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 | "...a decadent gorging of black metal...Now you can revisit Gallows Gallery in expanded form, or you can get your first taste of Sigh. Either way you just can’t lose." - PIVOTALRAGE |
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NEWS
| THE LEMONHEADS To Headline WBOS EarthFest, Announce US Headlining Tour |  |
| New Album VARSHONS Due Out June 23 on THE END RECORDS Gibby Haynes Produced Collection Features Covers of Songs by Gram Parsons, Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt, G.G. Allin, Wire, July, and More THE LEMONHEADS today announce a headlining tour of the US in support of VARSHONS, their upcoming covers album out on The End Records on June 23. THE LEMONHEADS are also set to headline Boston’s 16th Annual Radio 92.9 EarthFest on Saturday, May 30. The tour begins the following week on June 8 in San Diego and includes a two-night stand at Chicago’s Abbey Pub before wrapping up June 27 in Washington, DC. VARSHONS was both inspired by and produced by Gibby Haynes, ringmaster of the Butthole Surfers, who for years made mix tapes for his longtime friend Evan. The collection is filled with strange bedfellows - from G.G. Allin to Texas troubadour Townes Van Zandt and garage rockers The Green Fuz. THE LEMONHEADS make each track their own, with help from actress Liv Tyler, singing back up on Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” and Kate Moss, who sings over the dance groove of Arling & Cameron’s “Dirty Robot.” Also featured on lead guitar and backing vocals throughout most of the album is John Perry, on loan from The Only Ones. VARSHONS unearths a pair of psychedelic treasures with “Yesterlove” – a song recorded in 1969 by the group Sam Gopal featuring future Motorhead bassist Lemmy Kilmister – and “Dandelion Seeds” from July, record collector’s Registered Landmark Band. For “Layin’ Up With Linda,” the band filters Allin’s cold-blooded tale through the swaggering country-honk of The Stones’ “Dead Flowers.” Filled with obscure nuggets, the tracks on VARSHONS cut a wide swath, jumping from early British psychedelic to Dutch electronica and like all good mix tapes, you never know what is coming next. THE LEMONHEADS on tour: May 30 – Boston, MA @ DCR Hatch Band Shell ‘Earthfest’ WBOS free daytime Jun 8 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah Jun 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland Jun 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s Jun 12 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern Jun 13 – Portland, OR @ Mission Theatre Jun 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Liquid Joe’s Jun 16 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge Jun 18 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock (late show – 10pm) Jun 19 – Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub Jun 20 – Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub Jun 21 – Ferndale, MI @ The Magic Bag Jun 22 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop Jun 24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s Jun 25 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Jun 26 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar Jun 27 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat THE LEMONHEADS on the web: http://www.myspace.com/thelemonheads http://www.thelemonheads.net http://www.evandando.co.uk |
| Ambient/Shoegaze Duo NADJA Releases 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' | |
 Toronto-based ambient/shoegaze/drone duo NADJA released their new album, 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV,' today. The album, which has been very well received by critics, features eights covers-- some more surprising than others-- of some of NADJA's favorite bands. "Consider this album an exploration of the roots of Nadja," says founder Aidan Baker (guitars, vocals, drum programming). "Everyone compares us to My Bloody Valentine, so we had to cover them; Codeine and Swans were both bands exploring the heaviness of metal without actually being metal; The Cure have that lovely, bittersweet gloominess; Elliott Smith's 'Needle in the Hay' is simultaneously so simple and so devastating; no one believed us when we said we covered a song from The Kids in the Hall movie, a staple of our live set, so we had to get that one to tape; how could we resist the opportunity to cover A-ha's heaviest (but oh so catchy) tune? And Slayer is just Slayer. In an effort to illustrate our motivations behind this album, we asked our friend Mathew Smith to create a series of children's-storybook-like drawings to go with each song." Two MP3s have been leaked from 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' so far. MTV's Headbangers Blog premiered "Dead Skin Mask" (Slayer), while Pitchfork released "Only Shallow" (My Bloody Valentine). Those MP3s are available at the following locations: http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/12526-only-shallow-my-bloody-valentine-cover/ http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2009/03/16/exclusuve-mp3-downoad-nadja-cover-slayers-dead-skin-mask/ What the critics are saying...
"'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' is more than a simple tribute album. It's one of the best Baker byproducts in years. [9/10]" - DECIBEL "If this was an experiment, it was a success, adding layers to already existing songs and proving you can rework your influences to make them look more like you. Love Nadja – it’s impossible not to. [9/10]" - BLISTERING.COM "Nadja carve out great slabs of sound, throbbing and trudging to melodic resolution with incredible slowness, over an entire side of vinyl at a time; you want to say “tectonic” and “chthonian” but not “glacial” because the fuzz-bass is so warm, rising through your feet, and the layered drones are so disorienting. [8/10]" - DROWNED IN SOUND "'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' is perhaps the most approachable album Nadja has ever made" - METALSUCKS.NET "Preexisting fans of Nadja and electro-noise dirge enthusiasts should both greatly enjoy this one." - ALARM "When I See The Sun Always Shines On TV, a covers record that massively re-invents tracks by, amongst others, Slayer, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Swans, Elliot Smith and A-Ha (!) to inimitable effect, creating a collection that is as varied as it is darkly contemplative." - BRAVEWORDS.COM "Nadja's fuzzed-out spin on MBV's 'Only Shallow' recalls the work of another artist who made the leap of faith from heavy to heady, namely Justin K. Broadrick, formerly of the pioneering industrial-metal project Godflesh and now the man behind oceanic drone-pop outfit Jesu. Translation: Get ready for a brain-grindingly beautiful slo-mo headbang sesh." - TIME OUT NEW YORK  CD | TE134 | The End | 4/28/09 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' Tracklisting: 01. Only Shallow (My Bloody Valentine) 02. Pea (Codeine) 03. No Cure For The Lonely (Swans) 04. Dead Skin Mask (Slayer) 05. The Sun Always Shines On TV (A-ha) 06. Needle In The Hay (Elliott Smith) 07. Long Dark Twenties (Kids In The Hall) 08. Faith (The Cure) NADJA is: Aidan Baker (guitars, vocals, drums, etc.) Leah Buckareff (bass, vocals) NADJA on the web: http://www.myspace.com/nadjaluv |
| HULL Leaks New MP3 off Upcoming Debut Full-Length, 'Sole Lord' | |
  photo by Markus Shaffer Brooklyn quintet HULL leaked an MP3 for the song "Architect" today via BrooklynVegan.com. The MP3 is available for download and sharing at the following location: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/04/hull_releasing.html The song is the ninth track on the band's full-length debut album 'Sole Lord,' which will see a May 26th release via THE END RECORDS. The album, which was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side, contains ten tracks which are designed to be played straight through as one 44-minute slab of epic, dynamic metal. "Hull’s three guitar attack achieves maximum sludgery, bashing your skull into the wall with a sledgehammer and smearing your brains across the floor," MetalSucks.net has said of the band and Metal Maniacs described them as having "all the crush of early Mastodon met with the ambient fire of Neurosis, but somehow [Hull] avoids sounding like either one of them." 'Sole Lord' features artwork by Josh Graham (Neurosis, A Storm of Light), which is viewable below, along with the album's tracklisting. HULL have a pair of live appearances currently confirmed in their hometown of New York. The first of the two is a FREE show at Lit Lounge on May 4th with Rumpelstiltskin Grinder (Relapse), Ravage (Metal Blade), and featuring a special DJ set by Dan Nelson of Anthrax and an autographed Toxic Holocaust guitar giveaway. RSVP for this show, which is friggen FREE, here. Did I mention this show is FREE? The second upcoming HULL live experience is on May 26th at The Charleston along with Witches Tit and Flaming Tusk. HULL Live: 5/4/09 @ Lit Lounge - New York, NY w/ Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, Ravage (RSVP here: http://www.redmusic.com/preciousmetal ) 5/26/09 @ The Charleston - Brooklyn, NY w/ Witches Tit, Flaming Tusk "['Sole Lord' is] startlingly assertive [...] HULL concentrate more on graceful ebbs and flows while slyly avoiding slipping into the more expansive, spacious, Isis-style jamming that many bands fall into. [... T]he arrangements [are] deliberate enough to hold us captivated throughout." - DECIBEL  CD | TE135 | The End | 5/26/2009 'Sole Lord' Tracklisting: 01. Innocence 02. Transition 03. Immortal 04. Deliverance 05. Wrath Of The Sands 06. Wanderer 07. Healer 08. Aesthetic 09. Architect 10. Vessel About HULL: Bred for destruction, this collective force converges in a collision of decibel heavy harmony, thrash, doom, classic rock, and formal orchestral works. Bear witness to the lightning that is HULL. Forged in the sweat-laden depths of darkest Brooklyn, HULL materializes as a massive entity storming stages and immersing their audiences in a blanket of grandiose down-tuned compositions, a shifting fault line beneath a vast arctic wasteland. A musical colossus of epic proportions, HULL commands their listeners through each riff with incredible precision, as a seafarer guides his vessels through ominous waters. Submerged in cosmic soundscapes, HULL challenges the mind with flowing, off-time fugues and powerful, dynamic movements. Brace yourself for an onslaught of eruptive force as mountains move, pillars collapse, and a new world of music is formed in the deafening clap of thunder that is HULL. Born in the wake of the fire, we still burn. HULL is: GV: NPalmirotto GV: AMack GV: CLaiettaV BV: SBDunn PV: JStieber HULL on the web: http://www.hullandhighwater.com/ http://www.myspace.com/hull |
| THESE ARE THEY (Featuring Members of Novembers Doom, Earthen, Trials) to Release Debut EP May 12th | |
 Formed in May of 2008, THESE ARE THEY—a Chicago-based death metal band featuring vocalist Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom), guitarist Steve Nicholson (ex-Novembers Doom), bassist Wiley Wells (Earthen) and drummer Sasha Horn (Trials)—entered the metal scene with an unrelenting aural assault. |
| Irish Rock Band THE ANSWER Forced To Cancel Two US Club Dates | |
 Irish rock band THE ANSWER are forced to cancel their Los Angeles and New York City shows next week due to drummer James Heatley breaking his hand. The band has been touring with rock 'n' roll heavyweights AC/DC and were to hit Los Angeles and New York City for headlining club dates next week. The shows were April 29th in Los Angeles at The Troubadour and May 2nd at Don Hill's in New York City. 'Everyday Demons,' THE ANSWER's US debut album, hit stores on March 31st on THE END RECORDS, distributed through RED and was recorded in summer 08 in Los Angeles with John Travis (Kid Rock, Static-X, Killing Heidi, etc.) producing. 'Everyday Demons' has been released throughout the world over the last month. On March 3rd it debuted at #25 in the UK and at #8 on Japan's international chart. The band will return to the US to tour this summer and will re-schedule the Los Angeles and New York shows.  |
| Release Date Set, Album Art Revealed for HULL's Full-Length Debut, 'Sole Lord' | |
| photo by Markus Shaffer Brooklyn quintet HULL are back home after their recent tour surrounding SXSW 2009. The band comments... "On our first tour as part of the End records roster, HULL have stormed through the South East with much force, at every stop winning the faces and minds of those in attendance. On the road to Austin for the mighty SXSW festival and onward, many miles have passed and decibels peaked in the name of metal. Along the way previewing exclusive tracks from the upcoming release “Sole Lord”, the hearts of the strong have joined forces with the five members of HULL. With that, HULL would like to thank all of the bands and new brethren who shared the stage, and the fans that so eagerly lent an ear. This success rests on the souls of the willing. Prepare for the coming onslaught! New album 'Sole Lord' out on The End Records, May 09!" May 26th has been set for the release of 'Sole Lord,' the band's first official full-length effort. The album's ten tracks are designed to play straight through as one 44-minute slab of epic, dynamic metal. "Hull’s three guitar attack achieves maximum sludgery, bashing your skull into the wall with a sledgehammer and smearing your brains across the floor," MetalSucks.net has said of the band and Metal Maniacs described them as having "all the crush of early Mastodon met with the ambient fire of Neurosis, but somehow [Hull] avoids sounding like either one of them." 'Sole Lord' features artwork by Josh Graham (Neurosis, A Storm of Light), which is viewable below, along with the album's tracklisting. CD | TE135 | The End | 5/26/2009 'Sole Lord' Tracklisting: 01. Innocence 02. Transition 03. Immortal 04. Deliverance 05. Wrath Of The Sands 06. Wanderer 07. Healer 08. Aesthetic 09. Architect 10. Vessel "['Sole Lord' is] startlingly assertive [...] HULL concentrate more on graceful ebbs and flows while slyly avoiding slipping into the more expansive, spacious, Isis-style jamming that many bands fall into. [... T]he arrangements [are] deliberate enough to hold us captivated throughout." - DECIBEL HULL Live: TONIGHT! 4/16/09 @ Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY w/ Withered, Book of Black Earth, Hallux About HULL: Bred for destruction, this collective force converges in a collision of decibel heavy harmony, thrash, doom, classic rock, and formal orchestral works. Bear witness to the lightning that is HULL. Forged in the sweat-laden depths of darkest Brooklyn, HULL materializes as a massive entity storming stages and immersing their audiences in a blanket of grandiose down-tuned compositions, a shifting fault line beneath a vast arctic wasteland. A musical colossus of epic proportions, HULL commands their listeners through each riff with incredible precision, as a seafarer guides his vessels through ominous waters. Submerged in cosmic soundscapes, HULL challenges the mind with flowing, off-time fugues and powerful, dynamic movements. Brace yourself for an onslaught of eruptive force as mountains move, pillars collapse, and a new world of music is formed in the deafening clap of thunder that is HULL. Born in the wake of the fire, we still burn. HULL is: GV: NPalmirotto GV: AMack GV: CLaiettaV BV: SBDunn PV: JStieber HULL on the web: http://www.hullandhighwater.com/ http://www.myspace.com/hull |
| KARL SANDERS Unleashes 'Saurian Exorcisms' | |
 KARL SANDERS, accomplished solo artist and the driving force behind South Carolina’s Egyptian-themed death metal titans Nile, releases his sophomore solo effort, 'Saurian Exorcisms,' today. The album has been met with early critical praise. "Sanders draws from a diverse musical palette in creating a rich, very dark sonic passage through one of world history’s most mysterious eras," says Decibel, and Alarm Magazine has called it a "a must-own album." "Handling all the instrumentation, including acoustic guitar, percussion, keyboards, traditional Turkish instrument baglama saz and the Middle Eastern-inspired glissentar, Sanders draws from a diverse musical palette in creating a rich, very dark sonic passage through one of world history’s most mysterious eras." - DECIBEL http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2009/02/03/mp3-alert-download-nile-frontman-karl-sanders-new-song-rapture-of-the-empty-spaces/ 'Saurian Exorcisms' was recorded at Serpent Headed Studios, mixed by Bob Moore at the Soundlab in Columbia SC, and mastered by Juan 'Punchy' Gonzalez at DOW Studios in Tampa FL.  CD | TE133 | The End | 4/14/2009 01. Preliminary Purification Before the Calling of Inanna 02. Rapture of the Empty Spaces 03. Contemplate this On the Tree of Woe 04. A Most Effective Excorcism against Azagthoth and his Emissaries 05. Slavery unto Nitokris 06. Shira Gula Pazu 07. Kali Ma 08. Curse the Sun 09. Impalement and Cruxifiction of the Last Remnants of the pre-human Serpent Volk 10. Dying Embers of the Aga Mass SSSratu Personnel: Karl Sanders - Baglama Saz, Glissentar, Acoustic Guitars, Guitar Synth, Keyboards, Drums, Percussion, Vocals Mike Breazeale - Vocals and Chants KARL SANDERS bio: Death metal aficionados know Karl Sanders as the driving force behind South Carolina’s Egyptian-themed death metal titans Nile. But there’s more to Sanders than ripping electric guitar solos, death growls and blast beats—the multi-instrumentalist released his first solo album, ‘Saurian Meditation,’ through Relapse Records in 2004, which was perhaps best described by Lambgoat’s Kirby Unrest: “Sanders throws off any extreme music constraints and transports listeners to a world of dark, mystic soundscapes filled with ancient spirits, mind altering visions, and catacombs complex, all of which make for one hell of a debut.” Sanders, who has been playing guitar for the better part of four decades, certainly knows his way around the instrument. But for his solo work, Sanders opts for more diverse instrumentation. “I love the baglama saz, for example,” he admits. “It’s a really cool instrument because there are half step frets. If you put the quarter tone in the right place you can add a lot of dark mystery to a melody,” he explains. “While I do have a natural ease of technique with just about any stringed instrument, which could easily lend itself to miles and miles of would-be saz spaghetti shredfest, I use the instrument in a more compositional and thematic way—playing evocative melodies and song-oriented riffs. “I have immense respect for the Eastern musicians who are accomplished in playing the instrument in its traditional style. Most of my musical training, however, is Western-oriented, so no matter what I do I’m not going to sound completely authentic with the saz. So rather than get caught up in merely attempting to emulate the great Turkish players like Orhan Gencebay, which would never be realistically achievable anyway, I get more enjoyment out of approaching the saz in a non-traditional, uniquely musical, and personal way.” The baglama saz, a traditional Turkish lute, is just one of many instruments Sanders employs to create lush imagery and stirring emotion in his solo work. Glissentar (a sort of east/west hybrid instrument), acoustic guitars, guitar synth, keyboards, and various drums and percussion instruments are employed as well on Sanders’ forthcoming followup to ‘Saurian Meditation.’ The new album, entitled ‘Saurian Exorcisms,’ is Sanders’ magnum opus and every instrument present, including percussion, was performed by Sanders himself. “I’m a big fan of Arabic rhythms and middle eastern percussion instruments,” Sanders explains. “But since I’m not a drummer by trade, It takes a bit longer to do all the drums myself. The upside is that I don’t have to wait on anybody else, and I don’t have to spend my energy needlessly debating drum arrangements or endlessly trying to explain unusual song concepts.” “Since percussion is not my forte,” he continues, “the drum parts end up being a little less cluttered and more custom tailored to the song. The drums aren’t necessarily the prime thrust of the record, but they’re thematically appropriate and they’re interesting as they function to help set the right mood and keep a nice compositional focus.” Besides Sanders, the only other musician appearing on ‘Saurian Exorcisms’ is Mike Breazeale, who contributes chants and some vocals. “Between the two of us we did everything on the album, even the stuff that sounds like female vocals,” Sanders chuckles. Sanders’ influences are more varied and far-reaching than Nile fans may suspect. “What I’ve been trying to do is move away from strict Egyptian kind of influences and incorporate a broader range of inspiration. The music I’m making is not strictly traditional Egyptian music. I borrow and steal from the traditional music of many different cultures. There’s some Tibetan stuff, some Indian stuff, some Arabic stuff, and so forth.” ‘Saurian Exorcisms’ will see a 2009 release through eclectic Brooklyn-based indie label The End Records. “I hope that people find ‘Saurian Exorcisms’ relaxing and imaginative,” Sanders says. “A lot of times when I’m listening to this music it makes my mind wander adrift and my imagination go places. And I like music like that. Like cinematic music, you listen to it and see little movies in your head. It takes you to a different place.” KARL SANDERS on the web: http://www.myspace.com/karlsandersofficial |
| GOES CUBE Leak New Song "The Only Daughter" * Announce New York Record Release Show in Support of Debut Full-Length, 'Another Day Has Passed,' out May 12th on THE END RECORDS! | |
 photo credit: Jackie Roman Brooklyn's GOES CUBE will release their full-length debut, 'Another Day Has Passed,' on May 12th via THE END RECORDS. You can catch the band performing their new material as they take their earth-shattering live show to The Studio at Webster Hall on May 14th as they perform with friends The Austerity Program, Constants, Red Beard and more! In celebration, the band has given their fans a brand new song to download entitled "The Only Daughter," courtesy of our friends at Brooklyn Vegan. Many bands get all uppity about how they hate labels and comparisons and all that, but Brooklyn's Goes Cube don't really care what you call them. They're just unpretentious like that – no fancy gear, no fancy clothes or haircuts. They're simply three friends who are obsessed with making each song heavier, more intense, more glorious, and just plain better than the last. Goes Cube has steadily gained attention as one of the most intense bands in both their hometown of New York City, and beyond. Their music is a brutal blend of metal, punk, and full-on rock, and is performed with an urgency rarely witnessed or experienced anymore. None of the members have any sort of formal or traditional training on their instruments, and as a result their music—from the dizzying and unexpected drum fills, bizarrely and lowly-tuned guitars, and unrelenting bass—has a singularity in its sound and structure that simply does not exist elsewhere. Stereogum has said that the band's "sledgehammer assault" is "inescapably awesome," and that they've become their "favorite underground locals." Oh My Rockness said, "Goes Cube is an insanely good band" and that they give "newfound hope for the future of rock in New York City." Hell, they're even taking note 3,000 miles away: the Los Angeles Times warned its readers that "You'll need a bit of time to recover from this one — perhaps book a cell in a monastery for quality silence. This is as loud as loud gets." The band has rapidly sold out of their first three EPs – ‘Beckon The Dagger God', ‘Not What We Thought' and ‘Hutchinson' – and now set their sights on a full-length debut entitled ‘Another Day Has Passed' which will be released via the band's newfound home label, THE END RECORDS, on May 12th, 2009. Produced by Dean Baltulonis (Sick Of It All, Most Precious Blood, Freya, Hold Steady, and more), Goes Cube slams its way through 13 songs in a little more than 45 minutes, and with hardly a second to breathe from start to finish. Some songs are sonic hammersmashes, and others are dark but glorious tractor-trailers plowing through your eardrums. Every second of it is pure intensity. Call it metal, call it post-metal, call it quasi-metal-post-punk-pre-twenty-second-century-independent-art-sounds if you're into that kind of thing. But just do yourself a favor: Take a listen.  CD | TE132 | The End | 5/12/09 'Another Day Has Passed' Tracklisting: 01. Bluest Sky 02. Grinding The Knife Blade 03. Restore 04. The Only Daughter 05. I Hold Grudges 06. Saab Sonnet 07. Goes Cube Song 30 08. Back To Basics 09. Goes Cube Song 57 10. Urbana-Champaign 11. Clenching Jaws 12. Victory 13. Another Day Has Passed GOES CUBE Live: 05/14/09 Thu @ The Studio at Webster Hall - New York, NY (Record Release) * 05/15/09 Fri @ The Red and The Black - Washington, DC ** 05/21/09 Thu @ The Milestone - Charlotte, NC 05/26/09 Tue @ The Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO 05/28/09 Thu @ The Picador - Iowa City, IA * w/ Jones Street Station, The Austerity Program, Constants, and Red Beard ** w/ Constants Praise for GOES CUBE: "Goes Cube's sledgehammer assault was inescapably awesome. They bludgeoned our eardrums - and our hearts - with their epic Fugazi feel, machine gun double-bass assault and monumental larynx-shredding vocals. Goes Cube just may have become our favorite underground locals. They're definitely our loudest," STEREOGUM "You'll need a bit of time to recover from this one — perhaps book a cell in a monastery for quality silence. This is as loud as loud gets (Mogwai, take heed). Brooklyn's latest bellow is a powerful volley for avant-punk...the energy is utterly captured. This is a band that has not forgotten the great mid-'90s Swedish group Refused, which took hard-core to a totally different compositional level," LOS ANGELES TIMES GOES CUBE is: Kenny Appell (drums) Matthew Frey (bass, backing vocals) David Obuchowski (guitar, vocals) GOES CUBE on the web: http://www.goescube.com http://www.myspace.com/goescube |
| NOVEMBERS DOOM Premieres New Track, "Empathy's Greed," on MetalSucks.net | |
 NOVEMBERS DOOM have leaked "Empathy's Greed," the third cut off their forthcoming full-length, to MetalSucks.net. The track is available for download/posting/sharing at the following location: http://www.metalsucks.net/2009/04/10/exclusive-premier-novembers-doom-empathys-greed/ "Empathy's Greed" comes from NOVEMBERS DOOM's forthcoming seventh LP, 'Into Night's Requiem Infernal,' which is due out later this year on THE END RECORDS. The album was recorded at Belle City Sound, tracked by Chris Djuricic (Engineer and Novembers Doom bassist), and mixed by Dan Swano at Unisound. The band comments: "We're using the same Recording / Mixing formula we've used on 'The Pale Haunt Departure' and 'The Novella Reservoir'. In our opinion, the combination of Djuricic and Swano creates the perfect sound for us, and we've received nothing but stellar reviews of sound quality from this combination in the past. "Every band hypes their new material, and says it's the best they've done, and the hardest and the heaviest... You can judge that for yourself in time. What we can say is that this is the first time going into a recording the entire band feels confident and believes the material will please fans of the band, as well as turn many new heads in our direction. It's dark, aggressive, and melodic, and compliments the last three releases." During the recording sessions, the band kept a daily journal including photos, videos, and comments. A direct link to the journal on the official forum can be found here: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/novembers-doom/460664-2009-recording-journal.html Cover art and tracklisting for 'Into Night's Requiem Infernal':  NOVEMBERS DOOM - 'Into Night's Requiem Infernal' 01. Into Night's Requiem Infernal 02. Eulogy for the Living Lost 03. Empathy's Greed 04. The Fifth Day of March 05. Lazarus Regret 06. I Hurt Those I Adore 07. The Harlots Lie 08. When Desperation Fills the Void NOVEMBERS DOOM is: Paul Kuhr - Vocals Larry Roberts - Guitar Vito Marchese - Guitar Chris Djuricic - Bass Sasha Horn - Drums NOVEMBERS DOOM on the web: http://www.novembersdoom.com/ http://www.myspace.com/novembersdoom |
| EARLY MAN Cancels Tour with Valient Thorr | |
 photo by Magda Wosinska A statement from EARLY MAN: "Unfortunately due to an arm/back injury that I suffered after our last tour we have had to cancel all of our tour dates this month with Valient Thorr so I can get some much needed rest. We will hit the road again after this month and all summer long in support of our new full length which will come out this summer. The record is called 'Death Potion', I actually had a chance to hear a couple mastered versions of the new songs earlier today for the first time and they sound amazing. This record is clearly a new level for us as a band and I can't wait to take these songs out on the road. We will see you all soon!" In other recent EARLY MAN news, bandleader Mike Conte has been ranting, raving, answering questions, and keeping the public up-to-date on his and EARLY MAN's debauchery in a regular column at METALSUCKS.NET. "With this column," explains Conte, "I plan to give [readers] weekly updates and a behind the scenes look into everything that is going on in the world of Early Man, whether it be drinking, touring, recording, drinking, shredding, drinking, etc., if it’s happening I’ll be writing about it. What I won’t be doing with this column is writing 9 page essays about the 'current state of the metal scene' or 'my take on the new Metallica record' or any other boring crap like that. Don’t you get enough of that horseshit already? WHO FUCKING CARES!" Conte's latest blog entry is available in full at the following location: http://www.metalsucks.net/2009/03/10/whiplash-early-mans-mike-conte-on-cheesesteak-sushi-and-large-underwear/ EARLY MAN recently finished recording their long-awaited sophomore full-length, entitled 'Death Potion,' with Jack Endino (High On Fire, Zeke, Valient Thorr, Nirvana). The album-- the followup to the band's critically-acclaimed 2005 debut Closing In (Matador)-- will be released by THE END RECORDS in 2009. EARLY MAN is: Mike Conte (vocals, guitar) Adam Bennati (drums) Pete Macy (guitar) Tim Ramage (bass) EARLY MAN on the web: http://earlymanarmy.com http://www.myspace.com/earlyman |
| Irish Rock Band THE ANSWER Releases US Debut Album 'Everyday Demons' Today, March 31st | |
| THE ANSWER, four lads hailing from Downpatrick in Northern Ireland have been busy fulfilling their duties as the opening act for the North American and European legs of AC/DC’s Black Ice World Tour. They finished the 42 show run of the states on January 31st and are currently in Europe to continue on the 'Black Ice' tour in support of the release of their new album, 'Everyday Demons.' 'Everyday Demons' is THE ANSWER’s second LP but the first to be released here in the States. The album is out today, March 31st on THE END RECORDS, distributed through RED and was recorded in summer ’08 in Los Angeles with John Travis (Kid Rock, Static-X, Killing Heidi, etc.) producing. In the last six months the band has appeared in Rolling Stone and Spin Magazine as well as having played on The Late Show with David Letterman. Billboard recently named the band one of the 'Best Bets of 09.' The four Belfast boys also made their video game debut when Activision chose their song "Never Too Late" for Guitar Hero IV: World Tour. The band will take a quick break from their relentless European touring schedule to hit Los Angeles and New York City for headlining club dates at the end of April / beginning of May. Tickets are on sale now for both gigs: 4/29/2009 The Troubadour 9081 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 8pm, $15 Tickets: http://www.troubadour.com/eventdetail.php?id=1178 5/2/2009 Don Hill's 511 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 8pm, $12 Tickets: http://www.donhills.com/ THE ANSWER got together in spring 2000, signed a contract with the legendary Australian rock label, Albert Productions in 2005 and brought out their debut album, 'Rise,' in 2006. “It took us three or four years to really get noticed,” guitarist Paul Mahon explains, “but then it all started to happen at once.” The band have performed with icons such as the Rolling Stones, The Who and Aerosmith, playing celebrated headlining tours in England, Japan and Australia.  CD | TE128-2 | The End | 3/31/09 'Everyday Demons' Track Listing: 1). Demon Eyes 2). Too Far Gone 3). On And On 4). Cry Out 5). Why’d You Change Your Mind 6). Pride 7). Walkin’ Mat 8). Tonight 9). Dead Of The Night 10). Comfort Zone 11). Evil Man 12). Revolution (Bonus Track) THE ANSWER is: Cormac Neeson (vocals) Paul Mahon (guitar) Michael Waters (bass) James Heatley (drums) THE ANSWER on the web: www.theanswer.ie www.myspace.com/theanswerrock  |
| THE LEMONHEADS Sign to THE END RECORDS; New Album 'Varshons' Due Out June 23 | |
| Gibby Haynes Produced Collection Features Covers of Songs by Gram Parsons, Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt, G.G. Allin, Wire, July, and More. THE LEMONHEADS have signed to Brooklyn, NY-based THE END RECORDS and will be releasing their long-awaited covers collection, VARSHONS, on June 23, 2009. It makes sense that the new album from The Lemonheads sounds like a mix tape slipped to you by a music-obsessed friend anxious to turn you on to something new. In fact, the idea for the band’s new covers record was inspired by Gibby Haynes, ringmaster of the Butthole Surfers, who for years has made mixes for his longtime friend Evan Dando. “Making a good mix is an art, and Gibby has it down,” says Dando. “I thought it would be fun to share these songs with other people like he shared them with me. So I picked the ‘greatest hits’ from his mixes and covered them, along with a few other songs I always wanted to play.” VARSHONS was produced by Haynes, mixed by ex-Cornershop guru Anthony Saffery, and features Dando along with Vess Ruhtenburg (bass) and Devon Ashley (drums). The collection is filled with strange bedfellows - from G.G. Allin to Texas troubadour Townes Van Zandt and garage rockers The Green Fuz. The Lemonheads make each track their own, with help from actress Liv Tyler, singing back up on Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” and Kate Moss, who sings over the dance groove of Arling & Cameron’s “Dirty Robot,” Also featured on lead guitar and backing vocals throughout most of the album is John Perry, on loan from The Only Ones. VARSHONS unearths a pair of psychedelic treasures with “Yesterlove” – a song recorded in 1969 by the group Sam Gopal featuring future Motorhead bassist Lemmy Kilmister – and “Dandelion Seeds” from July, record collector’s Registered Landmark Band. For “Layin’ Up With Linda,” the band filters Allin’s cold-blooded tale through the swaggering country-honk of The Stones’ “Dead Flowers.” Filled with obscure nuggets, the tracks on VARSHONS cut a wide swath, jumping from early British psychedelic to Dutch electronica and like all good mix tapes, you never know what is coming next.  CD | TE137 | The End | 6/23/2009 'Varshons' Tracklisting: * Original artist in parenthesis 1. “I Just Can’t Take It Anymore” (Gram Parsons) 2. “Fragile” (Wire) 3. “Layin’ Up With Linda” (G.G. Allin) 4. “Waiting Around To Die” (Townes Van Zandt) 5. “Green Fuz” (Randy Alvey & Green Fuz) 6. “Yesterlove” (Sam Gopal) 7. “Dirty Robot” v/ Kate Moss (Arling & Cameron) 8. “Dandelion Seeds” (July) 9. “Mexico” (Fuckemos) 10. “Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye” f/ Liv Tyler (Leonard Cohen) 11. “Beautiful” (Linda Perry) THE LEMONHEADS on the web: http://www.myspace.com/thelemonheads http://www.thelemonheads.net http://www.evandando.co.uk |
| LAETHORA Completes Recording Second Album | |
| LAETHORA, the Swedish death/grind band featuring DARK TRANQUILLITY guitarist Niklas Sundin, has finished recording its second album, "The Light In Which We All Burn", for a late spring/early summer release. The group says, "Some previous statements have included information about Roberto Laghi, whom we've previously worked with, and that he would be doing the mixing of the album. This will not be the case. Due to illness and other unfortunate events delaying the recording process, we made the decision to do the mixing ourselves. Both Roberto and we were a bit sad that we couldn't work together again, but sometimes one cannot foresee life's odd interventions. To say the least, this recording process has been more than strenouos, but as they say; when the going gets tough, the tough get going... "Anyway, we're looking at 13 songs to be mixed at Sonores/Gesperrt Studios. "As with all great mixes we'll be taking some time off before digging into it all in order to regain some enthusiasm (and hearing), but we can assure you that the final product will blow you away! If you thought [2007's] 'March of the Parasite' was dark and evil, just wait until you hear this one!" LAETHORA last year posted demo versions of two new tracks — "Uproar" and "New Day" — on the band's MySpace page. LAETHORA's debut album, "March of the Parasite", was released in February 2007 via The End Records. The band — which also features THE PROVENANCE members Joakim Rosen (guitar), Jonnie Tall (bass) and Joel Lindell (drums) — plays "aggressive music firmly rooted in the death/grind tradition, yet challenging and innovative." In an interview with MTV.com, Sundin described the "March of the Parasite" CD as "extreme and in-your-face, but organic rather than clinical-sounding." |
| Check Out THE ANSWER on FUSE TV's 'The Worm'! | |
| THE ANSWER's rockin' video for "On & On," off 'Everyday Demons' (out next Tuesday, March 31st), has been added to rotation on FUSE TV's 'The Worm'! Check it out here. |
| The Lemonheads - TESTING | |
| The Lemonheads - TESTINGThe Lemonheads - TESTINGThe Lemonheads - TESTINGThe Lemonheads - TESTINGThe Lemonheads - TESTINGThe Lemonheads - TESTING |
| Irish Rock Band THE ANSWER to Break from AC/DC Tour to Play Two US Club Dates | |
| Irish rock band THE ANSWER will take a break from their relentless touring with rock 'n' roll heavyweights AC/DC to hit Los Angeles and New York City for headlining club dates at the end of April / beginning of May. Tickets are on sale now for both gigs, details are as follows: 4/29/2009 The Troubadour 9081 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 8pm, $15 Tickets: http://www.troubadour.com/eventdetail.php?id=1178 5/2/2009 Don Hill's 511 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 8pm, $12 Tickets: http://www.donhills.com/ 'Everyday Demons,' the forthcoming album from the Irish rock band, was released digitally last Tuesday, March 10th, exclusively at iTunes. The digital copy includes two bonus studio tracks- the Celtic thumper “Lost” and “Revolutions” along with a live version of “Under The Sky” and a digital CD booklet featuring an alternate cover. The album is due in physical retail outlets March 31st on THE END RECORDS, distributed through RED and was recorded in summer ’08 in Los Angeles with John Travis (Kid Rock, Static-X, Killing Heidi, etc.) producing. 'Everyday Demons' has been released throughout the world over the last few weeks. On March 3rd it debuted at #25 in the UK and at #8 on Japan’s international chart. The band also topped music retailer HMV’s list of acts to break in 2009. HMV has previously predicted the success of Franz Ferdinand, The Arctic Monkeys and Duffy in past years. THE ANSWER has spent the last five months fulfilling their duties as the opening act for AC/DC on the Black Ice World Tour. They finished the 42 concert tour of the United States on January 31st and are currently warming up audiences across Europe. In April the band will break to come to America for club shows in Los Angeles and New York and will return in summer '09 to tour the States once more. Announcing THE ANSWER’s Black Ice tour spot in Fall ’08, Rolling Stone wrote in a weekly “Hot List,” “No effing wonder AC/DC tapped these U.K. long-hairs to open…the singer howls like Paul Rodgers, the guitarist shreds like Jimmy Page and the lyrics are as awesomely stupid as ballin’ without a rubber.” Early reviews of 'Everyday Demons' have been positive. UK rock bible Classic Rock Magazine said “Raising the game on every level The Answer have made good on their early promise. The future of classic rock is in good hands.” THE ANSWER, four boys from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland got together in spring 2000, signed a contract with the legendary Australian rock label, Albert Productions in 2005 and brought out their debut album, 'Rise,' in 2006. 'Everyday Demons' will mark their American debut. 'Everyday Demons' can currently be purchased digitally at iTunes and at all major retail outlets beginning March 31st.  CD | TE128-2 | The End | 3/31/09 'Everyday Demons' Track Listing: 1). Demon Eyes 2). Too Far Gone 3). On And On 4). Cry Out 5). Why’d You Change Your Mind 6). Pride 7). Walkin’ Mat 8). Tonight 9). Dead Of The Night 10). Comfort Zone 11). Evil Man 12). Revolution (Bonus Track) THE ANSWER is: Cormac Neeson (vocals) Paul Mahon (guitar) Michael Waters (bass) James Heatley (drums) THE ANSWER on the web: www.theanswer.ie www.myspace.com/theanswerrock |
| MADE OUT OF BABIES Head West | |
 Brooklyn's MADE OUT OF BABIES are heading west for a handful of dates next month, including a date in Berkeley, CA with labelmates BRAVEYOUNG. MOoB Tour Dates '09: 04/10/09 Fri @ Jugheads - Phoenix, AZ 04/11/09 Sat @ Gilman Street - Berkeley, CA * 04/12/09 Sun @ The Crepe Place - Santa Cruz, CA 04/14/09 Tue @ The Comet - Seattle, WA 04/15/09 Wed @ Satyricon - Portland, OR 04/16/09 Thu @ Fire Escape - Sacramento, CA 04/17/09 Fri @ Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA * w/ BRAVEYOUNG The band's latest, The Ruiner, was released on June 24th of last year via THE END RECORDS. The album was immediately met with critical acclaim, finding its way onto many year-end best-of lists, including the number nine spot on Decibel Magazine's Top Ten. The Ruiner is a big step forward for the band, and this progression is clear in the album’s scathing opener, "Cooker," which is available for downloading/posting/sharing at the following location: http://www.madeoutofbabies.com/media/01cooker.mp3 Praise for MOoB: "Uncommonly well-written." - REVOLVER "8/10; [H]ypnotic and devastating." - BLABBERMOUTH "[F]earsome heavy metal thunder. [The Ruiner is] their most varied, nuanced record to date." - PITCHFORK "Brooklyn’s Made Out of Babies elevated their game to the next level with this cohesive collection of artsy, heady, yet accessible metal." - METALSUCKS.NET "8.5/10; [A]s Julie Christmas screams 'RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!' at the top of her devastating, brilliant voice, you know you're hooked." - TERRORIZER "Art this is, and The Ruiner is a gift, bestowed much like Promethean fire on a sometimes Neanderthal scene.” - METAL MANIACS "Punishing razor sharp noise punk...And if you ever had a problem with female frontwomen in heavy music, Julie Christmas'll meet ya in the parking lot." - BROOKLYN VEGAN MADE OUT OF BABIES is: Julie Christmas (vocals) Brendan Tobin (guitar) Eric Cooper (bass) Matthew Egan (drums) MADE OUT OF BABIES on the web: http://www.myspace.com/madeoutofbabies http://www.madeoutofbabies.com/ |
| Ambient/Shoegaze Duo NADJA Premieres MP3 for "Dead Skin Mask" (Slayer Cover) | |
 Toronto-based ambient/shoegaze/drone duo NADJA unleashed yesterday exclusively via MTV's Headbangers Blog their epic ten-minute-long rendition of Slayer's "Dead Skin Mask." The song is available for download/sharing/posting at the following location: http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2009/03/16/exclusuve-mp3-downoad-nadja-cover-slayers-dead-skin-mask/ This is the second MP3 to hit the web from the band's forthcoming all-covers album, 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV': Pitchfork premiered the track "Only Shallow" by My Bloody Valentine last week and the response so far has been positive: "Nadja slows 'Only Shallow' down, bolts on monstrous guitars, and slathers everything in digital distortion. [...] With an ominous drone underneath, they're downright menacing. Nadja gets at the heart of the appeal of 'Only Shallow.' The song stuffs an oceanful of feeling into several minutes." - PITCHFORK "Nadja's fuzzed-out spin on MBV's 'Only Shallow' recalls the work of another artist who made the leap of faith from heavy to heady, namely Justin K. Broadrick, formerly of the pioneering industrial-metal project Godflesh and now the man behind oceanic drone-pop outfit Jesu. Translation: Get ready for a brain-grindingly beautiful slo-mo headbang sesh." - TIME OUT NEW YORK "Only Shallow" is available for download/sharing/posting at the following location: http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/12526-only-shallow-my-bloody-valentine-cover/ 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' features covers of some of NADJA's favorite songs and artists and displays the band's diverse and eclectic background. The album will be released on April 28th via THE END RECORDS. CD | TE134 | The End | 4/28/09 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV' Tracklisting: 01. Only Shallow (My Bloody Valentine) 02. Pea (Codeine) 03. No Cure For The Lonely (Swans) 04. Dead Skin Mask (Slayer) 05. The Sun Always Shines On TV (A-ha) 06. Needle In The Hay (Elliott Smith) 07. Long Dark Twenties (Kids In The Hall) 08. Faith (The Cure) The band has a few upcoming dates scheduled in Europe: 03/20/09 Fri @ The Buffalo - Cardiff 03/21/09 Sat @ The Brudenell Social Club - Leeds 03/22/09 Sun @ Bardens Boudoir - London 03/26/09 Thu @ Twisted Pepper - Dublin 03/27/09 Fri @ Croxhapox - Ghent 03/28/09 Sat @ Logement - Antwerp 04/16/09 Thu @ Cassiopeia - Berlin More info about NADJA and 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV': Nadja—a duo from Toronto, Ontario featuring Aidan Baker and Leah Buckareff—create what is often described as ’ambient doom.’ Nadja’s music combines elements of metal, shoegaze, ambient, post-rock , experimental, and neo-classical. Their new album, ’When I See The Sun Always Shines On TV,’ features eights covers of some of Baker and Buckareff’s favorite bands. ”Consider this album an exploration of the roots of Nadja,” says Baker. ”Everyone compares us to My Bloody Valentine, so we had to cover them; Codeine and Swans were both bands exploring the heaviness of metal without actually being metal; The Cure have that lovely, bittersweet gloominess; Elliott Smith's 'Needle in the Hay' is simultaneously so simple and so devestating; no one believed us when we said we covered a song from The Kids in the Hall movie, a staple of our live set, so we had to get that one to tape; how could we resist the opportunity to cover A-ha's heaviest (but oh so catchy) tune? And Slayer is just Slayer. In an effort to illustrate our motivations behind this album, we asked our friend Mathew Smith to create a series of children's-storybook-like drawings to go with each song.” NADJA is: Aidan Baker (guitars, vocals, drums, etc.) Leah Buckareff (bass, vocals) NADJA on the web: http://www.myspace.com/nadjaluv |
| SIGH checks in from the Studio | |
 "First of all, our apologies to people who were looking forward to the sequel to Dr. Mikannibal’s recording rules for the serious studio report this time. She’s still working on the vocals, naked as usual. |
| Brooklyn Quintet HULL Hits the Road; to Play THE END RECORDS' 2009 SXSW Showcase | |
  photo by Ben Ritter Brooklyn-based quintet HULL will be kicking tires and lighting fires tomorrow when they kick off their 2009 spring tour at Philadelphia's Khyber Pass as they make their way down to South By Southwest, where they'll be pummeling eardrums at THE END RECORDS' official showcase. "Hull’s three guitar attack achieves maximum sludgery, bashing your skull into the wall with a sledgehammer and smearing your brains across the floor," MetalSucks.net has said of the band's live show and Metal Maniacs described them as having "all the crush of early Mastodon met with the ambient fire of Neurosis, but somehow [Hull] avoids sounding like either one of them." HULL, who signed with THE END RECORDS in December, have made a name for themselves in the New York underground over the past few years and will be a welcome addition to THE END's growing family of diverse artists. Now, the band sets their sights on the rest of the country. HULL Live: 3/13/09 Fri @ Khyber Pass Philadelphia, PA 3/14/09 Sat @ Nara Sushi Richmond, VA 3/15/09 Sun @ The Milestone Club Charlotte, NC 3/16/09 Mon @ Green Eggs and Jam Boone, NC 3/17/09 Tue @ The Pilot Light Nashville, TN 3/18/09 Wed @ The Hall Building Little Rock, AK 3/19/09 Thu @ SXSW Showcase Austin, TX 3/20/09 Fri @ Little Joe's Bar Shreveport, LA 3/21/09 Sat @ The Doom Room Vicksburg, MS 3/23/09 Mon @ Springwater Nashville, TN 3/26/09 Thu @ Will's Pub Orlando, FL 3/27/09 Fri @ Hustler Indialantic, FL 3/29/09 Sun @ Doozer's Jacksonville, FL 3/30/09 Tue @ Chichos Virginia Beach, VA HULL's first release for THE END will be a full-length entitled Sole Lord, the followup to 2007's self-released Viking Funeral EP. A release date has not been set for Sole Lord. About HULL: Bred for destruction, this collective force converges in a collision of decibel heavy harmony, thrash, doom, classic rock, and formal orchestral works. Bear witness to the lightning that is HULL. Forged in the sweat-laden depths of darkest Brooklyn, HULL materializes as a massive entity storming stages and immersing their audiences in a blanket of grandiose down-tuned compositions, a shifting fault line beneath a vast arctic wasteland. A musical colossus of epic proportions, HULL commands their listeners through each riff with incredible precision, as a seafarer guides his vessels through ominous waters. Submerged in cosmic soundscapes, HULL challenges the mind with flowing, off-time fugues and powerful, dynamic movements. Brace yourself for an onslaught of eruptive force as mountains move, pillars collapse, and a new world of music is formed in the deafening clap of thunder that is HULL. Born in the wake of the fire, we still burn. HULL is: GV: NPalmirotto GV: AMack GV: CLaiettaV BV: SBDunn PV: JStieber HULL on the web: http://www.hullandhighwater.com/ http://www.myspace.com/hull |
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- GOES CUBE to Release Debut Full-Length, 'Another Day Has Passed,' on May 12th; Album Cover and Tracklisting Revealed; Tour with Valient Thorr Starts Tonight, March 12th
- Ambient/Shoegaze Duo NADJA Announces Covers Album; Pitchfork Premieres MP3 of "Only Shallow" (My Bloody Valentine Cover)
- Whiplash: Early Man's Mike Conte on Cheesesteak, Sushi, and Large Underwear
- Irish Rock Band THE ANSWER to Release US Debut Album 'Everyday Demons' Digitally on March 10th Exclusively Through iTunes