Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Maggot Heart (Linnéa Olsson ex-The Oath) share gritty new track via Metal Injection from upcoming album

Best of 2018: Dusk To Dusk  -- Revolver Magazine

"They’ve got Joan Jett swagger and razor-sharp riffs that don’t quit, and they blend grimy rock n roll with melancholic post-punk so naturally they’ve created their own genre." -- CvltNation

"Similar to The Oath (or Ghost or Blue Oyster Cult) it has the spirit of darkness of metal, but really it's a catchy, swaggering rock song." -- Brooklyn Vegan


Berlin based hard rock band Maggot Heart share a new track from their forthcoming sophomore album Mercy Machine today via Metal Injection. Hear & share "Gutter Feeling" HERE. (Direct track link to Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music.)

Brooklyn Vegan recently shared the title track HERE. CvltNation featured "Justine" alongside an insightful interview HERE

Linnéa Olsson's Maggot Heart is back with their sophomore album, which will be released on Linnéa's brand new record label Rapid Eye Records. The Swedish guitarist and songwriter, based in Berlin since 2012, has made her band a much talked about force in the underground with their extensive touring (alongside Earthless and Voivod among others), cross-over hard rock sound, and punk ethos. 

The city as a throbbing organism is one of the fundamental themes of Maggot Heart, explored in several songs on City Girls (2017) and Dusk to Dusk (2018). On Mercy Machine (2020), the machinery of night runs on the steam of many bodies. Locked inside a prison of flesh the spirit will not soar, only in unity with the body can divine alchemy be achieved. Mercy Machine is a rock album about sex, death and the pursuit of freedom. 

This album was put together by Linnéa, long-time drumming partner Uno Bruniusson and bassist Olivia Airey (as well as on-and-off collaborator Gottfrid Åhman) at the end of 2019, and once again 
recorded in Stockholm, Sweden with award-winning producer Martin "Konie" Ehrencrona (Viagra Boys, In Solitude) in February 2020. It highlights Olsson's catchy, but strangely jarring songwriting in ten cutting tracks, swerving back and forth on the rock genre-spectrum. These songs contain a highly entertaining blend of urgency, bleakness and undeniable attitude which may or may not appeal to fans of Voivod, The Stooges and The Jesus Lizard. 

The incredible cover artwork is by Kristian Valbo, known to metal fans as the drummer for Obliteration.

Mercy Machine will be available on LP and download on July 10th, 2020 via Rapid Eye Records. Pre-orders are available HERE



Artist: Maggot Heart
Album: Mercy Machine
Record Label: Rapid Eye Records
Release Date: July 10th, 2020

01. Second Class
02. Sex Breath
03. Justine
04. Roses
05. Gutter Feeling
06. Mercy Machine
07. High Rise
08. Lost Boys
09. Senseless
10. Modern Cruelty

On the Web:







EMBR share video for "Where I've Been" from upcoming New Heavy Sounds debut, produced by Matt Washburn (Mastodon)

"A Sabbathian dirge swirling with Southern Gothic vibes and lifted above the fog by Crystal's soaring vocals. For fans of Black Sabbath, Windhand and Royal Thunder." -- Revolver Magazine

"Characterizes EMBR somewhere between doom and ambient sludge or post-metal, but it’s less about conforming to style than it is about offering its own take through largesse and range alike, the changes in structure and arrangement adding to the focus on craft that is so prevalent throughout." -- The Obelisk

"Melodic, epic, cosmic doom." -- CvltNation


Birmingham, AL quartet EMBR share a video for a new track from their forthcoming debut album 1823 today via The Obelisk. The album is the band's first release signed to UK label New Heavy Sounds (Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Vodun, Blacklab.) Watch and share "Where I've Been" HERE. (Direct YouTube and Bandcamp.)

Revolver Magazine previously launched the video for "Your Burden" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) CvltNation shared the single "Eyes Like Knives" HERE

Four musical kindred spirits have delivered a crushing, yet beautiful debut album in 1823. At this point, it is worth stating that the title 1823 has special significance. It’s not just a numerical title, it has substance. Eric Bigelow (drummer) has been on the list for a kidney for around 4 years. 

Eric received a kidney transplant in May of 2019. This happened right in the middle of writing the album. The kidney was from a deceased donor and all Eric and Crystal Bigelow (singer and Eric’s wife) know about the donor is that it was a young woman between the ages of 18-23. The album is dedicated to the donor and the surgeons at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville TN. And what a fine tribute it is.

Musically, 1823 could be categorized as ‘Doom’. However, on this debut it’s obvious that EMBR have range, drive and a desire to add to the genre, to broaden it whilst staying true to its core fundamentals. 

Rest assured, the band have all the nuts and bolts in place. Mark Buchanan (guitar), Alan Light (bass) and Eric Bigelow (drums) keep everything tight and weighty. Massive drop-tuned guitars, chest rattling low end, pounding drums, fuzzy distortion, it’s all there. But they also add in synths, a bit of grunge and alt rock flavors. 

The vocal talents of Crystal absolutely soar and strengthen the music. Her range, patterns and harmonies transport the band’s music skyward. Crystal adds soul and an air of melancholia to the musical creations. If a pointer were needed, think Mastodon meets Witch Mountain with epic sweeps and a shade of gothic drama.

Tracks like ‘Prurient’ and ‘Where I’ve Been’ combine thick heavy riffs with Crystal weaving through, powerful and epic, yet soulful and intimate. Musically, the bands core vibe is keep it slow and low’ but EMBR aren’t afraid to mix it up a bit. ‘Stranger’ takes it down, allowing Crystal’s voice to float over the softer elements and riffs in an almost folk-like manner. ‘Powder’ channels throat ripping growls and soaring clean vocals in one loping relentless journey. ‘Eyes Like Knives’ , ‘Your Burden’ and ‘Vines’ are epic doom fests, drenched in gothic veils and dripping with thick distortion.

The lyrics are deep and are usually written collectively by Crystal and Eric with one of them sometimes taking the reins on certain songs that they identify with. For instance, "Powder" is a song Eric wrote about past struggles and trying to power through them with relentless determination and positivity. "Prurient" was written by Crystal and initially was based on the 2016 movie The Boy but also was inspired by her past experiences with a haunting figure in her life.  

The songs on 1823 are loud, brutally beautiful, aggressive, abrasive and at times atmospheric, uplifting and emotional. Welcome to the next chapter of EMBR.

1823 will be available on LP, CD and digital on July 17th, 2020 via New Heavy Sounds. Pre-orders are available HERE




Artist: EMBR
Album: 1823
Record Label: New Heavy Sounds
Release Date: July 17th, 2020

01. Prurient
02. Where I’ve Been
03. Stranger
04. Powder
05. Eyes Like Knives
06. Your Burden
07. Vines


On The Web:

Monday, June 29, 2020

LEWIS (ex-The Kinison vocalist) shares "Bathe Clean" indie rock anthem from upcoming album produced by Paul Fig via PopMatters


"Spotlights Lewis' particular blend of humor, incisive observation and ability to create an unlikely but undeniable hook. Think of a sweeter Guided By Voices or songs where power-punk clichés are muted for the sake of the song." -- PopMatters


L.A. multi-instrumentalist Christopher Lee Lewis, with the nom-de-tune LEWIS, shares a new track from his forthcoming solo debut full length Son On The Floor today via PopMatters. Hear & share "Bathe Clean" HERE and via Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music

Lead single "Tobi" premiered recently via The Spill Magazine HERE

Christopher L. Lewis (moniker LEWIS) is an American songwriter, musician and producer. He grew up in Oblong, Illinois (pop. 1,391) and began his solo career in 2019, having previously been the frontman for the punk outfit, The Kinison. Starting on drums from the age of four, Christopher has been involved in a number of groups since ranging from the mellow pop-rock group, Pioneers, to signer-songwriter acoustic duo Canada.

Throughout Christopher's career, he has recorded several studio full-lengths, three EPs and one live album. His 2019 EP LEWIS, released through his own Sona Baby Records, is the first release to showcase his musical talent across all instruments. Christopher's Mom said: "It's his best drumming since 1987!" 

LEWIS recorded the forthcoming full-length album at fabled studio Dave's Room in Los Angeles with Grammy nominated engineer/producer Paul Fig, for release in 2020. A prolific artist, he's been known to write up to thirty songs in a weekend.

Having played at Coachella, multiple Warped Tours, and Wembley Arena, Christopher is no outsider to being on the stage. You are sure to see him live soon at a venue near you, as soon as that becomes a thing again. 

Son On The Floor will be available on LP and download on August 21st, 2020 via Sona Baby Records. Pre-orders are available HERE



Artist: LEWIS
Album: Son On The Floor
Record Label: Sona Baby Records
Release Date: August 21st, 2020

01. Tobi
02. She’s Mine
03. Bathe Clean
04. What We Give
05. Pargana
06. Settle Down
07. I’m Nervous, Too
08. Son On the Floor
09. Fasten It Up
10. My Modesty
11. Intentions









On the Web:








Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Unreleased 1970 album by Indiana rockers ICE to be released 50 years later, hear new single "Gypsy"

"Goes back and forth between riffy ’70s hard rock and the more mind-bending psych-pop sounds of the ’60s. It’s not hard to picture this being recorded in 1970 - like a lot of that year’s rock records, you can feel the hangover of ’60s hippie culture coming on but the sounds of the summer of love aren’t completely gone yet." -- Brooklyn Vegan


RidingEasy Records proudly presents the first ever release of the lone album recorded in 1970 by Indiana psych-rock band ICE, which was never issued in any form until now. Album opener "Gypsy" is available to hear and share via The Obelisk HERE. (Direct YouTube & Bandcamp.)

Brooklyn Vegan previously premiered lead single "Run To Me" HERE

As RidingEasy Records' highly successful Brown Acid series (now at 10 volumes and counting) proves, there is a massive amount of incredible heavy psych and proto-metal music that has been lost to the sands of time. Case in point, the astoundingly great 50-year-old album The Ice Age by Indianapolis quintet ICE was never even released upon its completion. 

In 1970, the band recorded 10 original songs at 8-Track Studios in Chicago, only to break up shortly thereafter. Two of the tracks were eventually released as a 45 in 1972, but confusingly under a different band name, Zukus! The A-side of that single was featured on Brown Acid: The Ninth Trip, which led RidingEasy Records to discover when licensing the track that an entire album had been languishing in obscurity all of this time. The 2-inch master tapes had been shelved and forgotten until recently when The Ice Age tracks were converted to digital and remixed, preserving the sounds of the original vocals & instruments. Finally, half a century later, this 10-song album of radio-ready rock will finally see light of day. 

The Ice Age is an exceptional archive of hard edged rock with serious pop hooks akin to something like Grand Funk Railroad meets The Guess Who and The Move. It rocks hard, but is also interlaced with glorious melodic hooks. Had fate been less fickle, this album would've long been a classic rock radio staple. 

Album opener "Gypsy" is a chiming Byrds-like rocker, with glistening 12-string guitar, organ and somewhat over-zealous vibra-slap. "Satisfy" and "3 O'Clock In The Morning" nicely pair up as the most pop friendly tunes, but with very clever melodies and structures sounding ahead of their time, the latter with an extended entrancing and droning refrain led by shimmering organ run through a Leslie speaker. "Running High" and "Catch You" were the two tracks released in '72 under a different band name, which received considerable local radio airplay. And, for good reason: Their nice balance of wayward psychedelic pop and troglodyte thunder is exactly what makes The Ice Age so captivating. Album closer "Song of The East" shares the growling glissando and orchestral style that made Vanilla Fudge and The Moody Blues household names. 

In the late 1960's five young men formed a rock & roll band on the west side of Indianapolis, Indiana. They chose the coolest name possible: ICE. The group consisted of vocalist/keyboardist Barry Crawford, lead vocalist/ bassist Jim Lee, drummer Mike Saligoe, lead guitarist John Schaffer and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Richard Strange. They was among the first bands to perform an all original set throughout the Midwest at high schools, colleges & concert venues. They opened for national acts like Three Dog Night, SRC, Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and others in arenas and theaters. 

The Ice Age is truly an incredible and unprecedented find, particularly when we'd all thought the glorious history of rock'n'roll had long ago been written and sealed as complete. 

The Ice Age will be available on LP, CD and download on July 10th, 2020 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available HERE






Artist: ICE

Album: The Ice Age

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release Date: July 10th, 2020

01. Gypsy
02. Satisfy
03. 3 O'Clock In The Morning
04. Copper Penny
05. Catch You
06. Running High
07. I Can See Her Flying
08. Run To Me
09. He Rides Among Clouds
10. Song of The East












On The Web:










Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Brown Acid:10th Trip shares weedian track "The Roach" from series of rare 60s-70s pre-metal singles

"So rare that diehard fuzz junkies say you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a physical 45 rpm single by one of the bands featured on their latest installment." -- Dangerous Minds

"Will do for hard rock, proto-metal and heavy psych what Nuggets did for garage rock, and bring it to a wider audience of collectors and music fans." -- The Guardian

"Mining the surprising rich reserves of heavy rock and proto-metal from the '60s and '70s, these collections have been crucial to understanding the history of a subgenre of rock that had far deeper roots than most fans realize." -- Paste Magazine


The forthcoming tenth edition -- #10! -- of the popular compilation series featuring long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles, Brown Acid: The Tenth Trip will be available June 26th, 2020 after being delayed from its original 4/20 release date. As the celebrated series reaches landmark double-digits, there are no indications it will slow down in the near future. Today, PopMatters shares the wild third single, "The Roach" by The Brood HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Metal Injection recently premiered "Mr. Sun" by First State Bank HERE. Previously, the first single, "Tensions" by Detroit rockers Sounds Synonymous was released via YouTube and Bandcamp.

The Brown Acid series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records. Read interviews with the series curators via Paste Magazine HERE and LA Weekly HERE. 

About  The Tenth Trip:

Here we are, arriving at the tenth edition of Brown Acid in just half as many years! As always, we packed in the highest highs of the dankest hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal tracks previously lost to the sands of time. Like we've done throughout this series, all of these tracks were painstakingly licensed legitimately and the artists were paid. It's hard to believe we're already up to 10 volumes of this lysergic Neanderthal wail, but the long-lost jams just keep-a-coming like Texas crude to fuel your rock 'n' roll engine and melt your metal mind. 

This Trip kicks off with the Hammer of the Gods howl of "Plastic Thunder" by Bitter Creek. The Atlanta, GA quintet's lone single from 1970 on Mark IV Records is rated #6 of the Top 50 Heaviest Songs Before Black Sabbath by GuitarWorld Magazine. You can hear why in the ominous riff and larynx-ravaging chorus that merges the deepest of Deep Purple sludge with The Who's rollicking psychedelia. 

Not much is known about The Brood's 1969 bluesy paean to dirtbag weed consumption "The Roach" on the It's A Lemon imprint, except that it's a big, growling rocker with a crazed in-the-round blowout of wailing guitar solos, screeching organ blasts, wildly overlapping vocals and drum rolls for days. 

Nova Scotia, Canada sextet Brothers and One's double-entendre laden single "Hard On Me" certainly pushes the boundaries of what would be acceptable at the time (especially amongst their ever-polite Canadian brethren.) Their lone full length was released in 1970 on short-lived Audat label, the group featuring two sets of brothers (hence the name) recorded the album while all members were between age 13-18-years-old. This glam-influenced single was privately released on the band's own label nearly 4 years later. 

Louisville, KY quartet Conception's excellent revision of Blue Cheer's "Babylon" (1969, Perfection Records) adds heavy phaser effect on the guitar and a more driving rhythm to make the song entirely their own. Lead guitar and high harmony vocals by Charlie Day (not to be confused with the Sunny Philadelphian actor) are assertive and commanding as he implores listeners onward to hallucinagenic nirvana. 

Not exactly a typically psychedelic band name for the era, but First State Bank's "Mr. Sun" (1970, Music Mill) pays hearty dividends of boogie bustle. The Central Texas band led by guitarist/vocalist Randy Nunnally released only 3 singles in its career from 1970-1976. For those keeping score at home, their song "Before You Leave" was featured on The Third Trip back in 2016. "Mr. Sun" is the heavy B-Side to "Coming Home To You."

Clearly inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Tucson quartet Frozen Sun topped the local charts in 1969 with this barnstorming rocker "Electric Soul" (Capt. Zoomer Records.) The song is replete with guitarist/vocalist (with big Hendrix hair) Ron Ryan's spoken interlude, "Well have you been electrically stoned? You know, living in the danger zone?" We say yes. 

Ralph Williams and the Wright Brothers took flight with "Never Again" on Hour Glass Records in 1972, and apparently never landed after this 45 with "Dark Street" on the A-side. The serpentine riff and sexually-charged backing vocal grunts drive this archetypical tale of a young man's chemical odyssey... or, should we say, trip?  

Sounds Synonymous pretty much epitomized heavy fuzz from Michigan with their 1969 single "Tensions" on the Wall Productions label. The Hendrix "Fire" meets Arthur Brown's "Fire" track lunges and lurches with glee throughout its 3-minutes and change of unbridled crunch. Tabernash's "Head Collect" (1972) is the suburban Denver quartet's only release following the name change from The Contents Are and a move from Davenport, IA. This more stately psych-rock chune features Byrds-like harmonies, twangy reverse-looped guitar soloing and Keith Moon-esque drumming that should've made it a chart-topper, but we all know there's no justice in rock'n'roll. 

The Tenth Trip closes, appropriately, with the "War Pigs" reminiscent fuzz of New Orleans quartet The Rubber Memory's 1970 tune "All Together." The band self-released only 110 copies of their lone album, making it an incredibly sought-after rarity for decades. Alongside a limited edition reissue in 2000, the group reformed for a one-off show before quickly bouncing back into our collective cosmic consciousness. 

About the Brown Acid series:

Some of the best thrills of the Internet music revolution is the ability to find extremely rare music with great ease. But even with such vast archives to draw from, quite a lot of great songs have gone undiscovered for nearly half a century -- particularly in genres that lacked hifalutin arty pretense. Previously, only the most extremely dedicated and passionate record collectors had the stamina and prowess to hunt down long forgotten wonders in dusty record bins -- often hoarding them in private collections, or selling at ridiculous collector's prices. Legendary compilations like NuggetsPebbles, ad nauseum, have exhausted the mines of early garage rock and proto-punk, keeping alive a large cross-section of underground ephemera. However, few have delved into and expertly archived the wealth of proto-metal, pre-stoner rock tracks collected on 
Brown Acid

Lance Barresi, co-owner of L.A./Chicago retailer Permanent Records has shown incredible persistence in tracking down a stellar collection of rare singles from the 60s and 70s for the growing compilation series. Partnered with Daniel Hall of RidingEasy Records, the two have assembled a selection of songs that's hard to believe have remained unheard for so long. 

"I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records," Barresi says. "Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we're using for
Brown Acid is best for everyone involved," rather than simply bootlegging the tracks. When all of the bands and labels haven't existed for 30-40 years or more, tracking down the creators gives all of these tunes a real second chance at success. 

"There's a long list of songs that we'd love to include," Barresi says. "But we just can't track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us."


Brown Acid: The Tenth Trip will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on April 20, 2020 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available for digital (with immediate download of the first single) at Bandcamp, physical pre-orders at RidingEasy Records



Artist: Various Artists
Album: Brown Acid: The Tenth Trip 
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: April 20, 2020

01. Sounds Synonymous "Tensions"
02. Ralph Williams and the Wright Brothers "Never Again"
03. Conception "Babylon" 
04. Bitter Creek "Plastic Thunder"
05. The Rubber Memory "All Together" 
06. First State Bank "Mr. Sun" 
07. Brothers and One "Hard On Me"
08. Frozen Sun "Electric Soul"
09. The Brood "The Roach"
10. Tabernash "Head Collect" 

On The Web:




Thursday, June 11, 2020

VILE CREATURE share video for epic title track to upcoming album Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! via Brooklyn Vegan


"The two-part, 14-minute song really is a triumph. It starts out as something dark and ethereal with haunting, pristine, gothy clean vocals, and it eventually builds to a cathartic climax of Vile Creature's usual blackened sludge." -- Brooklyn Vegan

Doom metal experimentalists VILE CREATURE premiere the official video for the title track to their upcoming new album, Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! today via Brooklyn Vegan. The video for this two-part opus is culled from the VHS version of the album. Watch/share "Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) 

The five track album will be their first full length studio album under the Prosthetic Records banner. Pre-order/pre-save SmartURL HERE

Decibel Magazine recently premiered "When The Path Is Unclear" alongside an excerpt from an interview due to be published in full in the print edition HEREMetal Injection shared the video for "You Who Has Never Slept" HEREKerrang! previously launched the single audio HERE

VILE CREATURE is:
Vic (they/them) -  vocals, drums
KW(he/they) -  vocals, guitar, drums, percussion

About the new single, KW says:
"This song is the most cathartic, personally satisfying song I have ever written from start to finish, it honestly feels like the song we were meant to put out there. The first half was co-written with Laurel Minnes, a phenomenal vocalist and musician who we worked with on our EP A Pessimistic Doomsayer. Laurel, along with her band Minuscule, which comprises a full choir, made our grandiose idea a reality. Tanya Byrne of Bismuth also contributed the perfect companion instrumentation to the first half in her piano and organ, really pushing the whole song with forward momentum towards its latter half. We could not be more proud of this title track."

VILE CREATURE has been constantly evolving during their six years as a band; from each release to the next, the Hamilton, Ontario duo have been pushing the boundaries of their own creativity, and testing the limits of their own place in the world. Nowhere is this more evident than on their latest experimental doom metal album, Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! VILE CREATURE are digging their heels in, ready to fight against the all too easy slide into nihilism -- as embodied in the sardonic album title. 

Opener, "Harbinger of Nothing" (which first emerged on an Adult Swim compilation in 2019 and was re-recorded for the album) provides a jumping off point for a record that traverses myriad raw, real life experiences and marks a distinct new chapter for the band. The album features contributions from vocalist Laurel Minnes and her choir, Minuscule, and additional instrumentation from Bismuth’s Tanya Byrne. VILE CREATURE remains embedded in the oppressive sounds of doom and metal, only now they are covered with a luxurious veil of majestic embellishments.

Recording took place in February, 2020 at Boxcar Sound Recording in Hamilton, Ontario, with Adam Tucker once again in the producer’s chair. With Vic’s evocative and primal vocals often taking centre stage, their marked growth in confidence as a performer is evident. By collaborating with photographer, Danika Zandboer, the trio have fashioned a striking visual accompaniment -- manifesting the psychedelic and theatrical influences that become present in both audio and visual form. 

Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! will be available on LP, CD and digital on June 19th, 2020 via Prosthetic Records. Pre-orders are available HERE



Artist: Vile Creature
Album: Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!
Record Label: Prosthetic Records
Release Date: June 19th, 2020

01. Harbinger of Nothing
02. When The Path Is Unclear
03. You Who Has Never Slept
04. Glory! Glory!
05. Apathy Took Helm!

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MONOLORD singer/guitarist Thomas V. Jäger shares new track from upcoming solo album 'A Solitary Plan'

"The hazy atmosphere and production echo Monolord’s aesthetics, with Jäger applying the underlying sonic principles of the band to his solo material. Consider the track “A Solitary Plan” to be Jäger’s “Planet Caravan” - even the heaviest and doomiest need to keep it chill sometime." -- Consequence of Sound


Monolord singer/guitarist Thomas V. Jäger shares a new track from his forthcoming solo debut today via Revolver Magazine. Hear and share the emotionally powerful album closer "The Bitter End" HERE. (Direct YouTube and Bandcamp.) 

Consequence of Sound previously launched the title track "A Solitary Plan" HERE

Thomas V. Jäger is best known as the vocalist/guitarist in Monolord, the hottest, most crushing melodic doom band in the world. So, releasing an intimate, deeply and boldly personal album of acoustic and synth based songs hot on the heels of No Comfort, the band's most successful and powerful album to date, might seem like a risky move. And yet, that's not even the most daring and inspiring thing about A Solitary Plan

Rather, this 7-song album is a cathartic depiction of very real and heart-wrenching situations as a means of musical therapy for the artist and, hopefully, for the listener as well. "This album is me venting all of this emotional energy I've been carrying around," Jäger says. "Now I'm feeling more open about it, but at the start I had a hard time talking with friends and family. The record is what came out instead of talking about it." 

The central lyrical theme to the album is a coming to terms with the likelihood of not becoming a parent after wanting to have a family for a long time. "When I put down vocal tracks on the last song 'The Bitter End', you can hear my voice is trembling at parts. Every time I listen I get goosebumps, which rarely happens with songs I write."

Other songs also deal with personal challenges, like health scares, existential searching, and death in the family. "Goodbye" is written for Monolord bassist Mika and his wife Emma. "When they had to put down their dog Eskil it affected me greatly. This song is him talking to them and telling them it is gonna be alright." Heavy stuff, indeed -- but in a different way from Monolord's pummeling riffs. 

Jäger doesn't intend for the album to be a "woe is me" exercise, but rather something constructive. "I know that music helps people," he says. "This is without any irony, it's therapeutic. I know fans can interpret and use the songs for their own purposes. That feels meaningful to me." 

The album began organically, as Jäger often writes and records at home, sketching out song ideas on acoustic guitar into a computer with no set goal for anyone else to hear them. RidingEasy Records chief and Monolord manager Daniel Hall cajoled the guitarist into sending him some of the home recordings he'd been working on, and he immediately pushed for them to be released in this stripped-down form. 

"I could've rearranged them to get a Monolord vibe, but I wanted the basis of just voice, guitar and synths," Jäger says. "Really laid back and mellow." He completed the album between tours, with mixing and mastering by Kalle Lilja at Welfare Sounds. Emil Rolof plays a real Mellotron on the title track, all other instruments and voices are Jäger himself. 

A Solitary Plan will be available on LP, CD and download on July 24th, 2020 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available at www.ridingeasyrecs.com.




Artist: Thomas V. Jäger
Album: A Solitary Plan
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: July 24th, 2020

01. A Solitary Plan
02. Creatures Of The Deep
03. It’s Alright
04. From The Ashes
05. The Drone (Oh Why)
06. Goodbye
07. The Bitter End


On The Web: