Though Florida is probably more known in terms of music geography for its death metal legacy than its contributions to doom or its sundry related genres, the truth is that the state has never wanted in that regard. Having produced Floor would be enough for me as regards namedrops, honestly, but consider the totality of the Cavity family tree or acts like Hollow Leg, Smoke Mountain, and it’s by no means the least doomed state in the union, if not a hotbed the way one thinks of California, Texas or Oregon. Nobody talks about New Jersey heavy either, but it exists.

Born to Burn Fest is a new-this-year all-dayer set to take place on April 20 at The Handlebar in Pensacola. An eight-band bill is headed by ASG from North Carolina and Red Beard Wall making the trip from Texas, while Smoke (from Louisiana? there was a Smoke in Virginia as well, though I’ve no doubt there’s room on earth for two acts with the moniker), Year of the Vulture, and Giger rounding out the non-Floridian portion of the bill, while Heavae Mundi, Gnarled and Slugger represent the more local sphere. And if you, like me, don’t know those bands, that’s exactly why I’m posting about the fest.

Cheers to Born to Burn on its first edition and its showcasing FL’s own among its import acts.

Details follow as posted on socials:

BORN TO BURN FEST – 04/20/2024

Pensacola has been steadily building its stoner rock/doom metal scene for the past few years and we decided it was time to celebrate on our most sacred of holidays. Join us for a night of talented bands from 6 different states. Follow the smoke towards the riff filled land!

Event page: https://facebook.com/events/s/born-to-burn-fest/1082829396100871/

ft.
ASG (NC)
RED BEARD WALL (TX)
SMOKE (LA)
YEAR OF THE VULTURE (MS)
GIGER (GA)
HEAVAE MUNDI (FL)
GNARLED (FL)
SLUGGER (FL)

The Handlebar
319 N Tarragona St, Pensacola, FL 32501

Doors @ 4:20
First Band @ 5:00

$25 ADVANCE (Tickets on sale Saturday 2/10)
$30 DAY OF

Red Beard Wall, 3 (2021)

Look at the blue text below and you know what you’re gonna see? Yes, a whole lot of skull emojis. Like a lot. But it happens that each individual one corresponds to a demonstration of the labor of love and community that is the Maryland Doom Festival. From Abel Blood through Zekiah, Maryland Doom Fest 2024 celebrates its 10th anniversary edition with its standard sans-bullshit glut of heavy. Once more the Frederick-based event looks your square in the eye, drops for absolutely immersive days on you and asks if you’re up for it. Well, are ya?

I’m not sure what my summer travel plans are yet — this and Freak Valley have overlapped the last couple years for me — but it’s been since 2019 that I was last down there and oh I’d be so eager to show up and have the three or four people who recognize me (and thus make it feel like an absolute family experience; love love love everywhere you go down there) quietly think to themselves I’ve gotten older and fatter en route to obliterating myself with volume for about 96 hours straight. Fuck. King. A.

Oh, and I hear Thunderbird Divine have new stuff in the works and it’s amazing. So that’s a thing too.

Social media had it like this:

We are super stoked to share with you the Maryland Doom Fest 2024 rosters, schedules, and lineups!!!

#4daysofdoom

THE MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2024

✝️Thursday June 20

Cafe 611-

💀 Thunderhorse
1115-1230
💀 The Magpie
1010-1055
💀 Born of Plagues
905-950
💀 Stone Nomads
800-845
💀 Pyre Fyre
700-740
💀 Dirt Eater
600-640

Olde Mother Brewery-

💀 Spellbook
920-1000
💀 Strange Highways
820-900
💀 Bailjack
720-800
💀 Stone Brew
620-700
💀 Abel Blood
520-600

✝️Friday June 21

Cafe 611-

💀 Diggeth
1215-120
💀 Shadow Witch
1110-1155
💀 Red Beard Wall
1010-1050
💀 CROP
910-950
💀 Almost Honest
810-850
💀 Cobra Whip
715-750
💀 The Crows Eye
620-655
💀 Stereo Christ
525-600

Olde Mother Brewery-

💀 Ten Ton Slug
915-1000
💀 Thousand Vision Mist
815-855
💀 Crowhunter
715-755
💀 Asthma Castle
615-655
💀 Bonded by Darkness
515-555

✝️Saturday June 22

Cafe 611-

💀 WHORES.
1150-115
💀 AGE/S
1040-1130
💀 Bloodshot
935-1020
💀 O ZORN!
830-915
💀 Double Planet
730-810
💀 Sun Years
630-710
💀 When the Deadbolt Breaks
530-610

Olde Mother Brewery-

💀 Black Water Rising
915-1000
💀 Switchblade Jesus
815-855
💀 Wyndrider
715-755
💀 Indus Valley Kings
615-655
💀 Vermillion Whiskey
515-555
💀 Doctor Smoke
415-455

✝️Sunday June 23

Cafe 611-

💀 Cirith Ungol
1200-110
💀 Mythosphere
1055-1140
💀 Conclave
955-1035
💀 Compression
855-935
💀 Sons of Arrakis
755-835
💀 Curse the Son
655-735
💀 Kulvera
555-635
💀 Old Blood
500-535
💀 Cloud Machine
405-440

Olde Mother Brewery-

💀 Thunderbird Divine
920-1000
💀 Black Manta
820-900
💀 High Noon Kahuna
720-800
💀 Unity Reggae
620-700
💀 King Bastard
520-600
💀 Zekiah
420-500

52 bands over a 4 day weekend at 2 venues across the street from one another!!
#4daysofdoom

WEEKEND PASSES: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-maryland-doom-fest-2024-tickets-732298202637?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://www.facebook.com/MdDoomFest/
www.marylanddoomfest.com

Thunderbird Divine, “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Babe” (Barry White cover)

With headlining performances slated from a soon-to-retire Cirith Ungol, noise crushers Whores., mostly-local melodic heavy proggers Mythosphere, Switchblade Jesus, Conclave, Ten Ton Slug (from Ireland; I got to see them one time; way burly; they’ll do well in Frederick), and plenty of other returning acts and newcomers alike, the lineup for Maryland Doom Fest 2024 could hardly be more appropriate a celebration of the annual Chesapeake gathering’s 10th anniversary. Based in Frederick, the four-day ultra-consuming sensory assault of volume will once again take place at Cafe 611 and Olde Mother Brewing, and if you’ve never been, I’ll tell you outright there’s nothing quite like it.

I mean that. Maryland Doom Fest goes harder than the average festival. A day might start at 1PM and not end until 2AM. And now more than ever, as the fest has grown with the two venues running alongside each other, the bill is packed. I think this year was 50 bands? Well, they’ve got 52 for 2024, and while next June is a while out, there’s a tradition to uphold of Halloween announcements, and festival honcho JB Matson (Bloodshot, War Injun, Outside Truth, etc.) pays tribute to his regulars — Shadow Witch, Bailjack, Thunderbird Divine, Thousand Vision Mist (congratulations to Danny Kenyon of Thousand Vision Mist on recently kicking cancer’s ass), among others here — while also giving showcase to outfits like Pyre Fyre, O Zorn! (whose very moniker heralds weirdness), WyndRider and more.

Congrats to Matson and all at Maryland Doom Fest on their 10th anniversary. To do something of this scope once is a lot. To do it across 10 years, well, aside from being fucking crazy, it’s also deeply admirable.

The aforementioned announcement — brief as ever; the poster lands heavy enough to cover any lack of verbiage — follows, courtesy of socials. Ticket link is there too:

WE ARE EXTREMELY PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU, THE MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2024 LINEUP!!!!!
THIS WILL BE OUR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!!
(#128128#)(#129304#)(#128128#)

52 bands over a 4 day weekend at 2 venues across the street from one another!!
#4daysofdoom

WEEKEND PASSES: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-maryland-doom-fest-2024-tickets-732298202637?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://www.facebook.com/MdDoomFest/
www.marylanddoomfest.com

Ten Ton Slug, Live at Red Crust Festival 2022

I don’t feel the need to even really say anything here. The lineup speaks for itself. And those who go to this year’s RippleFest Texas will also speak of it, for years, probably in a similar way people now talk about having been at this or that Emissions From the Monolith when that was going on in Ohio. The stuff of legend, in other words. Yeah, you can put on a fest and try to make it cool and fun, or you can do something like this and make it the highlight of everybody who attends’ year.

Kudos to Lick of My Spoon Productions and Ripple Music on a job well done. This will be something special. Bands have been leaked out one at a time at intermittent daily intervals, but the final lineup is out as of today, and it’s stunning. A blend of generations, a reach from on end of the country to the other, and a swath of the heavy underground all rallied in one place for a few days, pre- and after-parties included. Fucking a. If you’re attending, count yourself lucky.

As seen on socials:

Here it is! The full lineup for RippleFest Texas #3! This will be one for the ages with a stacked lineup and lots of special treats in between. Get your tickets now!

Amazing art by @1horsetown

* playing the Pre-Party
+ playing the Afterparty

King Buffalo, Acid King, Brant Bjork Trio, Sasquatch, Wo-Fat, Fatso Jetson, Mondo Generator, Unida, The Well+, The Atomic Bitchwax, Telekinetic Yeti*, Duel, Forming the Void, Hippie Death Cult, High Desert Queen*, Avon, War Cloud, Rubber Snake Charmers, Spirit Mother+, Kind, Nick Oliveri, Thunder Horse, Royal Sons+, Restless Spirit*, (Big) Pig, Fostermother, Dead Feathers+, Rainbows Are Free, Warlung*, Sun Voyager, Red Mesa, Dunes, Tia Carrera+, Mr. Plow, The Heroine*, Michael Rudolph Cummings, The Absurd+, GoodEye*, Red Beard Wall, God Damn Good Time Band+

Plus a “Legends of the Desert and Friends” jam session to close out Saturday night!

And as always, the visuals by The Mad Alchemist Liquid Light Show

All-Access passes are SOLD OUT! All we have left are 2 Day Passes and Pre/Afterparty tickets available. Many more bands to be announced! Get your tickets now before the full lineup is revealed and the ticket price goes up!

FESTIVAL TIX: https://bit.ly/faroutxripplefest
PREPARTY TIX: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ripplefest-texas-pre-party-tickets-548171905927
AFTERPARTY TIX: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ripplefest-texas-afterparty-tickets-548185095377
FB EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/1351567998746933/

https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LOMSProductions
https://www.instagram.com/LOMSProductions/
http://www.lickofmyspoon.com/
https://linktr.ee/Lickofmyspoon

King Buffalo, “Regenerator” live at Sonic Whip 2023

For the first time since its inception five years ago, the Heavy Mash Festival held each Fall in Arlington, Texas, will take place over two days. Mountain of Smoke headline Oct. 8 and fest-vets Doomstress headline Oct. 9, and joining them for Heavy Mash 2022 is a righteous cast from in and out of the Lone Star State, including first-timers The Angelus from Dallas, Dee Calhoun from Maryland, Fort Worth’s Novakain, Stone Machine Electric, whose Mark Kitchens organizes the event, Red Beard Wall, Monte Luna, The Infamists and more. Vorvon have played before, ditto for Orthodox Fuzz, but it’s been a few years, and with newcomers like Big Brown Bear and a first appearance from Phoenix’s Hudu Akil, there’s plenty to see.

In years past this site has been involved in presenting the fest and happy to do so. Not so much this year, it seems, but as Heavy Mash looks to expand in terms of reach and lineup, it makes sense to try to reach as many eyes and ears as possible, and well, it’s not like I’m not out here posting about it anyway. All the best to Kitchens and fellow organizer Anton Olson for another successful year and a rager Heavy Mash 2022. Looks like it’s gonna be a party.

So party:

HEAVY MASH 2022 – Oct 8 & 9

Heavy Mash 2022 is set for October 8th and 9th At Division Brewing in Arlington, Texas

Though we’re running a bit late on getting this out, Heavy Mash is back this year and ready to spend a couple of days doing what we love – listening to heavy music and watching these bands do what they do best! This will be the first year we’re letting loose for a 2-day event. Division Brewing and Growl Records will once again host us and the bands, and we hope you’re able to make it out and enjoy!

October 8th Lineup:
Mountain of Smoke
The Angelus
Monte Luna
Orthodox Fuzz
Red Beard Wall
Vorvon
Hudu Akil
Stone Machine Electric

October 9th Lineup:
Doomstress
The Infamists
Novakain
Dee Calhoun
Big Brown Bear

2-day passes available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heavy-mash-2022-with-mountain-of-smoke-doomstress-theangelus-and-more-tickets-397331989677

Event Sponsored by Division Brewing, Growl Records, and Toke Mage!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1087331922145245
https://www.facebook.com/heavymash/
https://www.instagram.com/heavymashfest

Mountain of Smoke, Imprinted (2022)

Doomstress, Sleep Among the Dead (2019)

With a by-now-signature blend of raw sludge and post-hardcore-style melodicism, West Texas’ Red Beard Wall signs to Desert Records for the forthcoming album 3, set to release on July 2. The follow-up to 2019’s The Fight Needs Us All (discussed here) pushes band mastermind/multi-instrumentalist Aaron Wall further along the particular course of purposeful and expressive songwriting — the first line of post-intro opener “Move Forth” is “Oh my god what the fuck have we done?” — and finds him bringing the melodic side of his vocal approach to new prominence in the band’s sound. Effective layering with throaty rasps make for an engaging and malleable dynamic, and even a later cut like “Leave Me Be,” which plays one off the other in verse/chorus fashion, does so fluidly with the crunch of ’90s noise in its riff and enough sludge tonality to be joyous in its harshness.

The ultimately positive nature of Wall‘s lyrics — even “Move Forth” is an encouraging statement, let alone “Keep Fighting” later on — is a distinguishing factor, and feels as much self-directed as outward. This record has been in the works for a while, but no doubt events of the last year played a role as well, and to find “My Brothers” at the center ahead of the first single “Liberate” (premiering below) speaks to the intensity of messaging throughout 3: “You’re a person/We care about what happens to you.” Where this melding of scathe and melody ultimately brings Red Beard Wall is “Home,” which wraps the nine-song/37-minute outing with a mosh-ready apex that feels like it’s just waiting to emanate at full volume from some stage, anywhere, at any time. Fingers crossed that might get to happen ever.

July, huh? That feels like a long time away, but it isn’t. 3 is the most complex and accomplished collection Red Beard Wall have yet done, and as you can see in the announcement below, label and artist alike are pretty thrilled to have come together to make it happen.

Dig:

RED BEARD WALL 3

Two years after the critically acclaimed sophomore effort “The Fight Needs Us All,” and touring incessantly to support it… the mighty Red Beard Wall are BACK!

“Welcome mutha-fuckin’ Red Beard Wall to the ever-growing Desert Records artist roster!” says label head Brad Frye. “This was a no-brainer right here. I’ve known Aaron for years through Red Mesa. He has the fire and passion that is nearly unparalleled in the heavy underground. His positive attitude and energy is contagious. I can’t wait for folks to hear this album… dig the first single, ‘Liberate!'”

The highly anticipated and aptly titled new album “3” has arrived in all its gnarly, yet beautiful amalgamation of heavy! “3” is the band’s most urgently emotional and honest collection of songs to date. Heavier than ever, gnarlier than ever, more passionate than ever, and on the flipside, more lush and beautiful than ever. Riff salad with a healthy side of groove soup.

“We are beyond honored to team up with the amazing and hella fast-rising Desert Records for RBW3!” echoes Red Beard Wall’s Aaron Wall. “Brad is our brother, so that makes it even more special. We’re focused on growing the band, the label, and our friendship. This is more than a collab… this is family. This is home. We can’t wait for you to hear and see what we do together! Gargantuan guaranteed!” Mad love, gratitude, and respect always!! ALL HAIL!!!”

Joining forces with the impeccable and cutting edge Desert Records for vinyl, digital, and cd release, scheduled for July 2, 2021. For fans of Floor, Torche, Helmet, and Snapcase. ALL HAIL Red Beard Wall!!!

Tracklisting:
1. Tap
2. Move Forth
3. Contrarian
4. Waste
5. My Brothers
6. Liberate
7. Leave Me Be
8. Keep Fighting
9. Home

https://www.facebook.com/redbeardwall/
https://www.instagram.com/redbeardwall/
https://redbeardwall.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel/
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://desertrecords.bigcartel.com/

Empowerment through sludge? Maybe. It’s as good a bet as anything I can give you, for sure. And Red Beard Wall make a fairly compelling case with The Fight Needs Us All, from which the new video for “Tell Me the Future of Existence” comes. The question the song is asking, “Can we destroy the world to save it/Or do we worship it to raise it?” feels particularly relevant for a reality that has changed shape multiple times over since Argonauta Records released the album in Feb. 2019. Remember how simple things were when we were only locking kids in cages? Ah, those were the days… also of horror.

Anyhoo, I have no doubt that by now you’ve dug into The Fight Needs Us All one way or the other, and in so doing, taken at least a core sample of what it is that the band’s founder, songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Aaron Wall has on offer in terms of blending sludge with more aggressive groove-style chugging. His rasp reminds of Kenny Bones of Negative Reaction and his oft-intertwined clean vocals almost speak to a rawer Page Hamilton — at least to my child-of-’90s-aggro ears — but for what’s essentially a one-man outfit with George Trujillo playing drums live, there’s more than enough subtlety to the changes from one moment to the next to hold fickle listeners despite both the scathe and the relatively barebones production that, one suspects, does little to encompass the full tonal breadth Red Beard Wall bring on stage, despite lacking no impact in itself. That is to say, when the bounce of “To My Queen” hits into the nod, I’d imagine that standing in front of the speaker cabinets it might sound like oblivion, and intentionally so.

And if one has to go out, there are certainly worse ways. “Tell Me the Future of Existence” appears late in The Fight Needs Us All, between “Reign of Ignorance” and the closing title-track, and if the theme is having something to say, Wall certainly passes muster. As Wall explained in his recent days of rona and notes again below, a new Red Beard Wall album is in progress to follow-up The Fight Needs Us All, though perhaps since touring would seem to be something of an impossibility, perhaps it’s all the better that the still-current full-length gets the excuse for a revisit that the new video provides. Aside from the message of the song itself, which, again, is nothing if not an apt description of the times in which we live, even as those times seem to morph daily into unforeseen surrealities, and the visual accompaniment given in images of mass protest and rallying for righteous causes, the track rocks. That always helps too, as far as I’m concerned.

More to come on the new Red Beard Wall when I hear (of) it. Until then, enjoy “Tell Me the Future of Existence” below, followed by a few words from Wall himself:

Red Beard Wall, “Tell Me the Future of Existence” official video premiere

Aaron Wall on “Tell Me the Future of Existence”:

“As we record and put finishing touches on the new RBW album, we thought it very apropos and vital to release this video/song to the world. While it was written over two years ago, it speaks to NOW more than I could’ve imagined. We humbly ask ALL, to listen, stand up, and ACT. Revolt. Revolt. Revolt. Revolution is ours. The Fight Needs Us All. ALL LOVE. ALL RESPECT. ALL HAIL!!!”

Red Beard Wall, The Fight Needs Us All (2019)

Red Beard Wall on Thee Facebooks

Red Beard Wall on Instagram

Red Beard Wall on Bandcamp

Argonauta Records website

Argonauta Records on Thee Facebooks

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: Aaron Wall of Red Beard Wall (Plainview, Texas)

—

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?

It has been a definite shock to the system! We’ve had quite a few amazing shows cancelled, including SXSW. Our rehearsals have been put on indefinite hold, due to the fact that drummer Brent Standifer is located six hours away. We’ve just basically had to adapt to a completely new way of operating. Our mindset basically has gone from a regular band, to more of a focus on being a social media content creator, merch salesman, etc.

The silver lining, I suppose, is we now have the time needed to focus on getting the next album done, and hopefully released much sooner than anticipated. We’re doing our best to be chameleons and adjust and adapt. Constant forward progression, no matter circumstance. That’s the motto. Now and always.

Brent, mine, and our families’ health are good so far. We’re doing our part to slow the curve, so we can get back out there, and bring the people what they want and in turn ourselves as well!

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

I live in a rural, somewhat unpopulated area of West Texas so our rules are pretty lax as of yet, in this immediate area. I and my family are being proactive and sheltering in place. Gotta do my part even though the restrictions aren’t as tight here at this point. Brent lives in the San Antonio area so their restrictions are much stiffer. Such a weird time.

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

Its affected our peers in so many ways! Our promoter buds, our venues, staff, and musician friends are struggling. So many are service industry peeps. Feels like the rug got pulled out from underneath us. We’re all just trying to figure out how to make things work and get by until we can get back to doing what we do. It’s our whole life, it’s who we are at the core, so it’s been extremely difficult. We just have to help each other, in any and all ways possible. Especially now, but ALWAYS!

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

What Red Beard Wall wants everyone to know is… Brent and I are here for the community. We are all about love, gratitude, and positivity. We come with hope, good vibes, and anything tangible or helpful we possibly can. We are extremely accessible to ALL. Holla if you need us. We are always willing to lend an ear, or to give words, and actions of encouragement. Be safe! Stay healthy! ALL LOVE. ALL RESPECT. ALL GRATITUDE. ALL HAIL!!!

https://www.facebook.com/redbeardwall/
https://www.instagram.com/redbeardwall/
https://redbeardwall.bandcamp.com/
www.argonautarecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords/