There’s an undercurrent of psychedelic guitar swirl to “Stormcrow,” the first streamable track to come from Foehammer‘s self-titled debut EP, which is due next month on Grimoire Records with vinyl to follow on Australopithecus Records, but you’ve gotta dig through a mountain of sludge to find it. The trio, who apparently have a thing for Lord of the Rings references (who doesn’t?), burrow deep into that mountain, and while I’ve only heard one song from the release at this point, I’m sure as hell interested to find out what else they’ve dug up from under there. Shit is heavy. Get your head ready for skull-vibrating low end, because it’s coming.

Here there be heft, delivered via PR wire:

Foehammer – S/T – out 04/07/15 on Grimoire Records

Hailing from the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, Foehammer’s music belies its bustling surroundings. Rather, Foehammer conjure the creeping tectonic progression of transform faults, culminating in releases of sound waves the magnitude of which is best measured by seismometers. In keeping with the appropriate timescale, each of the three funeral doom epics on Foehammer’s debut EP clock in past the 9 minute mark. Foehammer is doom metal in the truest sense of the appellation, crushing, unrelenting and suffused with a foreboding of cataclysm that smothers each of the EP’s all-to-brief 34 minutes. Foehammer’s rupturing first salvo will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Grief, Warhorse, Corrupted, Hell, Buried at Sea and other purveyors of the slow.

Foehammer will be released in partnership between Baltimore’s Grimoire Records (CD/pro-cassette/digital download) and Arlington, VA’s Australopithecus Records (Vinyl). CD, tape and digital versions are available through Grimoire Records on April 7th. The initial pressing of 250 hand-numbered copies (50 clear, 200 black) is currently available for pre-order through Australopithecus Records with an expected ship date of mid-May.”

The teaser track can be streamed here, along with album credits, photos of the CD and cassette, etc.

“Foehammer” is out 04/07/15 in CD/pro-cassette/digital download through Grimoire Records.

https://www.facebook.com/foehammerva/
http://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com/album/foehammer
https://www.facebook.com/GrimoireRecords
www.australopithecusrecords.com
www.facebook.com/australopithecusrecords

Foehammer, “Stormcrow”

It turns out Pull had to them-out (get it?) of the first-ever Maryland Doom Fest, but they’ve been replaced by reunited riffers Nagato, who got back together last year after a cessation of activity in 2012. Thick on vibe, they’ll add progressive atmospherics and gorgeous tone to the lineup of the fest, which takes place from June 26-28 at Cafe 611 in Frederick, Maryland. I’ve only been fortunate enough to see the four-piece once, at Stoner Hands of Doom XI in 2011 (review here), for which they also played on a Sunday, but that set left enough an impression that four years later I keep hoping I’ll hear some news about them putting out a record sooner or later.

They might get there. I know the members of Nagato are involved in a few other projects as well, so maybe their playing Maryland Doom Fest is enough for the moment. They’ve joined a killer lineup, for which the final schedule has just been announced.

And just so we have it all in one place, alphabetically, here’s the full lineup as of now (there are still a couple months to go, things can change) for the inaugural Maryland Doom Fest: Apostle of Solitude, Balam, Banned from H.E.L.L., Foehammer, Foghound, Into the Void, Iron Man, Lord, Mangog, Mind’s Eye, Nagato, Outside Truth, Primer Grey, Project Armageddon, Season of Arrows, Serpent Witch, Sixty Watt Shaman, Slaves B.C., Spirit Caravan, The Skull, Unorthodox, Valkyrie, Weed is Weed.

Poster by Audrey Mantel and running order follow, along with Nagato‘s return show last August:

The Maryland Doom Fest 1

June 26 – 28, 2015
Cafe 611, Frederick, MD

A weekend of doom metal in its purest form.

FRIDAY
The Skull 1225-130
Sixty Watt Shaman 1115-1210
Unorthodox 1005-11
Weed Is Weed 855-950
Into The Void 755-840
Banned From H.E.L.L. 655-740
Primer Grey 6-640

SATURDAY
Spirit Caravan 1215-130
Apostle of Solitude 1105-1200
Outside Truth 1010-1050
Valkyrie 910-955
Project Armageddon 815-855
Foghound 720-8
Balam 630-705
Slaves B.C. 540-615
Season of Arrows 445-525

SUNDAY
Iron Man 1045-1215
Foehammmer 945-1030
Lord 845-930
Mind’s Eye 745-830
Nagato 650-730
Serpent Witch 655-735
Mangog 6-640

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-maryland-doom-fest-tickets-15022390374
https://www.facebook.com/events/562627560540323
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-maryland-DOOM-Fest/815331421863100

Nagato, Live at Guido’s Speakeasy, Frederick, MD, Aug. 23, 2014

There isn’t much more to the Maryland Doom Fest 2015 at this point than a list of bands, dates and a place, but that’s really all you need. In true Maryland doom style, no bullshit, no one-at-a-time teasers, just “here’s this awesome thing” and you can either show up or suck. The inaugural edition of the Frederick-based fest will take place at Cafe 611 and bring together a killer assemblage of acts, headlined by The Skull and Spirit Caravan and also boasting Apostle of Solitude and War Injun-offshoot Outside Truth.

To that point, while Maryland itself is well represented — Spirit Caravan, Outside Truth, Iron Man, Weed is Weed, Foghound, Mind’s Eye, Pull, Daydreams with Nightmares, etc. — the festival’s reach is immediately wider, not only pulling in Lord and Valkyrie (the latter of whom should have a new album out by then, on Relapse) from nearby Virginia, but reaching up the Eastern Seaboard to nab Rhode Island’s Balam and into the Midwest for The Skull and Apostle of Solitude, who together supplied some of 2014’s best doom in their latest albums.  What’s consistent throughout the lineup is the spirit of doom. There’s some variety around sludge, stoner, heavy rock and so on, but it’s a riffer’s delight front to back and it looks like it’ll be one worth traveling to see.

I’m not sure if more bands are being added, but presumably there will be a change here and there one way or another — June 26-28 is a long time away — and if I hear anything, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, here’s the poster and lineup for the first Maryland Doom Fest:

The Skull
Spirit Caravan
Apostle of Solitude
Outside Truth
Unorthodox
Iron Man
Valkyrie
Weed is Weed
Balam
Project Armageddon
Foghound
Pull
Mind’s Eye
Slaves BC
Foehammer
Season of Arrows
Lord
Daydreams with Nightmares

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-maryland-DOOM-Fest/815331421863100
http://cafe611.com/

The lesson of Conan‘s new video for the track “Foehammer” from their forthcoming Napalm Records debut, Blood Eagle (review here), is timeless: If you’re going to awaken a giant tentacle-grasshopper monster that can absorb forests and skyscrapers, take over the planet and cut the moon in half, you’re gonna want some extra insurance. Seems to me that’s really the message of “Foehammer,” which takes a digital kind of stop-motion approach to tell its tale of ultimate and final destruction. Also in the beginning, the tentacle-grasshopper kind of surfs on the sky altar on which it was born as it comes down from the mountains to destroy the world. Needless to say it’s worth watching.

Conan will release Blood Eagle in March in North America on Napalm Records, and they’ve announced a month-plus of UK and European touring to coincide.

Behold:

Conan, “Foehammer” official video

CONAN & NAPALM RECORDS just unveiled the official video of “Foehammer”, a new song from the imminent CONAN’s “Blood Eagle”! Enjoy!

“Blood Eagle” will be available on Gatefold Vinyl, Digipack CD and digital format very soon ! Here are the dates :

28/02/14 : GER, AT, CH, FIN & Benelux
03/03/14 : UK & rest of Europe
05/03/14 : SP, SWE & NOR
11/03/14 : USA, CAN

This release will be followed by an extensive European Tour from March to June!

14.03 (Uk) NOTTINGHAM, STUCK ON A NAME STUDIOS
15.03 (Uk) BOURNEMOUTH, THE ANVIL
17.03 (Uk) GLASGOW, AUDIO
19.03 (Uk) MANCHESTER, KRAAK GALLERY
20.03 (Uk) CARDIFF, THE FULL MOON
21.03 (Uk) BRIGHTON, THE PRINCE ALBERT
22.03 (Uk) LONDON, ELECTROWERKZ
09.04 (Bel) LIEGE, LE HANGAR
10.04 (Nl) TILBURG, ROADBURN FESTIVAL
11.04 (Ger) WUERZBURG, CAFE CAIRO
12.04 (Ger) LEIPZIG, DOOM OVER LEIPZIG
13.04 (Dk) COPENHAGEN, KB 18
14.04 (Nor) OSLO, REVOLVER
16.04 (Fin) JYVÄSKYLÄ, LUTAKKO
17.04 (Fin) HELSINKI, KUUDES LINJA
18.04 (Fin) TAMPERE, KLUBI
19.04 (Fin) OULU, NUCLEAR NIGHTCLUB
22.04 (Swe) LUND, HEMGARDEN
23.04 (Ger) BERLIN, JAEGERKLAUSE
24.04 (Ger) WIESBADEN, KULTURPALAST
25.04 (Nl) GRONINGEN, VERA
26.04 (Ger) HAMBURG, DRONENBURG FESTIVAL
27.04 (Ger) COLOGNE, UNDERGROUND
02.05 (Uk) BRISTOL, TEMPLES FESTIVAL
23.05 (Bel) DIKSMUIDE, 4 AD
24.05 (Bel) BRUSSELS, MAGASIN 4
25.05 (Fr) PARIS, GLAZART
27.05 (Ch) GENEVA, L´USINE
28.05 (Ger) STUTTGART, KELLERCLUB
29.05 (A) VIENNA, ARENA
30.05 (Ch) WINTERTHUR, GASWERK
31.05 (Ger) MUNICH, ST HELENA DOOM FEST
21.06 (Fr) CLISSON, HELLFEST

Conan on Thee Facebooks

Conan’s website

Napalm Records