An overarching atmospheric sensibility and spacious mix would seem to find Portugal’s Miss Lava exploring some similar textures as their France-based labelmates in Abrahma on their upcoming third album, Sonic Debris, at least if opening cut “Another Beast is Born” is anything to go by, but there’s still an undercurrent of that straightforward Eurostoner vibe persistent as well. That’s been there since the days of their 2009 debut, Blues for the Dangerous Miles (review here), and held true for 2013’s Red Supergiant as well, though it was arguably that record that began to expand the band’s approach.

In any case, Sonic Debris is out May 20 on Small Stone. Preorders are up now through the label’s Bandcamp, and you can stream “Another Beast is Born” under the PR wire info below:

MISS LAVA: Lisbon Volume Dealers To Release Sonic Debris This May Via Small Stone; New Track Streaming + Preorders Available

Portugal’s foremost heavy rock ‘n’ rollers MISS LAVA return in 2016 with Sonic Debris, their third album, set to launch on May 20th, 2016 worldwide through Small Stone Records.

Sonic Debris witnesses the band exploring new auditory landscapes and an open and inclusive creative process. Throughout, they design explosive sound textures, get high on psychedelic asteroids, and unleash obscure beasts. The album is a true sound voyage with a diversity beyond anything yet evidenced by the band. Sonic Debris was recorded at Pentagon Audio Manufacturers, JDB Showroom and Estúdio Crossover in Lisbon at various times throughout 2014 and 2015, was produced by Fernando Matias and MISS LAVA, engineered by Matias, José Pedro Ataíde and Ricardo Bravo, mixed by Benny Grotto at Mad Oak Studios in Boston, Massachusetts, and mastered by Chris Goosman at Baseline Audio Labs in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sonic Debris follows 2013’s Red Supergiant, 2009’s Blues For The Dangerous Miles, and 2008’s limited edition, self-titled EP.

“With this album we left the door of our spacecraft wide open… this is a trippy ride with lots of headbanging going on,” comments guitarist K. Raffah. “We feel this is our best journey so far,” adds vocalist Johnny Lee. “It explores a sonic galaxy somewhere between Monster Magnet’s Dopes To Infinity and Corrosion Of Conformity’s Deliverance.”

Sonic Debris will be available on CD and 180-gram light blue vinyl limited to 500 units. For preorders go to THIS LOCATION where you’ll also hear a stream of opening track “Another Beast Is Born.”

Sonic Debris Track Listing:
1. Another Beast Is Born
2. The Silent Ghost Of Doom
3. I’m The Asteroid
4. In A Sonic We Shall Burn
5. At The End Of The Light
6. In The Arms Of The Freaks
7. Symptomatic
8. Fangs Of Venom
9. Pilgrims Of Decay
10. Planet Darkness

https://www.facebook.com/MissLavaOfficial/
http://smallstone.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-debris
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.facebook.com/smallstonerecords

Miss Lava, “Another Beast is Born”

The second album from Portuguese six-piece The Rising Sun Experience, Beyond the Oblivious Abyss, hits with a surprisingly progressive take. Where one might expect standard stonerly chugga-chugga and familiar if well-crafted fuzz tones, the cumbersomely-titled full-length basks in an array of influences and is quick to show off shades of funk, psychedelic, prog, folk and classic heavy rock, bolstered by organs and keys and percussion complementing guitars and relying on a rich sense of melody to tie dynamic songs together. Professionally produced and with a sound that’s as full and crisp as it is varied, it’s a pleasant surprise to say the least. The band has undergone some lineup shifts since 2009’s Under the Same Sun debut, but it hardly seems to have held them back.

Official word of the release came down the PR wire yesterday, but I’m basically posting it here as an excuse to feature the Bandcamp stream below that, so don’t miss it:

THE RISING SUN EXPERIENCE New album “Beyond the Oblivious Abyss”…Out NOW!!!

MONSTER ROCK BOOKING proudly announces the release of “Beyond the Oblivious Abyss“, the new album by the band THE RISING SUN EXPERIENCE.

The journey continues with “Beyond the Oblivious Abyss”, the new album from an unusual and exciting band that captures the spirit of the 70’s experimentation and psychedelia and the “Woodstockian” atmosphere of the 60’s, a melting pot of cultural and artistic influences coming together as a musical force oblivious to the chaos and misdirection of today’s music industry.

The name The Rising Sun Experience was chosen in homage to the guitar player Jimi Hendrix, for his important musical influence in countless funk and rock bands.

Tiago Jónatas ( sound engineer and a multifaceted musician ) and Alexandre Lopes (an old-time hardcore-rocker guitar player ) had already performed together in other musical projects and bands like New Winds, in which they were responsible for music composition, recording and mixing of the album “A Spirit Filled Revolution” edited and launched in 2004 by the Polish recording label Refuse Records.

http://therisingsunexperience.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-oblivious-abyss
https://www.facebook.com/therisingsunexperience

The Rising Sun Experience, Beyond the Oblivious Abyss (2013)

Lisbon, Portugal’s Miss Lava are the kind of stoner rock band that could only survive in Europe. They ooze with a blatant and un-contradictory stoner rock commercialism that’s completely antithetical to the American scene, and like a lot of European bands of their ilk – Spiritual Beggars comes to mind as a primary comparison point – they make it work. They play dirty, sweaty rock and roll, but they do it with clean, crisp production and tight pop songwriting. When US bands try this stuff, it either doesn’t work or turns into douche rock, which isn’t good for anyone involved.

On Miss Lava’s full-length debut, the perhaps referentially-titled Blues for the Dangerous Miles (Raging Planet), the four-piece present 11 tracks mostly in the three and a half to five minute range, centered around solid structures of verses, choruses and so forth. The riffing of guitarist K. Raffah is central to the songs, but I wouldn’t call Blues for the Dangerous Miles guitar-led. Bassist Samuel Rebelo, drummer J. Garcia and vocalist Johnny Lee know where they’re supposed to be at any given time, so it’s not like the guitars need to start the song and everyone picks up from there. Miss Lava are tighter than that. They’ve worked out those kinks.

Most of the recording was done by Rebelo, or at least involved him in some way (apart from the vocals), and Miss Lava sent the record to metal titan Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth, Katatonia, etc.) at Fascination Street Studios for mixing and mastering. You can hear some of that modern metal sheen in Raffah’s guitar on cuts like “Blind Dog” or the opener “Don’t Tell a Soul,” but in the context of the band’s approach, it works. Ditto for Lee’s vocals, which make tracks like “Shine On” and the slower “The Wait” highlights of Blues for the Dangerous Miles, but would probably be grating in another band situation. In Miss Lava, they seem to swagger just right; their multiple-layer arrangements only adding to the pop sensibilities of the band.

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