Posted in Whathaveyou on April 10th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
As much as I’ve gotten used to following the word Duel in a headline with some geographical region or other the Austin-based heavy rockers will be touring — and no doubt I’ll be back to that in soon enough — I’m glad to see word of their fifth album, Breakfast with Death, come down the PR wire. It hasn’t been that long since 2021’s notably driven In Carne Persona (review here), and even less since their 2023 live album, Live at Hellfest (review here), so cheers to them on continued restlessness. Taking on the first single, “Satan’s Invention,” believe them when they call it a “Thin Lizzy sequel,” and if you can’t get on board with the charge they bring to that, well, you’re probably not reading this in the first place, so whatever. That’s life in the age where everyone curates their own shit.
For the rest of us, “Satan’s Invention” has a little more room in the recording for Duel to unleash that charge, and reminds that while they’ve always been straight-shooters in terms of structure, their output has never wanted for atmosphere alongside its physicality. They are among the finest good-times-in-dark-sounds stage bands the US heavy rock underground has to offer, and their records have consistently brought that electricity to bear. I would expect no less going into Breakfast with Death, as they continue to work to their own high standard.
From the PR wire:
Austin heavy metal revelers DUEL share first track off new album “Breakfast With Death”, coming out July 5th on Heavy Psych Sounds.
Austin, Texas heavy rock spearhead DUEL will release their fifth full-length “Breakfast With Death” this July 5th on Heavy Psych Sounds, with a rip-roaring first track streaming right now.
Look who got up on the wrong side of the bed! “Breakfast With Death” is the fifth studio album by Austin Texas stoner metal riff dealers DUEL: nine angry, blistering tracks flexing the faster and heavier side of the thunderous foursome. Every song is a beer-soaked banger capturing the ferocity of the band’s legendary live performances.
About this fist-pumping new track, the band comments: “I don’t believe in the devil! Hell is a place here on Earth! Satan’s invention is a 4-minute Thin Lizzy-sequel rocker exploring the evils of man and the illusions of life. The countless lies we are fed from birth to death. All at a beat you can dance to!”
New album “Breakfast With Death” Out July 5th on Heavy Psych Sounds (LP/CD/digital)
TRACKLIST: Side A: 1. Ancient Moonlight 2. Satan’s Invention 3. Chaos Reigns 4. Fallacy 5. Pyro Side B 6. Berserker 7. Tigers of Destruction 8. Greet The Dead 9. Burn The Earth
Recorded and mixed by Jeff Henson at Red Nova Ranch Produced by Jeff Henson and Tom Frank Mastered by Alberto de Icaza all songs by DUEL
DUEL is Tom Frank – lead vocals & guitar Jeff Henson – lead guitar & backing vocals Patrick “Scooch” Pascucci – Drums Drew Potter – bass & backing vocals
Not that you need one in the first place, but if you would look for an excuse as to what might bring SoCal heavy psychedelic rock forebears Nebula and Italian cosmosblasters Black Rainbows together, both will be on tour in Europe in the coming months, Nebula are well documented heroes of founding Black Rainbows guitarist/vocalist Gabriele Fiori, and the split is listed as #300 in the catalog of Fiori‘s label, Heavy Psych Sounds, which has also stood behind Nebula‘s two post-resurgence LPs, 2022’s Transmission From Mothership Earth (review here) and 2019’s Holy Shit (review here).
Each act contributes three songs for a short but full-length-enough runtime of 32 minutes. Black Rainbows‘ tracks, as noted below, come from the sessions for their latest album, 2023’s Superskull (review here), while Nebula‘s side is newly recorded. Led off by Nebula‘s “Acid Drop” as the first single — it premieres below — the outing has been given the cumbersome title In Search of the Cosmic Tale: Crossing the Galactic Portal, which I have no doubt it has absolutely earned.
And if you’ve already stopped reading at the mention of the premiere below, or you skipped outright to the player, you won’t hear me argue. It’s a pretty straightforward proposition to bring these two together, however winding and/or spaced the course of the actual music may turn out to be, and something of a no-brainer to keep on your radar as summer starts to heat up. Nebula were in Europe last Fall as well, so I don’t know whether they’ll make the return trip to meet up with Black Rainbows at the Heavy Psych Sounds Fests in Germany, but it’s a universe of infinite possibility.
The raw crunch-punk fuckery of “Acid Drop,” with its blown-out vocals and swirling jam into the fade, follows on the player below. Beyond that, the PR wire takes over.
Dig if you dig:
Nebula, “Acid Drop” track premiere
HPS300 – NEBULA / BLACK RAINBOWS – In Search Of The Cosmic Tale: Crossing The Galactic Portal
There’s not much to add, two of the greatest Heavy Psych bands of the scene join the forces to give birth to an incredible Split Album.
Packed with 32 minutes of the highest quality heavy rock you can find out there; a joint venture which can happen only once every 100 years!!
Heavy Psych king-pioneers Nebula bring to life three brand new songs, recorded expressly for this incredible project. Three new gems which follow their latest “Holy Shit” and “Transmission….”
Black Rainbows add in three songs of their own, handpicked from the recording session of their latest success “Superskull”, released back in 2023. Delivering two Stoner in-your-face Heavy Fuzz pieces and one Heavy Space tune to celebrate this awesome collaboration!!
The cover art pairs perfectly with the vision and vibe of the album and is credited to the mighty Simon Berndt.
NEBULA 1. Acid Drop 2. Eye of the Storm 3. Ceasar XXXIV
Recorded at “High Desert Sound Studios “ Spring Equinox 2024. Produced and Mixed by Nebula Mastered by Claudio Pisi Gruer at Pisi Studio
Eddie Glass : Guitars, Vocals, Drums Ranch Sironi : Bass, Vocals, Mix Down Warzone Speedwolf : Drums
BLACK RAINBOWS 1. The Secret 2. Thunder Lights on the Greatest Sky 3. Dogs of War
Recorded 11-12-13 May 2022 at Forward Studio, Rome, Italy by Fabio Sforza and Andrea Secchi Vocals, Synths, Overdubs Recorded in November and December 2022 At Forward Studios and Channel 5 Studio by Andrea Secchi and Gabriele Fiori Mixed and Engineered by Fabio Sforza Mastered by Claudio Pisi Gruer at Pisi Studio All Songs, Music and Lyrics written by Gabriele Fiori
BLACK RAINBOWS are Gabriele Fiori — Guitars & Vocals Edoardo “Mancio” Mancini — Bass Filippo Ragazzoni — Drums
BLACK RAINBOWS European shows 2024 03.05 – Barcelona (SP) 62 Club 04.05 – Vidiago (SP) Vidiago Rock Fest 07.06 – Winterthur (CH) Gaswerk – Heavy Psych Sounds Fest 14.06 – Genova (ITA) TBA 28.06 – Clisson (FR) Hellfest 29.06 Passau (DE) Blackdoor Fest 13.07 – Trieste (IT) TBA 10.08 – Bagnes (CH) Palp Fest 12/13.10 – Berlin (DE) Heavy Psych Sounds Fest 27/28.10 – Dresden (DE) Heavy Psych Sounds Fest
NEBULA European Tour 2024 TH. 06.06.24 IT PRATO – OFF TUNE FESTIVAL FR. 07.06.24 IT BERGAMO – ROCK IN RIOT SA. 08.06.24 CH MARTIGNY – HPS FEST CH SU. 09.06.24 IT ***OPEN SLOT*** MO. 10.06.24 IT ZERO BRANCO – ALTROQUANDO TU. 11.06.24 SL LJUBLJANA – GALA HALA WE. 12.06.24 HR ZAGREB – THE VINTAGE INDUSTRIAL TH. 13.06.24 DE RAVENSBURG – IRISH PUB SLAINTE FR. 14.06.24 DE ***OPEN SLOT*** SA. 15.06.24 DE MUNSTER – RARE GUITAR MO. 17.06.24 FR SEIGNOSSE – THE BLACK FLAG TU. 18.06.24 ES SAN SEBASTIAN – DABADABA WE. 19.06.24 ES MADRID – WURLIZER TH. 20.06.24 ES BARCELONA – SALA UPLOAD FR. 21.06.24 FR BORDEAUX – LA FETE DE LA MUSIQUE SA. 22.06.24 FR ***OPEN SLOT*** SU. 23.06.24 FR BOURLON – ROCK IN BOURLON FR. 28.06.24 FR CLISSON – HELLFEST SA. 29.06.24 FR MANIGOD – NAMASS PAMOUSS FESTIVAL SU. 30.06.24 FR CHAMBERY – BRIN DE ZINC MO. 01.07.24 FR PARIS – SUPERSONIC WE. 03.07.24 UK ***OPEN SLOT*** TH. 04.07.24 UK SHEFFIELD – YELLOW ARCH STUDIO FR. 05.07.24 UK LONDON – STOOMFEST SA. 06.07.24 UK NOTTINGHAM – ROUGH TRADE
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 9th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Two sides, two shows, one from 2008 and one from late last year. To my knowledge, Live will be the first captured-on-stage offering from long-running Portland trad-metal rockers Danava, as well as their first collaboration with Heavy Psych Sounds — their 2023 LP, Nothing But Nothing (review here), came out through Tee Pee — and considering how much touring they’ve done since their mid-aughts outset, they’re well due. Seems pretty clear the intent in dividing Live between ‘then’ and ‘now-ish’ is to give their latest work and current lineup some deserved documentation — i.e., the album ruled — while the A side offers longtime followers a chance to remember where they came from. What’re you gonna do, argue? It’s Danava. If you’re a fan, you’ve probably already ordered. If not, not. They’ll keep going regardless.
But if you’re here, before you move onto the next thing, click off, get distracted, whatever, take a listen to “Shoot Straight with a Crooked Gun” below. It’s the first single from Live and the song that starts the 2023 gig. Before the song starts, you’ll hear the crowd being welcomed and, just before the music kicks in, “We’ve been ready.” I think once you hear what follows, you’ll agree, even if you’ve never listened to Danava before today. That’s why you put out a live record.
From the PR wire:
DANAVA to release “Live” album on June 21st via Heavy Psych Sounds; first track and preorders available now!
Pacific Northwest’s proto-heavy revelers DANAVA announce the release of their “Live” album this June 21st through European powerhouse Heavy Psych Sounds and present a thunderous first excerpt with “Shoot Straight With A Crooked Gun”.
Capturing the frenzy of their European tours in 2008 and 2023, this new album from the revered proto-heavy merchants is a must-have for fans old and new! Featuring a live recording from Whelan’s in Dublin and 007 Strahov in Prague, the tracklist is a testament to DANAVA’s prowess on stage. From the hypnotic rhythms of ‘Introduction/Spinning Temple Shifting’ to the raw energy of ‘Let The Good Times Kill,’ each song is a journey through the band’s dynamic universe!
With two decades of relentless dedication, the Portland-based rock’n’roll overlords have endeavored to unleash their authentic and electrifying fusion of hard rock and heavy metal upon a world burdened by strife and turmoil. Their mission is to harness music’s power as a beacon of hope, uniting lives and imaginations as one collective force. Join them on this journey toward a vibrant existence amidst the chaos we never chose to inhabit. Together, we rise. Together, we create. Don’t miss the chance to embark on this exhilarating ride as DANAVA ushers in a new era of fluidity before we vanish into the ether!
Described as a concoction reminiscent of Rainbow, Dio, Thin Lizzy, early Maiden and Judas Priest, DANAVA’s sonic brew promises a bold assertion of dominance in the current rock and roll landscape. As acclaimed musician Mike Scheidt of YOB puts it, Danava has always exemplified excellence in their craft, and this latest release is no exception.
TRACKLIST: Side A – Recorded at Whelan’s, in Dublin (4/13/08) 1. Introduction/Spinning Temple Shifting 11:59 2. Maudie Shook 8:41 Side B – Recorded at 007 Strahov, in Prague (11/11/23) 1. Shoot Straight With A Crooked Gun 5:57 2. Nothing But Nothing 4:14 3. Longdance 7:55 4. Let The Good Times Kill 3:31
DANAVA is Gregory Meleney – vocals/guitar Levi Campbell – vocals Kerby Strom – guitar Dominic Casciato – bass Matt Oliver – drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 4th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
It’s something of a surprise to see Slower touring. The Slayer covers project helmed by guitarist Bob Balch released its self-titled debut (review here) through Heavy Psych Sounds earlier this year, and even then, the lineup was broadly cast enough to make live performances seem less likely. In addition to Balch, Amy Tung Barrysmith and Esben Willems — who will be the on-stage incarnation of the band — the album also featured Peder Bergstrand (Lowrider), Laura Pleasants (ex-Kylesa) and Scott Reeder (Kyuss, The Obsessed, etc.), so you might be forgiven if the possibility of Slower as a touring entity didn’t occur to you either.
And certainly not even among the three players heading out, no one’s lacking for goings on. Balch is about to release a new Fu Manchu album this Spring, Barrysmith recently finished recording the next Year of the Cobra (awaited), and Willems put out his first-ever solo LP like a week ago. Oh, you’re gonna go tour with a completely different band playing rearranged thrash songs in Europe? Yeah, cool. I mean, if you’re not busy or anything.
The prospect is no less badass for being unexpected, however, and if this is a testing of waters for more to come and Slower will be ongoing, so much the better. Between the three of them, they could get up there and do “Wheels on the Bus” and it’d be heavy. I’ll look forward to the video that hopefully someone at a show gets.
Doomstar Bookings posted the following:
Slower announce their European Tour 2024! Check out all dates below!
Slower states: “Everything in this project just fell into place naturally, even though none of us really knew what to expect going in, other than being inspired by the idea. Now that the album has become reality, it feels like a given to get these songs on the road. Cannot wait to play them live, this one is gonna be a blast.”
Dug-in Athenian riffchuckers Acid Mammoth are set to issue their fourth LP, Supersonic Megafauna Collision, on April 5 through Heavy Psych Sounds. It arrives three years after their duly rolling 2021 offering, Caravan (review here), and feels no less self-aware in highlighting its elephantine nature, a largesse of sound that begins in the opening title-track — catchy, doomed but not necessarily miserable, more reveling in the worship of volume and tone, a nodding testimony — and follows where the smoke goes throughout its six-track/41-minute entirety.
And if you’re expecting me to drop a reference here to that smoke leading to the Riff-Filled Land, well, I guess that’s reasonable enough. But don’t let that take away from the fact that Acid Mammoth have been declaring their brand of stoner-doom dogma since their 2017 self-titled debut caught the attention of Heavy Psych Sounds in the first place. And along with the over-the-top, heavy-speaking-to-heavy title underscoring the latest outing’s aural heft in language the genre-converted should have no trouble understanding — that is, it feels like one is supposed to look at Supersonic Megafauna Collision and/or the Branca Studio cover that adorns it and rightly anticipate being flattened by the proceedings — the overarching crush that gets a bit more down and dirty in “Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming)” (video premiering below) becomes not a downer slog, but instead a vital celebration of its own motion.
This is an aspect of the work the band themselves acknowledge in the PR wire info below — thinking specifically of “all that enthusiasm and excitement,” etc. — and part of it might just be down to that the record, with the exceptions of 11:53 closer “Tusko’s Last Trip” and the trade-volume-for-hypnosis “One with the Void” (4:35) before it, keeps its songs to about six minutes in length, keeps its energy high, and feels in its bulk specifically composed to be played live. Through the title cut, “Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming),” the Electric Wizardly slough of “Garden of Bones” on which Marios Louvaris seems to keep the momentum going in part by peppering in double-kick amid the tempo comedown riffery, and “Atomic Shaman,” which leads off side B in what feels like direct complement to the catchiness that began in “Supersonic Megafauna Collision,” Acid Mammoth dare to bring vibrancy to a style of doom that in the hands of many outfits in Europe and elsewhere has a hard time getting out of the way of its own misery. Among the many other things Acid Mammoth accomplish on Supersonic Megafauna Collision, they make it fun to play in the mud.
The vocals of Chris Babalis, Jr., which are Sabbath-rooted but have never wanted for their own character in that — Babalis on guitar/vocals and Louvis on drums make up half the returning lineup with guitarist Chris Babalis, Sr. and bassist Dimosthenis Varikos are another piece of what carries that fervor through to the listener. This is true even as one waits for the volume burst in “One With the Void” that doesn’t actually arrive until after the riff of “Tusko’s Last Trip” enacts its own build, and as infectious as the earlier pieces are in their choruses and brighter mood, it’s the vocals that provide consistency as the second half of the record departs from “Atomic Shaman” into the last two songs, fostering tension in “One With the Void” that “Tusko’s Last Trip” pays off in its outbound march and the gritty low end that leaves space for lead guitar to cut through before and after they set up and execute the concluding, jammier procession, an especially scorching solo over brash plod that could probably have just kept going all day like that providing the album’s final statement before the quick fade brings it down.
While consistent in tone, “Tusko’s Last Trip” is purposeful in delivering on the trope of a harder-hitting, broader-in-scope capstone, and it ends up hitting its mark — not unexpectedly, considering it’s Acid Mammoth‘s fourth full-length — in a way that also calls out the clarity of big-riff-party intent throughout Supersonic Megafauna Collision‘s early going. And yet, if they wrote it for Caravan, it would’ve been a completely different song three years ago. The band have never sounded tighter than they do in these songs, and while that’s part of the appeal, they neglect neither the atmospheric scope nor the raw impact crucial to engaging the audience whose passion for the form they so readily share. All of these elements, plus melody, chemistry, aesthetic and craft, align just right to let Supersonic Megafauna Collision present a fresh take to those with ears willing to hear it. Whatever else they do or don’t do from here, they’ve captured a moment.
Enjoy the clip for “Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming)” — which is mostly safe for work, if that helps? — below, followed by some words from the band on it and more from the PR wire:
Acid Mammoth, “Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming)” video premiere
Acid Mammoth on “Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming)”:
“Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming)” is the third track of our upcoming new album ‘Supersonic Megafauna Collision’. It is a witchy track, filled with fuzzy riffs and an unholy atmosphere. Debauchery is taking place in the wickedest of covens, with smoke and blood transcending your soul. Join the coven and relish its serpentine bliss!”
About their upcoming fourth studio album “Supersonic Megafauna Collision”, vocalist and guitarist Chris Babalis Jr. says: “While the previous album was composed and recorded during a state of total COVID lockdown in 2020, our new album was composed and recorded after the world had gotten back to a new state of normalcy after we had toured and played shows all over Europe, and all that enthusiasm and excitement we gathered while touring was put into this new album. We wanted to record a heavy and explosive album with lots of fuzz, that retains what made our sound great in our previous releases but take it a few steps further, and that’s exactly what we did. The album starts as a celebration of all things fuzzy with the title track, and it just gets darker and darker as the album progresses, until it concludes in complete and utter heartbreak with the song “Tusko’s Last Trip”, telling the heart-wrenching real story of Tusko, an elephant who was murdered as a result of cruel human experimentation.”
“Supersonic Megafauna Collision” was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Descent Studio, with drums recorded at Ritual Studios. The artwork was created by Branca Studio.
*** ACID MAMMOTH *** EUROPEAN TOUR 2024 SA 27/04/2024 IT TORINO – Blah Blah SU 28/04/2024 *** OPEN SLOT *** MO 29/04/2024 ES BARCELONA – Razzmatazz 3 TU 30/04/2024 ES MADRID – Wurlitzer Ballroom WE 01/05/2024 ES PORTUGALETE – Sala Groove TH 02/05/2024 FR MARSEILLE – Le Molotov FR 03/05/2024 FR CHAMBERY – Brin de Zinc SA 04/05/2024 CH ALTDORF – Vogelsang SU 05/05/2024 IT BOLOGNA – TBA MO 06/05/2024 IT *** OPEN SLOT *** TU 07/05/2024 IT *** OPEN SLOT ***
TRACKLISTING: 1. Supersonic Megafauna Collision (6:38) 2. Fuzzorgasm (Keep on Screaming) (6:12) 3. Garden of Bones (6:28) 4. Atomic Shaman (6:12) 5. One With the Void (4:35) 6. Tusko’s Last Trip (11:53)
ACID MAMMOTH is Chris Babalis Jr. – Vocals, Guitars Chris Babalis Sr. – Guitars Dimosthenis Varikos – Bass Marios Louvaris – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 19th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Surprised that Hippie Death Cult are rolling out this Spring for West Coast dates supporting their 2023 album, Helichrysum (review here), or that they’re heading off anyone who’d do the social media thing where people complain tours aren’t coming to their houses like Amazon deliveries by saying there’s more to come in North America and Europe? Yeah, I’m not really either. Touring is a big part of what they do and remained such as they restructured their lineup around the three-piece of bassist/vocalist Laura Phillips, guitarist Eddie Brnabic and drummer Harry Silvers, and that includes fostering a rawer, more-live-feeling sound on last year’s aforementioned LP.
The news is no less welcome for being not-unexpected, however, as Hippie Death Cult set themselves to hitting stops up and down the Pacific Coastline, dipping inland for Las Vegas, Reno, etc. Having already pulled off the sonic pivot of Helichrysum decisively and with rare freshness of perspective for something that’s not actually a debut, maybe this can be something of a victory lap for that. Or, you know, if not, maybe the next tour, because history paints them as honest when they say there’s more to follow.
In the meantime, this took me a couple days to post because I suck at this whole thing, but here’s what they had to say about it, fancy fonts and all:
Pacific West Coast !! Get ready⚡️We are kicking off our 2024 tour season with a special run up and down the coast this May & June !! Like always, each n’ every show is a 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐝 h͎i͎g͎h͎ ͎v͎i͎b͎r͎a͎t͎i͎o͎n͎a͎l͎ ͎m͎o͎j͎o͎ ͎s͎h͎i͎f͎t͎e͎r🫨 See y’all SOON!
Tickets on sale today at 10am PST!! Don’t miss out !!
Get your tix, tag your friends, See y’all soon !!
𝐩คc𝕚𝐟Į𝓬 𝕠Ⓓｙ𝕤Ｓ𝐞𝓎 ŦᗝỮя ➁ʘ２➃ 5.16 SAN FRANCISCO, CA – @sfeagle 5.17 COSTA MESA, CA – @wayfarercm 5.18 OCEANSIDE, CA – @pourhouseoceanside 5.19 LOS ANGELES, CA – @permanentrecordsla 5.20 LAS VEGAS , NV – @the_dive_lv 5.21 RENO, NV – @lobarsocial 5.22 BRENTWOOD, CA – @thebrentwoodemporium 5.23 REDDING, CA, – @thedipredding 5.24 CRESENT CITY, CA – Enoteca 5.25 PORTLAND, OR – @coffinclubpdx 6.14 EUGENE, OR – @johnhenryseugene 6.15 SEATTLE, WA – @clockoutlounge
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 18th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
There’s a lot of information here, but if you’re not already familiar with Orquesta del Desierto‘s two albums, 2002’s self-titled and 2003’s Dos, the relatively short-lived project with the duo of Dandy Brown (also Hermano, The Fizz Fuzz, solo work) and Pete Stahl (Goatsnake, earthlings?, Wool, Scream) at its core might indeed require a bit of context. Intentionally fluid in their lineup with a stylistic openness that speaks to the heart of desert-weird like Master of Reality at their most oddball or the earliest pair of Man’s Ruin-issued Desert Sessions LPs, Orquesta del Desierto pushed further into quirk and became very much the manifestation of their own niche, while incorporating personalities like Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson, Yawning Man, etc.) and Alfredo Hernandez (Kyuss, Ché, Avon, etc.) and growing willfully more open in songwriting between the first and second albums.
Adventurous as they were, both Orquesta del Desierto and Dos were rife with genre transgressions, and perhaps that’s part of what’s kept them as something of a secret for the last 20-plus years, but what ‘heavy’ and what ‘desert’ mean and include has ballooned in that same span of time, so I’ll be curious to see how both LPs are received when Heavy Psych Sounds issues newly-remixed/remastered versions in June. So far as I know they’ve both been out of print for some time — though I did find a 2023 digipak edition of Dos on the Alone Records Bandcamp page, so not by any means completely lost to the ether — and like a lot of what’s being revisited from the turn-of-the-century heavy rock movement, they’re well worth exploring again for heads old and new to their work.
The more open your mind can be in the approach, the better off you’ll be. From the PR wire:
Cult desert rock project ORQUESTA DEL DESIERTO (w/ members of QOTSA, Kyuss, Hermano) to reissue full discography on Heavy Psych Sounds; preorders available!
European label Heavy Psych Sounds Records welcomes legendary desert rock collective Orquesta del Desierto — the Palm Desert project founded by Dandy Brown and featuring former members of Kyuss, Yawning Man, Queens of the Stone Age, Goatsnake and more — for the reissue of their “Orquesta del Desierto” and “Dos” albums in a brand new remixed/remastered version this June.
Orquesta del Desierto stands alone among the many unique bands to come out of the Mojave Desert over the last thirty years. While the desert is often associated with purveyors of down-tuned, maximum decibel rock, shortly after the new millennium began a fresh sound associated with the southern California desert was ushered in.
For fans of the band, the story of how Orquesta del Desierto came into existence has circulated through desert rock circles for decades. It is a story that actually began thousands of miles away from southern California and has its roots in a recording session that took place in the America’s Midwest. Shortly after completing the recording of Hermano’s Only a Suggestion, producer Dandy Brown accepted the invitation of legendary singer John Garcia to leave the bitter winters of northern Kentucky and to continue their collaborations in the warmer climate of the Coachella Valley.
Dandy Brown recently turned the collections over to renowned engineers Harper Hug (John Garcia, Vista Chino, Brant Bjork) and Jason Groves (Supafuzz, Asylum on the Hill, Floraburn) for complete remixes and remasters of the Orquesta del Desierto catalog for a spring reissue on HPS Records. After an extensive search to find the best home for the albums, Orquesta del Desierto is proud to have Heavy Psych Sounds Records reissue both remixed and remastered “Orquesta del Desierto” and “Dos” collections available on vinyl this June, with preorders available now atwww.heavypsychsounds.com.
Recorded at the Green Room Studio in Palm Springs in 2001 and released on the seminal desert rock label Meteorcity Records in 2002, the band’s debut album immediately gathered critical acclaim for its ability to forge a new dynamic in a genre that was rapidly filling with groups cloning the heavier sounds of Kyuss.
Produced by Dandy Brown. Recorded at the Green Room, Palm Springs, California. Engineered by Mike Riley. Remix and Remaster by Jason Groves at Sneak Attack Studios, Lexington, Kentucky. Design and Photography by Dawn Brown.
Unable to tour as a group due to commitments to other projects but fueled by the success of the debut release, Brown immediately turned to booking another recording session for the band. Hoping to further expand the group’s dynamic sound, Brown and Stahl solicited song contributions from Mike Riley and Country Mark Engel for the second album. While the core of Brown, Stahl, Riley, Engel and Lalli remained intact for the second session, the group’s diverse approach benefitted from the addition of drummer Adam Maples (earthlings?) and percussionist/drummer Pete Davidson. Additionally, the group was joined at famed Joshua Tree studio Rancho de la Luna by pianist Tim Jones and Bill Barrett on trumpet.
Released in 2003, Dos was immediately embraced as a “… compelling fusion of Latin stylings and psychedelic-tinged blues that is a real alternative these days” (cosmiclava.com). Bolstered by similar acknowledgements and reviews of their second album, Orquesta del Desierto committed to a series of performances throughout southern California and a European tour in 2004. Joined by drummer Bryan Brown, these shows have become legendary among the fans who were able to attend the band’s only active period of live performances.
Produced by Dandy Brown. Recorded at Rancho de la Luna, Joshua Tree, California. Additional Recording at the Green Room, Palm Springs, California. Engineered by Mike Riley. Remix and Remaster by Harper Hug at Thunder Underground, Palm Springs, California. Design and Photography by Dawn Brown.
By the end of 2004, with their two releases achieving overwhelming critical success but realizing that the members of the group were spread too thin with obligations to other projects, Brown decided to disband Orquesta del Desierto. Returning to their catalog years later, though, and considering the limitations of the technology used to capture the band’s two albums, Brown turned the collections over to renowned engineers Harper Hug (John Garcia/Vista Chino/ Brant Bjork) and Jason Groves (Supafuzz/Asylum on the Hill/Floraburn) for complete remixes and remasters of the Orquesta del Desierto catalog.
Orquesta del Desierto is Pete Stahl Dandy Brown Mario Lalli Country Mark Engel Mike Riley Pete Davidson Adam Maples Alfredo Hernandez Sean Landetta Carrillo Bryan Brown Tim Jones Bill Barrett Jackie Watson Emiliano Hernandez
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 13th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
I saw Kadabra one time a couple years ago, and you know what my first thought was when their set was finished? “Wow, I need to see this band again.” That was Psycho Las Vegas, and the Washington trio were supporting their first album, Ultra (review here), which came out on Heavy Psych Sounds in 2021.
Last year’s follow-up, Umbra (review here, also discussed here), outdid its predecessor on just about all fronts, sharpening the songcraft while expanding the sound, touching on garage doom and psych and stoner rock and cult horror and so on with a clarity of purpose in the mood of the material that was even more their own. It was number seven in my 2023 top 10, and it hasn’t gotten any less repeat-listenable since then in my experience.
This tour draws together previously announced confirmations for Maximum Festival, Desertfest Oslo, Desertfest London, and the two-night Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Trieste and Bologna, Italy, and there are still some open dates if you can help out.
Dates as per the label’s socials:
*** KADABRA – European Tour 2024 ***
Hey all, we are stoked to announce that our fuzznrollerz KADABRA will tour Europe in May !!! STILL FEW OPEN SLOTS
*** KADABRA European Tour 2024 *** TH. 25.04.24 IT PESCARA – SCUMM FR. 26.04.24 IT SAVONA – RAINDOGS SA. 27.04.24 IT ZERO BRANCO – MAXIMUM FESTIVAL SU. 28.04.24 HR ZAGREB – MOCVARA TU. 30.04.24 IT BOLZANO – PIPPO STAGE WE. 01.05.24 IT MANTOVA – ARCI TOM TH. 02.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT FR. 03.05.24 IT TRIESTE – HPS FEST SA. 04.05.24 IT BOLOGNA – HPS FEST SU. 05.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** MO.06.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** TU. 07.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** WE. 08.05.24 DE MÜNSTER – RARE GUITAR TH. 09.05.24 NL AMSTERDAM – DE TANKER FR. 10.05.24 NO OSLO – DESERTFEST SA. 11.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** SU. 12.05.24 UK SHEFFIELD – YELLOW ARCH STUDIO MO. 13.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** TU. 14.05.24 UK BRIDGWATER – THE COBBLESTONES WE. 15.05.24 UK DERBY – THE HAIRY DOG TH. 16.05.24 UK LEEDS – BOOM FR. 17.05.24 UK BRISTOL – THE GRYPHONE SA. 18.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** SU. 19.05.24 UK LONDON – DESERFEST TU. 21.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** WE. 22.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** TH. 23.05.24 ***OPEN SLOT*** FR. 24.05.24 FR NICE – ALTHERAX MUSIC SA. 25.05.24 IT TORINO – BLAH BLAH SU. 26.05.24 IT ROMA – GLITCH
Kadabra formed during the dark days of 2020 and were quickly signed by Heavy Psych Sounds, who released Ultra in the fall of 2021 and established the band’s penchant for delivering crushing doom riffs and haunting vocals accentuated by bursts of psychedelic flair and swampy Americana swagger. And while the chemistry of long-time friends Garrett Zanol (guitar/vocals), Ian Nelson (bass) and Chase Howard (drums) was apparent upon listening to their debut, their bond was further strengthened by relentlessly touring the western United States and completing a month-long tour of Europe.
The trio almost immediately began looking forward, road-testing and crystalizing the songs that would comprise their follow-up, which found the band reuniting with Ultra producer Dawson Scholz. The result is Umbra: a singular statement that is more focused and cohesive than its predecessor, while managing to capture the immersive, free-flowing experience of their live show. Umbra was released on October 6 via Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
KADABRA is: Garrett Zanol (Vocals/Guitar) Ian Nelson (Bass) Chase Howard (Drums)
