Posted in Whathaveyou on December 19th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
I can’t claim to have heard Rwake‘s demo, Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness — going by the etymology it would seem to be knowing what’s outside yourself, alien to you, or something like that — but if I had to sit and imagine what earliest Rwake might sound like, I’d have to guess it would be raw as hell. An included excerpt of “Colibos/So Fucking Tired” that’s about one-tenth the actual length of the track affirms the supposition. It’s nice to be validated every now and again, even if that means being flayed by Rwake in the process.
The Little Rock outfit’s demo will see a February release on Relapse. 2015 will make it four years since their last album, Rest (review here), so they’re probably due for something one way or another. Perhaps issuing Xenoglossalgia is a way to remind people that Rwake are still out there, lurking in the genre-blending shadows, ahead of a new full-length. I suppose that could go the other way too. I’d make a guess, but wouldn’t want to be accused of faking knowledge of things foreign to me.
Info and awesome-looking art off the PR wire:
RWAKE: Announce Official Release of First Ever Demo
Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness Set for February Release
Little Rock, AR infamous doom horde, Rwake, have announced the first ever official release of their highly sought after original demo Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness. Originally released in 1998 when the band were barely in their 20s, Xenoglossalgia is a document of the band discovering and experimenting with their sound. Glimmers of the deeply psychedelic sludge the band would become famous for are there, coupled with moments of Emperor influenced symphonic metal. Now, almost 20 years later, Rwake’s first official recordings have been fully remastered by Brad Boatright (Sleep, High On Fire, Integrity, etc) and made available for the first time ever outside of their hometown.
The album will be released on CD/LP/Digital on February 10th via Relapse Records in North America and February 9th in the UK/World and February 6th in Germany/Benelux. The limited edition LPs and CDs will come packaged in an insane 3D cover complete with 3D glasses. Physical pre-orders are availableHEREwith digital pre-orders availableHERE.
1. Intro 2. Stairwell 3. Or Die 4. Xenoglossalgia 5. Nagarachi 6. Interlude 7. Calibos/So Fucking Tired
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 7th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
Just six days after capping their European tour with YOB by appearing at Desertfest Belgium, Arkansas doomers Pallbearer will embark on their first and presumably far from last round of North American dates in support of their new album, Foundations of Burden, which is due in August on Profound Lore Records. They’ll tour this time with Tombs and Vattnet Viskar, and the trek includes a stop at Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest.
Details follow, fresh off the PR wire:
PALLBEARER ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR IN OCTOBER
Tombs & Vattnet Viskar to Support; U.S. Tour Follows European Run with YOB
New Album, Foundations Of Burden, Available August 19th from Profound Lore
Having recently completed a tour across the U.S. supporting Deafheaven, Little Rock AR’s Pallbearer are excited to announce their own headlining run this coming October with Tombs and Vattnet Viskar in tow. The tour will kick off shortly after Pallbearer’s European tour with YOB and will take the band from the South up through the Midwest and into Canada for shows in Toronto and Montreal. Then, Pallbearer will tour down the East Coast to eventually end up in Texas for Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin – check out the band’s full tour routing below.
Pallbearer will be on tour in support of their monumental new album, Foundations of Burden, which is scheduled for release on August 19th on Profound Lore Records. The band recently premiered a new track “The Ghost I Used To Be” via NPR’s All Songs Considered and the track was hailed as “more confident, more diverse, and more immersive” by Stereogum and “modern metal doesn’t get much better than this” by Consequence Of Sound.
Formed in 2008 by Joseph D. Rowland (bass) and Brett Campbell (vocals/guitars), Pallbearer grew from the fertile underground metal scene of Little Rock, AR. A year after their formation, the band released their first three-song demo (with guitarist Devin Holt), which garnered well-deserved attention. Pallbearer went on to release Sorrow & Extinction in early 2012 on well-respected Canadian indie label Profound Lore, and instantly made waves among listeners and critics who found the band’s compositional paradox of vulnerability and might unparalleled in the metal world. Sorrow & Extinction proved to be an unequivocal masterpiece in any genre of music and compelled Pallbearer to reach even further creatively for what would come next.
Fast forward to February of 2014 as Pallbearer headed to Portland, OR (with drummer Mark Lierly) to Type Foundry Studio with legendary producer/engineer Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Melvins, Sleep, Swans) to lay down six tracks that would become Foundations Of Burden. This new album delves even deeper into Pallbearer’s melodic contexts, which adds a new and compelling dimension to music which has long since proven itself to be inexorably captivating; if Sorrow and Extinction created massive waves in the metal scene, Foundations Of Burden will create the stuff of legends.
Pre-order Foundations Of Burden now from Profound Lore.
PALLBEARER – ON TOUR September 3 Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli de helling ^ September 4 Bristol, UK @ The Fleece ^ September 5 Manchester, UK @ Roadhouse ^ September 6 Glasgow, UK @ Audio ^ September 7 Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club ^ September 8 London, UK @ The Underworld ^ September 10 Dortmund, DE @ FZW ^ September 11 Groningen, NL @ Vera ^ September 12 Aarhus, DK @ Atlas ^ September 13 Gothenberg, SE @ Truckstop Alaska ^ September 14 Oslo, NO @ Hostsabbat @ Betong ^ September 16 Helsinki, FI @ Tavastia ^ September 17 Stockholm, SE @ Slakthuset ^ September 18 Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen ^ September 19 Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz ^ September 20 Wroclaw, PL @ Firlej ^ September 21 Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu ^ September 23 Prague, CZ @ Klub 007 ^ September 24 Vienna, AT @ Arena ^ September 25 Innsbruck, AT @ PMK ^ September 26 Winterthur, CH @ Gaswerk ^ September 29 Lausanne, CH @ Le Romandie ^ October 2 Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz3 ^ October 3 Madrid, ES @ Villamanuela ^ October 4 Porto, PT @ Amplifest ^ October 5 Erandio, ES @ Sonora ^ October 10 Athens, GR @ Kyttaro Club ^ October 11 Antwerp, Belgium @ Desert Fest ^ October 17 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In * October 18 Lexington, KY @ Cosmic Charlie’s * October 19 Champaign, IL @ High Dive * October 20 Madison, WI @ The Frequency * October 21 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick * October 23 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop * October 24 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace * October 25 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore * October 26 Boston, MA @ Great Scott * October 27 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus * October 29 Philadelphia, PA @ Black Box * October 30 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery * October 31 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 November 1 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl * November 2 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum * November 5 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs * November 7 Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest November 9 Dallas, TX @ Three Link *
* w/ Tombs, Vattnet Viskar ^ w/ YOB
Foundations Of Burden Track Listing: 1. Worlds Apart 2. Foundations 3. Watcher In The Dark 4. The Ghost I Used To Be 5. Ashes 6. Vanished
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 23rd, 2014 by JJ Koczan
By the time Pallbearer hit European shores on Sept. 3, their second album, Foundations of Burden, will be released. YOB‘s forthcoming full-length, Clearing the Path to Ascend, is slated to arrive in September, so presumably it’ll arrive at some point while the two bands are on tour together, bringing some of the best US doom has to offer to a Euro audience who, no doubt, know exactly the quality of the show they’re in for.
Hard not to be jealous of a bill like this, Pallbearer supporting YOB, but at least it’s happening somewhere even if it is another continent. Both of these albums are easily among the second half of the year’s most anticipated, so all the better that they’re getting out and supporting them early.
Dates follow courtesy of Pallbearer, should you want to make travel plans:
We are beyond thrilled to announce our first full European tour in September. We’ll be opening all shows for the mighty Yob. Ticket info will be added in the coming days. See you this fall.
All dates:
Wednesday, September 03, 2014 NL Utrecht Tivoli de helling Thursday, September 04, 2014 UK Bristol The Fleece Friday, September 05, 2014 UK Manchester Roadhouse Saturday 6 September 14 UK Glasgow Audio Sunday, September 07, 2014 UK Leeds Brudenell Social Club Monday, September 08, 2014 UK London The Underworld Wednesday, September 10, 2014 DE Dortmund FZW Thursday, September 11, 2014 NL Groningen Vera Friday, September 12, 2014 DK Aarhus Atlas Saturday, September 13, 2014 SE Gothenburg Truckstop Alaska Sunday, September 14, 2014 NO Oslo Hostsabbat @ Betong Tuesday, September 16, 2014 FI Helsinki Tavastia Wednesday, September 17, 2014 SE Stockholm Slakthuset Thursday, September 18, 2014 DK Copenhagen Loppen Friday, September 19, 2014 DE Leipzig UT Connewitz Saturday, September 20, 2014 PL Wroclaw Firlej Sunday, September 21, 2014 DE Berlin Bi Nuu Tuesday, September 23, 2014 CZ Prague Klub 007 Wednesday, September 24, 2014 AT Vienna Arena Thursday, September 25, 2014 AT Innsbruck PMK Friday, September 26, 2014 CH Winterthur Gaswerk Monday, September 29, 2014 CH Lausanne Le Romandie Thursday, October 02, 2014 ES Barcelona Razzmatazz3 Friday, October 03, 2014 ES Madrid Villamanuela Saturday, October 04, 2014 PT Porto Amplifest Sunday, October 05, 2014 ES Erandio Sonora Friday, October 10, 2014 GR Athens Kyttaro Club Saturday, October 11, 2014 BE Antwerp Desertfest
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 4th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
The second half of this year is pretty stacked with releases, with YOB and Pallbearer and Electric Wizard and more than a handful of others. Looks like Pallbearer have finished their new one, which is titled Foundations of Burdenand set to come out on Aug. 19 in North America through Profound Lore. Their 2012 debut, Sorrow and Extinction(review here), was a rare bridge across the gap from doom to a more mainstream audience, and with production by the venerable Billy Anderson, there’s little concern Foundations of Burdenwill be much of a tonal letup.
Pallbearer hit the road this week alongside Deafheaven and Wreck and Reference, and dates for that run follow the album art and tracklisting below, which come via Profound Lore:
PALLBEARER – Complete Work On New Album
Little Rock, AR doom metal band PALLBEARER have completed work on their follow-up to 2012’s acclaimed “Sorrow and Extinction” LP. Entitled “Foundations Of Burden”, the sophomore release sees the present-day doom metal giants create a more expansive, advanced, crushing, and emotionally charged album that takes everything to the next level beyond its predecessor.
With “Foundations Of Burden”, PALLBEARER have delivered their most engaging work yet. Musically, “Foundations Of Burden” sees the band strengthen their monolithic melodious structures of doom that have become synonymous with their signature sound. All while incorporating a much more progressive and musically challenging scenario to their anthems which compliment the huge epic melodies and harmonics even more. Whereas “Sorrow and Extinction” expanded the foundation which PALLBEARER laid down with their demo, “Foundations Of Burden” morphs itself into a glorious new vision that will see the band rise even more to promising new heights beyond the awareness brought upon them with “Sorrow and Extinction”.
Recorded and mixed by Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Sleep, Agalloch, The Melvins etc.) at Type Foundry Studios in Portland, OR, tracklisting for “Foundations Of Burden” goes as follows:
1. Worlds Apart 2. Foundations 3. Watcher In The Dark 4. The Ghost I Used To Be 5. Ashes 6. Vanished
Covert art by Animetalphysical with design/layout by Chimere Noire.
“Foundations Of Burden” will see its release (CD/LP/Digital) in North America on Aug 19th, Aug 22nd in the EU, Aug 25th in the UK, and late Aug respectively in Japan.
Tour dates w/ Deafheaven and Wreck & Reference 06/08 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 06/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary 06/10 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel 06/11 – Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club 06/12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Club Europa/Northside Festival (w/Hull, Planning For Burial, Yellow Eyes, and Vilkacis)** 06/15 – Miami, FL @ Churchill’s 06/16 – Orlando, FL @ Backbooth 06/17 – Tampa, FL @ The Crowbar 06/18 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s 06/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird 06/21 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick 06/22 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon 06/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club 06/24 – Lawrence, KS @ The Granada 06/26 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s 06/27 – Austin, TX @ Red 7 06/28 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada **No Deafheaven/Wreck & Reference
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 25th, 2013 by JJ Koczan
Their debut demo in the works since 2011, Little Rock, Arkansas, four-piece Napalm Christ released 2012 Demojust last month on tape through the UK’s Goatprayer Records (info here). Well, I guess the world was just waiting for it, since in addition to getting picked up by that label for release, the band has also signed to A389 Recordings to issue the demo — which presumably will get a retitling of some sort, or, you know, not — and their full-length debut, both of which can be expected in 2014.
More to come, but for now, here’s the PR wire with the latest:
NAPALM CHRIST: Little Rock Underlords Sign With A389 Recordings
Vinyl Issue Of Malicious 2013 Demo & Debut LP Slated
A389 Recordings proclaims their new liaison with Arkansas-based underlords, NAPALM CHRIST.
Formed in late 2010, NAPALM CHRIST unites a crew of longtime henchmen who have helped shape the Little Rock area extreme music scene over the past two or more decades. Since the early 1990s, the four horsemen who form NAPALM CHRIST have collectively spent time at war with the mainstream in Rwake, Shredding Corpse, Pale Unearthed, Shitfire, Witch’s Tit and others. In this cult they unify their hateful ways and debauchery-ridden tactics into a volatile brew of charged-up, doom/grind-influenced death metal, reeking of days past, yet with enough potency to give fair warning of much darker days to come.
Initiated as a side-project, things got out of control, and NAPALM CHRIST began infecting the planet with recorded material, thus far accumulated in a series of random online demos, singles and comp inclusions. The latter of said demos was released via Bandcamp in June 2013, and that’s when A389 caught a whiff of the band’s trail. Recorded by Alan Wells with assistance from Keith Bracy in Little Rock, and mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering in Chicago, and masked with illustrations by Dennis Lee Hughes, A389 will manifest this half-hour of disturbing anthems into an official 12″ vinyl release, followed by their debut LP later in the year. Exact street dates on both pending releases will be announced in the coming weeks. For now stream the entire 2013 Demo HERE.
NAPALM CHRIST: Kiffin Rogers (Rwake) – guitar, vocals Michael Lawrence (Witches Tit, Shitfire) – guitar Alan Wells (Shitfire, ex-Rwake) – bass, vocals David Sroczynski (Shredded Corpse) – drums
2013 Demo Track Listing: 1. Idols of Evil 2. Life is Dimming 3. Reclaimed by the Earth 4. Nuclear Holy War 5. Despoilment of Will 6. Burning Away the Scourge
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 7th, 2013 by JJ Koczan
Arkansas extremists Napalm Christ (which features members of Rwake, Shitfire and Shredded Corpse) have released their debut demo tape on UK imprint Goatprayer Records. Armed with one of those make-you-slap-your-forehead-because-you-didn’t-think-of-it-first bandnames and a host of muddy blasts and deathly squibblies, Napalm Christ work in a deceptive variety of moods. Actually, maybe “variety” is too strong a word. It’s all pretty grim in terms of mood, but neither is the band just blasting their listeners into oblivion. They keep it interesting across the demo’s six tracks and use two guitars well to add depth to the sound.
To wit, the nine-minute “Reclaimed by the Earth” weaves in and out of acoustic flourish and all-out ripping with gripping fluidity, and while the vocals are kept to shouts and growls, even they can affect some measure of emotionality in the context of the music surrounding. Mostly it’s desperate. And brutal. And sometimes, that’s just the thing. In addition to the tape out now through the crust-bringing Goatprayer types — not quite sure if that’s someone who prays to a goat or the prayer of a goat, but right on either way — Napalm Christ‘s demo can be downloaded for free from Bandcamp, and that player follows the PR wire note below:
NAPALM CHRIST – ‘DEMO’
6 track Demo from US band NAPALM CHRIST now available on cassette from Goatprayer Records. (Bonus track only available on cassette.
Featuring current & ex-members of RWAKE, SHITFIRE & SHREDDED CORPSE.
The demo is filled with a wall of FilthyGrindingDoom with influences ranging from all angles.
Kiffin Rogers – Guitar, Vocals Michael Lawrence – Guitar Alan Wells – Bass, Vocals David Sroczynski – Drums
Recorded by Alan Wells with assistance from Keith Bracy (Little Rock, AR) Mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering (Chicago, IL) Artwork by Dennis Lee Hughes
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 28th, 2013 by JJ Koczan
If the response to the track streamed here is anything to go by, the Neurot debut from Arkansas-based Iron Tongue, The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown, arrives with no shortage of advance fanfare, but might still prove a creeper to the general public. Catching immediate attention because of Rwake‘s Chris “CT” Terry in the frontman role, the moody Southern grooves and heavy vibes nonetheless carve out their own identity across the album’s seven cuts, and it was for that reason I thought the record was worth a release date plug. The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown is out now.
PR wire info and a live clip of opener “Ever After” follow here:
IRON TONGUE Debut Out Today Via Neurot!
Neurot Recordings is pleased to release the debut from Arkansas southern rock collective IRON TONGUE! Fronted by Chris “CT” Terry, the founding frontman of sludge legion Rwake, IRON TONGUE formed when a group of veteran players with diverse musical backgrounds found a common interest in the need to get down and dirty and way, way gone.
Churning a soulful blend of girthy, heavily amped, blues-based rock, IRON TONGUE aren’t singing of magical moonlit escapades. The band offer up songs of pain, regret and heartache that recall everything from the proto-metal stomp of Blue Cheer and Grand Funk to the darkest hours of Kiss, Deep Purple, Buddy Guy and ‘Skynyrd. Having spent over three years performing steadily throughout the South, IRON TONGUE has traversed the Midwest and East Coast with Memphis kindred spirits The Dirty Streets, in addition to sharing bills with the likes of Black Tusk, Scott Kelly, The Sword, High on Fire, Crowbar, The Body, Lita Ford and fellow Arkansans Pallbearer. A split 7” with The Dirty Streets, featuring a ballsy version of KISS’s “Two Timer” served as a precursor to the creation their debut full-length for Neurot.
Titled The Dogs Have Barked, The Birds Have Flown, the seven track offering was recorded and produced by soundsmith Billy Anderson (Melvins, Sleep, Neurosis, etc) at IRON TONGUE guitarist Jason Tedford’s Wolfman Studios. Called “a solid slab of balls to the wall shameless rock, with a power and an edge and soul that rarely exists in music today,” by Neurosis’ Steve Von Till, The Dogs Have Barked, The Birds Have Flown is set for release via Neurot Recordings on May 27th in Europe and May 28th in North America.
Comments drummer Stan James of joining the Neurot family: “IRON TONGUE is excited and honored to be a part of the Neurot team! We are looking forward to working hard every step of the way and we are committed to making music that everyone will be proud of.”
IRON TONGUE: Jason Tedford – Guitar Mark Chiaro – Guitar Andy Warr – Bass Stan James – Drums CT – Vocals JR Top – Keyboards Stephanie Smittle – Backing Vocals
Posted in audiObelisk on April 16th, 2013 by JJ Koczan
Those looking for similarities between Iron Tongue‘s full-length debut, The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown, and frontman Chris “CT” Terry‘s work in post-doomers Rwake will find them few and far between — but not completely absent. Terry is joined in the Little Rock, Arkansas-based six-piece by backing vocalist Stephanie Smittle, guitarists Jason Tedford and Mark Chiaro, bassist Andy Warr and drummer Stan James and he brings to his approach a style of clean-sung but still throaty shouts, at times veering toward that bottom-of-the-mouth soul that Phil Anselmo brought to Down II, but as on the centerpiece “Moon Unit,” he finds his own personality within the material as well. Pacing also helps — Skynyrd by way of Crowbar — and where so much Southern heavy is bent on ZZ Top riffs rehashed at double-speed, Iron Tongue keep their grooves slow, coupling Tedford and Chiaro‘s trodden guitar work with organ textures and Warr‘s consuming low end.
But for the earlier “Witchery” — distinguished by the line, “The cocaine has a lock on my brain,” which opens the chorus — and the stomping finale “Said ‘n’ Done,” most of The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown keep the workingman’s downer feel set by opener “Ever After,” Smittle‘s vocals coming on in layers to introduce a key element in Iron Tongue‘s approach: the band’s unabashed penchant for melody. They could’ve easily started the record with a rager, but if the title wasn’t enough of a hint, they clearly wanted to make it plain that there’s more to what they do than redundant burl and dudely posturing in songs about drinking. So be it. Likewise, the penultimate cut on The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown, “7 Days,” summarizes much of the record’s emotionality before the final rush of “Said ‘n’ Done,” nestling into a mid-paced groove over which Terry delivers some of his most effective work, answered in the chorus by Smittle to result in one of the best hooks present throughout.
Obviously Terry‘s tenure in Rwake is going to earn at least a mention when it comes to Iron Tongue‘s work, but the album — cumbersomely titled as it is — makes no bones about establishing its own context and working on its own merits in establishing an atmosphere and constructing a genuine sonic breadth out of slow riffs, organic production, Southern woes and heaviness that goes beyond the tonal. As a piece of the whole, I think “7 Days” represents these aspects well, and I’m thrilled to be able to premiere the track on the player below.
The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown is due out May 28 in North America (day before in Europe) on Neurot Recordings. Please enjoy:
Iron Tongue‘s debut, The Dogs Have Barked, the Birds Have Flown, was recorded at Jason Tedford‘s Wolfman Studios by Billy Anderson. More info at the following links:
