Zorch multi-instrumentalist Shmu shares first track from new EP, announces tour dates

"Compared to the manic sensibilities of Zorch, Shmu brings a more chilled-out vibe with elements of pop and shoegaze, opting for some serious grooves rather than spacey synths." -- ALARM Press Sam Chown, drummer/singer/multi-instrumentalist in Austin's hyper-kinetic duo Zorch, A.K.A. Shmu shares the first track from the forthcoming Chroma Key EP today. The song, "She's Leaving" showcases the band's glitchy dream pop/shoegaze meets blue-eyed soul sound, listen/share HERE.  Shmu -- a solo recording endeavor expanded to a three piece band in a live setting -- takes to the road throughout the Southwestern U.S. next month. Please see dates below. Watch the band in action performing "I've Got Nothing To Show" VIDEO HERE .  The 5-song Chroma Key EP is the followup to Shmu's full length debut Discipline/Communication released in 2012. Like that album's melodic exploration into dream pop, shoegaze, glitch, psych and experimental rock, Chroma Key further expands the pop hooks with hazy layers of guitar and soulful vocals. Chown wrote, performed, arranged and produced all of the tracks which will be released January 14th as a download-only, the first in a series of EPs leading up to a double LP release in late 2014. It will also be available locally for Austin Free Week on download cards, beginning January 1st.   SHMU LIVE: 01/03  Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn (Austin Free Week EP sampler release party) 01/08  Austin, TX @ Empire 01/11  Austin, TX @ Spiderhouse Ballroom (w/ Feuding Fathers, Boyfrndz) 01/15  Denton, TX @ Mac Island  01/16  Ft Worth, TX @ Grotto's 01/17  Dallas, TX @ Club Dada 01/18  Oklahoma City, OK @ Blue Note 01/19  Shreveport, LA @ Fatty's 01/20  Texarkana, AR @ Silver Dollar 01/21  Hattiesburg, MS @ Thirsty Hippo * 01/22  Baton Rouge, LA @ Mud + Water * # 01/23  New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa # 01/24  Lafayette, LA @ Artmosphere * # 01/25  Houston, TX @ House of Creeps * 01/26  San Antonio, TX @ VHS 1138 * w/ Caddywhompus # w/ Imaginelam

Artist: Shmu
Album: Chroma Key
Label: Grand Theft Zamboni Records
Release Date: January 14th, 2014

01. She's Leaving (MP3)
02. Mollasacre
03. Hornet's Nest
04. Made of Stone

05. Do You See What I See?

Artist: Shmu

Album: Discipline/Communication

Label: Grand Theft Zamboni Records

Release Date: June 5, 2012

01. Impressions

02. House of Stares (MP3) (VIDEO)

03. Backwoods

04. Directions

05. Crazy #107

06. Shadowgames

07. Happiness

08. Peaceful Swan

09. Vanitos

10. &hearts (MP3) (VIDEO)

11. Heads Will Fall

12. Floatin' Oculus

13. Turpentine

14. Fester

15. Dangerous Passion

16. Pool Party (Place 4 Us) (VIDEO)

On the Web:

www.shmusix.com

shmu.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/shmusix

Pink Frost premiere new video via Noisey.com

Click image to watch video

"An increasingly commanding quartet that embraces the power of guitar drone, tribal drum and the deep, shoegaze-era swoon." -- Chicago Tribune 

"Off-kilter, yearning rock music that strives for a populism that's considered a bit declassé by most of their peers and, as such, badly missed." -- Pitchfork

Chicago quartet Pink Frost premiere a new video from their recent album Sundowning today via Noisey.com. The clip for the song "Ruins" is available to watch/share here. (Direct YouTube link HERE.)

SPIN recently shared the album in full, which is available to stream HERE. Pitchfork debuted the first track from the album, "Ruins" available for streaming/download HERE.

Pink Frost is the new moniker of the critically-praised band formerly known as APTEKA. The album, Sundowning was recorded at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio and is released in partnership between BLVD Records and Notes and Bolts Records & Tapes as of September 3rd.

Their debut LP (as APTEKA) Gargoyle Days, made Best of 2011 lists at outlets from Time Out Chicago to the Dumbing of America and this past February saw the release of their first 7" single with the band's new name. Awash in captivating reverb, swirling melodies and soaring, anthemic refrains, Pink Frost has already generated considerable praise from local press namedropping everything from Ride to Smashing Pumpkins to Dinosaur Jr. to The Men and beyond.

PINK FROST LIVE:

01/19  Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall (w/ Yuck, Diarrhea Planet)

Artist: Pink Frost Album: Sundowning  Label: BLVD Records / Notes + Bolts Records + Tapes Release Date: Sept 3rd, 2013 01) Western Child 02) Ruins (MP3) (STREAM) (VIDEO) 03) Orange Sky Suicide 04) The Difference (VIDEO) 05) Dead Cities 06) Who I Belong To 07) Maybe It's You 08) Occupy Within 09) Blue Light On The Web: thepinkfrost.com facebook.com/thepinkfrost twitter.com/thepinkfrost

Russian Circles announce U.S. headlining tour dates

"Their strongest offering yet, an evolutionary leap for the entirety of post-metal.10/10" -- Crave Online

"Unquestioningly one of 2013's true artistic masterpieces. 10/10" -- PopMatters

"More polished and fluid, bigger and yet somehow more intimate." -- Pitchfork

"Vital and nourishing food for the imagination." -- The Guardian (UK)

Chicago trio Russian Circles announce extensive U.S. headlining tour dates today beginning in February 2014 in support of their recently released fifth album Memorial. Ken Mode support on all shows with Inter Arma on the first portion and recent Sargent House signing Helms Alee on the latter leg of tour. Please see complete dates below. 

Stream/share Memorial in full HERE. Memorial is available on LP, CD and download via Sargent House, released on October 29th, 2013. 

RUSSIAN CIRCLES TOUR 2014

02/04  Iowa City, IA @ Gabe's Oasis #

02/05  St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird #

02/07  Austin, TX @ Red 7 #

02/08  Dallas, TX @ Club Dada #

02/09  Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Upstairs #

02/10  New Orleans, LA @ The Parish @ House of Blues #

02/11  Tallahassee, FL @ Rehab #

02/12  Orlando, FL @ Will's Pub #

02/13  Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum #

02/14  Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay Theatre #

02/15  Atlanta, GA @ The Earl #

02/17  Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle #

02/18  Washington DC @ The Rock and Roll Hotel #

02/19  Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts #

02/20  New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom #

02/21  Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs #

02/22  Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus #

02/23  Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar #

02/24  Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop #

02/25  Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig #

02/27  Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club #

02/28  Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room #

03/01  Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre #

03/02  Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge #

03/03  Boise, ID @ Neurolux #

03/04  Seattle, WA @ Neumo's *

03/05  Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *

03/07  San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *

03/09  San Diego, CA @ The Casbah *

03/10  Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre *

03/12  Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom *

03/13  Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad *

03/14  Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory *

03/15  Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar *

03/16  Chicago, IL @ Metro *

# w/ Ken Mode, Inter Arma

* w/ Helms Alee, Ken Mode

Artist: Russian Circles

Album: Memorial (STREAM)

Label: Sargent House

Release date: October 29th, 2013

Track list:

01. Memoriam

02. Deficit (STREAM)

03. 1777 (STREAM)

04. Cheyenne

05. Burial

06. Ethel

07. Lebaron

08. Memorial (STREAM)

On the Web:

www.russiancirclesband.com 

facebook.com/russiancirclesmusic 

twitter.com/russiancircband 

Hi-res photos, album art, bio and more:

sargenthouse.com/russiancircles_assets.html

UK riff merchants Cut Yourself In Half premiere new video via Brooklyn Vegan

Britain's young new heavy riff merchants Cut Yourself In Half premiere the first video from their debut album today via Brooklyn Vegan. The clip for the track "Say Goodbye To The World" from the band's recently released Mekkanizm album is available to watch / share HERE. (Direct YouTube link HERE.) The equally formidable track "The End" premiered recently via Invisible Oranges and is available to stream/share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud link.) Hailing from Bradford in the north of England, they’ve been honing their chops for the last year, since releasing their download-only debut for New Heavy Sounds, Say Goodbye ToThe World. Said single managed to get some heavy U.K. airplay and glowing reviews from the cognoscenti. Since then, the band have ventured from the dark satanic mills for the odd live sortie and recording session, now they’ve fully emerged from the studio with one hell of an album. Cut Yourself In Half’s sound is a hellish amalgam of the hook laden grooves of QOTSA and Red Fang, mashed with a mighty thump of Mastodon-esque heaviness and hard rock, all put through a psychedelic mangle. The music is huge, with thunderous riffs followed by thunderous rhythm changes and grooves that take in hardcore, doom and acid-rock, all executed with top class playing. This band effortlessly combine the rich heritage of British rock and the American mutations of that sound, to create something that’s totally their own, uniquely British, remarkably refreshing and indisputably heavy. With sonic necromancer and producer Dave Sanderson (the engineer behind Black Moth’s killer Killing Jar debut) at the helm, the 10 tracks that make up Mekkanizm are a pounding, take no prisoners, heavy stoner metal machine music ride through hell and back, and as thrillingly intense a listen as Pulled Apart By Horses' Tough Love. Opening with the fat psychotic riffing of "Little Misadventure" through the classic rock re-invention of "The Song Remains Unnamed" to the unholy trinity of "The End" a revamped "Say Goodbye To The World" and "Comatosed", you know this is a monster. By the time you’ve got through the madness of "Viracocha" and its tale of Aztec demons, the twisted Hammer Horror of "Spider Legs" and the psych tinged cyclical madness of album closer "LGRD" you’ll be damn near exhausted. The album is an exhilarating witches brew of mayhem and melody, CYIH together with Mr Sanderson, have nailed a sound that’s tightly controlled yet simultaneously hovering on the edge of chaos. Also, as with all NHS albums, the vinyl release will be a special thing indeed: 180g heavyweight white and red splatter vinyl, housed in a gatefold jacket, with detailed, doomy and downright sinister sleeve art by hot new illustrator Adrian Baxter. Complete with a lyric sheet and full download of the whole album. There will be only 300 of these, alongside the CD and download versions of course.  Cut Yourself In Half are George Quinn guitar and vocals, Mikey Feather guitar, Jonny Newell on drums and Stefan Wilton on bass. Mekkanizm will be available in North America on CD, download and limited edition vinyl on October 29th via New Heavy Sounds.  Artist: Cut Yourself In Half Album:  Mekkanizm Label: New Heavy Sounds Release Date: October 29th, 2013 01. Little Misadventure 02. The Song Remains Unnamed 03. The End (STREAM) 04. Say Goodbye To The World (VIDEO) 05. Comatosed 06. Viracocha 07. You Carry The Curse 08. Do It Or Die 09. Spider Legs 10. LGRD On The Web: http://www.cutyourselfinhalf.co.uk facebook.com/CutYourselfInHalf www.newheavysounds.com