The Pinx‘s exclamatory five-track Electric! EP, out now, puts guitarist/vocalist Adam McIntyre (also now of StoneRider) back in the drivers seat as regards production after relinquishing the helm for the band’s 2019 third full-length, Sisters and Brothers. The Atlanta-based four-piece offer five new tracks on the quick-turnaround short release — they also put out a couple holiday singles last December — and whether it’s the opener “Victimless Crime,” the pointedly catchy “Bad Behavior,” the semi-psychedelic centerpiece “Hammer of the Dogs” or the rushing “It’s Electric” or the turn to ’70s Southern fluidity in the double-lead guitar and harmonies of “See You Later,” McIntyre and the band around him comprised of guitarist/vocalist Chance McColl, bassist Charles Wiles and drummer Cayce Buttrey bring efficiency right to the forefront of the work they’re doing. Stylistic turns are quick and unannounced but a pleasure to follow. Pretense is nowhere to be found. The material is well written, well performed, well produced. It sounds like rock and roll to me.

That’s almost a novelty in an age of genre-minded hyper-specialization, but The Pinx comport themselves with a classic methodology while letting the recording itself carry across the energy of the band to which the EP’s title is so clearly alluding. Electric! is something of a stripping down as compares to Sisters and Brothers, and that’s reportedly the idea, but if you had to pick a time to go to ground, reset, and push yourself to do something kind of new in the studio, well, it’s not like there’s a show to play instead. Not to be glib or anything, but if the cathartic burst of these tracks is productive for McIntyre — also a prolific solo artist — and the group as a whole, then so be it. “See You Later” brings in some of the embellishment of the band’s more Southern rocking work, as noted, but even that is more about drive than pastoralism, and whether it’s a one-off or an entire realignment of purpose, it suits The Pinx well. Electric! is engaging while asking shockingly little of the listener other maybe than that they keep up, and frankly, doing so is what makes the thing fun in the first place.

The EP is out and you can stream the full thing below. “It’s Electric” is the second video collaboration between The Pinx and esteemed psychotropic-oil-duder Lance Gordon of The Mad Alchemy Liquid Lightshow, who gets his hands dirty so you can get your mind dirty. Of course I’m going to tell you to watch the video — colors are pretty and it’s premiering below — but you should know in so doing that Electric! takes on a number of directions, and the push here is just one of them.

You got three and a half minutes for rock and roll? Of course you do.

Enjoy:

The Pinx, “It’s Electric” official video premiere

Adam McIntyre on “It’s Electric”:

“I met Lance of Mad Alchemy when my other band Stonerider opened for Graveyard and Radio Moscow. They had this fellow working lights doing that old-school Fillmore West projection and I just started asking him questions. I liked the idea that the ‘light guy’ wasn’t pushing buttons and faders, but actually putting his hands into this stew of colors and bathing the bands in his magical creations. Lance and I just clicked. I saw the possibilities for connecting with the crowd in a different way, and it took a while and a pandemic, but I found the card he gave me back in 2013 and finally started working with him. It wasn’t live shows, as I’d always expected we’d do, but making videos instead. I gave very little direction to him. He’s playing off of the music, so I’ve already given him the music as my direction. His visual interpretation is his own.”

The Pinx are back with another collaboration with visual artists Mad Alchemy, whose dynamic, psychedelic oil projection backgrounds have graced the stages of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Temples, Radio Moscow, Graveyard, Circles Around The Sun and many more. This video showcases a few new editing tricks to bring out the dynamics in the music. Oil Projection by Lance Gordon, Titles and editing by Ryne Freed.

As for the song, it says what it does, does what it says. This is The Pinx in pure, sweaty and electrifying ROCK mode.

Recorded and mixed at Bear Pause by Adam McIntyre
Mastered by JJ Golden at Golden Mastering

The Pinx are:
Adam McIntyre – Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar
Chance McColl – Lead Guitar and Vocals
Charles Wiles – Bass & Backing Vocals
Cayce Buttrey – Drums & Backing Vocals

The Pinx, Electric! (2020)

The Pinx website

The Pinx on Thee Facebooks

The Pinx on Instagram

The Pinx on Bandcamp

Based in Miami and Atlanta, the Southeastern two-piece of Juan Montoya (ex-Torche) and Evan DiPrima (ex-Royal Thunder) form the core of Moon Destroys, and their mission, at least judging by the bit of their aptly-titled debut EP, Maiden Voyage, that I’ve had the chance to hear, would seem to be to further blur the line between heavy and prog, which is a barrier that over the last several years has only become increasingly obscure. Inevitably that will lead to a snap-back/regression sooner or later, but that’s years away, frankly, and in the interim, an outfit like Moon Destroys, which brings shades of Montoya‘s brighter-tinged guitar work along with guest vocals from Cynic‘s Paul Masvidal and Mastodon‘s Troy Sanders — working that prog angle — makes for a fascinating as well as head-spinning listen. You can stream “Blue Giant” below, which is the cut with Sanders, and it’s one to keep up with, but it proves worth the effort to do so.

Something cool to check out that doesn’t sound like everything else? Yeah, I’ll give that upwards of four minutes out of my day, thanks. Preorders are also a thing.

Dig:

MOON DESTROYS (ex-TORCHE, ex-ROYAL THUNDER): Announce Debut EP Maiden Voyage coming March 27th

MOON DESTROYS is the brainchild of guitarist Juan Montoya (ex-Torche) and drummer Evan Diprima ( Brother Hawk, ex-Royal Thunder). Having written together in various configurations for over a decade, they now come together under the auspices of celestial forces with a new project to unveil their mesmerizing debut EP Maiden Voyage.

An experiment of truly galactic proportions, MOON DESTROYS blend heavy riffage with psychedelic flourishes and vivid imagery across two intricately designed centerpiece tracks; “Blue Giant” along with “Stormbringer” featuring the gorgeous vocals of Paul Masvidal (Cynic) and layers of synths from Bryan Richie (The Sword). Three instrumental bursts connect the pieces together to create one mind-melting trip across the cosmic highway! Maiden Voyage is an absorbing, dynamic and forward-thinking debut that explores the new frontiers of heavy music in the 21st century.

Maiden Voyage will be released on March 27th on LP/Digital via Brutal Panda Records and is available for pre-order at this LOCATION.

Tracklisting:
1. At The End Of Time
2. Blue Giant (feat. Troy Sanders)
3. The Shores Of The Cosmic Ocean
4. Stormbringer (feat. Paul Masvidal)
5. The Edge Of Forever

https://www.facebook.com/moondestroys/
https://www.instagram.com/moondestroys/
https://www.moondestroys.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BrutalPandaRecords
http://instagram.com/brutalpandarecords
http://www.brutalpandarecords.com

Moon Destroys, “Blue Giant”

Mastodon, Leviathan (2004)

Later this summer will mark 15 years since the release of Mastodon‘s second album, Leviathan. No doubt there will be something down to celebrate the anniversary, either by the band itself or by the label, Relapse Records, who put it out, and one could hardly argue. What was one of the best heavy albums of the aughts remains infectious in its energy right from the outset of “Blood and Thunder,” the tense riff paying off in a guest vocal appearance from Clutch‘s Neil Fallon as the Atlanta four-piece of Troy Sanders (bass, vocals), Brent Hinds (guitar, vocals), Bill Kelliher (guitar) and Brann Dailor (drums) crafted a tempest befitting the song and album’s seafaring, Moby Dick-derived theme. “White whale, holy grail,” and so on. Across 10 tracks and 46 minutes, Mastodon demonstrated a dynamic approach that not only took a leap forward from their 2002 debut, Remission, but was essentially a leap forward for heavy metal, striking out in a direction that saw no reason to compromise between impact and progressivism, driven by Dailor‘s snare-overload mania on drums to conjure an urgency that by then was lacking in the dominant creative staleness of metalcore, and that hit with a diversity of songwriting, a balance of melody and burl, and a winding course that every bit sounded like the future. Leviathan‘s impact was immediate and a decade and a half later, it is ongoing.

I got married in a Leviathan t-shirt. Relapse still sells it — it’s the one with the whale from the incredible Paul A. Romano cover art on front — and it felt classy enough to go with a tuxedo. Like Metallica before them and Conan after, Mastodon had their time as a band who, when you saw someone else wearing their shirt, it said something about them. Around the time of Leviathan, it was safe to assume that person knew what was up. Radio had largely abandoned metal unless you had a satellite account. Social media existed if you were willing to sit in front of a computer to get it — and plenty people were — and file-sharing had largely gone underground from the Napster fallout. Print media existed but was unmistakably in decline, and the sphere of digital outlets was nowhere near as broad as it was today. Still everyone, seemed to agree on this record. Granted, Mastodon were a big enough band to divide opinion — people either actively liked or actively disliked them — but consensus generally was Mastodon had created something special in the furies of “Ísland,” “Iron Tusk” and “I am Ahab,” the surprising Southern rock departure in “Megalodon,” the sprawling crescendo of the 13-minute “Hearts Alive” and the more melodic and catchy “Naked Burn” and the righteous preach of the second guest vocal spot, this one from Neurosis‘ Scott Kelly — who’d join Mastodon in the studio and tour with them on more than one occasion — and it was their ability to control it that truly made their sound so powerful. Yeah, they were absolutely putting on a clinic in terms of technicality, but whether it was the throaty moans of “I am Ahab” or the acoustic comedown in closer “Joseph Merrick,” there was nothing Mastodon did that loosened their grasp on the material. I once heard Tom Araya or Kerry King from Slayer — can’t remember which — describe Dave Lombardo‘s drumming by saying that it sounds like the whole song is going to crash and come flying apart at all times, but it never does. With Mastodon during the Leviathan era, that was the whole band. They struck at the perfect generational moment to spearhead a new wave of progressive metal, and the impact of their work in doing that is continuing to flesh out. At this point, they’re a band other bands grew up listening to.

Was Leviathan the Millennial Master of Puppets? I don’t know, but it was definitely the Leviathan, and that seems like enough.

There have been continual vinyl pressings done since the release, and my only issue with that would be it would preclude listening at such a volume as to vibrate the stylus over the platter, but for me, Leviathan has always worked best in linear form. A 46-minute CD, front to back. I won’t discount the appeal of a side flip as a moment to catch one’s breath — arguably necessary after “Aqua Dementia” — but the way the songs tie together while still providing standout moments, and the breadth of the album as a whole, it just seems to function as one larger piece. Even the way “Ísland” ends and “Iron Tusk” picks up on the next beat, or the way “Blood and Thunder” seems to cut with just the slightest stutter into “I am Ahab.” With the recording of Matt Bayles, Mastodon were able to capture a blend of nuance and pummel that, no matter how many others would try to pick up on what they were doing, remains largely unmatched by whatever measurement you care to use.

Before Blood Mountain surfaced in 2006, Mastodon departed Relapse for Warner Bros. subsidiary Reprise Records. I remember their statement about the signing was almost apologetic. They’d go on to do what many consider their greatest work in 2008’s Crack the Skye, but to be honest, by then they’d pretty much lost me. I’ve still never really sat with that record or anything they’ve done since, though I’ve seen them live on several occasions between then and now. The Hunter in 2011 and Once More ‘Round the Sun in 2014 garnered mixed reviews, but 2017’s Emperor of Sand seemed to do well for them, which is fine. They always have a good showing in the year-end polls here. Once Blood Mountain came out, the balance of impact and intensity against melody and progginess shifted, and once that happens on such a scale, there’s no real going back. I’m sure I’ve missed out, but somehow I don’t think Mastodon are exactly hurting without my ultra-fandom. I continue to appreciate Leviathan and Remission, and even the earlier Lifesblood EP and split with American Heritage — plus that time they covered Thin Lizzy‘s “Emerald”; that was fun — to a lesser extent, for the landmark accomplishments they were. Are. Will continue to be. That’s probably enough.

As always, I hope you enjoy.

—

I have a cold. Fuckers. The baby gave it to me, which, yes, I take personally. No doubt he meant to do it. Malicious intent behind it and all that. He’s been letting me know via boogers all week what he thinks of my pitiful attempts at parenting. Can’t say I’d do different were I in his position. I am pretty awful at being a dad.

Next week we’re down in Jersey for a good portion of the time. Kind of a surprise jaunt south, but we’ll be there long enough for me to go see YOB, Voivod and Amenra in Brooklyn and that’ll be fun assuming I can remember to bring my camera. The show is at Warsaw, which I’m not sure I’ve ever actually been to, but has been doing shows for a long time. Keeping my fingers crossed for a photo pit so I can actually go and both take pictures and enjoy the show. We’ll see.

This weekend is a new episode of The Obelisk Show on Gimme Radio. Sunday, 7PM EDT. Listen at http://gimmeradio.com. Please. It covers some cool stuff from the Quarterly Review and other odds and ends that have been kicking my ass lately, like the new Valley of the Sun, which is easily their best work to-date.

Notes for next week? Yeah, I’ve got some. Hang on.

Okay Subject to change, of course:

MON 04/01 THE DRUIDS REVIEW; CEGVERA VIDEO PREMIERE; KANDODO VIDEO
TUE 04/02 THE DEVIL AND THE ALMIGHTY BLUES REVIEW; MORASS OF MOLASSES PREMIERE
WED 04/03 STONE MACHINE ELECTRIC VIDEO PREMIERE
THU 04/04 THE DRY MOUTHS ALBUM STREAM
FRI 04/05 YOB LIVE REVIEW

Busy busy. Probably for the best. Even with this cold, which I’m very much hoping will dissipate over the weekend and both I and the baby can leave bastard-mode go back to our non-boogery selves. We shall see.

In the meantime, slept poorly last night. I went to bed after picking The Patient Mrs. up at work, circa 5PM, but was reading a Deep Space Nine book (Ascendance, if you’re curious) and didn’t get to sleep, so came back downstairs for Pecan bedtime ritual and subsequent delicious leftovers dinner, then did my own futz ritual and went back to bed. I was asleep around 8PM maybe, or before that, and the alarm went off at 4AM to get up and come do this. Was up around 10:30 though, my head reeling and congested. Always forget about that with colds. You have to find just the right angle so the mucus drains and doesn’t drown you while you sleep. Shit is difficult.

And yet there are people who believe humans were intelligently designed, like your snot was made in the image of god. Even if you want to believe humans were “designed,” intelligence would not seem to have been a factor in the slightest. If it were, people probably wouldn’t believe in things like intelligent design.

But hey, how ’bout that Mueller report though, huh? Turns out no one’s coming to save us.

At least it’s baseball season.

I hope you have a great and safe weekend. I’m gonna go grab the baby, who’s awake, and start the day. Please check out Forum, Radio and merch at Dropout.

The Obelisk Forum

The Obelisk Radio

The Obelisk shirts & hoodies

As to just how many decades ahead of her time Jarboe remains, science is still unclear. A new study published in the journal Physics postulates that in fact her work doesn’t emanate from this timeline at all, and is rather an import from another dimension. Certainly there are arguments to be made in favor of such theories, but the inarguable fact of her massive catalog speaks to more localized cosmic origins. Her work is, however, consistently unique unto itself, and she’ll add to the aforementioned discography next month by issuing The Cut of the Warrior via Translation Loss. Comprised of four songs and three remixes — a certain amount of manipulation in the material is to be expected, no? — it’s the first Jarboe outing since… last year, when she released the 4CD Artbox, which easily lived up to its title.

We go now live to the PR wire at the portal between universes:

Jarboe announces “The Cut of the Warrior”

Translation Loss Records
December 14, 2018

Jarboe offers a spiritually enlightened work titled “The Cut of the Warrior”. Four gorgeous compositions that pull inspiration from Jarboe’s kinship to buddhism are meticulously crafted and presented. The album is armed with three alternative mixes/collaborations with Byla (featuring members of Gorguts, Dysrhythmia), End Christian and Kris Force (Amber Asylum) while being housed in a stunning layout by Dehn Sora.

“The Cut of the Warrior refers to the practice of Chöd by illustrating repeated attempts to cut through the ego”, explains Jarboe. “The Chöd practitioner seeks to tap the power of fear through activities such as rituals set in graveyards and visualizations of offering their bodies in a tantric feast in order to put their understanding of emptiness to the ultimate test.”

“The Cut of the Warrior” will be released on December 14, 2018.

Track Listing:
1. Wayfaring Stranger In The Bardo
2. GodGoddess
3. Feast
4. Karuna
5. Karuna (Byla mix)
6. Wayfaring Stranger In The Bardo (End Christian mix)
7. GodGoddess reprise (Kris Force mix)

Album credits:
Written, performed, recorded by Jarboe
Mastered by Kris Force

Album layout by Dehn Sora
Video by Monto Mccleery

https://www.thelivingjarboe.com
https://www.facebook.com/TheLivingJarboe
http://translationlossrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://translationlossrecords.bandcamp.com/

Jarboe, “Ode to V”

Preorders are up now for Reborn of Dead Light, the second album from Georgian four-piece Dead Hand. The record is out Sept. 7 through Divine Mother Recordings and features the artwork of Jean Saiz, also known as the guitarist/vocalist of Floridian dark-sludgers Shroud Eater, with whom Dead Hand shared a split release (review here) late in 2016. That was the last time Dead Hand were heard from, but the band have the opening track “Alabaster and Bone” streaming right now as well as the CD bonus track “Them Bones,” a cover of the opener from Alice in Chains‘ classic Dirt album which, indeed, may never have sounded dirtier than it does with Dead Hand‘s take.

Both of those cuts are streaming below for your perusal. Before you get there, the PR wire has info, tour dates and links, all of which looks like this:

Sludge/Post-Metal DEAD HAND’s upcoming album ‘REBORN OF DEAD LIGHT’ set for release Sept. 7th via Divine Mother Recordings; Pre-orders available now!

Dead Hand is a full widescreen sludge experience. With keyboard-expanded instrumentation and the panorama of post-metal, they’re a truly doomed, sonic horizon whose bleak beauty deliberately unfurls a slow-rolling tsunami to sweep oceanic ruin over fallen kingdoms.

‘Their second full-length, ‘Reborn Of Dead Light’ is set for release on September 7, 2018, via Divine Mother Recordings. The album was recorded and mixed between February and September 2017, with mastering completed in January 2018, all by Matt Washburn at Ledbelly Sound Studios in Dawnsonville, GA. The striking album cover artwork and design is by Jean Saiz.

Reborn Of Dead Light – Track List:

1. Alabaster and Bone
2. Reborn of Dead Light
3. Parapraxis
4. Amaranthine
5. Them Bones (**bonus track, CD only)

– Vinyl press is limited to 250 copies on Green and Black Merge, with full color jackets and insert. Includes digital download code.

– Compact Disc (CD) is limited to 50 copies on full color disc, with two-panel insert on Black Arigato Pak jackets. Includes digital download code. **The CD version includes the bonus track “Them Bones”, a Dead Hand cover originally recorded by Alice in Chains, and featuring Eric Crowe of Crawl on guest vocals.

Upcoming Live Dates:
Sep. 07 – Macon, GA @ Grants Lounge (w/ Hexxus, Crawl, Soul Abuse) – Album Release Show
Sep. 08 – Birmingham, AL @ Nick Rocks (w/ Mother’s Keeper, Hexxus, Inclination Of Direction)
Sep. 14 – Asheville, NC
Sep. 15 – Jacksonville, FL
Sep. 16 – Gainesville, FL
Sep. 17 – Valdosta, GA

DEAD HAND is:
C. Carr – Guitar, Vocals
S. Williams – Bass
S. Harris – Synth, Vocals, Trumpet
C. Harper – Drums

deadhandcollective.blogspot.com/
deadhandcollective.bandcamp.com/
facebook.com/deadhandcollective/
instagram.com/deadhanddoom/
divinemotherrecordings.com/
divinemotherrecordings.bandcamp.com/
facebook.com/divinemotherrecordings/
instagram.com/divinemotherrecordings/

Dead Hand, Reborn of Dead Light (2018)

Dead Hand, “Them Bones”

A full 170 years after their last release, Atlanta heavy space rockers Telestrion return with a new one worthy of the distance from its predecessor. Okay, so maybe not 170 years, but Telestrion issued the vinyl-only EP, Molecule (review here), in 2012, and that certainly feels like two lifetimes ago. To the four-piece’s credit, they began recording the double-LP Blazing in the Sky way back when, it’s just only now coming to fruition. What sort of temporal loop may have occurred between then and now to cause the delay, I don’t know, but with a brisk 90-minute stretch its two platters, one can hardly accuse them of lacking productivity. Led by guitarist/vocalists Andy Samford and Brian Holcomb, who also handle a variety of other instruments from synth and theremin to sitar and Mellotron and “wind” between them, Blazing in the Sky features bassists Jonathan Lee and Stephen Carrington (the latter also guitar), synthesist/backing vocalist Karl Kendrick, percussionist Billy Reeves and drummer Ric Parnell, best known for his portrayal of Mick Shrimpton in This is Spinal Tap — an incendiary performance if ever there was one.

This assemblage and their purposes vary from track to track throughout the 15-song release, and while the format of a 2LP is necessary for the extended runtime, it also feeds into the concept behind the release, which is comprised of traditionally structured songs on its first 12″ and five mostly-extended jams on its second. As to which end of the offering might be more spaced out, it’s a judgment call, of course, but listening to the 15-minute penultimate cut “Midnight Never Ends,” freakery certainly abounds in a way that makes earlier three-minute hooks like “The Peak” and “Paperclip” seem positively straightforward. And to a degree, they are. The album begins with the more than slightly funky vibe of “Electric Ball” and embarks on a space-rock-via-grunge mission of aesthetic purpose that’s smoothly produced but still natural sounding. If some of the recordings are six years old — Telestrion went back into the studio in 2017 — they hardly show their age, and along with some decided Rush fandom, Telestrion show an affinity for the cosmic things in life that coincides with their still-weighted tonality and classic Sabbathian spirit.

That spirit perhaps shows itself most in the vocal cadence of “The Peak,” but it hardly departs on the slower, longer “Manifestations,” which follows, and it comes to a head on the seven-minute “A Storm is Comin'” later on, dosed as well with a good hit of psychedelia also at the forefront for “Oasis” of souls while “Paperslip” and “Nothing Left” speak more to the grunge side of Telestrion‘s sound, “Out in the Hills” seems to directly call to Spirit Caravan and the title-track is left to pull in a variety of elements — percussion among them — in some form of summary of the scope of the release. That’s a challenge in itself, but as side B closer “I Ain’t Got Time for Time” wraps with an upbeat kick following the space-doom conclusion of “A Storm is Comin’,” the vibe has long since been set for such turns. What allows Telestrion to make these turns as they go is an underlying foundation of songwriting. Their material is strong enough to support the stylistic shifts and still come across as catchy as intended and as strong in performance as it is in structure. LP1 is tight to such a degree as to be making a point of it, and accordingly it’s all the more of a surprise when they depart onto the second LP of all-out jamming.

Blazing in the Sky isn’t really just a double-album. It’s two albums. One follows one tradition, the other another. They’re connected via “I Ain’t Got Time for Time,” a reprise of which opens the second platter, but by and large, sides C and D are on their own wavelength as compares to the material before them. Whether it’s the Mellotron-soaked “Kykeon” or the theremin swirl of “What’s Not On” or the bass and drum pulsations beneath them both holding them together, the jams are of marked and distinct personality, and they tell a different story of who Telestrion as a band. To wit, if they had actually released Blazing in the Sky as two separate LPs over the course of however long, one might simply say, “Oh yeah, this is the record where they jam. Fine.” As it is, with the two methods positioned right next to each other, one experiences the scope of Blazing in the Sky different context. There’s no ignoring the band’s vision and tease with which they move from tight-knit pieces to wide-open, go-where-they-will jams.

I don’t know how much of “What’s Not On,” “Kykeon,” “Midnight Never Ends” and closer “The Law of Averages” — which would seem to be titled in homage to Parnell — is improvised versus being plotted out beforehand, but a sense of spontaneity pervades anyhow thanks to the inclusion of various percussive elements, keys, synth, Mellotron, etc., giving a progressive edge to the longer-form works and allowing Telestrion to convey and exploratory sensibility, resulting in an unwavering commitment to reverb and echo and a spaciousness that, as far out as they went, the earlier tracks on Blazing in the Sky could hardly hope to approach. As someone who’s a persistent sucker for heavy jams, the drift that Telestrion bring to “Kykeon” and the proggy sprawl of “Midnight Never Ends” are boons ahead of the heavier, fuzzy freakout in “The Law of Averages,” which ends the record on its most chaotic note. However it was recorded, whenever it was recorded, Blazing in the Sky marks Telestrion as a band that still has plenty to offer not just in content, but in method, and the departure from accomplished songcraft into the jams from whence that songcraft emerges is an admirable one not only for what it says about their process, but for their knowing when a song is finished and needs to be what it is. The life they breathe into these tracks is only a part of their appeal, but it’s a big one, and if it’s another half-decade-plus until they give a follow-up, there’s plenty here to chew on for the interim.

Telestrion on Thee Facebooks

Telestrion on Bandcamp

Telestrion website

Kind of hard to argue with the melodic noise rock Dead Now bring forth with their new single, particularly for anyone who’s ever shown concussion symptoms following a bout with the riffing of Torche. That band’s former guitarist, Andrew Elstner, features in Dead Now as the frontman alongside bassist Derek Schulz and drummer Bobby Theberge, who double as the exploratory duo Day Old Man, also based in Atlanta, Georgia. And while they may join the family tree of Cavity/Floor/Torche that seems to stem upward from Miami, they do so with their own take on noise rock and melodic vocals, pulling back on some of the poppier elements in favor of more crunching fare, catchy as it is.

Dead Now will be on tour with Red Fang and Big Business in September, which, frankly, is about the best place I can think of them to be, and you can stream the song “Ritchie Blackmourning” at the bottom of this post. Info follows courtesy of the PR wire:

DEAD NOW: Announce Debut Album; Premiere First Single “Ritchie Blackmourning”

Self-Titled Debut coming Sept 7th via Brutal Panda Records

See them on tour with Red Fang and Big Business 9/7 – 9/28

Brutal Panda Records is proud to announce the signing of Atlanta, GA’s DEAD NOW. Consisting of current and former members of Torche, Riddle of Steel, Tilts and Day Old Man, DEAD NOW are a veritable power-trio who play dynamic, melodic heavy rock that is best enjoyed LOUD!

The group recently recorded their self-titled debut with Who Cares at None Of Your Business with album art designed by Orion Landau (Red Fang, YOB). The self-titled debut will see a September 7th release on LP/Digital formats via Brutal Panda just in time for their upcoming tour with Red Fang, Big Business and Monolord. Additionally, a record release show in Atlanta with noise rockers Metz has been announced. A complete listing of dates is available below.

Physical pre-orders are available at this LOCATION with digital pre-orders at Bandcamp HERE. The song can be heard via all streaming outlets HERE.

DEAD NOW frontman Andrew Elstner commented on the signing and new material:

“Myself, Derek and Bobby couldn’t be more hyped for this. Killer label, amazing people and now we’re desperate to get the jams in front of some faces and just crush. Things came together so quickly, it feels like the Gods are pleased.”

Stay tuned for more info and music from DEAD NOW.

DEAD NOW TOUR DATES:
— All Dates Sep 11 – 28 w/ Red Fang & Big Business —
Sep 07 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Hall *
Sep 08 Richmond, VA Capital Ale House *
Sep 09 Washington, DC Rock & Roll Hotel
Sep 11 Pittsburgh, PA Spirit Hall
Sep 12 Columbus, OH A&R Music Bar
Sep 13 St. Louis, MO Firebird
Sep 14 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room
Sep 15 St. Paul, MN Turf Club +
Sep 16 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
Sep 18 Harrisburg, PA Stage on Herr @ HMAC
Sep 19 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sep 20 Hamden, CT Space Ballroom
Sep 21 Boston, MA The Sinclair
Sep 22 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
Sep 24 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
Sep 25 Grand Rapids, MI Pyramid Scheme
Sep 26 Detroit, MI El Club
Sep 27 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sep 28 Indianapolis, IN The Hi-Fi
Sep 30 Atlanta, GA 529^

* w/ Monolord, No Big Business
+ w/ Cro-Mags, Dillinger Four, Blind Approach; No Big Business & Dead Now
^w/ Metz

DEAD NOW IS:
Bobby Theberge – Drums (Day Old Man)
Derek Schulz – Bass (Day Old Man)
Andrew Elstner – Vocals / Guitar (Ex-Torche, Tilts, Riddle of Steel)

Dead Now Tracklist:
1. Brunette
2. Ritchie Blackmourning
3. Bird Leaf
4. Powershapes
5. Motorekt

http://www.facebook.com/deadnowband
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Dead Now, Dead Now (2018)

Okay, so Telestrion‘s Blazing in the Sky has been out for a minute or two. Sometimes a thing comes to my attention after it’s been a while. It’s not like the record’s a year old, so, you know, stuff it. The span of the thing is more important than time anyway — though while we’re quibbling dates, I’ll note it’s been six years since the Atlanta natives released their last EP, Molecule (review here) — and maybe making up for lost time is part of the reason they’ve gone to a double-LP with Blazing in the Sky, though listening to the four jams that would comprise the second platter of a vinyl release, they don’t really need any justification for being included. They’re there, and awesome. That should be and is enough.

Blazing in the Sky is Telestrion‘s second full-length behind 2007’s self-titled debut, though the band also trace their roots back to the lone 2004 outing from another outfit called Qualone. I still have my CD of that record. Cool stuff. It’s on Telestrion‘s Bandcamp if you get through the new album and are up for digging back. Ah hell, you’ve got time. You know you do.

I don’t know if they’re doing a physical pressing at this time or waiting to get a label involved in such an endeavor, but either way, Blazing in the Sky is certainly lit up. Details follow from the PR wire:

Atlanta Cosmic Rockers Telestrion release “Blazing in the Sky” featuring Spinal Tap/Atomic Rooster Drummer, Ric Parnell

The music of Telestrion is an assault on the senses with their brand of own brand psychedelic acid fuzz rock. Think Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, and Hawkwind and you’ll be in the ballpark, however Telestrion have a sound that is uniquely their own. Telestrion’s performances meander back and forth between tightly rehearsed songs and loose free form improvisational jams, depending on the state of the players and the moment.

In April of 2018, Telestrion released their long awaited double album, Blazing in the Sky. The album was produced by Telestrion and Jeff Tomei and features legendary Spinal Tap/Atomic Rooster drummer Ric Parnell. Blazing in the Sky is a 15 song cosmic journey that covers all of the bases from the short and sweet “Nothing Left” to the 15 minute epic “Midnight Never Ends.” Telestrion’s music is definitely food for the mind and is something to not just be heard but to be experienced as well.

Founding member/singer/guitarist/songwriter Andy Samford had this to say about working with the legendary Ric Parnell (aka. Mick Shrimpton in Spinal Tap):

“He was amazing, he would listen to a demo, I’d walk him through the arrangement and then he’d create and perform a perfect part in one or two takes. Genius, really. We’d give him some direction and I’d call out changes but other than that it was pretty spontaneous and in the moment. Sides 3 and 4 are all improv and were made up on the spot with zero discussion.” – Andy Samford

Tracklisting:
1. Electric Ball 03:08
2. The Peak 03:15
3. Manifestations 04:55
4. Oasis Of Souls 05:23
5. Paperclip 03:38
6. Blazing In The Sky 05:15
7. Nothing Left 02:37
8. Out In The Hills 04:39
9. A Storm Is Comin 07:22
10. I Ain’t Got Time For Time 04:03
11. I Ain’t Got Time For Time (Reprise) 03:59
12. What’s Not On 08:02
13. Kykeon 10:22
14. Midnight Never Ends 15:33
15. The Law Of Averages 07:44

Telestrion is:
Andy Samford – Guitar, Vocals, Synth, Piano, M-Tron, Percussion
Brian Holcomb – Guitar, Vocals, Theremin, Vocoder, Sitar, Maracas, Wind, Arpanoid
Ric Parnell – Drums
Stephen Carrington – Bass, Guitar
Jonathan Lee – Bass
Karl Kendrick – Synth, Backing Vocals
Billy Reeves – Percussion
Allen Beaver – Allen Holcomb’s Dragster

https://www.facebook.com/TELESTRION
https://telestrion1.bandcamp.com/
http://telestrion.net/

Telestrion, Blazing in the Sky (2018)