Posted in Whathaveyou on March 31st, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Not that I really needed one, but I’ve been hearing the plod of Author & Punisher in my head all week and have been looking for a few free minutes and an excuse to revisit 2022’s brilliant Krüller (review here), and lo, here comes word of a European tour and US dates starting Saturday in Hamden, Connecticut, and that’s more than enough, especially since, as I said at the outset, I didn’t need the excuse to start with.
That fucking record stomped a crater in my consciousness all last year, and I still hear “Maiden Star” just thinking about it, ditto the title-track — “Held up a truck, pulls to the right,” is one of the best lyrics I heard in 2022; does so much literary work; puts you in mind of the character; imagine stealing a someone’s pickup and being pissed the alignment is off; the sensory evocation of being in that vehicle, done in less words than this half-assed explanation of it; genius — and “Incinerator” and even “Drone Carrying Dread” with all its scene-setting ambience, making the world the record just dropped you into.
Anyhow, go to the shows. Yeah, all of ’em. That’s right. US and Europe. You hate your god damn job anyway. Fuck it. Quit and follow Author & Punisher around. Out with Imperial Triumphant, no less. You could spend that time so, so much worse. Like by going to that job. So don’t.
The update came down from Bandcamp, and if you want to take it as a sign of the esteem in which I hold this band, I’ll tell you that today was already an 11-post day before I saw this news and that is more than twice what I generally consider “enough” for a day and I still decided to put this together as post number 12. Madness:
We are excited to reveal that Author & Punisher will be bringing the drone machines back to Europe this June. We’ll be joining up with Imperial Triumphant for a few co-headlining dates, partnering with Statiqbloom for a run, and hitting some fests along the way. Check out the full list of dates below and grab tickets here:lnkfi.re/APlive
Stateside A&P fans can catch Tristan and Doug supporting HEALTH in April. The tour kicks off THIS SATURDAY in Hamden, CT and culminates on the West Coast with two special headlining shows with Snakes of Russia supporting.
We’re keeping select digital releases as pay-what-you-want on Bandcamp throughout touring season. So grab some tunes to prepare for the shows and keep an eye out for more goodies for the next Bandcamp Friday.
See you on the road fuckers!
-Tristan & Team
April US dates supporting HEALTH:
APR 01- HAMDEN, CT- SPACE BALLROOM APR 02- WASHINGTON, DC- UNION STAGE APR 04- COLUMBUS, OH- A&R MUSIC BAR APR 06- MADISON, WI- HIGH NOON SALOON APR 07- HAMTRAMCK, MI- FIXATION FESTIVAL- SMALL’ S APR 08- CLEVELAND, OH- GROG SHOP APR 09- PITTSBURGH, PA- THUNDERBIRD MUSIC HALL APR 14 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – DNA LOUNGE* APR 15- SAN DIEGO, CA- MUSIC BOX APR 16 – LOS ANGELES, CA – RESIDENT*
*A&P headlines with Snakes of Russia, no HEALTH
June European Headlining dates:
07 JUNE – Liege, Belgium – La Zone 09 JUNE – Gdansk, Poland – Mystic Festival 10 JUNE – Warsawa, Poland – VooDoo* 12 JUNE – Riga, Latvia – Vagonu Hall* 13 JUNE – Tallin, Estonia – Paavli 7* 16 JUNE – Stockholm, Sweden – Hus7* 17 JUNE – Oslo, Norway – Bla* 18 JUNE – Malmo, Sweden – Plan B 19 JUNE – Copenaghen, Denmark – Basement^ 20 JUNE – Hamburg, Germany – Hafenklang^ 21 JUNE – Bochum, Germany – Die Trompete^ 22 JUNE – Antwerp, Belgium – Kavka^ 23 JUNE – Bourlon, France – Rock in Bourlon 24 JUNE – Ferropolis, Germany – Full Force 25 JUNE – Berlin, Germany – Urban Spree*
* with Statiqbloom ^co-headliner with Imperial Triumphant
On this very day, as they take the stage among the sprawling multitudes at Stoner Jam in Austin, Texas, riff-slinger San Diego four-piece Formula 400 announce their new album, Divination, will be released on May 19 through Animated Insanity Records. To mark the occasion, they’re premiering the opening track “Whiskey Bent” — a harrowing lyrical tale of post-gig debauchery one night after a show at Count’s Vampd in Las Vegas — at the bottom of this post. Go ahead and hit play, I’ll wait.
Those who take on “Whiskey Bent” will find the barriers to entry are markedly low. Amid a gruff vocal, you might notice a general uptick in production value as compared to Formula 400‘s 2020 debut, Heathens (review here), while continuing that record’s penchant for accessible riffs and inviting groove. As a first glimpse of what’s to come on Divination, it bodes well in its on-paper construction and full-toned out-speakers realization, and alongside pieces like “Born to Lose” and “Bottomfeeder,” its unabashed, metal-rooted heavy rock reminds of aughts-era European acts like Mustasch, (later) Sparzanza, Mother Misery and, to some extent, Spiritual Beggars with how it lands in a place that would be commercially viable if the infrastructure were there (radio, tv, now internet, etc.) to receive it.
Rest assured, Formula 400 do just fine as-is, and though “Whiskey Bent” is short as it leads the way at the outset of Divination, it’s a strong foot forward daring the listener to give as much volume as possible in the listening.
Art, info and more follows from the band via the PR wire:
Dan Frick on “Whiskey Bent”:
Basically after our gig at Vampd and a night of already drinking a lot, we went to the golden nugget and hung out in the hotel for a bit, I think I downed another six pack in my room before Lou and I headed to the casino. We went to the casino bar and started doing shots and drinking jack and cokes. I blacked out at that point, and Lou somehow got me back to my room upstairs.
No one knows what happened, really, but for some reason I left my room to go back downstairs to the casino. Apparently I was found by a person walking by passed out in the planter on Fremont Street. They called an ambulance and filled me with hydrating fluids, but I didn’t have an ID on me, so I was detained by security until they could figure out who I was.
They are anticipating an early May release for digital and likely cds not long after that I would think. Vinyl will be later in the year .
The label is Animated Insanity Records. First single is Whiskey Bent written by Dan Frick (Ride the Sun/Shield of Snakes) and is about a night in Las Vegas playing a Vegas Rock Revolution Presents Friday Night Rock with Void Vator, Fostermother + Sonolith and Dan ended up on whiskey bender that took him wandering the streets of Sin City and finally crashing in the bushes at Golden Nugget. HA!
Formula 400 has shared the stage with John Garcia, Nebula, Unida, Void Vator, Steak, 16, The Freeks, Hippie Death Cult , Destroyer of Light, Fostermother and others along with upcoming show with The Well.
Have played at Planet Desert Rock Weekend III, Ripplefest Texas, Maryland Doomfest, Stoner Jam (Austin) and SoCal Heavy Jam.
Formula 400 live: 3/16 Austin TX Stoner Jam 3/17 Houston TX Black Magic Social Club 3/18 San Antonio TX Faust Tavern 3/28 San Diego CA TilTwo w/ The Well 4/22 Pour House with Blackwülf and Great Electric Quest
Formula 400 are: Dan Frick: Guitar and Vox Kip Page: Bass Ian Holloway: Guitar and Vox Lou Voutiritsas: Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 8th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Already a return trip to Europe for El Perro. The funk infused heavy rock troupe led by Parker Griggs of Radio Moscow are headed abroad for the second time, having gone last summer on the heels of their then-newly-released debut album, Hair Of… (review here). This is Spring into Summer, a pretty solid run. They got Heavy Psych Sounds Fest and Freak Valley, and it’s worth noting that this tour comes after they hit the East Coast (info here), so they’re about to make it a busy first half of the year, which it would seem to be how they like it. Par for the course, and so on.
Something tells me this band is an absolute blast on stage. I’ve yet to have the pleasure, but I’ll catch them in Freak Valley, and even just listening to the record again to write this, that’s a fun one. Anyway, here are the dates:
*** EL PERRO – European Tour***
– featuring PARGER GRIGGS of RADIO MOSCOW –
EL PERRO will smash Europe in May and June.
You just can’t miss them !!!
*** EL PERRO – EUROPEAN TOUR 2023 ***
TH 25/05/2023 IT TREVISO – ALTROQUANDO FR 26/05/2023 CH HPS FEST SA 27/05/2023 CH HPS FEST SU 28/05/2023 OPEN SLOT MO 29/05/2023 HR ZAGREB – ZAGREB TU 30/05/2023 RS NIS – AKC FUZZ WE 31/05/2023 RS BELGRADE – KC GRAD TH 01/06/2023 HR VIROVITICA – HORN PUB FR 02/06/2023 AT EBENSEE – KINO SA 03/06/2023 SI ŠKOFJA LOKA – PRI RDEČI OSTRIGI SU 04/06/2023 OPEN SLOT MO 05/06/2023 CZ PRAGUE – CROSS CLUB TU 06/06/2023 CZ LOUNY – HOTEL CARAMELL WE 07/06/2023 CZ BILINA – KAFÁČ TH 08/06/2023 DE SIEGEN – FREAK VALLEY FR 09/06/2023 FR PARIS – SUPERSONIC SA 10/06/2023 FR BELLOCQ – CHÂTEAU DE BELLOCQ SU 11/06/2023 ES VALLADOLID – SALA PORTA CAELI MO 12/06/2023 OPEN SLOT TU 13/06/2023 OPEN SLOT WE 14/06/2023 ES OPEN SLOT TH 15/06/2023 ES ZARAGOZA – ROCK & BLUES CAFE FR 16/06/2023 FR OPEN SLOT SA 17/06/2023 FR OPEN SLOT SU 18/06/2023 FR CHAMBERY – BRIN DE ZINC TU 20/06/2023 FR NANTES – CRUMBLE FIGHT WE 21/06/2023 FR OPEN SLOT TH 22/06/2023 OPEN SLOT FR 23/06/2023 DE SAARBRUCKEN – HORST SA 24/06/2023 FR MANIGOD – NAMASS PAMOUSS FESTIVAL SU 25/06/2023 IT PISA – PONTILE 102 TH 29/06/2023 IT CAGLIARI – POETTO FR 30/06/2023 IT OPEN SLOT
EL PERRO is a brand-new band led by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter/producer Parker Griggs (Radio Moscow). The five piece psychedelic/funk/rock project features the talents of Jaron Yancey –second guitar, Shawn Davis –bass guitar, Lonnie Blanton –drums (ex Radio Moscow), and Tawny Harrington –percussion.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 5th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
El Perro will tour the East Coast for the first time in February and March supporting their debut album, Hair Of… (review here), released last year. The band led by Radio Moscow‘s Parker Griggs spent a decent amount of 2022 on the road, covering the West Coast before hitting Europe over the summer for SonicBlast, Down the Hill and others fests and shows, then returning to do a full run through the Midwest. As regards the US, that leaves pretty much the East Coast as the final territory to be hit, so the question becomes where do they go next? Australia/New Zealand? Back to Europe? Canada? Mexico? They have options, sure, but the question too is how long they actually want to spend on the road before starting/finishing their next record.
We’ll see for sure this year how that’s going to play out, and for now here are the (mostly) East Coast dates that start in Iowa on Feb. 17, as posted by the band. And I mean that “as posted.” I was going to go through and change all the Instagram tags to the proper venue names, but first of all, if you’re reading these words you know how to read someone’s social tag, and second, even if you don’t know what that is, you’re intelligent enough to figure it out and look at them on the poster that’s right there and/or find where a show is going to be, say, if you’re thinking about buying a ticket. So I’ll save myself a couple minutes there that I’ve already wasted trying to deal with the awkward phrasing of that last sentence. Alas.
Yes? What’s that you say? Oh the tour dates. Yes:
EL PERRO – East Coast Tour
Feb/March East Coast tour dates now announced! This will be our first time out in these parts! Tickets for sale now (#129304#)(#127998#)
2/17 @bootleghillhoneymeads Davenport, IA 2/18 @reggieslive Chicago, IL 2/19 @westsidebowl Youngstown, OH 2/20 @kungfunecktie_bar Philadelphia, PA 2/21 @saintvitusbar NYC, NY 2/22 @statehousenhv New Haven, CT 2/23 @alchemy_providence Providence, NH 2/24 @cafe611 Frederick, MD 2/25 @banditoslounge.rva Richmond, VA 2/26 The Odd, Asheville, NC 2/28 TBA Birmingham, AL 3/1 @901growlers Memphis, TN 3/2 @santosbarnola New Orleans, LA 3/3 @freetown_boomboomroom Lafayette, LA 3/4 @divisionbrewing Arlington, TX 3/7 @okcbluenote OKC, OK 3/8 @minibarkc Kansas City, KC 3/9 @sinkholestl St. Louis, MO 3/10 @iowacitygabes Iowa City, IA 3/11 @xbklive Des Moines, IA
A few more TBA soon. Huge thanks to our dude @alvaro_8034 for making the poster!
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 7th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
To tell you the truth, I’ve been looking for an excuse to write about San Diego heavy rockers Sacri Monti for a while now. The explosion of bands in the scene of their home city, so prevalent just a few years ago that Roadburn invited a large swath of them over to the Netherlands for a group showcase/brodown in 2018, has abetted, and players have either reorganized themselves into different outfits or turned their attentions elsewhere. It seems early to say that Sacri Monti, who’ve never been the most hyped of the bunch, are ‘survivors’ of that somewhat inevitable ebbing — their last record, Waiting Room for the Magic Hour (review here), was only their second — but especially in the post-Covid, it’s been quiet from San Diego and these guys are an exception.
Earlier this year, they returned to the road like many others around the world, and went on tour in Europe to support Waiting Room for the Magic Hour and play some new songs, playing the likes of Desertfest London and Sonic Whip in the Netherlands. It’s from the latter that their newly-announced live album will be taken — you might recall their headspinning Finnish tourmates in Kaleidobolt recently put out their own recording from the same fest — and is currently being mixed for release in Spring 2023. The fact that there are songs from their yet-unmade third album — a crucial moment for any band — bodes well, and one looks forward to this as well as that as they continue to press forward where others before them have gone by the wayside.
To everything, riff, riff, riff, there is a season, riff, riff, groove.
Hopefully more to come closer to the release:
We are releasing a live album from Sonic Whip Fest in Nijmegen, Netherlands from the last tour. Mixing is underway and almost finished. Three new surprises on the set list and a few old ones from the first two albums. We are looking forward to it and are in the process of writing the next record. Stay tuned for release date this Spring and stuff.
Not sure who took this photo too… [Ed: Photo by Maaike Ronhaar]
Sacri Monti is: Brenden Dellar -Guitar Dylan Donovan- Guitar Anthony Meier- Bass Evan Wenskay- Organ, Synth Thomas Dibenedetto- Drums
Posted in Questionnaire on December 5th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: K. Kilfeather of Kilfeather
—
How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Freak-out. That’s what I do. When I play music, whether it be in the studio, at rehearsal, or in front of a live audience I just let myself go into other realms. To me, there is nothing more freeing than playing music and only a small handful of things can make a person feel that free. Getting here has been a journey but the climb is always the fun part.
Describe your first musical memory.
When I was a toddler my aunt bought me a cassette recorder that I used all the time to record myself. I would do little skits and sing silly songs of whatever came to mind. Eventually when I learned how to play guitar, I would start writing lyrics and recording on that same device into my teen years.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
There are so many. I guess I’d have to say one of my best musical memories is when I got to open up for MC5 for their 50th anniversary. It was such an amazing experience getting to share the stage with such a legendary act that has inspired so many musicians before me. The really cool part was being able to ham it up backstage with all of those dudes and hear stories from over their many years in the music business.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
Every. Single. Day. Living in the United States, firmly held beliefs are tested at every waking moment it seems. As far as music goes, it’s the gatekeepers and show creepers who really stand in the way of artistic freedom. Who would have thought that instead of big cigar chomping executives being the roadblocks to “success” it’s now the cut off jean jacket wearing hesher hipster who stands in the way of progress. The spawn of yuppies are now the tastemakers who book the shows, plan the festivals, and dictate what is cool and worthy of your playlist.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Power to the people. As an artist, I feel it is important to use your voice to amplify the voices of others who may not have the platform to do so, or the fight to do so for that matter.
How do you define success?
Success is being able to do whatever you want to do and for people to appreciate your individuality or in today’s case, a lack thereof.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
Buckcherry when we opened for them. Track suits all around until they put on their rock and roll clown costumes come stage time.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
A film. Be it drama, comedy, horror, or adult. Perhaps all four in one?
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
To free the mind, body, and spirit and connect us to the universe.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
The empire to fall.
Until then, anything Batman and for the X-Men to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 4th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Put together by bassist Kip Page of Formula 400, Mezzoa guitarist/vocalist Ignacio “Nacho” Maldonado, and Desert Suns singer Jason Busiek, the SoCal Heavy Jam is a new festival intended — as you can glean for yourself by looking at either the banner above or the poster below (one likes to cover horizontal and vertical, when possible) — to be an annual event.
Motorbäbe, who, yes, play Motörhead tunes, will headline, and Void Vator and -(16)- (whose new record I’m still anticipating eagerly) are up near the top of the bill as well. All three of the founders’ bands will play, and presumably that won’t be the case every year — they might alternate, for example, or all take 2023 off — but in addition to being well within their rights, having booked the thing, they’re good bands. With Lords of Dust, Awakeners and Into the Fuzz rounding out, the all-day-and-plenty-of-the-nighter will take place Oct. 22 at Full Circle Saloon in Santee, California, which makes it easy-peasy for those in the San Diego area.
The lineup was announced a while ago and has been bandied hither and yon since, but I suck at keeping up and kind of figured nobody would argue if I posted it now, which is far enough out for you to make travel plans to San Diego/adjacent if you’re up for it and still close enough to that it won’t be forgotten by the time it actually happens. That’s my thinking, anyhow.
Putting together one festival, let alone one with an intention to do it every year, is not a minor undertaking. I wish Page, Maldonado and Busiek the best this first time through and will look forward to what comes next for SoCal Heavy Jam as well.
Info, a Spotify playlist of the bands, and social links follow:
SoCal Heavy Jam at Full Circle Saloon – Saturday, October 22
1st Annual SoCal Heavy Jam at Full Circle Saloon featuring – Motorbäbe, Void Vator, -16-, Mezzoa, Formula 400, Desert Suns, Lords of Dust, AWAKENERS and Into the Fuzz!
Free Food – 3pm – 5pm Drink Specials
$15 cover Portion of the proceeds go to NSEFU – Wild Life Conservation. Founder – Coe Lewis
Posted in Reviews on September 27th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Here we go again as we get closer to 100 records covered in this expanded Fall 2022 Quarterly Review. It’s been a pretty interesting ride so far, and as I’ve dug in I know for sure I’ve added a few names (and titles) to my year-end lists for albums, debuts, and so on. Today keeps the thread going with a good spread of styles and some very, very heavy stuff. If you haven’t found anything in the bunch yet — first I’d tell you to go back and check again, because, really? nothing in 60 records? — but after that, hey, maybe today’s your day.
Here’s hoping.
Quarterly Review #61-70:
Spirit Adrift, 20 Centuries Gone
The second short release in two years from trad metal forerunners Spirit Adrift, 20 Centuries Gone pairs two new originals in “Sorcerer’s Fate” and “Mass Formation Psychosis” — songs for our times written as fantasy narrative — with six covers, of Type O Negative‘s “Everything Dies,” Pantera‘s “Hollow,” Metallica‘s “Escape,” Thin Lizzy‘s “Waiting for an Alibi,” ZZ Top‘s “Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings” and Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “Poison Whiskey.” The covers find them demonstrating a bit of malleability — founding guitarist/vocalist does well with Phil Lynott‘s and Peter Steele‘s inflections while still sounding like himself — and it’s always a novelty to hear a band purposefully showcase their influences like this, but “Sorcerer’s Fate” and “Mass Formation Psychosis” are the real draw. The former nods atop a Candlemassian chug and sweeping chorus before spending much of its second half instrumental, and “Mass Formation Psychosis” resolves in burly riffing, but only after a poised rollout of classic doom, slower, sleeker in its groove, with acoustic strum layered in amid the distortion and keyboard. Two quick reaffirmations of the band’s metallic flourishing and, indeed, a greater movement happening partially in their wake. And then the covers, which are admirably more than filler in terms of arrangement. Something of a holdover, maybe, but by no means lacking substance.
Just because it’s so bludgeoning doesn’t necessarily mean that’s all it is. The melodic stretch of “Forbidden World of Light” and delve into progressive black metal after the nakedly Crowbarian sludge of “A Path Beyond Grief,” the clean vocal-topped atmospheric heft of “What Must Be Done” and the choral feel of centerpiece “Carried,” even the way “Of Shadow and Sanguine” seems to purposefully thrash (also some more black metal there) amid its bouts of deathcore and sludge lumbering — all of these come together to make Northless‘ fourth long-player, A Path Beyond Grief, an experience that’s still perhaps defined by its intensity and concrete tonality, its aggression, but that is not necessarily beholden to those. Even the quiet intro “Nihil Sanctum Vitae” — a seeming complement to the nine-minute bring-it-all-together closer “Nothing That Lives Will Last” — seems intended to tell the listener there’s more happening here than it might at first seem. As someone who still misses Swarm of the Lotus, some of the culmination in that finale is enough to move the blood in my wretched body, but while born in part of hardcore, Northless are deep into their own style throughout these seven songs, and the resultant smashy smashy is able to adjust its own elemental balance while remaining ferociously executed. Except, you know, when it’s not. Because it’s not just one thing.
Comprised of five songs running a tidy 20 minutes, each brought together through ambience as well as the fact that their titles are all three letters long — “Aer,” “Hyd,” “Orb,” “Wiz,” “Rue” — AER is the debut EP from German instrumentalists Lightrain, who would seek entry into the contemplative and evocative sphere of acts like Toundra or We Lost the Sea as they offer headed-out post-rock float and heavy psychedelic vibe. “Hyd” is a focal point, both for its eight-minute runtime (nothing else is half that long) and the general spaciousness, plus a bit of riffy shove in the middle, with which it fills that, but the ultra-mellow “Aer” and drumless wash of “Wiz” feed into an overarching flow that speaks to greater intentions on the part of the band vis a vis a first album. “Rue” is progressive without being overthought, and “Orb” feels born of a jam without necessarily being that jam, finding sure footing on ground that for many would be uncertain. If this is the beginning point of a longer-term evolution on the part of the band, so much the better, but even taken as a standalone, without consideration for the potential of what it might lead to, the LP-style fluidity that takes hold across AER puts the lie to its 20 minutes being somehow minor.
Cleanly produced and leaning toward sleaze at times in a way that feels purposefully drawn from ’80s glam metal, the second offering from Poland’s 1965 — they might as well have called themselves 1542 for as much as they have to do sound-wise with what was going on that year — is the 12-song/52-minute Panther, which wants your nuclear love on “Nuclear Love,” wants to rock on “Let’s Rock,” and would be more than happy to do whatever it wants on “Anything We Want.” Okay, so maybe guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter Michał Rogalski isn’t going to take home gold at the Subtlety Olympics, but the Warsaw-based outfit — him plus Marco Caponi on bass/backing vocals and Tomasz Rudnicki on drums/backing vocals, as well as an array of lead guitarists guesting — know the rock they want to make, and they make it. Songs are tight and well performed, heavy enough in tone to have a presence but fleet-footed in their turns from verse to chorus and the many trad-metal-derived leads. Given the lyrics of the title-track, I’m not sure positioning oneself as an actual predatory creature as a metaphor for seduction has been fully thought through, but you don’t see me out here writing lyrics in Polish either, so take it with that grain of salt if you feel the need or it helps. For my money I’ll take the still-over-the-top “So Many Times” and the sharp start-stops of “All My Heroes Are Dead,” but there’s certainly no lack of others to choose from.
Blacklab — also stylized BlackLab — are the Osaka, Japan-based duo of guitarist/vocalist Yuko Morino and drummer Chia Shiraishi, but if you’d enter into their second full-length, In a Bizarre Dream, expecting some rawness or lacking heft on account of their sans-bass configuration, you’re more likely to be bowled over by the sludgy tonality on display. “Cold Rain” — opener and longest track (immediate points) at 6:13 — and “Abyss Woods” are largely screamers, righteously harsh with riffs no less biting, and “Dark Clouds” does the job in half the time with a punkier onslaught leading to “Evil 1,” but “Evil 2” mellows out a bit, adjusts the balance toward clean singing and brooding in a way that the oh-hi-there guest vocal contribution from Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab (after whom Blacklab are partially named) on “Crows, Sparrows and Cats” shifts into a grungier modus. “Lost” and “In a Bizarre Dream,” the latter more of an interlude, keep the momentum going on the rock side, but somehow you just know they’re going to turn it around again, and they absolutely do, easing their way in with the largesse of “Monochrome Rainbow” before “Collapse” caps with a full-on onslaught that brings into full emphasis how much reach they have as a two-piece and just how successfully they make it all heavy.
I guess the only problem that might arise from recording your first two-songer with Steve Albini is that you’ve set an awfully high standard for, well, every subsequent offering your band ever makes in terms of production. There are traces of Karma to Burn-style chug on “Ectotherm,” the A-side accompanied by “Writhing Mass” on the two-songer that shares the same name, but Chicago imstrumental trio Sun King Ba are digging into more progressively-minded, less-stripped-down fare on both of these initial tracks. Still, impact and the vitality of the end result are loosely reminiscent, but the life on that guitar, bass and drums speaks volumes, and not just in favor of the recording itself. “Writhing Mass” crashes into tempo changes and resolves itself in being both big and loud, and the space in the cymbals alone as it comes to its noisy finish hints at future incursions to be made. Lest we forget that Chicago birthed Pelican and Bongripper, among others, for the benefit of instrumental heavy worldwide. Sun King Ba have a ways to go before they’re added to that list, but there is intention being signaled here for those with ears to hear it.
Despite the somewhat grim imagery on the cover art for Kenodromia‘s self-titled debut EP — a three-cut outing that marks a return to the band of vocalist Hilde Chruicshank after some stretch of absence during which they were known as Hideout — the Oslo, Norway, four-piece play heavy rock through and through on “Slandered,” “Corrupted” and “Bound,” with the bluesy fuzzer riffs and subtle psych flourishes of Eigil Nicolaisen‘s guitar backing Chruicshank‘s lyrics as bassist Michael Sindhu and drummer Trond Buvik underscore the “break free” moment in “Corrupted,” which feels well within its rights in terms of sociopolitical commentary ahead of the airier start of “Bound” after the relatively straightforward beginning that was “Slandered.” With the songs arranged shortest to longest, “Bound” is also the darkest in terms of atmosphere and features a more open verse, but the nod that defines the second half is huge, welcome and consuming even as it veers into a swaggering kind of guitar solo before coming back to finish. These players have been together one way or another for over 10 years, and knowing that, Kenodromia‘s overarching cohesion makes sense. Hopefully it’s not long before they turn attentions toward a first LP. They’re clearly ready.
Mezzoa are the San Diego three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Ignacio “El Falcone” Maldonado, bassist Q “Dust Devil” Pena (who according to their bio was created in the ‘Cholo Goth Universe,’ so yes, charm is a factor), and drummer Roy “Bam Bam” Belarmino, and the 13-track/45-minute Dunes of Mars is their second album behind 2017’s Astral Travel. They sound like a band who’ve been around for a bit, and indeed they have, playing in other bands and so on, but they’ve got their approach on lockdown and I don’t mean for the plague. The material here, whether it’s the Helmet-plus-melody riffing of “Tattoos and Halos” or the more languid roll of the seven-minute “Dunes of Mars” earlier on, is crisp and mature without sounding flat or staid creatively, and though they’re likened most to desert rock and one can hear that in the penultimate “Seized Up” a bit, there’s more density in the guitar and bass, and the immediacy of “Hyde” speaks of more urgent influences at work. That said, the nodding chill-and-chug of “Moya” is heavy whatever landscape you want to say birthed it, and with the movement into and out of psychedelic vibes, the land is something you’re just as likely to leave behind anyway. Hit me as a surprise. Don’t be shocked if you end up going back to check out the first record after.
Released through emergent Texas-based imprint Gravitoyd Heavy Music, Stone Nomads‘ Fields of Doom comprises six songs, five originals, and is accordingly somewhere between a debut full-length and an EP at half an hour long. The cover is a take on Saint Vitus‘ “Dragon Time,” and it rests well here as the closer behind the prior-released single “Soul Stealer,” as bassist Jude Sisk and guitarist Jon Cosky trade lead vocal duties while Dwayne Crosby furthers the underlying metallic impression on drums, pushing some double-kick gallop under the solo of “Fiery Sabbath” early on after the leadoff title-track lumbers and chugs and bell-tolls to its ending, heavy enough for heavy heads, aggro enough to suit your sneer, with maybe a bit of Type O Negative influence in the vocal. Huffing oldschool gasoline, Fields of Doom might prove too burled-out for some listeners, but the interlude “Winds of Barren Lands” and the vocal swaps mean that you’re never quite sure where they’re going to hit you next, even if you know the hit is coming, and even as “Soul Stealer” goes grandiose before giving way to the already-noted Vitus cover. And if you’re wondering, they nail the noise of the solo in that song, leaving no doubt that they know what they’re doing, with their own material or otherwise.
Drawing from various corners of punk, noise rock and heavy rock’s accessibility, Munich trio Blind Mess offer their third full-length in After the Storm, which is aptly-enough titled, considering. “Fight Fire with Fire” isn’t a cover, but the closing “What’s the Matter Man?” is, of Rollins Band, no less, and they arrive there after careening though a swath of tunes like “Twilight Zone,” “At the Gates” and “Save a Bullet,” which are as likely to be hardcore-born shove or desert-riffed melody, and in the last of those listed there, a little bit of both. To make matters more complicated, “Killing My Idols” leans into classic metal in its underlying riff as the vocals bark and its swing is heavy ’70s through and through. This aesthetic amalgam holds together in the toughguy march of “Sirens” as much as the garage-QOTSA rush of “Left to Do” and the dares-to-thrash finish of “Fight Fire with Fire” since the songs themselves are well composed and at 38 minutes they’re in no danger of overstaying their welcome. And when they get there, “What’s the Matter Man?” makes a friendly-ish-but-still-confrontational complemement to “Left to Do” back at the outset, as though to remind us that wherever they’ve gone over the course of the album between, it’s all been about rock and roll the whole time. So be it.
