True to their word, it’s Jan. 15 and Psycho California 2015 has announced the headliners for what looks like the best American festival lineup I’ve seen since the days of Emissions from the Monolith. That’s not to take away from the hard work anyone else is doing, but just look at the list of bands. It’s unreal. You’d want to be everywhere at the same time to see all of it. Absolutely wild.

Sleep and Pentagram were pretty clear choices to headline. Not only for being legends in the heavy underground, but for also being just about two of the only bands left. Sweden’s Cult of Luna were something of a surprise, but for a festival already showing a European reach in bringing aboard the likes of Samsara Blues Experiment and Stoned Jesus, they make sense. Hell of a bill. Kudos to anyone who actually gets to go to the thing.

Announcement follows, courtesy of the PR wire:

PSYCHO CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCES HEADLINERS: SLEEP, PENTAGRAM AND CULT OF LUNA

WEST COAST METAL FESTIVAL HAPPENING MAY 15, 16 & 17 AT THE OBSERVATORY IN SANTA ANA

FIRST WAVE OF ARTISTS ANNOUNCED INCLUDED KYLESA, EARTH, OM AND RUSSIAN CIRCLES

Psycho California, the west coast’s first annual metal festival and a must see for fans of doom, heavy psych and sludge, has announced the headliners for this year’s event: Cult of Luna (May 15), Sleep (May 16) and Pentagram, who will perform First Daze Here in its entirety (May 17).

“2015 is going to be a slow year for Cult of Luna. However as much as we are musicians we are also fans,” said Cult of Luna’s Johannes Persson. “Evaluating if the offer to play Psycho California was worth dusting off our instruments was not hard after looking on the line-up. Being on the same bill as Pentagram, Sleep and a festival packed with the best bands around is a privilege in itself and we’ll try to live up to that honor.”

The lineup for Psycho California is: Sleep, Pentagram, Cult of Luna, Kylesa, OM, Earth, Russian Circles, Bedemon, Conan, Wrench, Eyehategod, Indian, Earthless, Pallbearer, Stoned Jesus, Old Man Gloom, Cave In, Acid Witch, Truckfighters, Tombs, Bang, Electric Citizen, Coffinworm, SubRosa, Eagle Twin, Mammatus, True Widow, Anciients, Bellwitch, Dead Meadow, Lord Dying, Death By Stereo, Radio Moscow, Ancient Altar, Samsara Blues Experiment, Atriarch, Elder, Mothership, The Well, Deathkings, Wo Fat, Rozamov, Destroyer of Light, Highlands, Bloodmoon, Slow Season, Goatsnake, Crypt Trip, Wrench, Lords of Beacon House, Tumbleweed Dealer, Sinister Haze, Blackout, Red Wizard, Banquet and Loom.

Festival interludes will be provided by Housecore Records’ artist Author & Punisher and vinyl DJ set from Bob Lugowe (Relapse Records) and Sean Pellet (Last Daze Here).

Previously announced early bird tickets sold out immediately. Tickets for the festival are on-sale this morning with both a 3-day pass ($149.50) and a 3-day VIP pass available ($256.66)

VIP packages include a 3-day festival pass, a signed screen print concert poster by David D’Andrea, express entry via artist check-in booth, access to artist VIP lounge, a limited edition Thief X Obey festival tee, a Psycho record bag and patch as well as access to a complimentary craft tequila bar, premium microbrews and artisan snacks.

www.psychoca.com
www.facebook.com/psychocalifornia
https://www.facebook.com/Thiefpresents

Sleep, “The Clarity/Dragonaut” Live in Chicago, Aug. 28, 2014

The list of bands, quite frankly, is astonishing, but even more astonishing is the fact that  Thief Presents‘ Psycho California 2015 (formerly Psycho de Mayo) hasn’t announced its headliners yet, because these sure as shit look like headliners to me.

A three-day festival set to take place at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA, Psycho California will feature the following acts:

Here’s that list again: Kylesa, Om, Earth, Russian Circles, Orange Goblin, Bedemon, Conan, Indian, Pallbearer, Cave In, Old Man Gloom, Tombs, Earthless, Truckfighters, Bang, Eyehategod, Crowbar, SubRosa, Lord Dying, Acid Witch, Electric Citizen, Coffinworm, Eagle Twin, Stoned Jesus, Mammatus, True Widow, Bell Witch, Death by Stereo, Radio Moscow, Samsara Blues Experiment, Anciients, Elder, Mothership, Ancient Altar, The Well, Deathkings, Wo Fat, Rozamov, Destroyer of Light, Highlands, Bloodmoon, Slow Season, Crypt Trip, Lords of Beacon House, Tumbleweed Dealer, Sinister Haze, Blackout, Red Wizard, Banquet, Loom.

Plus interludes by Author and Punisher.

God damn.

Not only does it cover both coasts, huge bands, legends and up and comers, but the reach is international. Take special note of Conan, since their appearance means that Maryland Deathfest won’t be their only US date, and also Samsara Blues Experiment and Stoned Jesus — two killer European bands that you don’t even go after unless you know what the fuck you’re doing. That also hugely extends the possibilities for headlining acts. It’s an assemblage that’s beyond impressive, and if you haven’t already looked up flights to Southern California, I don’t know what to tell you. As I write this it’s after one in the morning on Sunday night, and you know I wouldn’t be doing that if my mind wasn’t leaking out of my ears at the thought of experiencing this thing.

Stay tuned for more to come, since as the poster says, headliners will be announced on Jan. 15. I’ll be looking forward to finding out who else is in store.

Psycho California on Thee Facebooks

Thief Presents on Twitter

Thief Presents on Thee Facebooks

Portland death-sludgers Lord Dying have finished work on their second album for Relapse, and Poisoned Altars is expected out sometime early next year. In the meantime, the four-piece — who recently toured opening for the formidable bill of Bl’ast, C.O.C. and Brant Bjork — will hit the road once again, this time alongside San Francisco’s Castle, for a stint of West Coast dates beginning Nov. 8. They’re calling it the “Peaceless Savage” tour, and I think the flyer gets the point across pretty well.

This from the PR wire:

LORD DYING: Complete New Album; Announce West Coast Tour Dates

Portland, Oregon’s LORD DYING have completed recording their much anticipated sophomore album and are set to embark on a West Coast tour with stoner/sludge trio Castle. The new record, entitled Poisoned Altars, was recorded with Toxic Holocaust’s Joel Grind (Black Tusk) at Audiosiege Studios in Portland and will see an early 2015 release via Relapse Records.

Poisoned Altars is direct result of the relentless work the band put in the past 18 months grinding it out on the road touring non-stop with the likes of Red Fang, Black Tusk, Corrosion of Conformity, Valient Thorr and more. Now the band will test out new material back on the road starting November 8th in Spokane, WA through November 26th in their hometown, Portland. Frontman Erik Olson commented on the upcoming dates:

“We are excited to get out on the road and pummel you with endless riffs! This time we will be joined with San Francisco’s Castle. This will be heavy as hell, don’t snooze and lose!”

More details on Poisoned Altars, including cover art, tracklisting and a release date will be announced shortly.

LORD DYING’s video for the song “Dreams of Mercy”, directed by Whitey McConnaughy (Red Fang, ZZ Top) can be seen HERE.

LORD DYING’s debut Summon the Faithless is available now on Relapse Records. The album is available in CD and LP formats which can be purchased HERE and digitally via iTunes.

Summon the Faithless can be streamed in full on LORD DYING’s BandCamp.

LORD DYING Tour Dates:
*All Dates with Castle*
11/8/2014 Spokane, WA The Hop
11/9/2014 Billings, MT Babcock Theater
11/10/2014 Salt Lake City, UT Bar Deluxe
11/11/2014 Denver, CO The Marquis
11/13/2014 Colorado Springs, CO Black Sheep
11/15/2014 Juarez, MX Hysteria Bar
11/16/2014 Tucson, AZ The Rock
11/17/2014 Mesa, AZ Club Red
11/18/2014 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick
11/19/2014 Fullerton, CA The Slidebar (21+)
11/20/2014 Van Nuys, CA White Oaks Music
11/22/2014 Walnut Creek, CA The Red House
11/23/2014 Reno, NV Jub Jubs
11/24/2014 Bend, OR 3rd Street Pub
11/25/2014 Seattle, WA El Corazon
11/26/2014 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater

http://lorddying.bandcamp.com/
http://www.relapse.com/lorddying
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lord-Dying/128958100484443

Lord Dying, “Dreams of Mercy” official video

It’s a formidable batch of streams this time around from Roadburn 2014, with YOB‘s The Great Cessation played in its entirety, and gigs from Indian, who by all accounts killed at the fest, Morne, ditto, Lord Dying and more. For me though, like the first batch with their Lenny Kaye jam, the highlight is probably Harsh Toke. They were my find of the fest. When their Light up and Live album came out in 2013 on Tee Pee, I guess I didn’t pay enough attention and missed it, but after seeing them with the aforementioned Mr. Kaye, I knew there was no way I was going to let their set at the Afterburner pass without watching at least for a little bit.

As such, the San Diego jam-rippers were how I closed out Roadburn 2014, stopping by the Green Room to watch them tear into heavy psych fluidity as though you could actually tear into something fluid. Killer band. I’ve spent much time with Light up and Live since April, and I’m glad to have the chance — thanks, as always, to Marcel van de Vondervoort and his crew — to relive their show. That’s not to mention YOB doing The Great Cessation, which was hypnotic to the point of being trance-inducing, and Morne and Indian and The Vintage Caravan, Lord Dying and Obliteration, the last two adding a malevolent, lurching extremity. Very cool mix.

No big surprise there, I guess, since the festival has become so eclectic. Plenty to dig into here so I won’t delay further:

Harsh Toke – Live at Roadburn 2014

Horse Latitudes – Live at Roadburn 2014

Indian – Live at Roadburn 2014

Lord Dying – Live at Roadburn 2014

Morne – Live at Roadburn 2014

Obliteration – Live at Roadburn 2014

The Vintage Caravan – Live at Roadburn 2014 (Friday, April 11th)

Yob – Live at Roadburn 2014 (The Great Cessation)

Thanks to Walter and Roadburn for letting me host the streams. The first and second batches are still available as well, and for all of the Roadburn 2014 coverage, click here.

Presumably, Portland’s Lord Dying will pause the recording process to take part in the Scion Rock Fest this weekend in Pomona, California, but on the other hand, maybe they’ll be done by then. Depends on how much finesse they want to have with their destructive methods. The extreme sludge rockers are working with Toxic Holocaust‘s Joel Grind on the follow-up to their Relapse debut, Summon the Faithless, and they expect a winter release. That should leave plenty of time to get it done without needing to crunch in this weekend.

The PR wire brings news that youse can use:

LORD DYING Enter the Studio

Sophomore Record to See Winter Release via Relapse

Northwestern riff-masters LORD DYING have entered the studio to record the follow-up to their full-length debut Summoning the Faithless. The record will be produced and engineered by Toxic Holocaust’s Joel Grind and mastered by Brad Boatright at Portland’s Audio Siege Studios. The album will feature eight tracks of blistering riffs and neck-snapping grooves and be the band’s first recordings with new drummer Rob Shaffer (Dark Castle, Monarch). It is expected to see a winter release.

The band weighed in on the upcoming record:

“We are very proud to be releasing our new record into the world. It is our most concise and brutal offering to date. Crank it up, bang your head and come see us on the road!”

Earlier this year, LORD DYING sandwiched a US headlining tour in between two European treks with Red Fang. They will rejoin their fellow Portlanders along with Crowbar, Exhumed, Coffins, Windhand, and more at the Scion Rock Fest in Pomona, CA on May 17th. More details, including the full line-up, can be found HERE.

LORD DYING’s debut Summon the Faithless is available now on Relapse Records. The album is available in CD and LP formats which can be purchased HERE and digitally via iTunes.

https://www.facebook.com/LordDying
http://lorddying.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/Lorddying
http://instagram.com/lorddying

Lord Dying, “Dreams of Mercy” official video

Huge news out of the Roadburn camp today for the 2014 lineup. In addition to a pre-sale party for tickets that features New Keepers of the Water Towers and SardoniS, YOB will headline the Afterburner playing 2009’s The Great Cessation in full, and Sourvein, Graves at Sea, Crowbar, ASG, Lord Dying, A Storm of Light and Anciients have been added to the bill, ensuring that however much psychedelia has been announced and may yet still come, Roadburn 2014 won’t lack for crushed skulls either.

Oh, and in case you missed it, let me just repeat: Graves at Sea. Graves at fucking Sea. So yeah.

Here’s the latest:

Roadburn announces ticket prices and pre-sales party; Crowbar, Sourvein, Yob and more added to the line-up

Roadburn Festival 2014 Ticket Pre-Sales Start Friday October 11th 2013 at 21:00 CET; Pre-Sales Party at the 013 venue (NL) with New Keepers of the Water Towers and Sardonis.

Yob to Headline Roadburn Festival 2014 Afterburner; Crowbar, Yob, Sourvein and Graves at Sea among others added to 2014 Roadburn Festival Lineup.

As previously announced, tickets for Roadburn 2014 will go on sale on Friday, October 11th 2013. Set your alarm and get ready to score your tickets at 21:00 CET!

The majority of Roadburners live outside The Netherlands, which is why ticket pre-sales will start at 21:00 CET. This should be convenient for most time zones. Apologies to our friends in Oceania who will have to wake up early (or just stay up late)!

We are pleased to report that there will be NO price increase this year. Three-day tickets will be available for 165 euros; four-day tickets will cost 185 euros. Afterburner-only tickets will cost 32.50 euros. Please note that one-day tickets are not available for the Thursday, Friday or Saturday Roadburn dates. Online buyers can order a maximum of four tickets.

For everyone in the Netherlands and Belgium: we are aware that your local ticket outlets will not be open when pre-sales start, which is why we are throwing another pre-sales party at the 013 venue in Tilburg (NL). From 19:00 CET – 20:30 CET you will be able to purchase a maximum of two paper tickets for Roadburn Festival 2014. Guaranteed!

In addition to making it easy to get tickets, the pre-sales party is going to be a blast! This year, we have invited Sardonis and New Keepers of the Water Towers to provide the soundtrack. Both bands have been on the Roadburn radar for quite a while and this is the perfect opportunity for Belgium’s Sardonis to share their riff-heavy explorations and Stockholm heavyweights New Keepers of The Water Towers to take us on a progressive psychedelic trip. The live music part of the evening starts at 20:30 CET.

Roadburn’s artistic director/promoter Walter Hoeijmakers will be on hand to share the latest festival updates, too.

Get ready to score your tickets and kick off the official countdown to Roadburn 2014! More info on tickets for Roadburn 2014 here: http://www.roadburn.com/roadburn-2014/tickets/

Roadburn favorites Yob will be making a highly anticipated return appearance in 2014, playing two crushing sets of their unique doom. They will play The Great Cessation for their album set on Saturday, April 12th, and headlining the Roadburn Festival Afterburner on Sunday, April 13th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Yob founder Mike Scheidt says, “Coming back to Roadburn for a third time… to play our fifth and sixth sets total at this festival… it is difficult to come up with words to adequately express our feelings. We have made it very clear how much we love the spirit of the Roadburn Festival. It is an unparallelled experience encompassing everything we embrace as both artists and fans. We will bring what we hope to be the best we have ever done in both of our sets of music. Playing The Great Cessation live in entirety will be a YOB first. For our 2nd set, we will perform songs covering our entire discography, including something new as well. To be able to play, to be in attendance as fans, and to once again to walk the streets of Tilburg and live in the soul that is Roadburn is something we are very grateful for. April 2014 is too far away.” More info on Yob here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-8aX

From deep in the earth you can feel massive vibrations… soon they become audible — huge distant riffs growing louder and turning into a sonic assault with a familiar feel and groove. Suddenly you realize… NOLA is in the house! Roadburn 2014 welcomes legendary New Orleans riffmasters Crowbar to the 013 venue main stage on Thursday, April 10th. With ties to Down, Eyehategod, Acid Bath and Pantera, Crowbar will definitely provide Roadburners with a perfect cure for their New Orleans metal jones in 2014. More info on Crowbar here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-8aZ

Sludge legends Sourvein will be ratcheting up the sheer brutality of their damaged, blackend misery by playing all three of the band’s much acclaimed EP’s, Emerald Vulture, Ghetto Angel and Imperial Bastard, in their entirety exclusively at Roadburn Festival 2014. “We’re beyond excited to return to the mighty Roadburn Festival on our 20th anniversary tour” says T-Roy Medlin, “and this year we have a very special set prepared just for the Roadburn crowd. We will be doing our trilogy live, all three EP’s back to back and some songs off the first record that we’ve never done live… So we really look forward to this being an awesome time. See you at Roadburn 2014.” More info on Sourvein here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-8b3

Underground favourites Graves at Sea will bring their crushing brand of slow, sluggish despair to Roadburn Festival 2014 on Thursday, April 10th at the 013 venue. More info on Graves at Sea here: http://wp.me/p1m0FP-8b1

Roadburn 2014 just got a whole lot heavier: Anciients, ASG, A Storm of Light and Lord Dying have been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2014 as well.

Holland’s very own Roadburn Festival has become Europe’s leading festival for psychedelic, avant-metal, doom, heavy 70s or any other variation of leftfield sonic pleasures that push the boundaries of music.

Roadburn Festival 2014 (including Mikael Åkerfeldt’s curated event, Opeth and Loop) will run for four days from Thursday April 10th to Sunday April 13th, 2014 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

For more info: www.roadburn.com

Graves at Sea, Live at Heavy Days in Doomtown 2013

Portland metallers Lord Dying will debut on Relapse July 9 with the full-length Summon the Faithless. The record follows a 2011 demo and some hard touring alongside the likes of Witch Mountain and Down and is now available for preorder at the link below.

Today the band also unveiled the album’s tracklisting and Death-esque cover art (click to enlarge) and a video trailer, sent down the PR wire for all to see and be steamrolled by:

LORD DYING: Reveal Debut Album Details

Album Out July 9th on Relapse Records

LORD DYING come from Portland, Oregon, a place over abundant with purveyors of the heavy riff.  A region where the inhabitants are plagued with nerve and joint damage due to lack of sunlight. In a time where everyone is trying to out-sludge or out-doom each other LORD DYING gives something less than a fuck. They are a metal band with members of Black Elk , Portals, Le Force, and Damn Your Eyes, who in their short, one year’s time as a band have shared the stage with Down, Unsane, Yob, Valient Thorr, Black Cobra and many others.

The band recently completed work on their debut Summon the Faithless.  The album is set for release July 9th via Relapse Records.  The album will be available in CD, LP and digital formats.  The album is available for pre-order HERE.

After releasing a self-titled EP in 7″ form, the dudes kicked it up a notch, heading out on national tours with Witch Mountain followed by a long trek with label-mates Red Fang and Black Tusk.  Fast forward to 2013 and LORD DYING are poised to be the new heavyweight champions of metal.  Smashing the riffs of High On Fire into the groove of Kylesa, LORD DYING have delivered one of the most impressive metal debuts in a long, long time.  A young band that has matured well beyond their years into a fully developed titanic heavy metal machine, LORD DYING’s new album is poised to be one of the best debuts of 2013.

Look for a summer tour to be announced shortly.

Summon the Faithless Tracklisting:
1)    In a Frightened State of Gnawed Dismemberment
2)    Summoning the Faithless
3)    Greed is Your Horse
4)    Descend Into External
5)    Dreams of Mercy
6)    Perverse Osmosis
7)    Water Under a Burning Bridge
8)    What is Not…is

LORD DYING Live:
May 23 Seattle, WA Chop Suey w/ Glose, Tacos!

For More Info Visit:
https://www.facebook.com/LordDying
http://lorddying.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/Lorddying
http://instagram.com/lorddying#
http://www.relapse.com/

Lord Dying, Summon the Faithless album trailer

Portland-based sludge destroyers Lord Dying will release their debut album on Relapse Records this summer. As the band proved when they came East last summer with Witch Mountain (review here), they are viciously heavy and apparently ready to put in even more road time, so the forthcoming should be one to look forward to. Keep your eyes open for a release date and more info to come, but here’s some background and upcoming shows courtesy of the PR wire:

LORD DYING Complete Work on Relapse Records Debut – Announce Regional Shows

LORD DYING come from Portland, Oregon, a place over abundant with purveyors of the heavy riff. A region where the inhabitants are plagued with nerve and joint damage due to lack of sunlight. In a time where everyone is trying to out-sludge or out-doom each other LORD DYING gives something less than a fuck. They are a metal band with members of Black Elk , Portals, Le Force, and Cremains, who in their short, one year’s time as a band have shared the stage with Unsane, Yob, Valient Thorr, Black Cobra and many others.

After releasing a self-titled EP in 7″ form, the dudes kicked it up a notch, heading out on national tours with Witch Mountain followed by a long trek with label-mates Red Fang and Black Tusk. Fast forward to 2013 and LORD DYING are poised to be the new heavyweight champions of metal. Smashing the riffs of High On Fire into the groove of Kylesa, LORD DYING have delivered one of the most impressive metal debuts in a long, long time. A young band that has matured well beyond their years into a fully developed titanic heavy metal machine, LORD DYING’s new album, set for a summer release on Relapse Records, is poised to be one of the best debuts of 2013.

The band commented on completing their debut:

“We recently finished work on an offering of pummeling riffs and all things metal and we couldn’t be happier with it. So crack a brew, bang your head, and enjoy.”

LORD DYING has select dates scheduled in the coming weeks; look for more shows including a national tour to be added soon.

LORD DYING Live:
April 6 Seattle, WA at Sunset Tavern w/ The Anunnaki and Stoneburner
April 20 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios w/ Floor, Norska, Black Pussy, Hot Victory
May 2 Olympia, WA McCoy’s Tavern w/ Helms Alee, Federation X
May 23 Seattle, WA Chop Suey w/ Glose, Tacos!

Lord Dying, 2012 Fall Tour EP