Fascinating Things : Issue 41

A slight hiatus due to busy times at German Shepherd Records means things have slipped slightly so here is a rather hefty chunky catch-up of things incoming in the last week. After a quiet turn of the year things are starting to motor on the news and release front. This is part one of two FT’s for this week due to the vast amount of new tuneage.

Brazilian psychedelic rocker Headless Buddha releases a new single on 5th February – have a listen….I think it’s rather good…it’s from their forthcoming second album. The band is the work of Rio De Janiero based multi-instrumentalist Mauro Sanches.

Calgary, Alberta-based band, Wake, release their third full-length album, “Sowing The Seeds Of A Worthless Tomorrow”, on 26th February via  an international alliance of independent labels. Putatively a grindcore outfit this new release strays into a variety of differing sub-genres including black metal, crust, d-beat, noise, sludge, and post-hardcore. Short and memorable the band packs eight tracks into just over eighteen minutes of music. Not for the faint-hearted, very intense and cathartic say I.

Chicago’s  post-metal trio, Snow Burial , self-release their debut full-length, “Victory In Ruin” on 1st February. It mixes up sludge, thrash, shoegaze and math rock coming across a little like the bastard offspring of Fucked Up, “Red” era King Crimson and The Melvins. With  former members of Hoss, Canyon, Doctor This Virus Is Silence the band self-financed and released two EPs entitled Oxblood Siren and Oxblood Tides in 2014. They make a very impressive noise for a three piece and must have one of the dirtiest bass sounds in the known cosmos. The album kicks a lot of butt and manages to balance the melodic, the progressive and the downright noisy into an impressive set. Recommended!

“Dominion Of Misery” is the forthcoming new album from Oregon-based technical death metal band , Omnihility.  It’s the follow-up to their 2014 release “Deathscapes Of The Subconscious”.  The opening “Intro” is a progressive cinematic piece which lulls the listener into a false sense of calm before the carnage that follows. Driven by light speed d-beats, and riffs that defy the anatomy of the human hand this is a challenging listen. Omnihility is defined as “the absolute belief in nothingness” which seems to be a contradiction given the density of the sound on the album. With ten tracks across forty one minutes this is one that requires stamina. Fascinating musicianship and a blunt force trauma soundscape with guitar playing that makes Steve Vai sound like a tortoise.

It feels like it’s back to the 80s for the new single from Emporium,   released February 5th 2016 on Whimsical Records. It’s from the album ‘The Electric Emporium’, out the same day.

Geist have just released a new split 7″.

…and a new one from the wonderfully driven Inherit The Stars from Sheffield

Diminished Men – featuring Steve Schmitt on guitars, drummer Dave Abramson (member of Master Musicians of Bukkake) , and Simon Henneman on Bass VI – will be releasing a new album on February 26th. Titled “Vision In Crime”, the three piece’s latest recording is a feature length journey  through jazz and soundtrack territories. Their are similarities to the work of Pachora, the Tiny Bell Trio and John Zorn’s work. With guest appearances from  saxophonists Skerik (Critters Buggin, Garage-A-Trois, Wayne Horvitz) and Neil Welch (Bad Luck, King Tears Bat Trip) this is a remarkably fine album and comes with a big recommendation from this listener.

SOME TOUR NEWS

• The legendary Tad Doyle is bringing his new trio Brothers of the Sonic Cloth over on a first european tour, sadly he is only playing one UK date – Black Heart in London on 2nd April.
• Legendary Australian troubadour Dave Graney is over for the Stewart Lee curated ATP at Prestatyn in April – which has a stunning line-up – and I hope to have some news about further dates from Dave and the band, which will be Clare Moore, Stu Thomas and ex Josef K/Orange Juice man Malcolm Ross as a special guest for the tour.
• 30th January 2016 – Monkeys In Love play Jefffest 3 at the Bank Top Tavern in Oldham 4pm onwards – free entry
• 6th February 2016 – Monkeys In Love play The Sun Inn, Stockton on Tees
• 8th February 2016 – The Sideshow – CB2 Basement (Acoustic) – Cambridge, Plus support from Simon West
• 16th February 2016 – The Sideshow in session on Dave Hammonds Smelly Flowerpot Show on Cambridge 105
• 19th February 2016 – Kit B play Dulcimer, Chorlton, Manchester with Factory Acts and Boxhead & Gloves
• 28th February 2016 – The Sideshow play The Fleece – Bristol, All day event, more details to follow.
• 12th March 2016 – JD Meatyard plays Holmfirth Picturedrome with Half Man Half Biscuit
• 18th March 2016 – Taser Puppets, Monkeys In Love and Expelaires play Gullivers. Manchester
• 18th March 2016 – Moff Skellington is doing a turn at Shangri-La, Prestwich (The Carlton Club)
• 24th March 2016 – The Sideshow play Mama Liz’s Voodoo Rooms – Stamford, More details to follow.
• April 8th – The Sideshow play The Portland Arms – Cambridge, Gavin Chappell-Bates album launch, support also from Horse Party. Neil and Graeme from Bouquet of Dead Crows will be part of Gavin’s backing band on the evening.
• May 5th – The Sideshow play The Portland Arms – Cambridge, More details to follow.

Fraternal Greetings

Brothers of the Sonic Cloth
Brothers of the Sonic Cloth
Neurot Recordings
16 February 2015

Tad Doyle is back with just under 45 minutes of insanely heavy noise and it’s rather marvellous. His new trio release their eponymous album with a great degree of anticipation from waiting fans of the big man’s work. This powerful trio of musicians, with Tad on guitar/vocals, veteran bass player Peggy Doyle and drummer Dave French (The Anunnaki)  bring together the worlds of punk, hard rock and metal. Recorded at Robert Lang Studios and Tad Doyles’ own Witch Ape Studio in Seattle and mixed by Billy Anderson, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth’s self-titled full length consists of five epic songs, with two bonus tracks on the CD.

Comparisons with Tad and Hog Molly (Doyle’s previous bands) reveal a definite shift from the more up tempo grunge of the early 90s to a more cinematic metal oriented package, although the intensity of Hog  Molly does carry over. There are some surprises as well with the Morricone flecked intro to “Unnamed” , although generally the emphasis is hugely fuzzed chords/riffs delivered over slow tempos with throat shredding vocals from Doyle.

A deeply cathartic listening experience Tad demonstrates he has lost none of his legendary intensity, indeed it could be said he has upped it several notches.

Highly recommended for lovers of loud and unforgiving rock with a liberal dose of metal.

A Tad Sonic

Keeping up a long-held tradition of bringing forth some of the heaviest music from the darkest depths of the Pacific North West of the USA, Seattle’s legendary Tad Doyle – formerly of TAD, and Hog Molly – is set to deliver his strongest songwriting and playing to date with his latest band, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth. The band features Doyle on guitar/vocals, veteran bassist Peggy Doyle and drummer Dave French (The Anunnaki).

Their self-titled debut full-length comes out on February 16th, 2015 via Neurot Recordings. Recorded at Robert Lang Studios and Tad Doyle’s own Witch Ape Studio in Seattle, Washington and was mixed by Billy Anderson (Yob, Sleep, High On Fire, Melvins et al), Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth consists of, with two bonus tracks on the CD edition and fuses the collective and extensive rock histories and experience of its three members in the worlds of punk, hard rock and metal. The threesome’s sound is highly anticipated, described as “splicing serrated riffs through chilling post-punk drumming and hulking compositions that blow soulfully hot and desolately cold”.

Elaborates Doyle of the band’s creation: “After almost fifteen years without putting out a record, much time was spent woodshedding, riffing and writing new material. Brothers of the Sonic Cloth was originally a recording-only project and creative outlet for me playing all instruments on early unreleased demos but I quickly realised that I wanted the music to be played live so I would have to enlist other like-minded players. Peggy was an obvious choice with her enthusiasm and energy that made her an asset right from the start of integrating the band with other musicians. Dave French was a guy we both related to on a musical and deep spiritual level. We had played shows together with our respective bands, Peggy and I in Brothers of the Sonic Cloth and Dave who played bass in his band The Anunnaki.  Dave completed the circle when he offered to play drums and his joining was this last piece that solidified the band. We are very honored and excited to have this release on Neurot Recordings whom with their legacy goes a fierce integrity that we are proud to be a part of.”

Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth Track Listing:

1. Lava

2. Empires Of Dust

3. Unnamed

4. La Mano Poderosa

5. I Am

6. The Immutable Path

7. Outro

Preview video below:

Watch this space for more information about this forthcoming release.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brothers-of-the-Sonic-Cloth/63586406187?fref=ts
http://www.neurotrecordings.com
http://www.facebook.com/neurotrecordings

Catching up with groovy sounds

I have been otherwise distracted with German Shepherd Record label matters over the last 14 days, and I lost an evening of catching up time going to see Benefit State, Trojan Horse and The Fall at the Salford Music Festival last weekend so i’m way behind with stuff so this is by way of a nifty little catch-up to clear the in-box and get up to date:

• Guano Padana are releasing an album on Ipecac on November 3rd called Americana. Here is a preview track:

• tētēma, a new duo featuring Anthony Pateras and Mike Patton release their debut album, Geocidal, on December 8th via Ipecac Recordings.
• A psychedelic Melbourne based core of musicians who invite in vocalists from all over the world to bring their songs to fruition, Transference have released new single Lady Isis

• Los Angeles, California’s Goatsnake are back in a big way – having spent the summer at Rock Falcon studios in Franklin, Tennessee they are gearing up to release their first new full-length album since 2000’s Flower Of Disease. The new album, due for a release on Southern Lord next year, will feature the familiar faces of Greg Rogers (The Obsessed, Sonic Medusa), providing drums, Greg Anderson of Sunn O))) taking care of the riffs, Pete Stahl (Scream, Wool, Earthlings?) on vocals, and new bassist Scott Renner (Sonic Medusa, Sourvein). Joining them again on production duties is Nick Raskulinecz, who, since being introduced to Dave Grohl during the recording sessions of Flower of Disease, has gone on to work with seminal artists such as Rush, Alice in Chains, Deftones and Ghost, and has won Grammys with the Foo Fighters.
• Matinée are an East London four piece indie band who return with their stunning new single These Days. The  single  produced  by  Tony Doogan (Mogwai, Carl Barat, Glasvegas) is a melody  driven  guitar  soaring  song  about  loves  broken  secrets  and  will  be released  this autumn on Neon Tetra Records and is a blistering indie track. You can hear the single at :

• Hailing from Northampton and creating melodic and dynamic indie rock, An Army Of Lights create a lush sound using duelling harmonies and hooky guitars with tunes often ending in an epic blaze that takes the roof off. If you like The Walkmen, Bombay Bicycle Club, or Two Door Cinema Club then they are right up your street. The ‘An Army Of Lights’ boys have been busy on the live circuit this summer, and they have also been back in the studio. The result is a new single called ‘We Don’t Wanna Go’.

• Keeping up a long-held tradition of bringing forth some of the heaviest music from the darkness of the Pacific NW, Seattle’s Tad Doyle (formerly of TAD, Hog Molly), delivers his strongest songwriting and playing with his newest band Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth. This powerful trio of musicians, with Tad on guitar/vocals, veteran bass player Peggy Doyle and drummer Dave French (The Annunaki) shall release their long-awaited debut LP in early 2015 on Neurot Recordings. Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth bring together the collective and extensive rock histories and the experience of the three members in the worlds of punk, hard rock and metal.
• Grinding hardcore unit Full Of Hell will set loose an assuredly barren and hostile full-length written in collaboration with noise’s anti-hero Merzbow, released via Profound Lore Records on 24th November.
• Chirping are an indie pop rock band  from Sweden. They release their much anticipated new single Ambitions on 27th October. Taking inspiration from the likes of The Cure, The Smiths, The Drums and The Strokes, the four-piece, consisting of Carl, Johan, Björn and Viktor, have a very strong DIY attitude. They spent a long period of time building their own rehearsal room and recording studio from scratch where they self-produced and self-mixed Ambitions. At the very last hurdle they had decided to bring in a mastering professional called Thomas Eberger who has worked with a countless amount of Swedish stars including The Hives.
• In anticipation of its October 13th release via Ipecac, another track has been unleashed from Hold It In, the latest studio album from The Melvins, featuring Butthole Surfers players JD Pinkus and Paul Leary. Sesame Street Meat“ which nods to their Gluey Porch Treatments debut, encapsulates their great-humoured, gut-wrenching, riff-centric formulae, which has continued to evolve with each release.