US / THEM Group

Ether Feather shares new track & trailer, L.A. hooky heavy psych by Man Man, Lydia Lunch, Mike Patton players

"Built upon Ryan's impeccable drumming, it is buoyed by delightfully aggressive bass lines and Young's searing guitar work. It asks to imagine a fusion between progressive rock of the 1970s and the blues-based heavy rock of acts such as Budgie and Pentagram while sounding thoroughly up-to-date." -- PopMatters

L.A. trio Ether Feather share the first track from their forthcoming full length debut today via PopMatters. Hear and share "Your Half In The Middle" HERE. (Direct Bandcamp and Soundcloud.)

What resides in the ether? Floating like a lead balloon in Ether Feather’s inverse universe is the meeting point between Black Sabbath, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Kyuss and Captain Beefheart.

The Los Angeles trio’s sound is a weighty, swinging brand of desert rock influenced heft informed by elements of No Wave, free jazz and post-punk. It’s not jammy for jam’s sake, nor is it neo-jazzbo navel gazing - it’s crafty and astute, head-bobbing thud with a flair for tasteful melodic quirks.

Ether Feather is the brainchild of L.A.-by-way-of-Chicago drummer/vocalist Dylan Ryan, who has also played with Man Man, Cursive, Red Krayola and more. The newly minted trio includes guitarist Tim Young (guitarist on the Late Late Show and studio player: Todd Rundgren, Mike Patton, Fiona Apple) and bassist Sylvia Black (Lydia Lunch.) The band arose from a previous incarnation called SAND, featuring Ryan and Young, which had released two albums in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

“By the time I started writing the third Sand record, it became clear the music was shifting from the Mahavishnu-esque mid 70's-fusion to more part-oriented structures and the songs seemed to want vocals,” Ryan explains. Encouraged by engineer Andrew Murdock (Alice Cooper, Lou Barlow) while tracking new songs, the band embraced stylistic shifts and emerged anew with an EP, Other Memory in 2017. After touring that material a couple of times with bands like Cursive and Minus the Bear, Ether Feather further honed its sound to form the hook laden 8-track debut album, Devil - Shadowless - Hand.

“Ether Feather is definitely a band where we can try weirder stuff and stretch out creatively in ways that may not be appropriate in other musical situations,” Ryan says. “We can mix and blend aesthetics and make hard turns. Tim was in the Pacific Northwest during the first wave of grunge and brings something very different from me to the table, having come up in the late 90's Chicago No Wave/Free Jazz/Metal scene.”

Album opener “Falconer” pits a chugging Helmet-eque guitar riff against Ghost-like harmonies and indie rock rhythms before busting open with a beautiful stadium rock guitar solo. Elsewhere, “Your Half In the Middle” floats along, led by the Byrds-esque vocal harmonies of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear The Reaper,” with similar juxtaposition of melody and ominous tones. “New Abyss” flexes the band’s jazz chops, but moreso in the manner of Richard Hell & The Voidoids or the Minutemen waxing prog-punk. Throughout, every song is full of surprising and enchanting musical twists that keep each song exciting and demanding repeat listens.

Devil - Shadowless - Hand will be available to stream and download on September 6th, 2019.

Artist: Ether Feather

Album: In Devil - Shadowless - Hand

Label: Ether Feather

Release date: September 6th, 2019

01. Falconer

02. Interstellar

03. Haggard Hawk

04. New Abyss

05. Cayenne

06. Dawn of Orion

07. Your Half In The Middle

08. The Ultimate Halcyon

On the Web:

facebook.com/etherfeatherband

etherfeather.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/etherfeatherband

ZIG-ZAGS premiere low budget horror video for "Killer of Killers", announce more tour dates

"Sounds like Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica meets Motorhead but with claustrophobic garage rock production. It’s a real ripper." -- Brooklyn Vegan

"A potent dose of galloping, cartoonishly vicious rock'n'roll -- material previously perfected by bands like Motörhead and Megadeth." -- Pitchfork

"Noisy, aggressive, and raucous music that careens between garage rock and heavy metal like an amusement-park ride." -- Stereogum

L.A. punk-metal trio Zig-Zags premiere a new video from their recently released fourth album, and debut on RidingEasy Records, They'll Never Take Us Alive today via CvltNation. Watch and share the low budget horror spoofing "Killer of Killers" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Metal Injection also recently shared the wildly intense video for anthemic album opener "Punk Fucking Metal" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Kerrang! Magazine also recently streamed the full album alongside an in-depth interview HERE. LA Weekly recently named Zig-Zags "Best Metal Band" in their annual Best of L.A. Music issue.

Zig-Zags are in the midst of a busy year of non-stop touring throughout the EU, UK and US. The next leg kicks off in Europe next week. Please see complete dates below.

They'll Never Take Us Alive is available on LP, CD and download, released on May 10th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Purchase it HERE.

ZIG-ZAGS LIVE 2019:

07/06 Nikolsdorf, AT @ Sticks & Stone Festival

07/07 Wien, AT @ Venster99

07/09 Bratislava, SK @ Kulturak Klub

07/10 Berlin, DE @ Toast Hawaii

07/11 Hamburg, DE @ Komet

07/12 Erfurt, DE @ Stoned from The Underground

07/13 Ludwighsafen, DE @ Ein Schoner Tag im Freien

07/15 Tolosa, ES @ Bonberenea

07/16 Madrid, ES @ Wurlitzer Ballroom

07/17 Barcelona, ES @ Rocksound

07/19 Helsinki, FI @ Hori Smoku Summer Boogaloo 2019

07/20 Den Haag, NL @ Grauzone Summer Special

07/21 Bristol, UK @ The Old England

07/23 Liverpool, UK @ Drop The Dumbulls

07/24 London, UK @ The Black Heart

07/25 Le Havre, FR @ Fort de Tourneville

07/26 Lille, FR @ La Gare Saint Sauveur

07/28 Rokycany, CZ @ Fluff Fest

07/30 Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof

07/31 Koln, DE @ MTC

08/01 Kassel, DE @ Goldgrube

08/02 Waldbad Stolzenhain, DE @ Elite Culture Festival

08/03 Schierling, DE @ Labertal Festival

08/04 Slavonice, CZ @ Barak

08/08 Santarem, PT @ InStr

08/09 Moldeno, PT @ Sonic Blast Moldeno

08/10 Sinzendorf, DE @ Void Fest

09/21 Portland, OR @ Dante's - Northwest Hesh Fest

11/09 Austin, TX @ Levitation Festival

Artist: Zig-Zags

Album: They'll Never Take Us Alive

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release date: May 10th, 2019

01. Punk Fucking Metal

02. Killer of Killers

03. Fallout

04. No Way Out

05. Ms 45

06. The Shout

07. Why I Carry a Knife

08. They'll Never Take Us Alive

09. Nothing To Do

10. God Sized

On the Web:

facebook.com/zigzagsmusic

zigzags.bandcamp.com

ridingeasyrecs.com

DVNE sign to RidingEasy Records, play Psycho Las Vegas in August

Edinburgh, Scotland quintet DVNE have signed to L.A. purveyors of heavy, RidingEasy Records

for worldwide release of future recordings.

The band also returns to the US this summer to perform at the hugely popular Psycho Las Vegas festival on August 17th.

DVNE (pronounced dune) is a 5 piece progressive rock/metal band from Edinburgh Scotland. Founded in 2013, the band was then called Dune in reference to Frank Herbert sci-fi masterpiece of the same name.

The band consists of Victor Vicart (guitar, vocals, keys), Dudley Tait (drums), Daniel Barter (guitar, vocals), Jack Kavanagh (bass) and Richard Matheson (keys).

To date, the band has released one studio album and two EPs. They emerged within the UK scene with their first EP Progenitor (2013), shortly followed by a second EP, Aurora Majesty (2014). At their releases, both EPs received very favourable receptions, with reviewers calling their releases "Progressive metal at its best" (This Is Not A Scene - US), "Stunning and majestic" (Nine Hertz - UK), "breathtaking debut release" (The Sludgelord - UK).

Dvne quickly began to make a name for themselves in the UK and around Europe, with various tours over these territories and support shows of households names such as Eyehategod, Crowbar, Dragged Into Sunlight to name a few. The band's sound at the time was already crossing over various music style including post-metal, progressive rock and sludge metal, but it is with their first full-length album Asheran that the band established further their unique blend of heavy music.

Released in August 2017, on double-disc vinyl, CD and digital, Asheran was overwhelmingly praised by the press; "their best album to date [...] sublime Dvne past releases" (La Planete Du Stoner Rock - FR), "boundary-pushing songs" (Metal Hammer). The album was listed on many best albums of the year lists such as Echoes and Dust naming Asheran best release of that year.

Since Asheran's release, Dvne has toured all over the UK, Europe and North America and appeared at prestigious festivals such as Psycho Las Vegas, Desertfest London and Inferno Festival Norway to name a few.

Not content to repeat their previous releases and always looking to push their sound forward DVNE are about to enter Chamber Studio in Edinburgh this summer to record their 2nd full-length concept album, planned for release on RidingEasy in late 2019.

DVNE LIVE:

08/17 Las Vegas, NV @ Psycho Las Vegas

On The Web:

songs-of-arrakis.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/DvneUK

https://www.instagram.com/dvne_uk/

ridingeasyrecs.com

HERE LIES MAN share track from upcoming mini-album, Antibalas members "if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat"

"An evolutionary step forward for their sound." - Metal Hammer

"A woozy wall of Afrobeat inspired fuzzbox riff worship and pounding circular rhythmic power, Here Lies Man connect the stoner rock underground straight to downtown Lagos." - The Quietus

"Here Lies Man are still really, really good at making riffy, rhythmic psychedelic rock that sounds like the '60s/'70s but still feels fresh today. Fans of anything from Nuggets to Ty Segall and King Gizzard should take note." -- Brooklyn Vegan

"This is a band ahead of their time." -- The Obelisk

Los Angeles quartet Here Lies Man share the lead single from their forthcoming 7-song mini-album No Ground To Walk Upon today. Hear and share "Clad in Silver" via YouTube and Bandcamp.

Dinked, the UK collective of independent retailers, are offering an exclusive special edition of the release that comes with a signed picture of the band, a patch, and a tote bag, on purple vinyl with orange swirl. For more information see Dinked HERE.

Here Lies Man took the music world by storm in 2017 with their self-titled debut positing the intriguing hypothesis: What if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat?

Since that time, Here Lies Man has expanded and expounded upon their sound and ideas of heavy riff rock and psych within the ancient rhythmic formula of the clave. The L.A. based band comprised of Antibalas members have toured relentlessly over the past 2 years, while also releasing a second album, You Will Know Nothing and an EP, Animal Noises, both in 2018.

No Ground to Walk Upon is due worldwide in August 2019. It continues with an ongoing concept of HLM playing the soundtrack to an imaginary movie, with each song being a scene. The lead single "Clad in Silver" is the soundtrack snippet of a journey to the imaginary place called home, which can never be arrived at. With every step, the character imagines getting closer, but it is a hallucination that fades in and out of perception.

Rough Trade named Here Lies Man in their prestigious Top 10 Albums of 2017. BBC 6 & Classic Rock Magazine deemed it among the year's best, as well as countless other press outlets singing its praises. 2018's You Will Know Nothing furthered the band's reputation for genre-smashing rhythmic experimentation, topping many year-end lists as well as earning features from countless metal and indie rock outlets, plus cover stories in weekly papers. No Ground to Walk Upon is the next step in the band's rapid ascent to what is bound to be influential upon riff based rock.

"We're very conscious of how the rhythms service the riffs," explains founder and vocalist/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Marcos Garcia (who also plays guitar in Antibalas) of the band's sound. "Tony Iommi's (Black Sabbath) innovation was to make the riff the organizing principle of a song. We are taking that same approach but employing a different organizing principle: For Iommi it was the blues, for us it comes directly from Africa."

No Ground To Walk Upon also includes an interesting conceptual mathematics to the entire proceedings, a theme begun on the prior album. "There are interludes between each song that are 2/3 to 3/4 of the tempo of the previous song," Garcia says. "The reason it breaks down to 2 over 3 or 3 over 4 is that everything in the music rhythmically corresponds to a set of mathematical algorithms known as the clave. The clave is an ancient organizing rhythmic principle developed in Africa."

Garcia and cofounder/drummer Geoff Mann (former Antibalas drummer and son of jazz musician Herbie Mann) recorded the mini-album much like they did their previous releases, at their own L.A. studio on a Tascam 388 8-track tape machine. Additional layers were recorded with former Antibalas keyboardist Victor Axelrod and other contributors in various other locations, all while the band continued its rigorous touring schedule.

Here Lies Man has already spent much of the past three years on tour, with dates supporting Antibalas, Earthless and Fu Manchu, as well as headlining treks through the EU & UK. The remaining months of 2019 and 2020 will see the band once again performing at numerous International festivals (including Austin's Levitation Fest in November.)

No Ground to Walk Upon will be available on LP, CD and download on August 16th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records.

HERE LIES MAN LIVE 2019:

11/09 Austin, TX @ Levitation Fest 2019

Artist: Here Lies Man

Album: No Ground to Walk Upon

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release Date: August 16th, 2019

01. Clad in Silver

02. Swinging From Trees

03. Long Legs (Look Away)

04. Washing Bones

05. Get Ahold of Yourself

06. Iron Rattles

07. Man Falls Down

On The Web:

hereliesman.com

facebook.com/hereliesman

hereliesman.bandcamp.com

ridingeasyrecs.com

Woolly Bushmen share genius video for "Little Bit of Life"

"Kicks like a mule, grooves like vintage shambolic garage rock and kills with the in-your-face attitude of Jerry Lee Lewis. Ultimately, this trio takes listeners on a wild and thrilling ride." -- PopMatters

"A unique blend of old-school rock 'n' roll and surf with a fiery garage rock spirit, with an intensity and raggedness in the vein of Reigning Sound or Black Lips." -- Treble

"Rather than rely on gimmicks and mimicry, The Woolly Bushmen are modern rockabilly done right: gritty, in-your-face, and unquestionably irresistible. This album and this band are not ones to be missed." -- New Noise

Garage soul trio The Woolly Bushmen share a brilliantly clever video for "Little Bit of Life" from their recently released album In Shambles today via Pure Grain Audio. Watch and share video HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Hear and share In Shambles album via Bandcamp, Spotify and YouTube.

Formed in early 2011 and based out of Winter Park, Florida, The Woolly Bushmen have managed to combine 1960's rock and roll with 1950's rockabilly and a dash of soul, forming their own unique genre of all original crowd-rocking songs. These young musicians have captured the respect and admiration of seasoned musicians, some icons in their own right, that are twice their age while grabbing every audience by the scruff of their necks and whipping them into a dance frenzy. Teenagers, middle-agers, old-agers, male, female, black, white, green, purple, The Woolly Bushmen tend to appeal to everyone without compromising their style and musical integrity...mass appeal without losing cult appeal...they do their thing and it works!

A typical Woolly Bushmen show will see lead singer, Simon Palombi, switch from vintage Farfisa organ to guitar, whilst, Jacob Miller, switches from bass to guitar allowing the band to play two different sets in one, much to the surprise and delight of the audience. The songs of The Woolly Bushmen are based around catchy organ and guitar riffs with infectious choruses that sound straight out of the charts of the late 1950's and 1960's. These all original songs give you, the listener/audience, the sense that you've heard them before...only, you haven't unless you've seen The Woolly Bushmen or listened to Tampa, Orlando, St. Louis, and Philadelphia college/independent radio. The sole purpose of The Woolly Bushmen's music is to get people dancing...and it works every time!

Leave your angst at home, nothing heavy or moody here! One reviewer said, "It's like Buddy Holly fronting The Troggs." Or, "Jerry Lee Lewis on crack" that is the unusual and unique mix of 1950's and 1960's at its best.

In 2015 The Woolly Bushmen released their first properly yet self-produced LP Sky Bosses on their self run label Chesterwick Records. The group recently released their latest LP Arduino on L.A.'s Pig Baby Records, produced by Rick Miller of Southern Culture On The Skids.

The band's third full length, In Shambles is available on LP, CD and download, released May 10th, 2019 via Pig Baby Records. Purchase HERE.

THE WOOLLY BUSHMEN LIVE 2019:

08/02 Orlando, FL @ Will's Pub

Artist: The Woolly Bushmen

Album: In Shambles

Label: Pig Baby Records

Release date: May 10th, 2019

01. What Yer Doing To Me

02. Paid

03. Fine

04. Goin' Out West

05. Let It Be Known

06. Weeping Eyes

07. Dense

08. I Pushed You

09. Little Bit of Life

10. The Noose

11. Fire Tonight

On the Web:

facebook.com/Woollybushmen

thewoollybushmen.bandcamp.com

pigbabyrecords.com

ZIG-ZAGS premiere video for "Punk Fucking Metal", announce more tour dates

"Sounds like Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica meets Motorhead but with claustrophobic garage rock production. It’s a real ripper." -- Brooklyn Vegan

"A potent dose of galloping, cartoonishly vicious rock'n'roll -- material previously perfected by bands like Motörhead and Megadeth." -- Pitchfork

"Noisy, aggressive, and raucous music that careens between garage rock and heavy metal like an amusement-park ride." -- Stereogum

L.A. punk-metal trio Zig-Zags premiere the first video from their recently released fourth album, and debut on RidingEasy Records, They'll Never Take Us Alive today via Metal Injection. The wildly intense video for anthemic album opener "Punk Fucking Metal" is available to watch and share HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Zig-Zags are currently on tour throughout the EU and UK, followed by US West Coast & Mexico dates in June. The band then returns to the EU for more shows in July. Please see complete dates below.

They'll Never Take Us Alive is available on LP, CD and download, released on May 10th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Purchase it HERE.

ZIG-ZAGS LIVE 2019:

06/07 Los Angeles, CA @ The Factory - album release show

06/14 San Francisco, CA @ The Ivy Room

06/15 Eureka, CA @ Little Red Lion

06/16 Portland, OR @ Highwater Mark

06/17 Seattle, WA @ Belltown Yacht Club

06/19 Vancouver, BC @ CBDB's

06/21 Nevada City, CA @ Cooper's Ale Works

06/22 Ventura, CA @ Red Cove

06/27 Tijuana, MX @ Moustache Bar

06/28 Tecate, MX @ Licores La Esmeralda

06/29 Mexicali, MX @ Taberna Lebaron

07/06 Nikolsdorf, AT @ Sticks & Stone Festival

07/07 Wien, AT @ Venster99

07/09 Bratislava, SK @ Kulturak Klub

07/10 Berlin, DE @ Toast Hawaii

07/11 Hamburg, DE @ Komet

07/12 Erfurt, DE @ Stoned from The Underground

07/13 Ludwighsafen, DE @ Ein Schoner Tag im Freien

07/16 Madrid, ES @ Wurlitzer Ballroom

07/17 Barcelona, ES @ Rocksound

07/19 Helsinki, FI @ Hori Smoku Summer Boogaloo 2019

07/20 Den Haag, NL @ Grauzone Summer Special

07/23 Liverpool, UK @ Drop The Dumbulls

07/24 Sheffield, UK @ Record Junkie

07/26 Lille, FR @ La Gare Saint Sauveur

07/28 Rokycany, CZ @ Fluff Fest

07/31 Koln, DE @ MTC

08/01 Kassel, DE @ Goldgrube

08/03 Schierling, DE @ Labertal Festival

08/04 Slavonice, CZ @ Barak

08/08 Santarem, PT @ InStr

08/09 Moldeno, PT @ Sonic Blast Moldeno

08/10 Sinzendorf, DE @ Void Fest

11/09 Austin, TX @ Levitation Festival

Artist: Zig-Zags

Album: They'll Never Take Us Alive

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release date: May 10th, 2019

01. Punk Fucking Metal

02. Killer of Killers

03. Fallout

04. No Way Out

05. Ms 45

06. The Shout

07. Why I Carry a Knife

08. They'll Never Take Us Alive

09. Nothing To Do

10. God Sized

On the Web:

facebook.com/zigzagsmusic

zigzags.bandcamp.com

ridingeasyrecs.com

Warish (led by Tony Hawk's son Riley) share new 2-song single "Runnin' Scared"/"Their Demise" from second RidingEasy Records EP

"Remember when indie rock sounded all grimy, corroded and metal-sludgy -- the last thing you'd hear in a commercial or being played at an arena show? Warish do. It's music to the ears of anyone who wants to damage their ears." -- Rolling Stone

"Warish totally rules... An awesome mixture of punk energy, biker rock fuzz, and grunge growl." -- Kerrang!

"Sludgy and punk-y at the same time, with an Iggy and the Stooges meets Misfits vibe, plus a bit of stoner rock and metal mixed in, as well." -- Consequence of Sound

Southern California trio Warish share the lead track from their forthcoming second EP on RidingEasy Records today. Hear and share "Runnin' Scared" / "Their Demise" HERE. (Direct shareable Bandcamp and YouTube.)

Rolling Stone recently featured the lead track "Fight" from the band's self-titled debut EP HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Imagine if Incesticide era Nirvana were crossed with Static Age era garage-punk Misfits. You'd have sinister low budget horror rock with a visceral, twisted weirdness and bludgeoning riffs. Some might call it nightmarish, we call it Warish.

Warish is a very newly minted SoCal trio formed in early 2018 that has wasted no time making its presence known. The band formed when guitarist/vocalist and pro-skater Riley Hawk (son of skating legend Tony Hawk) and drummer Bruce McDonnell decided they wanted to try their hand at something more distinct than they'd done previously. Bassist Alex Bassaj was added shortly after the recording to complete the live trio.

"We wanted to do simpler riffs and a fun live show," Riley explains. "A little more punk, a little bit of grunge... a little evil-ish."

Their sound takes cues from a variety of cool underground sounds and twists it all into an energetic and exciting fist to the face of dark fury. Hawk's effect-laden vocals hearken to early Butthole Surfers and David Yow's tortured caterwaul in Scratch Acid. The guitars are heavy and powerful, though decidedly not straightforward cookie cutter punk; more like Cobain's and Buzz Osbourne's wiry contortions. The rhythms bash and pummel right through it all with aggressive force ensuring that nothing gets overly complicated and the horrors keep coming throughout the band's uh, warlike assault.

Runnin' Scared/Their Demise is available on 7" vinyl and download on May 31st, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Orders are available HERE.

WARISH LIVE 2019:

06/06 Oceanside, CA @ Pourhouse

06/21 Los Angeles, CA @ House of Machines L.A.

06/27 Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern

07/05 San Diego, CA @ Casbah

07/06 San Diego, CA @ Casbah +

09/20 Portland, OR @ Star Theater - Hesh Fest *

09/21 Seattle, WA @ Highline *

09/23 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater *

09/24 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown *

09/25 Chicago, IL @ Reggies *

09/26 Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle *

09/27 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *

09/28 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place *

09/29 Boston, MA @ Sonia *

09/30 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory *

10/01 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's *

10/02 Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall *

10/03 Raleigh, NC @ Kings *

10/04 Asheville, NC @ Mothlight *

10/05 Atlanta, GA @ The 529 *

10/06 New Orleans, LA @ One Eye Jack's *

10/07 Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey *

10/09 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister *

10/10 Mesa, AZ @ Club Red *

10/11 Los Angeles, CA @ Satellite *

10/12 San Francisco, CA @ Chapel *

11/09 Austin, TX @ Levitation Fest

* w/ Acid King

+ w/ Earthless

Artist: Warish

Album: Runnin' Scared / Their Demise

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release Date: May 31st, 2019

01. Runnin' Scared

02. Their Demise

On The Web:

instagram.com/warish.usa

facebook.com/Warishband

ridingeasyrecs.com

Acquaintances (Titus Andronicus, The Ponys, Ted Leo, Don Caballero supergroup) streaming album early, first-ever shows in June

"Acquaintances manage to convincingly be everything at once without ever breaking the flow of a solid rock album." -- Rolling Stone

"Spiky, rolling indie rock in a vintage Pavement or Sebadoh mold." -- SPIN

"Mixes arty ’90s post-hardcore with a hypnotic krautrock backbone. It’s cool stuff." -- Brooklyn Vegan

"A hard-charging second album that explores mortality and an increasingly uncertain future. 'Flooded Candle Flickering Flame' isn't just a walk through the outfit's underground pedigree but manages to break new ground amid Who-ish thrums and Jesus Lizard-esque aggression." -- PopMatters

Chicago post-punk supergroup Acquaintances are streaming their forthcoming sophomore album today ahead of release via Echoes & Dust. Hear and share the mortality-themed full length 8 1/2 Lives HERE. (Direct Bandcamp.)

The band plays its first-ever live shows this June. Please see dates below.

Brooklyn Vegan recently shared "And It All Went Black" HERE. Treble premiered two album tracks, each sung/written by the band's two singers/songwriters, explaining, "they show the full range of the band’s songwriting and aesthetic sensibilities, from kickass rock ‘n’ roll to more nuanced arrangements," HERE. PopMatters also launched the driving rocker "Flooded Candle Flickering Flame" HERE.

Acquaintances are finally back with their second album, 8 ½ Lives, and right in time for File 13 Records' 30th anniversary as the label's 95th release.

Jered Gummere - Guitar, Vocals (The Ponys, Bare Mutants, Richard Vain)

Justin Sinkovich - Guitar, Vocals (The Poison Arrows, Atombombpocketknife, Thumbnail)

Patrick Morris - Bass (Don Caballero, The Poison Arrows)

Chris Wilson - Drums (Ted Leo + Pharmacists, Titus Andronicus, Hammered Hulls, Open City)

Also With:

Stephen Schmidt - Guitar (Thumbnail, Chino Horde)

Adam Reach - Percussion, Keyboard (The Poison Arrows, Pink Avalanche)

Recorded in a practice space and a basement by Justin Sinkovich, then mastered by John Golden, this second album builds on the fluidity of five dudes who don't necessarily occupy the same space all that often, and have made a lot of records you may have heard. They pieced their schedules and ideas together via Chicago, Philadelphia, and Portland, and made a pretty sick sounding noise rock record over the course of a year with lot of travel and shipping recording gear back and forth.

Acquaintances was originally formed in 2012 with Chris Wilson passing through on tour, and meeting up with longtime friend Justin Sinkovich in Chicago. They agreed to start a band despite Chris living in Philly. They recruited local Chicagoans Jered Gummere and Steve Schmidt to write songs, sing, and play guitar along with Justin doing the same. Three guys writing weird songs with Chris on drums... so yeah, they naturally recruited Patrick Morris who plays with Justin in The Poison Arrows, to play bass with Acquaintances as well.The first self-titled album was recorded by Justin in his basement, and was released in 2013. It was featured in Rolling Stone, Spin and other notable publications, but things came up in life, and they never played a show. BTW, the band name came while recording that first record, labeling files of songs in progress as "Acquaintances Track 01 No Vocals" etc. to share online while they were all over the place constructing the album.

Last year Justin and Jered wrote twelve songs and recorded them with Chris and Patrick for this new album. Steve had moved to Portland at this point, so they shipped recording gear out to him and he put his distinctive guitar sound on a majority of the album. This time around, Adam Reach from The Poison Arrows filled in on drums for some rehearsal and writing sessions, and played some percussion and keyboards here and there on the record.

8 ½ Lives lives up to its title by exploring mortality, and where to go from here amidst increasingly complex existences. Acquaintances are confirming shows this time around, to figure it out face-to-face with each other, and with you.

8 ½ Lives will be available on LP and download on May 31st via File-13 Records. Pre-orders are available HERE. The album will also be released on cassette via Coup Sur Coup.

ACQUAINTANCES LIVE 2019:

06/06 Bloomington IL @ Nightshop

06/08 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle

Artist: Acquaintances

Album: 8 1/2 Lives

Label: File 13 Records

Release Date: May 31st, 2019

01) And It All Went Black

02) Flooded Candle Flickering Flame

03) A Night in a Town

04) Mutual Denial

05) I'm an Artisan Goddamnit

06) Barmuda Triangle

07) This Moment Was Due

08) 8 ½ Lives

09) Dissolve Today

10) Mistakes

11) The Last Page

12) A Few Seconds Ahead of Your Ghost

On The Web:

acquaintancesband.com

file13records.bandcamp.com/album/8-1-2-lives

ALTAS exclusive album stream, Denver band merges Latin-American styles w/ post-rock exploration

"The band is a creative and emotive force; a spatial palette of sounds that takes the listener on a transformative journey." -- Ghost Cult Magazine

"ALTAS take some classic post-rock and blast it with Rhodes electric piano melodies, jazz grooves, cumbia rhythms, and crunchy guitars to form their own stupendous sound." -- Pure Grain Audio

Denver instrumental quintet ALTAS are streaming their forthcoming sophomore album All I Ever Wanted Was ahead of release starting today via Pure Grain Audio. Hear and share the album HERE. (Direct Soundcloud and Bandcamp.)

ALTAS also recently released a dramatic art film set to the track "Rattenkönig" via Echoes & Dust. The video was created in partnership with New Trash films as part of Colorado Film organization's 53:14 Music Video Experiment. Watch and share the breathtaking film "Rattenkönig" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Powerful messages needn't always be spoken. ALTAS sends a distinctive message heard loud and clear in their melodic instrumental rock compositions.

Post-rock groups tend to construct lengthy songs based around guitar effects and group dynamics. ALTAS shares territory with post-rock bands such as Explosions in the Sky or Russian Circles but they refreshingly sidestep many of the typical genre tropes. Their compositions are carefully designed, the structures evolving engagingly and leaving so little room for excess that the listener rarely realizes the average song length is seven minutes. ALTAS is eager to expand the type of instrumentation and influence typical in post rock. Distorted guitars thrash under bell-like Rhodes melodies; sparkling synths arpeggiate over abstract effects; hip-hop bass grooves, jazz beats and cumbia rhythms make subtle appearances. Above all, ALTAS engages the listener with gorgeous, emotive melodies that suggest narrative structure. The clear exposition, conflict and denouement of each song perfectly complements film soundtracks.

ALTAS is also eager to expand the notion of who makes post rock music. A band composed entirely of women and minorities is rare in rock music, especially in the instrumental/post rock genre. Enrique and Israel Jimenez (guitars and drums, respectively) hail from Oaxaca, Mexico; guitarist Juan Carlos Flores was born in Juarez, Mexico. These roots can be heard their music, which hints of turmoil in the current political era. They can also be seen in their dynamic, passionate performances which have gained a loyal following in their hometown of Denver.

ALTAS has toured from the dry desert at the Mexican border to the pine-filled Pacific Northwest. They have performed hundreds of shows both large and small, from Vietnamese billiards halls in Denver, CO to the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX. Their debut album Epoca de Bestias, was included in the "Best of Colorado Albums" by Westword in 2014. They are also an IM Tour roster artist, an organization which honors artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary music. Their follow up album All I Ever Wanted Was will be followed by tours through the Western United States.

All I Ever Wanted Was will be available on LP and download on May 31st, 2019. Pre-orders are available HERE.

ALTAS LIVE 2019:

06/08 Denver, CO @ Rhinoceropolis

Artist: ALTAS

Album: All I Ever Wanted Was

Label: Altas Musica

Release Date: May 31, 2019

01. Mi Siento Maldito

02. Glasgow Smile

03. A Break In The Damage Path

04. Cosas Nunca Dichas

05. Valentin Trujillo (An Unsung Hero)

06. Noble Savage

07. Rattenkönig (Kompromat)

On The Web:

www.altasmusica.com

altasmusica.bandcamp.com

American Sharks share campy video via Kerrang from new album 11:11 (The End Records), Austin punk-metal trio returns w/ crushing riffs

"A little bit stoner, a little bit punk, a lot a bit fuzz, it is just the right mixture to create that delicious blend of awesomeness." -- Nerdist

"A frenetic blast of scuzzy, fuzzy rock’n’roll that’s full of raucous, riotous energy." -- Kerrang!

"Puts Motorhead's rhythm section, The Stooges' raw power, and Black Sabbath's evil melodies in a blender. For a more modern comparison, it also sounds a bit like Mutoid Man." -- Brooklyn Vegan

Austin trio American Sharks premiere the official video for "Spare The Rod" from their new album 11:11 today via Kerrang Magazine. Watch & share what happens when Ouiji board shenanigans go wrong HERE. (Direct YouTube.) The video was directed by Scott Barber, who also directed an upcoming documentary about the rise of Nickelodeon.

American Sharks' new album 11:11 was released on The End Records on May 10th. Hear and share the album on Bandcamp, Spotify and YouTube. Watch a comedic basic cable parody video for the album track "Masters" available to watch and share via YouTube.

American Sharks is a three-piece band hailing from Austin, TX. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, American Sharks has toured extensively supporting the likes of GWAR, Clutch, The Sword, Red Fang, Big Business, Corrosion of Conformity and many others. After touring to support their debut album, American Sharks took time off to write and record their self-produced follow up album. With a spring 2019 release date, American Sharks will look to expand on the story they began writing in 2013.

"Austin's American Sharks provide the antidote to a mob of grimacing heshers...heavy metal soul, stoner rock brains, and a punk rock heart, the fast-rising power trio yells and pounds its way through rollicking nuggets of crushed concrete and dirty steel." -- Michael Toland, Austin Chronicle

"American Sharks are creating some of the grittiest, rawest and realest rock and roll we've heard in a very long time." -- Diffuser.fm

"American Sharks play that special brand of hard rock we love so much. A little bit stoner, a little bit punk, a lot a bit fuzz, it is just the right mixture to create that delicious blend of awesomeness...If you're not into American Sharks, fix that that. Get into them. Rock 'n' Roll waits for no one." --Benjamin Bailey, Nerdist

11:11 is available on LP, CD and download, released May 10th, 2019 via The End Records. Orders are available HERE.

AMERICAN SHARKS - LIVE 2019:

06/20 Mexico City, MX @ Caradura Condesa

06/21 Toluca, MX @ SALA Traffic - Go Skate Day Toluca

09/17 Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom - Northwest Hesh Fest