records.
New Album out August 19, 2022 via Napalm Records. Pre-Order HERE: https://www.napalmrecordsamerica.com/conan
“‘Righteous Alliance‘ is another track that we have been playing live,“ guitarist and singer Jon Davis comments. “It is all about war, and the hopelessness of it. However, a hero is coming and just as death is imminent, an unflinching savior enters the fray and the day is saved, for now.
We were keen to include some fan footage from over the years, thankfully they came through so thanks to everyone for being a part of it.”
“Evidence of Immortality was written between December 2019 and late 2021. As such, it has absorbed a lot of the emotions that were flowing through our lives then,” Davis explains. “The lyrics were written on the eve of the war in Ukraine so, naturally, they deal with subjects such as victory and defeat, loss and hope, pain and determination, fear and hatred. Movies such as Conquest, Lord of The Rings, Fire and Ice, Krull, Beast Master and Clash of The Titans once again provided inspiration for the themes of the songs, as we maintain our determination to not write about real-world events. You want to escape? Throw this record on, turn the lights off and turn it up until your fucking ears bleed.”
CONAN live: 12th August – Sonic Blast, Portugal 3rd September – Septembro Negro, Brazil 23rd September – Homme Sauvage, France 14th October – ManorFest, UK 12th November – Tyrant Fest, France
Line up: Jon Davis – vocals, guitar (2006-present) Chris Fielding – bass (2013–present) Johnny King – drums (2017–present)
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 14th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Hard to mess with Conan being Conan, and as they announce the slated Aug. 19 release of their sixth long-player, Evidence of Immortality, the three-piece share a video for “Levitation Hoax,” the first single from the record. Sign me up. You can hear the concrete-crumble-riffing that is their trademark, as well as the vocal interplay in call and response and all-in-assault from guitarist Jon Davis and bassist/producer Chris Fielding while drummer Johnny King assures that the underlying procession matches the tonal intensity. All well and good. Later in the song though — you’ll note the video takes a turn as well — there’s a bit of overarching guitar kind of layered on top, and that feels new to me. I’ll have to go back and revisit 2018’s Existential Void Guardian (review here) to be sure, but that might be using space in a different way. Floating guitar would make sense in a song about levitation though, or fake levitation, as it were.
There will be tour dates, more songs and probably videos, and blood. For now, this just came down the PR wire:
Bow Down and Hail CONAN! – England’s Doom Metal Masters Strike Back with Brand New Album, Evidence of Immortality
Following their much acclaimed 2018 full-length, Existential Void Guardian, and their Live at Freak Valley record released just last year, the trio has announced the release of their fifth studio album, entitled Evidence of Immortality, due out on August 19, 2022 via Napalm Records.
As first album single proves, on their upcoming magnum opus, the British kings of brutally heavy slowness push their down-tuned axes and cranked pedals to the limit, crushing ears and minds when huge, rumbling chords and malevolent riffs muscle their way in over lances of infinite distortion and drums that pummel and thunder like the hands of a god against the gates of hell.
First single “Levitation Hoax” showcases CONAN’s trademark sound combined with fast-paced riffage and a pounding groove in epic doom metal grandeur, before dragging you deep into a black hole, as you scream in silence.
“‘Levitation Hoax’ grew from a riff that was created in December 2019, when we were on tour with Cavalera Conspiracy”, guitarist and singer Jon Davis comments. “The song begins as a thrash metal onslaught and just gets heavier and heavier as it progresses. It was a fun track to write, and has some of my favourite lyrics from the album.”
“Evidence of Immortality was written between December 2019 and late 2021. As such, it has absorbed a lot of the emotions that were flowing through our lives then,” Davis continues. “The lyrics were written on the eve of the war in Ukraine so, naturally, they deal with subjects such as victory and defeat, loss and hope, pain and determination, fear and hatred. Movies such as Conquest, Lord of The Rings, Fire and Ice, Krull, Beast Master and Clash of The Titans once again provided inspiration for the themes of the songs, as we maintain our determination to not write about real world events. You want to escape? Throw this record on, turn the lights off and turn it up until your fucking ears bleed.”
Evidence of Immortality was produced by Chris Fielding and mastered by James Plotkin. The album also sees former band member Dave Perry perform on the track “Grief Sequence”. The album’s artwork was provided by the skilled hand and mind of Tony Roberts, architect of the CONAN visual style since day one and their debut release, Horseback Battle Hammer. Bow down and hail CONAN, as their sound will live forever on the battlefield of doom. Their new album will be the ultimate Evidence of Immortality!
Slated for a release on August 19, 2022 through Napalm Records, Evidence of Immortality will be available in the following formats:
– Digisleeve – 2LP Gatefold BLACK (ltd 300) – 2LP Gatefold MARBLED CLEAR/BLACK (ltd 300) – 2LP Gatefold GLOW IN THE DARK (Band exclusive) – Cassette Tape Edition – Album Cover Shirt & Digisleeve Bundle (European webstore only) – Digital
Evidence of Immortality track listing: 01. A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots 02. Levitation Hoax 03. Ritual Of Anonymity 04. Equilibrium Of Mankind 05. Righteous Alliance 06. Grief Sequence
CONAN live: 13th July – Obscene Extreme, Czech Republic 12th August – Sonic Blast, Portugal 3rd September – Septembro Negro, Brazil 23rd September – Homme Sauvage, France 14th October – ManorFest, UK 12th November – Tyrant Fest, France
CONAN is: Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals Chris Fielding – Bass Johnny King – Drums
