Ask our support team �http://www.eidenberger-alm.at/?writing-an-analytical-essay for me� and we will immediately assign a talented and experienced writer to write one for you. We work 24/7 so you have opportunity to place your order at any time you wish. Our Custom Writing Company Guarantees. We write papers of any format and type: essays, dissertations, course works, reports, research papers, reviews, speeches, annotated Beyond Darkness is built and tailored to be opaque. In many ways, its title sets the goal: how to start an essay with a quote hop over to here cheap resume writing services nyc writing chapter one of a dissertation Göden are going beyond darkness. Whether that means to something lighter and more hopeful or something that the band’s Resources; Ghostwriting Soziale Arbeit; Ghostwriting Sozialpadagogik; Ghostwriting Sozialpsychologie; Ghostwriting Soziologie Svart Records-released debut album engages directly in a linear narrative across its consuming 19 tracks and 72-minute runtime, but the title is also a reference to the band’s own past, particularly that of guitarist Homework Help Medieval Baghdad Service - curriculum vitae, cover letter and personal statement help from vastly experienced experts Stephan Flam and keyboardist/narrator Quick, Affordable, High-Quality Essay Editing Service. Try Best doctor of philosophy all but dissertation Now! 100% Risk Free Guarantee, The safest & fastest academic pain Tony Pinnisi in forever-underrated New York death-doom pioneer �Will you http://cpalettre.unepassion.fr/?help-with-gcse-french-coursework without plagiarizing?�, you ask. You bet! We only specialize in custom writing and hate plagiarism so much that its mere mentioning is banned in our office. How to Order Cheap Essay Papers for Sale. Placing an order with us is as easy as a breeze. Here's what you need to do: Send us your instructions. For the best result, we need this information: Topic, Academic Winter, whose lone-but-pivotal full-length, Buy essay online and enjoy high quality, How does online essay writer work on my paper? When you buy essays online, Read More Here; Into Darkness (discussed here), was released in 1990. If you Oxford Creative Writing from us, you can always rely on our team and stay confident that you will receive a unique and well-written paper just before the deadline or we will give your money back! Order A Perfect Thesis From Our Professional Writers. Not only our warranties and advantages prove that we are the best custom thesis writing service for all students, the main pride of our company is a Göden as a unit is intended as a progression and a next step from what Are you seeking for follow link services? EssayGator serve as the best platform for students who need assistance from highly skilled experts. Winter were, hence the “beyond.” And the new trio, completed by lead vocalist We can guarantee best quality research papers in our custom writing service that includes best writers and researchers. Buy Get More Info fast and Vas Kallas — best known for her work in industrialists http://www.marie-medstrategic.eu/?example-of-salon-business-plan of EssayWritersWorld is highly effective due to the specialized writers from different domains and that will fulfill your requirements. In addition, our service team of EssayWritersWorld will be in constant touch with you to provide you the valuable insights or status update of the work. Therefore, students need to relax and avail our thesis writing service for avoiding Hanzel und Gretyl — are indeed more complex. While rooted in the extreme end of doom, find more Writing from Australian Help. Are you looking for custom essay writing, Australia? If so, you are in the right place. Australianhelp.com is the best company from which to hire a custom essay writer. Our custom essays are highly recommended by high school, college and university students alike. Check out our reviews to see what Beyond Darkness uses its core narrative of the “coming of the age of Göden” (pronounced “god-in”) to unfold in a back and forth of lurching volume swells of charred riffing and ambient spoken pieces.

As for the story, each member of the band has their role to play, whether it’s Personal Essay For Pharmacy School Application Online and get professional thesis writing assistance! What we can offer you. Custom written thesis. You�ll get a paper written especially for you. We don�t sell pre-written theses. Send your topic and all the additional materials to the writer and we will send you the competed paper. Payment and delivery by chapters . Usually thesis contains a lot of pages, so some students cannot Flam setting the core instrumental backdrop as ‘Spacewinds,’ Online Writing Papers - Essays & dissertations written by high class writers. experienced writers engaged in the company will write your paper within the Pinnisi accompanying there on keys and speaking as ‘The Prophet of Göden’ during the series of interludes titled as “Manifestation” between longer tracks — between the songs, as it were — or Can someone write a paper for Order Now� tab on the top of the website and enter your Print Dissertations requirements regarding Kallas with her growling rasp as ‘Nyxta,’ representing darkness. And the storyline that plays out through the bulk of the material — I’m not sure where “Komm Susser Tod” (“come sweet death”) or the closing take on Winter‘s “Winter” fit in the plot — is written out in the liner for the CD and the 2LP, but comes through in the narration as well, moving from the nine-minute instrumental opener “Glowing Red Sun” through “Twilight” and “Cosmic Blood” split by “Manifestation I: Tolling Death Bells” along the way to “Komm Susser Tod” and the catchy-in-spite of itself “Genesis Rise” with two more “Manifestation” interspersed.

To say it’s a lot to take in is something of an understatement. Considering Winter‘s last studio outing was 1994’s Eternal Frost — which Svart has reissued, along with Into Darkness — one might think Flam has been sculpting the storyline and breadth of Göden over the last 26 years, but it’s been at least five since Winter‘s on-stage reunion came apart and he proceeded on to the new project, bringing in Kallas and Pinnisi as well as a host of drummers, guest guitarists, a violinist, etc., culminating in the massive work that is Beyond Darkness. Perhaps the album’s greatest triumph is that despite the varying contributors along the way around the core trio and despite the back-and-forth nature of the proceedings between interludes and fits of extreme doom metal, it manages to remain cohesive and indeed only seems to become more so as it proceeds. It might be that as Göden plunge ever deeper into the miasma of their own making, they enact a kind of Stockholm syndrome on the listener, but I put it up to world-creating. The album crafts its own setting, plot and characters, and it tells its own story. Therefore, as you listen, you take it on as you would take on a novella.

And sure, some of the language in pieces like “Manifestation III: The Spawn of Malevolence” and “Manifestation V: The Epoch of Göden” and the later “Manifestation VII: Gaia Rejuvenated” is over the top, but that grandiosity becomes an essential facet of the presentation. Like Triptykon before them, Göden use a theatrical posture in darkness as part of an overarching sense of their command of their songwriting and, in this case, dramatic storytelling. And cuts like “Dark Nebula” — on which church organ and the splash of Scott Wojno‘s drums resound behind Kallas in a striking midsection — and the reinvention of Black Sabbath‘s “Black Sabbath” that is “Ego Eimie Gy” are highlights unto themselves, standing up to scrutiny even when removed from the context of the record as a whole. One couldn’t necessarily say the same for individual “Manifestation” pieces — though certainly all eight of them together would work — but they’re not meant to be experienced in that way in the first place, so it’s moot.

As at last Beyond Darkness arrives at “Night,” which isn’t the finale but comes ahead of the epilogues-of-a-sort “Manifestation VIII: A New Age” and “Thundering Silence” — plus the “Winter” cover that rounds out — the proceedings feel perhaps more grueling than ever, and the lineage from Winter to Göden is laid bare for the listener to behold. And yet, even around that raw, plodding riff, there is evidence of the new outfit’s mission: the keyboards that surround, Kallas‘ language- and mythology-swapping lyrical invocations and the underlying focus on atmosphere that ultimately is what draws Beyond Darkness together as an entire work no less overwhelming than it intends. It’s not supposed to be accessible. It’s not supposed to be for everyone. It’s supposed to be for those willing to meet it on its own, uncompromised terms.

The howls of the last “Manifestation” give way to the creeping guitar and drone, and, finally, nothingness of “Thundering Silence” and when the telltale chug of “Winter” takes hold, its reinterpretation is something of an afterthought given just how much the album prior has worked to get the message across that Göden are to be considered as distinct but grown out of the band that was. Will there be another Göden album? Can there be? I don’t know. Between the ground that Beyond Darkness covers aesthetically and in its plot and characterizations — not to mention the fact that the story is finished at the end of the record — one would have to think a follow-up would entail some reimagining of how the band functions. Maybe even a permanent drummer. As it stands, however, Beyond Darkness is a testament to brutality as artistry. It harnesses bleak visions of the world that is and reshapes it along stark lines of blackened aural decay that more than lives up to the task it sets itself in its name.

Whatever comes next, even if nothing does, Beyond Darkness remains, and will remain. In that most of all, it is the essential answer to what Winter accomplished those years ago.

Göden, Beyond Darkness (2020)

Göden on Thee Facebooks

Göden on Instagram

Göden website

Svart Records on Thee Facebooks

Svart Records on Instagram

Svart Records on Bandcamp

Svart Records website

Shifting dynamics, readjusting priorities, moving forward, getting high and playing trippy shit. The way founding guitarist/vocalist Pat Harrington talks about Geezer making their latest full-length, Groovy (review here) — also their debut on Heavy Psych Sounds; out digitally on Friday with physical to follow June 12; preorders here — it is as much purposeful and casual as the album itself. Tightened craft delivering immersive fuzz and languid heavy blues grooves, the record is nothing if not aptly named.

I was asked over the winter to write the bio for the album, and it was clear from the first listen both that it would be a highlight of 2020 — I think pushing back the release date as they have due to COVID-19 helps in that regard — and that Geezer had arrived at a special moment for the band, which is Harrinton alongside bassist Richie Touseull and drummer Steve Markota. I did end up writing that bio, which I’ll probably post around here at some point, but as I’ve already reviewed it and I’m too busy being honored with the chance to do the full-LP stream in addition to posting this interview, I’ll spare you this time around and just say that Groovy is what happens when a band starts out with an idea of what they want to do and then are willing to be guided by their own impulses into becoming what they’re meant to be. There’s a letting go and a holding on alike as a part of that process, but the results are inarguable. And, yes, groovy.

Please enjoy the album stream and the interview. Thanks for reading and thanks to Harrington for taking the time.

Geezer, Groovy Interview with Pat Harrington

—

So the record is Groovy and the lead track is “Dig.” How much was the intention to strip things down to their essentials this time around?

I guess it wasn’t really the intention, it may be more of a side-effect. The song “Dig” has been around for a few years. Dig and a few other songs on the album pre-date most of the material on the Spiral Fires EP. Somewhere along the way, we made the decision to put all the trippy weird stuff on the EP, which kind of set the more direct tone of Groovy, almost by accident.

Geezer has gotten progressively jammier on each release to this point, and Groovy seems to pull back from that a bit. Tell me about the songwriting this time around, your goals for the material and ideas you had coming off of Spiral Fires?

In addition to the reasons above, I think another big reason for the change is our drummer Steve. Unlike our previous drummers, who are very much into improvisation, Steve approaches writing and arranging in a much more deliberate manner. As we spent time developing ideas, this became part of our process. I think it’s fair to say that we brought each other a little out of our comfort zones. Richie and I kept pushing Steve into jammier territory that I don’t think he really explored before. At the same time, he made us more structured in how we put the songs together. There is still room for experimentation, but overall the songs took on a more defined feel.

Unlike other albums, we also had a concept together before all the songs were written. Once the Spiral Fires masters were handed in, we started to look at the songs we had, other ideas that were being developed, etc. Then one day it all clicked. We decided that we were going to focus on songs that were groovy as opposed to the heavier or trippy stuff. So then we should call the album Groovy, right? After that, everything kind of fell right into place.

Talk about your time in the studio for the album. At what point did you know you wanted keys on “Awake” and the title-track? Is that something you think you might explore more going forward?

The real story actually is about the time we spent BEFORE going into the studio. As we’ve already talked about, these songs are much more defined compared to most of our past work. The reason for that is we spent a long time developing the ideas and arrangements. We played most of the songs live. We gave the songs time to grow. We were very disciplined when it came to rehearsals. Everyone worked very hard at developing their parts. Richie and Steve worked especially hard to get all the grooves locked in, they became a machine! I cannot stress this enough, being in a band is HARD WORK and if you don’t take it seriously, it shows.

We spent two days recording most of the “basics”. We did it at Darkworld Studio, where we recorded the Spiral Fires EP. We had the same production team that we’ve pretty much had since the beginning. Everyone came prepared and acted professionally. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun as fuck, but all the preparation paid off. We recorded all these songs together. Standing in the same room. Feeling the kick drum. Connecting to each other. All the drums, bass, rhythm guitars and solos recorded at the same time (more or less). I’m proud to say, not every band can pull that off… we can.

The experimentation mostly came in after the fact. Steve spent weeks developing the percussion tracks (we threw tambourines around like we were AC/DC!). I also stretched out a bit with ambient guitar stuff, synth noise and acoustic guitar tracks. As you mentioned, our friend Jeff Mercel contributed keys to “Awake” and “Groovy: (Jeff also played on “Long Dull Knife” a few years back). We knew right away that we wanted some Hammond B3 type stuff on Groovy, it’s just that type of song. “Awake” has a very tight, syncopated feel to it and I thought some keys could add a softer melodic vibe to it. I was listening to a lot of Nebula at the time, I think I actually sent Jeff the song “So Low” as a reference, I think he nailed it! He really did go above and beyond and his contribution to the songs and album was immense… next level shit.

Some of the songs on Groovy have an almost escapist vibe, and then there are pieces like “Dead Soul Scroll” and “Drowning on Empty.” How comfortable are you with presenting an emotional side in lyrics in a way that’s kind of apart from the blues?

At this point, I think I’ve stripped away most insecurities I’ve had when it comes to songwriting. It took me a long time to figure out, but vulnerability in music is one of the things that people connect to the most. It’s about saying the things that people can’t (or won’t) say themselves. It gives them something to latch on to, a way to express or connect to feelings that they otherwise weren’t able to. The lyrics to both those songs are, in fact, about real personal things. I try and relay them in a way that is open to interpretation, tap into feelings without assigning them to situations. That way, people can relate them to whatever they themselves are going through. To me, that is what music is all about.

How did the Heavy Psych Sounds deal come about? What does it mean to you to be labelmates with acts like Brant Bjork and Nebula and Yawning Man?

The deal came about very fast actually. I’ve been a fan of the label for many years and I had somewhat of an internet friendship with Gabe. With the exception of the first record, this is the first time we’ve “shopped” a record and HPS was very much at the top of our list. I can’t remember how long he had the album, but I followed up with Gabe on a Thursday and by that Monday he was sending contracts. Above all else, I wanted to be on a label that treated us like a priority. Since day one, Gabe and his team have done that and continue to do so. For that, we are extremely grateful.

I am in no way trying to equate myself with these cats, but the fact is, my musical journey was very similar to the bands that were a part of the first generation of stoner rock (or whatever you want to call it). I’m the same age as a lot of these guys, our musical references are all very similar. I grew up on metal and hardcore, felt boxed in by the rules that inevitably popped up around those genres, just like those dudes. Iommi, Page and Hendrix were gods to me… so was Mike Dean and Jello Biafra… so was Chuck D and Duane Allman. Somehow when you distill all this down, a lot of us ended up just wanting to get high and play heavy trippy shit without all the hassle that mainstream music seems to impose.

Because of this, I look up to people like Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri, Eddie Glass and Mario Lalli. Not only do I love their music, they helped a lot of us figure out a way to express ourselves without having to worry about all the genre politics of the time. To be on the same label as these bands, as well as bands like Black Rainbows, Duel, Gorilla and Ecstatic Vision, is an honor and a challenge. It’s an honor to be here, but we gotta prove that we belong. That is the challenge.

Will you return to Europe to tour for the album? Any other plans or closing words you want to mention?

There were all kinds of plans. This past weekend was supposed to HPS Fest in NYC which has been postponed indefinitely. We had quite a few shows set up for this summer to promote the record, they have all been postponed indefinitely as well. In addition, we were well on our way to booking a European Tour for the late fall and that too is no more. It’s a total bummer for sure, but in the grand scheme of things, these are mild inconveniences compared to the suffering that many are going through right now, so I do my best to try and stay positive.

On that note, there is some good news here in NY. Much of the state has been moved into “Phase 1” of re-opening and our region is on schedule to enter Phase 1 this week. There is still a long way to go, but after a seemingly endless stream of bad news over the last few months, these are all very welcoming signs. Stay strong everybody, take care of yourselves and each other and we may actually make it through this thing. It will still be a while before live music returns. When it does, we’ll be there. I got a new fuzz pedal for fuck sake, I need to crank that shit and rip a hole in the sky! Ya dig?

Geezer, Groovy (2020)

Geezer on Instagram

Geezer on Thee Facebooks

Geezer on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Thee Facebooks

They throw it down immediately. The question is right there, track one, in the hook: Can you dig it? While the lyrics that accompany that central question in the opener of Geezer‘s fifth full-length and first for Heavy Psych Sounds, titled simply Groovy, turn out to be something of a subtle screed against the greedy ravages of capitalism and an urging toward a more communal lifestyle — “We gotta stand and testify/We gotta live for today, yeah” — the question remains, “Can you dig it?”

Well, can you, punk?

If not, it’s not the band’s fault. Groovy is the finest work the Kingston, New York-based three-piece have yet issued, hands down. With guitarist/vocalist Pat Harrington helming as producer with engineering and mixing by Matthew Cullen (assisted by David Daw and Robert Kelly) at Darkworld Studio, the eight-track/45-minute offering to the gods of groove arrives in with a two-sided LP structure that, in normal circumstances could be thought of like a mullet — business up front, party in the back. Except in this case, the business is the party too. So it’s party up front, party in the back, like if Cousin Itt were a record. A hairy undertaking, and one that wholly justifies a blacklight poster for the Ryan Williams cover art. Make it so.

Harrington as the founding member is joined by the returning rhythm section of Richie Touseull, who came aboard in 2015, and drummer/percussionist Steve Markota, who made his first appearance on early 2019’s Spiral Fires EP (review here), as well as Jeff Mercel, who contributes organ and other keys to midtempo side A closer “Awake” and the title-track that launches side B. The two sides of the album intertwine for sure, as the titular “Groovy” more than earns its tambourine with its ultra good-timey vibe and the earlier second cut “Atlas Electra” follows “Dig” with a more spacious preview of things to come on side B’s spacious cappers “Slide Mountain” and “Black Owl.” But there is a question of balance to both, and while Geezer have never shown so much range in terms of their dynamic between the tightness of their songwriting — “Groovy,” “Dig,” “Awake,” even the beginning stretch of “Atlas Electra” — neither have they shown such a propensity for purpose to their jamming.

That is to say, while both Spiral Fires and the preceding LP, 2017’s Psychoriffadelia (review here), went all-in on post-Wo Fat heavy blues jam exploration, Groovy redirects. Even its broadest, most open-feeling moments, which surely come in the nine-minute “Black Owl” as the three-piece slowly make their way into a long-fade oblivion of guitar effects, Groovy retains a sense of purpose in terms of substance and aesthetic. “Black Owl” jams out precisely because “Drowning on Empty” could have and didn’t, instead riding its fuzz-coated solo-topped crescendo of layered electric and acoustics, more tambourine and righteous bass to a finish exciting enough to mask the darker emotional undercurrent of its lyrics. Likewise, back on side A, “Dead Soul Scroll” highlights Touseull‘s bass tonality as the guitars trip out, essentially reversing the structure to put its somewhat moodier jam forward while the instrumental solidification hits right around the four-minute mark and carries through the rest of the song’s 5:31 as one of the record’s most satisfying payoffs.

By toying with structure in this way, adding arrangement details and nuance as they are — percussion elements like that tambourine or the cowbell in “Dig” are used with class and efficiency throughout — and adjusting their focus on songwriting, Geezer showcase the mastery of their sound even as they use that sound in ways they haven’t done to this degree before. One could cite “Dead Soul Scroll” as clear evidence of their progression, but really any track on Groovy makes the case, be it the ending drift in “Slide Mountain” that seems to end by asking, “Is everybody high enough?” (unless I’m hearing wrong), or the sleeper hook in “Awake” — “I’ve seen more than most/But not as much as many/When I’m feeling lost/Here you come to make me smile” — bolstered by the Mercel‘s well-mixed keys as it moves smoothly through its patient and well-controlled tempo; not slow, but no quicker paced than it needs to be.

But while Groovy goes deeper into emotionality than Geezer have been willing to go before — lines like those quoted above from “Awake” and others about drinking contribute to the coinciding depressive strain — the record is remains an upbeat affair in its overarching spirit. It almost has to. You can’t help but groove, what with the bounce-a-quarter shifts between its verses and choruses and the clarity with which it comes to fruition across the two sides, its stretch finally going in “Black Owl” willfully beyond the limits of its own point of no return. Influences remain — Wo Fat have already been mentioned, Brant Bjork is another — but with that has to comes the realization that Geezer have transcended the fervent stylization of their 2013 debut, Electrically Recorded Handmade Heavy Blues (discussed here), and found a path of their own within a sphere that encompasses not only those heavy blues, but psychedelia, classic rock, stoner groove and so on. More than ever on Groovy, they are singly identifiable. Harrington‘s gravelly vocals are a big part of that, but he also demonstrates a more melodic take than could be found either on Psychoriffadelia or their 2016 self-titled (review here), which until now had been the band’s highest achievement in songwriting.

There are two key lessons, takeaways, whatever-you-want-to-call-them, from Groovy. The first is that Geezer have found their way. And in fact, they’ve worked their way toward doing so. Each of their records has built on the last, and even their stopgaps have been effective in constructing the forward line of their progression. So while Groovy stands and testifies its own accomplishments, there’s nothing to say those can’t or won’t be surpassed. The second is that the balance in their sound is something no less fluid to them than their jams themselves. That is, with Groovy, Geezer offer proof of dynamic and live chemistry, but their method for doing so does not hold that their next work will be staid or simply seeking to recapture the same feel. The next party might be even more wild, but as Harrington advises, it’s worth living in the present. This is a moment captured. A crucial one for them. One that is wholly theirs. Can you dig it?

Geezer, Groovy (2020)

Geezer on Instagram

Geezer on Thee Facebooks

Geezer on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Thee Facebooks

The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.

In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Stefan Mersch of Sun Voyager (Rockland County, New York)

—

How have you been you dealing with this crisis as a band? As an individual? What effect has it had on your plans or creative processes?

We hit the pause button pretty early on which has been tough but we’re starting to figure out ways to get back at it. The three of us have been keeping in touch. We’ve been playing music together for more than 10 years and have never gone this long without playing or even being in the same room. At a certain point you get antsy, like you’ve been in “go” mode all these years, but when literally everyone around you is getting sick, you worry more about the safety of others than yourself. I think what sucks the most, as a band, is we were hitting a stride creatively and had a really productive weekend in the studio right before this hit. Any delay sucks, but when you’ve got momentum, it hurts. I’m trying to turn a negative into a positive though and all this time outside of bars and venues has freed up some cash to get everything we need to finish those recordings and then some, so I’m building a home studio in my garage, which has been an adventure to say the least. Kyle brought his drums down last week, we jammed with all the mics on, and it was killer. Enormous step up from the phone recordings we’re used to. No more 20-minute jams buried in the group chat. I’m psyched to see what kind of productivity and output we’re capable of with that red button on at all times. As for me, I’m quarantining with my fiance in Rockland County. Unfortunately, we had to push our wedding back to next year but we figured its better to be safe for the sake of all our guests. Bummed about that but I think it’ll make the actual wedding that much better when it finally happens.

How do you feel about the public response to the outbreak where you are? From the government response to the people around you, what have you seen and heard from others?

New York is bad, even where we’re at in the lower Hudson Valley. When it hit in Westchester, the population is so dense, millions in the city and millions more commuters, you just knew it was going to be bad. People are being responsible for the most part, working from home, and we’re all adapting, right? We’re ordering our groceries online, everyone is doing contactless delivery or curbside pickup now, and I haven’t really been out in public since the outbreak. We’re supporting local restaurants and breweries, which I encourage everyone to do. People come over on occasion and we sit or stand six feet apart, wear masks, and play “let’s-make-a-pile-of-cans,” which is always a good time. Just doing what we can to make the best of a dark situation. We all know someone who had it or know someone who knows someone that died. We all have friends who are out of work. There’s so much uncertainty. Even with the testing. Our friends in Brooklyn seem to think it went through them in one big wave but no one got tested. I know three people who live with someone that tested postive but tested negative themselves. That’s the scary part. The numbers are low. We all want this to end but it can’t end if we stop social distancing too early. New Yorkers are good at banding together in tough times. All this time apart, we’ll probably come out of it closer than ever.

What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?

The music industry is getting hit pretty hard, but I think a lot of us are seeing a nice wave of exposure with people having more time on their hands. They’re spending more time online than ever before, they’re sharing more content than ever before, and people are tired of the same old shit. It’s a good time to get found, so I’m not discouraged at all. I think it’s also a great opportunity for a lot of us to figure out new and creative ways to reach people and experiment with sounds and create. Bandcamp continues to waive their fees once a month and Apple gave out a free 90 day trial to Logic Pro X. I’m having a blast with it. Some of us might come out of this more inspired than ever. Others might never come out of this. I feel for the touring musicians that make a living off touring who had to put their plans on hold. I feel for the festival organizers, like Roadburn and Desertscene and Freak Valley, that basically lost an entire year. I probably feel the most for the bands that were given the opportunity to play some of those festivals this year. All that excitement only to get crushed by a global pandemic. It sucks. You know a lot of great music is being made though and hopefully we can all benefit from that.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything? What is your new normal? What have you learned from this experience, about yourself, your band, or anything?

We miss everyone. We’ve met so many awesome people on this journey and just miss everyone. We should have been playing two awesome shows this weekend. We should have been playing another sold out show in Asbury with Ruby next weekend. We should have voted in a primary. We should have finished this record by now and you should be listening to it. We’re getting by though and teaching ourselves how to record killer records so we can put out as much music as we can, as often as we can. If I learned one thing jamming with Kyle last week, it’s that we’re more eager to make music than ever and I’m that much more excited about things to come. The next time you see us, that record will be out and another will be on the way. That’s our new normal.

www.facebook.com/sunvoyagerband
http://www.instagram.com/sunvoyager
http://www.sunvoyagerband.com/
https://sun-voyager.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/sunvoyager/trip/

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Mike Vitali of Magnetic Eye Records & Black Electric (Voorheesville, New York)

—

How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

Well, in terms of Black Electric everyone is doing okay. Same goes for the Magnetic Eye Records crew – so far, so good. Everything has definitely had to be reworked for my and the band and of course for the label also. The news went out yesterday that as of January 1, 2020 MER has become part of Prophecy Productions and SPKR. Obviously everything was in a state of change due to that and we had a massive year planned for Magnetic Eye.

All the label releases and plans are still on track and moving forward however COVID-19 has certainly caused greater delays and just made everything we were working on more challenging. We are making good progress and are still looking forward to a very big year for the label.

In terms of Black Electric, we had just been finishing a second record and Mike Langone and I had just established a very strong live band working with old friends from Ironweed and Great Day for Up. So at the start of the new year we had these great rehearsals and we were psyched to start booking for 2020 and 2021. My wife and I also just had another baby on March 23rd. With the way my year looked I wanted to lay low until May or June so at the start of the year we had all this momentum and energy and then the virus came and placed everything on hold.

Anyway, with the state of everything being so uncertain I recently started going down into my basement recording just for fun and letting the material I am working on live on a Bandcamp page under my own name. I don’t know, I really just want to jam and travel so I figure I might as well keep busy on my own while I wait to reconnect with Black Electric and others.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

Well, I work for New York State and I live just outside the capital, we are under a total lockdown. My family and I had all been getting sick repeatedly since February so we have taken quarantine and staying at home very seriously. Especially with my wife pregnant at the time also, we have been home for over 50 days now. I am sure parts of NYS will start lifting restrictions soon and we will all start to live in the new world that has been thrust upon us.

DOOM.

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

Well, at first everyone rallied and local radio and press was reaching out to a lot of local musicians, myself included. They did profiles and promoted the local art scene and then a few days later many layoffs hit in the local arts and entertainment community. When that happened I think the depression and hard feelings set in more. The realities. Who knows…who knows how long or what the impact will be.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

Well, I guess above all I would want to encourage everyone to take good care of themselves and those around them. The impact of this virus to me and those around me without really getting specifics is enormous. My plan is continue to make my family’s wellbeing my sole priority while of course still playing and loving music all day, every day.

https://mikevitali.bandcamp.com/album/homegrown-session-vol-1
https://www.facebook.com/BlackElectric666/
https://www.instagram.com/blackelectric666/
https://theblackelectric.bandcamp.com/
http://store.merhq.com
http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Jeremy Hall of Shadow Witch (Kingston, New York)

—

How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

Shadow Witch has had to cancel a few shows, but it’s a wait-and-see approach as to when we’ll be back out there. It’s certainly started affecting some of the upcoming festivals we were counting on to be out there supporting our new album. The other thing has been a cessation of practices for now, but we’re starting to share files online to work on new songs. The ideas are starting to flow. Everyone’s health has been okay so far and we’re taking lots of precautions especially considering my wife suffers from an autoimmune inflammatory disease. We’re all practicing our social isolation as best we can. I live in the woods, so I can go outside and take lots of walks.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

Well, I’m from upstate NY, so the quarantine rules are pretty strict. We’re about 90 minutes from New York City, so it’s definitely a scary time. We’re supposed “shelter in place” essentially but Cuomo, the governor, calls it “NY on Pause” because “shelter in place” is only used for active shooters. But you get the idea. That’s where we are and where we will be for a while. But it’s important to do it. I am a librarian and professor at a college with epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists and value their opinions. This is what they say we should be doing.

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

A lot of bands we’re friends with have had to cancel tours. Festivals are starting to get postponed. Merch people aren’t getting jobs. Venues and bars are shut down. One effect I really worry about is losing a lot of venues in the scene as an outcome of this. People need to get out there and support local bars and restaurants if they can — get takeout! Another thing is that I’ve been spending less time on social media for band stuff because there’s so much rampant misinformation. It just makes a tough situation even worse. It’s going to take some time for the community to bounce back after this, but I think there’s a desire in everyone to come back stronger than ever.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

One thing is taking care of your friends and family in a time like this. I know this gets said often, but it’s important to realize that we all have a role in this. Even if it’s staying home sitting on your ass binge-watching Tiger King. I’ve been working remote and honestly I’m busier than ever. And I’m lucky. I have friends who’ve had to shut down their businesses and friends who’ve been laid off. So I think it’s important for everyone to just be more mindful of how all our lives impact each other. Help out where you can. My wife and I sewed a bunch of masks to donate to the local hospital — well, she sewed them and I cut out the fabric. But each little part makes a difference. We all have a chance right now to make a difference. That’s one thing I’d like people to know.

www.facebook.com/shadowwitch.band
www.shadowwitch.bandcamp.com
www.argonautarecords.com

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Sean McVay of King Buffalo (Rochester, New York)

—

How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

People from all over are getting hit really hard by this, and we’re certainly no exception to that. We had multiple tours set up coinciding with the release of our newest EP. So far we’ve had to postpone our entire spring tour, and are crossing our fingers that we’ll be able to keep our summer and fall dates. Thankfully, each of us and our families is currently safe and healthy.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

Here in Rochester, NY all workers that are not “essential” are required to work from home. All schools are closed, and all bars/restaurants are closed to the public (but can remain open for takeout/delivery). Any “non-essential” gathering of any kind is banned. Recently, the city started closing public playgrounds and basketball/tennis courts as well.

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

In my neighborhood I’ve noticed more people in their yards playing with their kids and pets. It’s been nice to see people trying to stay positive and make the best of everything while still being responsible and social distancing, but there’s definitely still a bit of stress and uncertainty in the air. As far as the local arts community goes things are certainly more worrisome. Many artists also work in the food and beverage industry, so they’re being hit extra hard, and venues are obviously in a really rough situation. In a general sense, it’s been really nice to see the influx of live-streamed performances and overall flood of artistic content throughout the internet. Its awesome to see people trying to support each other where they can in spite of our government’s completely inept and inadequate response to all of this.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

First and foremost we want everyone to remain safe and healthy. We want everyone to make sure to take this virus seriously, and to do their part to help slow this thing down. We’re all in this together, and we all need to look out for one another. As far as King Buffalo goes… In an effort to make up for having to postpone our spring tour we filmed some live performances in our secluded practice space, and will be releasing them very soon. We have some other ideas cooking as well so keep an ear out. Best wishes to everyone and their families.

kingbuffalo.com
facebook.com/kingbuffaloband
instagram.com/kingbuffaloband
kingbuffalo.bandcamp.com
stickman-records.com
facebook.com/Stickman-Records-1522369868033940

The new Witchkiss EP, Transformation, is the follow-up from the Beacon, New York-based three-piece to their 2018 album, The Austere Curtains of Our Eyes (review here). That debut, which saw release through Argonauta Records, embodied atmospheric sludge in an echo-caked cavernousness that was subsequently filled with tonal heft and intensity. The two songs that comprise Transformation, on the most basic aesthetic level, follow suit, yet the 10-minute single “Splitting Teeth” (premiering below) and the accompanying eight-minute cut “Empty Hands” nonetheless demonstrate marked progression in terms of arrangements between the vocals of drummer Amber Burns and guitarist Scott Prater — bassist Tyler Irish, who joined last year, doesn’t sing but makes a welcome first appearance filling out the low end here — and in a time when the New York region is embroiled in plague and isolation and plague-in-isolation (the state surpassed Italy in cases of COVID-19, I read in the news yesterday), Witchkiss‘ blend of post-metallic claustrophobia and ambient expanse would seem to find particular resonance. They call it “a fitting soundtrack to these uncertain times,” and I’m not inclined to argue.

To wit, the anxious and thudding tension marked by screams in layers that commence at about eight minutes into “Splitting Teeth” and the infuriatingly methodical spread of the song’s subsequent apex. Witchkiss‘ first album may have set the stage for this kind of immersive plunge, but there’s no question the couple of years since have found the band growing more adventurous in their craft, and that holds true on “Empty Hands” no less than its longer predecessor. The second track’s initial rollout recedes after about a minute and a half to a soundscape pushed forward subtly by Burns‘ drums, and with an almost playful melody, she reminds of the godlessness of the universe, ending the verse with the line, “There is only you,” before the tonal largesse resumes its slow-motion push. Layered vocals, clean and screaming, help to fill out the proceedings and are effective in conveying the post-metal spirit of Transformation, but Witchkiss aren’t so much playing to genre as they are adapting a stylistic tenet to suit the purpose of the atmospheres they want to create in their songs. Transformation thus becomes a place to inhabit, if briefly — the two songs run about 19 minutes, all told — and cap in appropriately massive fashion in “Empty Hands” before a persistent pulse of kick drum and feedback leads the way out.

There’s a secret track, a Nirvana cover, that I won’t spoil — mostly because I’m not sure it’s actually included in the digital release or what — but with or without it, Transformation speaks exactly to the process in its title, by which Witchkiss are continuing to grow into their sound and become a fuller, richer stylistic offering. There is nothing in the way, plagues aside, of their continuing this process, and whatever they do next, I would only look for it to continue to move forward. A band whose commitment comes through so clearly in their material rarely lets themselves rest on laurels, however earned those laurels might be.

Enjoy “Splitting Teeth,” followed by the release info from the PR wire:

Witchkiss on Transformation EP:

Greetings everyone. With the current state of our world and everyone’s lives on hold, we decided to release this EP because we feel it’s a fitting soundtrack to these uncertain times. Our hope is that these songs can give our listeners some kind of escape from the overwhelming madness.

Great things can come out of trying times, and Doom distributors Witchkiss are proving just that! Saying goes, idle hands are the devils workshop. More like a creative persons playground!

With time on their hands like so many others, Witchkiss has made good use of this to bring their self-isolated fans something significant to help them through the darkness.

The EP is called “Transformation” it is 2 songs, 18 mins long and will include the Single “Splitting Teeth” and and will be released 5/1/20 through our Bandcamp and all other major digital music outlets, including Apple Music and iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Etc.

The Single – “Splitting Teeth” will be released via Bandcamp on 4/10/20 at https://witchkiss.bandcamp.com/track/splitting-teeth

Witchkiss are:
Amber Burns – Drums/Vocals
Scott Prater – Guitar/Vocals
Tyler Irish – Bass

Witchkiss on Thee Facebooks

Witchkiss on Instagram

Witchkiss on Bandcamp

Witchkiss at Blackskull Services