Posted in Whathaveyou on May 12th, 2017 by JJ Koczan
It happened a couple weeks ago that doom legends Pentagram wound up playing shows as a trio without their legendary frontman Bobby Liebling. For three East Coast gigs alongside Brant Bjork in Baltimore, New York and Boston, they performed as the three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Victor Griffin, bassist Greg Turley and drummer “Minnesota” Pete Campbell, and now it looks like they’ll be taking that same show to Europe this summer as well. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to me to think of this as a revamped lineup of Death Row or even Place of Skulls, but having seen Griffin in both those outfits as well as in Liebling-fronted Pentagram, I know that the chance to see him singing those songs is worth taking advantage of while you can, because you don’t necessarily know when it’s coming around again.
In the meantime, questions loom about just what exactly Liebling‘s situation is. Of course, his history of opiate abuse is well-documented, and it doesn’t seem far-fetched to think the hospitalization and apparent arrest discussed below have something to do with that, but though reports have started to surface driving speculation that he assaulted his mother and was arrested for that, details have yet to really be confirmed of what his situation is in either the short or longer term, whether drugs are involved or not, and so forth. What I do know for sure is that after eight triumphant years of Liebling fronting Pentagram‘s resurgence, it’s a bummer to see something like this happen, and it goes without saying that on behalf of myself and this site, I wish all the best to Griffin, Turley and Campbell going forward, and that whatever help Bobby Liebling needs, he gets.
Here’s their update and upcoming shows:
PENTAGRAM PRESS RELEASE
As was the case for the recently completed US shows, vocalist Bobby Liebling will not appear with Pentagram for previously booked European dates this summer.
To elaborate, Bobby called on April 17 saying he had been admitted to the hospital. He called again on April 19, this time after being transferred to a Maryland detention facility.
He’s now awaiting a preliminary hearing at which time it will be determined if a follow-up on any alleged charges are necessary. An update will be published when information is available. The band will be fulfilling all currently booked appearances with 36-year mainstay guitarist Victor Griffin performing all vocals.
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE BAND
The outpouring of support on our recent US dates was outstanding! Your energy was matched ten-fold and encouraged us to carry on and deliver what many have called, even by skeptics, some of the best Pentagram performances they’ve seen. Thank you!
We have the best fans in the world and if not for you, the legacy of this band would have died long ago. We won’t let you down now. The music lives on and as we move forward, we reiterate the lyrics of “Curious Volume”: “In this venture death waits in the shadows, but in survival the volume won’t die!”
Sincerely, Victor, Greg, & Pete
VICTOR GRIFFIN STATEMENT 05/11/17
As I sit here reading the Pentagram headlines and wondering what to say…
I can only thank you for such an overwhelming level of support under the circumstances. It’s been 36 years of dealing with more drama than you can probably imagine. The ‘Last Days Here’ documentary was only a glimpse. Constantly squandered opportunities led me to quit Pentagram on several occasions, only to eventually give benefit of the doubt and rejoin. With this latest incident, and not to pronounce guilt before trial, the pinnacle of that era has been reached.
I also personally apologize for any less than straight forward and possibly confusing updates posted on the Pentagram site.
Greg, Pete, and I are excited about carrying on with a greater enthusiasm than was even possible before. Regardless of how we do that beyond the currently booked summer dates, and under what name…our appreciation for your support is inexpressible.
We hope to see you on the road…Godspeed!
P.S. For those of you who may believe in prayer…Bobby is a man who needs all he can get.
PENTAGRAM UPCOMING LIVE DATES May 15 Kocaeli Sabanc? Culture Center Kocaeli, Turkey Jun 18 HELLFEST Clisson, France Jul 12 Patronaat Haarlem, Netherlands Jul 14 Arena Wien Bezirk-Landstrasse, Austria Aug 17 Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas, NV
Posted in Reviews on December 29th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
We continue with day four of the Quarterly Review. This batch is numbers 31-40 of the total 60, not that the numbers really mean anything. I know it’s list season — believe me, I know — but there’s no actual ranking going on. It’s just basically so I can keep track and remember what day it is. That’s not to say this is done off the cuff. Actually, there’s an embarrassing amount of planning behind these things. Months. And when I start actually getting the posts ready and realize I’ve slated the same record on two different days — something that’s happened no fewer than three times so far, needing each time to be corrected — it’s a clear demonstration of the value of my planning. Ha. Anyway, we press on. Together. Into the thick of it. Thanks for reading.
Quarterly Review #31-40:
Crowbar, The Serpent Only Lies
More than 25 years and 11 albums into a landmark career that helped prove the existence of the hairy beast known as “sludge metal,” Crowbar don’t owe anyone anything, and since returning to activity with 2011’s Sever the Wicked Hand (review here) and 2014’s Symmetry in Black, they’ve played like it. Their third post-resurgence outing is The Serpent Only Lies (on eOne Heavy), and though it works largely to form – that is, Crowbar are going to sound like Crowbar: low, slow, seeming to lurch even when dug into fits of gallop on “I am the Storm” or the early going of “The Enemy Beside You” – one still finds progression especially in the vocal approach of frontman and founder Kirk Windstein, who self-harmonizes effectively on the title-track’s standout hook as well as the later pair “On Holy Ground” and “Song of the Dunes,” the latter also resoundingly spacious in a way that offsets much of The Serpent Only Lies’ head-down intensity. This might be flourish or a companion to the core Crowbar sound that remains intact throughout, but the truth is it’s not like it needs to be there – Crowbar’s audience would still go to the shows even if the band stopped growing – but it’s entirely to the credit of the New Orleans legends that more than a quarter-century later they continue to progress. I guess that’s how Crowbar gets to be Crowbar.
Depending on what you count as a full-length, The Fall of Hearts (on Peaceville) is either the 10th or 11th studio record from Sweden’s Katatonia. It follows 2013’s acoustic Dethroned and Uncrowned, which reenvisioned 2012’s Dead End Kings and brings forth over an hour of new material from founding duo Jonas Renkse (vocals/guitar/etc.) and Anders “Blakkheim” Nyström (guitar/backing vocals), as well as Niklas Sandin (bass) and Daniel Moilanen (drums), who, working with engineer KarlDaniel Lidén (ex-Greenleaf, Demon Cleaner), continue to proffer resonant melancholy in abundance. As a band, Katatonia have had a number of different phases over the years, from their deathly beginnings through the later moves into melody, but as it stands on songs like “Decima,” with its acoustic and mellotron arrangement, and the seven-minute “Serac,” which plays back and forth between serene and some of The Fall of Hearts’ most intense thrust, they remain among heavy metal’s most recognizable acts. There is no one else who sounds like them, and they sound not quite like anyone else. This collection might be more about gradual steps forward than radical shifts in approach, but Katatonia have found a way to preach to their converted and keep growing at the same time, and that’s to be commended.
Issued via Robustfellow in a range of physical editions from an oversized CD digipak to cassette bundles, the two-song I. AM. Deathless EP from yet-underrated Ukrainian progressive ritualists Ethereal Riffian warrants the ceremony with which it arrives. Its two tracks, “Drum of the Deathless” (6:19) and “Sword of the Deathless” (9:57) closed and opened, respectively, the prior 2016 live outing, Youniversal Voice (review here), and in their studio form they bring to bear a vision of psychedelic metal given to atmospheric breadth that comes at the expense neither of purpose nor impact. The opener proves the more immediate of the pair, but as “Sword of the Deathless” plays out, it finds prog-metal swirl amid low-end starts and stops intertwined layers of multi-channel spoken word, acoustic and electric guitar and percussive tension, so that as it heads into its payoff and melodic finish, the resolution is both satisfying and something of a relief from the cacophony preceding. Forward-thinking and of marked substance, I. AM. Deathless offers a quick glimpse at the band’s scope and invites listeners to dive deep therein.
There isn’t much that’s off-limits to Parisian heavy rockers Dot Legacy. To wit, the near-rap-rock mania of opener “Horizon” from their second LP, To the Others (on Setalight Records), and the laid-back psych-lounge vibes that follow on “Grey Cardinal,” only to be swept away in crashes and chants later, leading to the driving desert punkery of “211.” Three songs, three distinct feels, and Dot Legacy only get weirder from there as they toy with fuzzed momentum on “5314” and “Dakota” before the dreamy post-rock meandering of “The Twelve,” the prog-pop of “Story of Fame” and piano-laden psych-drama of closer “Pioneer.” In 35 minutes, the four-piece cover more ground than most bands do in their whole careers, but that becomes even more admirable in that they manage not to just be all over the place, but to provide a consistent quality of songwriting to complement all that quirk. Add to that the attention to detail in vocal harmonies and arrangements, and as they follow-up their 2014 self-titled debut (review here), they reveal a clear sense of a master plan at work under all the brashness and genre-hopping.
Self-released by the Los Angeles trio in late-2015 and picked up for a vinyl issue through Ripple Music, the self-titled debut from Salem’s Bend leaves little wonder as to why with its classic sensibility and the vibe proliferated by the natural-toned nod of a song like “Silverstruck.” Though still prone to a bit of Hendrix-style shred when it comes to lead guitar, the three-piece of Bobby (guitar/vocals), Kevin (bass) and Zach (drums) depart from some of the post-Radio Moscow all-thrust boogie in favor of more laid back fair and on that cut and the later “Sun and Mist,” which hits into a satisfying apex in its second half without feeling overcooked, as well as the six-minute finale “A Tip of Salem,” which nods through its initial movement before bursting out toward the end. In a crowded SoCal scene, just about anything Salem’s Bend can do to stand apart will serve them, and the fluidity they hone across these seven tracks sets them up to do just that.
Given the personnel involved, the black ‘n’ roll extremity of Thonian Horde’s self-titled debut full-length will no doubt come as a surprise to listeners. Formed in Boonsboro, Maryland, by bassist/vocalist Ron “Fezz” McGinnis (Pale Divine, Admiral Browning, etc.), guitarists Darren “Dirty” Waters (Weed is Weed) and Dan “D-Mize” Mize (Faith in Jane), and drummer Tyler “The Beast” Lee (Weed is Weed), one might expect high-order Frederick-style post-The Obsessed doom. Thonian Horde have more in common with Immortal on their centerpiece track “Darkest Nights Shadow,” and even as the closing “Psychonaut” finds a rock groove in its chorus, it does so with the hooky edge of Satyricon more than any of the members’ other outfits. No doubt that’s the point: doing something different. Indeed, the nine-tracker is a refreshing aesthetic reboot for the scene from whence it comes, holding fast to their region’s crucial lack of pretense even as they brazenly walk their own path – left-hand, of course.
I don’t know about you, but I missed out on Hopp/Förtvivlan, which was the 2015 debut full-length from Swedish rockers Second Sun, so to have Gaphals provide gentle encouragement to check it out by getting behind the two-songer single Tachyonregenerator is most welcome. Both cuts included – “Tachyonregenerator” and “Tror Faktiskt På Dig” – bask in classic vibe without being overly showy when it comes to retroism, and are marked out by the inclusion of organ amid the natural-sounding guitar, drums and bass, the vocals presented in Swedish across both pieces. It’s a quick eight-minutes perfect for the 7” pressing it’s been given, but again, makes enough of an impression that one is inclined toward further investigation, and given that, I can’t call it anything other than a success. I’ll go ahead and chalk up one more quality Swedish act to keep track of, because Second Sun offer tight-knit progressive leanings in a crisp package on Tachyonregenerator, and even if I’m late to the party, I’m glad I got to hear it.
Some pretty clear self-awareness demonstrated in Ten Ton Slug’s self-released debut EP, Brutal Gluttonous Beast. The Galway, Ireland, five-piece had a prior live-recorded two-tracker, but these four songs mark their first studio outing, and as they draw together massive sludge riffing and more extreme, death metal-style growls, there’s precious little one might say to more accurately describe a track like “Trollhunter” – the opener and longest on the release (immediate points) – than that it lives up to the title, its second-half slowdown lurch prefacing a similar move in “Bloodburns” before the more rampaging “Subterranean” and noise-soaked burl of “Unit” take hold. Intense and vicious, but not necessarily unhinged, Brutal Gluttonous Beast finds Ten Ton Slug sounding remarkably sure in their approach, and one will await the news of their traveling to England to record with Chris Fielding at Skyhammer, since that seems to be the kind of presentation for which the tonal onslaught here is begging.
A half-decade after releasing their self-titled EP (review here), Eindhoven heavy/noise rockers Komatsu reemerge on Argonauta Records with the follow-up full-length, Recipe for Murder One. Boasting a guest appearance from Nick Oliveri on the suitably tumultuous “Lockdown,” the album leaves little to wonder what’s in that recipe in the darker-desert vibe of “So How’s About Billy” and “There Must be Something in Your Water,” which teases airy serenity in its first half only to go full-throttle for the second, but as the bass-driven lumber of the title-track and subtle melodic expansion of “The Sea is Calm Today” show, Komatsu haven’t wasted the last five years, instead constructing their own take on sonic density and sludge impulses that seems to hit with formidable impact regardless of tempo or tension level, both of which prove to be fluid elements at the four-piece’s disposal. They get the point across quickly in the stomp of “The Long Way Home,” but find suitable resolution in the nod of closer “Breathe,” rounding out a debut of significant character and depth with one last surprise in ambience it’s only fair to call progressive.
The Blue Sunshine Family Band, The Blue Sunshine Family Band
A double-guitar instrumental four-piece from Santa Rosa, California, The Blue Sunshine Family Band make their debut with a six-song/51-minute self-titled. Tracks presented as Roman numerals “I” through “VI,” though whether or not they’re actually the first six pieces the band has written, I couldn’t say. Either way, the impression immediately draws from “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” – that great king of nod riffs – and first-name-only guitarists Billy and Kevin, bassist Matt and drummer Quinten build outward from there, dipping below the eight-minute mark only on “V” (7:14) as they unfurl solid grooves and tonal heft, seeming to leave room for vocals either consciously or not. The converted will find engagement and immersion in the crash and swinging turn of “IV,” as well as the David Paul Seymour cover art, and if The Blue Sunshine Family Band is the sound of this foursome getting their feet under them, they manage to accomplish that preliminary feat and then some in these tracks.
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 5th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
Been a long time since I last saw Swedish masters of melancholy Katatonia, and I have to say I wouldn’t mind catching a gig at Irving Plaza in NYC in April to see them close out a North American headlining run in support of earlier 2016’s The Fall of Hearts. The intervening months will tell if I actually get there — one struggles with the four-hour drive to New York these days — but it’s a formidable month-plus Katatonia will spend on the road either way, so wherever you might be throughout the continent, from Edmonton to Charlotte, they seem to be looking to cover all, or at least most, of their bases this time around. Like they say below, it’s been three and a half years since the last time they were over here. I guess that makes them about due.
Also 10 years in 2017 since The Great Cold Distance, which they’ll reissue deluxe-style in January. This year marked 15 since Last Fair Deal Gone Down, if you needed further evidence of time in flight. Bizarre.
Copious info and dates from the PR wire:
KATATONIA ANNOUNCE “FALLEN HEARTS OF NORTH AMERICA 2017” HEADLINE TOUR
Katatonia, the Swedish purveyors of dark progressive rock/metal, have announced they will be heading out on a headline tour of North America in March and April 2017 to support the release of their latest studio album The Fall of Hearts.
Founding Katatonia member and guitarist Anders Nyström comments, “We did three North American tours in support for Dead End Kings and it’s been three-and-a-half years since the last one when we toured with Cult of Luna, so having already embraced the new cycle of The Fall of Hearts over here, we are eager to once again cross the Atlantic to continue from where we left off and to reap what we planted over there.”
Vocalist Jonas Renkse introduces the bands they have chosen to join them on the tour, saying, “We are very excited to finally announce our headline tour in North America for The Fall of Hearts. Also invited for this run are post-rock titans Caspian and young, promising act Uncured. Come out and celebrate the downfall of hearts (and everything else) with us.”
The Fallen Hearts of North America 2017 Dates: Thu/Mar-16 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Fri/Mar-17 Cleveland, OH Agora Sat/Mar-18 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls Sun/Mar-19 Charlotte, NC The Underground Tue/Mar-21 St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre Thu/Mar-23 New Orleans, LA Republic Fri/Mar-24 Houston, TX Scout Bar Sat/Mar-25 Austin, TX Grizzly Hall Sun/Mar-26 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Bar & Grill Tue/Mar-28 Mesa, AZ Club Red Wed/Mar-29 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre Fri/Mar-31 Pomona, CA The Glass House Sat/Apr-01 San Francisco CA Slim’s Mon/Apr-03 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre Tue/Apr-04 Seattle, WA Studio Seven Wed/Apr-05 Vancouver, BC Venue Fri/Apr-07 Calgary, AB The Gateway Sat/Apr-08 Edmonton, AB Starlite Room Mon/Apr-10 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex Tue/Apr-11 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall Wed/Apr-12 Lincoln, NE Bourbon Theatre Fri/Apr-14 Minneapolis Fine Line Sat/Apr-15 Chicago, IL Metro Sun/Apr-16 Detroit, MI Majestic Theater Mon/Apr-17 Toronto, ON The Opera House Wed/Apr-19 Montreal, QC Club Soda Thu/Apr-20 Philadelphia, PA The TLA Fri/Apr-21 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Formed back in 1991 and hailed as one of the leaders of the death-doom genre along My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Anathema, Sweden’s Katatonia have spent the last 25 years ever-changing and evolving to become the much loved purveyors of dark progressive rock/metal we know today.
Their latest studio album The Fall OF Hearts, the official follow-up to 2012’s acclaimed Dead End Kings was recorded at Stockholm’s Studio Gröndahl & Tri-lamb Studio, and was self-produced by Anders Nyström & Jonas Renkse. Mixing and mastering duties were carried out by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Ihsahn, Devin Townsend) at Fascination Street Studios, with Karl Daniel Lidén (Switchblade, The Ocean, Greenleaf) brought in as engineer. It is the first record to feature new drummer Daniel ’Mojjo’ Moilanen and guitarist Roger Öjersson (Tiamat).
A new, two-disc tour edition of The Fall of Hearts is due for release on March 17, 2017 through Peaceville, the new version will feature live tracks taken from the band’s show and the band’s show in the Ancient Theater in Plovdiv Bulgaria in September 2016.
January 20, 2017 also sees the release of a limited edition tenth anniversary version of their class album The Great Cold Distance. This new, four-disc deluxe hardback 40 page, book edition of the album. It will include three bonus discs featuring B-sides and bonus songs, a new 5.1 remix of the album by Bruce Soord (Wisdom Of Crowds) and a live album of Katatonia playing the The Great Cold Distance in its entirety with the renowned Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria, performed in September 2016. The design of this essential tenth anniversary edition has once again been taken care of by long time collaborator Travis Smith. pre-order here and here.
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 11th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
Never known for being shy about stating their intentions, Darkthrone — presumably it was Fenriz, though it could’ve been Nocturno Culto as well — posted on their Thee Facebooks account that the origin of the name of their new record, Arctic Thunder, comes from a Norwegian metal band in the ’80s and early ’90s. They had this to say about it:
“To continue messages about the new album, it seems anything we do is frantically discussed. If we decide to eat some sandwiches, I am sure that 75% will be FOR and 25 against. A listening taste from the new album will appear SOON, but Now I would like to play you the band that inspired our album title ARCTIC THUNDER. I first met the people behind this band and Red Harvest in 1990 so I never saw this gig myself. They sound like a very classy heavy metal act, and this song is also a bit prog-y and epic. The vocalist struggles a bit at first but soon it is all DELIGHTFUL to my ears.”
Gotta love the bit in there about “frantic discussion” as well. They posted a video from the band that you can find on their Thee Facebooks page if you’re interested in chasing it down. Arctic Thunder is the follow-up to 2013’s The Underground Resistance (review here), features vocals solely from Nocturno Culto, and will be out Oct. 14 on Peaceville Records.
The PR wire brings artwork and info:
Darkthrone to release new album “Arctic Thunder” this October on Peaceville
“Arctic Thunder” due out October 14; cover art revealed
Norwegian duo, Darkthrone, has announced its new album, Arctic Thunder, to be released on October 14 via Peaceville. Arctic Thunder marks the band’s first new studio material since 2013’s triumphant The Underground Resistance, its most successful release in recent years.
An eclectic mix of free-spirited ’80s fueled blackened heavy metal, all executed in Darkthrone’s trademark raw and organic style, Arctic Thunder was recorded and produced by the band themselves, with the sessions conducted at Darkthrone’s old rehearsal unit, “The Bomb Shelter,” which was originally used during 1988-1990. Mastering is once again handled by Jack Control at Enormous Door.
With themes based around hate, contempt, and the inner mind and soul, and with the notable presence of Nocturno Culto on vocal duties across all songs for the first time in recent years, Arctic Thunder retains a grim atmosphere throughout the album’s eight tracks.
Stay tuned for more information on Darkthrone and Arctic Thunder, out this fall on Peaceville.
It’s more than a little amazing to think that Pentagram are 45 years into their career. 45 years! Of course, vocalist Bobby Liebling is the sole remaining original member and they’ve had a near-Hawkwindian amount of lineup changes at this point, but still, for even the name to last that long is impressive, let alone the fact that in 2016, they’re probably bigger than they’ve ever been. Recent controversies aside — and whether or not they should be put aside is a matter for internet thinkpieces to sort out — the band’s reach has only expanded over the last several years, and the release of Curious Volume (review here) in 2015 confirmed them as one of the most pivotal American doom acts on the circuit.
That they’ve never had a music video before this new one for the title-track is more trivia than landmark — as I recall it also took Saint Vitus a long time to get their first video out — but certainly noteworthy in any case. “Curious Volume” would seem to live up to the occasion by emphasizing Pentagram as they are today rather than who they were four-plus decades ago. Shot on their Spring European tour, which included a stop at Roadburn 2016, where they slayed, the video finds Pentagram compiles and manipulates performance footage, bringing the vibrancy of their stage show to bear in a well-edited four-minute package delivered in advance of their appearance next month at Psycho Las Vegas.
Check it out below, followed by some comment from Liebling via the PR wire:
Pentagram, “Curious Volume” official video
45 years into its career, Pentagram is ecstatic to announce its first ever promotional video for the title track from the acclaimed album Curious Volume.
The video for “Curious Volume” was produced by David Hall (Uneasysleeper.com), known for his work with The Melvins, Pig Destroyer, Phillip H. Anselmo and the Illegals, Venom, Brutal Truth, Ken Mode and more, with the live footage shot on tour March – April 2016 by Jerry Moore, Chris Navarro, Joe Shuerger and Dan Lively.
Pentagram frontman Bobby Liebling said of the video: “We wanted our first ever video to, in-a-way, be a connection to the past as well as the present. The song can be interpreted as a personal and collective journey that we’ve been on for close to half a decade. It’s a trip that’s both physical and mental and I feel that Dave’s end result illustrates that for us and everyone. The video stands as both an escape and an introduction to us as artists and people. You can feel the rigors and rewards of tour life through the visuals. We love the stardust and psychedelics as well as the raw rock-n-roll energy felt throughout the song and video alike. We hope you connect with it like we do.”
Pentagram is: Bobby Liebling – vocals Victor Griffin – guitar Greg Turley – bass Pete Campbell – drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 3rd, 2016 by JJ Koczan
Doom legends Pentagram continue pro-level touring in support of their 2015 album, Curious Volume (review here). They’re recently returned from Europe, which brought an appearance at Roadburn 2016, and before that was SXSW. Still to come this year are Psycho Las Vegas — they also headlined Psycho California last year — and a return trip to Europe that will include a stop at Up in Smoke 2016 in Switzerland, among other appearances sure to be announced. I don’t know if 2016 is Pentagram‘s busiest year in their 45-ish year history, but it sure feels like it. They’re giving an entirely new meaning to “Relentless.”
Before they get to Psycho and back to the EU, they’re sneaking in a West Coast run later this month, looping down from Seattle and eventually back into SoCal and heading north again from there. Dates and info follow, courtesy of the PR wire:
PENTAGRAM ANNOUNCES HEADLINING MAY TOUR DATES
New album “Curious Volume” out now on Peaceville
Legendary U.S. heavy/doom metal band, Pentagram, has announced a batch of headlining May U.S. tour dates in support of its latest album Curious Volume, which released last summer on Peaceville Records. A full list of confirmed shows can be seen below.
Featuring 11 classic heavy metal compositions with catchy hooks from core band members Victor Griffin, Greg Turley, and Bobby Liebling (Pete Campbell on the drums completes the band’s line-up), Curious Volume was recorded with Swedish producer Mattias Nilsson at studios located in Maryland and Virginia. Additional recording took place in Tennessee with Grammy-nominated producer Travis Wyrick, who also produced Pentagram’s previous album, Last Rites. The album’s cover artwork was provided courtesy of Richard Schouten.
Pentagram on tour: 5/17 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven 5/18 – Portland, OR @ Dante’s 5/19 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux 5/20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room 5/21 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater 5/23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Nile Theater 5/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo 5/25 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick 5/26 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory 5/27 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge 5/28 – San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
Pentagram is: Bobby Liebling – vocals Victor Griffin – guitar Greg Turley – bass Pete Campbell – drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 11th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
After announcing back in November that they were in the studio, Swedish masters of melancholy Katatonia have confirmed a May 20 release for their upcoming 10th long-player, The Fall of Hearts, through Peaceville Records. The album was tracked by the band itself with mixing and engineering done by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend, etc.) and Karl Daniel Lidén (Greenleaf, Dozer, Demon Cleaner, etc.), and they’ll support it by playing a slew of European festivals this summer, including Summer Breeze — is it my imagination or is this the first Summer Breeze fest in a long time? — in Germany and Hellfest in France.
Live dates, the striking cover art and more album background follow, all off the PR wire:
KATATONIA ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW STUDIO ALBUM, REVEALS NEW LINE-UP
10th studio album “The Fall of Hearts” out May 20 on Peaceville
Katatonia, the Swedish purveyor of dark progressive rock/metal, has revealed details of its eagerly awaited 10th studio album, The Fall of Hearts, set for release on the May 20, 2016 through the band’s long-time home of Peaceville Records.
The band commented: “This album is probably everything we unknowingly ever dreamed of to release. It’s a bleak but adventurous journey through our elements, we haven’t held back, we have pushed to get forward and backward in the ever spiraling night of our musical legacy.”
The official follow-up to 2012’s acclaimed Dead End Kings was recorded at Stockholm’s Studio Gröndahl & Tri-lamb Studio, and was self-produced by Anders Nyström and Jonas Renkse. Mixing and mastering duties were carried out by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Ihsahn, Devin Townsend) at Fascination Street Studios, with Karl Daniel Lidén (Switchblade, The Ocean, Greenleaf) brought in as engineer.
The dramatic yet desolate artwork was created by long time Katatonia designer and illustrator Travis Smith.
Katatonia has spent the past four years since the release of Dead End Kings touring the world, as well as expanding its fan base through two special albums on Kscope, the sister label of Peaceville. 2013 saw the release of Dethroned & Uncrowned which exploded the core of the songs on Dead End Kings creating new moods and textures. In 2015, the band released the live acoustic album and concert film, Sanctitude. Both releases illustrate the band’s journey toward this, its current more progressive sound.
The Fall of Hearts is the first record to feature new drummer Daniel ‘Mojjo’ Moilanen along with the addition of recently recruited guitarist Roger Öjersson (Tiamat), who came in just in time to sprinkle some blistering solos on the album. With its new lineup, Katatonia will continue to push its musical boundaries beyond its roots in the metal scene while drawing in new fans from across the musical spectrum like peers such as Opeth and Anathema have also done, cementing Katatonia’s place as one of the most revered and cherished of all bands in the world of modern heavy music.
Katatonia live: 3/12 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Metal Town Festival 4/29 – Kopervik, Norway @ Karmoygeddon Festival 6/19 – Clisson, France @ Hellfest 7/03 – Helsinki, Finland @ Tuska Festival 7/09 – Bouckenborgh, Belgium @ Anterwerp Metal Festival 7/10 – Bouckenborgh, Belgium @ Anterwerp Metal Festival 8/05 – Corroios, Portugal @ Vagos Open Air Festival 8/17 – Dinkelsbühl, Germany @ Summer Breeze Festival 8/18 – Dinkelsbühl, Germany @ Summer Breeze Festival 8/19 – Dinkelsbühl, Germany @ Summer Breeze Festival 8/20 – Dinkelsbühl, Germany @ Summer Breeze Festival
Katatonia is: Jonas Renkse – Vocals Anders Nyström – Guitar Roger Öjersson – Guitar Niklas Sandin – Bass Daniel Moilanen – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 20th, 2015 by JJ Koczan
As of the last I heard — by which I mean when I looked at their Thee Facebooks page just now — Swedish downer metallers Katatonia had finished tracking the drums for their upcoming 10th album. They’re in the studio now with none other than Karl Daniel Lidén, whose name should ring out owing to his work with the likes of Greenleaf and Dozer, going back to his time playing drums in the former act as well as Demon Cleaner circa the turn of the century. Lidén isn’t actually playing drums in Katatonia, as that duty has fallen to newcomer Daniel “Mojjo” Moilanen, but you can rest assured he’s made them sound fucking awesome, since that’s something that seems to be his specialty.
Next year will mark 15 since Katatonia issued Last Fair Deal Gone Down, a record that in many ways has set the tone for what they’ve done since. Just your little “time flies” tidbit for the day. Seems like Katatonia are also in the market for a second guitarist to work alongside Anders “Blakkheim” Nyström, who doubles in the deathly outfit Bloodbath.
Not-at-all current lineup photo and PR wire info follow:
KATATONIA ANNOUNCES NEW DRUMMER; ENTERS STUDIO TO BEGIN RECORDING NEW ALBUM
10th studio album due out next year on Peaceville
Swedish masters of melancholy, Katatonia, has confirmed details of its new band member, drummer Daniel ‘Mojjo’ Moilanen.
Vocalist Jonas Renkse recalled: “We first met Mojjo back in 2009 where his band at the time, Engel, had joined up with us and Paradise Lost on a U.K. tour and we soon realized we shared the same musical background and ideals. We stayed in touch over the years and when Daniel Liljekvist quit Katatonia in 2014 we decided to give Mojjo a call. He has now been with us for well over a year, so far only as a live member, but now is the time for him to join the Katatonia album cycle and most importantly – make his own impression on our new material. We can’t wait to see what this will lead to. Love him up!”
Mojjo added: “From 1993 via 2009 to 2014, from today and onward into future battles. I am thankful, delighted and proud to take part in the next phase of Katatonia and I am looking forward to the journey being as giving as it has been for the last 22 years.”
Along with Mojjo, Katatonia has entered Stockholm’s Studio Gröndahl with engineer Karl Daniel Lidén to commence the recording of its 10th album. The new album is due out in 2016 on Peaceville Records and follows up the 2012 Peaceville album Dead End Kings. More details on the band’s new album will be released in the coming weeks and months. Fans can look forward to updates from the studio on the official Katatonia Facebook page.
In addition, Katatonia has confirmed live shows for 2016. All announced dates can be seen below.
Stay tuned for more information on Katatonia.
Katatonia live… 2/04 – 2/08 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise 4/29 – Kopervik, Norway @ Karmoygeddon Festival 6/19 – Clisson, France @ Hellfest 7/03 – Helsinki, Finland @ Tuska Festival
