It’s true, A Storm of Light have had some trouble committing to a drummer in the past. But all that’s changed, baby. They’re a new band, they swear it! They’ve grown. They’ve matured. They use clean vocals now! They know they hurt you, baby, but that’s in the past now, if you could just see your way to giving them one more drummer, they promise this time it’ll be forever.

So where’s Matthias Bossi when you need him?

According to eHarmony (and by that I mean the PR wire), A Storm of Light enjoys writing and recording albums, touring Europe, letting frontman Josh Graham handle their album covers and, of course, long walks on the beach:

A message from Brooklyn atmospheric doomsters A Storm of Light: “In just over two years since the band’s inception, A Storm of Light has had the honor and privilege of playing with many great drummers: Vinny Signorelli, Jason Roeder, Pete Angevine etc. While this band is built around revolving members both in touring and recording, we’ve decided that a central three-piece will make us sonically/rhythmically stronger. That said, we have decided to look for a permanent drummer, one that can make A Storm of Light their primary focus, and be part of the band for the long haul.

When: ASAP. We will be recording in early fall and going to Europe from September 28 – Nov 1.

Where: Ideally we want someone in Brooklyn/NYC, or damn close. While we are willing to consider people outside of the area (New Jersey/Philadelphia/Upstate NY/Providence/Boston/D.C. etc). Please keep in mind that we are constantly writing, recording, practicing, touring, so you will have to been in Brooklyn very regularly.

Experience: We are preferably looking for people with previous recording/touring experience, and who can tour regularly both nationally and internationally. (nice, fun, dedicated, motivated, relaxed, on time, honest, etc., etc., etc.)

Contact: Please include links to your drumming/musical projects, and email us at: storm [at] astormoflight [dot] com. Thank you.” — A Storm of Light

The Joel Hamilton-less touring lineup of Neurot Recordings doomers A Storm of Light are set to begin a 19-date US tour that will include West Coast shows with Shrinebuilder and Harvestman. Pretty dern nifty. The whole thing gets started tonight, Feb. 18, at Kung Fu Necktie, in Philadelphia. The PR wire has the specifics:

A Storm of Light tour dates
2/18/2010 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
2/19/2010 Gallery 5 – Richmond, VA
2/20/2010 The Hideaway – Johnson City, TN
2/21/2010 King Pin Bowl – Athens, GA
2/22/2010 Club 529 – Atlanta, GA
2/24/2010 Rubber Gloves – Denton, TX
2/25/2010 Emo’s – Austin, TX
2/27/2010 23 West – Tempe, AZ
2/28/2010 Club Congress – Tucson, AZ
3/02/2010 Casbah – San Diego, CA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/03/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/04/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/05/2010 Voodoo Lounge – San Jose, CA w/ Shrinebuilder + Harvestman
3/06/2010 Oakland Metro – Oakland, CA w/ Shrinebuilder + Harvestman
3/07/2010 The Independent – San Francisco, CA w/ Shrinebuilder + Harvestman
3/09/2010 Neumos – Seattle, WA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/10/2010 Rotture – Portland, OR
3/13/2010 Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN
3/14/2010 Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
3/15/2010 Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
3/18/2010 Union Pool – Brooklyn, NY

A Storm of Light ‘s 2010 touring lineup is:
Josh Graham (Battle of Mice, Blood and Time, Neurosis): guitar, vocals
Domenic Seita (ex-Tombs): bass, backing vocals
Geoff Summers (Batillus): drums
Zohra Atash (Religious to Damn): vocals

What starts out as a litmus test for how much drone punishment a listener can handle not so quickly becomes an encompassing ritual nearly religious in its scope. Skullflower’s Strange Keys to Untune Gods’ Firmament (Neurot) is a double-disc, 12 track excursion to the outer limits of instrumental noise. There are no songs, no catchy choruses, no pop structures. UK-based guitarist Matthew Bower continues his 20-plus year run of unbridled experimentation, now as the sole creative force within the band.

It is, for most who’d even be brave enough to take it on, completely unlistenable. Bower makes no attempt to meet his audience halfway or do anything that might make his music more accessible. This, for a small but loyal cult segment of the underground, is precisely what has earned him such acclaim these past decades in his various projects, and with Strange Keys to Untune Gods’ Firmament, the idea seems not so much to expand the horizons of noise — because Bower’s already done that — but rather to engage in the rites of the unhinged and to make a work that, apart from the already-stretched limits of its instrumentation, is truly without borders.

That said, there can be no doubt that Skullflower’s latest is bound to be more appreciated than heard. The destructive chaos of these tracks is rampant throughout, and makes most bands who talk of their sound as apocalyptic seem even sillier than they did themselves. Take the vocals out of the first two Godflesh records and play them at quarter-speed. Repeat for two hours and enjoy. Or, more likely, don’t. Doesn’t seem to matter to Bower.

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If you asked, they probably wouldn’t tell you so — in fact, they’d probably say something along the lines of, “Who?” — but I think we all know Shrinebuilder‘s newly-scheduled NYC date was booked with me in mind. So thanks guys, for that. Could’ve been in Jersey, but it’s fine, I’ll make the drive. I appreciate the effort.

In addition to this show at NYU and their West Coast shows (some with Harvestman) and their Roadburn appearance, they’ll also be at the Scion Rock Fest on March 13. Busy, busy, busy. Here’s the latest tour update:

These two newly announced Shrinebuilder dates fall directly after the previously announced West Coast Neurot Recordings tour, also featuring labelmates A Storm of Light and with special appearances from Harvestman at three Bay Area shows. Shrinebuilder will also perform at this year’s Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Holland alongside Thorr’s Hammer, Goatsnake, Enslaved, Eyehategod, Eagle Twin, Church of Misery and more.

Shrinebuilder live appearances:
3/02/2010 The Casbah – San Diego, CA
3/03/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA
3/04/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA
3/05/2010 The Voodoo Lounge – San Jose, CA w/ Harvestman, Brain Oil
3/06/2010 Oakland Metro – Oakland, CA w/ Harvestman, Laudanum
3/07/2010 The Independent – San Francisco, CA w/ Harvestman
3/09/2010 Neumo’s – Seattle, WA
3/11/2010 E+L Auditorium @ New York University – New York, NY
3/13/2010 Scion Rock Fest – Columbus, OH
4/17/2010 Roadburn Festival – Tilburg, Holland

Actually, they’re from the west, so it’s more like they’re heading to where they already are. Whatever. They announced live dates, alright? There’s only so many ways I can say it.

Geez. Some people.

Something, something, something PR wire… something, something, complete.

Neurot Recordings is proud to announce the second wave of live Shrinebuilder appearances, this time alongside labelmates A Storm of Light, taking place early this March. This West Coast mini-tour features as an added bonus, Harvestman — the solo act of Steve Von Till (Neurosis) — to serve as main support on the Bay Area shows on March 5th, 6th and 7th.

3/02/2010 The Casbah – San Diego, CA
3/03/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA
3/04/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA
3/05/2010 The Voodoo Lounge – San Jose, CA w/ Harvestman, Brain Oil
3/06/2010 Oakland Metro – Oakland, CA w/ Harvestman, Laudanum
3/07/2010 The Independent – San Francisco, CA w/ Harvestman
3/09/2010 Neumo’s – Seattle, WA

Are they as high profile as Neurosis? No. Are they as emotionally turbulent as (the now-defunct) Battle of Mice? No. Do they have the following Red Sparowes built up around them? No dice.

Nonetheless, of all the bands to feature the creative contributions of guitarist/vocalist Josh Graham, A Storm of Light are perhaps the most his own. I’ve sung the praises of their second Neurot outing, Forgive Us our Trespasses before, and as the band gets ready to tackle the beast that is bound to be 2010, and as the PR wire informs, Graham surrounds himself with a new touring lineup, let none of the previous heralding go contradicted. Here’s the latest:

Brooklyn, NY‘s doom experimentalists A Storm of Light, who made it a point to end the year with a crushing performance in their home borough at Club Europa opening for Coalesce, are in the process of booking a string of tour dates for the new year. The band will hit Richmond, Athens, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, Chicago, Cleveland and NYC as well as a handful of west coast dates with the mighty Shrinebuilder.

Confirmed dates thus far include:
2/21/2010 Kingpins Bowl and Brew – Athens, GA
2/22/2010 Club 529 – Atlanta, GA
2/25/2010 Emo’s – Austin, TX
2/27/2010 23 West – Tempe, AZ
3/13/2010 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN
3/14/2010 Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL

More dates TBA.

A Storm of Light ‘s 2010 touring lineup will be:
Josh Graham (Battle of Mice, Blood and Time, Neurosis): guitar, vocals
Domenic Seita (ex-Tombs): bass, backing vocals
Geoff Summers (Batillus): drums
Zohra Atash (Religious to Damn): vocals

As I said when I reviewed the album, any issues I had with A Storm of Light‘s debut were erased with their second album, Forgive Us Our Trespasses. The band helmed by Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, the unfortunately short-lived Battle of Mice) has just finished a European tour, and the PR wire caught up with the vocalist/guitarist for the following update and year-end show announcement. Here goes:

Brooklyn, NY doom/post rock experimentalists A Storm of Light recently returned home from an 18-date European tour in support of their highly acclaimed Forgive Us Our Trespasses full-length, released earlier this year via Neurot Recordings. The trek kicked off at the renowned Damnation Festival in Leeds and concluded in Lisbon at Revolver Bar. The band was joined by Will Lindsay from Wolves in the Throne Room on second guitar and Geoff Summers of Batillus on drums.

Recapped A Storm of Light guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, Blood and Time, Battle of Mice), “We just returned from our third European tour, and it was a great time for all of us! Playing everywhere from Lisbon to Moscow, we traveled by planes, boats, trains, and even a small stint in tiny rental cars. I kinda thought the major new experiences of touring were in the past, but this one proved to have some amazing turns. From drinking Russian vodka in Moscow, to broken elevators in Switzerland, to cops shutting down our show in Portugal, co-headlining with Minsk was a blast. There is talk that the tour may spark a joint release between both of our bands. We shall see.”

A Storm of Light will play a special Brooklyn Vegan-sponsored year-end show in Brooklyn, NY with Coalesce. Tri-state area people! Don’t miss it!

Date: December 30, 2009
Venue: Europa Night Club
98 Meserole Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Lineup:
Coalesce
Coliseum
A Storm of Light
My Skull Your Closet
Tournament
Doors: 7:30 pm
More info: http://www.europaclub.com

The necessity of getting Shrinebuilder bassist Al Cisneros on the phone made itself known before his band’s show Sunday night in Manhattan was even over. In particular, a discussion with him seemed warranted because, of all the players on the stage at Le Poisson Rouge with him, Scott Kelly of Neurosis, Scott “Wino” Weinrich and Melvins‘ Dale Crover, Cisneros was in the middle, and when he took the mic at the end of the set for his part in “Pyramid of the Moon,” the night was transformed into something epic and a wave of energy coursed through the crowd. It was kinetic.

Our conversation was short, but informative. Cisneros, fresh back in California from a few days spent in Austin, TX, following the last of the five shows on Shrinebuilder‘s run, confirmed that writing has already begun for a fifth Om record and a second Shrinebuilder, that Shrinebuilder will play the 2010 Scion Rock Fest and that the legendary trio Sleep, in which he was vocalist and bassist with Matt Pike (High on Fire) on guitar and Chris Hakius on drums, will indeed be playing in the US September of next year.

And even though I just told you all of that, it’s still worth reading, after the jump, as always. Enjoy.

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