Straight out of today’s “huzzah” file, D.C.-based riffers Borracho have announced that their second album, Oculus (review here), is headed for a November vinyl release through Strange Magic Records, No Balls Records and AM Records. All told, that gives the band three continents of distribution, and the limited yellow, purple and blue/green LPs are available for pre-order now. Not one you want to sleep on.

Borracho also have a handful of dates booked with a slew of killer acts, from Corsair and Beelzefuzz to Geezer and Midnight Eye as they continue to wreak havoc along the Eastern Seaboard.

Dig it:

Borracho’s Oculus to see worldwide vinyl release in November

Capital City riff-slingers Borracho today announce the November worldwide vinyl release of their critically acclaimed sophomore effort Oculus. Germany’s No Balls Records, Japan’s AM Records, and the United States’ own Strange Magic Records have conspired to release the record on three continents in three exclusive limited edition colors of 12″ vinyl ? transparent yellow, purple and blue/green. The record is now available for pre-order from each of the labels or via the band’s Bandcamp page where it can be streamed in full.

Pre-order Oculus limited edition colored vinyl!

Oculus shows no let up from Borracho. Just a barrelful of their signature fuzzed out jams, and raw, power-trio energy served with no pretense. Right from its instrumental start, the record unleashes a barrage of riffs that twist through a labyrinth of classic rock, doom and stonerly grooves. Along the way, guitarist Steve Fisher cements his role as the band’s new singer, ushering the band into its trio era with conviction.

“With this new album Borracho really takes things to the next level?songwriting, production, performance, everything. In a crowded scene of stoner rock sound-a-likes they really stand out with this kick ass new record,” said Carey Neill from Strange Magic Records. “To work with them again on this release is a huge pleasure.” Neill was instrumental in bringing the three labels together for this special release, and his label released Borracho’s 2012 10″ single for “Plunge/Return.” No Balls Records has been part of the band’s family since their debut split 7″ in 2008. AM Records is a recently founded label focusing on vinyl, and this is one of their first releases.

The band will be out for a trio of shows September 12 – 14 starting in their hometown, and stopping in Brooklyn, NY and Fredrerick, MD, playing with heavy-riffing stalwarts Corsair, Thinning the Herd, Geezer, Weed is Weed, Admiral Browning, and Beelzefuzz along the way. They will also be playing the DCHeavyMetal.com 4th Anniversary party at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD on September 26. For more dates this fall check their show calendar.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 – 8:00 PM
The Pinch
Washington, DC
w/ Corsair (VA) & Cavern (MD)

SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 – 7:00 PM
The Grand Victory
Brooklyn, NY
w/ Thinning the Herd
& Geezer (CD Release)

SEPTEMBER 14, 2013 – 7:00 PM
Lallos
Frederick, MD
w/Beelzefuzz, Weed is Weed,
Admiral Browning & Fortress

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 – 7:00 PM
The Fillmore
Silver Spring, MD
w/ Vektor, Midnight Eye & Asthma Castle

https://www.facebook.com/BorrachoDC

Borracho, Oculus (2013)

Guitarist/vocalist Steve Fisher of Washington, D.C.-based riff rockers Borracho cuts an imposing figure on stage. There are just these moments where he looks like he wants to jump off the stage and punch everyone in the face. It’s intense — especially since Borracho‘s music, thick though it is, is so welcoming in its grooving mentality, based around his riffs and the right-on chemistry shared between him, bassist Tim Martin and drummer Mario Trubiano. It’s not a contradiction, necessarily, or an inconsistency, but as he tilts his head back to sing up into the mic Motörhead-style, he certainly leaves an impression.

Over the last year-plus, Fisher has come to take on the vocalist and lone-guitarist role after the departure of guitarist/vocalist Noah, who fronted the band on their 2011 debut full-length, Splitting Sky (review here). That album, while long, garnered the band a fervent response, which meant that as they transitioned from a four-piece to the trio they are now, there was added pressure on Fisher as he stepped into his new position. Over the course of the back half of 2012, Borracho went from playing almost entirely instrumentally (as they did at SHoD XII), to gradually incorporating more vocals (as they did in Manhattan last October), to Fisher taking fuller responsibility as the band’s singer by Spring 2013 (as seen in Philly).

It’s a narrative that leads to the release of the band’s second album, Oculus (review here), and the delivery of a performance like that at the recent Eye of the Stoned Goat 3 in Brooklyn, which found Fisher in comfortable command of his part as the guitarist and vocalist, and the band functioning seamlessly as a trio, the guitar and bass tones meshing to one massive whole of rich low-end fuzz, the drums behind punctuating and at time propelling the nod of new songs like “Know the Score” and the jam-laden “Stockpile.” You could call it a victory in progress for Borracho — I’ll gladly argue Oculus is one of the year’s best heavy rock records — but it’s been one hard fought for them.

In the interview that follows, Fisher recounts openly and honestly a year of personal upheaval from 2012-2013, including a bout with cancer and a nasty divorce that both fed into and helped inspire his work alongside Martin and Trubiano, and helped him to stay positive through what were and still are no doubt trying times. He also talks about the process of putting Oculus together after Noah left the band and how the decision came about for him to take on singing instead of bringing someone else in. And I’ll say too that as intimidating as he can be on stage, he was as sincere and positive in his answers, stating explicitly that he wasn’t looking for sympathy, but trying to move forward and work through these issues in the best way he knew how:  with music.

Please find the complete Q&A with Fisher and pics from Eye of the Stoned Goat 3 after the jump, and please enjoy:

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D.C. sound attackers Borracho will issue their sorta-new 7″ Mob Gathering in a physical pressing of 300 copies, 100 marbled orange and black and 200 black, through No Balls and Ghost Highway Recordings on March 12. They’ve put it up for pre-order and streaming through the Borracho Bandcamp now. The two songs on the single, “Mob Gathering” and the B-side “Short Ride (When it’s Over),” are taken from their initial demo sessions, prior to the recording of their Splitting Sky debut full-length.

To support the new release, Borracho are taking to the road for a weekender that will have them thrice kicking out the proverbial jams alongside Austria’s Been Obscene and Pittsburgh burl-bringers SuperVoid. Dates and more info about the single came down the PR wire today. Think I might have to hit that Philly show:

Borracho dust off tracks from the vault for new 7″ release

Doom Capital fuzz fanatics Borracho today announced the upcoming release of the “Mob Gathering” 7″ single, to be co-released in a limited edition of 300 copies (200 black, 100 orange/black swirl) via No Balls Records (Germany) and Ghost Highway Recordings (Spain) on March 12. Both “Mob Gathering” and the B side track “Short Ride (When it’s Over)” are available for streaming, and the 7″ can be pre-ordered on the band’s Bandcamp site.

These tracks represent the first new material released by the band since they debuted in 2011 with “Splitting Sky.” Since then they have released a 7″ for “Concentric Circles” b/w “Circulos Concentricos,” a 10″ for “Plunge/Return,” and pair of broadcast quality videos for “Concentric Circles” and All in Play,” all from that debut. But, these tracks are not newly recorded material. They have a long history.

Back in the spring of 2009, Borracho began work on what was planned to be their debut studio release, recording in an old, abandoned Art Deco mansion nestled in the woods of Arlington, Virginia. These early “Mansion Sessions” wrapped up that summer, but the band opted to not release these recordings. In the end, only two tracks from the mansion sessions were used as publicly available demos, and some of the material was re-recorded for “Splitting Sky”. The rest never saw the light of day…

…until now. Dusted off and polished up with a brand spanking new mix by Frank Marchand — who engineered and produced “Splitting Sky” — these two tracks offer an historical glimpse into the early sound the band was crafting nearly four years ago. Shorter, faster, and with the requisite twists and turns, they offer something new for the Borracho fan and those new to the band.

“We never expected to do anything with these songs,” declared bassist Tim Martin. “There is an unbelieveable saga behind those sessions, and for Frank to have so spectacularly rescued the original mixes, we had to give them a proper release.”

On the road again!
Catch the band on the road soon, teaming up with Been Obscene (Austria) and SuperVoid (Pittlburgh PA) for a trio of shows in March, with friends El Grande, Neon Warship, and Clamfight joining them along the way. Three great shows, and three opportunities to grab a copy of the new 7” from the band.

March 28, 2013
Velvet Lounge, Washington, DC
w/ El Grande

March 29, 2013
Howlers
Pittsburgh, PA
w/ Neon Warship

March 30, 2013
Kung Fu Necktie
Philadelphia, PA
w/ Clamfight

Doom Capitol heavy rock upstarts Borracho have two new offerings for your 180 gram pleasure, but even more telling than that is the fact that for two releases, they’re signed with three labels. Hey, by the way, your band is onto something. I can’t wait to hear what these dudes come up with for their next record, but in the meantime, here’s the news on the new fancy edition of their Splitting Sky debut and even newer 7″ single.

Dig:

Local D.C. stonerrockers, Borracho, have added multiple vinyl releases to their offerings. As of today, Borracho’s debut full-length album, Splitting Sky is available on 180g blue-splatter-on-clear vinyl produced in limited quantities by Germany’s No Balls Records. The release will be accompanied by hand screened and numbered sleeves.

Adding another number to stable, Spain’s Ghost Highway Recordings and D.C.’s own Fandango Records have come together to release the first single off of Splitting Sky in both English and Spanish. “Concentric Circles”/”Círculos Concéntricos” is being released today on 180g gold vinyl in both the US and Spain and is accompanied by alternate English or Spanish sleeves.

These, along with the full-length CD and other releases, will be available Friday as the band brings their dirty and hypnotic brand of stoner rock to Comet Ping Pong in NW D.C. “It’s always great to see a new viable venue in town. We’re looking forward to rocking it,” reports bassist Tim Martin. Borracho will be joined by D.C. legendary thrash and speed metal hounds Deceased and Richmond fuzz and doomslingers Windhand. It’s metal for the whole family.

All releases are available through the band’s website, borrachomusic.com. Comet Ping Pong is located at 5037 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C., (202) 364-0404. Show starts at 10:00pm this Friday, Oct. 21.