Posted in Whathaveyou on September 25th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
This past weekend was Ripplefest Texas, and I gotta say, even having gone to a fest last friggin’ week, I was looking hard at that lineup and thinking to myself it’d be awfully nice to see a whole bunch of West Coast acts I don’t normally see. Maybe next year.
Wait, who’s thinking about next year when the festival is barely done? They are. Ripplefest Texas 2024 is bringing over Dozer and Mars Red Sky — oh I hope they tour together — and will have The Skull-offshoot Legions of Doom, Boston’s Gozu, The Heavy Eyes, High Desert Queen, Bone Church, Blue Heron, Demons My Friends and, as you might guess looking at the packed lineup that was assembled for this year’s event, many more to come.
Honestly, you had me at eitherDozer or Mars Red Sky, but the appeal here goes well beyond those, and in a US festival sphere reeling without a major summer event or two this year it’s gotten pretty used to having around, Ripplefest seems to be stepping in at least to give the heavy rock end of the underground somewhere to flourish. I’ll be interested to see in the next two or three years how it will continue to grow, but also just for next year. I’d imagine there’s a whole bunch of people who’ve already made their travel plans to get to Austin. Can’t say I really blame you.
More to come as we get closer to a year from now, obviously, but they’re throwing down. Pretty sure those earlybird tickets are gone:
DATES AND FIRST BANDS ANNOUNCED FOR NEXT YEAR!
DOZER LEGIONS OF DOOM MARS RED SKY GOZU THE HEAVY EYES HIGH DESERT QUEEN BONE CHURCH BLUE HERON DEMONS MY FRIENDS
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 3rd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Scott Reagers, Ron Holzner, Karl Agell, Lothar Keller, Henry Vasquez and Victor Griffin are Legion of Doom. Wow, huh? I’d be interested to hear a collective count of the members of this band’s years of experience. Griffin started Death Row in 1980. Reagers goes back to the ’80s with Saint Vitus. Holzner joined Trouble in ’86. Karl Agell sang for Corrosion of Conformity circa Blind in 1991. Vasquez started out in Archie Bunker in 1997. And Keller started Sacred Dawn in 2005 and was founding guitarist for The Skull beginning in 2012. That’s arguably 150 years of doom and metal from these guys. A collection of lifers.
So you’ve got the metal-leaning style of Lothar Keller sharpening edges around the unmatched-in-doom tonality of Victor Griffin, two singers and they’re Karl Agell and Scott Reagers, Holzner locked in and smiling on bass while Vasquez is swinging away on drums? That’s a pretty serious fucking band. Every one of them a master at what they do.
And they’re gonna do a record? And play songs from everybody’s catalog? Shit that sounds good. I hope it works. They’re playing the not-to-be-confused-with Legions of Metal fest in Chicago and Hellfest in France in June. Doom on:
LEGION OF DOOM: Metal/Doom Supergroup Featuring Current And Former Members Of The Skull, Trouble, Saint Vitus, Corrosion Of Conformity, Pentagram, And More Solidifies Lineup; First Festival Dates Announced
Have you ever wanted to hear all the heavy in one place? From its origins onward?
After the untimely passing of Eric Wagner (Trouble, The Skull), one of doom metal’s most notable and esteemed singers and songwriters, The Skull bassist and bandleader, Ron Holzner, contemplated long and hard on whether it would be possible to carry on. Nine months and a lot of soul searching later, an idea was born.
Recalls Holzner, “I decided I want to honor the memory of Eric by playing songs that he crafted. I want his spirit to become eternal through his words and melody. And I also want to play songs from the catalogs of everyone involved.”
Alongside guitarist Lothar Keller (The Skull, Sacred Dawn) and drummer Henry Vasquez (The Skull, Saint Vitus, Blood Of The Sun), Holzner decided to reach out to his longtime comrade, vocalist Karl Agell (Corrosion Of Conformity, Blind, Leadfoot, Lie Heavy) as well as vocalist Scott Reagers (Saint Vitus) and riff master general, guitarist Victor Griffin (Death Row, Pentagram, Place Of Skulls). And so LEGION OF DOOM has come to exist with an all-star lineup of doom’s most prestigious figureheads, here to share their ultimate heavy truth, taking the genre from what is known into uncharted territories.
Comments Keller, “Continuing The Skull in some kind of form seems like the right thing to do. LEGION OF DOOM is a perfect way to continue bringing doom metal to the fans! There is new music to finish and it’s important for us to follow through with bringing it out for everyone to hear.”
“This is gonna be a monster,” adds Vasquez.
“I have always gravitated towards heavier music. I have been involved with making it for over four decades,” reflects Agell. “When Ron asked me to join him in carrying on the doom metal tradition that he was part of and established first with Trouble and then The Skull, there was only one path forward. It’s been a great honor to sing Eric Wagner’s words and melodies and I truly look forward to performing songs from the massive legacy of all the members of LEGION OF DOOM.”
“It’s a great combination of experience and lineage with everyone involved,” says Griffin. “Though I prefer to avoid hype… regardless, it’s gonna be heavy!”
“Ron approached me and asked if I would be interested in participating in first a tribute to Eric Wagner who was a dear friend of mine and then a new musical adventure,” recalls Reagers. “We both concluded that we were not done with metal. How could I say, ‘no?!’ Karl, whom I respect and admire, adding his incredible vocals to this ensemble… Victor Griffin! My dear friend and bandmate Henry, the great Lothar Keller, and Ron whom I have known forever… This venture is gonna be fun. I look forward to working with these gentlemen!”
Concludes Holzner, “We are all seasoned veterans of the music business and prefer to let our music do the talking… And our music is gonna be speaking loudly! All the fans and bands…We are family. Combined, we are all the Legions Of Doom!”
LEGION OF DOOM will make its debut appearance at Legions Of Metal Fest in Chicago this June before heading overseas for a performance at Hellfest in France with more live dates to be announced in the weeks to come.
LEGION OF DOOM: 6/03/2023 Legions Of Metal Fest @ Reggies Live – Chicago, IL 6/18/2023 Hellfest – Clisson, FR
LEGION OF DOOM: Ron Holzner – bass Lothar Keller – guitars Henry Vasquez – drums Karl Agell – vocals Scott Reagers – vocals Victor Griffin – guitars
