Headless Kross Announce Krozmik Artefact: Live at Kozfest 2019 And Brief Review

Release date: June 04th 2021. Label: Self Released. Format: Cassette/DD

Krozmik Artefact: Live at Kozfest 2019 - Tracklisting

Rural Juror

Signed In Blood

Does Not Equal Time

One Hundred And Forty Four Mirrors

Crater Of Needles

The Lowdown

Veteran Scottish psych-doomsters HEADLESS KROSS will release their new live album “Krozmik Artefact: Live at Kozfest 2019” on Friday the 4th of June 2021 via their Bandcamp page. As well as the digital release there will be a very limited run of 39 cassettes with screen-printed covers. 25 copies will be available on the band’s Bandcamp page on the day of release.

Kozfest 2019 was held in Devon, England on the 27th -29th of July and also featured The Heads, Electric Moon, Crazyhead and Wild Rocket amongst many others. The album includes the band’s full 55 minute set from the Saturday as well as their introduction from legendary Kozfest compere Kozmik Ken, who sadly passed away last year. 

On the subject of the album the band’s guitarist and recording engineer Tommy Duffin said “I found the multitrack of this recording last month while looking for something else. I had completely forgot about it but when I listened, I realised it was a great live document of the band, so I started mixing. I think this is the best recorded example so far of the Headless Kross live experience so far.

Brief Review

Well this is a very cool surprise from HEADLESS KROSS. A new live album which shows the band at their very best featuring 5 songs from their last 3 albums. 

The band show their worth to the UK Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene with this live release with an almost Psychedelic and Surreal Journey with Headless Kross on blistering form on the epic 22 minute opening track - Rural Juror - which is taken from their 2015 acclaimed album - Volumes. The song sets up everything perfectly with a not so subtle Doom Atmosphere which reminds myself of familiar LIVE experiences such as YOB, CONAN and UFOMAMMUT. 

Headless Kross move onto other HEAVY SLABS of DOOMEDELIC based Sludge/Stoner Riffage and the violent vocals is just the "icing on the cake" for myself. Headless Kross pull no punches and offer no apologies on songs such as: Signed In Blood and One Hundred And Forty Four Mirrors.

The band did release a Live At Desertfest album back in August 2019 and that was a great Live Album itself but I have to say Krozmik Artefact: Live at Kozfest 2019 is a much better release. It has a more eerie and psychedelic vibe that allows the band to thrive on the LIVE arena.

if you're a fan of Headless Kross then Krozmik Artefact: Live at Kozfest 2019 is a record you need to own and perhaps maybe the perfect introduction for folks who haven't heard the band before.

Awesome stuff...

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Headless Kross - Projections I (Album Review)

Release date: November 18th 2016. Label: At War With False Noise. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Projections I – Tracklisting

1....Does Not Equal Time 08:14

2.Practical Mental Effects 08:00

3.Church Of The Fifth Season 10:17

4.The Map Is Not The Territory 08:27

Band Members

Derek - Bass & voice,

Jonny - Drums,

Tommy - Guitar.

Review:

This is a band that works in a virtual doom quarry, mining a distortion that expands and contracts in sludge as thick as mud. This album is very well done and truly deserving of your heavyweight collection. There are only four songs, but they are vivid as divine law.

The album starter 'Does Not Equal Time' churns like spoiled buttermilk and evolves with string work that jumps all over the fret board like a semi truck on a neglected desert road. The song respects itself and the psychedelic speed limits are not excessive.

'Practical Mental Effects' is heavy fuzz operating at low speed with agonizing screams in an echo drain pit. The guitar, bass and drums are all performing on a smelted stage.

'Church Of The Fifth Season' is a sonic story chronicling the contorted sounds of a suspicious mind on a paranoid, slow motion, helicopter guitar ride, powered by mistrustful voices soon to be landing on a monster riff island where the creatures scream for their next meal from the abstract sky. It is a bubbling blob of deep doomed resonance with hallucinogenic ebbs in the tide.

'The Map Is Not The Territory' is masterful. The bass starts off something unusual and the guitar twangs before being thrust into the heaving storm, which is causing the battering down of the drum kit, all of this being motorized through the resurgence of a lost riff circa the 1970's. The insane captain yells commands from atop the crow’s nest of this death ship, which is travelling upon crushing waves of doom over elongated stoner rock.

I understand part II is on the horizon...so keep this band on your sonar.

Words by Nick Palmisano

Thanks to Lisa at Hold Tight PR for the promo. Projections I is available to buy now.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp