Serious praise has been heaped on LA trio High Priestess and judging by the majesty of this self-titled debut album (Ripple), much more is coming. As the name implies, the band peddles a mystical, dark yet melodious slow crush, but there’s a joyous inventiveness here that sets it apart from its peers.Continue reading
I first saw Liverpool’s Iron Witch around five years ago, supporting the once-mighty Kylesa and looking ready, with a little nervousness, to take on the globe. Cue the obligatory hard knocks and line-up changes…debut album A Harrowed Dawn (Secret Law Records) has seemed an age in the making but boy, has it been worth the wait.Continue reading
I always enjoy getting to review a début release from a band, and the recently formed noise rock group, Wrong, from Miami is no exception. Getting my hands and ears on the self-titled EP (Relapse), even if only at the 31 minute mark, has proven to be a valuable addition into my music library. Doing some further research on the group, I discovered that guitarist/vocalist, Eric Hernandez, is actually a former two-time drummer for sludge titans, Kylesa. As for the overall groove in the record, it is headbang worthy but also peppers in some aggression that is sure to please a large variety of fans. Each track does a good job in being its own entity but also sticks true to the theme.
While most of the tracks were less than 3 minutes long, there were a handful that certainly stuck out in my mind. One of the more aggressive tracks, ‘Mucilage’ has a very hardcore background to it with a great outro that has the feel of a breakdown without actually being one. One of the “longer” tracks, ‘Fake Brain’, does the best job at mixing both main influences of the aggressive side of hardcore and the noise rock side. The rhythm has heavily distortion in the guitar tone while the leads are higher pitched, tremolo picking riffs. At points, it sounds like the song wants to be powerviolence in the crescendos but stays clear of that type of chaos. Lastly, what would a self-titled record be without a self-titled song. Yes, the second to last track is entitled ‘Wrong’. This one just breaks the three-minute mark and is also a great example of the hardcore rhythm meets noise rock leads. The solo in the song is absolute scorcher as well so make sure to put on sunscreen before getting to the later stages of this release.
Going in to the first playthrough, I was not so sure of what to expect from this new group. However, I am happy to say that this EP is going to be up there with some other EPs I have listened to that will certainly be vying for a spot in many end of year lists. This is only the beginning of Wrong as I am sure they will continue to create and record music that just sounds oh so right.
7.0/10
TIM LEDIN
[amazon asin=B01CBITFA4&template=iframe image1]
Following 2012’s Civil Disobedience for Losers (Sargent House), stoner duo Indian Handcrafts release Creeps (Sargent House) to kick off the last quarter of 2015. I was first introduced to this band when they toured with Red Fang back in 2013. They were impressive as a two piece back then and have yet to let up.
The first few songs of the album are pretty good, as expected. However, it isn’t until ‘Maelstrom’ that things change and the music really grabs you by the literal and/or metaphorical nads. This is a great song that showcases just how talented this duo is. It opens with some guitars that throw you back to the eighties for a moment before morphing more into something that you would expect to hear in a new installment of Heavy Metal. It’s so heavy and fuzzy, I love it. Whether you’re banging your head or shaking what your mama gave ya, this track will make you move.
‘The Divider’ is another groovy, riff filled track. This is one of those songs that gives me a case of what the kids call the “feels” when things slow down around the three and a half minute mark. It hurts so good though. I would absolutely love to see this played live. Even without providing me with my beloved bassist, Indian Handcrafts still shreds creates a depth and warmth to their sound that is difficult to duplicate.
This album has a lot of catchy riffs sprinkled throughout it, but the second is where it takes on a life of its own, sprouts wings, and drags you along for the ride. That alone makes this worth a listen. At the very least, do yourself a favor and check out the two songs I mentioned above. Don’t forget to catch Indian Handcrafts currently supporting Kylesa on a tour date near you. See you in Boston!
7.5/10
ALEIDA LA LLAVE
Ever think you could compare 70s New wave to Savannah Psych-Sludge outfit Kylesa? No, me neither…
A new Kylesa album used to be a huge event in the Quinn household until 2010’s Spiral Shadow (Season of Mist) showed a mellowing of the lambent, crushing anger, introducing more of the band’s progressive drift. Two albums later and it’s sadly obvious that the band is continuing the journey further from their harsh roots.
Exhausting Fire (Season of Mist) isn’t devoid of bulldozing riffs: opener ‘Crusher’s entrancing verses displaying the customary steel which fires up a laconic, Blondie ballad-style chorus highlighting the increasing melody in Laura Pleasants’ voice. The ensuing ‘Inward Debate’ is Philip Cope’s first foray into action, immediately infusing the sound with a buzzing anger: yet his performance in ‘Moving Day’ is more indolent, an almost spoken-word delivery, Pleasants’ honeyed backing and jangling hookline giving way to a fuzzed coda.
This is a less inventive, softer Kylesa, seemingly happy after all these years to plough a furrow without traversing the path of discovery. Briefly howling leads and a growling riff awaken the dreamy, drifting ‘Falling’, the kind of track the band are becoming more well-known for. The Talking Heads-esque ‘Night Drive’ is a cool evocation of the cosmic violence of the Spiral Shadow era, a lazy Prog infused with swelling, pulsing power. ‘Blood Moon’ however, is more indicative of the second half of the album, its blend of Asian-influenced MOR and bludgeoning Punk feeling tired and occasionally flaccid: a tiredness which the insouciant, Nirvana-like ‘Growing Roots’, only occasionally tempting with spiralling swells, further highlights.
Closer ‘Out of My Mind’ sees more of those terribly wearisome vocals – in all honesty, the biggest problem here – destroy a gradual pogo-fest. It’s by no means dire, just desperately disappointing and lacklustre. Here, it seems, we have a once-crushing colossus now older, battered by tough times, and content to peddle uninspired stodge which eclipses many other bands’ output, but insults Kylesa’s legacy and name. Intermittent flashes of dazzling, indelible former glories save us from a worse fate. Exhausting Fire? Exhaustion seems not a million miles away…
5.5/10.0
PAUL QUINN
Cult of Luna will kickoff their brief fall tour tour tonight, co-headlining with Kylesa. Joining for the 9-date cross country jaunt will be Minsk, Subrosa and InAeona. This is the first tour of the US since Cult of Luna released Vertikal (Indie Recordings) in 2013 and promises to be an “event” worthy concert experience. Kylesa will use these dates as the warm up to the release of their new album Exhausting Fire, due out from Season of Mist on October 2nd.
Cult of Luna – Kylesa tour dates:
Sept 01: Gramercy Theater – New York, NY*
Sept 02: Cafe Campus – Montreal CAN*
Sept 03: Mod Club Theater- Toronto, CAN*
Sept 04: Reggies- Chicago, IL*
Sept 05: Rickshaw Theater- Vancouver, CAN**
Sept 06: Neumo’s – Seattle, WA**
Sept 07: Star Theater – Portland, OR**
Sept 08: Slims – San Francisco, CA**
Sept 09: The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA**
*with InAeona
**with Minsk
**with Subrosa
Boston Post-Rock up and comers InAeona released their new album, Force rise the Sun, from Prosthetic Records today. The band has also announced tour dates: a brief run with Cult of Luna and Kylesa followed by a headline tour, kicking off with a hometown show on 8/30 at Great Scott.
InAeona tour dates:
8/30 Allston, MA : O’Brien’s Pub (record release show w/ Set and Setting, So Hideous, Meek Is Murder)
Sep 01: Gramercy Theater – New York, NY #
Sep 02: Cafe Campus – Montreal, QC #
Sep 03: Mod Club Theater – Toronto, ON #
Sep 04: Reggie’s – Chicago, IL #
Sep 05: State Street Pub – Indianapolis, IN
Sep 07: Blind Bob’s – Dayton, OH (w/ Mouth of the Architect, So Hideous, Set and Setting)
Sep 09: The East Room – Nashville, TN (w/ Set and Setting, A Thousand Plateaus)
Sep 11: Harling’s Upstairs – Kansas City, MO
Sep 13: Seventh Circle Collective- Denver, CO
Sep 15: Metro Bar- Salt Lake City, UT
Sep 24: The Complex – Los Angeles, CA
Sep 25: Legends Record- San Diego, CA
Sep 26: The Garage – Ventura, CA
Oct 08: Hotshots- Shreveport, LA
Oct 09: Twist of Lime- New Orleans, LA
Oct 10: The Nick – Birmingham, AL
# w/ Cult of Luna, Kylesa
Come no closer if you like God or happiness, as the very antithesis is available in this remarkably-packaged ‘split’, Endsville (Battleground), from Tucson quintet Godhunter and their Austin Doom counterparts Destroyer of Light.
The Arizona mob kick us off, their acoustic-toned ‘End Time Blues’ and ‘The Emptiness That is Left’ bookending four tracks of angry, raw Stoner. There’s a basic, Punk vibe to the minimalist style of ‘Divided States’ and ‘Anthropophobia’. The throaty squeal coursing through them is, however, somewhat inept, and accompanied by prosaic, unimaginative riffs and rhythm. Sadly this rather uninspiring, stodgy template continues throughout Godhunter’s offering; the Kylesa-lite ‘Cassandra Complex’ occasionally loads colossal weight upon the shoulders and is the standout track of their inferior set, but the slovenly growl and lacklustre riffs fail to stir the blood sufficiently. The closing coda of ‘…Emptiness…’, a diseased version of ‘Something in the Way’, desecrates Nirvana’s original whilst paradoxically landing a long-overdue significant punch.
Thankfully the rollicking, NWOBHM-infused Psych-Occult of Destroyer of Light fares much better. Opener ‘Electric Shadows’ finds ground between Moss and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats; the steady, cantering pace graced by Steve Colca’s dramatic holler, subtle samples and eerie chanting which add melody to pummeling riffs and Jeff Klein’s pounding bass. Some electrifying solo work to the track’s coda, meanwhile, helps to banish the memory of what has gone before. The dirty, monolithic chords of ‘Coffin Hunter’, Colca’s vocal tolling over them, are reminiscent of Iommi at his evil, crushing best, while devilish roars from the three-quarter point are utterly terrifying and offer more than Godhunter’s whole portion.
And here’s the issue: this is a ‘split’ in the real sense of the word, an immense second half in real danger of being overshadowed by the shambolic pointlessness of the first. The dazzling leadwork of the morose, pulsing ‘Forever My Queen’ proves the Texan outfit’s name to be misleading, lighting the path to sinister, bone-crushing closer ‘Valley Of The Dead’, and affirms the belief that Destroyer of Light should not suffer the sins of their undeserving co-contributors. Give the Trad Doom boys your time at the very least.
6.0/10
PAUL QUINN
Cult of Luna has booked a brief fall tour, co-headlining with Kylesa. Joining for the 9-date cross country jaunt will be Minsk, Subrosa and InAeona at different stops.
Cult of Luna – Kylesa tour dates:
Sept 01: Gramercy Theater – New York, NY*
Sept 02: Cafe Campus – Montreal CAN*
Sept 03: Mod Club Theater- Toronto, CAN*
Sept 04: Reggies- Chicago, IL*
Sept 05: Rickshaw Theater- Vancouver, CAN**
Sept 06: Neumo’s – Seattle, WA**
Sept 07: Star Theater – Portland, OR**
Sept 08: Slims – San Francisco, CA**
Sept 09: The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA**
*with InAeona
**with Minsk
**with Subrosa
Robotic Empire’s Nirvana tribute album Whatever Nevermind is now available and is streaming in its entirety below. The album features covers by Torche, Cave In, Kylesa, Boris and many others.
Our second tribute to Nirvana, titled “Whatever Nevermind”, is out today. This album sees Boris, CAVE IN (official),…
Posted by Robotic Empire on Saturday, April 18, 2015