So I kinda wanted to hear some old shit alongside all the new shit, which I guess I feel okay about. I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like every second of every show has to be super-recent as much as possible to get word out about new bands again as much as possible — and again again as much as possible to the extent of whatever the audience for this show is; I honestly have no idea — but that’s not even close to being true in reality. I could play Death, no one would give a shit.

I should play Death. Next show if I remember, which I’m saying up front is like 70/30 no.

Anyway, so old High on Fire into new Dozer and Altered States’ recent “The Crossing” crossing with The Hidden Hand’s “The Crossing” from their brilliant 2004 opus, and JAAW feeding into Celtic Frost feeding into Vape Warlök. Fucking a. This show’s pretty good. I hope I don’t ruin it by, you know, talking.

A few albums here I’m looking forward to knowing better. Swanmay for sure, JAAW absolutely, and I might even say that of Dozer, perhaps into perpetuity or at very least until long after I’ve reviewed it and hailed it as one of the best albums of the year — which I don’t even feel shy in saying because it’s a fucking given — and Bongzilla, because they’re Bongzilla and I’m glad they’re putting out records. They’re a needed reminder of how even the heaviest things can be made to float.

Thanks if you listen to this show. If not, it happens, but thanks for reading anyhow. If you stumbled here and have no idea what I’m talking about, you might still consider checking out a band or two from the playlist and find something to make your day better.

The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com.

Full playlist:

The Obelisk Show – 03.31.23 (VT = voice track)

High on Fire	10,000 Years	The Art of Self-Defense (2001)
Dozer	Dust for Blood	Drifting in the Endless Void
Devoidov	Stab	Stab
MiR	Altar of Liar	Season Unknown
VT
Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow	Maps of Inferno	Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow
Black Rainbows	Superhero Dopeproof	Superskull
Lammping	Better Know Better	Better Know Better
Oceanlord	2340	Kingdom Cold
Arriver	Azimuth	Azimuth
Altered States	The Crossing	Survival
The Hidden Hand	The Crossing	Mother Teacher Destroyer (2004)
Iress	Ricochet	Solace
Grin	Nothingness	Black Nothingness
Bongzilla	Hippie Stick	Dab City
MWWB	Logic Bomb	The Harvest (2022)
Swanmay	Stone Cold	Frantic Feel
VT
JAAW	Rot	Supercluster
Celtic Frost	A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh	Monotheist (2005)
Vape Warlök	Inhale Death	Inhale Death (2022)

The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is April 14 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.

Gimme Metal website

The Obelisk on Facebook

Bourdeaux, France, progressive heavy psychedelic rockers Mars Red Sky are drawing closer to the April 28 release of their new collaborative EP, Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow, set to issue through their own Mrs Red Sound imprint and Vicious Circle Records. The trio’s first work since 2019’s The Task Eternal (review here), it sees Helen Ferguson, aka folk solo artist Queen of the Meadow, step in on lead vocals for the tracks “Maps of Inferno” (7:17) and “Out at Large” (5:39), with an edit called “Maps of Inferno (Shortcut)” (4:44) rounding out as a reprise.

All told, they’re done in under 18 minutes, and that is the source of my only complaint about Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow — it’s not enough. Unless they’re planning a series of these releases as a four-piece with Ferguson up front alongside Mars Red Sky guitarist/vocalist Julien Pras, bassist/sometimes-vocalist Jimmy Kinast and drummer Mathew “Matgaz” Gazeau, two originals and the ‘shortcut’ just don’t cut it. From the wah-drenched solo in “Out at Large” and the density of the low end that feels so true to the band’s roller-fuzz beginnings to the Joni Mitchell-esque declarations delivered firmly by Ferguson in “Maps of Inferno” — long or short — and back again, the EP feels complete in its own terms with the focused-on-structure bookend they give it, but those terms leave one wanting more in a visceral way. There’s further they can go into that wash at the end of “Out at Large,” more to do with the bounce in “Maps of Inferno,” and certainly exploration to be done in the harmonies from Pras and Ferguson together.

EPs often precede LPs for Mars Red Sky — their discography is a big ol’ back and forth between long and short offerings — and this wouldn’t be the first time the band have expanded beyond their core lineup before going back to it for their next record, but the richness of “Maps of Inferno” begs to be fleshed out across at least one full-length, building as it does on an established partnership between Ferguson and Pras — on multiple levels; they may or may not be married — the latter of whom who has produced albums for the former and featured on guitar and vocals. Combining that spirit with the tonal weight of Mars Red Sky feels like a bolster to the band’s approach, influential as they’ve been in bringing together an abiding lushness in the sweetness of Pras‘ vocals and the heft of their increasingly complex grooves, which is something else “Maps of Inferno” demonstrates in its mellowed-out ambient break, peppered with sparse guitar as it moves fluidly through a swaying jam en route back to the central riff from whence it came, Matgaz‘s drums thudding the change.

There’s a lot of 2023 left, I understand, but Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow are the standard to which I’ll be comparing EPs for the rest of the year, and right now that feels like a pretty mammoth ask of, well, anybody. As of this writing, I haven’t seen the video yet for “Maps of Inferno,” and honestly I don’t even know if it’s the long or short version of the track yet, but what matters here is that the collaboration between Ferguson and Mars Red Sky has resulted in something special beyond what one might’ve expected of the elements involved, and it is a release that demands to be heard no less than it demands a follow-up. I hope it gets both.

Enjoy the clip and, most importantly, the song:

Mars Red Sky, “Maps of Inferno” official video

When the power of psychedelic heavy meets the depth of dark folk harmonies, it results in a complex and exhilarating flavor. The daring combination opens up the genres to a whole new dimension. MARS RED SKY’s new EP, soberly entitled “Mars Red Sky & Queen Of The Meadow”, exalts and enhances the trio’s magic formula: namely, the blend of a robust and determined rhythm section with jagged and ambitious vocals, all evolving within a unique soundscape. The two tracks of the record suggest a disturbing journey through an immense maze directly inspired by mad architect Piranesi and his towers with terrifying staircases. Real melodic narrative, Queen Of The Meadow’s vocals carve out an unexpected intensity. Mars Red Sky offers here an abyssal production, polished and unheard of.

Produced, recorded and mixed by Benjamin Mandeau at Cryogène Studio, Bègles (France).
Mastering: Ladislav Agabekov at Caduceus Studios, Gimel (Switzerland).
Band photography: Jessica Calvo (photography), Fluor_99 (artwork).
Cover: Machado Leão (artwork), Brett Kielick (photography).
Layout: Floriane Fontaine

All songs composed, written and arranged by Mars Red Sky and Queen Of The Meadow:
Helen Ferguson: lead vocals and melodies
Julien Pras: guitars, back-up vocals
Jimmy Kinast: bass
Mathieu “Matgaz” Gazeau: drums

Mars Red Sky on Facebook

Mars Red Sky on Instagram

Mars Red Sky on Bandcamp

Mars Red Sky merch store

Mars Red Sky website

Queen of the Meadow on Facebook

Queen of the Meadow on Instagram

Queen of the Meadow on Bandcamp

Queen of the Meadow on YouTube

Mrs Red Sound on Facebook

Mrs Red Sound on Twitter

Mrs Red Sound on Instagram

Mrs Red Sound website

Vicious Circle Records on Facebook

Vicious Circle Records on Instagram

Vicious Circle Records on Bandcamp

Vicious Circle Records website

This is the second time this week I’m posting news about Mars Red Sky. The Bordeaux trio are fresh off announcing a stretch of tour dates alongside Weedeater and Telekinetic Yeti that starts this month, and they’re following that with the unveiling of their new EP, made in collaboration with folk singer Queen of the Meadow. Born Helen Ferguson, she and Mars Red Sky‘s Julien Pras have worked together going back to his being her guitar teacher and they may or may not be married. In any case, I’ve heard the thing, and it’s a fit, which is what matters, and obviously it’s that basis in the prior relationship that makes that possible. Stumbling through Queen of the Meadow‘s Bandcamp, 2018’s A Room to Store Happiness hits a nerve nicely in “Royal Garden.” I’ve embedded it below. It’s not her latest album, that’s 2021’s Survival of the Unfittest, but you know how to get to Bandcamp from an embed.

Of course, Mars Red Sky have long had a pattern of releasing EPs as a way of leading into new full-lengths, so I’ll just say I hope that’s the case here. It’s also not the first collaboration the three-piece have done, as they worked together with Year of No Light on an EP (discussed here) in 2012. It’s a good one though. You won’t regret keeping an ear out.

For now:

Hey there!

We are excited to officially announce the release of our new EP « Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow » this April 28th 2023 on long time friends record label Vicious Circle Records and our own one Mrs Red Sound !! We teamed up with dark folk artist Queen of the Meadow who sings on each track. We hope you’ll like this one made – as always – with love & fuzz. Details about the release and more surprises to be revealed in the next few days… Stay tuned!

Take care y’all and see you soon on tour!!

TICKETS : marsredsky.rocks/tour

18.02.2023 (#127465#)(#127466#) ERFURT Bandhaus Erfurt
29.02.2023 (#127462#)(#127481#) VIENNA Echoes of Erebos
30.02.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) BRISTOL Astral Festival
01.05.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) CARDIFF The Globe Cardiff *
02.05.2023 (#127470#)(#127466#) DUBLIN The Grand Social*
03.05.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) GLASGOW Cathouse Rock Club*
05.05.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) SHEFFIELD Corporation Sheffield*
05.05.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) MANCHESTER Factory Manchester*
06.05.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) DURHAM Dominion Festival
07.05.2023 (#127468#)(#127463#) LONDON Desertfest London
27.05.2023 (#127466#)(#127480#) MADRID Kristonfest
26.08.2023 (#127463#)(#127466#) RILLAAR Down The Hill
* With Weedeater and Telekinetic Yeti.

MARS RED SKY are:
Julien Pras : guitar, vocals
Jimmy Kinast : bass, vocals
Mathieu “Matgaz” Gazeau: drums, vocals

Photo Jessica Calvo Photographe – artwork Fluor_99

http://www.facebook.com/marsredskyband/
https://marsredsky.bigcartel.com/
http://www.marsredsky.net
https://mrsredsound.com/

Queen of the Meadow, A Room to Store Happiness (2018)

Mars Red Sky, “Proving Grounds” official video