Posted in Whathaveyou on June 4th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Pittsburgh atmospheric sludgers Horehound have announced their breakup. Their last show was May 17, so it’s pretty fresh, and they leave after issuing their best work in 2022’s Collapse (discussed here) and immediately heralding a new band in the works from vocalist/synthesist Shy Kennedy, bassist Russ Johnson and drummer Dan Moore. Presumably there will be a guitarist involved there as well, even if it’s not Brendan Parrish, but I’ll be curious to hear if it’s a situation where there was a stark enough sonic shift they wanted to undertake that they had to drop one name and pick up another, or whatever the next band might be called or sound like in relation to their work in Horehound, which saw plenty of progression during the band’s time. I guess we’ll have to see.
In any case, this is a band I’m glad I got to watch play live, whose work consistently grew, and who seem to be continuing that growth even as they shed one skin to grow another. Their announcement was quick and made through the ol’ social medias:
š¶ After 9 incredible years, it’s with mixed emotions that we announce the end of our journey as Horehound. We want to express our deepest gratitude to our fans, friends, promoters, and venues who’ve supported us along the way. Your passion has been the driving force behind our music, and we couldn’t be more thankful. While Horehound may be coming to a close, the music doesn’t stop here. Russ, Dan, and I are excited to embark on a new project together, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this next chapter. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for an unforgettable ride. š¤ Love, Shy š¤ #Horehound #NewBeginnings #StayTuned2024
Horehound is: Brendan Parrish (Guitar) Russ Johnson (Bass) Dan Moore (Drums) Shy Kennedy (Vocals/Synth)
This year’s Maryland Doom Fest has already begun. It started last night and will continue through Sunday, packing as much volume as possible between the first switched on amplifier and the final, inevitable broom swept across the floor afterward at Cafe 611 in Frederick, MD, where the fest is held. These shows are jammed. They start early. They go late. There’s nothing else quite like Maryland Doom Fest out there, and when you go, you’re made welcome whether you’re a regular or not. It’s too intimate a space and too cool a crowd for bullshit attitudes to survive. Relax and enjoy the tunes.
I’m sad to say I’m not there this year — let’s call it “family stuff” and leave it there — but the lineup is incredible and I wanted to do at least some tiny measure of tribute to that, so here we are. Some of these bands are MDDF veterans — Apostle of Solitude, Zed, Foghound, Faith in Jane, Caustic Casanova, etc. — but some are new to the event as well — Coven, Great Electric Quest, Formula 400, and others — so it’s a good mix, and you know I’m a sucker for ending epic, so The Age of Truth seemed perfect for that. They’re gonna kill it this weekend playing songs fromĀ ResoluteĀ and everyone there will know it long before they go on and they’ll still kill it. That’s just how it goes down there. You’re gonna have a good time.
Thanks if you listen, thanks if you’re reading. Thanks in general. And if you’re at the fest this weekend, enjoy it.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at:Ā http://gimmemetal.com.
Full playlist:
The Obelisk Show – 06.24.22 (VT = voice track)
Coven
Wicked Woman
Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls
Zed
Chingus
Volume
Apostle of Solitude
Apathy in Isolation
Until the Darkness Goes
VT
Problem With Dragons
Live by the Sword
Accelerationist
Horseburner
A Joyless King
The Thief
Thunderbird Divine
Qualified
Magnasonic
Heavy Temple
A Desert Through the Trees
Lupi Amoris
Great Electric Quest
Seeker of the Flame
Chapter II – Of Earth
Formula 400
Ridin’ Easy
Heathens
Horehound
Hiraeth
Collapse
VT
Shadow Witch
Witches of Aendor
Under the Shadow of a Witch
Faces of Bayon
Ethereality
Heart of the Fire
Ol’ Time Moonshine
Raven vs. Hawk
The Apocalypse Trilogies
Caustic Casanova
Truth Syrup
God How I Envy the Deaf
Foghound
Known Wolves
Awaken to Destroy
Orodruin
Into the Light of the Sun
Ruins of Eternity
Faith in Jane
Gone Are the Days
Mother to Earth
Alms
The Offering
Act One
Guhts
The Mirror
Blood Feather
VT
The Age of Truth
Return to the Ships
Resolute
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is July 8 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 24th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Collapse is the third full-length from Pittsburgh’s Horehound, and from the dug-in deathliness of “Sword on Fire” right into the lurching, chug-happy sweetness with which the repeated lines about how we’re all going to die are delivered in the subsequent “The Agent,” it is a moment of mastery for the band in terms of bringing together their impulses between heavy rock groove and more extreme atmospheric sludge intensities. The four-piece offer six songs in a concise-feeling-but-still-lush-sounding 33 minutes, beginning with their longest track (immediate points) “Hiraeth,” which sets forth a journey that seems to find resolution in the depth of bass in “The Rebirth” and the subtly metallic guitar sweep of “Dying Gaia.” I think the final growl on the album might be the word “reap,” and if so, fair enough for the story being told here about various human-created ecological brutalizations. To put it shortly and bluntly, Collapse is some grim shit. One thinks of bees dying in hives.
“The seas rise to the edge/There’s really nothing left/Everything’s been said/Everything’s been done/Everything is gone.” — “Hiraeth.” And that last “gone” is screamed with a throaty force that much of Collapse echoes, in sentiment as well as methodology.
While we’re talking about it, it’s also hard not to appreciate the band’s no-bullshit manner in dropping the record. Tell you it’s coming earlier in the week, then deliver. They aren’t even waiting for Bandcamp Friday. They’ve got a video up now for “Godful” that gets a little manic with the shaky-cam, but is still a fitting representation of the song, which itself sums up a fair amount ofĀ Collapse‘s breadth and impact.
Don’t tell them, but I’m gonna buy a CD just to have one.
From the PR wire and social media both:
HOREHOUND – COLLAPSE
We promised a release to you this Friday but we have a sneak peek track for you! You can hear this on our Bandcamp site where the album is now up for prerelease: https://horehound.bandcamp.com/album/collapse
But also here is a content video for the track GODFUL we hope you enjoy!
Tracklisting 1. Hiraeth 2. Godful 3. Sword on Fire 4. The Agent 5. The Rebirth 6. Dying Gaia
In a world where you can choose heavy, tension-releasing music fueled by anger and filled with hope, why choose anything else to put on your playlist, throw in your CD player, or on your turntable as part of your audio meditation and ritual? Horehound agrees and have created an album that sates the need to exhale. On May 27th, 2022 the East Coast (USA) based doom/sludge outfit Horehound unleash their third LP and fourth release, Collapse.
Horehound began writing this album in 2020, bringing it to Sid Riggs (Iommi, Saliva, Seether, Alice Cooper) to record and produce and having Tony Reed (Gojira, Electric Wizard, Cough) master it in late 2021. Collapse is heavy, inspired by the times, and the most articulate material the band has presented. Collapse will be available on all popular streaming services, released digitally, on CD, and on vinyl (preorder), so save the date: 5/27/22
Horehound is: Brendan Parrish (Guitar) Russ Johnson (Bass) Dan Moore (Drums) Shy Kennedy (Vocals/Synth)
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 17th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Nearly two years ago, Descendants of Crom IV did a full unveiling of its lineup for a fest set to take place that October. You know the story from there. That’s the bad news. Good news is that many of the acts announced for that lineup are carrying over to this one. And as that includes the likes ofĀ Rebreather,Ā Heavy Temple,Ā Horseburner,Ā Horehound (yeah that’s right; I know it’s her festival; I actually think her band is good),Ā Orodruin andĀ Evoken, the news is even better. The roster of acts was announced the other day, but the schedule is new info — I happen to be somebody who appreciates a good timetable — and tickets are on sale as of right… now.
Hey, you know what? You go right ahead and you have yourself a great day. Maybe that means buying tickets for a thing? Don’t you kind of want to get it all in as quickly as possible before the next variant hits and we’re huddled down again, desperately hoping Costco has the Scott back in stock while trying not to breathe or to inhale from the side of our mouth that that person is standing way too close on? I do. Spend that fucking money.
The fourth annual Descendants of Crom, A Gathering of the Heavy Underground, will be held again this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on both floors of Cattivo Nightclub. The events begin early Friday evening and are followed by an all-dayer Saturday.
The underground scene of heavy music is healthy and Pittsburgh is the perfect location to host such an event. Weāre feeding great regional bands to a hungry crowd and utilizing legendary, international fan-favorites to entice music fans in the door with the support of our amazing local artists. Descendants of Crom began in 2017 and has been a strong contender among other established underground music festivals. We aspire to become the premier music event of the Northeast and I invite you to become part of the 2022 event! After all, we are all Descendants of Crom.
This event is 21+, ID Required Your commitment now helps us prepare better so, mark your calendars and get your tickets today!
LOCATION Cattivo 146 44th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
DATE & TIME June 3, 2022, 6:30 PM – June 4, 2022 – 11:30 PM
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 31st, 2021 by JJ Koczan
As suspected, the lineup announcement for the 2022 Maryland Doom Fest is relatively short on fluff. No flowery descriptions of the acts involved, no hype about how important it is to get together in these times of plague and support the community, the underground, whatever it is. That’s all true enough, but as ever, Maryland Doom Fest is putting the name out there for you to see, and if you know, you know. If you’re a part of that family down there in Frederick, you’ve already got your calendar marked. This is who’ll be at the reunion.
And to that, with bands like Horehound, Thunderbird Divine, Caustic Casanova, fest-organizer JB Matson‘s own Bloodshot, Faith in Jane, ZED, Helgamite, Shadow Witch, The Age of Truth, Apostle of Solitude, Horseburner, Dead East Garden, Strange HighwaysĀ and Foghound on the bill, this one will no doubt feel like a reunion in no small part. These acts and some of the others as well have shared MDDF bills in the past, and indeed, some were included in the announcement for January’sĀ Doom Hawg Day as well, as was speculated. Still cool to see some of those returning coming across the country to do it, though, be itĀ ZED orĀ Formula 400.
Set for June 23-26 atĀ Cafe 611 and Olde Mother Brewing in Frederick, MD, and of course subject to some changes between now and June, the lineup for Maryland Doom FestĀ 2022 is as follows:
Maryland Doom Fest 2022 Lineup
Black Road Dust Prophet Ol’ Time Moonshine High Priestess Wrath of Typhon Alms Black Lung Thunderbird Divine Atomic Motel Byrgan Faces of Bayon Grief Collector Crystal Spiders Helgamite Shadow Witch The Age of Truth Heavy Temple Problem with Dragons Strange Highways Fellowcraft Formula 400 Tines Indus Valley Kings The Stone Eye Crow Hunter Caustic Casanova Coma Hole Wizzerd Mythosphere Horehound Bloodshot NobleSoul Coven ZED Faith in Jane Future Projektor Apostle of Solitude Orodruin Dead East Garden Ritual Earth Grave Next Door Black Sabbitch Lost Breed Horseburner Foghound Hot Ram Flummox
Posted in Questionnaire on April 13th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: Brendan Parrish of Horehound
—
How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I simply consider myself a guitarist, irrespective of genre or style. Before I knew what guitar really was, I was always drawn to the sound of the electric guitar in songs. I was fortunate to meet a good friend in high school who taught guitar, and he became my guitar teacher after I received my first acoustic for Christmas when I was 18. I took lessons with him consistently for about 5 years. Heās one of my closest friends still and I contact him when I need to learn something in particular, but itās been a while since Iāve taken lessons regularly.
Describe your first musical memory.
Itās hard to describe the absolute first. I remember getting the self-titled Third Eye Blind album as my first ever CD when I was 10, and subsequently Collective Soul, and Garbageās Version 2.0. My strongest early musical memory was sitting in the car on the way to my Grandpaās funeral and listening to the guitar solo from “Hotel California” over and over again. Didnāt even really realize that it was electric guitar, just loved how it sounded.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
This is a tough one, but the memory I keep going back to was playing our song “Lāappel Du Vide” live at Gooskiās for the very first time. We had struggled with nailing it consistently in practice, but really liked the song and wanted to see how it went over live. We ended up nailing it live for the first time, in front of a really solid crowd (canāt wait to get back to Gooskiās!), and it just felt great.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
I think this one has evolved over time, regarding my opinion of talent and what being a good guitar player means. Historically, I tend to walk into a gig weāre playing, or go to see a local show, and just assume that Iām the least talented guitarist in the room. Now I definitely donāt feel like Iām a hot shot, but Iāve grown more comfortable identifying as a guitarist and feeling competent enough to hold my own.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Artistic progression really leads wherever the artist decides it should. Weāve had discussions about this as a band, regarding what genre we feel we fit into, and how we write. I think weāve ultimately decided that we have figured out how we want to sound, and itās more a reflection of our natural writing style, rather than trying to force the ideas into a genre or style. I guess artistic progression leads to being more comfortable and confident as an artist, and not feeling held back by expectations or limits that others might have put on you.
How do you define success?
I think success is more of a spectrum than it is one finite goal. Before starting Horehound, I think my goal of success would probably have been touring and opening for acts that I really respect. And that still is success to me. But now, the goalpost has moved. Iād like to reach a bigger audience, develop as a songwriter and guitarist, and eventually make music my full-time job. I donāt think Iād ever feel happier and more successful than if I could turn this passion into a career.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadnāt?
Oh, there are lots of things. Iāve seen bands be really disrespectful to the venue, sound guy, other bands on the bill, etc. Often by playing longer than they were allotted, or breaking down everything on stage, or just flat out being rude. I hate seeing those things, and when we can all get back out there and play again, Iām hopeful that the shared sense of purpose will minimize a lot of those things going forward.
Describe something you havenāt created yet that youād like to create.
Iād like to create something that balances heavy and pretty as well as “Marrow” or “Beauty in Falling Leaves” by Yob. Mike Scheidtās guitar playing, songwriting, and vocal ability is just so incredibly impressive to me. If I could write something and someone said āThat sounds like a Yob tune,ā it would be such amazing praise. But I think Iāve got some work to do still.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
I think thatās different for everyone. For me, itās an escape and a catharsis primarily. I struggle with anxiety pretty heavily, so Iām extremely grateful that of all the things I put off learning, guitar wasnāt one of them. Playing guitar and listening to music just really helps with the anxiety when everything else doesnāt.
Something non-musical that youāre looking forward to?
Iām looking forward to just being able to sit at a bar with friends again. I know the last year has been difficult for everyone, and Iām no exception to that. Itās difficult to overstate how much of our social lives have been put on hold, so Iām just really looking forward to having a drink with some friends at a bar and feeling a small sense of normalcy again.
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 12th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Thus a good bill gets better. Having Earthride headline will do that for a doom fest — just ask the one in the band’s native Frederick, Maryland — but bringing aboard Solace and Horehound as well as the Salt of the Earth Records-affiliated Thunderbird Divine and Via Vengeance, plus Connecticut‘s own Arduini/Balich (well, Connecticut and Pittsburgh, anyhow; Butch can travel east with Horehound) and Knoxxville, which features JB Matson, who organizes the prior-alluded-to Maryland Doom Fest, on drums, certainly doesn’t hurt either. New England Stoner & Doom Fest 3 has done precisely this and unveiled its daily lineups as well, and it’s a doozy. I don’t know if the fest is done or if more bands will be added, but seriously guys, this is plenty. Let’s call it a fest and run with it. It doesn’t exactly feel like anything’s missing, if you know what I mean.
I mean it’s frickin’ packed.
Will I tourist my ass to Jewett City (never been there, much to my chagrin) to the festival? I hope so. I had every intention of being there last year and had to pull the plug not literally at the last minute, but literally about an hour before I’d have headed out, so with the residual sting of that, I can only stare at the lineup, pre-fest included, and think it looks like an awfully fun time. A lot of an awfully fun time.
Dig:
NEW ENGLAND STONER & DOOM FEST 3 ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!
Earthride confirmed as Friday night Headliner, Arduini/Balich, Solace, Horehound, Via Vengeance, Thunderbird Divine, and Knoxville added.
Nomad Cabinets will be providing an excellent backline of Cabs and ListenToNewEngland.com added as sponsor as well.
Friday Lineup: Earthride Worshipper Solace Yatra Bone Church High Reeper Red Stone Chapel Arduini/Balich Heavy Temple Buzzard Canyon Problem with Dragons O’k and the Nightcrew
all ages doors 6pm
Saturday Lineup: Tyrant (Rob Lowe Ex-Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus on vocals) Playing new album “Hereafter” in entirety plus a classic Tyrant set Churchburn Wolftooth Orodruin Summoner Shadow Witch (Blacklight Encore show) Entierro Horehound Lotek Cruiser Mourn the Light Gorge Black Horse Rebellion Black North Coma Hole
all ages doors 5pm
Sunday Lineup: Warrior Soul (Last Decade Dead Century 30th Anniversary) Curse the Son Kingsnake Barishi Red Mesa Grey Skies Fallen Clamfight Thunderbird Divine When the Deadbolt Breaks Via Vengeance Knoxville Afghan Haze Sentinel Hill
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 1st, 2020 by JJ Koczan
The annualĀ Descendants of Crom in Pittsburgh has become a reliable assemblage of heavy, with a lineup diverse in sound woven together by a consistent quality of taste that unites across styles. For evidence of the ongoing nature of this phenomenon, look no further thanĀ the first two names on the poster ofĀ Descendants of Crom IV —Ā Bongzilla and Ruby the Hatchet. The former, a recongealed stoner-sludge exercise in Midwestern working-class bomber crust, and the latter, a more urbane newschool-via-oldschool heavy rock outfit laced with keys and nigh-on-glam melodicism.
Those differences are stark, but I’ll be damned if both don’t fit well at the top of the bill here, which includes plenty of shouldn’t-be-missed names in the likes of Orodruin,Ā Valley of the Sun, Heavy Temple,Ā Rebreather,Ā Pale Divine,Ā Horehound,Ā Cavern, on and on. I guess I could probably just run down the whole list at that point. It’s a good fest, and more even than last year, you begin to see the sense of curation and the personality of the festival emerge in its blend of styles. It’s not just about more, more, more, in an overwhelming onslaught of bands, but about what each specifically brings to the lineup as a whole. Kudos, as ever, toĀ Shy Kennedy and her crew on a job on its way to being well done.
Here’s the announcement:
DESCENDANTS OF CROM IV – A GATHERING OF THE HEAVY UNDERGROUND
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3rd
CATTIVO NIGHTCLUB – ĀĀĀPITTSBURGH, PA, USA
The fourth annual Descendants of Crom will be held this year again in Pittsburgh on both floors of Cattivo Nightclub. The events begin early Friday evening and are followed by a Saturday all-dayer.
The underground scene of heavy rock and metal here is healthy and thriving and we’re feeding great regional bands to a hungry crowd and utilizing legendary, international fan-favorites to entice music fans in the door with the support of our amazing local artists. Descendants of Crom was planted in 2017 as a little black seed and has been growing and strong contender among other established annual music festivals. We aspire to become the premier music event of the Northeast and invite you to become part of the 2020 event. After all, we are all Descendants of Crom!
This year’s DESCENDANTS are:
Bongzilla, Ruby the Hatchet, Black Tusk, Valley of the Sun, Evoken, Orodruin, Rebreather, Horseburner, Heavy Temple, Horehound, Cavern, Pale Divine, Howling Giant, Ironflame, Cruces, God Root, Zom, The Long Hunt, Makeshift Urn, and We, the Creature.
Schedule and tickets will be on sale Friday, March 6th for single-day as well as two-day passes.
We’re looking for sponsors, vendors, and any entity that supports the heavy underground and all things psych, stoner, doom, sludge, and occult to reach out and be a part of our event and community.
Additionally, in anticipation for this year’s Descendants of Crom, there will be a DOC showcase held at Cattivo on Saturday, March 21st featuring bands that have all been part of the Descendants of Crom history. Urns, The Long Hunt, Horehound, Horesburner (WV), and Ironflame. This showcase is a taster of what sort of musicianship and energy that DOC brings to the stages.
