Category Archives: Events

Events, News, Releases

Nuclear sludge duo Tuskar to release Arianrhod EP on Riff Rock Records

Relatively new to the fold having formed less than a year ago by vocalist/drummer Tyler Hodges and guitarist Tom Dimmock, this October will see the official release of Arianrhod, the debut EP from Milton Keynes’ nastiest “nuclear sludge” duo Tuskar.

Signed to Riff Rock Records – the UK’s leading purveyors of sludge, doom and stoner rock – Tuskar’s arrival completes a hard rock triptych of artists currently residing on the London-based label; together with afro-psych trio Vodun and the quite frankly, fuck-knows-whatery of fuzz-masters Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters.

For Hodges and Dimmock the chemistry they share is unmistakable, both live and in the studio. Having grown up listening to the likes of Conan, Sleep, Behemoth and Darkthrone, at only twenty years of age both bring an energy and savagery that could potentially mark Sludge Metal’s future as forever theirs.

“We’re really excited to be a part of Riff Rock,” explains Hodges. “We can’t wait for this chapter of our journey to start, and we can unleash the riff upon the masses.”

Recorded at The Cro’s Nest studio by Slabdragger’s Sam Thredder, Arianrhod, the band’s first EP ushered in that first consignment of riffs when initially released by the band last year. A furious and relentless foray into the heady and broken heart of darkness, tracks like ‘Fateweaver’ and ‘Where Strides the Colossus’ burn like brutal wildfire under cracked skies. And with a second EP in the pipeline (with Thredder once again at the dials) and a debut long player mooted for early 2018, Tuskar’s devastating prolifacy is matched only by their sheer ferocity.

Arianrhod by Tuskar is released on 20th October 2017 via Riff Rock Records but you can stream and share it in full via the band’s Bandcamp page below:

Tour Dates:

22nd October 2017 – New Cross Inn, London (UK)
 at Stoner/Doom/Sludge All-Dayer
4th November 2017 – The Devonshire Arms, London (UK) w. Mastiff
10th November 2017 – The Red Lion, Stevenage (UK) w. Morag Tong
20th November 2017 – The Cellar, Oxford (UK) w. Armed for the Apocalypse
1st December 2017 – The Swamp, Reading
 (UK) w. Morass of Molasses
3rd December 2017 – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes (UK) w. Red Fang
3rd February 2018 – Underworld, London (UK) w. Slomatics, Slabdragger, Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters)
13th April 2018 – Rebellion, Manchester (UK) w. Mastiff
7th July 2018 – The Underground, Bradford (UK) at Dragonfest

Events, News, Releases

THE MOTH: Hamburg’s heaviest return with new album Hysteria and UK tour

Signed to This Charming Man Records just one year after their formation in 2012, Hamburg-based doom/sludge trio The Moth are one of Germany’s leading underground lights.

Upon the release of their acclaimed debut album They Fall in 2013 the band was praised for harbouring a sound that cooked slow burning doom, thrash, rock and death metal via a metallurgy of riffs and bold ideas.

Geared toward full-metal apocalypse, that same sound was soon resurrected in 2015 on The Moth’s follow-up album And Then Rise, which drew justifiable comparisons to the likes of High on Fire, Mastodon, Crowbar and Kylesa. Picking up on the twin vocal play of bassist Cécile Ash and guitarist Freden Mohrdiek’s well-tempered Jekyll & Hyde-like aesthetic, the album was raw, ready and alive with ambition… and best of all, void of uncalled-for frills.

Off the back of tours and shows with Torche, Red Fang, Conan, Space Chaser and OHHMS, not to mention countless stages rocked at DesertFest, Svart Festival, Doom Over Vienna and Stoned from The Underground, The Moth return this November with their most anticipated album yet. Relocating to the same, small rehearsal room used to record their debut – deep in the belly of Hamburg’s infamous red-light district in St. Pauli – the band set about pre-recording their album Hysteria with close friend and producer José Lorenzo in September 2016. After laying down all ten tracks in one day and returning later in the year to rerecord and add vocals, they soon discovered that Lorenzo’s initial recordings best captured the band’s brutal and bewitching live sound.

With the addition of new member Christian ‘Curry’ Korr, brought in to share rhythm duties alongside long-sitting drummer Tiffy and the partnership of Cécile and Freden as full-on and fired-up as ever, Hysteria is the audacious product of a band at their deadliest.

“The title track represents the style of the whole album,” explains Cécile Ash. “That we only recorded each track maybe two or three times live and took the best version, you can really hear our character in it. We didn’t cut anything out. Imperfection is what we like.”

Released on 10th November 2017, Hysteria by The Moth will be available on This Charming Man Records. Stream and share the title track for Hysteria below:

Events, News, Releases, Videos

FACES OF THE BOG: Chicagoland’s psychedelic sludge masters to officially release debut album Ego Death on DHU Records

Initially conceived in a dingy rehearsal space in Humboldt Park during the fall of 2011, Faces of the Bog have fast become one of the underground’s most celebrated secrets following the self-release of their debut album Ego Death late last year.

For the Chicagoland quartet, their own unique interpretation of sludge has never run neatly alongside preconceived notions of how this kind of music should be played. Choosing to ignore convention and instead, power brutal riffs headfirst into psychedelically heightened grooves, relying on atmosphere and mood to create melodic textures they are a band constantly pushing the envelope. “Ego Death is a revelation. I’ve been longing for a band to step up and challenge the existing music scene and the way Faces of the Bog do it is so exciting.” (OUTLAWS OF THE SUN)

Produced and engineered by the band and Sanford Parker (Voivod, Yob, Wreckmeister Harmonies, Bloodiest) at Electrical Audio and Decade Music Studios, Ego Death hit pretty damn hard for an “independently put-out” album. Released digitally and on CD in October 2016, Metal Injection was quick to praise its, “existential ride of psychedelic waves and auras [and] collection of bangin’ sludge jams,” all of which journeyed the same sonic highways shared by the likes of Pink Floyd, Tool and Neurosis. Going one further, they described it as a record packed with, “a fascinating range of psychedelic sludge and hints of doom and acid tones.”

“It’s truly amazing these days when an underground band from a US city like Chicago can release an album completely on their own,” explains guitarist/vocalist Trey Wedgeworth. “We’ve been amazed and humbled by the feedback we’ve received all over the world. Fans from places like Germany, Norway, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, and Russia have all reached out to us to give their kind words to what we’re doing.”

It was while playing a handful of shows last year with pacific north-westerners Mother Crone that the band were introduced (in a roundabout way) to the good work of Nederland-based record label, DHU Records.

“Mother Crone ran into some transportation issues while out on tour and we were fortunate enough to be able to help some good dudes in need,” says Wedgeworth. “They more than repaid the favour by putting us in touch with Robert Black at DHU Records. DHU is a DIY label that releases limited edition vinyl packages for some of the heaviest bands in underground music today, so we quickly forged a great relationship and are completely ecstatic that he’s now rereleasing Ego Death on vinyl.”

Ego Death will get an official vinyl release on 22nd September through DHU Records but can be streamed and purchased digitally through Face of the Bog’s Bandcamp page here.

Watch and share The Making of Ego Death video here and preorder here.

Live:

5th Aug – Cold Shot – Appleton, Wisconsin (w. Atalla and Black Road)
11th Aug – Reggies – Chicago, Illinois (w. Castle)
4th Oct – Liars Club – Chicago, Illinois  (w. Disenchanter and Swamp Ritual)
2nd Sept – Beard Metal Fest – Custer Park, Illinois (w. Pale Horseman, Starless and DeepSpacePilots)

Events, News, Releases

The Necromancers to release debut album | Share new video for ‘Black Marble House’

Ripple Music is thrilled to welcome psychedelic occult rockers The Necromancers to its ever-growing roster of new and exciting young bands.

Hailing from Poitiers in western France, the quartet will release their debut album Servants of the Salem Girl on 18th August through the Californian label, which has already proven itself to be a respected mainstay for fans of rock, stoner, doom and psych in 2017 with releases from Mothership, Wo Fat, Steak, Vokonis and many others.

Drawing on antiquated inspirations in mythology, religion, fantastical tales from European literature and an obsession for classic horror cinema, The Necromancers are a curious alliance of musicians, and together are a strange beast to behold. Experimenting with progressive rock, heavy psych and the 70s pagan/proto-metal of bands like Black Sabbath and Coven, they take these influences, throw in the urgency of NWOBHM and douse the entire lot in lysergic illusions. All with a mind to create a debut album for the ages.

Having performed at many of Europe’s largest metal and rock festivals the band also toured Europe recently with London-based stoner rockers Elephant Tree and are set to embark on a short tour later this year with Monkey 3.

“The band is still young,” explains vocalist and guitar player Tom Cornière. “We never would have thought of signing with a label like Ripple. We could hardly have hoped for better. It’s an honour and a surprise. Now, we are looking forward to the next tour and to be able to share our album wherever we can.”

Servants of the Salem Girl by The Necormancers is released though Ripple Music on 18th August 2017 in limited edition, multi-coloured vinyl and worldwide in a black vinyl edition, as well as on CD and digital.

Tour Dates:
20th Sept – Le Ferailleur – Nantes (FR)*
21st Sept – Backstage – Paris (FR)*
30th Sept – Vortex – Siegen (D)*
2nd Oct – Muz – Nürnberg (D)*
4th Oct 4 – Scheune –  Dresden (D)*
6th-7th Oct – Up In Smoke Festival –  Pratteln (CH)
17th Oct – L’Usine – Geneva (CH)
22nd Oct – Keep It Low Festival – Munich (D)

*With Monkey 3