Just over a month ago, Ukrainian four-piece Ethereal Riffian saw fit to premiere the video here for the title-track of their forthcoming long-player, Legends. Details about the album at that point were pretty sparse, but now we’ve at least got cover, tracklisting and a proper release date to go on, as well as some information on the pressings. As ever, the Kiev-based meditative outfit have a host of differences between formats planned, including different masters and designs, as well as a box set edition to come from Robustfellow Productions. It is the band’s third album and first in half a decade — though they’ve hardly been idle in that time — and the release date is Sept. 6.

If you missed the video the first time around, it’s here at the bottom, and if you’re familiar with the band’s back catalog, I’m sure you’ll find it surprising in its straightforward attack. I’m still curious as to how that will play into the rest of the record, but at least now I know when we’ll find out.

From the PR wire:

Ethereal Riffian announce release details for “Legends”

Ethereal Riffian’s third full-length will be released via Robustfellow Prods. on the 6th of September 2019. Entitled “Legends”, the album will be available on CD/LP/MC and Digital format. Each album version will feature a different audio master and exclusive design. There will be a limited edition box prepared by the label and the band will allow you to dive deep into this massive legendary release.

‘Legends’ tracklist:

Sage’s Alchemy
Born Again
Dreamgazer
Legends
Kosmic
Unconquerable
Moonflower
Pain to Wisdom
Yeti’s Hide
Ethereal Path

The latest LP released by Ethereal Riffian, “Aeonian”, was released in January 2014, which makes of ‘Legends’ the band’s first full-length in more than five years. First single and music video from ‘Legends’ was released on the 14th of May. Artwork by Yura ‘xninja’ Nagorniy.

Ethereal Riffian is:
Val Kornev (aka Stonezilla) – guitar/vocal/lyrics
Alexander Kornev (aka SAF) – bass
Max Yuhimenko (aka Southman) – lead guitar
Nikita Shipovskoi (aka Ship) – drums

https://etherealriffian.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/etherealriffian/
https://www.instagram.com/etherealriffian/
https://twitter.com/EtherealRiffian
https://vk.com/etherealriffian
https://www.facebook.com/RobustfellowProds
https://robustfellow.bandcamp.com/

Ethereal Riffian, “Legends” official video

Ukrainian aggro atmospheric noise specialists Soom have a new video for from their 2018 album, Djebars, which was a record that bridged gutter-sludge disaffection with an inhumane amount of bombast, landing somewhere between ’90s dark artrock and dirtier, more tonally weighted fare. Atmospherically, “Wheelchair” offers nine-plus minutes of fuckall assault, the coating of filth prevalent in a sense of overarching nastiness. No part of it is aiming toward accessibility, but there is an expressive purpose behind what the band are doing, and their spaciousness both on “Wheelchair” and Djebars as a whole comes coupled with a pervasive claustrophobia. It’s a big world and you are trapped inside yourself.

If the notion freaks you out, you’re probably in a proper headspace for digging into the track, though I’ll say that if you’re sensitive to flashing lights or quick cuts or anything like that, you might be better off hitting up one of the several Bandcamps available as Soom worked with multiple labels on the release of Djebars, among them Robustfellow Productions and Voron Nest. The story is somewhat opaque, but seems to revolve itself around a central character coming to grips with the fact that he’s stuck in time or something thereabouts. Rest assured, the actual video is way more horrifying than that description makes it sound, a cerebral and periodically demonic exercise and psychological fuckery.

But hey, maybe that’s your thing. If it is, go ahead and dig into “Wheelchair” below.

And enjoy:

Soom, “Wheelchair” official video

Slow machine of hate to soberness and impatience to objective reality from the city of Kharkiv (Ukraine), Soom proudly presents their own music video full of fear and loathing mixed with the love to their native city. Made by Anastasia Khomenko, the video tells the story about Djebars, who stuck forever in the moment when clock is working but has stopped on a 19:36 mark. Strong track about wasted spirit for the strong ears commented by the Soom’s frontman Oleksa Kovalov-Blidyi:

“Described story ?s based on a Pale aesthetics. It is neither light, nor dark, just immersed in its own Universe, the road to which lies through the searching of drug hiding place, using the “wheelchair” — bad quality synthetic drugs. For one it’s self-destruction, for another — salvation. It just exists and there is must be no attitude, like to anything in Universe, because everybody has its own way to All & Nothing. We see it like an ugly version of beautiful, let everyone of you see the same”.

Line-up:
Kova — guitar, vocals
Tomrer — bass
Amorth — drums

Soom on Bandcamp

Addicted Label Bandcamp

Robustfellow Productions Bandcamp

Voron Nest Bandcamp

Kvlt of I on Thee Facebooks

One of the aspects of Ethereal Riffian‘s approach that I find easiest to appreciate is how much conscious thought there is put into their work. The Ukrainian four-piece are prone to making mini-documentaries (see here and here) explaining their motivations and the concepts with which they’re working, and it’s a clarity of intent that in my mind at least makes them all the more of a progressive outfit. They will release their third album, Legends, later this year through respected purveyor Robustfellow Productions, and they give an enticing first glimpse of things to come in their new video for the title-track.

By the time Legends arrives, it will have been five years since Ethereal Riffian‘s last studio full-length, 2014’s Aeonian, though they’ve certainly had plenty out in between with two live albums, an EP and the various behind-the-scenes looks at what they do. Still, a new album is an exciting prospect, and they show off a striking turn with “Legends,” leaving behind the ritualism that pervaded the four longform tracks of Aeonian in favor of a more direct, grunge-influenced style. Their sense of melody still holds sway, but “Legends” works in a context of hooks that’s new for Ethereal Riffian and in just four minutes, it makes a striking statement of where the band are at in terms of their sound. More riffian than ethereal, if you will. The image in the video of hammering out metalwork does not seem accidental.

I don’t know how much “Legends” ultimately will speak for the album that shares its name — I think we’ve got a while to go before we get there — but I’ll hope to have more as the release date comes closer. Until then, try to keep in mind as you make your way through the quick four minutes of “Legends” that nothing Ethereal Riffian do happens by mistake, and that this turn in sound is part of the overarching consideration they bring to their material all the time. They discuss it a bit below, but I wouldn’t be surprised either if they dive deeper into the concepts as the year plays out.

Enjoy:

Ethereal Riffian, “Legends” official video premiere

Official music video for “Legends” (taken from “Legends” LP, to be released by Robustfellow Prods. in the second half of 2019).

Mysterious spiritualized rockers from Ukraine, Ethereal Riffian, are presenting the first single and music video from their forthcoming third LP. Directed by iconic Ukrainian director, Viktor Priduvalov, the new music video for the track ‘Legends’ showcases a drastic contrast with the band’s previous works. Frontman, Val Kornev, explains the shift in the band’s songwriting and overall direction:

“With current crises in worldwide leadership, ecology, education and, most and foremost, consciousness, we just can’t wait any longer to finally start doing things right. Enough of this bullshit! Our turbulent times require courageous decisions and robust music. Music that can get you going even if you’re descending straight into the depths of hell and know that this day can be your last. This is what this track is about. It’s about legends and you can become one too.”

Ethereal Riffian’s third full-length album, eponymous to the single, is set to be released in the second half of 2019 via Robustfellow Prods.

Produced by: Re:evolution Film
Director: Viktor Priduvalov
Director of photography: Eugene Kredentser
Assistant Cameraman: Ilya Pravdiviy
Producer: Viktor Sema
Light: Max Ruban
Post-production: Mental dRive Studio
Track was recorded, mixed and mastered at Bobina Records

Ethereal Riffian is:
Val Kornev (aka Stonezilla) – guitar/vocal/lyrics
Alexander Kornev (aka SAF) – bass
Max Yuhimenko (aka Southman) – lead guitar
Nikita Shipovskoi (aka Ship) – drums

Ethereal Riffian on Bandcamp

Ethereal Riffian on Thee Facebooks

Ethereal Riffian on Instagram

Robustfellow Productions on Thee Facebooks

Robustfellow Productions on Instagram

Robustfellow Productions on Bandcamp

In the time since the release of their 2017 self-titled debut album, Ukrainian psychedelic rockers — that’s not to say ‘neo-psych,’ because if you’ve been paying attention, it’s not really ‘neo’ to you — have swapped bassists and shifted from a four-piece to a trio, losing their second guitarist. One might expect their three-song offering for Robustfellow Productions, Beware, Dark Lord! Here Comes Bell-Man, to be somewhat rudimentary as founding guitarist/vocalist Artem, founding drummer/vocalist Marina and bassist Vova, who is not the same Vova who played on their 2012 debut EP, move forward following this period of reconstruction. Well, if you want to be technical about it, it is, but when factoring in the band’s penchant for classic garage rock, a bit of rawness should well be part of the aesthetic. Their material nonetheless offers an expanse of naturalist tonal reach and periodic turns to more volatile noise. Oh, and fuzz. Fuzz for days.

The latter shows itself after a quick introduction on opener “Dark Lord,” and a shoegazing melody tops in blown-out fashion as the tube-popping riffery takes hold. There’s a flourish of keys to be found in the second half of the song, but Straytones effectively bring “Dark Lord” toward and through a wash of tweaked out noise in the span of its four minutes, with enough time leftover to let the track devolve into buzzing amp feedback at the end before swirling directly into the synth and bass that starts “Abyss,” which is 1:20 long and basically a weirdo-atmospheric transitional moment between the two longer pieces. “Bell-Man” brings in more driving and direct bass — plus a lead layer overtop — and Marina‘s lead vocals, caked in space echo and meshing with a fervent dive into noise that speaks to acid psychosis and holds an improvised spirit even as her own drums continue to keep solid time beneath. Things settle momentarily to let the band catch their breath before the final outward thrust that leaves consciousness behind, and they make their way out on a fittingly ultra-tripped-out turn.

All well and good, but you’re wondering about the title, right? Fair. Going from the band’s comments below, I’m guessing that at some point when they were bundled up against the winter cold in Kiev, Straytones were making fun of how each other were dressed and the characters Dark Lord and Bell-Man were born. Inspiration can come from anywhere. And kudos to them for taking it a step further and bringing the characters to life in a forthcoming two-part cartoon video what will use the songs on Beware, Dark Lord! Here Comes Bell-Man as its soundtrack. I for one look forward to seeing their costumes, though if the EP’s cover art is anything to go by, it’s going to be way less Saturday-morning-cartoon and way more brain-melting-freakery. I’ll take it either way.

The EP will be out digitally Feb. 22 through Robustfellow and the label was kind enough to give me permission to premiere “Dark Lord.” If you’re up for the ride, you’ll find it on the player below, followed by the release announcement.

Please enjoy:

The third release of Ukrainian finest psychedelic rock outfit Straytones will be distributed via Robustfellow Prods. digitally on the 22nd of February. Following their self-titled album, which was released in the beginning of 2017 and gained many positive reviews in Ukraine and beyond, the new EP demonstrates the band’s masterful knowledge and progression in the psychedelic rock realm.

Remarkably, the EP will be supported by a two-series cartoon music video born of the story that’s uncovered throughout the release. Band members comment:

“The joke about the winter outfits of Straytones band members turned into the idea about two cartoon characters and that’s exactly how the Dark Lord and the Bell-Man came into being. We wrote songs and created a cartoon music-video to uncover a story of an evil mastermind Dark Lord who obtains a powerful artifact and travels to meta-space to become invincible. Eventually he gets overpowered by the Bell-Man whom he encounters there. Mind-bending music combined with a video is a trip to enjoy!”

The EP will be available via all major digital outlets including iTunes, Spotify, Google Play etc.

Straytones on Thee Facebooks

Straytones on Bandcamp

Robustfellow Productions on Thee Facebooks

Robustfellow Productions on Bandcamp

Robustfellow Productions on Twitter

Robustfellow Productions on Instagram

Earlier this year, Ukrainian trio Somali Yacht Club released their second album, The Sea (review here), through Kozmik Artifactz and Robustfellow Productions. As of Aug. 8, the latter imprint will have the band’s 2014 debut, The Sun (discussed here), available for preorder as a CD and tape reissue with a bonus track included. Dubbed The Sun+1 suitably enough, the new version of the offering will feature the track “Sun’s Eyes,” an outtake from the original recording session that Somali Yacht Club had previously posted on their Bandcamp page but which hasn’t been physically pressed until now. The release date is a quickly-approaching Aug. 17.

Somali Yacht Club toured earlier this year alongside Stoned Jesus and have dates still coming together for a tour next month as well, including stops in Romania and Greece. More info below and at the links that follow word from the PR wire:

Ukrainian finest dreamtone trio Somali Yacht Club will get their debut album “The Sun” reissued via Robustfellow Prods. on the 17th of August. The bonus track included in the reissue is an outtake from the first edition of the album. It was recorded in one session to serve as the logical continuation and enhance The Sun’s story. Being called “The Sun+1”, the re-issue will be released on CDs, tapes and as a digital download.

Preorder here: https://robustfellow.bandcamp.com/album/the-sun-1

“The Sun+1” Track-list:
1. Loom
2. Sightwaster
3. Up In The Sky
4. Signals
5. Sun
6. Sun’s Eyes (bonus track)

CD info:
• Replicated CD
• 2-panel digipak, matte lamination
• Remaster
• 1 Bonus Track
• High quality recording and mixing

MC info:
• Pro-done cassette tape, manufactured in UK
• 1st press is strictly limited to 100 yellow body cassettes
• Exclusive Matt Laminated “Sloth” Tape Box
• Lyrics card
• DL Card (mp3/FLAC/Wav)

Somali Yacht Club is a psychedelic/stoner rock trio from Lviv, Ukraine. Formed in 2010 as a jam band, Somali Yacht Club quickly transformed from a side-project into the main musical activity of its members. In August 2011 they self-released their first four-song EP “Sandsongs”, followed by a single “Desert Walls” in 2013. In their first full-length “The Sun” they changed their musical direction from straightforward to more abstract and progressive. The album blends stoner, blues, dub, shoegazing, psychedelic rock, and post rock and beautifully wraps all these styles in fuzz in a very thoughtful, cohesive, and atmospheric way causing its listeners to experience a multitude of emotions and attitudes.

In early 2018, Robustfellow Prods. released the band’s second album “The Sea” which took the Ukrainian outfit’s sound to the next level and quickly became one of the main contenders for the top-2018 lists.

facebook.com/Somaliyachtclub
somaliyachtclub.bandcamp.com
twitter.com/somaliyachtclub
instagram.com/somaliyachtclub
robustfellow.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/RobustfellowProds
twitter.com/robust_fellow
instagram.com/robustfellow_prods

Somali Yacht Club, “Sun’s Eyes”

Is it time to start looking forward to the new Ethereal Riffian album yet? Okay, good. Because I pretty much already was anyway. There’s nothing like being ahead of the game, and when it comes to the Kiev-based progressive, meditative, shamanic heavy rockers, whose sense of ritualism so righteously pervaded their Afterlight live album/DVD (review here), it’s worth keeping up with the process as it unfolds. Fortunately, they’re anything but shy when it comes to giving behind-the-scenes looks at what they do. The video portion of Afterlight was interspersed with documentary footage, and last year’s Relics (discussed here) found them talking about the making of their lush, personalized packaging for limited edition items that’s become such a part of their presentation, so that a release becomes a multi-sensory experience not just aurally or visually, but as well in terms of how it actually feels in your hands.

The Afterlight release seems particularly relevant when it comes to the making of Ethereal Riffian‘s next record. In a new video, the four-piece enter Bobina Records to begin a live demoing process for the aforementioned new album — their third behind 2014’s Aeonian and their 2011 debut, Shaman’s Visions — and they specifically note that recording live is something they decided to do after the live record. There’s a quote from yours truly included in the video — a nice little ego kick, and much appreciated — but more importantly, it’s a means for the band not only to make the tracking process more exciting for themselves, but to harvest that energy and inject it into the actual sound of what they’re creating. One should keep in mind they’re still just in the demo stage, so it’ll likely be a while before the album surfaces, but I get the feeling that Ethereal Riffian will bring us all in the loop as they move forward toward finalizing the album.

By the way, I find it very hard to believe they don’t have a title yet. No way a band who puts this much thought and concerted, self-aware effort into progressing their sound lets a thing like that go so long without being nailed down. They’re playing coy, keeping it up their sleeve until the time is right. That’s my bet, anyhow.

Frontman Val Kornev forwarded the video over, and my first question for him was how many they’ll be making. His answer: “4 to 6, haven’t decided yet.” Fair enough. I’ll do my best to keep up.

Enjoy the first clip below, followed by some quick word from Robustfellow Productions via thee social medias:

Ethereal Riffian, Recording Third LP – Video 1

Ethereal Riffian enters Bobina records studio to produce demo of the forthcoming album.

More news to follow soon.

Ethereal Riffian is:
Val Kornev (aka Stonezilla) – guitar/vocal/lyrics
Alexander Kornev (aka SAF) – bass
Max Yuhimenko (aka Southman) – lead guitar
Nikita Shipovskoi (aka Ship) – drums

Ethereal Riffian on Bandcamp

Ethereal Riffian on Thee Facebooks

Ethereal Riffian on Instagram

Ethereal Riffian on Twitter

Robustfellow Productions on Thee Facebooks

Next month, Kiev-based heavy rockers Risin Sabotage take off on a four-date stint through Poland with Weird Tales. It’s basically an extended weekender, and there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever. They go heralding their just-released new single “Serpent,” which has been posted digitally and may or may not receive a physical pressing. The band has also announced an allegiance for digital distribution through respected countryman purveyor Robustfellow Productions — worth noting that Risin Sabotage appeared on Robustfellow‘s expansive Electric Funeral Cafe Vol. 3 compilation (review here) last year, so it’s not by any means the first time the two parties have worked together — and that will include not only the new single, but the band’s prior single “Sabotage Rising” and their 2017 debut album, Planet Dies, as well.

You can stream the song itself below and it’s a quick and unpretentious bit of heavy rock riffing that asks little for its two and a half minute run more than a nod along to its spaced-out hook and fervent groove. Grunge is an element at play, but the focus seems to be more on a blend of earthy tones and cosmic effects, and it works well in the brief stretch, especially the solo section that closes out.

Dig it:

New single “Serpent” by Risin Sabotage.

Exclusive premiere now via Robustfellow Digital.

Also Robustfellow Prods. is happy to distribute the following groovy tunes by Risin Sabotage [Kyiv, UA] digitally:

“Planet Dies” (March 10, 2017)
“Sabotage Rising (live)” single (October 28, 2017)
“Serpent” single (March 16, 2018)

Find your favourite tracks on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, Deezer and 150+ smaller outlets!

APR 26 Protokultura – Klub Sztuki Alternatywnej Gdansk PL w/ Weird Tales
APR 27 Klub pod Minog? Poznan PL w/ Weird Tales & Bad Luck Experience
APR 28 Beczka Pub Olsztyn PL w/ Weird Tales & PostNatura
APR 29 NRD Klub Turun PL w/ Diuna & Weird Tales

Risin Sabotage is:
Igor Nediuzhyi (Drummer)
Kirill Chepilko (Vocals)
Vitya Panchishko (Guitar)
Valery Skorzhenko (Bass)

https://risinsabotage.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/risin.sabotage/
https://instagram.com/risin_sabotage/
robustfellow.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/RobustfellowProds

Risin Sabotage, “Serpent”

Oh, be certain: weirdness abounds on Soom‘s new full-length, Djebars, which the Ukrainian three-piece will issue on April 20 via no fewer than four labels: Robustfellow Productions, Addicted Label , Kvlt ov I and Voron Nest, and the band could hardly be more at home in that weirdness. Enough so that I’d like to hear them do a cross-continental collaboration Queen Elephantine, just to see what comes out of it — wait until you hear “Wheelchair.” They share some of the ritualistic elements one finds in their countrymen an labelmates Ethereal Riffian, but Djebars, and Soom as whole, are on their own wavelength.

The PR wire has the news like this:

Soom – Djebars – Robustfellow Prods. | Addicted Label | Voron NEST | KVLT OV ?

A lo-fi heavy juggernaut Soom which won the attention of many lovers of low-tuned, dark, vicious, filthy, shake-the-fucking-ground metal are releasing their second album via Robustfellow Prods. on the 20th of April.

Soom, who have previously combined heavy weirdness, hypnotic rhythms, otherworldly chanting and ‘recorded in a cavern’ sound with an ancient mysticism grounded in Ukrainian folk, are ready to go further and project the spirit of their native city through unearthly soundscapes of their sophomore album.

Preserving the traditions of the first album, Soom creates a conceptual story, more uncanny in “spoken words”, more chaotic and deeper in music, combining doom metal with dark side of rave and Slobozhansky folk. The result of this mixture is unpredictable, so make sure you are ready for immersion.

Soom was founded in Kharkiv at the end of 2013. The band was set up on the outskirts of the projects that had been lying in the sources of the Kharkiv stoner sludge scene since 2010. After a lot of changes in consciousness, in 2016 the golden composition was formed: Amorth – drums, Tomrer – bass, Kova – guitar and vocals. For the period from 2013 to 2017, Soom recorded three splits with Pressor, Diazepam, Il and Vena, one EP “Fear and Loathing” and one full-length album “Night on the Meadow”. They also got into the Electric Funeral Café compilation from RobustFellow three times.

soom.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/soomdoom
robustfellow.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/RobustfellowProds
facebook.com/NonameRecordz
noname666.bandcamp.com
https://voron-nest.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/VoronNEST
facebook.com/pg/kvltovyee

Soom, Fear and Loathing (2015)