"Light Creates Shadow goes full prog... Like a lighter version of Tool." -- Metal Injection

"A deeply powerful and intellectually moving album." -- Big Takeover

'Has me hearing metal in a new way. An inspired and transformative album… Serious contender for Album of The Year. 10/10.” -- Musipedia of Metal

Portland, OR post-metal trio Light Creates Shadow share an intimate and groundbreaking mini-documentary about the making of their new album today via Toxic Metal. The documentary showcases both the recording of the album at Stone Gossard's (Pearl Jam) Studio Litho with producer Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Deftones) and the narcissistic/psychopathic abuse that led to the conceptual philosophy that influences the music. It's a breathtakingly revealing and honest video, watch & share HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Hear and share Ghosts pass through, running from the body album via Bandcamp and Spotify.

Artistic post-metal band Light Creates Shadow release their 3rd full length, Ghosts pass through, running from the body on 07/01/2022. Recorded at Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard’s Studio Litho in Seattle WA, it was produced, engineered, and mixed by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Russian Circles, Deftones). Mastered by Ed Brooks (Mastodon, Caspian, Isis).

Ghosts… is an album borne from the organic and intuitive connection between guitarist/vocalist Marc Changnon, bassist Jered Johnson and drummer Adam Young. After releasing a lo-fi acoustic album, 2 Windows in 2011 and 2015’s post rock/shoegaze leaning Emerge From The Illusion, LCS reformed with a new lineup and progressed into an artistic and stylistic rebirth with Ghosts… Combining progressive dynamics, uniquely delivered vocals, channeled lyrics, intricately woven passages that power through unorthodox arrangements culminating into epic walls of sound. This leads to the construction of a profound emotional and psychological journey. The alchemy was enough to catch the attention of famed producer Matt Bayles. Completed in 10 intensely focused 12-hour days in May of 2021, the rigor pushed everyone involved to exhaustion, but the belief that they were creating something special was the intrinsic motivation needed to complete the record.

Light Creates Shadow utilize conceptual frameworks to take the listener on an interior journey into the creative process, psyche, and a confrontation with the Shadow, buried deep in the unconscious mind. This alchemical mixture offers the audience a blank canvas to paint their own rendering of interpretation upon. LCS have positioned themselves to have breakthrough potential with an innovative concept, genre defining sound, and enigmatic live performance that engages the audience in a new way. 

“We believe music that explores the depths of what is possible between audience and artist, should be transparent about its intentions,” explains Changnon. “To provide context, I’m inferring that if a band are conduits for channeled meaning, healing and collective synchronicity, then that same transference is innately present in the connection with the listener. We are going to explore this synchronistic relationship through a companion interactive web experience that will intrigue even the most hardened skeptics.”

Light Creates Shadow draw influences from artists such as; TOOL, Pink Floyd, Mastodon, Isis, Emma Ruth Rundle, The Smashing Pumpkins and Sunny Day Real Estate to name a few. But LCS believe they are establishing their own path and feel their sound is authentically their own. “We are looking to create a following predicated on re-introducing heavy music to the depths of intellect, emotion, and soul, as an experiential necessity. I believe that art is at its peak when you are forced to be an active participant in the exchange.”

Ghosts pass through, running from the body is available on LP, CD and download, released on July 1st, 2022.

Artist: Light Creates Shadow

Album: Ghosts pass through, running from the body

Record Label:  self-released 

Release Date: July 1, 2022

01. Sensed Presence

02. Post Truth

03. Dark Triad

04. Causal Horizon

05. Outlier

On The Web:

lightcreatesshadow.com

lightcreatesshadow.bandcamp.com

“A bleak, synthy good time.” — Metal Injection

"A doomed dreamscape... The synth-driven doom-pop songs on PM226 are heavy and wistful, featuring vintage drum machines, thumping basslines and distorted synthesizer soundscapes." -- Metal Sucks

Portland, OR synth-doom duo WHIMZ share a new single from their forthcoming debut album PM226 today via Metal Sucks. Hear and share "PM2" HERE. (Direct Bandcamp.)

Metal Injection previously launched first single "AM2" HERE. 

Sunny Faris (vocalist/bassist and founder of Blackwater Holylight) and Cam Spies (Night Heron) have been friends for years. Cam recorded the first BWHL record several years ago and they hadn’t had a chance to collaborate again, until 2021 when they decided to spend a day in the studio to see what emerged. The result was a seamless blending of their two projects: dark, synth heavy, austere doom-pop, with hauntingly beautiful vocal harmonies, and sexy bass lines. 

Sunny’s characteristic voice is immediately recognizable from opening track “AM1”. Although it may at first seem confusing to hear her singing over low-end rich, heavy synthesizer and vintage drum machines, it quickly becomes apparent how perfectly suited her voice is for these songs. While the music evokes the icy, consumer excess bliss of mid- to late-80s synth pop, Sunny’s melancholic voice permeates like the angelic harmonies of Julie Cruise and Cocteau Twins. 

The emotionally intense, melodically lush shoegazey doom of Blackwater Holylight’s widely hailed 2021 album Silence/Motion provides a good touchstone for WHIMZ, but Night Heron’s pawn shop deep collection of carefully curated retro synth instrumentation and Cam’s tasteful production also gives the album both its skeleton and a wealth of subtle and clever tones tucked neatly into each song. 

Upon completing the 5-song, 26-minute album they decided to release it on Portland label Literal Gold Records, and assembled a live band which includes members of YOB and Spoon Benders joining Faris and Spies. 

PM226 will be available on LP, CD and download on October 28th, 2022 via Literal Gold Records. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

WHIMZ LIVE 2022:

Nov 10 - Portland - Doug Fir Lounge

Nov 12 - Seattle - Freakout Fest - Sunset Tavern 

Artist: WHIMZ

Album: PM226

Label: Literal Gold

Release Date: October 28th, 2022

01. AM1

02. AM2

03. I WANNA

04. PM1

05. PM2

instagram.com/whimzmusic

whimzmusic.bandcamp.com

www.literal.gold

"A game of two halves. May be their most interesting record yet... Arguably their most compelling and original work yet." -- The Quietus

Bay Area experimental psych trio Carlton Melton release their new album Microwavelengths today on all DSPs -- 6 months after being issued on vinyl. This is part of an initiative of SF label Broken Clover Records to reward buyers of physical media with music before it reaches streaming services. Hear and share Microwavelengths alongside an intriguing interview with the band via It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine HERE. (Direct Bandcamp and Spotify.)

The formation of Carlton Melton was, in a sense occasional and in another inevitable.

July 17th, 2008 was the special day for them — Andy Duvall (guitar and drums), Brian McDougall (drums), Rich Millman (guitar, synthesizers), and John Steuernagel (bass) had drawn up a plan to play live, loud, improvised, experimental, instrumental, psychedelic music in the Geodesic Dome off the Mendocino County coastline in Northern California, where one of the members resides and lots of friends have gigged and recorded all kind of music for a long time. This project came true on the day and eventually Carlton Melton could give the first shout as a permanent band.

Carlton Melton create an original music style with much influenced by lots of music and artists, especially by the sounds constructed inside the Dome and the beautiful, coastal setting in Mendocino County. A few weeks later, the July 17th show was arranged and mixed into a CD-R, that could be self-released with the title Live In Point Arena.

Since that time, the band has consistently issued albums nearly annually that capture their unique mixture of Space Rock, experimental noise, free improvisation, heavy psych and anything else that comes to mind in one’s varying states of consciousness. Microwavelengths was recorded live to 4-track cassette, once again in Brian’s geodesic dome. 

Microwavelengths is available on LP and download/streaming on September 22nd via Broken Clover Records HERE.

CARLTON MELTON LIVE:

10/15 San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill 

Artist: Carton Melton

Album: Microwavelengths

Record Label: Broken Clover Records

Release Date: September 23rd, 2022

01. Lion's Roar

02. Hazel Heat

03. Alien Argument

04. Now Boarding

05. Microwavelengths

On The Web:

carltonmeltonmusic.com

brokenclover.com

“Fuzzed-out, speaker-exploding groove that's both sonically excruciating and intoxicatingly alluring. Rock'n'roll to the core, the Austin-based band has clearly taken notes from noise rock and doom on how to achieve this kind of duality, and then dialed up the formula to new absurd levels… They find a weird sweet spot of harshness and catchiness that goes down like a greasy, gut-busting bad decision.” — Invisible Oranges

“Very little pretense but a whole dollop of kick, conjuring the sounds of early Red Fang or Dead Quiet.” — Heavy Blog Is Heavy

"Epically catchy... Imagine the ear-wormy fuzz-rock riffage of Dinosaur Jr. if it was played on an eight-string guitar with super heavy low-end." -- Revolver Magazine

Austin trio Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol share the title track to their forthcoming album Doom Wop today via Heavy Blog is Heavy. Hear and share "Doom Wop" HERE. (Direct Bandcamp.)

Revolver Magazine recently premiered the official video for "Heel" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) Invisible Oranges recently launched lead single "Shoo In" HERE. New Noise Magazine hosted "Chew" HERE. 

RBBP kick off tour dates supporting King Buffalo tonight in Dallas, followed by headlining shows across the US in October. Please see current dates below. 

With their 5th studio release, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol is putting a name to the style of fuzzed out, overdriven, melodic, groovy music they have been making since 2016. In 9 concise, no bullshit songs, RBBP demonstrates their ability to blend the merciless low end of Leo Lydon’s 8-String guitar, Aaron Metzdorf’s masterful chordwork on the bass, and Sean St.Germain’s driving drumwork. Lydon and Metzdorf’s vocal melodies cut through the high frequencies to deliver fresh layers to the hooks that RBBP fans have come to love.

As the name implies, “Doom Wop” is a heavy, melody-driven, party metal album. With riffs as big and dumb as ever, and lyrics that stab at the worst members of society and ourselves (while keeping tongue firmly in cheek), listeners will find all the elements that make up the soul of RBBP on this record. “Doom Wop” will be available everywhere September 23rd.  

Doom Wop will be available on CD and download on September 23rd, 2022. Vinyl LP release date TBD. Pre-orders are available HERE.

RBBP LIVE 2022:

09/22 Dallas, TX - Club Dada*

09/23 Austin, TX - Antone’s*

09/24 Houston, TX - White Oak*

09/25 New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa*

09/26 Mobile, AL - Alabama Music Hall

09/27 Atlanta, GA - Masquerafe*

09/28 Athens, GA - The Lab @ Cine

09/29 Charlotte, NC - Tommy’s

09/30 Raleigh, NC - TBA

10/01 Washington, DC - Slash Run

10/02 Philadelphia, PA - Ortlieb’s

10/03 Saratoga Springs, NY - Desperate Annie’s

10/04 New York, NY - Our Wicked Lady

10/06 Providence, RI - AS22

10/07 Boston, MA - Zuzu

10/09 Pittsburgh, PA - Squirrel Hill

10/12 Nashville, TN - The 5 Spot

10/13 Little Rock, AR - Vino’s

10/14 Dallas, TX - 3 Links

10/15 Austin, TX - Valhalla

* w/ King Buffalo

“A venturous and whimsical ride which makes great use of its expansiveness.” – Destroy//Exist

Einstürzende Neubauten guitarist Jochen Arbeit is streaming his forthcoming solo album Tier Macht Toene (in English: Animal Makes Sounds) today ahead of release via Side-Line Magazine. The album was made with homemade instruments and others built by Sonic Youth guitar builder Yuri Landman. Arbeit is joined on the album by Sonja Kosche. Hear and share the album HERE. (Direct Bandcamp.)

About the album, Arbeit writes:

"A long while ago one day in forced Isolation, detached from time and space, something broke free that was asleep before. Reduced to the minimum vital functions of life a Tier awoke from which all Schmerz and Lust broke free, in which old Trauma were hidden inside way too long. It spoke in Toene the stories it had to tell of loneliness but also from interactions that led to reactions that not always were agreed upon, rarely harmonic, but that found themselves in a We with special value.

"Old images broke free like a suppressed madness from a thicket and showed an exhaustion but also a force and strength that was vividly perceptible.

"How can one describe what is not describable when two meet. The one who was inside the Berlin Music Scene for decades with knowledge that seemed obvious and the other who made music a long time ago but lost herself for decades and did not trust to express herself from fear what could come up with it and emerge. It stays hard to describe. 

"Nothing was planned or predictable. The forced isolation because of the pandemic gave urgently needed time to develop something special and precious. The music expresses emotions that were hidden in the dark and finally broke free and told not only from old despair and not overcome trauma but also brought strength, satisfaction, peace and calm that you can try to feel inside the screeching-oppressive and nearly screaming tones.

"When we could we sat down to generate sound with self made instruments, developed a dialog that words could not tell.This was finally a motor which kept us alive, a dynamic that functions in the moment, spontaneously without thinking."

Tier Macht Toene will be available for download and streaming on September 23rd via Dymaxion Groove Records. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

Artist: Jochen Arbeit + Sonja Kosche

Album: Tier Macht Toene

Record Label: Dymaxion Groove

Release Date: September 23rd, 2022

01. Trauma

02. Isolation

03. Schmerz

"An epic symphony combining noise rock; industrial; ’70’s influences; and elements of sludge, drones waves, psychedelia, and spoken word...A palpable darkness dominated by raw riffs." -- New Noise Magazine

"Seven tracks full of noisy, punky, poetic goodness." -- Punk News

Lausanne, Switzerland trio Torpedo are streaming their forthcoming album Orpheo_Nebula today ahead of release via Punk News. Hear & share Orpheo_Nebula HERE. (Direct Bandcamp.)

The band recently launched the video for "HELL" via Echoes & Dust HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Founded in 2016 in the Swiss city of Lausanne, Torpedo was then made up of Carole Obère, on vocals and guitar, Jérôme Diserens on bass and keyboard, and machines as only companions. The group draws its energy from its beginnings in an industrial, post-apocalyptic and rough universe approaching no-wave and kraut with a touch of punk, while clinging to the force of wild nature carrier of hope.

Thus, in 2018, when conceiving their first album in remote collaboration with Antoine Pfammatter on drums, the duo escaped from their urban and oppressive environment, to hide in a small house on the Irish west coast. It was there, facing the Atlantic Ocean, to the sounds of the crashing waves and the wind whistling through the windows of a house haunted by - undoubtedly - tortured spirits, that Torpedo recorded their first album Sphynx. Self-produced, it was released in April 2019. We

hear echoes of Sonic Youth, Siouxsie & the Banshees and hints of grunge.

Two months earlier, on February 14th, 2019, the duo met Andries Hannaart. Between the Dutch drummer and the duo, it's love at first sight. A lightning that falls on the drums, perfectly complementing a voice that chants, murmurs and spits, noisy guitar riffs, bordering on punk, powerful and bewitching bass lines and deep cosmic sound atmospheres.

Having become a trio, Torpedo has found the perfect balance. This is perhaps what prompted the

group to record their second LP live (vocals, guitar, bass and drums) in early 2020. taking refuge in

their premises, in a newly confined world. This absurd external environment becomes fertile

ground for the development of a powerful and saving work. Entitled Orpheo_ Nebula, the

rock'n'roll, noise and industrial piece built around six poetic texts comes to crown an ultra coherent

artistic path. A sincere approach that grips the guts with each listen, transforming the listening

experience into a shamanic, introspective and overwhelming adventure.

Orpheo_Nebula will be available on LP and download on Broken Clover Records. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

Artist: Torpedo

Album: Orpeheo_Nebula

Record Label:  Broken Clover Records 

Release Date: September 16th, 2022

01. The Fall

02. HELL

03. Part III La Mort

04. Désert

05. Interlude

06. Part V Interstices

07. POEM

On The Web:

torpedo-cyclope.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/torpedo_band

facebook.com/torpedo.cyclope