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)

https://www.instagram.com/kadabra_band/
https://kadabraband.bandcamp.com/

heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/

Kadabra, Umbra (2023)

As evidenced by the ‘review here’ parenthetical I’m about to put behind the album’s title, I did in fact review Kadabra‘s second album, Umbra (review here), which came out last month on Heavy Psych Sounds, and you know what? I stand by that review. Maybe I was feeling a little cheeky at the time, but if you’re going to do this thing — to hone a sound that’s sharp in its execution and clever in its turns, but carries both memorable melodicism and an overarching groove — this is the way to do it. “The Serpent,” the video for which premiered sometime in the past few weeks, brings this into clearest emphasis. Songwriting is first but the performances throughout are stellar, and in the Washington trio’s skillful hands, choruses gain persona and Umbra builds an atmosphere not only through the strut of instrumental opener “White Willows” or in the organ-laced midsection of the later “Mountain Tamer” or in acoustic finale “The Serpent II,” which reprises the central melody of “The Serpent” — that clip below — and gives the record a sense of completion beyond 2021’s Ultra (review here).

“I’m at the altar/Dagger in hand” is a key line in conveying the song’s ritual-sacrifice theme. Of course, the “serpent” itself — the image — is rooted in religious dogma and aligned with malevolence. The serpent is Satan. It creeps. It bites. It poisons. Etc. The snake that, by its very nature, betrays you. On the record, “The Serpent” arrives after the volleys of “High Priestess” and “Midnight Hour” have picked up and added to the momentum coming off “White Willows,” bringing the sense of threat that “The Serpent” makes plain lyrically and fostering a similarly rich blend of thickened, doomly tones, classic heavy rock manifest via organ, rampant melodic hooks and choice riffs. Kadabra — the three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Garrett Zanol, bassist Ian Nelson and drummer Chase Howard — established this in the first record as the core of their methodology and the backdrop against which their development as a group would take place. In short, Umbra is the manifestation of that growth, both in its air-tight A side — looking at you, “High Priestess” and in the movement through “The Devil” into the pre-closer pair of longer tracks “Battle of Avalon” (7:26) and “Mountain Tamer” (8:03).

Those two are an immersion unto themselves, and Kadabra deftly draw the listener there with “The Serpent” and “The Devil” beginning a shortest-to-longest procession that will continue until the acoustic redirect of “The Serpent II” rounds out, sort of booking an album that break down to more than just one side and the other. “Battle of Avalon” is full in its movement but has dreamier stretches in its second half atop the declarative toms of Howard and some militaristic snare soon to take hold. “Mountain Tamer”  –presumably not named in honor of the Californian band but you never know — flows with an easy nod at its outset and gives an addled sway until a crescendo of layered melodic vocals on the line, “In your eyes…” and a wah-soaked solo provide the album’s peak stretch and a righteous if momentary jam as they bring it back around to that hook before the fadeout on the long-held organ note and residual rumble, some sparse aftermath noise setting up “The Serpent II” in its own place, a kind of perch, from which it looks down and folkishly recalls recent horrors.

As a matter of principle, I don’t know shit about shit. As a human being, I’m largely incapable of handling even the basic functions and interactions one needs to get through a day — yesterday I joked about getting “JOMO” tattooed across my next in olde English letters because that’s how committed to my own misery I apparently am. But I’ll tell you something else. This record has burrowed its way into my fucking head such that even after a month and a half I decided to write about Umbra again. Whatever one might think of its themes, this is one of 2023’s best heavy rock offerings. The songs are inarguable. I’m putting this year to tell you that if you haven’t heard it, you should, and to give a heads up for a third Kadabra record hopefully sometime in the next couple years, because if they take a step from here like they did from Ultra to Umbra, then everything they will have done leading to it will have been a show of potential not to be missed and instructive for bands in their wake. It ain’t a secret and it ain’t easy. Write songs.

Or, to put it another way: This is how you fucking do it.

Here’s a video from the internet. I hope you enjoy:

Kadabra, “The Serpent” official video

SAYS THE BAND:
The song “The Serpent” details the internal battle of temptation the continually rears it’s head. “The Witch” refers to somewhat of a paralysis figure the constantly holds me back from progression. The Witch is described as being defeated by the serpent aka myself. – Garrett Zanol

Music Video produced by Mothpowder Light Show !!

KADABRA is:
Garrett Zanol – Vocals/Guitar
Ian Nelson – Bass
Chase Howard – Drums

Kadabra, Umbra (2023)

Kadabra, “The Devil” official video

Kadabra, “High Priestess” visualizer

Kadabra on Instagram

Kadabra on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Facebook

Heavy Psych Sounds on Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Hi.

THIS IS HOW IT’S FUCKING DONE.

Thanks for reading.

Kadabra, Umbra (2023)

Kadabra, “The Devil” official video

Kadabra, “High Priestess” visualizer

Kadabra on Instagram

Kadabra on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Facebook

Heavy Psych Sounds on Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

I was hoping we’d get a Kadabra record this year after seeing the Washington-based trio were announced as support for the upcoming West Coast tour of their Heavy Psych Sounds labelmates Bongzilla. The new album is called Umbra — following on from their debut, 2021’s deserved-more-hype-than-it-got Ultra (review here) — and will see release once again via Heavy Psych Sounds on Oct. 6. Preorders are up at the link below, if you’re the type to handle these things early.

A first single called “The Devil” arrives with a video accompanying, and it just straight up rules. I’m not sure any more complex analysis than that is needed. Like the first record, it sees the band cherry-picking aspects of modern heavy to suit the needs of their songwriting. I’d have to check to be certain, but I’m fairly sure this isn’t the first rock song ever written about the devil, even as a metaphor, but Kadabra aren’t trying to tell you otherwise. They revel in the bleak vibe as much as the central riff of the song — and you know there’s some reveling going on there — and a seeming uptick in production clarity and the separation of the instruments seems to be a factor as well, though I’m saying that as I’ve seen the video once and I’m standing on the line for a kiddie rollercoaster at Six Flags on a Wednesday afternoon, so maybe not the best place to really dig in. I guess what I’m saying is if that’s wrong, don’t hold it against me, because I might be talking out of my ass. Which should be a disclaimer for this entire site, come to think of it.

Either way, I’m stoked. Also note that two of the names of songs here, “Mountain Tamer” and “High Priestess,” are also West Coast band names. Put all three acts on a bill and it’d be a fucking killer show. From the PR wire:

KADABRA to release new album “Umbra” on Heavy Psych Sounds this fall; preorder and “The Devil” video available!

Spokane, Washington heavy psychedelic rockers KADABRA announce the release of their new album “Umbra” this October 6th on Heavy Psych Sounds, and unleash their badass new video for “The Devil” right now!

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. For fans of Dead Meadow, The Black Angels, All Them Witches.

New album “Umbra”
Out October 6th on Heavy Psych Sounds – PREORDER: https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/shop.htm#HPS275

TRACKLIST:
1. White Willows
2. High Priestess
3. Midnight Hour
4. The Serpent
5. The Devil
6. Battle of Avalon
7. Mountain Tamer
8. The Serpent II

KADABRA is:
Garrett Zanol (Vocals/Guitar)
Ian Nelson (Bass)
Chase Howard (Drums)

https://www.instagram.com/kadabra_band/
https://kadabraband.bandcamp.com/

Kadabra, “The Devil” official video