Pallbearer has recorded a cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Run Like Hell’ from their classic album The Wall which you can hear now below. Magnetic Eye Records is releasing The Wall [Redux] a massive Floyd tribute album featuring The Melvins, Ruby the Hatchet, Mark Lanegan, ASG, Scott Reeder and more for release along with the companion album, Best of Pink Floyd [REDUX], on November 9th.Continue reading
Before you sink your teeth into this, let me make a quick disclaimer for those of you looking for a standard review. This ain’t it. If you want to read, ad nauseam, about each band that played, who was good, who wasn’t, what songs they played or how many bands are “female fronted,” have female members or where any of these bands are from I can guarantee you a quick internet search will get you your fix somewhere. If you are looking for someone to tell you what any of the bands sound like, look like or act like then here is a novel idea, buy their music, go to a show and form an opinion for yourself. No offense intended to anyone writing something like that or looking for that kind of thing but you won’t find it here because I don’t feel like writing something everyone else has or will. (Offense intended to anyone still finding some ridiculous need to write or read about bands being “female fronted.” Fuck off.)
Oh, also there will be naughty words.Continue reading
Psycho Las Vegas 2017 will be taking place from August 18th-20th at the Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. The initial lineup seemed to feature every band ever, but now they’ve added Mastodon as the final headliner, and it’s officially one of the sickest bills ever created. Continue reading
The Roadburn Festival, the world première event for all things heavy, diverse, avant-garde, and underground begins today in Tilburg, NL at various venues, under the watchful eye of founder Walter Hoeijmakers. John Dyer Baizley of Baroness curates this years’ fest and performs with his band as well. The fest is nearly a sellout with some limited tickets available for Sunday. Full details below. Continue reading
This year’s Roadburn Festival just gets better and better. The fest has now added twenty new bands such as Whores, Integrity, Cobalt, Bongnzilla, Disfear, Big Business, Trans AM and more. More details below: Continue reading
Zakk Sabbath will be performing a special gig tonight at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, and they want the whole world to see it. Continue reading
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats release their latest album, The Night Creeper, via Rise Above Records in plenty of time for Halloween. I mention this because those psychedelic, doom-y tunes got me wrapped up in reading about Night of the Living Dead while listening to them. ‘Tis the season, after all.
‘Melody Lane’ kicks off with keyboards that I would normally despise, but find myself tolerating in this case. Even with the keys, this still manages to be one of the heavier songs on the album. The guitar solo that starts at about 4:27 is one of only a few on the album. The solo paired with a little more energy overall makes this song stand out to me more than others.
Title track ‘The Night Creeper’ is a great song that commands your attention and forces you to headbang and/or contemplate your entire existence. I have been under the weather lately so I took the latter path. As expected, the song is on the sinister side of things and excellently instills a sense of despair in the listener. I also find it oddly comforting, like a more grown up way to feed your inner goth kid and bring peace to that teenage angst from so long ago.
At just over nine minutes long, ‘Slow Death’ is a beautiful and relaxing piece. The slow tempo, minimal vocals, and sounds of falling rain make it sound like something right out of the sixties. It’s the kind of song that you can throw on at the end of a long day and just let fuzz consume your mind. Listen to it a few times and I think you’ll see exactly what I mean.
The Night Creeper is an album worthy of a place in your doom collection. It’s got all of the darkness and foreboding of regular doom but without putting you (me) to sleep. Keep your eyes peeled for Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats currently on tour with Ruby the Hatchet. See you in Boston!
7.0/10
ALEIDA LA LLAVE
The Shrine
(L to R: Courtland Murphy (bass), Jeff Murray (drums) and Josh Landau (guitar / vocals)
California “Destroyers of Rock N Roll” The Shrine have announced their forthcoming spring North American tour, with dates posted below.
Mar 16: Beerland – Austin, TX (SXSW – 6PM as part of “Heavy Metal Cage Match” w/ American Sharks, Eagle Claw, Elder, etc.)
Mar 18: Spiderhouse Ballroom – Austin, TX (SXSW – 9PM)
Mar 20: The North Door – Austin, TX (SXSW -w/ Kadavar, Ruby the Hatchet, Elder, Castle, etc.)
Mar 21: Gypsy Lounge – Austin, TX (SXSW – 2PM as part of Thrasher + Converse “Death Match” w/ OM, Goatsnake, The Skull, etc.)
Mar 21: The Lost Well – Austin, TX (SXSW – 11PM as part of “Heavy Metal Parking Lot 2” w/ The Skull, Weedeater, Ruby The Hatchet, etc.)
West Coast “Worship Tour”
* All dates also include Dirty Fences
Apr 02: The Casbah – San Diego, CA (w/ Loom)
Apr 03: The Paper Agency – Los Angeles, CA
Apr 04: Thee Parkside – San Francisco, CA (w/ Banquet)
Apr 05: Analog Cafe – Portland, OR
Apr 06: Capitol Theater Backstage – Olympia, WA (w/ Mos Generator)
Apr 07: SBC – Vancouver, BC (w/ Black Wizard)
Apr 08: One Six Boardshop – Victoria, BC (w/ Black Wizard)
Apr 09: Barboza – Seattle, WA
Apr 10: Dante’s – Portland, OR (w/ JOY)
Apr 11: Eli’s Mile High Club – Oakland, CA
Apr 12: Velvet Jones – Santa Barbara, CA (w/ Blasting Concept)
February 24th marks the release of Ruby the Hatchet’s latest work; Valley of the Snake (Tee Pee Records). Where a lot of bands compete for who is the loudest and the fastest, Ruby the Hatchet catches my attention for the opposite reasons. If you enjoy psychedelic and/or stoner-rock, then the Philadelphia, PA based outfit should be right up your alley.
One of the songs to really catch my attention from the very beginning was ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ with its heavy organ work. I’m not usually a fan of organs, keyboards, synthesizers or things of that nature because I feel that they tend to overpower the rest of the music but the balance just works in this context. It’s a beautiful track with an underlying feeling of hopelessness. This would be great paired with old horror movie footage. Possible video idea?
I will completely admit that I tend to dislike female singers and will usually write a band off completely if I can’t stomach them, but Jillian Taylor is brilliant. I believe the song ‘Demons’ showcases her talents quite nicely while making it difficult to keep still. Her soft, ethereal voice is like a living creature, calling out to the listener from a place just beyond their line of sight. I’m adding Jillian’s name to my lady crush list, right next to Kylesa’s Laura Pleasants.
Ruby the Hatchet remind me of a mix between The Sword and The Atomic Bitchwax with a woman’s touch. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album overall and I recommend picking it up for a full bodied stoner/psychedelic rock experience. It’s definitely something that I can see myself having on repeat for a few hours and just getting lost to.
8.5/10
ALEIDA LA LLAVE
Philadelphia psychedelic doombringers Ruby The Hatchet is releasing their new album Valley of the Snake on February 24, 2015 via Tee Pee Records. Stream “Demons” here.
Heavy-handed and hypnotic in equal parts, RUBY THE HATCHET creates the perfect shape shift between psych density and metal grandiosity, representing something utterly imposing; primeval and oppressively heavy while maintaining a level of breathless intensity over the course of the full album. Valley of the Snake is a six song journey; a fantastical trek with huge, blistering tracks that journey over peaks and valleys and ditches and oceans before leaving you spinning.
WATCH Ruby The Hatchet in Converse x Decibel Collaboration here.
RUBY THE HATCHET Valley of the Snake
Track listing:
1.) Heavy Blanket
2.) Vast Acid
3.) Tomorrow Never Comes
4.) Unholy Behemoth
5.) Demons
6.) Valley of the Snake
RUBY THE HATCHET live dates:
Feb 05: Saint Vitus – Brooklyn, NY (w/ Danava, Natur, Dirty Fences)
Feb: 13: Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA (w/ Joy)
Feb 14: The Acheron – Brooklyn, NY (w/ Joy)
Feb 15: O’Briens – Boston, MA (w/ Joy, Carousel, F.U.R.S.)
Feb 21: Asbury Park Yacht Club – Asbury Park, NJ
Mar 17-22: SXSW – Austin, TX
Mar 21: The North Door – Austin, TX (w/ Kadavar, The Shrine, Heat, Castle, Elder)
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