https://www.high-endrolex.com/18

Freak Valley 2017 Completes Lineup: Earthless, Mammoth Mammoth, Church of the Cosmic Skull & Green Orbit Added

Posted in Whathaveyou on April 3rd, 2017 by JJ Koczan

freak valley 2017 lineup

And just like that, the lineup for Freak Valley 2017 is finished. The final four? Earthless, Mammoth Mammoth, Church of the Cosmic Skull and Green Orbit. Both Earthless and Green Orbit will be celebrating releases on the fest-affiliated Rock Freaks Records — a live album in Earthless‘ case, a studio debut for Green Orbit, which, from the description below, I’d be very interested in hearing — and Mammoth Mammoth‘s new record will be out by June as well as Church of the Cosmic Skull, whose first album, Is Satan Real? (review here), was among the best debuts of 2016.

Kudos to Freak Valley 2017 on another stellar lineup of bands. From Slo Burn and Ufomammut to Asteroid and OrangoGeezer and Elephant Tree, it’s a sick bill that, even in its final announcement, has set me once more to daydreaming about a trip to Siegen, Germany, this June.

One day.

Here’s word from the fest:

freak valley 2017 last adds

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL 2017 lineup is final now!!

Here are the last 4 bands:

Mighty Earthless will be back and will play an exclusive European show!! This will be the release show for their new album “Live at Freak Valley 2015” – Released by Rock Freaks Records.

Our Aussie buddies MAMMOTH MAMMOTH will finally join our Fest.

You will have the privilege to be part of the first ever European mainland show of Church of the Cosmic Skull !!

2 Rock Freaks crew members play in Green Orbit. You’ll be more than surprised when you enjoy them live on stage!!

Formed in 2001, EARTHLESS prides itself on creating energetic, utterly unique and free thinking instrumental music inspired by an eclectic mix of German krautrock and Japanese heavy blues-rock. The Californian trio has dedicated itself to mastery of the mind-bending jam session, evoking the spirits of Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath in equal measure.

Named after a song title from vintage New York garage-psych band The Druids of Stonehenge, EARTHLESS’ sound has been called “A sonic kaleidoscope of lava and lightning”, earning it the title of “California’s loudest band”. The group delivers “one of the best live shows in all of modern, heavy rock,” leading to one reviewer stating that the band’s “epic shredding harkens back to the days were psychedelic rock had balls the size of grapefruits and wasn’t afraid to take its listeners on a ride for which they may never return.”

MAMMOTH MAMMOTH are a heavy rock band from Melbourne Australia that smash the shit out of their stoner, glam, doom, punk and psychedelic rock influences. Their first video clip was immediately banned. It used 1970s European pornography and was pulled from youtube, myspace and facebook – but not before it had over 1 million views and probably as many complaints.

In this early 2017, MAMMOTH MAMMOTH emerge from the studio with a new album locked, loaded and ready to fire! Again, the recording was not without the usual disturbances that plague this foursome. Yes the police came (and not to jam a few tunes). Yes, there was a chemical fire. And yes, a little voodoo was practised. And okay, the bass player did barely survive a motorcycle crash juste before the final tracking. But nothing short of Armageddon was gonna stop MAMMOTH MAMMOTH from getting this job done.

CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL is a twofold entity: a new religious movement who seek to free mankind from their material possessions and unify all living beings into a singular cosmic whole; and a 7-piece supergroup based in Nottingham UK playing Prog/Psych/’70s Rock/Pop. For fans of Black Mountain, Ghost, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Uncle Acid and the deadbeats. The combination of guitar, hammond organ, electric cello, bass and drums recalls early @Mahavishnu Orchestra, but with six-part Queen-esque vocal harmonies and Thin Lizzy pop-rock structures.

Hailing from the deep woods near Siegen/Germany, Green Orbit will bring you their instrumental heavy psychrock. Warm fuzz sounds, sweetly interlaced with psychedelic vibes, tied together by energetic drums and surrounded by the floating sounds of a didgeridoo(m), their music will take you to another galactic home.

Musical Influences like Colour Haze, Rotor, Sungrazer and many more melt together into a heavy-groovy space-trip. Green Orbit’s debut-album “First Wave”, which already received positive reviews from all over the world, will be released in May 2017 on Rock Freaks Records.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

LineUp 2017:
Slo Burn, Earthless, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Pentagram, Ufomammut, Greenleaf, Conan, Golden Void, Asteroid, Mammoth Mammoth, The Brew, Arbouretum, Maserati, Church of the Cosmic Skull, Föllakzoid, Mothership, Wand, Salem’s Pot, MaidaVale, Elephant’s Tree, Geezer, Kikagaku Moyo, The Great Machine, Orango, Vodun, The Black Willows, Sativa Root, Limestone Whale, Green Orbit

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Church of the Cosmic Skull, “Watch it Grow”

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Freak Valley 2017 Adds Four More: Asteroid, Mothership, The Great Machine & Sativa Root to Play

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 6th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

I’m going to avoid the thing I usually do when it comes to posting about Freak Valley and not fall into woeful daydreaming about how much I’d like to go to the festival. I’m not going to give into the impulse in my head which says things like, “Golly, it sure would be nice to see Asteroid again now that they’re back together,” or, “You know, that live record Mothership put out after the last time they played was awesome, I bet they’ll kill it again at Freak Valley.” Nope.

Not gonna let myself go down a rabbit hole of being like, “Gee, I don’t even really know The Great Machine, and Sativa Root are supposed to have a bunch of new material and their last single was pretty cool,” and then make myself sad thinking about things like the prices of international flights and hotel stays.

I’m not going to do any of that stuff I normally do when it comes to these announcements. Nope. No sir.

It’s liberating to be so contented.

Freak Valley 2017 is June 15-17  in Siegen, Germany. It in no way kills me that that is a place I’ve never seen. No way whatsoever.

Here’s the latest from the fest:

freak-valley-2017-asteroid-mothership

Hi Freaks – here are 4 more bands that will join the Freak Valley 2017 lineup.

Asteroid [SW] – Hardrock/Blues/Jam
Mothership [US] – Heavy Rock
The Great Machine [IL] – Stoner/Doom/Psychedelic
Sativa Root [OE] – Austrian Instrumental Doomedelic Stoned Sludge Metal

For the past ten years, ASTEROID have been one of the trend setting bands in the independent psychedelic heavy rock community. With their origin in hard hitting stoner rock, they’ve constantly been adding more musical layers to evolve their own unique brand of rock. With inspiration taken from American and British Blues and Swedish folk music, the three piece always bring something new and fresh to the table. After all these years together and all these concerts Asteroid is a very impressive act to watch live, where their genuine love for the music really shines through in every song. The trio is well known for making use of the entire musical spectrum with a rich and powerful musical energy that never leaves any stone unturned.

“It’s got the murky darkness of the more menacing Zeppelin songs, the spaciness of Floyd’s cosmic tracks, and the bluesiness of Howlin’ Wolf – not to mention the incredible harmonies that tie everything together and keep you coming back for more.”

The supersonic intergalactic Heavy Rock trio MOTHERSHIP is landing at Freak Valley again!!!

The band will be releasing its highly anticipated third studio album “High Strangeness” in Spring 2017. The band is best known for its highly energetic and infectious live show, their non-stop dedication to performing on the road, and their unique Texas brand of heavy rock & roll boogie, blistering guitar solos, and thick grooves many find hard to believe for a 3 piece band. Consisting of brothers Kyle Juett on bass/lead vocals, Kelley Juett on guitar/vocals, and Judge Smith on drums, these guys have created a unique sound that satisfies like a steaming hot stew of UFO and Iron Maiden, blended with the southern swagger of Molly Hatchet and ZZ Top, paired with a deadly chalice of Black Sabbath. Mothership’s goal from the beginning has been to carry on the tradition of the classic rock style of the ’70?s, updated and amped up for the modern day. TRIP ON THE SHIP

THE GREAT MACHINE is a four piece band from Israel.

Led by the brothers Haviv: Omer on guitar and Aviran on the bass. Combined with the energetic drumming of Michael Izaki and the powerful singing of Noga Shalev they create a strong psychedelic, stoner-rock musical experience. The music of THE GREAT MACHINE is very powerfull. Two words: Riffs forward. the Brothers Haviv produce a heavy aggressive riff, that worships at the same time Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin ; From the back Yitzhaki kills with his drums . Some things make this simplicity wins. First,the free spirit and wild feeling that the Great Machine spreads, their stage behavior immediately releases the rocker in the mind , even if it is quite suppressed . Second, the brothers Haviv are very good at creating a dynamics and tension of slow and heavy rock, and then they shatters.

SATIVA ROOT: A world created from the darkness of ourselves, the homogeneous perfection of the nature and the consequent discrimination of our community. All that and more surrounds the Austrian Band Sativa Root and consequences their motivation to create their special kind of music. But not that bad attributes alone provokes the Trio to write such hypnotic sounds. With a pure and raw instrumental Doom, a fist full of Sludge Metal and spooky psychedelic parts they will put you in a head banging trance.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

LineUp 2017:
Slo Burn, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Pentagram, Ufomammut, Greenleaf, Conan, Golden Void, Asteroid, The Brew, Arbouretum, Maserati, Föllakzoid, Mothership, Wand, Salem’s Pot, MaidaVale, Elephant Tree, Geezer, Kikagaku Moyo, The Great Machine, Orango, Vodun, The Black Willows, Sativa Root, Limestone Whale

More tba soon…!

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Mothership, Live over Freak Valley (2016)

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Freak Valley 2017: Golden Void, Arbouretum, Limestone Whale & Föllakzoid Added

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 1st, 2017 by JJ Koczan

freak-valley-2017-banner

I didn’t realize, but yeah, I suppose it has been well over a month since the last lineup announcement from Freak Valley 2017. Well, if you want to make up for lost time, adding four bands from three different continents seems like a pretty good way to go about that. From opposite coasts of the US come San Diego’s Golden Void and Baltimore’s Arbouretum. From Chile, Föllakzoid, and from Germany, Limestone Whale. That’s North and South America and Europe represented in one single “hey, we’ve got more bands on our fest” post from Freak Valley. Not shabby by any measure.

And of course these four join a lineup that already includes the likes of Slo Burn‘s exclusive German appearance, PentagramUfomammutGreenleafConanElephant TreeGeezerMaidaVale, and so on, so all the better. Here’s the latest update from the festival:

freak-valley-2017-golden-void-arbouretum-limestone-whale-follakzoid

The long wait is over – we have 4 more band names for ya!!!

Here we go:

Golden Void [US] – Psychedelic Rock [Exclusive European Show!!]
Arbouretum [US] – Doom/Ecstatic
FÖLLAKZOID [CL] – Cosmic Music
Limestone Whale [DE] – Heavy Psych

GOLDEN VOID is the new face of Bay Area psychedelic music. It’s a rich tradition and like many of the tradition’s greats, Golden Void’s songs are firmly rooted in melody and not afraid of exploration. The band’s hooks get stuck in your head and their riffs transport you to the astral plane. Golden Void’s undeniable twist, setting them apart from their city’s lineage, is the influence of classic bands like Sabbath and Pentagram. The quartet, Isaiah Mitchell (Earthless) on guitar and vocals, Camilla Saufley-Mitchell on keyboards and vocals, Aaron Morgan on bass and Justin Pinkerton on Drums, achieves a perfect balance of muscular riffs, soaring melodies, and hazy atmosphere.

ARBOURETUM has been called “the best of the millennial classic rock bands, a guitar-fuzzed powerhouse.” The band, founded by guitarist and vocalist Dave Heumann, effortlessly weaves its melodies and guitar solos with the often hypnotic rhythms of bassist Corey Allender and drummer Brian Carey around the deliberate keyboard of Matthew Pierce to lift the vocals. The results are a full sound delivered with a striking sense of intimacy. Throughout their time together, the Baltimore-based band have been praised for their ability to weave elaborate vocal lines, and guitar solos that often unravel into extended improvisation, but never with as much finesse as on the forthcoming album “Song of the Rose”. In less practiced hands, these ideas could easily fall into contrivance, but on Song of the Rose, Arbouretum use these elements to perfect their craft of storytelling in song, both lyrically and sonically.

The Chilean band FÖLLAKZOID specialize in the pillowy sort of rock music designed to shield you from the world for a while. Huge, looping riffs stretch across deeply repetitive percussion, creating an atmosphere somewhere between trance and stupor. The word “psychedelic” is never far away when reading descriptions of the band, but three albums into their career, they’ve explored many colors on that particular spectrum. music designed to shield you from the world for a while. At its best, their music gains allure by gradually stacking up moments of powerful suggestion.

Formed in the shadows of the Bavarian forest LIMESTONE WHALE have developed their very own approach to heavy psych blues – far beyond prevailing stereotypes.
The quartet combines the natural roughness of proto metal and psychedelic rock with straight 70ies inspired blues and hard rock. With their mixture of heavy riffs and refreshing melodies the young but yet experienced musicians create a vivid and stirring presence on stage.

Limestone Whale are definitely among the few bands who are able to revive the spirit of the golden age of rock music without trying to sound „retro“.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

Line-up 2017:
Slo Burn, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Pentagram, Ufomammut, Greenleaf, Conan, Golden Void, The Brew, Arbouretum, Maserati, Föllakzoid, Salem’s Pot, MaidaVale, Elephant’s Tree, Geezer, Kikagaku Moyo, Wand, Orango, Vodun, The Black Willows, Limestone Whale
More tba soon…!

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Golden Void, Berkana (2015)

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Freak Valley 2017: Conan, Elephant Tree, Maserati and Wand Join Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on January 6th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

One of 2017’s great mysteries as I see it is whether or not Conan will have a new album. They’ve given hints toward a next batch of material, but it would be quick since their Revengeance (review here) came out last year, and they seem to have an awful lot of touring in the works, so I don’t know how that balance will shake out over the next 12 months. Earth-destroying riffs aren’t built in a day, you know. They are, however, going to grace the stage at Freak Valley 2017 this June in Germany. The fest has announced that Conan have signed on to play alongside Elephant Tree, Maserati and Wand as the first lineup additions of the New Year.

If you missed it — and I know you didn’t — Elephant Tree‘s 2016 self-titled debut (review here) was among last year’s finest first albums. They’ve made a few 2017 announcements, including Desertfest London and Psycho Las Vegas, and it’s hard to imagine more won’t follow before the year is out. To wit, they’ll have a tour update on Monday, so keep an eye out for that.

As for L.A.’s Wand, they released their 1,000 Days album in 2015, and Georgia’s Maserati offered up Rehumanizer that same year. They join and add to an increasingly ridiculous lineup, the entirety of which you can see below.

Freak Valley put it like this:

Welcome to 2017 Freaks!!

It’s the first freaky friday this year and we have 4 new bandnames for you!!

Conan [UK] – Doom/Sludge Metal
MASERATI [US] – Postrock
WAND [US] – Psychedelic Rock
Elephant Tree [UK] – Rock/Blues/Doom/Stoner

CONAN are as heavy as interplanetary thunder amplified through the roaring black hole anus of Azathoth. A three piece, in the grand tradition of many amazing fabulous three pieces that hold a tight line and an iron-grip command over the uber-synchronised chord changes and tempo-shifts of the holy trio of bass, drums and guitar. Hear the roar of battle. Smell the stench of split blood. A thousand heads piled high like a grim mound of suffering- a blasphemy to nature. Hail Conan!

Formed at the edge of the new millennium, MASERATI is as sleek, sexy and sophisticated as the legendary Italian sports car it takes its name from. It is fitting, then, that the band has dragged the glory years of psychedelic arena rock kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, with the pomposity (and vocals) carefully removed. In its place are white hot flashes of light pulsing to an unstoppable rhythm that makes us want to punch air and drive really fast in a car with wings instead of doors.

California psych band WAND will make us slaves to the rhythm!! “Pitchfork” favorably compares them to The Zombies and the krautrock of Neu!. They will satisfy fans’ appetite for heavy, psych-inspired landscapes with thick, garage guitars and an energetic, melodic core.

Wand combines elements of shoegaze, psych rock, desert rock, and sludge metal. Equally reminiscent of icons like Kyuss and contemporaries like Ty Segall (Fuzz), Wand’s sound is a fresh take on psychedelia; it avoids the dated nostalgia that has plagued some of the recent psych-rock acts. The band names a variety of influences, including Melvins, Crass, Talking Heads, and Pink Floyd.

ELEPHANT TREE are a relatively new band who, after cutting their teeth in the London metal scene, have established a place within the current growing Stoner Metal genre. Having moved down and taken in many many gigs and shows the guys have been influenced to start making their own music.

While the style is difficult to class under any one particular sub-genre of Metal it has been most likened to Doom Metal and Stoner Rock however many people have their own classifications ranging from Blues to Prog.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

Line-up 2017:
Slo Burn, Pentagram, Conan, Elephant Tree, Maserati, Wand, UFOMAMMUT, Greenleaf, The Brew, Salem’s Pot, MaidaVale, Geezer, Kikagaku Moyo, Vodun, Orango, The Black Willows

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Elephant Tree, Elephant Tree (2016)

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Freak Valley 2017: Pentagram, Greenleaf, Geezer, Black Willows and Orango Join Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 20th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

The latest update from Freak Valley 2017 gets a hearty ‘fucking a’ from my end, not the least because it contains confirmation that New York heavy blues-psych jammers Geezer will head across the Atlantic for the first time to play. Kudos to that trio, whose 2016 self-titled third album (review here) remains fresh in mind since its release last month on STB Records and Ripple Music, as they join the likes of Pentagram and Greenleaf, as well as Black Willows and Orango, who’ve also been added as of this afternoon. If you missed the last announcement from Freak Valley 2017, it was for a little band called Slo Burn playing an exclusive German show, so, you know, no minor shakes all around.

Once again, cheers to the Geezer guys for working out the scenario of being a good band doing cool shit, living the dream and all that. One anticipates tour dates will follow. I’ll keep an eye out.

Till then, here’s what Freak Valley had to say about Pentagram, Greenleaf, Geezer, Black Willows and Orango:

freak valley 2017 pentagram greenleaf geezer

Short before Christmas we are ready to give you a couple of more killer band names for Freak Valley Festival 2017.

We are thrilled to announce these 5 bands:

Pentagram (official) [US]
Major pioneers of Doom Metal.

Bobby Liebling & PENTAGRAM have been churning out widely admired hard rock / doom metal for over four decades. Within its first, this D.C. band is largely regarded as pioneering not one but two subgenres of hard rock. At the onset of the 1970’s, they helped procreate a behemoth called, “Heavy Metal.” Nine years on, they’d be planting the dark seed of what would grow to be known as “Doom. Now they will finally play Freak Valley! Yeah!

Greenleaf [SW]
Blues / Psychedelic / Stoner Rock

What makes a group truly unique and memorable – is something that can’t be defined, learned, or bought. Call it talent, magic, or whatever you want, but GREENLEAF has it. A super group of the underground rock scene, featuring a revolving cast of fellow musicians who share a love of heavy fuzz rock, GREENLEAF is a righteous kick in the ass and a testament to the almighty riff!

Geezer [US]
Cosmic Stoner Blues

Handmade Heavy Blues is a deep and heavy blues based rock. Imagine The Black Keys with a bit more evil in them, n more “Lonely Boy.” Geezer even sounds a bit like Larmon Clamor mixed with a little Five Horse Johnson. Either way you look at it, you’re getting a heavy blues album that covers it all.

The Black Willows [CH]
Shamanic Psych Rock

Black Willows causes an altered sensory experience of senses, emotions, memories, time, and awareness for 6 to 14 hours, depending on dosage and tolerance. Generally beginning instantly after ingestion, the user may experience anything from subtle changes in perception to overwhelming cognitive shifts. Changes in auditory and visual perception are typical.

Orango [NO]
Southern/Blues/Rock

Purveyors of honest and straightforward blues-infused vocal harmony rock, the trio Orango have worked on their musical blend and live reputation for over a decade. Their music is of the long-playing format, never shy of a hefty guitar solo or jamming in general. The band members say they are inspired by good ol´rock´n roll, good new rock´n roll, good ol´ blues, and good new blues”, namedropping bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Mountain, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Crosby Stills Nash & Young.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

Line-up 2017:
Slo Burn, Pentagram (official), UFOMAMMUT, Greenleaf, The Brew, Salem’s Pot, MaidaVale, Geezer, Kikagaku Moyo, Vodun, Orango, The Black Willows

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Geezer, Geezer (2016)

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Slo Burn Reunion Added to Freak Valley 2017

Posted in Whathaveyou on November 18th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

Two decades after playing Dynamo Festival and releasing their EP and only album, Amusing the Amazing, desert rockers Slo Burn will reunite for Freak Valley 2017. Their time together was short, and their legacy has done nothing but grow in the years since their breakup. As the first of John Garcia‘s post-Kyuss projects — followed by the likes of Unida, Hermano, etc. — Slo Burn was the beginning of a new era of desert rock, a moment at which an entire branch of the family tree began to grow, and the punch their sounds could pack when they wanted to remains unmatched in his catalog. Slo Burn, completed by guitarist Chris Hale, bassist Damon Garrison and drummer Brady Houghton, remain a standout 20 years later, despite only ever really having had one release. That in itself is saying something.

Great get for Freak Valley 2017, no question. Very interested to see what becomes of this reunion, whether it’s a reissue for the first version of Amusing the Amazing or its second, full-length incarnation, or a live album, or more touring. Seems like if they’re going on a European run, they’d probably want to take something more over than just t-shirts to sell, but that’s just my speculation. Will keep an eye out for updates, of course.

Here’s an announcement I wrote circled back through the PR wire:

slo-burn-freak-valley-2017

Freaks!

Prepare to be amused! Prepare to be amazed! Prepare to Pilot the Dune!

Slo Burn is coming to Freak Valley Festival 2017!

This will be an **EXCLUSIVE** German reunion show for the John Garcia-fronted desert rockers, featuring the original lineup with Damon Garrison, Erickson Houghton, and Chris Hale playing the original Slo Burn 10” – classics like “July,” “Muezli,” “The Prizefighter” and “Pilot the Dune” – as well as select songs from the Kyuss catalog! This is an incredible, one-time German show from these guys, so don’t miss your chance to see it!

2017 marks 20 years since Slo Burn released their EP and the Amusing the Amazing album, which would be their only record. The band formed with Garcia as frontman after the breakup of Kyuss and though they didn’t last long, their cult following has only grown over the years to be a landmark in desert rock. We are thrilled to help them celebrate this anniversary and can’t wait to see them onstage at Freak Valley 2017!

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Slo Burn, Live at Dynamo Festival 1997

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Freak Valley 2017: Salem’s Pot, Vodun, Kikagaku Moyo, MaidaVale and The Brew Added

Posted in Whathaveyou on October 31st, 2016 by JJ Koczan

Cool to see Freak Valley 2017 get a little weird in its early going. If you want to do that, adding bands like Sweden’s Salem’s Pot and London’s Vodun is a pretty good way to go, and to be honest I doubt Kikagaku Moyo will disappoint as regards freakout either, so right on. The German fest made its first lineup announcement earlier this month with Ufomammut joining the bill, and it further bodes well that this batch arrives together, since it shows some of the sonic diversity of the fest in a way that a more piecemeal, one-at-a-time approach wouldn’t really be able to highlight. Nothing to do at this point but sit back and watch these fests take shape.

You got plans for next June? I don’t. Time to start daydreaming, I think.

Fest announcement follows:

freak-valley-2017-bands-poster-700

We are ready to announce 5 more mindblowing bands to join UFOMAMMUT to the 2017 FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL line-up before online ticket sale will start Monday Oct. 31st 6pm cet. Here we go!!

Salem’s Pot [SW]
Horror-obsessed Swedish doom rockers will bring their wild and weird sounds, space synths swirling beneath chugging guitar riffs, Thin Lizzy licks, and Knate’s cracked vocal delivery over Freak Valley. Their show will be presented by Rockblog Bluesspot.

The Brew [UK]
We are truly honoured that finally UK’s Powertrio The Brew will play their finest 70ies-, Power- und Bluesrock at Freak Valley. A killer live act! We cannot wait!!

Kikagaku Moyo [JP]
Japanese Psychedelic Rockers Kikagaku Moyo call their sound “psychedelic” because it encompasses a broad spectrum of influence. Their music incorporates elements of classical Indian music, Kraut Rock, Tradit ional Folk, and 70s Rock. Most importantly their music is about freedom of the mind and body and building a bridge between the supernatural and the present. Improvisation is a key element to their sound. Kikagaku Moyo play music to ignite your soul and foster euphoria. Their songs will compel you to let your hair down, throw your arms in the air and smile.

MaidaVale [SW]
The Swedish female four-piece with influences ranging over decades, have created a sound based in the late 60’s/early 70’s music scene. With a modern take on blues rock the band have captured many audiences with their heavy and psychedelic vibes, and developed into a highly acclaimed live act with the ability to spellbind and enthrall audiences.

Vodun [UK]
V?D?N are a heavy, weird & soulful, afro-futuristic tribe from London – A raw and powerful slice of voodoo fuelled turbo-metal riffage not to be missed. Featuring two members of one of London’s finest underground bands, Invasion, who disbanded in 2011, Vodun have taken the basic blueprint of that band, added a huge West African voodoo influence and ramped up the intensity across the board. They rock like no one else, and are also a mesmerising live experience.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Salem’s Pot, Live at Sonic Blast – Moledo 2016

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Freak Valley 2017: Ufomammut Announced as First Band for Lineup

Posted in Whathaveyou on October 10th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

Even as Europe — yes, the entire frickin’ continent — reels from an autumn filled with successive weekend festivals, the next season begins. Germany-based Freak Valley has put its early-bird tickets on sale for Freak Valley 2017, which will be held June 15 through June 17 in Siegen, and as I understand it, they’ve already blown through the lot of them. At very least the ones they were selling at the Brutus and Godsleep show this weekend, also in Siegen. And the ones they subsequently put up for sale online? Apparently they sold twice as many as they’d planned to sell, so it seems safe to say that Freak Valley 2017 is off to a good start.

Fair enough. Would be hard not to trust the taste of Jens Heide and company at this point not to deliver a rock-solid lineup of heavy in its various incarnations and permutations. For example, just before tickets went on sale, they posted the first band added to the lineup, and of course it’s a monster. From Italy. Named Ufomammut.

If you’ve never seen Ufomammut — and you probably have, because I know you’re down, but just go with me on this — it’s one of life’s great joys. Here’s the first of many announcements from Freak Valley 2017 that I expect to come over the next eight months, probably one at a time, just like this year:

ufomammut-freak-valley-2017

°!° First Band Announcement & Early Bird Tickets °!°

Hi Freaks!

Here we go! Please welcome Italy’s psychedelic metal heavyweights UFOMAMMUT !!

UFOMAMMUT is a power trio formed in 1999 in Italy by Poia, Urlo and Vita, worldwide recognized as the creator of a unique brand of psychedelic sludge. With long songs, droning vocals and massive effects the band combines a monumental riffing attitude with the psychedelia of the more visionary Pink Floyd. UFOMAMMUT’s status as one of the most potent, powerful and artistic contemporary doom artists in existence, continues to captivate the masses, and the band’s worldwide grasp grows wider with each release.

Ufomammut’s live show is supported by the internationally acclaimed video and graphic art of Malleus ROCK ART LAB, a rock artists’ collective who conjure the entirety of Ufomammut’s visual impact.

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL – 15th-16th-17th June 2017
www.freakvalley.de www.rockfreaks.de

Freak Valley Festival 2017: No Fillers – Just Killers

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://www.facebook.com/events/150965291977635/
https://twitter.com/FreakValley

Ufomammut, Live in Milan, July 19, 2016

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