Posted in Whathaveyou on March 27th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Pittsburgh-based underground festival Descendants of Crom has announced its first annual rRitual showcase for April 5. The night will feature six acts — three locals, three out-of-towners — and will get a still-probably-gonna-finish-late early start at 7:30.
If you saw that post a little over a week ago about the Temptress and Thunderchief tour, yeah, this is a stop on it and an occasion for the tour itself. The darkly progressive Axioma from Cleveland are the third import outfit, while the hometeam will be represented by Funerals, with former members of Horehound, as well as Altar and the Bull and Gloom Doom.
Yes, I realize this is next week. No, I’m not necessarily thinking everyone who sees this is going to drop whatever they’re doing and fly to Western PA next weekend. But maybe you are going there, or maybe someone you know is, or maybe you haven’t heard these bands before and it’s a name to chase down next time you’re bored. I don’t know, but it’s a thing that’s happening and apparently the intent is to make it an annual event to complement Descendants of Crom, which is Blackseed Services‘ prior-established festival offering. This may then be the first — I can’t help but roll the ‘r’ — rRitual of many to come.
Maybe I’m just happy I get to spend my days sitting at the computer listening to music and writing about it and so something like this comes along and I’m like “Oh so that wasn’t a spelling mistake in that Thunderchief post” and then one post leads to another leads to another and all of a sudden it’s been like 16 years and here you are. I had a friend send me a letter the other day. He signed it, “keep writing.” Shit, man. I can’t seem to stop.
If you do go, I hope it’s a blast. Here’s the info, ticket link and such:
rRitual: First Annual Descendants of Crom Showcase
Presented by Blackseed Services, this special event will be an annual showcase mixer, focusing on the darker, atmospheric styles. Doom/Stoner/Sludge/Blackened.
Featuring: Temptress (NC/TX) Thunderchief (Richmond) Axioma (Cleveland) with local support: Funerals Altar and the Bull Gloom Doom
Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 13th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
This is some nasty, nasty shit. I wouldn’t lie to you. Bottom line, top line and all lines in between — nasty.
Based in Pittsburgh and having just last month put up their two initial singles — “Hollow Eyes,” for which a lyric video premieres below, and the concurrent “The Burden We Have Become” — Passing Bell are a new band that pulls together members of Horehound, The Long Hunt and others and who have set themselves immediately to the work of vicious stylization. The harsh, largely indecipherable barks of vocalist Kevin Tuite — good thing it’s a lyric video — are the flay to coincide with the bludgeon of riff in “Hollow Eyes,” and though it and its companion piece are relatively short at under five minutes, that’s plenty of time for Tuite, guitarist/engineer Trevor Richards, bassist Russ Johnson and drummer Christian Dean to affect a mood (by souring it) and entrench themselves onto the brain of the listener, there to fester.
The lyrics for “Hollow Eyes” are below — why not? I never include lyrics but probably should — and surely lines like “Hollow eyes reflect across darkened water under starless skies” give some impression on their own of where Passing Bell are coming from. “Fester” is in there too, as part of a litany of grim descriptives to go along with the biting instrumentation behind. So is this the part where I say that given the extreme nature of the music, listeners should be advised before taking it on that it’s not going to be for everybody? You bet your ass it is. While “Hollow Eyes” and “The Burden We Have Become” both have one foot in a rock-based groove, the other has a boot on your larynx, and admittedly, that’s not something universally accessible. If you can get on board with the rawer side of Passing Bell as they present themselves here, so much the better. Go see them live. Be a fan. Caustic bands need love too, mate. Get in there with hugs and enjoy.
Lovey dovey. If you can’t hear that here, in the overarching catharsis if nowhere else in the four and a half-ish minutes, that’s okay. Some bands make it a challenge.
Please enjoy:
Passing Bell, “Hollow Eyes” lyric video premiere
From Crevices so dark the moon dare not spare light Hollow eyes reflect across darkened water under starless skies
An abhorrent wind does spring forth Driven forward, reins held by the cursed whispers gasped from a mouth of multiple tongues
Hollow eyes reflect across darkened water under starless skies a lasso cast by the (sinister) Advancing in violent bursts etching beauty to jagged stone.
A scorched and tarred trail of festering slime is what’s left behind A mother of amphibious plains beckons A corrupt summons an invitation utterly blasphemous
Hollow eyes reflect across darkened water under starless skies
Embark into the wild under the distant darkened sky Join her scaled womb draped in moss Marinate in the fetid waters of the desolate marsh
released January 10, 2025
Passing Bell are: Kevin Tuite : Vocals & Lyrics Christian Dean: Drums Russ Johnson: Bass Trevor Richards: Guitar
Album photography by Russ Johnson. Recording and mixing by Trevor Richards.
Posted in Bootleg Theater on November 12th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
This week, Pittsburgh drone guitarist Fuzznaut — né Emilio Rizzo — is set on Nov. 15 to issue the latest single from the solo-project, the tellingly-titled “Earbleeder.” From a more irony-prone outfit/player, one might expect some element of misdirect behind the title, like Rizzo would call it “Earbleeder” and just have it be a four-minute tone-waffling drone — nothing against that, mind you — but though seemingly committed to an instrumentalist foundation, Fuzznaut have used titles to convey intention before, and “Earbleeder” should be viewed no differently. It is the fourth and likely final single of 2024 for Rizzo, following behind February’s “Sufferlove” (premiered here), May’s “Spacerock” (hey, can’t catch ’em all), and September’s “Wind Doula” (review here), and like its predecessors, it draws attention to just how broad a stylistic expanse one can accomplish with just the guitar and effects.
The name “Earbleeder” likely refers to the distortion with which most of the song is executed (one never knows, but that’s a way to read it, anyhow), which is rawer than was “Wind Doula,” though certainly that most-recent-until-now track had its rumbling and distorted aspects as well. “Earbleeder” feels even more open in comparison, perhaps just as a result of the largesse in Rizzo‘s application of tone and the reverb reaching out therefrom, but it gets as wide as it does tall. Though there are no drums, Dylan Carlson and Earth remain strong points of influence for Rizzo, and some of “Earbleeder”‘s character can be traced to that, but shortly before three minutes into the song’s four and a half, there emerges a r-i-f-f riff that is purposefully solid so that another layer can take hold overtop and lead into the fade with due ethereality. As for evocation or meditation, that feels like less the priority here, but I have to admit part of that is the power of suggestion. I’m sure if Rizzo had called it “Sitting by a Campfire at Night Thinking About Stars,” in all likelihood I’d be singing praises for the specificity of the impression. These things are all subjective, is what I’m saying. Regardless of what it’s called, “Earbleeder” wants nothing for immersion.
An accordingly atmospheric video for the song, which again lands this Friday on streaming outlets, follows here. I put “Wind Doula” at the bottom too, in case you want to do a side-by-side and see where you end up.
Fuzz was born from overloaded signals—a happy accident that gives music a powerful, psychoacoustic edge. Fuzznaut’s Earbleeder blends the heavy fuzz of doom with the distorted intensity of post-metal, creating a sonic landscape that’s as crushing as it is cohesive.
Stock footage from Freepik/Pixbay releases November 15 2024 Fuzznaut “Earbleeder” Digital Release Leafy Brain Recordings Time: 4:40 Mixed and Mastered by Fuzznaut at Leafy Brain Sounds 2023-2024. Artwork by Fuzznaut
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 5th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Underground denizens in Pittsburgh or out might recognize Gero von Dehn from his work in Zom — whose reach is by no means limited to their hometown; they’ve toured the UK and Iceland — and with Gero and the Martyrs, von Dehn steps not only beyond that “main project” but crosses genre lines as well into a kind of ’90s-informed alt-rock singer-songwriterism. The roots of what he’s doing remain heavy, but the initial single “Offer of a Lifetime” puts distortion on the backburner and feels traditionalist in bringing the vocals to the forefront, a classic modus for a project that obviously has designs on more complex fare.
I don’t know that it’s really a fit with what this site covers, but I do know that the notion of “a fit” in the first place is something made up in my head, and that good songs win ears regardless of the aesthetic veneer they might wear. You can hear for yourself as “Offer of a Lifetime” streams at the bottom of this post and von Dehn gives some background on his backing band and the project through the PR wire.
Goes like this:
Gero and the Martyrs announce new album and release first single.
Songwriter, vocalist and guitarist, Gero von Dehn, has taken a detour of sorts from his many rock n’ roll endeavors for this collection of songs that taps into an entirely new realm of musical territory.
In search of the best available talent to participate in this adventure, von Dehn collected some of the most skilled and accomplished musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds and styles.
After von Dehn entered the studio to track the acoustic guitars, his old friend and co-collaborator Andrew D’Cagna jumped onboard to engineer the record and perform percussion duties. D’Cagna is a wizard like multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer as well as a veteran of numerous acts across many genres.
Another familiar name was enlisted when von Dehn’s former bandmate, Alexander Fitz, agreed to handle bass duties. The uber talented and highly unique, finger picker worked tirelessly to not just hold down the low end but to add enormous flavor to each composition.
The final piece of the puzzle came only after an exhaustive search for just the right player. That arrived gloriously in the form of highly accomplished jazz guitarist, Matthew Charles Heulitt. With the chops to shine in almost any genre, Heulitt layered colors of electric guitar that lifted each song to gorgeous, emotional heights.
The songs that comprise this record were a deep emotional journey and each musician composed with absolute freedom to dig deep artistically and to collectively build this record into a magnificent painting of the many colors of the heart and soul.
Posted in Reviews on October 11th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
I got a note from the contact form a bit ago in my email, which happens enough that it’s not really news, except that it wasn’t addressed to me. That happens sometimes too. A band has a form letter they send out with info — it’s not the most personal touch, but has a purpose and doesn’t preclude following-up individually — or just wants to say the same thing to however many outlets. Fair game. This was specifically addressed to somebody else. And it kind of ends with the band saying to send a donation link, like, “Wink wink we donate and you post our stuff.”
Well shit. You mean I coulda been making fat stacks off these stoner bands all the while? Living in my dream house with C.O.C. on the outdoor speakers just by exploiting a couple acts trying to get their riffs heard? Well I’ll be damned. Yeah man, here’s my donation link. Daddy needs a new pair of orthopedic flip-flops. I’ma never pay taxes again.
Life, sometimes.
Quarterly Review #41-50:
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Alunah, Fever Dream
The seventh full-length from UK outfit Alunah, Fever Dream, will be immediately noteworthy for being the band’s last (though one never knows) with vocalist Siân Greenaway fronting the band, presiding over an era of transition when they had to find a new identity for themselves. Fever Dream is the third Alunah LP with Greenaway, and its nine songs show plainly how far the band has come in the six-plus years of her tenure. “Never Too Late” kicks off with both feet at the intersection of heavy rock and classic metal, with a hook besides, and “Trickster of Time” follows up with boogie and flute, because you’re special and deserve nice things. The four-piece as they are here — Greenaway on vocals (and flute), guitarist Matt Noble, bassist Dan Burchmore and founding drummer Jake Mason — are able to bring some drama in “Fever Dream,” to imagine lone-guitar metal Thin Lizzy in the solo of the swaggering “Hazy Jane,” go from pastoral to crushing in “Celestial” and touch on prog in “The Odyssey.” The finale “I’ve Paid the Price” tips into piano grandiosity, but by the time they get there, it feels earned. A worthy culmination for this version of this band.
Swiss heavy post-hardcore unit Coilguns‘ fourth LP and the first in five years, though they’ve had EPs and splits in that time, Odd Love offers 11 songs across an adventurous 48 minutes, alternately raw or lush, hitting hard with a slamming impact or careening or twisting around, mathy and angular. In “Generic Skincare,” it’s both and a jet-engine riff to boot. Atmosphere comes to the fore on “Caravel,” the early going of “Featherweight” and the later “The Wind to Wash the Pain,” but even the most straight-ahead moments of charge have some richer context around them, whether that’s the monstrous tension and release of capper “Bunker Vaults” or, well, the monstrous tension and release of “Black Chyme” earlier on. It’s not the kind of thing I always reach for, but Coilguns make post-hardcore disaffection sound like a good time, with intensity and spaciousness interwoven in their style and a vicious streak that comes out on the regular. Four records deep, the band know what they’re about but are still exploring.
Subconscious Awakening is Robot God‘s second album of 2024 and works in a similar two-sides/four-songs structure as the preceding Portal Within, released this past Spring, where each half of the record is subdivided into one longer and shorter song. It feels even more purposeful on Subconscious Awakening since both “Mandatory Remedy” and “Sonic Crucifixion” both hover around eight and a half minutes while side A opens with the 13-minute “Blind Serpent” and side B with the 11-minute title-track. Rife with textured effects, some samples, and thoughtful melodic vocals, Subconscious Awakening of course shares some similarity of purpose with Portal Within, which was also recorded at the same time, but a song like “Sonic Crucifixion” creates its own sprawl, and the outward movement between that closer and the title-track before it underscores the progressivism at work in the band’s sound amid tonal heft and complex, sometimes linear structures. Takes some concentration to wield that kind of groove.
Especially for an experimentalist, drone-based act who relies on audience theater-of-the-mind as a necessary component of appreciating its output, Pittsburgh solo outfit Fuzznaut — aka guitarist Emilio Rizzo — makes narrative a part of what the band does. Earlier this year, Fuzznaut‘s “Space Rock” single reaped wide praise for its cosmic aspects. “Wind Doula” specifically cites Neil Young‘s soundtrack for the film Dead Man as an influence, and thus brings four minutes more closely tied to empty spread of prairie, perhaps with some filtering being done through Earth‘s own take on the style as heard in 2005’s seminal Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method. One has to wonder if, had Rizzo issued “Wind Doula” with a picture of an astronaut floating free on its cover, it would be the cosmic microwave background present in the track instead of stark wind across the Great Plains, but there’s much more to Fuzznaut than self-awareness and the power of suggestion. Chalk up another aesthetic tryout that works.
Trad metal enthusiasts will delight at the specificity of the moment in the history of the style Void Moon interpret on their fourth album, Dreams Inside the Sun. It’s not that they’re pretending outright that it’s 1986, like the Swedish two-piece of guitarist/bassist Peter Svensson and drummer/vocalist Marcus Rosenqvist are wearing hightops and trying to convince you they’re Candlemass, but that era is present in the songwriting and production throughout Dreams Inside the Sun, even if the sound of the record is less directly anachronistic and their metallurgical underpinnings aren’t limited to doom between slowed down thrash riffs, power-metal-style vocalizing and the consuming Iommic nod of “East of the Sun” meeting with a Solitude Aeturnus-style chug, all the more righteous for being brought in to serve the song rather than to simply demonstrate craft. That is to say, the relative barn-burner “Broken Skies” and the all-in eight-minute closer “The Wolf (At the End of the World,” which has some folk in its verse as well, use a purposefully familiar foundation as a starting point for the band to carve their own niche, and it very much works.
Best known for slinging his six-string alongside brother Kyle Juett in Texas rockers Mothership, Kelley Juett‘s debut solo offering, Wandering West pulls far away from that classic power trio in intention while still keeping Juett‘s primary instrument as the focus. Some loops and layering don’t quite bring Wandering West the same kind of experimental feel as, say, Blackwolfgoat or a similar guitarist-gonna-guitar exploratory project, but they sit well nonetheless alongside the fluid noodling of Juett‘s drumless self-jams. He backs his own solo in centerpiece “Breezin’,” and the subsequent “Electric Dreamland” seems to use the empty space as much as the notes being cast out into it to create its sense of ambience, so if part of what Juett is doing on Wandering West is beginning the process of figuring out who he is as a solo artist, he’s someone who can turn a seven-minute meander like “Lonely One” (playing off Mos Generator?) into a bluesy contemplation of evolving reach, the guitar perfectly content to talk to itself if there’s nobody else around. Time may show it to be formative, but let the future worry about the future. There’s a lot to dig into, here and now.
With vocalists Kristian Eivind Espedal (Gaahls Wyrd, Trelldom, ex-Gorgoroth, etc.) and Lindy-Fay Hella (Wardruna, solo, etc.), guitarist Ronny “Valgard” Stavestrand (Trelldom) and drummer/bassist/keyboardist/producer Iver Sandøy (Enslaved, Relentless Agression, etc.), who also helmed (most of) the recording and mixed and mastered, Whispering Void easily could have fallen into the trap of being no more than the sum of its pedigree. Instead, the seven songs on debut album At the Sound of the Heart harness aspects of Norwegian folk for a rock sound that’s dark enough for the lower semi-growls in the eponymous “Whispering Void” to feel like they’re playing toward a gothic sentiment that’s not out of character when there’s so much melancholy around generally. Mid-period Anathema feel like a reference point for “Lauvvind” and the surging “We Are Here” later on, and by that I mean the album is intricately textured and absolutely gorgeous and you’ll be lucky if you take this as your cue to hear it.
You know how sometimes in a workplace where there’s a Boss With Personality™, there might be a novelty sign or a desk tchotchke that says, “The beatings will continue until morale improves?” Like, haha, in addition to wage theft you might get smacked if you get uppity about, say, wage theft? Fine. Orme sound like what happens when morale doesn’t improve. The 24-minute single-song No Serpents, No Saviours EP comes a little more than a year after the band’s two-song/double-vinyl self-titled debut (review here) and finds them likewise at home in longform songwriting. There are elements of death-doom, but Orme are sludgier in their presentation, and so wind up able to be morose and filthy in kind, moving from the opening crush through a quiet stretch after six minutes in that builds into persistent thuds before dropping out again, a sample helping mark the transitions between movements, and a succession of massive lumbering parts trading off leading into a final march that feels as tall as it is wide. I like that, in a time where the trend is so geared toward lush melody, Orme are unrepentantly nasty.
Budapest instrumentalist duo Azutmaga make their full-length debut with the aptly-titled Offering, compiling nine single-word-title pieces that reside stylistically somewhere between sludge metal and doom. Self-recorded by guitarist Patrik Veréb (who also mixed and mastered at Terem Studio) and self-released by Veréb and drummer Martin Várszegi, it’s a relatively stripped-down procession, but not lacking breadth as the longer “Aura” builds up to its full roll or the minute-long “Orca” provides an acoustic break ahead of the languid big-swing semi-psychedelia of “Mirror,” informed by Eastern European folk melodies but ready to depart into less terrestrial spheres. It should come as no surprise that “Portal” follows. Offering might at first give something of a monolithic impression as “Purge” calls to mind Earth‘s steady drone rock, but Azutmaga have a whole other level of volume to unfurl. Just so happens their dynamic goes from loud to louder.
After trickling out singles for over a year, including the title-track of the album and, in 2022, an early version of the instrumental “The Freaks Come Out at Night” that may or may not have been from before vocalist Virginie D. joined the band, the hashtag-named #chaleurhumaine delights in shirking heavy rock conventions, whether it’s the French-language lyrics or divergences into punk and harder fare, but nothing here — regardless of one’s linguistic background — is so challenging as to be inaccessible. Catchy songs are catchy, whether that’s “Fada Fighters” or “La Diable au Corps,” which dares a bit of harmonica along with its full-toned blues rock riffing. Likewise, nowhere the album goes feels beyond the band’s reach, and while “La Ligne” doesn’t sound especially daring as it plays up the brighter pop in its verse and shove of a chorus, well made songs never have any trouble finding welcome. I’m not sure why it’s a hashtag, but #chaleurhumaine feels complete and engaging, at once familiar and nothing so much as itself.
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 21st, 2024 by JJ Koczan
I mean, yeah, Descendants of Crom VI had me at Stinking Lizaveta. Of course. But they also had me at Faerie Ring, Blessed Black, Slow Wake, The Long Hunt and Rebreather, for whatever that’s worth. The Pittsburgh-based Descendants of Crom fest has always done well in pulling not only from the local underground, which remains vital, but from the Midwest too, and you can see that consistency in the lineup announcement below. With a half-day Friday and a full Saturday of bands, it’s a manageable, not-overwhelming amount of stuff; doesn’t seem unreasonable to think you could go, see all of it, and not regret doing so when it’s over. I’ve never been, but I’ve always wanted to.
The all-important ticket link, plus info and whatnot follow here, as yoinked off the event page on social media:
ATTENTION: Early Crow ticket pricing is available until 8/29.
8/30 tickets will increase so commit soon!
Pittsburgh’s heavy underground music scene is about to get a massive boost with the return of Descendants of Crom VI, set to take place at the Shred Shed in Allentown. This year’s festival promises a lineup that will shake the foundations with a mix of sludge, doom, psych, noise, hardcore, and post-metal, featuring both local and regional artists.
*Friday Night (7 PM Doors / 8 PM Start): Sundras Blessed Black (Cinci) Faerie Ring (Indy) Stinking Lizaveta (Philly)
*Saturday (2 PM Doors / 2:30 PM Start): Mires Slow Wake (Cleveland) Star Viper The Long Hunt Pillärs (Cleveland) FUNERALS Axioma (Cleveland) Úzkost Passover Rebreather (Youngstown) Spotlights (BKNY/Pgh)
In addition to the incredible lineup, descendant-goers can look forward to beverages, food from Onion Maiden, and a variety of vendors. DOC VI is all-ages and an all-inclusive experience. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the regional heavy underground sounds and what the incredible Pittsburgh community has to offer, here.
Tickets are available now. Get yours and stay tuned for more news and updates as we get closer to the event. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this epic celebration of heavy, heavy music.
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 4th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Pittsburgh atmospheric sludgers Horehound have announced their breakup. Their last show was May 17, so it’s pretty fresh, and they leave after issuing their best work in 2022’s Collapse (discussed here) and immediately heralding a new band in the works from vocalist/synthesist Shy Kennedy, bassist Russ Johnson and drummer Dan Moore. Presumably there will be a guitarist involved there as well, even if it’s not Brendan Parrish, but I’ll be curious to hear if it’s a situation where there was a stark enough sonic shift they wanted to undertake that they had to drop one name and pick up another, or whatever the next band might be called or sound like in relation to their work in Horehound, which saw plenty of progression during the band’s time. I guess we’ll have to see.
In any case, this is a band I’m glad I got to watch play live, whose work consistently grew, and who seem to be continuing that growth even as they shed one skin to grow another. Their announcement was quick and made through the ol’ social medias:
🎶 After 9 incredible years, it’s with mixed emotions that we announce the end of our journey as Horehound. We want to express our deepest gratitude to our fans, friends, promoters, and venues who’ve supported us along the way. Your passion has been the driving force behind our music, and we couldn’t be more thankful. While Horehound may be coming to a close, the music doesn’t stop here. Russ, Dan, and I are excited to embark on a new project together, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this next chapter. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for an unforgettable ride. 🤘 Love, Shy 🖤 #Horehound #NewBeginnings #StayTuned2024
Horehound is: Brendan Parrish (Guitar) Russ Johnson (Bass) Dan Moore (Drums) Shy Kennedy (Vocals/Synth)
This Friday, Pittsburgh drone guitarist Emilio Rizzo, otherwise known as Fuzznaut, will release the new single “Sufferlove,” as the first outing from the project since 2022’s Apophenia (review here) full-length. And like that album, “Sufferlove” cries out into empty space with solo guitar and unmitigated breadth, creating and inhabiting an atmosphere that draws the listener further across the five-and-a-half-minute expanse. Cycles of ‘riff’ bleed in amid the ambient sprawl, and with a title that perhaps hints toward its expressive purpose, an emotional crux is conveyed along with the depth of tone and the weight that emerges in the second half of the piece.
That’s a contrast — tonally, between air and earth — which Rizzo readily identifies in his own work, and which is audible in the track itself. It comes through immediately in the meditative vibe at the outset of “Sufferlove,” which echoes out not too far removed from Lamp of the Universe before finding and exploring its own space as Fuzznaut makes it sound much easier to do than it actually is, and the harder, lower-noted distortion strum that arrives at 1:35 broadens the scope of the nonetheless hypnotic piece, which cycles through the back and forth again before a thoughtful bridge leads to the more open-sounding progression — the air — to finish, interpreting a classic structure from what in another context might’ve manifest as verse/chorus/verse with a clarity of intent in following a different path.
I’ve done a few premieres for Fuzznaut at this point. Both the video for “5184” that you can see below the entirety of Apophenia that’s also down there streaming made their debut here. As Rizzo perhaps looks to move forward from the 2022 LP and headed to another collection of one sort or another, “Sufferlove” brings quick assurance of progression in sound, and one would expect no less.
Whatever it may lead to, “Sufferlove” is out Friday as a standalone single, and its patience, resonance and groove live up to that challenge of representing Fuzznaut post-Apophenia.
Enjoy:
Emilio Rizzo on “Sufferlove”:
Meditation is the practice of death. A practice of immersion and dissociation. Similar to shoegazers staring at their pedals and shoes. Are they shy or fully immersed in their music that all they can do is stare at the ground? Present and absent. Sufferlove by guitarist Fuzznaut is the sonic performance of creating a state of non return. As intangible as that might be, the latest single brings mind bending tones that are further grounded in shoegaze. However, the guitarist continues to inject crushing down tuned riffs in between the flurry of pitch bending vibrato, and fuzzed out drones. At 5:33 seconds one cannot help to be engaged in the flurry of tones, and either be lifted or grounded. Either way it’s a trip to another sonic dimension.
Fuzznaut “Sufferlove” Single 2/2024 Digital Release Independent Time: 5:33
Mixed and MASTERED BY Fuzznaut at Leafy Brain Sounds 2023-2024. Artwork by Fuzznaut
