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

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: Aaron Lewis of When the Deadbolt Breaks

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

Musically, I used to consider what I or we (When the Deadbolt Breaks), does as experimental, psychedelic doom, but now I feel it has evolved into so much more, that I have a hard time classifying it.  Which, I thoroughly enjoy.  Music and art is subjective and means something different to everyone, so to categorize it and tell someone what it is seems self-defeating.   We started doing this band 15 years ago.  I wrote the first riff to the first When the Deadbolt Breaks song while I was co-DJ’ing at a local radio station, and I tried to incorporate it into a few bands over the year or two, and it didn’t work.  It was too slow, and oddball for what those bands were doing. Eventually, I decided to write a record based around the entire feeling of that one riff.    A drummer and myself started recording ideas, and they kept getting more and more unique, heavy and spacey.  That eventually became our first record, “In the Ruins, No Light Shall Shine”.   We’ve kept at it.

Describe your first musical memory.

This is maybe not my first, but certainly one of the best.  I remember being in 3rd grade, and I had a small handheld tape recorder that I brought with me everywhere.  It was one of those blue and white ones with the huge buttons, and my friend had stolen the first Black Sabbath cassette from his brother.  So we decided to listen to it at lunch on the playground.  I remember hearing the song Black Sabbath for the first time that day.  I had no idea what the hell was happening.  It was a bright sunny day out, but when the intro to that tune began, it was like the clouds rolled in and something evil were coming.   It was an amazing feeling and that feeling has never left. It made a huge impression on me and helped to mold my musical tastes.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

Playing Stoner Hands of Doom Fest in Youngstown Ohio at Nyabinghi & The Kennefit at CBGB’s while I was playing guitar for Cable are easily two of the most amazing shows I have ever played.  I am sure there are plenty more to come, but the opportunity to play with Cable and do those shows came at the right time, and I will always be grateful for that.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

Lately, this seems to happen a lot.  I am not a religious person at all, in fact, I despise organized religion, but I do believe in being good to those who deserve it, and just not being a prick in general.   But the more time goes on, the more I realize that this is not an easy thing to ask from people.   But, I roll with the flow, and avoid what needs to be avoided in order to keep my head up.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

It’s a gateway drug for sure.  With my photography and music, if I don’t take chances I fear that I will become stagnant and boring.  Trying new things, stepping out of that comfort zone, only lends itself to strengthening a vision and opening the door for new possibilities that may not have otherwise been found.   If that makes sense at all…

How do you define success?

Happiness.  I am not rich by any means, but I am doing the job that I dreamed of as a kid, I play in bands that I love and enjoy working with, and both my music and photography have introduced me to some amazing experiences and people.  I consider that to be a great success.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

I remember when I was younger, my friends and I were tripping on LSD, and the girl I was with had gotten sick, and threw up everywhere… I can’t say that I wish I hadn’t seen it, but that’s a lot to work with when you’re on a trip.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

As for musically, When the Deadbolt Breaks has already started with an idea for our 10th record, and it is going to be something really unique when we get it all down. But, as a bondage photographer I am working on plans for a pretty crazy shoot.  I don’t want to get into details here, but it will be a weird accomplishment if I can make it happen.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Personally I know that art is subjective, but I feel like the essential function is to evoke emotion. No matter if that emotion is to just relax and be calm, get excited and throw shit, art is here for us to feel… or not feel.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Work-wise, I have had a great opportunity to begin working with a new client that could be the beginning of something I have been trying to obtain for a long time.  I am very much looking forward to where this is all going to go.

https://www.facebook.com/WhentheDeadboltBreaks/
https://whenthedeadboltbreaks.bandcamp.com/
www.argonautarecords.com
www.facebook.com/argonautarecords
https://www.facebook.com/TalonRecordsUSA/
https://talonrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.electrictalonrecords.com/

When The Deadbolt Breaks, As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy (2021)

Back in May, long-running Connecticut atmospheric/extreme doomers When the Deadbolt Breaks announced they’d release their next full-length, As Hope Valley Burns, through Argonauta Records. I’m still not sure when that’s actually coming out, but the band, along with Electric Talon Records, have set an Oct. 31 arrival for As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy, a companion-piece/continuation to the album itself. So. It’s entirely possible As Hope Valley Burns will be out by the time As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy is issued. Definitely possible. But you might also be getting what they call ‘part two’ before ‘part one’ arrives.

This is very much in the vein of Deadbolt. For over a decade and a half and amid a rotating cast around founding gutiarist/vocalist Aaron Lewis, the band have explored the darker recesses of doom — sometimes they’re downright creepy — and have refused any and all compromise or attempt to inhibit that mission. Their years have brought them into alignment with labels like Salt of the Earth, Sliptrick, Spare Change, FuzzTown and Ear One, and the expanses they’ve created have no doubt alienated as many as they’ve swallowed whole. That’s just how they do.

You can stream “I Live in the Dirt” on the player at the bottom of the post. PR wire info follows:

WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS to Release As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy

Connecticut psychedelic doom band WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS have joined forces with Electric Talon Records for the release of their 9th album, As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy. Featuring four original tracks and a mind-bending cover of THE DOORS’ “Not to Touch the Earth,” As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy ushers in a new era of doom.

Stream album track “I Live In The Dirt” at https://talonrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/track/i-live-in-dirt

Electric Talon Records will release As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy on digital, CD and vinyl formats on October 31.

As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy is the second chapter of a story that starts with As Hope Valley Burns (to be released in late 2021 by Argonauta Records). The band comments on the dual releases:

“’As Hope Valley Burns’ and ‘As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy,’ are unique albums for WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS. We have pushed our boundaries sonically. Originally recorded with the intention of a 10-song record, we found that the length of the songs did not fit the time frame of a single release. The decision was made to split the songs up, and release it as essentially, part one and part two. The heavy is heavier, and the mellow, spacial parts are even more so. Akin to our first few records, we have returned to more aggressive drumming, and psychedelic spaces, yet this record has a certain depth and maturity to it that was missing in the past.”

The album was written and recorded during the early part of the pandemic, sonically reflects uncertainty and hopelessness with massive volume. With gorgeous artwork crafted by Leanne Peters, and layout by the infamous Bill Kole, this album is a monstrous sculpture of beauty, angst and despair.

Music for As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy was recorded and produced at Room SevenZeroEight. Drums were recorded and produced at Project 7:06 by Rob Birkbeck. The album was mastered by Juno-Six.

TRACK LISTING:
1) I Live In The Dirt
2) Cleanse the Death
3) Gods Eyes
4) Forever in the Fire
5) Not to Touch the Earth

Recorded by: Aaron Lewis at Project 7:06 HQ (except drums)
Engineered and mixed by: Aaron Lewis at Room Sevenzeroeight
Mastered by: Juno-Six
Cover Image by: Leanne Peters
CD Layout by: Bill Kole

Personnel:
Aaron Lewis: Guitar & Vocals
Charlie Platteborze: Bass & Vocals
Rob Birkbeck: Drums
Steve Wieda: Synth/Soundscapes
Ambler Leigh: Additional Vocals

https://www.facebook.com/WhentheDeadboltBreaks/
https://whenthedeadboltbreaks.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TalonRecordsUSA/
https://talonrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.electrictalonrecords.com/

When The Deadbolt Breaks, As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy (2021)

I would not want to be the party responsible for scheduling releases at Argonauta Records. The Italian label seems to add more to its plate bi-weekly, and we’re not talking about insubstantial offerings either. Connecticut’s When the Deadbolt Breaks are a veteran act at this point. Their most recent studio album, 2018’s Angels Are Weeping… God Has Abandoned… (review here), came out through Desert Records, and they followed it last year with a remix-ified take on the prior 2016 EP, Until it All Collides (discussed here), pushing their murdersludge penchant to places it had never gone before. Their new album is called As Hope Valley Burns, and it’ll be released later this year as their first offering through Argonauta.

As one would expect from them at this point, it is a consuming multi-genre affair, some 77 minutes long, unremitting in its darkness of atmosphere and overarching threat of violence even in its most melodic moments. To mark the occasion of the signing announcement, the and have posted “The Crushing Weight of the Sun,” for which you can see the video at the bottom of this post. Just be ready to feel like you’re lost in the woods.

Info from the PR wire:

WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS Signs With Argonauta Records For Release Of Brand New Album Coming In 2021!

For over fifteen years, New England’s When The Deadbolt Breaks has lurked in the dark corners of underground metal. With a doom style both psychedelic and unsettling, their music has been labeled many things -heavy, daunting, overwhelming, unnerving- while the band is singer/guitarist Aaron Lewis’s gritty vision of life on the subcultural fringes of New England society. Following five highly acclaimed studio records, a split and a remix album to date, When The Deadbolt Breaks has announced their worldwide signing with Italy’s powerhouse label Argonauta Records, who will proudly release the band’s forthcoming album, entitled As Hope Valley Burns, during 2021!

“We are extremely excited to release this record worldwide with Argronauta Records and see where the future takes us,” Lewis comments. “Argronauta has been very welcoming and has a massive reach around the world. We feel that this is going to be a long a exciting journey!”

For more than a decade the Connecticut-based trio has carved a niche for themselves within the interplay of extreme genres. They are no less at home in grind than they are in pummeling sludge or ambient soundscaping, casting forth triumphant riffs or proffering murder-dirge nods at a volume level that can only be considered violent. When The Deadbolt Breaks have always struck a balance between the ugly and beauty: long compositions wade through detuned, discordant, and murky sludge before shifting into melodic ambient space rock territories, and back again. It’s not hard to see that cinema is often what informs Lewis’s songwriting: the grueling discomfort of E. Elias Merhige or surreality of David Lynch have provided as much inspiration as his musical influences.

Give ear, as When The Deadbolt Breaks‘ has just unleashed a first album sneak peak with a video clip for the heavy as hell track “The Crushing Weight of the Sun”, watch it right here:

The band is no stranger to the stage, having played the SXSW, New England Stoner & Doom Fest, and toured the southwest in 2018. As the pandemic recedes, the trio looks forward to bringing Lewis’s dark vision back to the stage, unleashing As Hope Valley Burns on unsuspecting and often unprepared audiences. “This album is a unique one for When The Deadbolt Breaks. We have pushed our boundaries sonically,” Lewis reveals. “The heavy is heavier, and the mellow, spacial parts are even more so. Akin to our first few records, we have returned to more aggressive drumming, and psychedelic spaces, yet this record has a certain depth and maturity to it that was missing in the past.”

As Hope Valley Burns is slated for a release during 2021 through Argonauta Records, with many more album details, pre-order info and songs to follow in the weeks ahead. They have also been added to the bill of this years’ Maryland Doom Fest.

https://www.facebook.com/WhentheDeadboltBreaks/
https://whenthedeadboltbreaks.bandcamp.com/
www.argonautarecords.com
www.facebook.com/argonautarecords

When the Deadbolt Breaks, “The Crushing Weight of the Sun” official video

When the Deadbolt Breaks, Until it All Collides: The Nightmare Versions (2020)

Maryland Doom Fest 2021 is set for Halloween Weekend, Oct. 28-31, in Frederick, Maryland. Some of the acts on the newly announced bill are carryovers from the first-delayed-then-canceled 2020 edition — among them Sasquatch, Worshipper, and so on — but it’s worth noting that among those and others, the likes of The Age of Truth will have a new record out by this Fall, and pre-pandemic, Boozewa didn’t even exist. So yes, things have changed.

For further proof of the festival’s stylistic branching out — and with this many bands, they’d just have have to — you’ll note the departure in the poster art from the fest-standard purple toward a greater range of color. The music they’re pushing is likewise broader in palette, and to think of seeing the likes of Howling Giant and Revvnant alongside Arduini/Balich, Omen Stones, and Place of Skulls is an encouraging thought indeed. This even was much-missed last year.

Expect a time-table sooner than later, as organizer JB Matson doesn’t screw around when it comes to that kind of thing. The lineup announcement — short and sweet, as ever — is further proof of same.

I don’t know what the world’s gonna look like come Halloween, but I know damn well this is one reason I’m glad I got that vaccine.

[UPDATE 04/30: Black Road and Vessel of Light can’t make it. Lo-Pan and When the Deadbolt Breaks have been added. If there are any further changes, I’ll probably just make a new post.]

To wit:

Here is the Md Doom Fest 2021 roster folks!!!
Halloween weekend – Oct 28-31, 2021
WE CANNOT WAIT TO DOOM WITH YOU!!

Lineup:

Poobah, Sasquatch, Place of Skulls, Lo-Pan, Lost Breed, Cavern, Horseburner, Spiral Grave, The Age of Truth, Mangog, Wrath of Typhon, Helgamite, Almost Honest, Indus Valley Kings, VRSA, Monster God, Et Mors, Astral Void, Worshipper, Boozewa, Admiral Browning, Omen Stones, Formula 400, Molasses Barge, Arduini/Balich, Dirt Eater, Dyerwolf, Ol’ Time Moonshine, Shadow Witch, Revvnant, Bloodshot, Ritual Earth, Gardens of Nocturne, Conclave, Crow Hunter, Bailjack, Warmask, Akris, Alms, Thunderbird Divine, Strange Highways, Howling Giant, Yatra, Jaketehhawk, When the Deadbolt Breaks, Grave Huffer, Dust Prophet, Plague Wielder, Weed Coughin, Morganthus, Tines

www.marylanddoomfest.com
#4daysofdoom

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

So just to make your life confusing, here’s a remixed track from a remixed record. But the remixed track is a bonus track that’s not part of the remixing process the rest of the record underwent, instead an outside collaboration. But the rest of the record, Until it All Collides — originally released in 2016 on Salt of the Earth Records — has been remixed and remastered. When the Deadbolt Breaks, in sound or style or method, have never taken it easy on the listen. It’s just not the way of founding guitarist/vocalist Aaron Lewis or the Connecticut outfit that’s been his destructive, extremist sludge vehicle for 15 years.

To wit, the premiere of “Floyd’s Machine (Remix)” below is one of two Juno6 remixes included on the forthcoming new version of Until it All Collides is fascinating and unlike anything the band has done before. Think Godflesh or some of Napalm Death‘s techno experimentations and you’ll be on the right track. When the Deadbolt Breaks have always been able to harness an atmosphere of threat, and certainly “Floyd’s Machine” keeps that as part of the foundation from which it builds, but it also takes an unexpected — and effective; like, Lewis might want to consider doing a whole record like this — turn with the outside reinterpretation of the band’s work.

When the Deadbolt Breaks have a new LP in the works for Desert Records in 2021 and a new lineup as well. Lewis updates below and “Floyd’s Machine (Remix)” premieres down at the bottom:

When The Deadbolt Breaks will be releasing the album Until It All Collides as remix on Friday Nov. 29th via Desert Records along with the songs Floyd’s Machine and Just Before Twilight. The band will also release a new full-length album in 2021 on Desert Records.

“WTDB was the first band I signed to the label in 2018,” says Desert Records founder Brad Frye. “I couldn’t be happier to help them release these two albums. The remixes are dirty, grimey, filthy and disgusting in the best way possible and will be released on Black Friday 2020, as a digital album for ‘name your price’ on Bandcamp. I heard one of the new songs from the upcoming album…killer stuff. Get ready for new music from the Psychedelic Doom hailing from the woods of Connecticut.”

Aaron Lewis on Until it All Collides remixes:

I was never really quite happy with the way the Until It All Collides EP sounded, which, I can only blame myself for since it was recorded at my studio like all of our records have been. But, I probably wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be working on that project at that time due to personal issues I was facing. So, I wanted to give the album the proper mix and master that it deserves. However this time, we removed the live songs and have added two remix versions of older When the Deadbolt Breaks songs as remixed and reimagined by our friend Juno6.

Those remixes will include ‘Floyd’s Machine’ from our 2018 album Angels are Weeping… God has abandoned.,. and ‘Just Before Twilight,’ from our 2010 double album The Last Day of Sun. Juno6 first sent us the remix of Floyds Machine close to two years ago now, and we wanted to wait for the right time to release it. Now is that time through Desert Records.

Over the past few months, we have also been working on a new record, which honestly I couldn’t be more pleased about. With the addition of Charlie Platterborze on guitar and Rob Birkbeck on drums, a whole new pathway has been opened for our music. The new music is more extreme, more diverse and more crushing than anything we’ve done in the past.

We are extremely excited to welcome both Rob and Charlie to the band, and to work with Desert Records on both of these releases.

https://www.facebook.com/WhentheDeadboltBreaks/
https://whenthedeadboltbreaks.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel/
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://desertrecords.bigcartel.com/

https://soundcloud.com/uzzedout/when-the-deadbolt-breaks-floyds-machine-juno6-remix/s-06G4wzHzWJL

You’re probably doing something right when your tour starts at the SX Stoner Jam, which has something like 150 bands on the lineup and will no doubt be the kind of thing that 10 years from now people who were fortunate enough to be there will still be talking about. I mean that. But for Red Mesa and When the Deadbolt Breaks, both supporting releases on Desert Records, it’s just the beginning. They’ll go from Austin to Houston and then kick around the Southwest and the mountains for a 10-day run that unless I’m mistaken marks the Connecticut-based Deadbolt‘s first time out toward West Coast. I could be wrong about that — they’ve got some history at this point — but I’m reasonably certain.

Either way, a lot of the difference between the two bands can be seen in the photos below. Red Mesa are the dudes in the desert, sunglasses on, having a good time. When the Deadbolt Breaks are framed by eerie light in the woods, hands in pockets, staring downhill at whatever it is they might be threatening. Those should be some good shows.

Dates came down the PR wire:

When The Deadbolt Breaks and Red Mesa announce ‘Path of the Heavy’ tour!

When The Deadbolt Breaks (Psychedelic Doom) and Red Mesa (Desert Rock) have announced a tour together centered around their appearances at Austin’s STONER JAM ’19 on March 14th.

WTDB will be touring in support of their sixth studio album, “Angels are weeping…God has abandoned”. Red Mesa will be touring in support of their second studio album, “The Devil and The Desert”. Both band’s albums were released on the new Albuquerque based record label, Desert Records.

Tour Dates:
March 14th – Austin, TX Stoner Jam ’19 Festival @ Spider House Cafe and Ballroom
March 15th – Houston, TX @ Rudyards British Pub
March 16th – OKC @ Your Mom’s Place
March 17th – Wichita, KS @ Elbow Room
March 18th – OFF
March 19th – Colorado Springs, CO @ Bar-K
March 20th – Denver, CO @ TBA
March 21st – Albuquerque, NM
March 22nd – Phoenix, AZ @ Time Out Lounge
March 23rd – TBA

https://www.facebook.com/WhentheDeadboltBreaks/
https://whenthedeadboltbreaks.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/redmesaband/
https://redmesarock.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordlabel/

When the Deadbolt Breaks, Angels are Weeping… God Has Abandoned… (2018)

Red Mesa, The Devil and the Desert (2018)