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Snowy Dunes, Atlantis: The Power of Testimony

Posted in Reviews on November 20th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

snowy dunes atlantis

Snowy Dunes have caught a heavy blues. They’re far from the only ones. The last couple years have witnessed a nascent surge of soul-driven heavy rock, and whether manifest in the high-order pop hooks of Snowy Dunes‘ Swedish countryfolk Blues Pills, the grit of New York’s Geezer or the dug-in jams of Australia’s Child, these worldwide examples are tied together through a blend of sonic fluidity, songcraft, open atmosphere and underlying naturalism that carries across this core sound as a next logical step forward for what in the earlier part of the decade might’ve been more straight-ahead boogie rock recorded on vintage gear.

Atlantis, which is the second Snowy Dunes long-player and sees release through HeviSike Records, follows a well-received 2015 self-titled debut (discussed here) and finds the returning four-piece of guitarist Christoffer Kingstedt, bassist Carl Oredson, drummer Stefan Jakobsson and vocalist Niklas Eisen pushing themselves creativity and refining the processes laid forth their last time out. The first album had a thrilling sense of spontaneity, and Atlantis does likewise, though the band stuck closer to home and recorded in Sweden with Anders Oredsson rather than travel as they did for the first record, which was tracked with Dead Meadow‘s Steve Krille.

Does that make Atlantis less of an adventure? Not necessarily. While there are fewer moments of left-the-tape-running-to-see-what-would-happen flourish among Atlantis‘ five songs/42 minutes, those same songs are well served by a tighter approach overall, and with its booking title-track installments — beginning with “Atlantis, Part II,” which is also the longest cut at 10:55 (immediate points) and ending with the build-into-apex-and-then-drift-away “Atlantis, Part III” — the record is not at all without a sense of journey in the front-to-back listening experience.

If anything, that sense is all the more resonant in Atlantis than it was on Snowy Dunes, because where the debut was so tied to the idea of the band jamming off the cuff in the studio — thereby keeping themselves to that one physical place even if using it as a launch point for musical exploration as they were — Atlantis comes across as roaming more freely on the whole. Between “Atlantis, Part II” and “Atlantis, Part III” — and if you’re wondering what happened to “Atlantis, Part I,” Snowy Dunes released it digitally as a single in Jan. 2016; it’s a 19-minute improv jam also recorded by Oredsson that carries some genuinely glorious moments — the band offers a three-song salvo of organic engagement. It’s up to “Atlantis, Part II” to set the scene, and the song does, with an initial strike of piano keys forward and backward that begins Atlantis on an atmospheric note and leads into trades back and forth of volume swells and psychedelic drift that are fluidly executed enough to leave little question why the band might’ve named the album after a sunken city.

snowy dunes

As a frontman, Eisen made a striking and personality-filled impression on the self-titled, and he does so on “Atlantis, Part II” as well, but shines even more on the subsequent “Testify,” which picks up directly on beat from the opener and plays off gospel traditions in an insistent heavy rock push marked by Jakobsson‘s fleet turns stamped with Kingstedt‘s wah, dropping to Oredson‘s bass to begin a wonderfully immersive middle third build and hits its peak as it rolls toward its eighth minute with Eisen speaking in tongues before the guitar leads the way back into a final runthrough of the album’s most memorable chorus and another scorching but still welcoming solo. The win is immediate, the party is a blast, but if you’re looking for a highlight in terms of vibe, centerpiece “The Trident and the Moon” answers the liquefaction of “Atlantis, Part II” with deep-running psych immersion and ballad-style storytelling in its lyrics, the vocals working subtly in layers atop the vast seascape of guitar and steady movement of drums and bass.

The second half of the song is given to another linear build answered by a late return to the chorus, but as with that midsection of “Testify,” it’s all about the dynamic and the chemistry Snowy Dunes bring to their execution of same. Both are palpable. And as “The Trident and the Moon”‘s nine and a half minutes come to an end ahead of the shorter “Ritual of Voices,” which though it features some choice vocal work beginning with spoken echoes and unfolding to spacious proclamations, is even more marked out by the wash created by the guitar and the hypnosis conjured thereby.

Casting off momentarily some of the bluesy feel — it’s never too far gone — Snowy Dunes retool the balance to emphasize the psychedelic side of their sound, and in this swirl, they find a rhythmic punch held together deftly by the drums and bass as Kingstedt utterly soars and leaves a trail of fire behind him along his way. It comes to a head and cuts out quick at seven minutes, but “Ritual of Voices” is a distinct stretch of Atlantis and demonstrates the ability of the band to emphasize multiple aspects of who they are in their songwriting. After that, the plunge into “Atlantis, Part III” feels almost like a return to solid ground, but is warm and welcome all the same. The closer is the shortest slice of Atlantis at just over six minutes long — and a decent portion of its last minute is silent — but that’s still plenty of time for Snowy Dunes to shift from the initial languid verses into a kinetic payoff that smoothly works into the roll-credits guitar line and melodic progression that ends the record with no less a consonant naturalism than it began.

So far as I can tell, “Atlantis, Part II” and “Atlantis, Part III” — and, for that matter, the prior “Atlantis, Part I” — don’t tie together in terms of actual sonic theme, but in their ambience they relate much of the same story, and it’s a narrative of continued growth on the part of the band and further development of who they are as individual players and together as a functioning unit. The signals are clear throughout Atlantis that Snowy Dunes are not finished with this evolutionary process, and frankly that only renders the songs more exciting, since even as they bask in a more complete realization than one found on the debut, they hold forth a potential no less vivid, and indeed make Atlantis a work of discovery.

Snowy Dunes, Atlantis (2017)

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Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight Premiere “75 What the Hell” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on May 25th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

trippy wicked and the cosmic children of the knight

Tomorrow, May 26, Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight will issue Lost Songs, a two-songer double-A-side seven-inch with material originally intended for use on a 2011 split with Dopefight that never came to fruition, not the least because that band called it quits. Still missed. Anyhoozle, it’s the first Trippy Wicked standalone offering since their 2013 EP, Underground (review here), and their second outing through HeviSike Records behind last year’s Guppy split/collaboration with Gurt (review here). They mark its coming by today unveiling a new video for the song “75 What the Hell.”

Over the years, we’ve heard Trippy Wicked — guitarist/vocalist Peter Holland, bassist Dicky King and drummer Chris West — cover a pretty wide range of sonic terrain. trippy wicked lost tracksTheir earlier material on 2009’s Movin’ On (review here) explored a kind of semi-Southern heavy rock, and over time they gradually took on a more aggressive edge, resulting in a particularly metallic feel for the songs on Underground. “75 What the Hell,” which would’ve preceded their 2012 second album, Going Home (review here), once again turns expectation on its head by featuring a two-minute punker blast built off an almost Karma to Burn-style riff. It’s got a hook to be sure, but Holland‘s vocals are blown-out in a way that’s way more Helmet-style noise rock than one would think. I guess sometimes you just have to belt one out.

“75 What the Hell” comes accompanied on the platter by “In a Bottle,” and it seems like Lost Songs will be a lead-in for the next Trippy Wicked full-length, which would be their first since the aforementioned Going Home. I don’t know the timeline on when one might expect that, but given that it’s already been half a decade, it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a rush on it, particularly with Holland keeping busy in Elephant Tree and West (who might be tapped to record even though he’s not currently in the lineup of the band) playing bass in psych-proggers Landskap. Still, as a fan and someone who’s been fortunate enough to see Trippy Wicked live, their next long-player will be welcome whenever it wants to show up. Hell, I’ll be around either way.

Enjoy “75 What the Hell” below, followed by more info from HeviSike about Lost Songs, courtesy of the PR wire:

Trippy Wicked, “75 What the Hell” official video

London-based hard rock / metal trio TRIPPY WICKED & THE COSMIC CHILDREN OF THE KNIGHT are set to unleash two previously unheard tracks on 26th May.

When founding member Chris West opened the great vault that is the Trippy Wicked archive, he found two songs that were recorded in 2011 for a planned split release with Brighton sludge act DOPEFIGHT. The two bands couldn’t co-ordinate schedules before Dopefight split up and the songs went on the backburner eventually lost to time. Now exhumed from their digital resting place the songs have been freshly mastered by Tony Reed (MOS GENERATOR) for release by UK label HeviSike Records.

‘Lost Songs’ captures a snapshot at a key period in the band’s evolution and will prove to be essential listening for fans of Trippy Wicked and the wider underground rock & metal community. A promotional video for ’75 What The Hell’ was planned and has now, 6 years later, been completed.

Trippy Wicked are currently writing their next album; their first full-length since 2012’s Going Home. The trio have recently released a split EP ‘GUPPY’ with fellow Londoners GURT, with whom they share current sticksman Bill Jacobs. At the same time as working on Trippy Wicked material, frontman Peter Holland has been gigging extensively across the UK and Europe with new band ELEPHANT TREE, including memorable sets at this year’s Desertfests London & Berlin. Chris West, who also previously played in STUBB alongside Peter, is currently performing bass duties in the psychedelic rock group LANDSKAP.

Regarding the recently completed video for ‘75 What The Hell’, West comments “Because the the songs had been shelved indefinitely I’d actually forgotten about the video we started work on. Releasing these songs has been a great opportunity to finish editing that. The song is a little unusual for the band but the video is 100% in the spirit of Trippy Wicked. I’d also say with the time it took to filming/photograph that last sequence Pete has a solid career as a living statue ahead of him.”

As well as a digital release, Lost Songs will be made available via a limited edition 7” single.

Side A – 75 What The Hell // Side AA – In A Bottle

‘Lost Songs’ credits
Pete Holland: Vocals, Guitar, Tuba
Dicky King: Bass
Chris West: Drums

Recorded by Westminster Brown at Dropout Studios.
Mixed and mastered by Tony Reed at HeavyHead Recording Co.
Artwork & Video by Chris West

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Bright Curse Post “Lady Freedom” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on December 19th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

bright curse

“Lady Freedom” is the leadoff track from London trio Bright Curse‘s 2016 HeviSike Records debut album, Before the Shore (review here). It was premiered here just before the record cam out in May, and even these months later its chorus still resonates with the driving heavy rock that became the central feature of the record as a whole, the band taking a more terrestrial approach following their 2013 self-titled EP (review here). It took me a while to get my head around that change — sometimes one sets up these expectations for where a given outfit might go — but once I did, it was easy to appreciate the straightforward songwriting they had on offer. Dudes weren’t asking for much; they just wanted to rock out and have a good time.

The vibe of their new video for “Lady Freedom” seems pretty similar. Directed by James Cox, it goes room-by-room through frontman Romain Daut‘s flat — they rock in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and so on — as a rehearsal for a gig, pack everything up and head out. Along the way, sure enough, are some ladies on motorcycles who it seems pretty safe to assume are pretty free, at least for the afternoon of filming. The clip winds up at The Black Heart in Camden Town — on a personal note, it was a joy to recognize the upstairs space before getting confirmation from the PR wire info below that’s where it was filmed — where Bright Curse get booed off the stage only to have the same ladies step up and kick ass in their place as the song comes to an end.

What’s the lesson? Uh, ladies kick ass? Thought it was kind of a given, but nothing wrong with a bit of reinforcement for the idea, I guess.

Bright Curse are set to play Hellfest next year — nice work, gentlemen — and will have more touring besides, so don’t expect it to be too long before we hear from them again. In the meantime, enjoy the video, followed by copious background from Daut via the PR wire.

Dig:

Bright Curse, “Lady Freedom” official video

London power trio Bright Curse, who are set to play France’s Hellfest in 2017 headlined by rock superstars Deep Purple and Aerosmith, are currently celebrating a successful year; 2016 has seen their debut full-length released to critical acclaim and a relentless touring schedule has allowed them to perform for audiences in the UK and Europe. To top it off, the band has just unveiled a video for album-opener ‘Lady Freedom’.

Regarding the video’s biker theme, guitarist and singer Romain Daut explains “I started riding and following the custom motorcycle scene a couple of years ago and discovered some of the best people in the world; some of the most badass women – and that’s what I wanted in this short film; amazing ladies saving our asses! With the help of Kingdom of Kicks in Hackney and Our Black Heart in Camden, we found those girls!”

Discussing the track Daut states “Lady Freedom was one of the first songs I wrote for the album, a song about how we should respect the opposite sex, how we should embrace the fact that men would not exist without women, how we owe them our freedom…”

“We shot everything in London. It took us three days,” explains the frontman. “That was the first time Bright Curse had to act! You’ll probably notice that it was easier for some of us than others… The video was directed by James Cox without whom nothing would have been possible; the most talented director we know, he made everything so easy and smooth!”

“It was a lot of fun and I think we have a taste for it now, freezing our balls early morning, drink nothing but coffee all day, having the neighbours ringing our bell in the afternoon because they ‘would like us to find an other place to do that’ and telling them they’ll have to live with it… I mean, I’ll play music in my fucking kitchen if I want to, right?!”

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Quarterly Review: Sourvein, Mantar, Elevators to the Grateful Sky, The Poisoned Glass, Spirit Collector, Phiasco, The Cosmic Dead, Postures, Estoner, The Black Explosion

Posted in Reviews on June 20th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

the-obelisk-summer-2016-quarterly-review

Well here we are. Standing on the precipice of a week of 50 reviews, looking out together at the geographic and sonic expanses that will be covered. I never know entirely what a given Quarterly Review is going to bring. Some have been smooth, some not. This one is being put together very little pre-production in terms of chasing down band links and that sort of thing, so I expect it’s going to be an adventure one way or another. I’ll keep you updated as we go as to my mental state and the deterioration thereof.

If you don’t know the drill, The Obelisk’s Quarterly Review is a week every three months in which I review 10 albums per day, Monday through Friday. Some of it was released in the prior three months, some of it is brand new, some of it probably isn’t out yet, some of it is probably older. It’s all relevant one way or another. I hope you find something you enjoy.

Quarterly Review #1-10:

Sourvein, Aquatic Occult

Sourvein Aquatic Occult

Looking at the makeup of Sourvein’s much-awaited fourth album, Aquatic Occult (on Metal Blade), it’s understandable why it might’ve taken five years to put together. Yes, they had splits out in between, as they do, but the band’s last full-length was 2011’s Black Fangs (review here), and though the 14-song/42-minute Aquatic Occult is manageable, with a host of interludes to carry the listener along its thick-toned, undulating waves, a swath of guest appearances no doubt played havoc with logistics. Fortunately, Sourvein’s figurehead, vocalist T-Roy Medlin, seems to thrive on chaos. Working with producer Mike Dean (C.O.C.), and a revolving-door lineup that here features Lou Gorra of Halfway to Gone, Medlin brazenly explores a more melodic dynamic than he ever has. It’s a rare band looking to experiment after 20 years, a rarer band still that pulls it off so well. There’s still some sludgy rasp and guest growling, but Sabbathian roll is the order of the day ultimately and Medlin’s homage to his home in Cape Fear, North Carolina, establishes a breadth unheard before from Sourvein that’s worthy of the years and obvious effort that went into its making.

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Mantar, Ode to the Flame

Mantar Ode To The Flame

Hamburg duo Mantar’s blend of thrash, sludge and blackened doom is brash, righteously punkish and thus far uncompromised in its malevolent intent. On their second album and Nuclear Blast debut, Ode to the Flame, songs like “Era Borealis” swagger as much as they sneer, the middle-finger-up arrogance becoming part of the appeal. “The Hint” offers some tinge of melody and “I Omen” some organ-laced atmospherics, but Mantar, who debuted in 2015 with the also fire-minded Death by Burning (review here) on Svart, carry their extremity forward like the next logical step of the same impulses that High on Fire once brought forth. Their tempo shifts, from blazing squibblies to outright lumbering, are pulled off with due fuckall, and the shouts from guitarist/vocalist Hanno and drummer/vocalist Erinc are spit forth in a manner near-indecipherable but still have no trouble getting their point across. Mantar are positioning themselves to be the kick in the ass that the underground needs. The next few years (and albums) will see how that pans out, but for now they have two scorchers under their collective belt.

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Elevators to the Grateful Sky, Cape Yawn

elevators to the grateful sky cape yawn

There is a stylistic restlessness to stretches of Elevators to the Grateful Sky’s second record, Cape Yawn (on HeviSike), that becomes the uniting factor between the adrenaline-amped opening with “Ground” and “Bullet Words” and the later dream-surf Yawning Man-meets-sax unfurling of the title-track. The Palermo, Italy, outfit have stated their intention as capturing a blend of ‘90s alternative and modern heavy. Fair enough, but hearing that play out on the penultimate “Mountain Ship” in a mix of weighted riffing and laid back vocals giving way to shouts, it seems that to me that next time out, Elevators to the Grateful Sky should probably just start saying they sound like themselves, because they do. Granted, they’re pulling elements from familiar sources – Soundgarden, Kyuss, etc. – but in giving them new context, the four-piece are defining their sound as moving fluidly between the various styles, and that’s to be commended. The more you put into listening, the more you’ll get out of it.

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The Poisoned Glass, 10 Swords

the poisoned glass 10 swords-700

Representing a 50 percent reunion of Burning Witch, the droning contemplations and hellish atmospherics of The Poisoned GlassRitual Productions debut, 10 Swords, pique immediate interest. And bassist/percussionist/etc.-ist G. Stuart Dahlquist and vocalist/keyboardist Edgy 59 do not disappoint. With unspeakable patience, they execute six grueling and cinematic pieces that seem to find comfort in tortured expression and that feel claustrophobic even as they continue to expand outward and downward through “Plume Veil” and “Toil and Trouble” into the extended closing duo “Silent Vigil” – spoiler alert: not actually silent – and “Low Spirits,” which moves from minimalist stillness through far-back screams and into a wash of synth before its seven minutes are up, covering more ground in one track than some bands do in their entire career. Fair to say on the whole 10 Swords is an immersive listen, but the prevailing vibe is much less “diving in” than “being swallowed whole by some obscure medieval terror.” So, you know, watch out for that.

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Spirit Collector, Owls to Athens

spirit collector owls to athens-700

Los Angeles newcomers Spirit Collector make their debut with the self-released, three-song Owls to Athens EP, clear in its intent and brimming with airy, post-rock-derived guitar atmospherics. A particularly telling moment arrives with the Terence McKenna sample in centerpiece “Reclaim Your Mind,” which speaks of casting off the culture of celebrity worship for a richer human experience, but it’s in the extended closer “Theosophy” (7:57) that Spirit Collector find their footing someplace between a doomed plod and thoughtful psychedelia, picking up a chugging momentum as they push through toward the almost blackened finish, having come a surprising distance since their eponymous opener set the tone for expanse. An encouraging first offering if somewhat familiar superficially as instrumental heavy post-rock (think Explosions in the Sky, Russian Circles, Red Sparowes, etc.), and there’s nothing in Owls to Athens to make one think Spirit Collector can’t move forward and develop the experimental drive they begin to show here.

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Phiasco, Vieh

phiasco vieh

Vieh, the debut full-length from Colonge-based desert rocking foursome Phiasco, takes its name from the German word for “cattle.” The band owe some of their fuzz to Truckfighters and some of their psychedelic wash to Sungrazer, but the attitude in songs like “Ultimate Warrior” – comprised largely of riffs topped with an extended sample from the titular professional wrestler – and “Sunndown” is their own, as is the we’re-still-having-a-really-good-time-while-we-make-this-15-minute-song closer “Phisco” (sic), a highlight of the live-recorded full-length, which across its span is light on pretense and heavy on bounce. Cuts like “Old Town” and opener “Back to the Future” – hey, that’s a movie! – bring catchy hooks, and the uptempo “Erasing Rabbits with My Phaserlight” winds up as harmonized as goofed out, and thus is all the more engaging. There’s a certain amount of getting by on charm here, but Phiasco have a capable, varied songwriting process that’s given due fullness and clarity in these eight tracks.

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The Cosmic Dead, Rainbowhead

the-cosmic-dead-rainbowhead

Man, who gives a shit about anything else when Glaswegian five-piece The Cosmic Dead are enacting their hypnotic swirl? Their latest instrumental invitation to watch existence melt is called Rainbowhead and it arrives through Paradigms Recordings (CD) and Blackest Rainbow Records (LP) with four tracks that serve as the band’s first full-length since 2014’s EasterFaust, though they’ve had splits in between to keep a prolific rate of offerings fitting for their explorational heavy psych/space rock. The bulk of Rainbowhead is engagingly upbeat as side A plays out across “Human Sausage,” “Skye Burial” and the 13-minute “Inner C,” and side B’s 18-minute title-track follows suit as The Cosmic Dead seem to have found a similar niche between progressive rock and psych to that which Mammatus proffered on their most recent outing. It suits The Cosmic Dead, and they keep an improv vibe prevalent as ever, grasping the subconscious with trip-on-it lysergic pulsations.

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Postures, Halucinda

postures halucinda

Deeply textured and lush in its construction around guitar arrangements, percussive and keyboard-laden melodic flourish, Postures’ second full-length, Halucinda (on World in Sound), plays back and forth between prog and heavy rock impulses. The Gothenburg, Sweden, five-piece seem most at home in extended tracks like “Myriad Man,” “Every Room” and the jazzy 10-minute “Wavemaker,” but even the acoustic-led centerpiece interlude “A Million Sequences” invites the audience to turn up the volume for maximum wash effect. Paulina Nyström delivers a powerful, commanding and fluid vocal performance, and while the rhythm section of bassist Per Pettersson and drummer Isak Björhag are the foundation on which these complex structures play out – Viktor Andersson and Benjamin Watts handle guitar; Madeleine Sjögren is credited with backing vocals/keys and Margit Gyllspång percussion/backing vocals – there’s no angle from which Postures don’t come across rich and vital in their winding but well-plotted course, one song feeding fluidly to the next until the dreamy “In the Dark” rounds out with the emotional apex of the record.

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Estoner, Lennud Saatana Dimensioonis

estoner lennud saatana dimensioonis

What else to call a stoner band from Estonia? Estoner’s appeal, however, goes well beyond their moniker. The Tallinn-based outfit’s second album, Lennud Saatana Dimensioonis, arrives in a handmade hexagonal CD package, heat sealed, as well as with complete visual accompaniment on limited VHS and cassette via Golem Records. The music is no less relentlessly creative, running a gamut between prog, black metal, heavy rock, psychedelia, space rock and probably a few others in its seven-track course. A song like “Teleporteerumine” conjures darkened swirl and “Reptiloid” follows through with foreboding threat, but Estoner plunge even deeper as they go, proferring aesthetic reach that makes seemingly disparate elements work together fluidly on “Hüvasti, Kosmiline Monoliit” and the 10-minute closing title-track. Perhaps the highest compliment one can pay to Lennud Saatana Dimensioonis is to call it Svart-worthy, as its diverse means of engulfing the listener speak to a forward-thinking approach that one can only hope Estoner continue to develop.

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The Black Explosion, Atomic Zod War

Unbenannt-1

Extra points to Swedish troupe The Black Explosion for opening their third album, the space-fuzzed out Atomic Zod War (on Metalville Records), with its longest track, the 13-minute “Paralyzed.” That song offers a languid voyage through uncharted jammy reaches, and that sets an open, laid back expectation that the rest of the album seems only too glad to build on, from the Nebula-via-Monster Magnet blown out vibes of “Ain’t Coming Home” to the semi-garage buzz of “Going Down,” a highlight groove that emphasizes the natural, raw tones at play leading into “Get My Mind Together” and the finisher “Devil Inside,” which brings the guitar of Chris Winter (also Dollhouse) forward with backing from bassist Simon Haraldsson and drummer Andreas Lindquist that feels born of the new West Coast tradition but is likely playing off of older impulses. But for its hey-look-it’s-tits cover art, the grit Atomic Zod War offers comes through organically and draws the listener in with its live feel and underlying boogie.

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Bright Curse Premiere “Lady Freedom” from New LP Before the Shore

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on May 2nd, 2016 by JJ Koczan

bright curse

London trio Bright Curse release their debut album, Before the Shore, May 13 on HeviSike Records. It’s among the most awaited debuts of the last couple years, the band having made a striking impression with their 2013 self-titled EP (review here) and subsequent Shaman single (review here) while cycling through a couple shifts in lineup that have brought guitarist/vocalist Romain Daut and drummer Zacharie Mizzi together with bassist Max Ternebring for the seven-track/43-minute LP, which was produced by the band and J.B. Pilon at Rock of London Studios with mastering by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios.

Topped off with striking artwork by Adam Burke, it’s also a release that dramatically repositions the group from where they were three years ago stylistically, swapping out the heavy psychedelia of their EP for a more clear-headed approach driven particularly by Daut‘s vocals and a spirit of modernized-sounding classic heavy rock that recalls the clarity in the production of the latest Kadavar without aping that band’s methods otherwise. Bright Curse‘s material is more flowing, more gradual, less directly playing to pop traditions, but a focus remains on songcraft, the bulk of the tracks running in the five-to-six-minute range, with brooding closer “Earth’s Last Song” longer at 8:29.

A rampant emotionalism ties the songs together, from opener “Lady Freedom” to the Graveyardian melancholia of “Candles and Flowers,” but moods nonetheless vary between them, and from front to back, Before the Shore moves smoothly through its course, flourishes like the spoken sample in “Cheating Pain” and the organ in the penultimate highlight “Northern Sky” adding to the context overall. And though they’ve grown into abright curse before the shore more straightforward-sounding act overall, Bright Curse still find room to offer a jammy sensibility in the swinging solo section of “The Shore” and in the bluesy leads of semi-cultish centerpiece “Walking in a Graveyard (Bloody Witch),” which are offset by the album’s most fervent stomp, Mizzi‘s snare punctuating the natural but not vintage tones of Daut and Ternebring as Daut pushes his voice toward and past the breaking point for not the first time.

His stepping forward as a frontman becomes a defining characteristic of Before the Shore, and the command shown in either the quiet stretches of “Cheating Pain” and “Earth’s Last Song” or the more brash thrust of “Lady Freedom” and cowbell-inclusive swing of “Candles and Flowers” is not to be discounted in terms of the overarching impression the record makes. Listening back to the EP, Daut gave a strong vocal performance there as well, but the context was different, the tones surrounding thicker and more encompassing, whereas the crispness in the presentation of Before the Shore really gives him the space to shine in his delivery, somewhat indebted to Magnus Pelander in cadence but continuing to develop in identity as well.

That’s not to take anything away from the chemistry of Bright Curse as a whole, who’ve clearly spent the time since their first outing refining their approach. That shows itself throughout Before the Shore, whether it’s the catchy hooks of “Lady Freedom” and “Cheating Pain” or the more patient builds of “Northern Sky” and “Earth’s Last Day,” which takes a more linear turn where earlier cuts like “Walking in a Graveyard (Bloody Witch)” ebbed and flowed.

The plays in structure and what DautTernebring and Mizzi are able to execute within them, particularly when taking into account that this is their first full-length, remain impressive, and while I’ll allow that part of me misses the psychedelic vibe of the EP — part of me always misses the psychedelic vibe — the flow they conjure here is palpable between tracks and goes a long way toward showing where their progression is headed. It’s a positive direction, and in the interim, Before the Shore marks the arrival of a band clearly ready to stand themselves out from a crowded London heavy rock scene, which, though it’s been a while in the making, means it got here right on time.

I have the pleasure today of hosting the premiere of “Lady Freedom,” which you’ll find below, followed by Bright Curse‘s latest European tour announcement.

Please enjoy:

Stoked to finally unveil our whole upcoming European Tour, in support of our debut album “Before The Shore”, out on May 13th on HeviSike Records! It kicks-off in less than a month! Who’s coming!?

20.05 (F) Lille | El Diablo (w. Space Fisters)
21.05 (F) Caen | Le Bocal
22.05 (F) Bordeaux | Void – Make It Sabbathy (w. Space Fisters)
23.05 (F) Tours | Puzzle Pub – CRYPTE (w. Space Fisters)
24.05 (F) Nantes | Scène Michelet – CRUMBLE FIGHT (w. Space Fisters)
25.05 (F) Paris | L’Espace B (w. Space Fisters)
26.05 (NL) Amsterdam | The Cave
27.05 (D) Cologne | The Odonien
28.05 (B) Arlon | L’Entrepôt
31.05 (F) Strasbourg | Mudd Club (NEW SHOW)
01.06 (F) Dijon | Deep Inside
02.06 (F) Lyon | Les Capucins
03.06 (D) Karlsruhe | Bistro KA
07.06 (CH) Geneva | L’Usine – Kalvingrad
08.06 (F) Reims | L’Appart Café

Events & more info right here: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCurse/events

Bright Curse on Thee Facebooks

Bright Curse website

HeviSike Records website

HeviSike Records on Thee Facebooks

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Gurt & Trippy Wicked Release Guppy Split May 6

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

If you’re wondering where Gurt and Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight got the name of their new split, Guppy, that’s due to release on May 6, take a look at their names: “Gu” from the former, “ppy” from the latter. That bit of cleverness, no doubt, is emblematic of the shenanigans throughout the CD/DL set to arrive via When Planets Collide and the limited run of tapes that’ll be out through HeviSike Records, and it works even more because they not only recorded together and collaborated on a song, but they share drummer Bill Jacobs between them, so yes, the running theme is togetherness. And togetherness if great. Who doesn’t like togetherness?

A trailer for the release has surfaced that emphasizes the level of good times involved, if indirectly. Find that under the info below, which comes from the PR wire:

gurt trippy wicked guppy

Gurt & Trippy Wicked team up for GUPPY split – May 6th

The build up has been pretty long and a lot of work has gone in to creating it but When Planets Collide are very happy to announce that ‘GUPPY’, the new split release between GURT and Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight is ready for release on Friday May 6th!

Digital / CD – When Planets Collide
Limited Edition Cassette Tape – HeviSike Records

The release features 5 songs clocking in just short of half an hour with two brand new songs from each band and one epic collaboration which features both guitarists, both bassists and both vocalists… we really can’t wait for you to hear what we hope will be one of the best releases so far in 2016.

The bands have been close friends for many years (as well as now sharing a drummer in Bill Jacobs) so entering the studio together to create GUPPY was a natural move. With the help of Steve Sears and Tony Nigelson at TITAN Studios in Watford the record sounds absolutely massive and showcases the expert groove and wicked sense of humour that both bands pride themselves on!

The track-listing is as follows:

1: OWLMEGGEDON
2: SUPER FUN HAPPY SLIDE
3: REVOLTING CHILD
4: I REGRET NOTHING

You’ll have to work out for yourself which songs are by which band!

GURT are:
Bill Jacobs – Drums
Richard Williams – Guitar
Gareth Kelly – Vocals
David Blakemore – Bass

TRIPPY WICKED are:
Peter Holland – Guitar/Vocals
Dicky King – Bass
Bill Jacobs – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/GURTsludge/
https://www.facebook.com/trippywicked
https://www.facebook.com/whenplanetscollideuk
https://whenplanetscollideuk.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hevisike
http://hevisike.com/

Gurt & Trippy Wicked, Guppy teaser

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Bright Curse Release Before the Shore May 13; Euro Tour Announced

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 17th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

London-based heavy rockers Bright Curse unfold a patient heavy psychedelia as they give the first sample of their forthcoming Before the Shore LP, but “The Shore” isn’t without a corresponding sense of build. Been looking forward to new Bright Curse basically since their 2013 self-titled (review here), and though they offered up the single Shaman (review here) last year, they’ve had a bit of tumult to get them on the path to signing to HeviSike Records for Before the Shore, lineup changes and so on, but whatever got them there, I’ll be excited to hear more when/if should the opportunity arise.

The PR wire brings EU tour dates, album details — no art yet; also interested to see what they have in store for that — and the stream of “The Shore” for instant-gratification-type enjoyment:

bright curse

BRIGHT CURSE sign to HeviSike for release of Before The Shore album | Announce EU tour and stream/share new song

New album Before The Shore by Bright Curse is released on 13th May via HeviSike Records

Formed in London in 2012 out of the expatriated ashes of French psychedelic rock band Soul Manifest, Bright Curse is a band that requires little introduction to anyone that has kept a close ear to the underground in recent years.

This May, the trio – featuring guitar player and vocalist Romain Daut, drummer Zacharie Mizzi and newest member Max Ternebring on bass – will follow up on their 2013 self-titled EP with the release of their full-length debut, Before The Shore, on HeviSike Records. Another rising star and staple of the subterranean/heavy-psychedelic set that has been making a noteworthy name for itself of late with releases from Dead Feathers, Prophets Of Saturn and Elevators To The Grateful Sky.

Recorded and produced by the band with J.B Pilon at Rock Of London Studios and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios, Before The Shore dives headfirst into the deep and darkened sea of brooding rock ‘n’ roll. Still riffing epic spectrums of dark and light but trading in the extended jams and out-and-out sounds of space rock, doom and metal found on their Bright Curse EP, for a more measured, and ultimately stunning approach. An approach that brings with it the hypnotic soul of David Gilmour-esque guitar solos, blustering Iommi riffs and stirringly effective Deep Purple key sections. All of which pull Bright Curse up through the surface at a rate of knots and out into the open waters of contemporary rock ‘n’ roll greats such as Graveyard, Kadavar and Colour Haze.

Having played live with the likes of Earthless, Naam, Mars Red Sky and Pentagram at festivals such Glad Stone Fest (France), Up In Smoke Fest (Switzerland) and more recently Desertfest (London), Bright Curse hit the road next month as part of a co-op tour with France’s Space Fisters (see dates below) ahead of the release of Before The Shore on 13th May 2016 through HeviSike.

Bright Curse:
Romain Daut – Guitars, Vocals
Zacharie Mizzi – Drums
Max Ternebring – Bass

Live Dates:
20 May – El Diablo (w. Space Fisters) – Lille, France
21 May – Le Bocal – Caen, France
23 May – Make It Sabbathy (w. Space Fisters) – Bordeaux, France
24 May – Venue TBA (w. Space Fisters) – Nantes, France
26 May – The Cave – Amsterdam, Netherlands
2 June – Les Capucins – Lyon, France
3 June – Bistro KA – Karlsruhe, Germany
4 June – Venue TBA – Cologne, Germany
7 June – Kalvingrad, L’Usine – Geneva, Switzerland

https://www.facebook.com/BrightCurse/
https://twitter.com/Brightcurseband
http://brightcurse.com/
http://brightcurse.bandcamp.com/
hevisike.bigcartel.com
https://www.facebook.com/hevisike/

Bright Curse, “The Shore”

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Grifter Premiere “Failing Asleep” from Gorilla vs. Grifter Split

Posted in audiObelisk on March 9th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

GRIFTER (Photo by Sarah Stygall)

On April 15, UK power trios Gorilla and Grifter will team up for the Gorilla vs. Grifter split LP on HeviSike Records. While the title is somewhat adversarial, pitting one band against the other in a bid for some kind of rock supremacy, at least as far as the 12″ platter goes, actually listening to the thing, the battle playing out would seem to make Gorilla and Grifter vs. Bullshit a more accurate title. Neither band has much time for it in their four presented tracks, Gorilla digging into thickened Motörhead-style drive from the start of “Both Barrels” and Grifter grooving out thick and nasty on the harmonica and slide-laden “Hi Waisted,” just one of the locked in riff rollers on offer throughout the 32-minute outing, and if there’s a running theme to be found between their work — aside, you know, from being heavy — it’s the straightforward, frills-need-not-apply attitude and sense of righteousness with which each band executes its material, whether that’s Gorilla asking “how much can ya take?” on “Grind Yer Down” or Grifter coming right out and extending the invitation “kiss my ass!” on closer “Me Love.”

For Gorilla, their portion of Gorilla vs. Grifter follows an appearance in 2015 on Who Can You Trust? Records‘ Sweet Times Vol. 2 (review here) split, which introduced the track “Three Squealer” that also makes a showing here. The three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Johnny Gorilla (also The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell), bassist Sarah Jane and gorilla-vs-grifterdrummer Ryan Matthews may not ultimately be throwing down with Grifter, but neither does one get the sense they’d back off if it came to blows of any sort, particularly perhaps in some London back alley, shattered glass on the ground, throwing drunken, lurching punches. Their core is in the aforementioned Motörheadery, but second cut “Slay Rider” dips back on the throttle and nestles into a smooth nod, vocals shouted through a dense wall of fuzz, before “Grind Yer Down” picks up the pace once again and careens toward the riotous finish of “Three Squealer,” on held together through the low end as guitars drop out during the verses en route to a winding chorus delivered with punk-rooted abandon, which of course suits Gorilla well, each of their tracks dealing in one way or another with motion, whether it’s blasted out of a shotgun to tearing ass down a highway. Don’t, however, take their palpable recklessness as a lack of songwriting.

When it comes to that — we’re talking about songwriting; keep up — Grifter have long since proven themselves choice purveyors. Their last album, 2014’s The Return of the Bearded Brethren (review here), pushed them past the decade mark, and while their side of Gorilla vs. Grifter is rawer than was that record, it finds them continuing to add to their established, straightforward heavy rock style. That shows itself notably in vocal arrangements. Guitarist/vocalist Ollie Stygall, bassist Phil and drummer Foz have never been shy when it comes to writing hooks as any of their releases will attest, but while the production on “Failing Asleep,” “Paige Turner,” “Hi Waisted” and “Me Love” is more stripped down than was the last record, there’s subtle layering and not-so-subtle backing vocals, especially on “Paige Turner” and the harmonized chorus of “Hi Waisted,” that only make the tracks catchier. Grifter‘s form has never needed screwing with and it still doesn’t, but as they progress beyond their second LP, their sound is vibrant and the growth they demonstrate in these tracks — while still writing songs about porn stars — makes one look forward all the more to where they might go next. Like Gorilla, they are in and out, quickly, efficiently, and without time wasted, but each song offers something to stand it out from the others, and even if it’s a quick check-in from Grifter, that’s well appreciated.

A mastering job by the perpetually-busy Tony Reed (Mos Generator) ties the bullshit-combating Gorilla vs. Grifter together, and today I have the pleasure of hosting the debut of Grifter‘s “Failing Asleep” from the split. You can hear it on the player below, followed by some more info on the release.

Please enjoy:

Gorilla vs Grifter
A new split album from two of the UK’s hottest power trios.
Released 15th April 2016 on HeviSike Records
Artwork by Maarten Donders

Gorilla vs Grifter will be the second in a planned series of split albums released through HeviSike, following 2015’s Mos Generator // Stubb split release.

The album has been mastered by Tony Reed (Mos Generator) and features a unique cover designed by Dutch artist Maarten Donders, known for his poster designs for Blues Pills and Roadburn Festival amongst others.

Available as a limited edition vinyl record in two colour-ways, Gorilla vs Grifter will be available to pre-order from Friday 1st April ahead of its 15th April release date.

Colour vinyl options:
Gold – (limited to 100 copies, hevisike.com exclusive)
Yellow / Blue Marbled

The album will be distributed by Plastic Head Distribution in the UK & Europe and by MVD Entertainment in North America. Gorilla vs Grifter will be available digitally through bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify and other digital outlets.

Gorilla on Thee Facebooks

Grifter on Thee Facebooks

HeviSike Records on Thee Facebooks

HeviSike Records website

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