Friday, December 14, 2018

Riley Hawk fronted trio Warish premiere first track from forthcoming RidingEasy Records debut


"Sludgy garage punk with truly evil vocals that are coated in just the right amount of distortion and echo. Come for the rowdy punk, stay for the slowed-down Sabbathy bridge." -- Brooklyn Vegan


Southern California trio Warish premiere the first track from their forthcoming debut EP on
RidingEasy Records today via Brooklyn Vegan. Hear and share "Fight" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Imagine if Incesticide era Nirvana were crossed with Static Age era Misfits. You'd have sinister low budget horror rock with a visceral, twisted weirdness and bludgeoning riffs. Some might call it nightmarish, we call it Warish

Warish is a very newly minted SoCal trio formed in early 2018 that has wasted no time making its presence known. The band formed when guitarist/vocalist Riley Hawk and drummer Bruce McDonnell decided they wanted to try their hand at something more distinct than they'd done previously.

"We wanted to do simpler riffs and a fun live show," Riley explains. "A little more punk, a little bit of grunge... a little evil-ish."

Their sound takes cues from a variety of cool underground sounds and twists it all into an energetic and exciting fist to the face of dark fury. Hawk's effect-laden vocals hearken to early Butthole Surfers and David Yow's tortured caterwaul in Scratch Acid. The guitars are heavy and powerful, though decidedly not straightforward cookie cutter punk; more like Cobain's and Buzz Osbourne's wiry contortions. The rhythms bash and pummel right through it all with aggressive force ensuring that nothing gets overly complicated and the horrors keep coming throughout the 5-track, 11-minute debut.

Warish will be available on 7" vinyl and download on February 1st, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available HERE



Artist: Warish
Album: Warish
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: February 1st, 2019

01. Bones
02. Voices
03. Fight
04. Human
05. Shivers


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Wednesday, December 12, 2018

NOUS launch winter tour dates (members of SWANS, Ghost Against Ghost, tUnE-yArDs, MDC, Anthony Braxton)

Watch tour promo video HERE

"A half-airy, half-aggressive interdisciplinary happening organized by the young and enterprising composer Christopher Bono, who brought together a wise, postcategory, electric and acoustic 12-person crew."  -- New York Times

"You couldn't pigeonhole it into one genre if you tried -- it goes from eerie David Lynchian soundscapes to Eastern melodies to avant-garde jazz drum freakouts to a million other places, all while remaining strangely accessible." -- Brooklyn Vegan


New York experimental music project NOUS, led by producer and composer Christopher Bono, launch December tour dates today with a special ensemble lineup in Albany, NY. Please see all dates below. Tickets and info at allnous.com.

Lineup for these shows is:
Christopher Bono (Ghost Against Ghost, Bardo), Christopher Pravdica (SWANS), Mike Pride (Millions of Dead Cops, Anthony Braxton), and Matt Nelson (tUnE-yArDs). 

Brooklyn Vegan recently streamed their debut album NOUS I: A Musical Rite HERE. (Direct Bandcamp and Soundcloud.)

Nous is an experimental music project with a fluctuating group of artists exploring ritual and spontaneity within music. Woodstock, NY label Our Silent Canvas recently released the first of 3 albums culled from sessions the group recorded in an intensive 7-day immersion at legendary Dreamland Studios with producer Kevin McMahon (Swans, Titus Andronicus, Real Estate).

Each recording, and performance will center around a different focal concept, always seeking alternative ways of creating art. The name Nous was chosen for its double meaning. 'Nous' in the French language is the plural personal pronoun in the first person, meaning 'we' or 'us'. However, within the philosophical tradition it is a word, sometimes equated to intellect or intelligence, used to describe the faculty of the human mind which is described in classical philosophy as necessary for understanding what is true or real, similar in meaning to intuition.

In the eastern tradition, the sanskrit equivalent is Buddhi, which denotes an aspect of mind that is higher than the rational mind and that is attracted to Brahman (i.e., to "Truth" (sat) or "Reality"(dharma)). Discriminative in nature, Buddhi/Nous is that which is able to discern truth (satya) from
falsehood and thereby able to make wisdom possible. Inspired by this definition, the Nous project looks to build communal musical relationships that collectively work to find new ways of creating art
that bypasses the small, fearful, egotistical mind and encourages the connection of those involved to reach a higher level of consciousness, providing a creative field/space where intuitive, unexpected and unexplained results can occur.

Nous band members on the album recording:
~ Christopher Bono (Composer, Ghost Against Ghost)  www.christopherbono.com
~ Greg Fox (Guardian Alien, Zs, Ben Frost, ex-Liturgy) 
~ Shahzad Ismaily (Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, Bonnie Prince Billy)
~ Thor Harris (Swans, Angels of Light, Amanda Palmer, Shearwater)
~ Grey Mcmurray (itsnotyouitsme, So Percussion, Tyondai Braxton) 

Special guests:
~ Clarice Jensen (Cello, ACME: American Contemporary Music Ensemble, yMusic, Ra Ra Riot
~ Caleb Burhans (Composer, itsnotyouitsme, ACME) 
~ Laura Lutzke (Violin, ACME)
~ Alex Sopp (Flutes, ACME, yMusic)
~ Imago (Cello, Vocals, Múm)
~ Laraaji & Arji (Zither, Ambient Sounds)
~ Akil Davis and Loud Sol Productions

NOUS I: A Musical Rite is available on LP and download as of November 16th, 2018 via Our Silent Canvas. Orders are available HERE

NOUS LIVE 2018:
12/12 Albany, NY @ The Linda
12/13 New Haven, CT @ The Lyric Hall
12/14 Brooklyn, NY @ Secret Robot Project
12/15 Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA


Artist: NOUS
Album: NOUS I: A Musical Rite
Record Label: Our Silent Canvas
Release Date: November 16, 2018

01. Ya Ma Toh: Tahd
02. Kabay
03. This Winter Can Not Last
04. Dancing Marvels Intro
05. Dancing Marvels 
06. Not All Seeds Fail
07. Shumisah
08. Original Energy
09. The Un-Led
10. Beneath
11. Transitory Reality

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Tuesday, December 11, 2018

MONOLORD announce North American headlining tour Spring 2019



"Universally beloved... Swedish doom royalty." -- Noisey

"A truly modern sound: recognizably doom, but with glistening production values and adventurous songcraft." -- Consequence of Sound 

"Hugely accessible without having sacrificed their crushing heaviness." -- Metal Hammer

"Monolord's records have only gotten heavier, and now the band has taken a turn for the catchy (yet still crushing)." -- Metal Injection

"Rust is perfect; it’s as fuzzed out as any of the genre’s great records, but the mix is clean and even, allowing the drums and vocals to cut through. Most importantly, there are songs aplenty: you’ll be humming the riffs and vocal hooks immediately." -- Metal Sucks



Gothenburg, Sweden trio Monolord announce U.S. headlining tour dates in Spring 2019, including their performance at the inaugural Psycho Smokeout festival in Los Angeles on April 20th, 2019 and at Desert Fest NYC. Please see all dates below. 

Monolord's recently released third album, Rust received universal praise in reviews, and landed atop multiple Album of The Year lists for 2017 -- including the #1 Album of 2017 on the Doom Charts collective of journalists, bloggers, radio and podcasters. Rust is available to hear & share on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Monolord is a rare breed: A band both encompassing and transcending genre; a vortex of heavy rock density that consumes all others. Their thunderous, tuneful heft has built a rabid international fanbase in short order since their 2014 debut. But Rust, the band's third full length, truly exemplifies why some refer to them as the Nirvana of doom.

Monolord's enveloping, syrupy sludge is a vibe, it's a state of mind. Not riffs for riffs sake, but a collective buzzing, rattling and rumbling that's more total environment than collection of songs. Together, guitarist/vocalist Thomas Jäger, drummer Esben Willems and bassist Mika Häkki create a massive, dynamic sound with ultra-low frequencies serving as its fourth member. 

Rust is available on LP, CD and download, released September 29th, 2017 via RidingEasy Records

MONOLORD U.S. TOUR 2018:
Apr 19 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
Apr 20 Los Angeles, CA @ Psycho Smokeout 420
Apr 21 Phoenix, AZ @ Club Red
Apr 22 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar
Apr 24 Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Apr 25 Austin, TX @ Barracuda
Apr 26 Houston, TX @ Secret Group
Apr 28 New York, NY @ Desert Fest NYC (w/ Windhand)
Apr 29 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Apr 30 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar or Blueberry Hill
May 01 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
May 02 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
May 03 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
May 04 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
May 05 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
May 06 Vancouver, BC @ Astoria
May 07 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
May 09 Sacramento, CA @ Blue Lamp
May 10 Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone
May 11 Orange County, CA @ Marty’s


Artist: Monolord
Album: Rust
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: September 29th, 2017

01. Where Death Meets The Sea
02. Dear Lucifer
03. Rust
04. Wormland
05.Forgotten Lands
06. At Niceae














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Psych-punks Darwin's Finches stream album early, reminiscent of Camper Van Beethoven, The Frogs, Pixies, etc.

"A kind of collision between Hawkwind at its most hyped, the Butthole Surfers at their most acidic with little doses of Krautrock thrown in for good measure." -- PopMatters

"With a burgeoning atmosphere as fraught as a coming storm and taut as stretched wire, 'Hosea!' relentlessly chugs along with sizzling, but heavy guitar grind, pushing drum beats, and burnished cymbals hits." -- Big Takeover
"A peculiar blend of garage rock, psychedelia, and the disorienting influence of fellow Texan pioneers such as the Butthole Surfers and Jandek.... Wiry, twitchy, abrasive rock." -- Treble


Houston trio Darwin's Finches are streaming their forthcoming album in full early starting today via New Noise. Hear and share Good Morning Creatures II HERE. (Direct Soundcloud.)

Big Takeover Magazine recently shared "Hosea!" HEREPopMatters premiered "HWY 787" HERE. (Direct Bandcamp HERE.) Treble hosted "BEK" HERE. It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine shared "Yaupon Tea" HERE

With a name making reference to obscure minutia of Charles Darwin's research regarding the adaptive evolution of birds' beaks, one might expect a certain esoteric character to a band. And Darwin's Finches is certainly an anomaly of its own. But that doesn't mean that they're not a brilliantly catchy band. In fact, Good Morning Creatures II, the trio's third album is a tart and twangy, hook-filled 10-song batch of great rock songs that sound as if they'd evolved completely out of contact with the rest of the rock world.

The Galveston, TX based band of pranksters, formed around a biology class, who got their start crashing biker bars and playing shows that provoked fisticuffs, Darwin's Finches aren't a normal band. 

The album's music hearkens to late-80s weirdo indie-rock tinged with psychedelic Western vibes like Camper Van Beethoven, Butthole Surfers, Alice Donut, and the Pixies combined with the demented melodies of The Frogs. Guitarist/vocalist and bandleader Justin Clay sports a master crooner's wail; sounding something akin to a young Paul Westerberg

Darwin's Finches was formed in 2006 by Justin as part band, part prank. Joined originally by friends in his Biology class, Clay and a rotating cast of players have played everything from pop-up shows at biker bars (to mixed reviews), art museums, random national parks, shows at clubs that ended with fruit fights and a culminating three-hour show at the legendary Balinese Room that ended with a guitar sacrificed to the Gulf of Mexico.

Justin took a break from music in 2012 for two years to enjoy his family and the birth of his son, Odin.  When he returned to music in 2014, he joined long-time friend and fellow Texas folk psych master Jandek for shows in the UK. Upon his return home, Justin reformed Darwin's Finches with long-time music partners, Cody Honey on drums and Morgan Moody on bass.  

Good Morning Creatures II will be available on LP and download on December 14th, 2018 via Artificial Head Record & Tapes (AHRT).  

DARWIN'S FINCHES LIVE:
12/14 Houston, TX @ Donkey Paw Screen Printing (Album Release Party) w/ VERY special guest
12/21 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's (Cowpunk X-mas Party & Farewell to Fitzgerald's)

Artist: Darwin's Finches
Album: Good Morning Creatures II
Record Label: Artificial Head Records & Tapes
Release date; December 14, 2018

01. Good Morning Creatures (Big Stinky)
02. Yaupon Tea
03. Hosea!
04. Hwy 787
05. Tapir
06. BEK
07. Cowdog
08. Family Circus (ae)
09. Jonnobonnacca
10. Quixotic









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Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Greek rockers BUS premiere first track from forthcoming RidingEasy Records debut via Metal Injection

"A fantastic combination of crazy fun rock that also happens to be stupid catchy." -- Metal Injection


Athens, Greece quartet  Bus The Unknown Secretary (aka BUS) premiere the first track from their forthcoming album on RidingEasy Records today via Metal Injection. Hear and share the stomping anthem "You Better Come In, You Better Calm Down" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

From the opening notes of Never Decide, you'll know it's going to be a wild funhouse ride. It doesn't sound like just four people, it sounds like a mob of wild-eyed lunatics on the expressway to your skull. And, you're not gonna know what the band's name means, don't worry about it. 

Heavy bands typically don't know how to make music fun. We're not talking about goofy, novelty rock, which BUS certainly is not. We're talking clever, spirited and anthemic rock that doesn't get bogged down in trying to sound menacing. Never Decide is a multifaceted album in the vein of classic hitters like The Hellacopters, Alice Cooper Band, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Orange Goblin

"The story of the album expresses the psyche of a person in a dead end and his life is introduced into obsessive rhythms, more personal and random," explains vocalist/guitarist Bill Politis. "There is no happy end here, but the questions remain: Door A or Door B? Time to change or time to die, Never Decide!"

The album opens as if we're in the studio with the band listening to playback for the first time. There's a chirping test tone and someone starts counting in, "one, two, three..." before it suddenly grinds to a halt. Then suddenly the swirling guitar riff of the pummeling anthem "You Better Come In, You Better Calm Down" launches everything into the stratosphere. The guitars march in lockstep as swinging drums keep it all rolling at furious pace as the vocal chant of the song's title grows into a massive group chant in harmony. Think Uriah Heep's "Easy Livin'" meets Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Night" -- here's another big, blazing anthem for the ages. "I Buried Paul" is the sort of fun, theatrical album track no one makes anymore, not since the days of the Alice Cooper Band. "Lucifer" takes things several shades darker, turning in a dramatic ballad launched by haunting piano chords and led by sinister, sneering vocals sounding something like Ozzy meets Johnny Rotten slowly building to its epic conclusion in double time with rinigng harmony guitar leads. "Evil Eyes" and "Moonchild" return the proceedings to the anthemic, pop-laced vibe, replete with major-minor chord shifts and vocal/guitar harmonies galore. 

Never Decide was recorded in just 5 days in February 2018 with multitalented engineer and band's beloved friend John Vulgaris at Electric Highway Studios in Athens, Greece. The entire band -- drummer Aris Fasoulis, bassist Spiros Papadatos, and guitarists Fotis Kolokithas and Politis --recorded the instrumental tracks live in 3 days, reserving the last 2 for vocals. Over the 2 months that followed Vulgaris and the band fine-tuned the mix into the subtle and clever masterwork you have before you. 

BUS formed in Athens in 2011, releasing two EPs and a full length The Impious Tapes, followed by The Cross EP (2014), and The Unknown Secretary LP in 2016. During that time the band has toured extensively throughout Greece and in neighboring nations. The release of Never Decide will see them expanding that touring radius considerably. 


Never Decide will be available on LP, CD and download on March 1st, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available HERE



Artist: BUS
Album: Never Decide
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: March 1st, 2019

01. You Better Come In, You Better Calm Down
02. The Hunt
03. I Buried Paul
04. Lucifer
05. First Life Suicide
06. Moonchild
07. Into the Night
08. Evil Eyes
09. Dying
10. This King










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