Explosive live act The Schizophonics share new single, on tour now 

"Makers of high octane, soulful garage punk... Get an early taste with smoking' stomper 'Battle Line'." -- BrooklynVegan

"Their live show is a turbo-charged, bombastic display of true blue rock'n'roll chaos. It's not just a wild live show; the songs are fantastic too!" -- RazorCake (cover story)

San Diego trio The Schizophonics share a new single from their forthcoming sophomore album, People In The Sky today via The Spill. Hear and share "Something's Got To Give" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

The Talkhouse recently hosted the song, "Steely Eyed Lady," with a fittingly astounding introduction courtesy of beloved performance artist El Vez (a.k.a. Robert Lopez) HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

"Hits you like a train with all the passion of a young Little Richard floating through the clouds with so much raw energy. Your new favorite band should hit you like a campaign slogan. Like a religious cult or an anti-hero movie star that you fall in love with." -- El Vez

BrooklynVegan previously premiered the first single "Battle Line" available to hear and share via BrooklyVegan, YouTube, Bandcamp and Spotify. 

The band is currently delivering its jaw-dropping live show on headlining dates throughout North America throughout this month and next. Please see current dates below. 

Over the last few years, The Schizophonics have built up a formidable reputation around the world as an explosive live act. Tapping into the same unstoppable combination of rock 'n' roll energy and showmanship that fueled The MC5 in the heyday of the Grande Ballroom, their wild live show is heavily influenced by artists like James Brown, Iggy Pop, Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard, and The Sonics. Singer/guitarist Pat Beers and drummer Lety Beers formed the band in San Diego in 2009 and have worked tirelessly since then, playing hundreds of shows around the globe and winning 7 (SEVEN!) San Diego music awards. 

In 2013 they were recruited as the backing/opening band for El Vez, which helped the band make a name for itself in Europe. Since then, they've played in fourteen countries, and supported tours by like-minded acts like Rocket From The Crypt, Little Barrie, and The Woggles and have opened for The Damned, The Hives and Cage The Elephant. Shindig magazine described their live show "Like watching some insane hybrid of Wayne Kramer, James Brown, and the Tazmanian Devil."  

"One of my favorite live bands ever," proclaims Tim Mays, who has run the Casbah in San Diego for 30 years and has seen literally thousands of live bands come through his doors. "The Schizophonics bring the goods every time they play," he enthuses. 

The band is more than just an outstanding live act, they're also committed to writing great, memorable songs.  After releasing 2 singles and an EP over the last few years on Munster, Ugly Things, and Pig Baby Records, they put out their first full-length album in July 2017 titled Land Of The Living on the label Sympathy For The Record Industry with famed record man Long Gone John. In January of 2019 they started work on their second LP recruiting Dave Gardner (Hot Snakes, RFTC) mixing engineer Stephen Kaye (JD McPherson, Mike Krol) and Pierre De Reeder (Rilo Kiley) to put their live, raw sound to tape. 

The album, titled People in the Sky will be released on October 31st, 2019 on Pig Baby Records. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

THE SCHIZOPHONICS LIVE 2019:

10/18 Austin, TX @ Nicolaza's/Far Out

10/19 Houston, TX @ Rudyards

10/20 New Orleans, LA @ TBA

10/23 Miami, FL @ Gramps

10/24 St. Petersburg, FL @ The Bends

10/25 Orlando, FL @ Wills Pub

10/26 Atlanta, GA @ Star Bar

10/27 Memphis, TN @ DKDC

10/30 New York, NY @ Union Pool

10/31 Baltimore, MD @ Otto Bar

11/01 Washington, DC @ The Pie Shop

11/02 Philadelphia, PA @ Ortlieb's 

11/03 New Haven, CT @ Café Nine

11/04 Providence, RI @ Dusk

11/05 NYC, NY @ Illegal Mezcal Private Party 

11/06 Pittsburg, PA @ Get Hip

11/07 Toronto, ON @ The Baby G 

11/08 Detroit, MI @ The Outer Limits 

11/09 Chicago, IL @ Liars Club

11/10 Madison, WI @ Mickey's Tavern

11/12 Appleton, Wi @ The Cold Shot

11/15 Wenatchee, WA @ Walley's

11/16 Seattle, WA @ Freakout Festival

11/17 Portland, OR @ Twilight Café

Artist: The Schizophonics Album: People In The Sky Label: Pig Baby Records Release date: October 31st, 2019 01. Something's Got To Give 02. Steely Eyed Lady 03. Nine Miles 04. People In The Sky 05. The One I Want 06. Battle line 07. Not Gonna Change My Mind 08. Long Way To Go 09. Show Me Your Eyes 10. Like a Mummy 11. Down and Out 12. She's Coming Back On the Web: schizophonics.com facebook.com/TheSchizophonics instagram.com/theschizophonics pigbabyrecords.com

Holy Serpent (RidingEasy Records) streaming "defining moment" album ahead of release via Metal Injection 

"Holy Serpent incorporates a lot of great riffs, off-kilter tempo changes, and buckets brimming with originality constantly poured into its songwriting." -- Metal Injection

"One of our favorite doom releases of 2016." -- CvltNation

"With their third full length, Holy Serpent seem to realize the vision of heavy they’ve been chasing for the last half-decade. Endless deserves to be in the conversation of the best heavy psych offerings of 2019." -- The Obelisk

Australian quartet Holy Serpent are streaming their forthcoming third album Endless on RidingEasy Records ahead of release today via Metal Injection. Hear and share the full album HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Brooklyn Vegan recently hosted lead single "Lord Deceptor" HERE.(Direct YouTube.) The Obelisk launched "Hourglass" HERE. CvltNation premiered "For No One" HERE. 

The forthcoming third album by Melbourne, Australia's Holy Serpent could likely be its defining moment. Seemingly bottomless in its relentless heft, with billowing and suffocating riffs leading glistening melodies, it's the sound of a band that has locked on to something unique. Endless is fully conceptualized throughout, encapsulating an oceanic theme from the lyrics and art, even to the very structure of the sounds themselves. 

"Lyrically, it's heavily influenced by the ocean," explains vocalist/guitarist Scott Penberthy. "Lots of ocean metaphors and imagery was used. Also the title of the album Endless, is an homage to the ocean: Its mystery, power and its ability to give and take life." The album loosely follows the lyrical theme of two lovers, oceans apart, waiting for each other on the shores of eternity. Their love is so strong, they eventually walk into the water, ending their lives to be together in the afterlife. 

Fitting to these themes, the band experiments with sound throughout the album, such as layering in a wobbly synth sound reminiscent of tape push and pull, mixed just loud enough to blend with the instruments. "It's sort of a haunting sound which gives the album an ebb and flow, much like an ocean's current or tide," Penberthy says. 

The 6-song, 40-minute album finds Penberthy, guitarist Nick Donoughue, bassist Dave Bartlett and drummer Lance Leembruggen expanding their melodic hooks while simultaneously taking listeners on a rigorous journey. It was written over the course of 2 months, then recorded in seclusion at Beveridge Road Recording Studios near Australia's beautiful Dandenong Ranges with head engineer Marc Russo and mixed by Mike Deslandes. Surrounding themselves with nature and no distractions allowed the band to focus on every detail of the album as a coherent whole. 

In the time since their self-titled RidingEasy debut in mid-2015, Melbourne, Australia's Holy Serpent have gained a lot of attention for their rather punk version of heavy psych and metal. Their 2016 skate-metal leaning album Temples further defined their more experimental blend of early Soundgarden, Saint Vitus and Kyuss that eschews simplistic 70s-worship in favor of shimmering sonics and uncommon production techniques. Nonetheless, Endless is like all of the band's earliest visions fully realized and honed into an album beyond easy classification. 

Starting with the slow, exaggeratedly compressed 4/4 drum lead in to "Lord Deceptor" -- something of a hi-dive anticipation before we plunge headlong into the ensuing depths -- crushing and crackling guitars burst in as Penberthy sings in low baritone, "ocean grave, carry me upon a wave / I'm hypnotized in prophecy, what Is left for you and me?" Harmonies drift in and out of the main motif as it sways along into the tempest of "Into The Fire." Here, a churning riff gathers intensity as the rhythm section builds to a lurching 3/4 time. Reverb-soaked vocals sing, "where the ocean meets the sand, I'll be waiting, I'll be waiting there." Elsewhere, on "For No One," impossibly low droptuned guitars slink along as the music swells with space rock abandon. Album closer, "Marijuana Trench" is a play on the Mariana trench, the deepest place on earth. Appropriately, the song plunges from gently strummed acoustic guitar into a tsunami crest that pulls the listener under the dark and enveloping weight of sound as Penberthy's soothing vocals seem to ease us into the end, subsumed in the album's powerful allure. 

Endless will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on October 18th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Preorders are available HERE.

Artist: Holy Serpent

Album: Endless

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release date: October 18th, 2019

01. Lord Deceptor

02. Into The Fire

03. Daughter of The Light

04. Hourglass

05. For No One

06. Marijuana Trench

On the Web:

facebook.com/HolySerpentBand

www.ridingeasyrecords.com

holyserpentband.bandcamp.com

'Brown Acid' series of rare 60s-70s pre-metal singles shares "Running High" tune, album out Halloween 2019  

"So rare that diehard fuzz junkies say you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a physical 45 rpm single by one of the bands featured on their latest installment." -- Dangerous Minds

"Will do for hard rock, proto-metal and heavy psych what Nuggets did for garage rock, and bring it to a wider audience of collectors and music fans." -- The Guardian

"Mining the surprising rich reserves of heavy rock and proto-metal from the ‘60s and ‘70s, these collections have been crucial to understanding the history of a subgenre of rock that had far deeper roots than most fans realize." -- Paste Magazine

The forthcoming ninth edition of the popular compilation series featuring long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles, Brown Acid: The Ninth Trip is set for release on Halloween 2019. Another new track from the latest installment, "Running High" by Ice is available to hear & share HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

The previous single, "Rebel Woman" by Erik is available to hear and share via YouTube HERE and Bandcamp HERE. The first single, the heavy psych groove of "Pain" by Fiberglass Vegetables was released back in August HERE.

Read an interview with the series curators via Paste Magazine HERE. The Brown Acid series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records. 

About the Brown Acid series:

Some of the best thrills of the Internet music revolution is the ability to find extremely rare music with great ease. But even with such vast archives to draw from, quite a lot of great songs have gone undiscovered for nearly half a century -- particularly in genres that lacked hifalutin arty pretense. Previously, only the most extremely dedicated and passionate record collectors had the stamina and prowess to hunt down long forgotten wonders in dusty record bins -- often hoarding them in private collections, or selling at ridiculous collector's prices. Legendary compilations like Nuggets, Pebbles, ad nauseum, have exhausted the mines of early garage rock and proto-punk, keeping alive a large cross-section of underground ephemera. However, few have delved into and expertly archived the wealth of proto-metal, pre-stoner rock tracks collected on 

Brown Acid. 

Lance Barresi, co-owner of L.A./Chicago retailer Permanent Records has shown incredible persistence in tracking down a stellar collection of rare singles from the 60s and 70s for the growing compilation series. Partnered with Daniel Hall of RidingEasy Records, the two have assembled a selection of songs that's hard to believe have remained unheard for so long. 

"I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records," Barresi says. "Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we're using for

Brown Acid is best for everyone involved," rather than simply bootlegging the tracks. When all of the bands and labels haven't existed for 30-40 years or more, tracking down the creators gives all of these tunes a real second chance at success. 

"There's a long list of songs that we'd love to include," Barresi says. "But we just can't track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us."

Brown Acid: The Ninth Trip will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on October 31st, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available for digital (with immediate download of the first single) at Bandcamp, physical pre-orders at RidingEasy Records. 

Artist: Various Artists Album: Brown Acid: The Ninth Trip  Label: RidingEasy Records Release Date: October 31, 2019 01. White Lightning "Prelude To Opus IV" 02. Peacepipe "The Sun Won't Shine Forever" 03. Magi "Win or Lose" 04. Fiberglass Vegetables "Pain" 05. Erik "Rebel Woman" 06. Stonewall "Outer Spaced" 07. ICE "Running High" 08. Space Rock "Going Down The Road" 09. Buckshot "Barstar" 10. 29.9 "Paradiddle Blues" On The Web: www.ridingeasyrecords.com

Portland post-metal band ALLTAR share video from debut album 

"A//TAR brings solemn post-metal and sludgy doom with the crushing ferocity of Souls At Zero-era Neurosis and cinematic metal of Amenra." -- Metal Injection

"An echoing and massive effort...This truly beastly album is one of the better releases in this vein from the Pacific Northwest this year, and that's saying something. Don't miss out." -- Heavy Blog Is Heavy

"A root form of post-metal, bringing the aesthetic full circle and back to its cerebral roots in churning rhythms and shifts between deeply-weighted contemplation and voluminous sway and crash." -- The Obelisk

" Epic in the sense of grandiose, though not bombastic; layered with emotional depth and rich slabs of doom-laden atmosphere. You won’t mosh to this. What you will do is become absorbed by it, body and soul." -- Doomed & Stoned

Portland quintet A//TAR share the first video from their newly released debut album today via Ghost Cult Magazine. Watch and share the video for "Horology" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Metal Injection recently launched the single "Horology" HERE. Heavy Blog is Heavy hosted epic closer "Spoils" HERE and Doomed & Stoned showcased "War Altar" HERE. 

Hailing from the dark and gloomy Pacific Northwest, Alltar (stylized as A//tar) deftly combines elements of Post-Metal, Doom, and Sludge; and in an act of pure alchemy, wholly creates their own image. In the midst of the bass-heavy, distortion-laden wall of sound lies an element of somber, melodic beauty. 

The Portland, OR quintet are masters of slow-burn dramatic tension and explosive riffs with impassioned vocals giving their songs a formidable intensity. Reminiscent of the crushing ferocity of Souls At Zero-era Neurosis, the cinematic metal of Amenra, and multifaceted haze of Cult of Luna, A//tar are a return to thoughtcrafty heavy music.

Founded by guitarist Tim Burke (also of Hound The Wolves) in 2016, the band has developed through a careful, deliberate evolution to reach its perfect lineup with Juan Carlos Caceres (vocals, Moog), Nate Wright (drums), Colin Hill (guitar, samples) and Casey Braunger (bass.) With the same deliberation, the band spent the latter half of 2017 recording their 4-song debut album at 3 different studios in Portland, then mixing and mastering in Spring 2018. A record label came into the picture soon thereafter, though the album release was held up as the label's funds were scarce. Eventually, the label folded and the band wrestled back their masters, choosing to self-release, now well into 2019. 

"Upon the A//TAR we place our past," the band declares. "Through the triumphs and tribulations of human-kind. From the technical and artistic birth of society's achievements in art and technology, as well as the rise of power, war, destruction, and the control of humanity. Through the inevitable dark decay and cold loss, our music is inspired."

Hallowed is available on CD and download as of September 6th, 2019. Orders are available HERE. 

Artist: A//tar

Album: Hallowed

Label: Monochord Records

Release date: September 6th, 2019

01. Horology

02. War Altar

03. Induction

04. Spoils

On the Web:

altar.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/ALLTAR.PDX

instagram.com/alltar.pdx

twitter.com/Alltarpdx

Blackwater Holylight streaming anticipated sophomore album early, play Desert Daze & tour w/ Monolord, Yob 

"An ambient blend of psychedelic vintage poppy hooks and crushingly heavy sludge." -- Metal Hammer "This quartet has been burning up stages all around their hometown, fueled by their abrasive blend of doom metal, psych rock, goth and a tangy soupçon of pop music... They landed a spot on the 2018 Best New Band poll in alt-weekly Willamette Week, but could quickly take over the world." -- Paste Magazine "They mesh elements of doom, Krautrock and atmospheric indie into one bewitching rock whole." --Classic Rock Magazine "A greasy, sun-baked rock jam calling back to the genre's classic days while showcasing a heavy doom edge that gives it a modern spin." 6 Best New Songs Right Now -- Revolver Magazine Portland, OR quintet Blackwater Holylight are streaming their forthcoming sophomore album Veils of Winter (RidingEasy Records) ahead of release today via Brooklyn Vegan. Hear and share the much anticipated full album HERE. (Direct YouTube.) Blackwater Holylight play the SoCal Desert Daze festival this weekend, followed by a tour of the full US with former RidingEasy label mates Monolord in November. Please see complete dates below. Blackwater Holylight, as the name suggests, is all about contrasts. It's a fluid convergence of sound that's heavy, psychedelic, melodic, terrifying and beautiful all at once.  As a heavy band, their songs aren't anchored to riffs, but rather riffs come and go in waves that surface throughout the band's meditative, entrancing songs. It's a hypnotic sound, with orchestral structures that often build tension and intrigue before turning the song on its head -- not by simply getting louder or heavier, nor by just layering elements. They expertly subvert the implied heaviness of a part, dissecting it and splaying the song's guts out to seep across the sonic spectrum. Now, having toured extensively following the band's wildly-successful breakout self-titled debut in 2018, Blackwater Holylight has honed their sound and identity to a powerfully captivating beast. Their live set is all about the slow build, seeming to combine the melodic tension of early Sonic Youth crossed with the laconic fever-dream blues of the first Black Sabbath album and wiry experimentation of post-punk and krautrock. The lineup on this album is Allison (Sunny) Faris (bass/vocals), Laura Hopkins (guitar/vocals) and Sarah McKenna (synths), with new guitarist Mikayla Mayhew and drummer Eliese Dorsay fleshing out their sound in exciting ways.  "The process of this album was vastly different from our first record," says Faris. "One, because we recorded it over the course of a few weeks, whereas the first record was over the course of about a year. And two, this album was a true collaboration between the five of us. Each of us had extremely equal parts in writing and producing, we all bounced ideas off each together, and we all had a say in what was going on during every part of the process." "One of our favorite things about this album is that because it was so collaborative, we didn't compartmentalize ourselves into one vibe." She continues. "It's heavy, psychedelic, pop, shoegaze, doom, grunge, melodic and more. The whole process was extremely organic and natural for us, we were just being ourselves." Veils of Winter opens with fuzzed-drenched, drop-tuned bass and baritone guitar leading a dirge riff on "Seeping Secrets." Faris' lilting and funereal vocals drop in, adding to the mournful atmosphere until a short turnaround progression hints at changes to come, as Faris and Hopkins harmonize eerily and the tune suddenly turns into a krautrock charge. "Motorcycle" kicks off deceptively with a heavy grunge riff building up for about 40-seconds before the song abruptly shifts gears into a synth-led post-punk harmony, sounding something like Lush meets Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. "Death Realms" is perhaps the poppiest track, based around soaring shoegaze guitars and interwoven light vocal harmonies. Soft piano notes, occasional woozy whammy bar dives and a driving tom-tom beat solidify its hooks. "Spiders" is a creepy-crawly guitar riff and counterpoint keys, while "Moonlit" explores prog-structures with a shredding guitar solo crescendo. The penultimate track, "Lullaby" is exactly that, a lulling, expansive tune exemplifying Blackwater Holylight's genre smashing sound as it subtly moves across a vast sonic landscape atop a hypnotic 6/8 beat and repetitive 3-note motif. Throughout the album, their songs shirk traditional verse-chorus-verse structure in favor of fluid, serpentine compositions that move with commanding grace. Veils of Winter will be available on LP, CD and download on October 11th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available at www.ridingeasyrecs.com. BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT LIVE 2019: 10/12 Lake Perris, CA @ Desert Daze Festival  10/24 Portland, OR @ Star Theater - Album release show 11/05 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick * 11/06 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress * 11/07 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister * 11/09 Austin, TX @ Barracuda - Levitation Fest - RidingEasy Stage 11/10 Lafayette, LA @ Freetown Boom Boom Room * 11/11 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks * 11/12 Atlanta, GA @ 529 * 11/13 Asheville, NC @ Mothlight * 11/14 Richmond, VA @ Camel * 11/15 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery * 11/16 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church * 11/17 New York, NY @ Saint Vitus * 11/20 Chicago, IL @ Reggie's * 11/21 Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Brewing * 11/22 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar * 11/23 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck *  11/25 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater * 11/27 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom * 12/05 Seattle, WA @ Neumos ^ 12/06 Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall ^ 12/07 Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom ^ * w/ Monolord ^ w/ Yob

Artist: Blackwater Holylight Album: Veils of Winter Label: RidingEasy Records Release Date: October 11th, 2019 01. Seeping Secrets  02. Motorcycle 03. Spiders 04. The Protector  05. Daylight 06. Death Realms  07. Lullaby 08. Moonlit On The Web: ridingeasyrecs.com instagram.com/blackwaterholylight

Mondo Drag announce U.S. tour dates for October-November 2019 

"The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2016: Arguably the tightest band playing progressive rock. The songs here are varied, wondrous and catchy." -- Consequence of Sound Bay Area heavy-Krautrock-psych band Mondo Drag hit the road later this month for tour dates around the Western U.S. in October and November, including a performance at Levitation Fest in Austin. Please see all dates below.  Mondo Drag's most recent album, The Occultation of Light was hailed as one of the Top 10 Metal Albums of 2016 by Consequence of Sound. Metal Hammer rated it 4/5 stars, calling it a "mind-opening, progressive psych sojourn." The band will have more to announce regarding new music soon. MONDO DRAG LIVE 2019: 10/13 San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel  w/ Witch 10/16 Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall w/ Witch  10/18 Sonoma, CA @ Sonoma Redwood Barn w/ Witch 11/01 Los Angeles, CA @ House of Machines  11/02 Oceanside, CA @ Moose Lodge  11/04 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive  11/06 Taos, NM @ Monolith Brewing  11/07 San Antonio, CA @ Hi-Tones  11/08 Austin, TX @ Volcom House - Levitation Party 11/09 Dallas, TX @ Armoury DE 11/10 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar 11/29 Portland, OR @ Kenton Club  11/30 Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown w/ Blackwater Holylight 12/01 Seattle, WA @ Substation  On the Web: www.mondodrag.com facebook.com/mondodrag mondodrag.bandcamp.com ridingeasyrecs.com

Holy Serpent (RidingEasy Records) share 3rd track from "defining moment" forthcoming album  

"Holy Serpent incorporates a lot of great riffs, off-kilter tempo changes, and buckets brimming with originality constantly poured into its songwriting." -- Metal Injection

"One of our favorite doom releases of 2016." -- CvltNation

"With their third full length, Holy Serpent seem to realize the vision of heavy they’ve been chasing for the last half-decade. Endless deserves to be in the conversation of the best heavy psych offerings of 2019." -- The Obelisk

Australian quartet Holy Serpent share a new track from their forthcoming third album Endless on RidingEasy Records today via CvltNation. Hear and share "For No One" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Brooklyn Vegan recently hosted lead single "Lord Deceptor" HERE.(Direct YouTube.) The Obelisk launched "Hourglass" HERE. 

The forthcoming third album by Melbourne, Australia's Holy Serpent could likely be its defining moment. Seemingly bottomless in its relentless heft, with billowing and suffocating riffs leading glistening melodies, it's the sound of a band that has locked on to something unique. Endless is fully conceptualized throughout, encapsulating an oceanic theme from the lyrics and art, even to the very structure of the sounds themselves. 

"Lyrically, it's heavily influenced by the ocean," explains vocalist/guitarist Scott Penberthy. "Lots of ocean metaphors and imagery was used. Also the title of the album Endless, is an homage to the ocean: Its mystery, power and its ability to give and take life." The album loosely follows the lyrical theme of two lovers, oceans apart, waiting for each other on the shores of eternity. Their love is so strong, they eventually walk into the water, ending their lives to be together in the afterlife. 

Fitting to these themes, the band experiments with sound throughout the album, such as layering in a wobbly synth sound reminiscent of tape push and pull, mixed just loud enough to blend with the instruments. "It's sort of a haunting sound which gives the album an ebb and flow, much like an ocean's current or tide," Penberthy says. 

The 6-song, 40-minute album finds Penberthy, guitarist Nick Donoughue, bassist Dave Bartlett and drummer Lance Leembruggen expanding their melodic hooks while simultaneously taking listeners on a rigorous journey. It was written over the course of 2 months, then recorded in seclusion at Beveridge Road Recording Studios near Australia's beautiful Dandenong Ranges with head engineer Marc Russo and mixed by Mike Deslandes. Surrounding themselves with nature and no distractions allowed the band to focus on every detail of the album as a coherent whole. 

In the time since their self-titled RidingEasy debut in mid-2015, Melbourne, Australia's Holy Serpent have gained a lot of attention for their rather punk version of heavy psych and metal. Their 2016 skate-metal leaning album Temples further defined their more experimental blend of early Soundgarden, Saint Vitus and Kyuss that eschews simplistic 70s-worship in favor of shimmering sonics and uncommon production techniques. Nonetheless, Endless is like all of the band's earliest visions fully realized and honed into an album beyond easy classification. 

Starting with the slow, exaggeratedly compressed 4/4 drum lead in to "Lord Deceptor" -- something of a hi-dive anticipation before we plunge headlong into the ensuing depths -- crushing and crackling guitars burst in as Penberthy sings in low baritone, "ocean grave, carry me upon a wave / I'm hypnotized in prophecy, what Is left for you and me?" Harmonies drift in and out of the main motif as it sways along into the tempest of "Into The Fire." Here, a churning riff gathers intensity as the rhythm section builds to a lurching 3/4 time. Reverb-soaked vocals sing, "where the ocean meets the sand, I'll be waiting, I'll be waiting there." Elsewhere, on "For No One," impossibly low droptuned guitars slink along as the music swells with space rock abandon. Album closer, "Marijuana Trench" is a play on the Mariana trench, the deepest place on earth. Appropriately, the song plunges from gently strummed acoustic guitar into a tsunami crest that pulls the listener under the dark and enveloping weight of sound as Penberthy's soothing vocals seem to ease us into the end, subsumed in the album's powerful allure. 

Endless will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on October 18th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Preorders are available HERE.

Artist: Holy Serpent

Album: Endless

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release date: October 18th, 2019

01. Lord Deceptor

02. Into The Fire

03. Daughter of The Light

04. Hourglass

05. For No One

06. Marijuana Trench

On the Web:

facebook.com/HolySerpentBand

www.ridingeasyrecords.com

holyserpentband.bandcamp.com

SOM (Junius, Constants, Caspian members) share video via Kerrang  

"SOM craft songs of epic melancholy that stagger the ears as well as the heart." -- Onion AV Club

"Serenely slowdive into shoegaze." -- SPIN

"A big, atmospheric mix of shoegaze, post-rock, space rock, and sludge metal, all led by Will's ethereal vocals which give the music a calming, dreamy vibe that contrasts beautifully with the heavy riffs." -- Brooklyn Vegan

"A very particular brand of chunky, crushing metal that still retains a very hopeful, beautifully shoegaze sound to it." -- Metal Injection

Post-metal shoegaze band SOM share the official video for "Stranger" via Kerrang! The song is culled from their recently released debut album The Fall, and the intricately animated video is available to watch and share HERE.  Brooklyn Vegan previously shared the full album stream HERE. (Direct Bandcamp.)  SOM premiered visualizer video clips for 4 album tracks, all of which were created by visual artist Josh Graham (Neurosis, Soundgarden.) Metal Injection hosted "Black Out The Sky" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) Brooklyn Vegan shared "Open Wounds" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) Exclaim! premiered "Ten Years" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) And, Heavy Blog Is Heavy launched "Prayers" HERE. (YouTube.) Dark, heavy, and thoughtful, SOM craft songs of epic melancholy. Featuring members of Caspian, founding members of seminal Boston space rock outfit Constants, as well as Denver post-metal voyagers Adai, SOM build thunderous rhythms that give drive and pulse to the fuzzed-out wall-of-synth-and-guitar-noise, complemented by memorable hooks and melodies in singer/guitarist Will Benoit's somber, lamenting vocals.  SOM wrote and recorded their debut album, The Fall, at Benoit's solar powered The Radar Studio with help from engineer Daryl Rabidoux (Doomsday Student, Drowningman). The current live iteration of the band finds the trio joined by guitarists Joel Munguia and Mike Repasch-Nieves of Junius and Driftoff, who expand upon the album's synth-heavy textures with interwoven layers of distorted melody. The Fall is available on CD, cassette and download, released November 9th, 2018. Orders are available via Bandcamp HERE.  SOM LIVE 2019: 10.08 - Champaign, IL @ Rose Bowl  10.09 - Audiotree Live 10.10 - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus w. O'Brother / End Of The Ocean / Holy Fawn

Artist: SOM

Album: The Fall

Record Label: self-released 

Release Date: November 9th, 2018

01. Prayers

02. Chemical Joy

03. Open Wounds

04. Black Out The Sky

05. Ten Years

06. Starless Sky

07. Stranger

08. Reflection

09. Aerosols

On the Web:

somtheband.com

facebook.com/somtheband

instagram.com/somtheband

Second track from NOUS II [Christopher Bono (Ghost Against Ghost), Greg Fox (ex-Liturgy), Thor Harris (Swans), ACME strings, Shahzad Ismaily] out now  

"A half-airy, half-aggressive interdisciplinary happening organized by the young and enterprising composer Christopher Bono, who brought together a wise, postcategory, electric and acoustic 12-person crew."  -- New York Times

"You couldn't pigeonhole it into one genre if you tried -- it goes from eerie David Lynchian soundscapes to Eastern melodies to avant-garde jazz drum freakouts to a million other places, all while remaining strangely accessible." -- Brooklyn Vegan

"(Sometimes) it is clear from the get-go that you’re handling something potent, that the music you’re about to hear is going to leap out of the digital format and grab you by heart... A captivating and moving piece of music." -- Heavy Blog Is Heavy

New York experimental music project NOUS, led by producer and composer Christopher Bono, shares a new track from NOUS II, the followup to their 2018 eponymous debut album. The group shares "Here In My Chest It Is What It Is" today from this more melodic leaning recording that its predecessor via Heavy Blog Is Heavy HERE. (Direct Bandcamp and Spotify.)

PopMatters recently shared lead track "Nighten Gale" HERE.

Nous is an experimental music project with a fluctuating group of artists exploring ritual and spontaneity within music. NOUS II features the same lineup as the debut: multi-instrumentalists Christopher Bono (keyboards/electronics/percussion/vocals), Greg Fox (drums/percussion/electronics), Thor Harris (drums/percussion), Shahzad Ismaily (electronics/guitar/bass) and Grey Mcmurray (guitar), with special guests.

On this album, NOUS founder and curator Christopher Bono takes the project and the musicians on a deeper dive into the post-rock, and ambient genres. The project maintains the spirit of spontaneity, but the musical experiments are conducted within a framework of more melodic exploration alongside cellular motif and groove oriented experiments.

"Nighten Gale" is the first single release from the new album. This piano and strings driven piece was presented in the studio to the the talented group of experimental musicians as a basic lead sheet featuring a simple progression and no dynamic suggestions. The 9 musicians received this minimalist input and together recorded a sweeping new-classical sonic Ark that journeys through contrasting peaks of heavy and gentle dramatic moments.

Woodstock, NY label Our Silent Canvas is preparing to release the second of 3 albums culled from sessions the group recorded in an intensive 7-day immersion at legendary Dreamland Studios with 

producer Kevin McMahon (Swans, Titus Andronicus, Real Estate).

Each recording, and performance will center around a different focal concept, always seeking alternative ways of creating art. The name Nous was chosen for its double meaning. 'Nous' in the French language is the plural personal pronoun in the first person, meaning 'we' or 'us'. However, within the philosophical tradition it is a word, sometimes equated to intellect or intelligence, used to describe the faculty of the human mind which is described in classical philosophy as necessary for understanding what is true or real, similar in meaning to intuition.

Nous band members on this recording:

~ Christopher Bono (Composer, Ghost Against Ghost)  www.christopherbono.com

~ Greg Fox (Guardian Alien, Zs, Ben Frost, ex-Liturgy) 

~ Shahzad Ismaily (Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, Bonnie Prince Billy)

~ Thor Harris (Swans, Angels of Light, Amanda Palmer, Shearwater)

~ Grey Mcmurray (itsnotyouitsme, So Percussion, Tyondai Braxton) 

Special guests:

~ Clarice Jensen (Cello, ACME: American Contemporary Music Ensemble, yMusic, Ra Ra Riot

~ Caleb Burhans (Composer, itsnotyouitsme, ACME) 

~ Laura Lutzke (Violin, ACME)

~ Alex Sopp (Flutes, ACME, yMusic)

~ Imago (Cello, Vocals, Múm)

~ Laraaji & Arji (Zither, Ambient Sounds)

~ Akil Davis and Loud Sol Productions

NOUS II will be available on LP and download on December 6th, 2018 via Our Silent Canvas. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

Artist: NOUS

Album: NOUS II

Record Label: Our Silent Canvas

Release Date: December 6, 2019

01. Look Again at That Dot

02. Formless

03. Here In My Chest It Is What It Is

04. Yoj! Yoj!

05. Nighten Gale

06. World Map One

07. Uthando

08. Formless Too

09. Assume a Sunbeam

On the Web:

allnous.com

oursilentcanvas.bandcamp.com

oursilentcanvasstore.org

Avant-rock trio Sama Dams share video for "Principle of Loving" featuring artist Alexandra Becker-Black 

Portland, OR trio Sama Dams share the official video for new single "Principle of Loving" today. The video showcases watercolor artist Alexandra Becker-Black and is available to watch/share via YouTube HERE. 

The band's confidently sleek and smooth avant-rock track is available to hear and share via Bandcamp.

Intimacy and solitude intertwine in the “Principle Of Loving” video. Visually centered on painter Alexandra Becker-Black, the camera gazes on the small moments of early day routine and introspection. Alexandra’s own focus is reserved for the canvas, where watercolor paint is carefully applied yet allowed to flow along its own path. Slowly the portrait of an unknown woman, perhaps a sister, lover, or even a previous version of herself, begins to emerge. 

Few bands command the unexpectedly fine line that divides tension and release like Sama Dams does. And it's no wonder: songwriters Sam and Lisa Adams have been playing music together for over a decade -- as long as they have been married -- developing a creative forthrightness that sometimes feels voyeuristic. Taking cues from jazz, R&B, new wave, indie-rock, and classical art song, the alt-rock trio weaves a sensuous musical fabric that is distinctly theirs.

Much like the Dirty Projectors or Thom Yorke, Sama Dams's high art sensibilities are wrapped around a subversive knotty core of uncompromized radicalism -- like if Leonard Bernstein was signed to K Records. In that way, the DIY ethos of the Pacific Northwest has shaped much of the band's path forward since graduating music school in 2008 and relocating to Portland in 2012.

Sama Dams' fourth and most recent full-length album, Say It surprises you with its gritty yet precise instrumentation, striking a keen balance between reserve and power, from wiley "Neil-Young-riding-a-rocket-sled" electric guitar riffs and mutant waves of organ to distorted ukulele and cut-up-on-the-spot breakbeats. The Portland Mercury said "Say It is an endlessly fascinating sonic concoction, and a confident step forward for Sama Dams." What should be a series of stylistic contradictions results in each song firmly standing its ground as an interwoven compositional masterpiece, bending and twisting with eclectic abandon.

The band's sprawling sonic footprint is held together by their dynamic vocal power - an alternate-reality vocal pairing of Kate Bush and Jeff Buckley. Sam and Lisa's combined proficiencies and unique approaches to songwriting merge with the brilliant percussive work of drummer Micah Hummel, creating a matchless sound in live settings as well as in the studio.

Sama Dams can regularly be found gracing stages, music festivals, and living rooms across the United States and Central Europe, their music finding a place in the hearts of both music enthusiasts and general audiences alike with their intelligent arrangements, catchy melodies, and playful musicality.

The band's new single "Principle of Loving" will be available Sept 20th via Portland collective label Self Group on all digital platforms as well a limited 7" picture disc. Sama Dams will be supporting the release with tours of the west coast (fall) and Europe (spring 2020). 

SAMA DAMS LIVE 2019:

09/25 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

09/27 La Grande, OR @ Side A Brewing

09/28-29 Moscow, ID @ Modest Music Fest

Artist: Sama Dams

Album:  Principle of Loving EP

Label:  Self Group

Release Date: September 20th, 2019

01. Principle of Loving

On The Web:

sama-dams.com

samadams.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/sama_dams