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.