SAIL Release New Live EP - Live At TAD Studios

The four tracks were recorded at TAD Studios as part of a live session, and feature our latest single Mannequin, two tracks from Slumbersong (Shimmer & Old Tom) and Bookends, which has never been released. We wanted to celebrate these tracks in a different environment and add a positive note to the end of a difficult year; our fans have stuck by us and we want to reward them for their loyalty.

 

Tracklist:

 

1) Mannequin (Live at TAD Studios)

2) Bookends (Live at TAD Studios)

3) Shimmer (Live at TAD Studios)

4) Old Tom (Live at TAD Studios)

 

Art credit: Tim Kazer

Mixing and mastering: Umair Chaudhry

Additional audio editing: Kynan Scott 

Links 

Facebook | Bandcamp 

Band To Check Out SNOW And Their New Song - SKATE FAST DIE HARD

Time to catch up with the latest Hardcore/Stoner Rock Mob - SNOW - who have just released their fast-paced and aggressive new song SKATE FAST DIE HARD. This is the usual type Hardcore/Stoner Rock vibes to expect from a band such as SNOW. There is something addictive from this band and the LO-FI and Punk Rock manic energy soon gives way to some cool fast-paced riffs towards the end of the song. 

More info below.

SKATE FAST DIE HARD

The new Sludge / Punk / Stoner Rock project SNOW have just released their first single. "Skate Fast Die Hard" is a manifesto for freedom and frenzy packed with musical elements linked to Hardcore Punk, Sludge, Stoner Rock and Rock'n roll. Fast and accurated with a sonic urgency, fast and heavy riffs and an apotheotic ending that shakes the brain the song is the first of the two singles from the band's debut album, leaded by Rodrigo Neves (TIGERSHARKS) and which has the collaboration of friends. The album "Skate Fast Die Hard" is expected to be released in early 2021 through Red Garage Records but before that another single from the band will be released.

About SNOW

With the arrival of the pandemic situation 2020 became a chaotic year. With the Covid blast many people stayed in their homes. This situation made Rod (from the band TIGERSHARKS) take an old idea to the band SNOW. The band is a solo project that he always wanted to put together, a project more focused on Sludge and Doom, with strong influences from Hardcore Punk and Stoner.

The band has both slow and dense sounds, as well as faster and simpler ones, and influences from names like The Shrine, Revolution Mother and Black Flag, being a perfect soundtrack for a Skate ride, smoking or driving a Cadillac on the rise velocity . The album was produced by Rodrigo and Andrez Machado (longtime friend and owner of the Red Garage studio in Porto Alegre / RS). The band's first album was recorded remotely with Rod recording guitars, vocals and drums, while Andrez recorded other guitar lines and mixed / mastered the material. In addition to the two, the album also featured bassist Rodrigo Borba in the low frequencies.

The first single, "Skate Fast Die Hard is a perfect soundtrack for a skate ride. The sound is Stoner Rock, Crossover and the purest Rock'n roll. Transiting between the energetic chaos at 200km / h and the dense drag the track is born as the first single from SNOW and that baptizes their debut album to be released in 2021 by Red Garage Records. The artwork for the single "Skate Fast Die Hard", as well all the others related to the project, are made by Rodrigo Neves himself.

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Bantha Rider - Binary Sunset Massacre (Album Review)

Release date: December 04th 2020. Label: Piranha Music. Format: CD/DD

Binary Sunset Massacre – Tracklisting

1.Binary Sunset Massacre
2.De Wanna Wanga
3.The Gamorrean
4.Boonta Eve
5.Sagittarius
6.Rancor's Delight
7.March of the Banthas
8.Pazuzu

Members

Art - Drums
Chris - Guitar
Bart - Bass

Review

Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metallers Bantha Rider are back with their debut full length album – Binary Sunset Massacre. This album arrives almost 4 years since the band released their debut EP. The band are influenced by the Criminal and Seedy Underworld of Star Wars mythology. The band adapt a purely Instrumental approach to bring their spaced out themes and ideas to life.

So what do we get with Binary Sunset Massacre. We get an album that is a darker version of Karma To Burn with slightly more Progressive sounds and riffs with a healthy dose of Post-Metal attitude allowing the band to stretch further into the realms of Doom Metal.

The album is quite action-packed and moving with different styles of music within the confinements of Stoner Rock with the band adding Desert Rock, Psych Rock and Fuzz Rock to the mix. The song titles are mostly named after certain things and events of Star Wars media and folklore. I only know certain things of Star Wars and I don’t consider myself an expert. There will be folks out there who will get a kick seeing the song titles and enjoying the powerful riffs the band have written here.

Everything is played VERY LOUD and I mean VERY LOUD. Especially when the heavier Desert Rock/Stoner Rock grooves take centre stage and provide a fast-paced journey that sound epic even for Han Solo when trying to break a certain “Parsec” speed record.

The instrumental work is ferocious and does remind myself of KARMA TO BURN in many ways and even PELICAN on the later stages of the song especially on March Of The Banthas and Pazuzu. (I’m assuming they called this song after the character from The Exorcist due to Max Von Sydow appearing in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Top marks for merging two different cinematic universes together).

Binary Sunset Massacre is a superbly entertaining album that pushes all the right buttons in providing the listener with a great collection of songs that will even appeal to people hate Star Wars. As the music is always moving forward onto the next hard-hitting riff and the album truly comes alive for myself when the band lose themselves within their own Psychedelic and Spaced Out Madness on songs such as: De Wanna Wanga, The Gamorrean, Rancor’s Delight, March Of The Banthas and Pazuzu.

It’s perhaps the final 3 songs where the band offer the most gloomiest and heaviest songs on the entire album and you’re thankful that J.J. Abrams is nowhere in sight to spoil even more of your precious Star Wars memories from your childhood.

Anyway, I digress. Binary Sunset Massacre is an absolute powerhouse of a record that deserves a moment of your time.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Green Druid - At The Maw Of Ruin (Album Review)

Release Date: 4th December 2020. Label: Earache Music. Format. CD/DD

At The Maw Of Ruin - Tracklisting

The Forest Dark

End Of Men

Haunted Memories

A Throne Abandoned

Desert Of Fury/Ocean Of Despair

Threads

Members

Chris Mclaughlin: Guitar/Vocals
Graham Zander: Guitar
Ryan Skates: Bass
Mikey Honiotes: Drums

Review

At The Maw Of Ruin is the new album from Green Druid and it sees the band move further away from the Doom/Stoner Metal sound that appeared on their acclaimed debut EP and full length album. With the band adapting a more “Extreme Outlook” on life. This time Green Druid blends elements of Blackened Doom, Thrash Metal and Sludge Metal. Ashen Blood Part 2 this ain’t. This is a band exploring new creative and heavier opportunities for themselves and succeeding at every turn.

The album still has its fair share of Doom/Stoner Metal moments but it’s merged with a Pitch Black mentality that runs throughout everything on the album. Riffs, Vocals and Lyrics all have a harder edge to them compared to their debut album. This album encompasses the same musical world from bands such as YOB, Sleep, NEUROSIS and Pallbearer whilst allowing Green Druid to create a highly exciting new sound of their own.

The record contains six songs with most of them running between 8 to 13 minutes in length. You’re treated to 66 minutes of the most groundbreaking original Doom/Stoner Metal sounds and ideas I’ve heard this year.

The opening song - The Forest Dark - offers the perfect balance of LIGHT and DARK Doom/Stoner Metal with an ice-cold Blackened Metal backdrop holding everything together. The Psychedelic environment does allow Green Druid the opportunity to play some epic guitar solos with a pounding menace. The vocals are a mixture of Clean Vocals and Harsh Growls. At least you can understand what is being said with the Harsh Growls.

Even though the band has written 6 songs for this album. This record feels like one song broken down into separate chapters and reminds me of SLEEP’s legendary album Dopesmoker. Mainly in just the way how the album takes you on a spiritual journey of sorts but told through the power of music whilst offering different styles of Doom/Stoner Metal.

Second song - End Of Men - sees Green Druid up the ante with a bleaker style of music making itself the most dominant feature of the album. You can feel an intense Post-Metal sensibility ready to burst through with quality sounding vocals and production helping to bring that sound to the masses. This song could have easily failed with the many different sounds the band used for this song but you can’t deny how good everything sounds from start to finish. The clean and harsh vocals are wonderfully diverse and different to each other. 

Third song - Haunted Memories - is one of the standout songs with the band offering an almost 14 minute blast of intense Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal grooves that soon moves into Progressive Metal territory. The clean vocals from Chris offer a more emotional depth to this song and I’m reminded of Pallbearer and YOB in many ways. The song starts very slowly before Green Druid opts for an emotional delivery with superbly played music moving into the more “Extreme” side of Metal Music.

The remaining 3 songs on the album - A Throne Abandoned, Desert Of Fury/Ocean Of Despair and Threads - allows the band to move deeper into the harsher environments of the Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal world that ultimately brings the Thrash, Sludge and Post-Metal parts of their music to fully take over. Desert Of Fury/Ocean Of Despair is perhaps the best song on the album for myself. As I felt more emotionally connected to this song and the instrumental work left me wanting more.

At The Maw Of Ruin is a complex and unforgiving album that offers one of the most unique sounding experiences you’re likely to hear in 2020 and has the potential to be considered a modern classic of the Doom/Stoner Metal genre in the years to come. The album is seriously that good and I’m hoping it launches Green Druid onto bigger and better things,

This review is my own evidence for why I’m calling At The Maw Of Ruin as my favourite album of the year.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Incendia Music PR and Green Druid for the promo. At The Maw Of Ruin is available to buy on CD/DD via Earache Records from December 4th 2020.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

LIVE IN THE MOJAVE DESERT Series Announced

The most exciting outdoor event in rock has today been launched: LIVE IN THE MOJAVE DESERT is a livestream concert film series, deep in the heart of the California wilderness, with performances from Earthless, Nebula, Spirit Mother, Mountain Tamer, and Stoner.

Tickets are available to purchase now: http://cdwa.tixr.com

Individual concert tickets will be available as well as discounted series passes.

Watch the teaser here.

Schedule:

EARTHLESS: Saturday 23rd January, 2021 
NEBULA: Saturday 6th February, 2021
SPIRIT MOTHER: Saturday 20th February, 2021
MOUNTAIN TAMER: Saturday 6th March, 2021
STONER (Brant Bjork + Ryan Gut + Nick Oliveri): Saturday 20th March, 2021

Inspired by Pink Floyd's iconic Live At Pompeii film, each of the concert films will be premiered online, and presented in a two-hour long live, hosted program. Some of the biggest desert rock legends will be on set attending and hosting, and the bands themselves will join the stream.

Each film will be released as a live album, with LP, CD, and DVD pre-orders to be announced soon. The project is presented by CDWA Records (California Desert Wizards Association) who have strived to present the best in the desert rock scene, and introduce some of the most exciting new talent.

The project includes new band STONER, a trio of Nick Oliveri and Brant Bjork (Kyuss), with Ryan Gut on drums.

Brant Bjork comments: "CDWA once again commits to the ultimate Rock n Roll experience for the fans and the bands regardless of what might stand in the way. Covid literally shut down live performance around the world... what do you do? You use your imagination and you go all in. Congrats to CDWA and all the bands and crew involved in this Rock n Roll response of light in this year of concert stage darkness."

On the formation of STONER and playing with Nick once again: "I remember playing Ramones songs with Nick in his mom’s living room in Palm Desert when we were kids. Nick and I have roots that go deep. Together again as the appropriately named STONER. A testament to our collective and individual dedication to our past, our present and our future Rock n Roll."

Nick Oliveri comments: "Well I think that California Desert Wizards Association is doing a great thing and a new thing under the circumstances of COVID-19, because what I do for a living stopped cold, dead in its tracks. I feel the powers that be are trying to stop and kill music or live music and I believe Dr. Jones is doing a great thing by keeping it alive. We need more people like him coming forward. Let me add, what a cool original idea - live stream while releasing a live record. For a collector like myself this is a great thing! Big cigars and cold beers to CDWA records. RnR will never die."

CDWA have implemented a custom link program which gives a portion of sales to their affiliates who sell tickets to the shows. They're creating a network of clubs, promoters, record stores and venues across the globe to help support the musical scene in this more desperate of years. 

If you're interested in joining, please get in touch here. 

To support your local participating venue, buy through their link. More information to follow.

There is no overestimating the level of undertaking on show in the LIVE IN THE MOJAVE DESERT series. Driving tonnes of gear 30 miles out into the desert to film five bands in four days, with 25 people onsite daily - the level of effort shows in a stunning range of unique musical experiences. 

In the words of Earthless' Mario Rubalcaba: "Setting up and playing our jams loudly out in the Mojave desert at night with Mad Alchemy's lightshow all around us will forever be a really great memory.  I wonder how many animals were listening?  Happy it was documented."

CDWA's Ryan Jones' statement: "This was a major undertaking to bring this many people and this much gear out to a very remote desert location. Including the bands we had 25 people onsite daily. Generators. Meals. Tacos. Burgers. Vegan food. Water. Coffee. Weed, Beer & Booze. Camping gear. Handwashing. Covid prevention plans. Portapots. Stage lights. Liquid light show. Full Sound System. So much cable to bury. Backline. Pro Tools Recording System. Computers. Cameras. Drones. Bands. Backline. Everything that came in had to go out, of course. With only one road in, all of these people and all of this stuff had to come up a half mile long hill of deep desert sand; 30 miles from nowhere. We had to hire local desert guys with huge 4x4 pickups to tow things up, tow things down, shuttle the bands, shuttle their gear, guitars, drums, and occasionally to rescue our vehicles. It was insane, but we did it for the love of the project and we really wanted to see our favorite bands play again!"

CDWA Links:

Website
Instagram
Facebook 
YouTube
Email List

Ripple Music present the very first RIPPLEFEST VIRTUAL, an exclusive online festival special performances from HOWLING GIANT, HORSEBURNER and JAKETHEHAWK

Ripple Music present the very first RIPPLEFEST VIRTUAL, an exclusive online festival hosting special performances from HOWLING GIANT, HORSEBURNER and JAKETHEHAWK, taking place straight in your living room on Friday 18th December!

A magical evening, three bands that yearn for the golden days of live touring find themselves in a cyberscape of infinite possibility. Join us for this virtual bacchanal as Howling Giant, Horseburner, and Jakethehawk rekindle the riff and stoke the fires of friendship in a live experience unparalleled in the digital age. The RIPPLEFEST VIRTUAL live stream will start on Friday 18th December, 2020 at 7:00PM EST (01:00AM CET). This event is designed for you to move your coffee table out of the way and jump around your living room, so join the party and keep your screens ready! 
 

⚡️⚡️⚡️ RIPPLEFEST VIRTUAL ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Streaming from your living room on Friday 18th December!
Join the official Facebook event

JAKETHEHAWK - 07:00 PM EST (01:00 AM CET)

Formed in 2016, Jakethehawk has always sought to synthesize the classic, riff-centric sound of proto-metal’s pioneers with the textures of psychedelic rock and progressive rock. Additionally, heavy influence is drawn from the band’s home turf... both from the the lush, wooded river valley and from the rich tradition of folk music that still blossoms here. 
Facebook | Bandcamp

HORSEBURNER - 08:00 PM EST (02:00 AM CET)

Mountain-melting stoner metal from Parkersburg, USA. Stoner metal. Sludge. Doom. Call it what you will, Parkersburg, West Virginia's Horseburner creates riff-heavy rock n' roll to shake your insides.
Facebook | Bandcamp

HOWLING GIANT - 09:00 PM EST (03:00 AM CET)

Born out of some space fuzz chamber and dropped down on Nashville, Tennessee, Howling Giant’s form of metal is a unique and eclectic fairy tale trip through the stars.
Facebook | Bandcamp
 

The RippleFest Virtual show will be available on Ripple socials after the event.

Say Howling Giant: "We've been streaming on Twitch every week since August, and we wanted to bring our dearest friends into the fold. Both Jakethehawk and Horseburner are some of our favorite bands to play with live. Because of the wild ride that is 2020 we've all had to cancel many tour plans, so we were excited to reconnect with our comrades in a whole new live show experience that you can enjoy from your favorite couch or sitting apparatus."

"Even though 2020 has been awful and the future of live events is still hanging in the balance, one thing that continues to be awesome is music.  we miss playing in big rooms of people, but we're still fortunate to get to play with our best friends and I have just as much enthusiasm jamming with them as I do on a big stage.  The fact that we get to share this event with two of our favorite bands is really icing on the cake.  The fact that we can count the guys in those bands among our friends is extra icing.  Times are uncertain but I am infinitely grateful to be able to use the technology to hang with our friends and play for people" add Jakethehawk.

With over 1,000 fans attending RippleFests in Europe, UK, and USA, RIPPLE MUSIC intends to keep rocking in the free world and deliver the finest heavy music and some exciting rock'n'roll performances to fans across the globe. Known and revered worldwide for unearthing the finest bands in heavy rock, stoner, doom, 70s rock and metal since 2010, the Californian label is home to Wino, Tony Reed, Poobah, Wo Fat, Colour Haze and many more. Website⎪Facebook⎪Bandcamp

Burn Ritual - The Void (Album Review)

Release date: August 07th 2020. Label: Forbidden Place Records (CD & Cassette) / Kozmik Artifactz (Vinyl) Released. Format: CD/DD/Cassette/Vinyl

The Void – Tracklisting

1.Lust For The Dead 04:58
2.The Void 05:48
3.They Crawl 03:43
4.Bringer Of Evil 06:30
5.Mark Of The Witch 06:03
6.Tranquilized 03:42
7.The Conqueror 01:41
8.Evil Lie 06:08

Members

Jake Lewis - Everything

Review

Burn Ritual released their latest full length album The Void way back in August 2020. With this album being given the Vinyl Treatment thanks to the good folks over at Kozmik Artifactz. The album has already been released on CD and Cassette by Forbidden Place Records. I thought it was time to weave my critical eye over the album. This is the work of one man by the name of Jake Lewis and this has to rank as one of the best and most entertaining “One-Man Band” efforts I’ve heard in such a long time.

Don’t let that put you off. As this album is a top-level example of modern day Doom/Stoner Metal influenced by the likes of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats and Black Sabbath. There is a cool sounding Occult feel to this album but Burn Ritual also has a healthy respect and admiration for other genres such as Psych Rock and Fuzz Rock despite the overall Dark Occult themes of the record.

The album moves effortlessly from one stirring track of EPIC modern day Doom Sounds to the next with an equally impressive vocal performance from Jake who nails down the slightly out of control persona that you need for an Occult Rock album such as this. The production is superb and buoyant from start to finish with everything sounding LOUD, CLEAR and CRISP.

The instrumental work shows you what a great musician Jake actually is with a keen ear and talent for writing trippy Psychedelic melodic grooves. This album sees Burn Ritual capture the classic 70’s gloomy energy of Black Sabbath with the more modern sinister themes from the first couple of Uncle Acid records. However, this allows Jake to show his love and appreciation for the Doom/Stoner Rock genre whilst adding his own ideas to the mix.

The album does become quite distorted in places but that only adds to the overall sense of dread that Jake has written for all of the lyrics contained within the full length of the record.

Burn Ritual made a mighty impression on the Outlaws Of The Sun crew back in 2018 when they released their debut album - Blood Of The River. Back then, Burn Ritual actually had 4 members in their ranks. Time has moved on since then but the delicate and passionate riffs heard on the album are still here but with more sinister intent and a more commanding presence.

Standout songs for myself on the album are: Lust For The Dead, The Void, They Crawl, Mark Of The Witch and Evil Lie.

If you want a good old fashioned Doom/Stoner Metal album that doesn’t shy away and starts changing things for a more Progressive sound then The Void is the album for you. This album is built for RIFFS and it has plenty of those COOL HEAVY SOUNDS for everyone to fully devour at their own demented leisure.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

You can buy The Void on CD/Cassette from Forbidden Place Records

You can buy The Void on Vinyl from Kozmik Artifactz

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp