[Click play above to stream the premiere of a lyric video for Forming the Void’s ‘Ark Debris.’ Their new album, Rift, is out Aug. 17 on Kozmik Artifactz.]

I’m sorry, but any record that starts with a song called “Extinction Event” is telegraphing its heaviness. And sure enough, Rift is the most weighted offering yet in the relatively brief but prolific tenure of Louisiana four-piece Forming the Void. In terms of tone, atmosphere and rhythm, it brings to bear a heft that feels like an arrival point — the title of the side B opener, sure enough: “Arrival” — following last year’s Relic (review here) and 2016’s Skyward (review here) with an uptick in scope, apparent lyrical narrative and sense of largesse that nothing they’ve yet done has touched. Comprised of seven tracks running a total of a still-LP-friendly 45 minutes delivered via Kozmik Artifactz, Rift is, simply, a new level for the band. Operating as the four-piece of guitarist/vocalist James Marshall, guitarist Shadi Omar Al-Khansa, bassist Luke Baker and drummer Thomas Colley (the latter making his first appearance), they offer their most cohesive and purposeful collection to-date, with landmark hooks in “On We Sail” and the subsequent “Arcane Mystic” and themes that have been present at least since Relic — the cover art of which depicted a hooded mystic traveling through space on an asteroid — the album ultimately takes a linear path.

Following its beginning in “Extinction Event,” that time-to-go narrative launch point leads to a lyrical journey through “On We Sail,” an “Arcane Mystic” met along the way, “Transient” leading to “Arrival,” “Ark Debris” when the vessel in question presumably is broken down and turned into a “Shrine” at the end. The sense of culmination is underscored by the fact that the finale tops 10 minutes long while everything else apart from the 6:53 “Ark Debris” is under six minutes, but by then the point is made in roiling, rolling progressive riffing and Marshall‘s echoing vocals; a spaciousness clearly meant to be taken literally. As in, “it’s about space.” Perhaps most pivotal of all the story being told doesn’t detract from the songwriting in general, and though I’d bet by the time they got around to writing the words to “Transient,” the concept was locked in place, neither that centerpiece nor anything around it pulls away from the well-struck balance between craft and storytelling.

On a sheer execution level, Rift is loaded with intent and poise. At their fastest, Forming the Void are not rushed, and at their slowest, in the back half of “Transient,” say, they remain comfortable in their forward motion. “Extinction Event” introduces a variety of elements in terms of the ultra-dense tones, spacious clean vocals and brash rhythmic swing, and in so doing summarizes a fair bit of what’s to come throughout the album, but as “On We Sail” and “Arcane Mystic” lead into “Transient,” the side A finale marks a significant shift in approach. Or at very least it foreshadows one ahead. With impressive lead work from Al-Khansa, thick low end from Baker and an impressive debut from Colley in shoving them along their path, the early cuts of Rift are more straightforward in structure. The hooks have already been noted, and it’s not as though ambience isn’t a factor, as the intro to “Arcane Mystic” immediately hypnotizes and bolsters the feeling of openness, but that will become much more of a focal point on side B, and true to its name, “Transient” marks that transition. Like “Arcane Mystic” just before, it has a subdued introduction, but it goes further in making loud/quiet tradeoffs between utterly massive plodding and more serene melodic fare.

The shifts can be sudden but don’t feel that way because the pace is gradual, and like everything that surrounds, they’re brought to bear with a grace that underscores the progressive mindset of the band as a whole. “Transient” has something of a hook, so ties well to the cuts before, but also tells of the expanses yet to be traversed on “Arrival” and beyond into side B. Sure enough, what would seem to be a conclusion is only the beginning point of something new for Forming the Void as arrival rolls out a memorable riff, echoing vocals and a steady nod of a groove en route to a slow-marching midsection and a pickup in the second half to psychedelic lead work laced over a still-tectonic groove. Shifts in tempo only continue as “Ark Debris” takes hold with a decided Middle Eastern inflection in the introduction. Patient in its unfolding, the intro becomes the bed for the verses over the first several minutes, and it’s not until about 3:10 that heavier guitars kick in over the steady drumbeat. A solo over distortion keeps the vibe of the early going alive as the halfway mark is crossed, and a subtle build happens where fuller tones are first teased and then arrive with a marked fluidity over a consistent drone that’s been there all the while.

They end with feedback there and let “Shrine” — an arrival unto itself — close out, beginning with a stretch of quiet but tense guitar and cymbal washes before the whole lumber takes hold. “Shrine” is resounding in its heavy, soaring in its melody and firm in its purpose, and lands as a significant achievement for Forming the Void on their path of sonic discovery. After thudding out the initial verses, they stop around four minutes into the total 10 and drop to quiet to let keys or effects-laden guitar answer the Mideastern vibe of “Ark Debris” for a moment before resuming the stomp. A bridge of some earlier Elder-style riffing leads to “Shrine”‘s melodic payoff and then a final solo over double-time drums pushes toward the final slowdown, huge in its sound and headphone-worthy in its engrossing rumble.

The end comes when “Shrine” cuts short at 10:13 and fades back in on a cymbal wash for more feedback before they make their way out again, ending the album with a reminder that while this story has finished, there’s much more to say. At least, that’s the hope, considering how much Forming the Void have been able to turn their first two full-lengths into lessons and learned from them in the making of this third one. They’re a band who should be touring, especially now, since it would seem they’ve found and been able to harness the sound and style they were looking for these last several years and the task before them would be to refine it. As to how that will happen or the direction they’ll work in from this point on, I’ve no idea, but everything they’ve done to get to this stage has been willful in its creative growth, and one doesn’t expect that to stop just because they’ve so thoroughly nailed it this time around. But make no mistake, they have nailed it.

Forming the Void on Thee Facebooks

Forming the Void on Twitter

Forming the Void on Bandcamp

Kozmik Artifactz on Thee Facebooks

Kozmik Artifactz on Twitter

Kozmik Artifactz on Instagram

Kozmik Artifactz website

Cheers to Al ‘Yeti’ Bones and his cohorts in Gypsy Chief Goliath on signing to Kozmik Artifactz to release their impending fourth album, Masters of Space and Time. I haven’t yet seen a precise release date for the outing, and it’s entirely possible it could be up for early 2019 at this point. That’d be my bet, but I’ve certainly been wrong before. Either way, Masters of Space and Time will serve as Gypsy Chief Goliath‘s 2016 album, Citizens of Nowhere (review here), which you can hear streaming at the bottom of this post, should you be inclined to dig in. That’s what it’s there for.

The PR wire brings word of the signing and the new LP to come, and it looks an awful lot like this:

Kozmik Artifactz Sign Canadian Stoner Metal Heavyweights – Gypsy Chief Goliath

It is with great pride that we welcome Gypsy Chief Goliath to the Kozmik Family!

Canadian stoner metal heavyweights, Gypsy Chief Goliath are at it again, getting set to release their fourth album entitled Masters Of Space & Time via legendary German based record label, Kozmik Artifactz.

Originally established in 2009 by AL “The Yeti” Bones (formerly of The Mighty Nimbus, Georgian Skull, Mister Bones), this five piece, sonic wrecking crew have been building quite the name for themselves in the last decade. Not just in Canada, but globally throughout the underground music scene.

The band can be best described as a blend of 70’s Classic Rock/Heavy Metal with elements of 90’s Stoner Rock and Grunge.

The new album is quite different from previous work as the band seems to be more diverse in song writing and have strayed away from the wall of sound style, in exchange for a much more dynamic story telling roller coaster.

Gypsy Chief Goliath are:
Al “the Yeti” Bones
Adam Saitti
Darren Brush
Dustin Black
John Serio
Nick Angelini

http://www.gypsychief.com
http://www.facebook.com/GypsyChiefGoliath
http://kozmik-artifactz.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kozmikartifactz

Gypsy Chief Goliath, Citizens of Nowhere (2016)

You’d have to take it up with Kozmik Artifactz and Cobra Snake Necktie Records as to whether or not Buried Feather‘s third LP will be out by the time the Melbourne, Australia, outfit hit Dresden on Sept. 5 to begin their first-ever European tour, which will consume most of the rest of that month — plus some days off presumably for sightseeing — but it seems like a good bet they’ll probably be playing some new material on the road. If you managed to put their 2017 sophomore album, Mind of the Swarm, in your eardrums, you know that’s something to look forward to. If you didn’t manage to do that, it’s streaming at the bottom of this post, so by no means too late.

Either way, right on for the band getting out. Their self-titled debut was recently reissued via the two labels mentioned above, who’ll also be standing behind the new release, and I’ll hope to have more to come on that as we get closer to an announced arrival date, etc. in the meantime, the dates follow here, courtesy of the PR wire:

Australian acid-rockers Buried Feather are bringing their hypnotic live show to Europe for the very first time.

The tour follows the recent reissue of their swirling debut Buried Feather and the space-rocking fuzz of last year’s Mind of the Swarm (named one of the year’s best albums by Jus Oborn of Electric Wizard). The band’s third full-length is planned for release in late 2018.

Buried Feather’s live shows have drawn regular comparison to Dead Meadow and Spacemen 3. The tour will be wind through clubs in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

Poster design by Brian Blomerth.

TOUR DATES:
09/05/18 Dresden (DE) – Beatpol
09/06/18 Berlin (DE) – Schokoladen
09/07/18 Hamburg (DE) – Molotow
09/08/18 Wolfsbehringen (DE) – Alte Schule
09/12/18 Bordeaux (FR) – El Chicho
09/13/18 Sopelana (ES) – La Triangu
09/14/18 Santander (ES) – Black Bird
09/15/18 Madrid (ES) – Get Mad! Festival
09/16/18 Tarragona (ES) – Groove
09/19/18 Turin (IT) – Blah Blah
09/21/18 Ravenna (IT) – Circolo Abajur
09/22/18 San Salvo (IT) – Beat Cafe
09/23/18 Teramo (IT) – Sound
09/24/18 Modena (IT) – Nowhere Club
09/25/18 Monte San Vito (IT) – La Centilena
09/27/18 Interlaken (CH) – Club Balmers
09/28/18 Kreuzlingen (CH) – Horst Club

Buried Feather is:
Steve McLennan
Jim Grimwade
Josh Moult
Callum Routledge

https://www.facebook.com/buriedfeathermusic/
http://twitter.com/BURIEDFEATHER
http://buriedfeather.bandcamp.com/
http://kozmik-artifactz.com/
http://cobrasnakenecktierecords.com/

Buried Feather, Mind of the Swarm (2017)

I always say the same thing on the Wednesday of the Quarterly Review. Day 3. The halfway point. I say it every time. The fact is, doing these things kind of takes it out of me. All of it. It’s not that I don’t enjoy listening to all these records — well, I don’t enjoy all of them, but I’m talking more about the process — just that it’s a lot to take in and by the time I’m done each day, let alone at the end of the week, I’m fairly exhausted. So every time we hit the halfway point of a Quarterly Review, I feel somewhat compelled to note it. Cresting the hill, as it were. It’s satisfying to get to this point without my head falling off.

Quarterly Review #21-30:

Khemmis, Desolation

Continuing their proclivity for one-word titles, Denver doom forerunners Khemmis take a decisive turn toward the metallic with their third album for 20 Buck Spin, the six-track/41-minute Desolation. Songs like opener “Bloodletting” and its side B counterpart “The Seer” are still tinged with doom, but the NWOBHM gallop in “Isolation” and “Maw of Time” – as well as the sheer force of the latter – is an unexpected twist. Khemmis showed classic metal elements on 2016’s was-a-very-big-deal Hunted (review here) and 2015’s debut, Absolution (review here), but it’s a question of balance, and as they’ve once again worked with producer Dave Otero, one can only read the shift as a conscious decision. The harder edge suits them – certainly suits the screams in “Maw of Time” and side A finale/album highlight “Flesh to Nothing” – and as Khemmis further refine their sound, they craft its most individualized manifestation to-date. There’s no hearing Desolation and mistaking Khemmis for another band. They’ve come into their own.

Khemmis on Thee Facebooks

20 Buck Spin website

—

 

Morag Tong, Last Knell of Om

A rumbling entry into London’s Heavy Generation, the four-piece Morag Tong unfold voluminous ritual on their debut full-length, Last Knell of Om. Largely slow and largely toned, the work of guitarists Alex Clarke and Lewis Crane brings the low end to the forefront along with the bass of James Atha while drummer Adam Asquith pushes the lurch forward on cuts like “New Growth” and “To Soil,” the band seemingly most comfortable when engaged in crawling tempos and weighted pummel. Asquith also adds semi-shouted vocals to the mire, which, surrounded by distortion as they are, only make the proceedings sound even more massive. There’s an ambience to “We Answer” and near-13-minute closer “Ephemera: Stare Through the Deep,” which gives the record a suitably noisy finish, but much of what Morag Tong are going for in sound depends on the effectiveness of their tonality, and they’ve got that part down on their debut. Coupled with the meditative feel in some of this material, that shows marked potential on the band’s part for future growth.

Morag Tong on Thee Facebooks

Morag Tong on Bandcamp

—

 

Holy Mushroom, Blood and Soul

Working quickly to follow-up their earlier-2018 sophomore long-player, Moon (review here), Spain’s Holy Mushroom present Blood and Soul, an EP comprised of two songs recorded live in the studio. I’m not entirely sure why it’s split up at all, as the two-minute “Introito” – sure enough, a little introduction – feeds so smoothly into the 19-minute “Blood and Soul” itself, but fair enough either way as the trio shift between different instrumentation, incorporating sax, piano and organ among the guitar, bass, drums and vocals, and unfold a longform heavy psychedelic trip that not only builds on what they were doing with Moon but is every bit worthy of being released on its own. I don’t know if it was recorded at the same time as the record or later – both were done at Asturcon Studios – but it’s easy to see why the band would want to highlight “Blood and Moon.” Between the deep-running mix, the easy rhythmic flow into and out from drifting spaciousness, and the turn in the middle third toward more expansive arrangement elements, it’s an engaging motion that makes subtly difficult shifts seem utterly natural along the way. And even if you didn’t hear the latest full-length, Blood and Soul makes for a fitting introduction to who Holy Mushroom are as a band and what they can do.

Holy Mushroom on Thee Facebooks

Clostridium Records website

—

 

Naisian, Rejoinder

Sludge-infused noise rock serves as the backdrop for lyrical shenanigans on the three-song Rejoinder EP from Sheffield, UK, trio Naisian. Running just 12 minutes, it’s a quick and thickened pummel enacted by the band, who work in shades of post-metal for “90 ft. Stone,” “Mantis Rising” and “Lefole,” most especially in the middle cut, but even there, the focus in on harsh vocals and lumbering sonic heft. It’s now been seven years since the band sort-of issued their debut album, Mammalian, and six since they followed with the Monocle EP, and the time seems to have stripped down their sound to a degree. “Lefole” is the longest track on Rejoinder at 5:18 and it’s still shorter than every other song Naisian have put out to-date. Their crunch lacks nothing for impact, however, and to go with the swing of “Lefole,” everybody seems to contribute to a vocal assault that only adds to the punishing but thoughtful vibe.

Naisian on Thee Facebooks

Naisian on Bandcamp

—

 

Haunted, Dayburner

The effects-laden vocal swirl at the outset of Haunted’s “Mourning Sun” and moments in the Italian act’s longer-form material, “Waterdawn” or “Orphic,” for example, will invariably lead some listeners to point to a Windhand influence, but the character of the band’s second album, Dayburner (on Twin Earth, DHU and Graven Earth all), follows their 2016 self-titled (review here) by holding steady to a developing identity of its own. To be sure, vocalist Christina Chimirri, guitarists Francesco Bauso and Francesco Orlando, bassist Frank Tudisco and drummer Dario Casabona make their way into a deep, murky swamp of modern doom in “Dayburner” (video posted here), but in the crush of their tones amid all that trance-inducing riffing, they cast themselves as an outfit seeking to express individuality within the set parameters of style. Their execution, then, is what it comes down to, and with “Orphic” (12:46) and “Vespertine” (13:19) back to back, there’s plenty of doom on the 66-minute 2LP to roll that out. And they do so in patient and successful form, with marked tonal vibrancy and a sense of controlling the storm they’re creating as they go.

Haunted on Thee Facebooks

Twin Earth Records website

DHU Records webstore

Graven Earth Records webstore

—

 

Pabst, Chlorine

So, the aesthetic is different. Pabst play a blend of noise, post-punk, heavy rock and grunge, but with the ready pop influence — to wit, the outright danceability of “Shits,” reminiscent in its bounce of later Queens of the Stone Age – and persistent melodicism, there’s just a twinge of what Mars Red Sky did for heavy rolling riffs happening on Chlorine, their Crazysane Records debut. It’s in that blend of dense low-end fuzz and brighter vocal melodies, but again, Pabst, hailing from Berlin, are on their own trip. Weird but almost more enjoyable than it seems to want to be, the 12-track/35-minute outing indulges little and offers singalong-ready vibes in “Catching Feelings” and “Waterslide” while “Waiting Loop” chills out before the push of “Accelerate” and the angularity of “Cheapskate” take hold. Chrlorine careens and (blue) ribbons its way to the drive-fast-windows-open stylization of “Summer Never Came” and the finale “Under Water,” a vocal effect on the latter doing nothing to take away from its ultra-catchy hook. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a record someone with just the right kind of open mind can come to love.

Pabst on Thee Facebooks

Crazysane Records webstore

—

 

L.M.I., IV

If you’ve got a dank basement full of skinny college kids, chances are Lansdale, Pennsylvania’s L.M.I. are ready to tear their faces off. The sludge-thickened riff punkers run abut 11 minutes with their five-song release, L.M.I. IV, and that’s well enough time to get their message across. Actually, by the end of “Neck of Tension” and “Weaning Youth,” roughly four and half minutes in, the statement of intent is pretty clear. L.M.I. present furious but grooving hardcore punk more given to scathe than pummel, and their inclusions on L.M.I. IV bring that to life with due sense of controlled chaos. Centerpiece “Lurking Breath” gives way to “First to Dark” – the longest cut at a sprawling 2:55 – and they save a bit of grunge guitar scorch and lower-register growling for closer “June was a Test,” there isn’t really time in general for any redundancy to take hold. That suits the feeling of assault well, as L.M.I. get in and get out on the quick and once they’re gone, all that’s left to do is clean the blood off the walls.

L.M.I. on Thee Facebooks

L.M.I. on Bandcamp

—

 

Fuzz Forward, Out of Nowhere

Released one way or another through Discos Macarras, Odio Sonoro, Spinda Records and Red Sun Records, the eight-song/43-minute debut album from Barcelona’s Fuzz Forward, Out of Nowhere, has earned acclaim from multiple corners for its interpretation of grunge-era melodies through a varied heavy rock filter. Indeed, the vocals of Juan Gil – joined in the band by guitarist Edko Fuzz, bassist Jordi Vaquero and drummer Marc Rockenberg – pull the mind directly to a young Layne Staley, and forces one to realize it’s been a while since that low-in-the-mouth approach was so ubiquitous. It works well for Gil in the laid back “Summertime Somersaults” as well as the swinging, cowbell-infused later cut “Drained,” and as the band seems to foreshadow richer atmospheric exploration on “Thorns in Tongue” and “Torches,” they nonetheless maintain a focus on songwriting that grounds the proceedings and will hopefully continue to serve as their foundation as they move forward. No argument with the plaudits they’ve thus far received. Seems doubtful they’ll be the last.

Fuzz Forward on Thee Facebooks

Fuzz Forward on Bandcamp

—

 

Onségen Ensemble, Duel

The kind of record you’re doing yourself a favor by hearing – a visionary cast of progressive psychedelia that teems with creative energy and is an inspiration even in the listening. Frankly, the only thing I’m not sure about when it comes to Oulu, Finland, outfit Onségen Enseble’s second album, Duel, is why it isn’t being released through Svart Records. It seems like such a natural fit, with the adventurous woodwinds on opener “Think Neither Good Nor Evil,” the meditative sprawl of the title-track (video posted here), the jazz-jam in the middle of “Dogma MMXVII,” the tribalist percussion anchoring the 12-minute “Three Calls of the Emperor’s Teacher,” which surely would otherwise float away under its own antigravity power, and the free-psych build of closer “Zodiacal Lights of Onségen,” which shimmers in otherworldly fashion and improvised-sounding spark. On Svart or not, Duel is one of the best albums I’ve heard this year, and one the creativity of which puts it in a class of its own, even in the vast reaches of psychedelic rock. Whether it means to or not, it tells a story with sound, and that story should be heard.

Onségen Ensemble on Thee Facebooks

Onsegen Ensemble on Bandcamp

—

 

The Heavy Eyes, Live in Memphis

Since so much of The Heavy Eyes’ studio presentation has consistently been about crispness of sound and structured songwriting, it’s kind of a relief to hear them knock into some feedback at the start of “Mannish Boy” at the outset of Live in Memphis (on Kozmik Artifactz). The three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Tripp Shumake, bassist Wally Anderson and drummer Eric Garcia are still tight as hell, of course, and their material – drawn here from the band’s LPs, 2015’s He Dreams of Lions (review here), 2012’s Maera, 2011’s self-titled, as well as sundry shorter offerings – is likewise. They’ve never been an overly dangerous band, nor have they wanted to be, but the stage performance does add a bit of edge to “Iron Giants” from the debut, which is followed by singing “Happy Birthday” to a friend in the crowd. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Live in Memphis is hearing The Heavy Eyes loosen up a bit on stage, and hearing them sound like they’re having as good a time playing as the crowd is watching and hearing them do so. That sense of fun suits them well.

The Heavy Eyes on Thee Facebooks

The Heavy Eyes at Kozmik Artifactz

—

 

Originally announced for a June release, the third album from Louisiana’s Forming the Void, Rift, is set to be issued via Kozmik Artifactz on Aug. 17. The prog-minded four-piece have posted the video audio to come from the album in the form of a new video for the track “On We Sail.” Second of the seven total inclusions on the LP, it reaffirms the progressive heft the band has shown on their two full-lengths to-date, 2017’s Relic (review here) and 2016’s Skyward (review here), while hinting at new heights of clarity that one looks forward to hearing pan out on the rest of the record. Thus far into their prolific tenure, Forming the Void have always managed to keep on the right side of songcraft vs. exploration, making their material memorable as well as stylistically bold.

Album art, details, and the aforementioned video came down the PR wire. I’ll hope to have more to come as we get closer to the release, but till then, here’s what’s up:

FORMING THE VOID to Release New Album on Kozmik Artifactz

Following the release of last year’s critically acclaimed Relic, Louisiana’s preeminent prog warlocks, Forming The Void, are thrilled to announce news of their new album Rift, which is due for release this August on Kozmik Artifactz.

Originally formed in 2013 in Lafayette – a place with an impressive reputation for raising underground rock into realms of the unknown – Forming The Void became one of the city’s most talked about bands of 2017. With the release of their third album Relic (voted album of the year on Heavy Planet), their colossal and atmospheric sound summoned the towering hard rock riffs and progressive influence of bands like Mastodon, Baroness and Torche.

Newly signed to German label Kozmik Artifactz, in preparation for the official release of their fourth studio album Rift this summer, the band will take to the road throughout 2018 for an extensive run of live dates and festival appearances.

The first single lifted from their new album is ‘On We Sail’, an epic and devastating trip into the heart of a Sabbathian darkness, which premiered last week. Courting robed figures in hallowed forests, with the odd case or two of Miller Lite, as guitarist/vocslist James Marshall explains:

“Lyrically it’s about being on a ship and being sucked into a portal that blasts out into space, and in that moment, accepting the path into the unknown and that it might be the end of the road for you. It’s meant be a victorious thing, although it sounds really negative. We were brainstorming video ideas and wanted to go with something beyond a regular performance video and do something light-hearted. We also enlisted some help from our buddy Jai Benoit of Golgothan to play the monster and assist with the vision. This is just another night with Forming the Void and friends. It was fun to spoof the first video and we shot at the same location with some of the same people plus more of our friends. All that together just made it a comedy.”

Rift, the new studio album from Forming The Void will be released on 17th August 2018 on Kozmik Artifactz, www.kozmik-artifactz.com

TRACK LISTING:
1. Extinction Event
2. On We Sail
3. Arcane Mystic
4. Transient
5. Arrival
6. Ark Debris
7. Shrine

Forming The Void:
James Marshall – Guitar/Vocals
Shadi Omar Al-Khansa – Guitar
Luke Baker – Bass
Thomas Colley – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/formingthevoid/
https://twitter.com/forming_thevoid
https://formingthevoid.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kozmikartifactz/
https://twitter.com/kozmikartifactz
https://www.instagram.com/kozmikartifactz/
http://kozmik-artifactz.com/
http://www.facebook.com/endhipenditrecordco
http://www.instagram.com/endhipendit_record

Forming the Void, “On We Sail” official video

Shadow Witch are one of those bands who are just about totally out there on their own wavelength, and as a result either get lumped into places they don’t belong — called metal, for example, which they’re not — or underrated entirely for the work they’re doing. Sure, metal is a part of what they do, but so is heavy rock, so is goth rock, so is doom, so is punk, grunge, and so on. The band’s second album, Disciples of the Crow (review here), was released at the end of last year by Salt of the Earth Records, and is available now on vinyl either directly through the band or via Kozmik Artifactz in Europe. The timing couldn’t be better, since the platter just so happens to coincide with a new video for the title-track and the band’s appearance this coming weekend at Maryland Doom Fest 2018. Amazing how these things work out sometimes.

And like much of the record that shares its name, “Disciples of the Crow” isn’t overblown tonally or in terms of aggression. It finds a place for itself in between varying stylistic elements, sharing aspects here and there with elements of the styles noted above, but creating one whole sound from them rather than simply jumping from one part to the next, one genre to the next. What that means when it comes to the album is a more cohesive listening experience, since the material ties together in terms of vibe and actual production alike, and keeps a steady foundation of songwriting beneath from the melodic opener “Love Could Be Like This” to the hook in the finale of “Dead Heroes.” As far as representing the record, the title-track does it well — duh — and showcases the aesthetic nuance at play in what Shadow Witch do as well as the lack of pretense with which they do it. For all their melding, Shadow Witch could still rightly be called straightforward.

They have more dates following Maryland Doom Fest, and you’ll find those, as well as the link to pick up Disciples of the Crow on LP, after the video below, all of which comes courtesy of the social medias.

Please enjoy:

Shadow Witch, “Disciples of the Crow” official video

Limited Edition 180gram Cloudy Orange Vinyl. Now available through Kozmik Artifactz in Europe, and stateside at the Shadow Witch bandcamp site: https://shadowwitch.bandcamp.com/album/disciples-of-the-crow

Shadow Witch live:
JUN 22 The Maryland Doom Fest 2018 Frederick MD
JUN 22 Bar XIII Wilmington DE w/ Beelzefuzz, Witch Hazel, Season of Mourning
JUN 24 Pourhouse of Norfolk • La Fin Du Monde Norfolk, VA w/ Doomstress, Witchkiss, VRSA, That Which Sleeps
JUL 7 The Anchor Kingston NY w/ Wasted Theory, Sun Voyager
AUG 3 The Anchor Kingston NY w/ Brimstone Coven, Cat Skulls
SEP 7 13th Floor Music Lounge Florence MA w/ Toke, Curse the Son, Geezer

SHADOW WITCH is
David Pannullo ~ bass
Doug “dougy beans” Thompson ~ drums
Earl Walker Lundy ~ vocals, mellotron, samples
Jeremy H. Hall ~ guitars

Shadow Witch on Thee Facebooks

Shadow Witch on Instagram

Shadow Witch on Bandcamp

Shadow Witch at Salt of the Earth Records

Salt of the Earth Records on Thee Facebooks

Okay, so the news here is that Philly noise rockers The Age of Truth are getting ready to issue their debut album, Threshold (review here) on vinyl through Kozmik Artifactz at the end of this month. Preorders are up now. Bitchin’. Congrats to the band; nice pick for the label. Everyone wins.

Take a look though at the PR wire info below, and specifically I’d like to draw your eye to The Age of Truth‘s upcoming live dates. Yeah. Pretty sick. They’re doing the Chicago Doomed and Stoned fest, and Maryland Doom Fest 2018, and club shows besides with the likes of Heavy Temple, Backwoods Payback, Wasted Theory and Witchkiss. Some good-ass shows in there, and especially if you can’t make it to either of the noted festivals, might be one you want to keep in mind. The merch table’s always a good place to pick up a record anyhow.

Info follows in abundance:

THE AGE OF TRUTH debut full-length ‘Threshold’ set for first press vinyl to be released with Kozmik Artifactz on June 29th

The Age Of Truth is four brothers-in-arms from Philadelphia, united in the singular pursuit of creating genuine heaviness for an honestly broken world. Our lives are bathed in twisted deception and they unravel it with a scouring purity. With a fully stocked riff arsenal wrapped in tones of Satanic honey, The Age Of Truth blends fuzz and diesel into heavy psych blues and stoner rock. The perfect soundtrack for a barroom brawl ignited from a single lie.

Their debut album Threshold was released November 1, 2017, and dominated for multiple months within the DoomCharts, as well as ranking #8 of the ‘Top 20 Albums of 2017’ at MoreFuzz.net. The Philly quartet has steadily built a reputation among the heavy underground music world with their superb debut, and will confirm their standing with upcoming appearances at the first Chicago Doomed & Stoned Fest, as well as the fourth edition of The Maryland Doom Fest.

Now for the first time, Kozmik Artifactz will bring this phenomenal slab of stoner rock to wax, with an exclusive vinyl release this June 29th. Plated and pressed on high performance vinyl at Pallas/Germany; with a limited and colored vinyl, 300gsm gatefold cover, and special vinyl mastering. A reissued CD format will also be available.

Pre-orders will begin June 1st at Kozmik-Artifactz.com

The Age Of Truth on Kozmik Artifactz: http://kozmik-artifactz.com/artist/the-age-of-truth/

HE AGE OF TRUTH is:

Kevin McNamara: Vocals
Mike DiDonato: Guitar
Scott Frassetto: Drums
William Miller: Bass

In addition to the upcoming vinyl press, Threshold is available now on CD, digital download, and full-stream via The Age Of Truth Bandcamp page, as well as Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, and regular internet radio rotation on Pandora.

The debut album was self-produced by The Age Of Truth and published by Hammerhead Music. Recording, engineering, and mixing was done by Joseph Boldizar at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia, PA; mastering by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago, IL; album design and artwork by Michele Fitzgerald; and art direction by Damien Rizzello and The CHAOS Custom.

Threshold – Track List:
Host (Demon In Me)
Come Back A God
Supernatural Salesman
Holding Hands Like Thieves
Caroline
Oceanbones
Hígado de Hierro (interlude)
Threshold
Honeypot (Bonus Track)

Upcoming Live Dates:
Jun 1 – Chicago IL @ Reggie’s – Chicago Doomed & Stoned Festival
Jun 6 – Wilmington DE @ Oddity Bar
Jun 21 – Philadelphia PA @ Kung Fu Necktie (w/The Stone Eye, Transit Method, Rollin’ Loaded)
Jun 23 – Frederick MD @ Cafe 611 – THE MARYLAND DOOM FEST
Jul 6 – Wilmington DE @ Oddity (w/Kingsnake, Wasted Theory, Blood Law)
Jul 20 – Swarthmore PA @ War3house (w/The Electric Mud)
Jul 21 – Philadelphia PA @ Mestosis Room (w/Kingsnake, Temet Nosce, Mesmeria, Strange Aeons)
Jul 23 – Monclair NJ @ Meatlocker (w/Backwoods Payback, Witchkiss)
Aug 3 – West Chester PA @ Sprout Music Collective (w/Heavy Temple, Backwoods Payback)

http://www.theageoftruth.net
https://theageoftruth.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/theageoftruth
https://www.instagram.com/theageoftruth/
http://www.twitter.com/theageoftruth
http://www.reverbnation.com/theageoftruth

The Age of Truth, Threshold (2017/2018)

Danish heavy rockers Grusom have announced an Aug. 31 release for their aptly-titled sophomore outing, Grusom II, which like its 2015 predecessor (discussed here), will be issued via Kozmik Artifactz. The six-piece once again worked with producer Jacob Bredahl (Hatesphere, Allhelluja, etc.), and they’re streaming the new single “Peace of Mind” in advance of the album. As you can hear at the bottom of this post, it’s an organ-laced classic rocker, and that very much sets the vibe for the rest of the record in that it doesn’t necessarily seem like Grusom are shooting for vintage production, presentation, etc., and yet it’s abundantly clear where their heart lies when it comes to influences in heavy rock.

The PR wire sent album details, which you’ll find below:

GRUSOM ready with sophomore album!

GRUSOM have attracted a tremendous awareness, which exceeds far beyond the Danish border. With a combination of heavy metal, stoner and acid rock, based on the gloomy parts of psych and heavy rock, these boys, naturally and honestly, meet their audience with an open heart.

Through their dark lyrics, GRUSOM create a universe of sound, where life and death is explored through gloomy tales. The dueling guitars, smoothness of the organ and the accomplished musical execution, will create the setting for your mind to wander.

GRUSOM gained huge interest, over a short period of time, with their self-released, award winning, debut album ‘Grusom’ and several riveting concerts at festivals such as Copenhell, Metal Magic Festival and Tinderbox, etc.

Their highly acclaimed and award winning debut ‘Grusom’ paved the way, and now it echoes once again the small island of Funen, Denmark. GRUSOM have once again collaborated with Jacob Bredahl (LIVLØS, Disrule, The Silent Low) at Dead Rat Studio, on the forthcoming album entitled ‘Grusom II’.

The sophomore album will be released through Kozmik Artifacts on August 31st 2018.

Tracklisting:
1. Beyond This Land 4:15
2. Peace of Mind 5:33
3. Skeletons 7:57
4. Vågn Op 5:28
5. Embers 6:29
6. Dead End Valley 5:53
7. Cursed From Birth 5:42

Grusom is:
Nicolaj Hoffmann Jul – vocal
Jakob Kaae – drums
Dennis Warburg – guitar
Thomas Ulrik – guitar
Søren Olesen – bass
Peter Pørtner – Keys

https://www.facebook.com/grusomband/
https://grusom.bandcamp.com/

Grusom, “Peace of Mind”