SOUTHERN LORD VINYL NEWS INCL. BURNING WITCH BOX INFO

The Southern Lord label has offered us some great vinyl releases this year, and there's no sign of slowing down during 2011. Lord of the label, Greg Anderson posted a blog entry summing up 2010 and giving us some teasers on what's to come. And yes, it includes an update on the Burning Witch box set we've been longing for for quite some time now. Here's the post in its entirety:

As the year comes winding (crashing) down I recently was reflecting on the amazing amount of incredible vinyl releases we had this year.
First off is the list of the releases that were included in the 2010 Southern Lord Vinyl Subscription Series (subscriptions are still available for sale but act fast as we don't have many!)

1. Black Cobra-”Chronomega” LP
2. Ascend-”Ample Fire Within 2xLP
3. Pelican- What We All Come To Need” 2xlp
4. Trap Them-”Filth Rathions” LP
5. Twilight-Monument To Time End” 2x LP
6. Yob-”The Great Cessation” 2xLP

and these were also released in 2010 on Southern Lord:

7. Boris - Absolutego 2xLP
8. Boris - Amplifier Worship 2xLp
9. BXI - S/T LP
10. Black Breath - Heavy Breathing LP
11. Goatsnake - Flower of Disease LP
12. Goatsnake - 1+Dog Days 2xLP
13. Corrosion of Conformity - Your Tomorrow 7"
14. Righteous Fool - 7"
15. Earth - A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extractions 2xLP
16. Nails - Unsilent Death LP
17. the Secret - Solve Et Coagula LP
18. Thou - Summit LP
19. Lebanon - Overdose/Overload 7"

19 different vinyl releases!!!! Holy fuck that's a lot! hahahahahhah. The majority of these vinyls are still available within the Southern Lord store. The Boris lps (Absolutego & Amplifier Worship), and Righteous Fool 7" are sold out. Yob and Pelican lps are now ONLY available via the Southern Lord vinyl subscription series.

While on the subject and within this space I wanted to spread some info about upcoming releases and post info on the “infamous” Burning Witch- Box set that has sparked alot of heated interest via the net!

the following are forthcoming vinyl releases we're excited to announce:

- sunn 0))) - Agharhi 09-10. This is a live sunn 0))) album and is ONLY available via the Southern Lord Vinyl subscription series or at sunn 0)))'s Roadburn performance April 15th 2011, @103 in Tilburg, Holland. More info about this release is on the previous blog posting!

- Baptists - 7". Absolutely raging, chaotic, punishing hardcore from Vancouver, Canada. This is the band first release and we guarantee it will completely flatten you. FFO: Cursed, Converge etc..

- Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 2xLP w/ etching on 4th side. The brand new studio album from Earth. Haunting, beautiful and epic!

- Weedeater - Jason The Dragon LP. Brand new studio album from the filthiest, sludgiest mongers to ever crawl out of the South. Done with Albini again!

- Winter - Into Darkness LP. Deluxe reissue of this essential classic slab of crust-ridden doom! Will feature many unseen photos, flyers etc..

- Early Graves - Goner LP. Exclusive vinyl release of this raging album. Singer Makh Daniels was taken from us too early. This release is a memorial to him.

- Misantropic - Insomnia LP. Raging crust-metal from Sweden. TOTAL Sacrilege-UK Behind the Realms of Madness worship!

Finally…here is the deal with the Buring Witch - Rift Canyon Dreams/Towers 4xLP box set. We got test pressings for this back around February 2009. They sound incredible and have been approved by all parties! Unfortunately due to the very elaborate packaging that this release has the overall price is extremely high! We’ve been having a very difficult time finding the money and time to dedicate to seeing this project through. We would very much like to see this finally come out but at the moment we really cant positively say when that will be! Bottom line is that the release has not been “canceled” but it is on hold at the moment.

In closing, …Thanks for your support. Without we are nothing. LONG LIVE VINYL!

HENRY & GLENN FOREVER FIRST ANIMATED CARTOON

You've read the comic book, now watch the cartoon. Based on the Henry & Glenn Forever comic book created by The Igloo Tornado; here's Henry & Glenn Forever starring in "A Very Special Anti-X-Mas Special." Written, directed and animated by Tom Neely (www.iwilldestroyyou.com).

MELVINS SPACELAND RESIDENCY DETAILS

As some of you probably already know, Melvins will play a Friday residency in January 2011 at Spaceland in Los Angeles. Now, LA Weekly has released the details on the different themes for the four shows. Man, I wish I could go...

First show (1/7) is:
Melvins set.
(Colossus of Destiny)
Lysol record
Eggnog record...

Second show (1/14):
Melvins 1983.
Melvins set.
Houdini record.

Third show (1/21):
Melvins Lite.
Melvins set.
Bullhead record.

Fourth show (1/28)
Melvins set.
Stoner Witch record.

LUSTMORD TO STOCKHOLM

When Lustmord (Brian Williams) performed in Krakow a couple of months ago, it was his second live performance in 29 years. On January 15, 2011 Lustmord will perform in Stockholm as part of the annual Art's Birthday Party at Södra Teatern. And you know what? The event is free, so no excuses.

While in Stockholm, Brian Williams will also be doing a seminar at Elektronmusikstudion EMS. More details about that as we have them.


http://www.sodrateatern.com/
http://www.lustmord.com/

TEE PEE RECORDS EURO TOUR

Tee Pee Records, you know, the label which has trademarked good taste, presents a European tour with some of their finest acts. Naam, Quest For Fire, Mirror Queen and The Atomic Bitchwax are all heading our way in April 2011.


Here are the dates:

TUE   05. Apr   GER   Wiesbaden   Schlachthof  
WED   06. Apr   A   Vienna   Arena  
THU   07. Apr   GER   Würzburg   Cafe Cairo  
FRI   08. Apr   GER   Dresden   Groovestation  
SAT   09. Apr   GER   Hohenstein   Schützenhaus  
SUN   10. Apr   GER   Berlin   Magnet  
MON   11. Apr   GER   Hamburg   Molotow  
TUE   12. Apr   GER   Marburg   KFZ  
WED   13. Apr   GER   Dortmund   Piano  
THU   14. Apr   NL   Tilburg   Roadburn  
FRI   15. Apr   GER   Jena   Rose  
SAT   16. Apr   A   Salzburg   B. lack  
SUN   17. Apr   A   Millstatt   Bergwerk              
TUE   19. Apr   ITA   Torino   United Club  
WED   20. Apr   ITA   Brescia   Latte & Live  
THU   21. Apr   CH   Luzern   Sedel  
FRI   22. Apr   CH   Winterthur   Gaswerk  
SAT   23. Apr   GER   Weil der Stadt   JH Kloster  
SUN   24. Apr   F   Paris   Nouveau Casino  
MON   25. Apr   NL   Rotterdam    Baroeg  
WED   27. Apr   UK   London   Underworld

TOP FIVE RECORDS NEW STORE ONLINE

Our new store is finally online. We haven't added all our stock yet though, but records are being added daily, so keep checking the site. If you find any bugs, please let us know.

The address is the same as before: www.topfiverecords.se

ÆTHENOR DECEMBER TOUR

Droners Æthenor are heading out for a short tour in December. The band will perform as a trio: Steve Noble (percussions), Daniel O'Sullivan (keys) and Stephen O'Malley (guitar). Kristoffer Rygg will unfortunately not be joining the tour due to health issues.


Here are the dates:

DEC 2010
7 Chateau Rouge / Prague / CZ
8 Arena / Vienna / AU
9 Unwound / Padova / IT
10 Teatro Rasi / Ravenna / IT
11 Sala Teatro Espace / Torino / IT
12 La Casa / Milano / IT
13 Mono Spazio Bar / Pescara / IT
14 Galleria Toledo / Naples / IT
15 Init Club / Roma / IT

Pictured right is the tour shirt that will be available at the concerts, the new album, "En Form For Blå" will also be available for purchase.

MELVINS LATEST ALBUM ON VINYL + A LIMITED TEST PRESS

Finally a vinyl version will be released of the Melvins latest album, "The Bride Screamed Murder". It will be out via Amphetamine Reptile Records some time in January, if everything goes as planned. If you can't wait, you can spend your life savings on a test press of the record, limited to 5 copies. How, you ask? Straight from the Melvins' mouths:

"In the meantime we have a special TEST PRESSING release. A special sleeve (pictured here) made for the ...Test Press ONLY. There are only 5 TP's and Retardist artist HAZE XXL screwed one of 'em with spray paint!. Only 5 made and heading to eBay soon to fund the splatter vinyl and special Letterpress printing used on the regular edition!

eBay auctions begin Nov. 29- Monday"

SABBATH ASSEMBLY TO ROADBURN

The following is from Roadburn.com

We’re excited to report that Sabbath Assembly will be part of the 2011 Roadburn Festival lineup, set for Friday, April 15th at the Midi Theatre, Tilburg, Holland.

Sabbath Assembly is a modern response to the musical activities of a cult known as The Process Church of the Final Judgment.

In the late 60's and into the 70's, The Process opened chapters in London, Europe and across the United States. Processians dressed in black cloaks, walked the streets with German Shepherds and sang of the gnostic reconciliation of Christ and Satan. Sabbath Assembly has re-charged the cult’s original hymns for the current generation.

ROADBURN SOLD OUT IN 20 MINUTES

Another record for the Roadburn Festival. The tickets for the 2011 fest sold out in approx. 20 minutes. There might be a few tickets left though, since some payments are still pending. Head over to ticketmaster.nl to see if you're lucky. In case you missed out, there's still tickets left for the Afterburner on April 17. The Afterburner tickets go for 25 Euro, and you'll get bands like Black Mountain, Dead Meadow, Coffins, Black Pyramid and many more.

Hope to see you all in Tilburg in April!

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY TO ROADBURN

Corrosion of Conformity reunited a while ago with the classic "Animosity" line-up, and now they are confirmed to play at the 2011 Roadburn Festival, as part of the Sunn O))) curated day. The line-up is of course: Mike Dean (bass, vocals), Woody Weatherman (guitar) and Reed Mullin (drums).

The last time I saw Corrosion of Conformity live, they opened for Metallica during the "Load" tour in 1996. James Hetfield even joined them on stage when they did "Seven Days" from the "Deliverance" album. It was a great show, but I bet the Roadburn performance will be better.

MORE AFTERBURNER BANDS

Even more bands has been confirmed for the Roadburn Afterburner event. That is, the day after the festival, or the fourth day, as it now seems to be almost as big as any of the other three festival days. Sourvein, Coffins and Samsara Blues Experiment are all booked for the fest.

The following is from Roadburn.com

Featuring former members of 13 and Buzzov*en in their ranks, Sourvein offers low-tuned, balls out, southern sludge metal. Word on the streets is that they have been slaying audiences across the US for the last couple of years with their heavy-as-fuck assault.

Influenced by old school 80s and 90s doom and  thrash, Japan’s Coffins death metal onslaught also shows some heavy and oppressive sludge metal tendencies keeping them somewhere near the doom category, despite the band’s occasional upbeat parts or outbursts of speed. Since 1996, Coffins has put out crushing release after release culminating into 2008's Buried Death, a punishing masterpiece of death doom (think Come my Fanatics-era  Electric Wizard  playing death metal, and you get Coffins).

Roadburn is very pleased to announce that Samsara Blues Experiment will be part of the 2011 Afterburner lineup. Originally scheduled to play this years Roadburn Festival in April, guitarist Christian Peters was rushed to the hospital only seconds before the band got on stage. The remaining band members ended up jamming with David Eering from The Machine.

Utilizing both heavy riffage and psychedelic blues-jamming, Samsara Blues Experiment offer 21th Century Krautrock that will appeal to doom and stoner fans alike. The band caused quite a stir with their debut full-length Long Distance Trip, and we’re very happy that these spaced out cosmonauts will be part of Roadburn Festival 2011.

WINTER REISSUED BY SOUTHERN LORD

As we already have reported, doom legends Winter are confirmed to play an exclusive special performance at the 2011 Roadburn Festival, as part of the day curated by Sunn O))). Now, Southern Lord lets us know that they are planning a special vinyl and CD reissue of Winter recordings. Their plan is to have it ready for the festival in April next year.

We for one can't wait. More about this as it becomes official.

EARTH FINISHED RECORDING NEW ALBUM

Seattle's Earth has finished the recordings of their next album. Entitled "Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1", it's the follow up to 2008's "The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull".

The album was recorded in Seattle with producer Stuart Hallerman, who also worked on the band's 1993 album "Earth 2: Special Low-Frequency Version", as well as the 1995 album "Phase 3: Thrones and Dominions". "Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1" will be out in February 2011 on Southern Lord.

In related, and previously reported news, Earth will play at the Roadburn Festival next year, as part of the day curated by Sunn O))).

SUNN O))) PRESENTS THEIR FIRST BANDS TO ROADBURN

Finally the first batch of bands for the Sunn O))) curated day at Roadburn 2011 are here, and it was worth the wait. We get the Southern Lord related bands, like the mighty Earth, The Secret and Atilla Csihar's Void Ov Voices. The biggest thrill though is the legendary Winter! There's been rumours floating around for quite some time that they would play, and now it's finally confirmed. We'll also get to see Scorn, Beaver, Menace Ruine, Aluk Todolo and Hooded Menace.

As previously announced, Sunn O))) themselves will also perform, and there's more bands to be confirmed.

The following is from Roadburn.com

As curator, Sunn O))) (Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley) are personally selecting the bands that will play during their special event, as well as performing a headlining show. Sunn O))) is Roadburn’s fourth curator, following David Tibet in 2008, Neurosis in 2009 and Triptykon’s Tom Gabriel Warrior at this year’s festival in April.

Sunn O))) comments: “Sunn O))) is honoured to present the first part of our guests for the curated day at Roadburn, April 15th 2011. They represent a broad range of bands we are fans of, and in many cases some of our closest friends and collaborators. We hope you appreciate the selection, and look forward to announcing more of our selection and allies… we will follow up soon with some words on each band specifically, so watch this space.”

TODAY IS THE DAY TO ROADBURN

The following is from Roadburn.com

Some bands like to present the façade that they are evil because it  makes them seem more exciting, more counter-culture, more metal. Today is the Day mastermind Steve Austin has no such need. Despite
traversing a wide musical territory (much of it not easily describable as metal) over the course of 19 years and 8 full length albums, Today is the Day stands as one of the most truly evil, misanthropic and disturbing bands of our time.

Today is the Day make “cerebral” metal bands like Tool and Mastodon seem like knuckle-dragging mouth breathers with shear scope of their musical vocabulary and their relentless exploration of the weirdest, bleakest, darkest corners of  the metal universe. The Today is the Day catalog includes at least three masterpieces,  Temple of the Morning Star,  Today is the Day, and  Willpower which run a dizzying gamut of musical styles from Slint-ish indie-rock to experimental soundscapes to kraut-metal and do  it all in a way that seems completely logical and consistent even if  it is infused with evil purpose and darkest intent. One of the most consistently challenging and interesting bands of our time and someone  that we are truly overjoyed to welcome to the Roadburn line-up.

BLACK MATH HORSEMAN Wyllt

Album. Tee Pee 2009
"Wyllt" is the debut album from this American act fronted by bassist/vocalist Sera Timms and produced by one time bassist of Kyuss and The Obsessed, Scott Reeder. We're talking post rock here I guess, but before you start yawning and complaining about yet another band trying to be Pelican, here me out for a minute. Sure, the resemblance is there, but Sera's vocals add another layer to the outcome. She sounds like a mix between Jarboe, Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins, Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance, and throw in a bit of Nico as well. If these four ladies could have a child, maybe they can, I’m no scientist, her name would be Sera Timms.
    
The music then? I mentioned Pelican, maybe a bit hastily, on the other hand I was only trying to figure out what you were thinking. Black Math Horseman is a lot doomier and mellower than said band, sometimes too mellow though. Towards the end of the rather short album, just when I'm starting to think; "oh come on, do something", they do something. In the middle of the eleven minute closing track "Bird Of All Faiths And None\Bell From Madrone" it sounds as if the roof fell in and the band reach a potential I wish to hear more off. Hopefully on the next album.
    
And to the gear heads out there; yes, guitarist Ian Barry is the same Ian Barry as the custom motorcycle builder. Now you know.

www.myspace.com/blackmathhorseman

BLACK MATH HORSEMAN TO ROADBURN

Yet another band that had to cancel Roadburn 2010 due to the much talked about volcano has been confirmed for the 2011 fest. Black Math Horseman is a very welcomed addition to the line-up. Now, I'm basically only missing Jesu. On the other hand, we get Godflesh, and maybe Justin doesn't wanna be all over the place.

The following is from Roadburn.com

As you all may have noticed, the line-up for Roadburn Festival 2011 has been shaping up nicely.  In addition to the bands previously announced, we are very happy to report that Black Math Horseman will be part of the 2011 festival line-up. Originally scheduled to perform at this years Roadburn Festival in April 2010, Black Math Horseman ended up stuck in LA due to logistic complications arising from the volcanic eruption in Iceland.  Black Math Horseman is now scheduled to play on Saturday, April 16 at the 013 venue, Tilburg, Holland.

LA’s Black Math Horseman live somewhere between the psychedelic world of 70's stoner and contemporary shoegazers which they adorn with touches of goth and post rock to create their mind altering sound.

SECOND TRAILER FOR SLOW SOUTHERN STEEL

A second trailer for the upcoming movie Slow Southern Steel has been posted online. We've been waiting a long time for this documentary to be released, and now it seems as it's finally coming together. The goal is that the editing will be done by January 2011 to have it ready for the summer film festivals etc. In case you've missed the background, Slow Southern Steel is a documentary directed by CT of Rwake, about southern metal. We get bands like Weedeater, Eyehategod, Torche, Kylesa, Zoroaster and many more. CT has this to say about the film:

"The film is about underground heavy bands south of the Mason Dixon. It will have intense live performances from some of the crustiest, doomiest, and most progressive of heavy bands from the south. As will include interviews from the dirtiest and smelliest musicians, promoters, and fans from this genre about living and growing up in the bible belt, and other beautiful shit hole christian ran towns, as well as drugged out road stories, and other uncouth happenings."

Here's the latest trailer:



And here's the first one in case you missed it:

SHRINEBUILDER Shrinebuilder

Album. Neurot 2009
It finally came; the album we've all been waiting for since this band was just a sparkle in Wino's eyes. Shrinebuilder is the super group of super groups. Throw in Scott "Wino" Weinrich (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed), Al Cisneros (Sleep, Om), Scott Kelly (Neurosis) and Dale Crover (Melvins, Porn) in the same room, and what do you get? One of the best album of 2009, all categories, that's what. Since the anticipations for this album was high to say the least, it was kind of scary to listen to it at first. Thoughts like "will I like this just because of who's in the band" used to keep me awake at night. Well, kinda. When the band gave us "Pyramid of the Moon", the second track via their MySpace, I wasn't too worried any more. It can only go downhill from here, I thought. It didn't.
  
Scott, Al and Wino all sing on the album which is a stroke of genius. They're all great singers and it gives the album a variety that is very welcomed in the genre we call doom metal. Also, because when Scott Kelly sings it sometimes becomes too much of Neurosis. And if he'd sung on the entire album it wouldn't be the same. On the other hand, I'm not the kind of person who thinks anything can be too much Neurosis, but you probably know what I mean. It's the same with Al of course; the mind automatically wanders to Sleep and Om. Wino sounds better than ever and it would have been great if he'd sung more on the album. That's probably my only complaint.
  
As it seems, Shrinebuilder is not just a one-off project. The band has said that this is a real group, from whom we can expect a lot more in the future. I for one can't wait.

www.myspace.com/shrinebuildergroup

YOB The Great Cessation

Album. Profound Lore 2009
Things were looking bleak for Mike Scheidt. I mean, imagine breaking up a band and wanting to start fresh with a new act. An act that were very promising and their only album showed extreme potential. Then imagine some mediocre band filing a lawsuit over name similarities. I'm of course talking about Middian and their debut album "Age Eternal" (Metal Blade). Life is really shitty sometimes. This time though, it all has a happy ending and Scheidt has the last laugh. He reforms Yob and they release "The Great Cessation", probably their best album.
    
When the first track, "Burning the Altar" begins I think I'm in for some black metal in the vein of Wolves in the Throne Room. But things turn for another direction and I'm hit with very, very heavy doom metal. Twist and turns seems to be the key here. Yob can go from sounding what I imagine Sir Lord Baltimore would sound like if they would have released their debut album in the 21st century, to an early incarnation of the Melvins. And that's just within one song.
    
The album clocks in at about an hour, and within that time we are given five epic tracks, which works together very well. Even though I said that the music takes many different directions it still follows a red line, so it's not like you think "where are they going with this?" Mike Scheidt's vocals have to get a mention as well, since he sounds better than ever. This is proven in "The Lie That is Sin" which is the strongest track on the album. Hopefully Yob doesn't call it quits again. We need them to hold the flag high in this doomed world.

www.myspace.com/yobdoom

VOIVOD TO ROADBURN

Legendary metal heads Voivod will play not one, but two shows at next years Roadburn Festival.

The following is from Roadburn.com

Roadburn is also extremely happy to announce that the legendary Canadian avant-metal quartet Voivod will be performing two separate shows at Roadburn 2011 (one in the 013 venue, and one at the Midi Theater). The band have the core line-up of Away, Snake and Blacky, and guitarist Daniel Mongrain who has done an exceptional job filling in for the late, great Piggy. Both shows will be different, so that diehards can look forward to two full sets.

Formed in 1981 by KISS-worshipping French Canadian teenagers Denis “Piggy” D’Amour and Jean-Yves “Blacky” Thériault, Voivod soon transcended their humble origins and have been on the cutting edge of metal almost ever since – first on the extreme edge of raw, bestial thrash, then (astonishingly) just a few years later as technical, progressive metal masterminds, inhabiting a strange sci-fi universe based on the ideas and artwork of the band’s resident graphics genius and conceptual visionary, drummer Michel “Away” Langevin. Over the course of their nearly 30 year career, Voivod have never stopped venturing boldly into new sonic realms, brilliantly incorporating everything from industrial metal to alt-punk pop and of course Pink Floydian psychedelia into their unique sound…

But they should need no introduction at all to most metalheads, really – if you’re into metal, chances are you’re a Voivod fan, and mourned when founding guitarist Piggy tragically succumbed to cancer in 2005. In a perfect world, Piggy would still be with us, and also in a perfect world, Voivod would be a household name, rather than just mega cult heroes. It’s saying something though, that when Jason Newsted left Metallica, the band he decided to join was Voivod!

Roadburn is pleased to have the latest edition of Voivod but rather than Jason Newsted they’ll have original bassist Blacky in the band, alongside original vocalist Denis “Snake” Bélanger, and touring guitarist Daniel Mongrain (Martyr, Gorguts, Cryptopsy) to perform exclusively material from when Blacky was in the band, from their 1984 debut War & Pain through to 1988's Dimension Hatröss, which would also encompass such classic albums as Killing Technology (1987) and possibly their ultimate statement, Nothingface (1989).

MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE, LUDICRA, IMAAD WASIF AND RWAKE TO ROADBURN

Master Musicians of Bukkake, Ludicra, Imaad Wasif and the awesome Rwake have all been confirmed for the Roadburn Festival. I missed out on the Bukkake crew this year, so I'm thrilled they're coming back.

The following is from Roadburn.com
 
Master Musicians of Bukkake excels at acoustic ethnic drones, outerwordly chants, and ventures into uncharted Hawkwind, Gong and Magma waters by pairing spacey guitar leanings, Tibetan bells, chimes and gamelan percussion with electronic FX. Totem One could easily be the soundtrack to a fucked-up underground movie as weird and compelling as Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain or El Topo. Crazy!

Since 1999, San Francisco’s progressive black metal act Ludicra has been one of the best live metal bands on the planet. The group released its massively acclaimed fourth album The Tenant on Profound Lore in 2010 and is now set to make its European debut at long last.

Conceptually, Ludicra draws inspiration from the squalor of urban living in the Bay Area and this dark, yet life-affirming agenda finds an unparalleled voice in singer Laurie Sue Shanaman. Her vocals issue from a body wrecked with emotion and terrifying honesty. Guitarists John Cobbett (Hammers of Misfortune, ex-Slough Feg, ex-Amber Asylum) and Christy Cather provide duelling riffs and leads. Bassist Ross Sewage is known for his work in Impaled, Ghoul, and a stint in Wolves in the Throne Room. And the drum throne is filled by none other than Aesop Dekker of Agalloch, and Worm Ouroboros.

Ludicra’s first album Hollow Psalms was originally released on the cult hardcore label Life Is Abuse in 2002 and was finally set to a gorgeous hand-made vinyl edition in 2010. Subsequent albums were handled by Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label also known for its work with Amebix and Neurosis. Now with Profound Lore Records and Nanotear Booking, Ludicra is outgrowing its cult status and taking its rightful place in the metal pantheon. Few bands can touch the powerful live presence that this band of brothers and sisters wields.

“Guitars sound like guitars, not digital chunks, twisting around each other in mournful wails, triumphant resolutions, and dreamy chords. Ludicra balance the beautiful and the ugly like few can” – Alee Karim, Invisible Oranges.

From his folky debut through the harder-rocking follow-up to his current album, The Voidist, Imaad Wasif (who has worked with the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Folk Implosion) proves himself to be a singer extraordinaire. Elements of mysticism pervade his music, as does a penchant for traditional rock riffs and the folksy plucking of bands like Led Zeppelin. Wasif’s guitar work — whether it be chugging riffs, fuzz-wah leads, or gently shimmering notes, comes straight out of the psych-rock handbook as well (think Nebula as a point of reference). However, it’s Wasif‘s smooth voice and his ability as a songwriter that sets him apart from his peers, whether he’s playing no frills rock and roll, or ghostly folk tunes.

Arkansas’ Rwake represent the next step in southern sludge / doom. They take the musical style of trailblazers like Eyehategod and Buzzov*en and crush it in a metaphysical direction — creating a frightening vortex of intensity, massive riffing and epic song writing. This is raw, savage and heartfelt music from the dirty south, but don’t think for a second that it isn’t sophisticated and complex. They seamlessly combine virtuosity with intensity to deliver the highest quality headfuck possible — a seething, swirling, smashing, sweating affirmation of life.

DEAD MEADOW, DRAGONTEARS AND GOMER PYLE TO ROADBURN AFTERBURNER

Oh no, we're stopping there. Dead Meadow, Dragontears and Gomer Pyle have all been confirmed for the Afterburner event.

The following is from Roadburn.com


LA’s Dead Meadow generates a unique brand of earthy, heavy psych that moves far beyond any generic Sabbath-riffage or stonerrock gimmickry. The most fragrant ingredients of Dead Meadow are the band’s meandering, grooved-out riff- heavy journeys, and the ability to fuse  their obvious appreciation of 60’s psychedelia, vintage hard-rock, blues-folk tunes, ambient space-rock with the the literary excesses of  H.P. Lovecraft or J.R.R. Tolkien, and all at considerable volume! Distant, high pitched vocals evoke a deliriously eerie atmosphere that  plays off well against the band’s smouldering jamming style.

Dragontears, revolving around Lorenzo Woodrose and members of Baby Woodrose and On Trial rarely perform live, and besides a few shows in their homeland, the band’s only performance outside of Denmark took place at Roadburn 2009. Dragontears has a penchant for mining the psychedelic sounds of the late ’60s (think the 13th Floor Elevators meets Syd Barrett or The Silver Apples meets MC5), as showcased on much acclaimed albums like 2000 Micrograms From Home and Tambourine Freak Machine.

Needless to say that we’re really excited about Dragontears performing a second show at Roadburn 2011, throwing the afterburner attendees into a vortex of fuzz fueled riffs, and bubbly wah-wah guitars, all manipulated to take us into a hypnotic journey through the centre of the mind. Or as the band puts it on their latest album — Turn On, Tune In, Fuck Off!!

Holland’s Gomer Pyle have caused quite a stir with their latest album, Idiots Savants and stunning live performances. Featuring former 35007 drummer Sander Evers, and firmly rooted in Grunge and Stoner, the band tends also to veer off into heavy rocking jamming psychedelia and full blown 35007 Krautrock territory.  Deep space liquid trip guitars and killer riffs lead the way as they travel roads paved by acid drenched rock and old time psych. Things get rhythmically cosmic, keeping a nice rolling groove going as the dual, heavy fuzz guitars and drums explore the cosmos in a high intensity workout.

BLOOD FARMERS AND BLACK PYRAMID TO ROADBURN AFTERBURNER

The Roadburn bookings just keep on coming, and the Afterburner event is shaping up nicely. Both Blood Farmers and Black Pyramid are now confirmed for the event.

The following is from Roadburn.com

With just one official record, the Blood Farmers established themselves as America’s pre-eminent horror doom act. Released way back in 1995 on the legendary doom label Hellhound, their eponymous record became an underground legend and kept their name alive for years until they  reformed a few years ago.

Their brand of muscular-vocalized classic heavy doom is equal parts New York swagger, supercharged Sabbath riffage, dark and smoky atmosphere combined with a penchant for horror themes (the band is named after a 1972 horror movie Invasion of the Blood Farmers). This is a combination that proved irresistible to doom-heads everywhere. Their record became a touchstone of U.S. doom legend right up there with the Obsessed and Saint Vitus, at least among the hardcore followers of the genre. In 2010, they will be gracing the Roadburn stage in one of the most long awaited shows in memory.

Black Pyramid play psychedelic doom metal, with the thick, down-tuned tones of their amplifier worshipping stoner metal contemporaries, but the epic arrangements and classic song writing of vintage doom acts.  The band juxtaposes crushing, triumphant riffs that ring like battle cries with  keen instincts for melody and dynamics that showcase their more introspective nature.

BLACK MOUNTAIN HEADLINE ROADBURN AFTERBURNER

Psych heads Black Mountain will headline Roadburn's Afterburner event next year. I saw the band when they played in Stockholm a few weeks ago, and they are not to be missed.

The following is from Roadburn.com

Roadburn Festival is elated to announce that Vancouver riff-machine Black Mountain will headline this years Afterburner event on Sunday, April 17th at the 013 venue, Tilburg, Holland.  This means that we’ll be using Roadburn‘s main stage for the Afterburner as well. In fact, we can’t think of a better place than 013 venue’s large sized, sloping auditorium to witness Black Mountain, and rock out to their classic psychedelic rock.

Black Mountain‘s take on late 60's / early 70's rock echoes both Black Sabbath and early Pink Floyd. They begin with smoking Marshalls and spooky organ sounds, build into lengthy freakout jams spiced with stomping boogie and ambient melodies and crown it all with twin male/female vocals from Stephen McBean and Amber Webber. “It’s heaviness with fragility”, according to frontman Stephen Mcbean in Rolling Stone. “Anyone can slam out a Black Sabbath riff, but nobody else can do it with Amber’s beautiful voice on top of it.”

Black Mountain go beyond mere demin-clad revisionism with the release of Wilderness Heart, the band’s latest album, as they stunningly juxtapose tender, pastoral balladry with some of their heaviest songs yet, while showcasing a very confident sense of originality.

SHRINEBUILDER TO ROADBURN

The biggest 'fuck you' that the volcano in Iceland put our way was that Shrinebuilder couldn't make it to Roadburn 2010. But now, as we hoped, the "doom supergroup" have been booked for 2011 fest.

The following is from Roadburn.com

With Scott Kelly (Neurosis) and Scott “Wino” Weinrich (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, The Hidden Hand and Wino) on guitar, Al Cisneros (OM, Sleep) on bass and Dale Crover (Melvins) on drums, Shrinebuilder’s self-titled debut full-length (released on Neurot Recordings) is perhaps the most anticipated “Roadburn Festival album” of the year. Over the past year we have watched the Shrinebuilder buzz rise to fever pitch.

We are truly looking forward to see Kelly, Wino, Cisneros and Crover meld their unique, different styles. When these four musicians get together, catchy canyon-size riffs lead to psychedelic guitar solos; subdued vocals add a mellow touch; and the meandering, groove-laden ambience ultimately creates crushing doom riffage. The sum of the parts is only strengthened by the natural vibe between these musical heavyweights – all of whom embody the true spirit of the Roadburn Festival.

YOB PERFORM "THE UNREAL NEVER LIVED" AT ROADBURN

Yob played two amazing sets at this years Roadburn Festival, and next year they'll be back. It will be a very special performance were than band will play their fourth album, "The Unreal Never Lived" in its entirety.

The following texts are from Roadburn.com

Led by Mike Scheidt’s crushing doom riffage and relentless drive, YOB were among the highlights of the 2010 Roadburn Festival this past April. The reunited band played their first ever European shows  at the 2010 Roadburn Festival, and the quality and originality of their mind bending doom-metal at these live dates put them squarely in the vanguard of contemporary doom acts.

Now the band is returning to Europe for a short tour, and to reach even greater hights (and doom depths), Yob will be performing The Unreal Never Lived in full at Roadburn Festival 2011.

Mike Scheidt comments: “YOB’s first visit to Europe was incredible, and Roadburn made that experience possible. In 2011, we are thrilled to not only play Roadburn again, but to play The Unreal Never Lived in it’s entirety. It is a very special album to us and to play it live is going to be an amazing feeling. We can’t wait.”

NITAD EURO TOUR

Stockholm's very own, Nitad, are heading out for a tour of Europe in December. You can catch them at the dates listed below. Also, don't forget to buy their new 7" single, "Den Gudomliga Världen".

Friday 03 dec, TBA, Copenhagen, Denmark
Saturday 04 dec, TBA, Bremen, Germany
Sunday 05 dec, AZ MÜLHEIM, Mülheim, Germany
Monday 06 dec, OT301, Amsterdam, Holland
Thuesday 07 dec, DE ONDERBROEK, Nijmegen, Holland
Wednesday 08 dec, CCL, Lille, France
Thursday 09 dec, LA MIROITERIE, Paris, France
Friday 10 dec, JUZ MANNHEIM, Mannheim, Germany
Saturday 11 dec, EPPLEHAUS WINTERFEST, Tubingen, Germany
Sunday 12 dec, ARENA/BEISL, Vienna, Austria
Monday 13 dec, ZAPPA CAFE, Budapest, Hungary
Thuesday 14 dec,ROCK CAFE ZVOLEN, Zvolen, Slovakia
Wednesday 15 dec, TEKTURA, Lublin, Poland
Thursday 16 dec, TBA, Wroclaw Poland
Friday 17 dec, KOMA, Berlin, Germany
Saturday 18 dec, TBA, Malmö, Sweden

STONE AXE TO ROADBURN

One of my favourite classic rock bands, Stone Axe, will finally play the Roadburn Festival. How I've waited. The band are also planning a few shows in the UK the week before the festival, making Roadburn their grand finale. Here's what Roadburn.com has to say:

Born in 2007 in Port Orchard, Washington, at the hands of multi-instrumentalist T. Dallas Reed (of Mos Generator-fame), Stone Axe channel classic rock. Think of Free, think of Thin Lizzy, the glory days of the heavy 70s. The earliest days of Foghat and AC/DC.  Guitarist Reed and singer singer Dru Brinkerhoff take a page of the aformentioned greats playbook and lay down some classic heavy blues riffs and swaggering vocals -nothing fancy, but completely in the pocket and passionately strutting along, showcasing how well they are dialed into that early ’70's rock aesthetic.

In their short tenure  together, Stone Axe have banged out two eponymously titled full-lengths and more splits, singles and EPs than you can keep up with, through labels like their own Music Abuse Records, Roadburn Records, Ripple Music, Hydro-Phonic and RxEvolution Recordings. Reed handles  the recording himself and is always writing, so don’t expect them to  slow down, either.

MF DOOM TONIGHT IN STOCKHOLM

Tonight we'll be taking a break from all the Metal, Sludge, Stoner, Drone and Doom. Well, maybe not the latter, because tonight, Mr. Metal Face, the Super villain, MF DOOM enters Sweden for the first, and probably only time. This will truly be a night to remember, and there's still tickets available, so it's not too late. See you there!

BUZZOV*EN AND WEEDEATER TO ROADBURN

The line-up for the 2011 Roadburn Festival is almost too good. I mean, we already have Sunn O))), Swans, Godflesh, Ghost, Pentagram and, well, many more. And now, Buzzov*en and Weedeater join in on the fun. Have in mind also that Sunn O))) who are curators on one of the days haven't even released any bands yet. This will really be a weekend to remember. The following texts are from Roadburn.com.

Formed in 1989 when heavy riffs  primarily meant grunge, Buzzov*en brought a particularly virulent  malice and filth to their music that often manifested itself in extreme violence at their live shows. Not surprisingly, given their  level of intensity and their heavy touring schedule, their lineup was  quite volatile and changed frequently. Now remaining original member Kirk Fisher (guitar/vox) has reformed the band’s “…At A Loss” lineup  with Dixie Dave (Weedeater) on bass, Sleepy Floyd (Sourvein) on guitar  and Ramzi (Sourvein) on drums.

In the 12 years Buzzov*en was together, they released 3 LP’s (“To A  Frown”, “Sore”, “…At A Loss”) and 5 EP’s along with their legendary “Buttrash” demo tape and the bootlegged but not officially released
“Revelation: Sick Again” which was supposed to come out on Hydra Head Records. The influence of the band far exceeds their recorded output  though, as they and Eyehategod are the forefathers of sludge / stoner
and their frequent tours spread the sludge gospel far and wide, while spawning countless offspring wherever they roamed.

We feel extremely lucky to be able to bring Buzzov*en to the Roadburn Festival to give everyone a chance to experience their vitriolic riffs and rage filled performance.

Giving truth to the adage that the south will get high again, Weedeater bring their rip-snortin’ Sabbath influenced sludge-doom straight to your noggin like a huge bong hit with a whiskey chaser. Plying their southern pride saturated, riffgasms for the last 13 years, the band is a force to be reckoned with, whether simply proselytizing about weed, or more frequently, making social commentary on the brutishness of life.

Shorn of his big toe, but not his will to rock, frontman / bassist Dixie Dave will lead the power trio on an assault of Roadburn’s stage that is sure to be one of the can’t miss performances of the festival. Their new release “Jason…The Dragon” is scheduled to be released by Southern Lord late in 2010.

MORE ROADBURN BANDS CONFIRMED

The Roadburn people has treated us with more great bookings the last couple of days. We really look forward to Cough, Yakuza, White Hills and Lonely Kamel. But we are of course not complaining that we get to see Dragontears, Wolf People, Carlton Melton and Evoken. Both Evoken and Yakuza were supposed to perform this year, but couldn't make it because of some volcano... The following text is from Roadburn.com.

Hailing from New York, White Hills are nothing if not the aural  simulation of an LSD freak-out. A jammed up collision of fuzzed-out wah guitars, gonzoid bass riffs and weird electronic noises arranged in a stunning replication of the effects of Owsley’s psychotropic gift  to brains everywhere. Roadburn, please be aware that the brown acid isn’t too good, we recommend taking White Hills instead.

Since 2006 the name Wolf People has been uttered with hushed reverence amongst psych heads, record collectors and fervent music enthusiasts in the UK. Their mix of psych rock riffs, blues chops and acid folk eventually bringing them to the attention of legendary US label JAGJAGUWAR (home to Black Mountain, Dinosaur Jr, Oneida etc). The debut LP Steeple released earlier this year is fiercely proud of it’s heritage both musical and cultural, and doesn’t shy away from it’s influences, but that’s not to say it’s not it’s own beast: majestic, heavy and real.

Richmond’s Cough delivers a dirge-laden take on excessively drugged out doom (think Electric Wizard as the central point of reference). Both their albums, Sigillum Luciferi and Relapse Records debut, Ritual Abuse, feature heavy, dark, psychedelic doom that sounds like a thousand pharmaceutical-whacked zombies just escaped from Manchester morgue wailing away at an all night party after a pharmacy-raiding crime spree. At other times, Cough‘s monolthic sound is less warped and hallucinogenic, but strongly suffocationg and claustrophobic, and becomes so densely hateful it’s nearly black metal in its ambience.

San Francisco’s Carlton Melton is centered around former Zen Guerrilla’s Andy Duvall (Guitar/Drums) and Rich Millman (Guitar/Synths). They recorded their psychedelic hypno-drone rock in a genuine geodesic dome, and have created an insane psychedelic squall utilizing alien guitar swells, freaked out tribal rhythms and strange loping pulsations.  The heavy vibrations of Can and Pink Floyd suffuse Carlton Melton‘s work, and they use a bed of classic psychedelic rock as means for the guitars and organ to soar righteously through the stratosphere, before decending into trance-inducing drones which burrow deep into the earth.

Carlton Melton appeals equally to old school bong-bubblers and contemporary cosmic heads. If you prefer old SST label cassette tapes or an early Spaceman 3 or Loop cassette you recently found wedged in the back seat of your car, you need to check out  Carlton Melton‘s full length, Pass it On.

Clint Golden (formerly of Hammerdown Turpentine) will be playing bass guitar with Carlton Melton at Roadburn 2011, to round out the sound.

Dragontears, revolving around Lorenzo Woodrose and members of Baby Woodrose and On Trial rarely perform live, and besides a few shows in their homeland, the band’s only performance outside of Denmark took place at Roadburn 2009.

Dragontears has a penchant for mining the psychedelic sounds of the late ’60s (think the 13th Floor Elevators meets Syd Barrett or The Silver Apples meets MC5), as showcased on much acclaimed albums like 2000 Micrograms From Home and Tambourine Freak Machine.

Needless to say that we’re really excited about Dragontears returning to Roadburn, throwing the festival attendees into a vortex of fuzz fueled riffs, and bubbly wah-wah guitars, all manipulated to take us into a hypnotic journey through the center of the mind. Or as the band puts it on their latest album — Turn On, Tune In, Fuck Off!!

Fans of late ’60s and early 70s-era heavy blues rock rejoice, Norway’s Lonely Kamel pack so much charisma it seems they could have once  shared the stage with the likes of Cactus, Blue Cheer or even Pentagram. The band is capable of writing songs in the same style of  the aforementioned greats — and maybe even draining their liquor  stash as well!  They craft infectious stoner rock, underpinned by a thick groove and some cool psychedelia, too. For evidence, listen to  both their s/t debut full-length or their sophomore album, Blues for  the Dead, and you’d swear that they were actually formed 40 year odd years ago, only to find out that they were simply born too late… Great band!

Staying deeply rooted in a genre all its own, Yakuza’s existence lies on a metal base with progressive flair, while somehow also incorporating elements of jazz, world beat, and post-rock ambience. Picture (if you can) a mixture of King Crimson, all periods of John Coltrane’s career, Tortoise, and Napalm Death. The end result is captivating, a sound that Rolling Stone, Revolver, Alternative Press, the Chicago Sun Times, the Chicago Tribune, All That Jazz and countless others all agree is refreshingly original, technically proficient, all the while still staying very metal.

Since 1992, Evoken continue till this day combining dark, haunting, atmospheres with soul-crushing riffs and the heaviest, thickest productions within the metal genre. With each song, prepare your voyage into landscapes of misery-drowned subterranean worlds where the music of wayward souls is eternally played by avatars of Orpheus. Evoken display an unparalleled mastery of extreme doom / death metal establishing the band as one of the leaders in this genre.  Welcome to the desolation of your soul.