Search:the i n i band

Shake Down, the debut album from the much-respected London-based Savoy Brown Blues Band was originally released on Decca Records in September 1967 - It was produced by the influential team of Mike Vernon and Gus Dudgeon - This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1967 Decca UK stereo release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl Led by Kim Simmonds, Savoy Brown were one of the UK's most successful and exportable outfits. Shake Down is viewed as one of the strongest and most respectful captures of the US blues they worshipped, bringing songs by Albert King, Willie Dixon and John Lee Hooker to eager UK purists. Recorded in West Hampstead rather than Chicago, the 11 covers showcased the remarkably tight playing of the band, which had formed in Battersea two years earlier. Savoy Brown on this recording comprised Trinidad born Brice Portius on vocals (his only album with the group), Simmonds and Martin Stone trading blues licks on their guitars, underpinned by the rhythm section of Ray Chappell on bass and Leo Mannings on drums. US critic Dave Marsh was to say that Shake Down was "as sympathetic a rendering of the blues as any English group has managed to lay down."

Shake Down by Savoy Brown Blues Band, released 26 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Black Night", "Rock Me Baby", "Oh! Pretty Woman", "The Doormouse" and more.

This version of Shake Down comes as a 1xLP.

The upcoming album, How to Build an Ocean: Instructions is a project doused in personal conflict, but simultaneously a love letter to the normal and how beauty can be found in just being. Charged with references to literature, philosophy and film, as well as first hand experiences, the band explore thoughts of what it means to find purpose when everything feels purposeless, all whilst ultimately instructing themselves to find “small joys in the face of cosmic indifference”. Produced by George Perks (Enter Shikari, The Doves, You Me At Six), How to Build an Ocean: Instructions marks an exciting new development for Bears in Trees, being the first album they’ve recorded with the help of consultants outside of the band themselves, having previously relied on drummer George’s expertise, who outside of the band, works as an engineer at Subfrantic Studios. Tenderness, triumph, and a totally unashamed feeling of enjoying the ride whilst they're on it, How to Build an Ocean: Instructions is their definitive statement. Though no matter how far this record takes them, the most important thing is that they are together and doing what they love. Because when all is said and done, that's the connection that will last a lifetime. "We started the band because we loved hanging out with our friends and wanted to make stupid music together"; Iain concludes. "That's always been the reason, and it hasn't changed. All we want to do is make what we do as honest and authentic as possible. That's what it means to be in the Bears in Trees business."

The upcoming album, How to Build an Ocean: Instructions is a project doused in personal conflict, but simultaneously a love letter to the normal and how beauty can be found in just being. Charged with references to literature, philosophy and film, as well as first hand experiences, the band explore thoughts of what it means to find purpose when everything feels purposeless, all whilst ultimately instructing themselves to find “small joys in the face of cosmic indifference”. Produced by George Perks (Enter Shikari, The Doves, You Me At Six), How to Build an Ocean: Instructions marks an exciting new development for Bears in Trees, being the first album they’ve recorded with the help of consultants outside of the band themselves, having previously relied on drummer George’s expertise, who outside of the band, works as an engineer at Subfrantic Studios. Tenderness, triumph, and a totally unashamed feeling of enjoying the ride whilst they're on it, How to Build an Ocean: Instructions is their definitive statement. Though no matter how far this record takes them, the most important thing is that they are together and doing what they love. Because when all is said and done, that's the connection that will last a lifetime. "We started the band because we loved hanging out with our friends and wanted to make stupid music together"; Iain concludes. "That's always been the reason, and it hasn't changed. All we want to do is make what we do as honest and authentic as possible. That's what it means to be in the Bears in Trees business."

Arð stammen aus Northumbrien. Die Erfinder des Monastic Doom Metal errichten mit ihrem sehnsüchtig erwarteten zweiten Album "Untouched by Fire" einen weiteren beeindruckenden Meilenstein auf dem Weg ihres rasanten Aufstiegs. Sowohl musikalisch als auch textlich erklimmt Bandkopf Mark Deeks neue Höhen. Arð setzen ihre Mission fort, die Kultur, das Erbe und die Identität der alten nordenglischen Region Northumbria zu erforschen. Das Debütalbum "Take Up My Bones" folgte den Legenden und dem Jahrhundert der Wanderung der Reliquien des Heiligen Cuthbert von Lindisfarne (634-687). Die Geschichte des neuen Albums, wirft ein Schlaglicht auf eine ganz andere Art von Heiligen. Arð erzählen vom Kriegerkönig Oswald (604-642), der Northumbria mit Feuer und Schwert schmiedete, indem er die Reiche von Bernicia und Deira vereinigte. Seine Zeitgenossen bis ins Frankenreich hinein, sahen Oswald als den mächtigsten angelsächsischen König auf der Insel an. Arð zeichnen mit "Untouched by Fire" seinen Aufstieg zur Macht nach. Die Reise beginnt mit seiner Jugend im Exil. Seine Mutter war aufgrund einer Familienfehde nach Norden in das irische Machtzentrum Dal Riada an der schottischen Westküste geflohen. Oswalds Weg führt weiter über siegreiche Schlachten, in denen Oswald jene Territorien zurückgewann, die bereits sein Vater Æthelfrith beansprucht hatte. Am Ende steht die Gründung des Königreichs Northumbrien. Musikalisch bleiben Arð ihrem ursprünglichen Doom-Kurs treu. Die charakteristischen, Stil prägenden "Mönchschöre" sind weiterhin stark präsent, wie man es von einem Musiker erwarten kann, der neben seiner Tätigkeit als Bestseller-Autor, Klavierlehrer und Keyboarder bei der führenden britischen Black-Metal-Band WINTERFYLLETH auch als Chor-Arrangeur und -Dirigent arbeitet. Doch Deeks bereichert seinen Doom Metal auch durch neue Elemente, wie zum Beispiel über das gesamte Album verstreute, wohlplatzierte Prog-Momente. Die Kompositionen auf "Untouched by Fire" spiegeln die auch auf der Bühne gewachsene Erfahrung und das gewonnene Selbstvertrauen des Bandkopfs in Form eines konzentrierten Songwriting und einer größeren Dynamik wider. Diese Entwicklung wird durch die kraftvolle und organische Produktion von Markus Stock (EMPYRIUM, THE VISION BLEAK) deutlich gemacht - da Arð das Album in der Klangschmiede Studio E aufgenommen haben. Als Deeks Arð im Jahr 2019 gründete, wagte der Komponist nicht einmal in seinen kühnsten Träumen darauf zu hoffen, was alles in den kommenden Jahren passieren würde. Seine Demos brachten ihm bald einen Plattenvertrag ein und die erste Auflage des Debütalbums "Take Up My Bones" (2022) war schon ausverkauft, bevor das Album in die Läden kam. Es folgten mehrere Auflagen und auch alle limitierten Editionen waren schnell vergriffen. Die ersten Auftritte der Band, z.B. beim Prophecy Fest in Balve, verbreiteten den Ruf von Arð als hervorragender Live-Act durch Mundpropaganda wie ein Lauffeuer. Die Band wurde nicht nur in der weltweiten Metal- und Musikpresse gefeiert, sondern landete sogar im deutschen Staatsfernsehen, wurde von der renommierten britischen Zeitung The Guardian interviewt und in der BBC sowie anderen britischen Medien mit ihrem speziellen "Organic Doom" Konzert erwähnt - für die Deeks Stücke von "Take Up My Bones" neu arrangiert hatte, um sie mit Band und einer echten Orgel in Huddersfield zu spielen. Dieses Konzert findet sich in voller Länge als CD und DVD in der limitierten Artbook Edition. Mit dem zweiten Album "Untouched by Fire" legen sich Arð die eigene Messlatte gleich um mehrere Stufen höher auf. Perfekt arrangierte Monastic Doom Songs mit hoher Dynamik und unverfälschtem Songwriting finden in einer opulenten Produktion ihre Entsprechung. Es ist Zeit, die Augen zu schließen und sich von Arð aus Northumbrien in eine Zeit entführen zu lassen, in der germanische Kriegerkönige mit Schwert und Feuer und einem neuen Gott als Sieghelfer an ihrer Seite neue Reiche erschufen. Ein blutiges Fest für die Raben, ein Goldschatz für die Ohren!

CONTEXT During the height of the pandemic, Melbourne, Australia experienced the longest lockdown in the world, keeping residents inside their homes for a total of 262 days. In the midst of this were the five members who would form AWOL, driven to create and write music almost out of necessity. Once the ban was lifted, the band hit the recording studio and released their debut EP, AWOL, in 2021 through Last Ride Records. The timing was perfect as the Australia hardcore scene was experiencing serious growth, and AWOL soon found themselves playing shows with Speed, Iron Mind, No Apologies, and on a country wide run supporting No Pressure in early 2022. The band’s persistent drive and heavy playing style caught the attention of Flatspot Records, who will release AWOL’s debut full length, Tear 'Em To Bits this Spring. It’s not hard to listen to Tear 'Em To Bits and feel like you’re going to get ripped apart. The nine tracks are monstrous, filled with gruff vocals, groove-driven riffs, and meaty breakdowns. AWOL draws from bands like Madball and Biohazard, but also fit right along modern day acts like King Nine and God’s Hate. The lyrics are punishing, covering everything from deception and failed relationships to addressing drug addiction and police brutality. And while the record packs a lot of aggression, AWOL is purely here to revel in hardcore and the community it’s built for them. On making Tear 'Em To Bits the band simply states: “The only goal was to make a good hardcore record that we were proud of and that our friends could get behind.” AWOL is Christian Schultz (vocals), Mike Williams (guitar/vocals), Otis T Bennie (guitar/vocals) Pat Shanahan (drums) and Pablo Barnes (bass) Produced and recorded by Mike Deslandis, with additional recording by Otis T Bennie, at Black Lodge Studios. Mixed by Jon Markson at The Animal Farm. Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. MARKETING AND SELLING POINTS: * AWOL is one of the biggest hardcore bands in Australia at the moment * Can appeal to not only the Hardcore crowd but also Punk, Metal, and Rock demographics as well * Has toured w/ No Pressure, Regulate, The Story So Far, Speed * Will tour AUS, US, UK, EUROPE in 2024 * A perfect hardcore release that will stand the test of time! * Has played festivals such as L * Mixed by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain, Regulate, Koyo) * Music Videos for AWOL (single) + Tear Em’ To Bits (Single) * Alexa Gallo of Wordless PR will be working press * The Syndicate will be working Radio Campaign * Matt Hughes Good As Gold will be working UK press + radio * Released by Last Ride Records in AUS * First EP on Flatspot Records * Pressed on Colored Vinyl

Born of Austin's underground musical melting pot; Glassing's 2017 debut album `Light and Death' erupted out of the famously genre-resistant scene. 35 minutes of harrowing blast beats, searing angular feedback and frontman/bassist Dustin Coffman's sandpaper screams that set out to redefine the idea of heavy music to better reflect increasingly heavy times. Two subsequent full-length releases, 2019's `Spotted Horse' and 2021's `Twin Dream', plus especially the band's last release, the eponymous two-track EP, `Dire and Sulk' paved way for the new longplayer. More discordant, more distorted and somehow even angrier than before `From the Other Side of the Mirror', Glassing prove that uncertain times call for decisive measures. Recorded across two years of intense fits and starts, affectionately nicknamed `Hell Weeks' by the band, `From the Other Side of the Mirror' is a metaphysical foray into the fractured, warped impressions of ourselves that exist only in the minds of others. Working again with producer Andrew Hernandez, who the band liken to a fourth member at this point, Glassing pushed themselves harder, faster and more punishing than ever before. As their first full-length release with Osment and their first release on Pelagic Records, `From the Other Side of the Mirror' became an opportunity for a new beginning, free of any pre-existing limitations or thresholds. As Coffman tells us, "This allowed us to forgo a lot of the convention and structure we've relied on in the past, the substitution was for raw expression. Kindred to the emotions that birthed it, this record is spirited, painful and unmethodical." There's an indescribable, beautiful rawness to this album that comes from Glassing throwing everything on the table in plain sight, rather than polishing ideas for the benefit of others until they're unrecognisable, perfect and fake. FFO Portrayal of Guilt, Neurosis, Converge, Botch, Pelican, Unsane, This Will Destroy You, Chat Pile, Old Man Gloom, Départe

Born of Austin's underground musical melting pot; Glassing's 2017 debut album `Light and Death' erupted out of the famously genre-resistant scene. 35 minutes of harrowing blast beats, searing angular feedback and frontman/bassist Dustin Coffman's sandpaper screams that set out to redefine the idea of heavy music to better reflect increasingly heavy times. Two subsequent full-length releases, 2019's `Spotted Horse' and 2021's `Twin Dream', plus especially the band's last release, the eponymous two-track EP, `Dire and Sulk' paved way for the new longplayer. More discordant, more distorted and somehow even angrier than before `From the Other Side of the Mirror', Glassing prove that uncertain times call for decisive measures. Recorded across two years of intense fits and starts, affectionately nicknamed `Hell Weeks' by the band, `From the Other Side of the Mirror' is a metaphysical foray into the fractured, warped impressions of ourselves that exist only in the minds of others. Working again with producer Andrew Hernandez, who the band liken to a fourth member at this point, Glassing pushed themselves harder, faster and more punishing than ever before. As their first full-length release with Osment and their first release on Pelagic Records, `From the Other Side of the Mirror' became an opportunity for a new beginning, free of any pre-existing limitations or thresholds. As Coffman tells us, "This allowed us to forgo a lot of the convention and structure we've relied on in the past, the substitution was for raw expression. Kindred to the emotions that birthed it, this record is spirited, painful and unmethodical." There's an indescribable, beautiful rawness to this album that comes from Glassing throwing everything on the table in plain sight, rather than polishing ideas for the benefit of others until they're unrecognisable, perfect and fake. FFO Portrayal of Guilt, Neurosis, Converge, Botch, Pelican, Unsane, This Will Destroy You, Chat Pile, Old Man Gloom, Départe

In 1993 American guitarist / producer Charles Normal was traveling in Europe with Guns n' Roses. When they arrived in Norway, Charles arranged a meeting with the Oslo based underground band Sister Rain. There was an immediate kinship between the two bands, and the next day members of both bands went into a recording studio and wrote a song together. The result was the genesis of The Merchants of Venus, a band formed by Normal, Guns' keyboardist Dizzy Reed, and Sister Rain members Aslak Nygren and Rune Annaniassen. Normal stayed in Oslo while Guns n' Roses continued on their tour, and eventually negotiated a contract with Warner Music for a full album release. Recording commenced in Hollywood, California in late '93, but was brought to a sudden halt when the Northridge Earthquake destroyed their studio and master tapes on January 17, 1994. Warner flew the band back to the safer environs of Oslo where the entire album was rebuilt from the ground up. The result became Wish Across the Land. Now 30 years later, the album is remastered and released on vinyl for the first time, and features unreleased bonus material.

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios with legendary songwriter and producer Nile Rodgers, alongside the band's original producer Ian Broudie. The multi-platinum selling band released three studio albums between 2004 and 2008, scoring 9 UK Top 40 singles including two Top 10s with ‘Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love?’ and the all- conquering ‘Valerie’, the latter a triple-platinum hit for Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse. Today they return to share the fruits of their extended time away. The Big Decider comes into view as an album of stark significance to the band, completed by Dave McCabe (guitar, lead vocals), Abi Harding (saxophone, vocals) and Sean Payne (drums, vocals). Written against the backdrop of a decade and a half’s worth of lived experience, it is born under the weight of family tragedies, lives lost and created, reality checks, and home truths faced up to and stared down. Wrestled into shape under the kind of steam that only decades-long friendships - with all their messy fall-outs, make-ups, breakdowns and ultimately love - can muster, The Big Decider became the sound of water passing under the bridge, and love for music, love for each other, and love for creating together becoming the most important thing of all.

CLEARxCUT is out there to spread the message of total liberation. (Former) Members of HEAVEN SHALL BURN, IMPLORE, and KING APATHY/THRÄNENKIND started this collective, because they are dedicated to the vegan straight edge (XVX) and want to confront listeners with inconvenient thruths and todays harsh reality. The German band addresses their songs and convictions to all people who are prepared to stand up for a better, fairer future - but especially to all anarchists, anti-fascists, feminists, primitivists and indigenous peoples of the world. Or to put it brief: to all defenders of our earth. The stylistic choice of means falls on metallic hardcore, which is rooted in a strong DIY ethic. Having released their first two albums "For The Wild At Heart Kept In Cages" (2019) and "Songs of Desire Armed" (2022) for Catalyst X Records (Gather, Nueva Ethica, Abnegation, Birthright, Maroon, Point Of No Return, Forward To Eden), "Age Of Grief" now marks CLEARxCUTs debut for LIFEFORCE RECORDS. Started in the mid-1990ies as label with mainly vegan and straight edge bands, the German Label has an impressive history with XVX bands such as ARKANGEL, DAY OF SUFFERING, RANCOR, UNCONQUERED, UNBORN, FAULT, or DEADLOCK. Being a collective that is outspoken in its message and keeps the vegan straight edge banner high, CLEARxCUT continue this tradition. Also besides having switched their label, "Age Of Grief" marks a fresh start for CLEARxCUT. After a big shift in their ranks, before the global pandemic hit, the band moved from two (female) vocalists to one (male) frontman. This is accompanyed by a change of sound. On their third full lenght album, the German band is diving into the realms of metallic hardcore, leaving behind their early hardcore punk influences. Noone should be surprised by this move, as CLEARxCUT was conceived as a collective where members, names, or styles wouldn’t matter, but one and only the final goal of spreading a positive message in defense of animal rights and sober living. "Age Of Grief", in this respect, is extremely consistent.

DISBELIEF’s new album’ Killing Karma’ once again underlines the band's singularity and their persistence to follow an unconventional way for more than 30 years against all resistance. DISBELIEF have grown into a very experienced band that has always kept an open minded spirit, yet remote from any mainstream connection, in order to further sharpen their Death Metal style with implacable conviction and dedication. A colossal, destroying, atmospheric, yet subtle wall of sound was conceived with this new album. The band invited two of the most unique singers in the German Metal scene on ‘Killing Karma' : Michelle Darkness (End of green) and Joschi Baschin (Undertow). They perform on some of the album songs : ’The Scream that slowly disappeared’ , ‘Flash of inspiration’ and the epic ‘Reborn’. DISBELIEF captivates the listener further with a special rendition of Killing Joke classic ‘Millenium’, shaping it into a very memorable remake which will surprise a lot of fans out there. Lyric wise, DISBELIEF vocalist Karsten ‘Jagger’ comments : "'Killing Karma' is a declaration of war to desperation, grief and helplessness, an unbelievable musical journey through the human soul threatening to break under the weight of life." DISBELIEF ’s new album ‘Killing Karma’ is a diversified, captivating , strength giving, crushing Death Metal monster !

London-based rock duo, Yur Mum, is set to release their highly anticipated album, "Duality," on April 30, 2024. "Duality" serves as the sequel to their 2021 LP, "Tropical Fuzz," and encapsulates the band's essence as a fusion of contrasts – Female meets male, Europe meets South America, and rock meets Brazilian music. Anelise, the bassist and vocalist, expresses, "It's a total yin and yang. We're embracing our differences and blending them together to create something unique." The album features recent singles 'Say Say' and 'New Beginnings,' which gained recognition on BBC's 6 Music and Radio 1, along with Spotify editorial playlists. The duo's Brazilian roots are exposed in tracks like 'Hands To The Sky', 'Anhangá', ‘Café’, and ‘Snakes Don’t Fly’, featuring Myura Amara from PollyPikPocketz. In a bold move, Yur Mum has opted for an independent release, expressing pride in creating the album they envisioned. Collaborating with producer Alex Gordon, known for his work with bands like Tigercub and CLT DRP. "Duality" promises a wild mix of beats and melodies, rocking out with fuzzed-up riffs. Yur Mum's iconic bass and drums have levelled up, bringing an even bigger sound. Beyond the high-energy tunes, the band explores themes like faith, guilt, existentialism, mental health, toxic people, classism, and immigrant catharsis. The album cover, designed by Fabio Couto, portrays a fusion of the duo in an androgynous and striking composition. Fabio says it was captured “DIY style” with an old smartphone camera. Yur Mum, consisting of Anelise Kunz and Fabio Couto, stands out in the two-piece band scene with their distinctive Fuzz Punk Rock sound and South American influences. Live music enthusiasts can catch Yur Mum at various UK and European dates, including Rebellion, HRH Punk 4, IceBreaker, Raw Power Fest, Punktoberfest, Rock’n’Trolls, and Marchin Music Fest

Featuring 17 chart-topping hits from the legendary band Earth Wind & Fire, this album is a must for any collector. Earth Wind & Fire's Greatest Hits is perhaps the best collection for both beginners and lifelong fans of the band. Featuring all the hits of the 100 million selling band, this album is bursting with groovy, funky, and soulful music.

With certified classics such as "September", "Let's Groove", "Boogie Wonderland", "After The Love Has Gone", "Fantasy" & "Shining Star", this is a must for anyone with a turntable.

Greatest Hits is available as a limited edition of 3000 individually numbered copies on flaming coloured vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

Japanese emo rockers nim have released their latest EP "Mushy" via Austin, TX label Shifting Sounds Records (Magnet School, Startographers, Gentlemen Rogues, Swallow The Rat). The style of nim is based in emo-rock, but the songs are unconventional and full of melodies. The band mixes male and female vocals to perform a gentle but overwhelming live performance with their sound. nim has grown in harmony with the independent scene both domestically and internationally. So far, they have released 3 full-length albums and many other singles, and have also conducted large-scale overseas tours in Australia, China, and South Korea. Their new EP "Mushy" is being released by Shifting Sounds on 10" Classic Black Vinyl. On their new EP "Mushy" the band further their emotionally charged alternative rock with a melodic and dreamy landscape. The songs are driven by chiming layered guitars and clean vocal harmonies under an indie pop song structure with lots of quiet to loud dynamics, often ending in climatic guitar explosions while sounding beautiful all at once. The band clearly draws inspiration from 90s sounding emo, shoegaze, dream pop, and jangly indie/emo rock are are not afraid to showcase these influences in their songwriting on the new EP. Japan has a number of up and coming bands paying homage to 90s emo, shoegaze and dream pop and nim should definitely be in the discussion.

Vintage Hardrock der 1970er Jahre direkt aus Down Under! Das lang erwartete zweite Album der australischen Band Tarot besticht mit Hardrock inkl. Hammond-B3 für eine neue Generation von Fans! Als geschlossene Formation haben Tarot mit 'Glimpse Of The Dawn' ein lebendiges, weitläufiges Album zusammengestellt, das seinen Kerneinflüssen Uriah Heep, Rainbow und Deep Purple ernsthaft Tribut zollt und gleichzeitig eine eigene Identität hervorbringt. Dabei ließ die Band Freiräume, um Improvisation zu ermöglichen. Viele der Leadgitarren des Albums wurden spontan im Studio geschrieben und anschließend beibehalten, sodass Tarot "den Blitz in einer Flasche einfangen" konnte. Dieser Ansatz wird vielleicht am besten im Titeltrack veranschaulicht, der das Album mit ausgelassenen Hammond-Keyboards und Stimmengewalt auf großartige Weise eröffnet.
Artwork von Lena Richter, Mastering von Patrick Engel (Temple of Noise).

Rock Hard:
"Achtung: Bei "Glimpse Of The Dawn" handelt es sich mitnichten um einen weiteren Output der finnischen Hardrocker Tarot, bei denen sich Ex-Nightwish-Bassist Marco Hietala zurzeit (mal wieder) austobt, sondern um einen Eintrag in der noch vergleichsweise kurzen Diskografie der gleichnamigen australischen Band, die mit ihrem Full-length-Debüt von 2016 erstmals in weiteren Kreisen von sich hören machte. Diesem famosen Scheibchen stellt das Quintett aus dem tasmanischen Hobart nun nach schlappen acht Jahren einen Nachfolger zur Seite, der den Herrschaften nicht minder exzellent geraten ist. TAROT zocken entspannten, von Siebziger-Größen wie Deep Purple inspirierten Hardrock mit Metal-Schlagseite. Die Hammondorgel ist nicht von dieser Welt, und Frontmann Will Spectre verfügt über ein gefühlvolles, warmes, kräftiges Organ, das den Hörer im Zusammenspiel mit den verträumten Gitarrenmelodien in mystische Welten entführt. Wunderschön!"

Iconic death thrash metal band PENTAGRAM (Chile) was formed in Santiago, Chile in 1985. At the time, the country was roiling from political upheaval, but that didn't stop Anton Reisenegger, Juan Pablo Uribe, and (former drummer) Eduardo Topelberg from ingesting and eventually emulating the brutalist, evilest forms of metal from around the world. PENTAGRAM (Chile) now unleash their new album ' Eternal Life of Madness’ and is comprised of guitarist/vocalist Anton Reisenegger, guitarist Juan Pablo Uribe, drummer Juan Pablo Donoso, and bassist Juan Francisco Cueto. PENTAGRAM (Chile) marched forward from their debut 'The Malefice' (2013) while preserving the savage DNA that informed Darkthrone, At the Gates, Dismember, Napalm Death, and many others. The band ’s new album 'Eternal Life of Madness’ feature the crushing heft of "Possessor," "El Imbunche," "The Portal," and "Deus Est Machina, » which is a far-off salute to the group's classic "Spell of the Pentagram" from their 1987 first Demo. PENTAGRAM (Chile) doesn't exist merely for nostalgia reasons—though supporting Slayer in Santiago in 2019 was a highlight of past accomplishments. Their timely resurrection is unadulterated metallic passion. "When the pandemic hit, and I was in lockdown at home in Spain, I started writing riffs for a new LOCK UP album," says Reisenegger, who plays guitar in grind legends BRUJERIA and Chilean groove-thrash masters CRIMINAL. "I realized some of the stuff I wrote had the original Pentagram (Chile) feeling, so I put those ideas aside. They started piling up, so when the LOCK UP ’The Dregs of Hades' record was done, I began arranging them and working remotely with our drummer, Juan Pablo Donoso. I didn't even realize I had all that material in me, but it was somehow untapped. We had a 'false start' a few years before when original guitarist JP Uribe, JP Donoso, and I got together and started jamming on some new riffs. 'The Portal' came out of those sessions. » Though never explicitly political lyrically, PENTAGRAM (Chile) have issued angst-ridden proclamations throughout their 39-year existence.

Repress of Child's self-titled debut album. Combine the heavy emotion of the blues, the tone and raw power of hard rock, the finesse of soul and a twist of 60's psychedelia. It will give you a visceral musical experience that plays directly to your being. That is CHILD. Living for their art, the pubs, the booze, the endless highways and the blues is what makes this band who they are. Child are a must see for those who are worshippers at "the electric church". The freedom and power of a live performance is important to CHILD in their approach to music, endeavouring to never perform the same way twice. They look forward to once again bringing this to the world on their continued search for sonic paradise. Since the release of their runaway self-titled debut in 2014, Child have continued to develop their unique brand of heavy blues through constant writing and extensive national/international touring. The band released the follow-up 'Blueside' in December 2016, which builds on this foundation to deliver a disc of pure sonic expression whilst following in the long tradition of the blues. 2018 saw the release of Child's first EP, simply titled 'I'. Recorded live to tape, 'I' is a glimpse into the boundless directions that could be taken on upcoming releases.

Blue vinyl, limited to 350 copies. Repress of Child's self-titled debut album. Combine the heavy emotion of the blues, the tone and raw power of hard rock, the finesse of soul and a twist of 60's psychedelia. It will give you a visceral musical experience that plays directly to your being. That is CHILD. Living for their art, the pubs, the booze, the endless highways and the blues is what makes this band who they are. Child are a must see for those who are worshippers at "the electric church". The freedom and power of a live performance is important to CHILD in their approach to music, endeavouring to never perform the same way twice. They look forward to once again bringing this to the world on their continued search for sonic paradise. Since the release of their runaway self-titled debut in 2014, Child have continued to develop their unique brand of heavy blues through constant writing and extensive national/international touring. The band released the follow-up 'Blueside' in December 2016, which builds on this foundation to deliver a disc of pure sonic expression whilst following in the long tradition of the blues. 2018 saw the release of Child's first EP, simply titled 'I'. Recorded live to tape, 'I' is a glimpse into the boundless directions that could be taken on upcoming releases.

New Heaven, INTER ARMA’s latest album, is a compelling testament to perseverance, top to bottom. Its thicket of ever-dense layers of doom, death, and black metal occasionally let bits of light slip in, fleeting reminders to keep going amid the tumult. New Heaven marks a sharp turn for the band, showcasing some of the most extreme and angular songwriting INTER ARMA has ever laid bare. Known for their cinematic take on sludgy, extremely cavernous, and borderline psychedelic Metal, the Richmond band broadens their dynamics by seesawing between piledriving momentum and swirling oblivion. New Heaven crushers and conquers, and illustrates what INTER ARMA can truly be. Take the title track, with its hair-raising lead riff stemming from drummer/songwriter TJ Childers’ challenge to himself to write a nonsensically dissonant part that he ended up loving. The song spirals upward into a punishing Death-Metal march, Meanwhile, vocalist Mike Paparo’s stentorian bellows the bludgeon, above an impossibly complicated web of riffs and rhythms. From the get go, New Heaven and the opening title track eschews any restraint - INTER ARMA is completely unchained. Paparo’s keen and empathetic lyrics about innocent victims of war, addiction, and social apathy affirm that feeling, as a survivor grimaces at the carnage behind him and presses ahead best he can. “You stared into the brutish jaws of strife’s heartless device,” he growls into a chthonic blitz during “The Children the Bombs Overlooked,” a late-album powerhouse. “And you turned your back to hell.” That forward march out of madness is New Heaven in an armor-plated nutshell. Though this is indeed another INTER ARMA triumph, it is not a triumphant album, meant to offer some glib or naïve assurance that everything will be fine. What evidence is there for that, really, either on a record where friends are forced into submission, addiction, suicide, or retreat to a world where suffering remains the lingua franca? No, INTER ARMA and New Heaven are too realistic and experienced for that. This is, instead, a record about enduring brambles and curses and lasting long enough to make something profound, honest, and even affirming about it all every now and again—exactly as INTER ARMA has on New Heaven. FFO: Amenra, Neurosis, Full of Hell, Cult of Luna, Yob, Primitive Man, Thou, Ulcerate, Mastodon, The Body, Panopticon

The sixth studio album, 'Matango!, its title referring to the 1963 Japanese psychological horror film of the same name (directed by Godzilla/kaiju maestro Ishiro Honda) by Australian band The Kill Devil Hills is out on Bang! Records! New album has ten songs, that - according to the band's own words - "entwined in the lyrics are inferences of global unrest and displacement, near future scenarios, climate catastrophe, pandemic vortices, the Simpsons, the grace of women, refugees and boat people, Cold War paranoia, the creative process itself, and of course Australia and its peculiar place in things". Cheery stuff, no? A strange and sinewy beast of an album, it's something of a departure from earlier KDH work: minimal, leering with glitching drums samples, synth swells, empty spaces, and a soup of fat bass tones to float it all in. From the opening ghost radio hums of Survivor Guilt, to the entrancing closing whispers of violin on Weigh of a Woman, this album goes on a pretty strange and serpentine journey. Enjoy listening, as much as we have enjoyed making it.

Surface Noise, a brand new LP of well-turned guitar pop, complete with roaring chords and propulsive rhythms behind Dunlap's clever and cultured lyrics. Austin, Texas quartet Gentlemen Rogues celebrate aggressive guitar pop anthems _ bearing the influences of The Replacements, Superdrag, Jawbreaker, and similar visionaries _ and have been gaining momentum and increased attention. Since their debut in 2011, the band _ Danny Dunlap (guitar/vocals), Josh Power (drums), John Christoffel (guitar), and Dave Hawkins (bass, vocals) _ have honed their hooks over numerous singles, EPs, and the 2022 full-length collection, A History of Fatalism. Gentlemen Rogues have supported diverse acts like the Lemonheads, Smoking Popes, the Dandy Warhols, Mrs Magician, and Riverboat Gamblers on stages across the U.S. and the UK. In 2021 Gentlemen Rogues opened for both indie-punk icons Superchunk and Bob Mould, who personally selected the band to provide sole support on the Texas leg of his Distortion and Blue Hearts tour. Little Steve Van Zandt, Springsteen's steady side-kick, has been strong supporter, Pressed on Transparent Electric Blue vinyl! Includes hand-numbered obi-strip and download card.

"Berlin is the Spanish TV series created by Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato for Netflix. It serves as a prequel to Money Heist/La Casa de Papel, focusing on Andrés de Fonollosa, aka “Berlin”. The story goes back his golden age before the events of Money Heist, where Berlin and a masterful gang gather in Paris to plan one of his most ambitious robberies ever. The series features an original soundtrack by Lucas Peire and Frank Montasell. The album also contains the main theme “Bullets and Flowers” performed by Francis White and Nikki, and tracks by Samantha Siqueiros, Pipo Romero, Pedro Alonso, Tristan Ulloa, GOA, and POL 3.14. The 2LP Berlin is available as a limited edition of 500 copies on turquoise coloured vinyl and includes an insert. "

Berlin by Lucas Peire & Frank Montasell, released 26 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Dernière Chance", "Racing Point", "No Me Mires (by POL 3.14)", "La Banda" and more.

This version of Berlin comes as a 2xLP. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).

The vinyl is pressed as a turquoise disc. Another vinyl is pressed as a turquoise disc.

Like all the best stories in rock 'n' roll, the epic journey of When Rivers Meet has never been plain sailing. Right now, the acclaimed Essex-based blues-rock duo Aaron and Grace Bond stand on the brink of their latest career peak, releasing fearless third album, Aces Are High, shaking stages on their Breaker Of Chains headline tour, toasting a third consecutive victory as UK Blues Federation Band Of The Year and pulling an army of fans along in the current. Combining powerful and heartfelt vocals with thundering guitar riffs, Essex-based Rock band When Rivers Meet offers originality with both talent and authentic personalities. Grace Bond leads with her larger-than-life vocals, as well as bringing raunched-up mandolin and violin instrumentals, while Aaron paints with seismic grooves, hypnotic cigar box licks and harmonies that stop all the clocks. With the Aces Are High material now rattling speakers and shaking stages everywhere from the UK festival circuit to Joe Bonamassa's Keeping The Blues Alive Mediterranean III Cruise in August, everything is flowing the right way for When Rivers Meet. "Looking back to 2019, when we really started as a duo, it's so surreal to think that now we're on our third album," reflects Aaron. "And when you see people singing the words back to you - my God, that's so emotional

Garth Erasmus is an artist and musician based in Cape Town, South Africa. "Threnody for the KhoiSan" is his first album under his own name. Since 1985 his artistic interests have broadened to include music-making, designing and making his own instruments based on indigenous KhoiSan knowledge. From 1999 to 2012 he was a member of the South African First Nation activist group Khoi Khonnexion. In the past couple of years Garth Erasmus has also been a pivotal part of various international performance pieces and exhibition projects which brought him regularly to Europe. Most of these activities were developed and performed in collaboration with the Hamburg based band Kante and his band Khoi Khonnexion. In April 2024 Garth Erasmus will be part of the group exhibtion "Oscillations" at Akademie der Künste, Berlin.

Returning after three years with their second studio album, Double Dog Dare, WHITE DOG have been revelling in a state of creative flux and are poised to share their revelations with the world. Formed in 2015 in Austin, Texas, White Dog began with a shared vision of blazing, fuzzed-out rock that drew gleefully from their home city's rich cultural melting pot. Emboldened by an us-against-the-world gang mentality and inspired by everything from dusty roots rock to explosive old school prog, the band's self-titled album emerged in 2021, courtesy of natural home Rise Above Records, and immediately stood out as a sophisticated, earthy and characterful new strain of retro rambunctiousness.
Recorded over a period of eight days at Stuart Sikes Audio (with engineer Andrew McCalla) in Austin, Double Dog Dare takes all of the debut album's deftly assembled ingredients and allows them to fly free, liberated from expectation. At times mellower than its predecessor, at others strident and ferocious, these new songs showcase White Dog's organic development, with elements of everything from wistful southern rock to crusty-eyed jazz rock finding a place. Somehow even more fluid and fiery than before, this band are growing and expanding before our ears.
Now free to peddle their incendiary wares, they return to the stage with their strongest material to date, and a newfound enthusiasm for giving The Riff the respect and imagination it deserves.

Returning after three years with their second studio album, Double Dog Dare, WHITE DOG have been revelling in a state of creative flux and are poised to share their revelations with the world. Formed in 2015 in Austin, Texas, White Dog began with a shared vision of blazing, fuzzed-out rock that drew gleefully from their home city's rich cultural melting pot. Emboldened by an us-against-the-world gang mentality and inspired by everything from dusty roots rock to explosive old school prog, the band's self-titled album emerged in 2021, courtesy of natural home Rise Above Records, and immediately stood out as a sophisticated, earthy and characterful new strain of retro rambunctiousness.
Recorded over a period of eight days at Stuart Sikes Audio (with engineer Andrew McCalla) in Austin, Double Dog Dare takes all of the debut album's deftly assembled ingredients and allows them to fly free, liberated from expectation. At times mellower than its predecessor, at others strident and ferocious, these new songs showcase White Dog's organic development, with elements of everything from wistful southern rock to crusty-eyed jazz rock finding a place. Somehow even more fluid and fiery than before, this band are growing and expanding before our ears.
Now free to peddle their incendiary wares, they return to the stage with their strongest material to date, and a newfound enthusiasm for giving The Riff the respect and imagination it deserves.

Chasing dopamine in free fall through a burning world. Looks that make you want to go swimming, even though you know you're going to drown. Where is my value? Who do I want to be? And who do I definitely not want to be?



Mental health, body positivity, queerness, sexualized violence and self-determination: Elena Rud sings about these things, loud and wild. With a voice that sometimes seems on the verge of breaking and then hangs deep in the ear canal again. As raspy as after a handful of cigarettes. So distinctive that you will recognize them again and again from a big bunch of newcomer bands.



Because the songs go through the marrow and bone. Under the skin or into the heart. Maybe left in and right out, but it's good in between. Because you feel that you're no longer quite so alone with yourself and this shitty world.

Mental Health, Body Positivity, Queerness, sexualisierte Gewalt und Selbstbestimmung: Elena Rud singt von diesen Dingen, laut und wild. Mit einer Stimme, die mal kurz vorm Wegbrechen scheint und dann wieder ganz tief im Gehörgang hängt. So kratzig wie nach einer Handvoll Selbstgedrehten. So markant, dass man sie aus einem großen Haufen Newcomer-Bands immer und immer wieder erkennen wird.
Mittlerweile hat Elena ein Rudel aus vier Jungs dazu gewonnen. Ein Rudel, das seiner Frontfrau nicht nur den Rücken stärkt, sondern sich auch gegen die toxischen Ideale wehrt, an denen sie selbst gemessen werden - für mehr Schwäche, Unsicherheit und GlitzerMakeup statt Dominanz, Unterdrückung und Aggression. Auch in Sachen Sound. Die fünf Münchner:innen klingen ehrlich, tanzbar und wild. Nach Indie-Rock und Punk. Oder nach NDW

Blitz Vega is a Rock band based between New York City and Los Angeles featuring Andy Rourke, bassist of The Smiths alongside frontman and guitarist Kav Sandhu of the Happy Mondays. The band debuted their first single "Hey Christo" in 2019. It was described as 'a
rager that springs from the Primal Scream/Kasabian/Black Rebel Motorcycle Club family tree' by Buzz Bands LA.

Limitierte LP-Neuauflage: rot-goldfarbenes Vinyl, inklusive eines neu gestalteten Posters zum Ausklappen. Unser Album zum 1.Mai. Zum Tag der Arbeit und für den Kater danach. Die Arbeit verändert sich. Roboter ersetzen uns. Der Kapitalismus zerbröselt. Wir brauchen einen neuen Soundtrack - aber wie klingen work songs in einer Zukunft, in der die Natur der Arbeit selbst so unsicher ist? Mit ihrem zweiten Duo-Album Never Work suchen Ariel Sharratt und Mathias Kom (von der kanadischen Garagen-Folk-Band The Burning Hell) nach Antworten. Einige Songs sind Lieder über Arbeiter, andere sind Lieder für Arbeiter, aber die meisten sind beides zugleich. Musikalisch nutzt Never Work die akustischen Elemente eines Old-School-Folk-Revivals (...Guthrie, Seeger, Dylan..) die, tongue-in-cheek, mit Billig Electronica der 80er versponnen werden. Textlich greifen sie Anregungen von Gewerkschaftsaktivisten und situationistischen Witzbolden auf. Alles in allem die richtigen Instrumente, um die sogenannte Gig-Economy, technologischen Feudalismus, Klassenkämpfe, rebellische self-service Geräte und vollautomatisierten Luxuskommunismus zu erkunden. Sharratt und Kom sind vor allem als Teil der kanadischen Garagen-Folk-Band The Burning Hell bekannt. Seit fast einem Jahrzehnt haben sie sich mit ihren smarten, von dunklem Humor geprägten Songs und ihren dynamischen Live-Shows eine solide Fangemeinde erspielt, teilweise mit Freunden im Geiste, wie Jeffrey Lewis oder The Wave Pictures 2016 legten Sharratt und Kom eine erste Pause vom Bandformat ein, um ihre erste Duo-Platte "Don't Believe The Hyperreal" aufzunehmen. Das Album belebte die Atmosphäre klassischer Pop-Folk-Duette der 60er neu und bot eine intimere Seite ihres Songwritings, darunter den Underground-Hit "Fuck The Government, I Love You". Never Work nun gibt ihrem zweifellos charmanten Duett einen neuen Dreh: weg von der Romantik hin zu selbstreflexiven, zuweilen bissigen Betrachtungen von Arbeit in unserer Gesellschaft. Das beinhaltet ihre eigene Position als Musiker, unser Selbstverständnis in einem bröckelnden System von Arbeit, sowie die Rolle des Kapitals, das uns alle weiterhin prägt, auch wenn wir selbst keins besitzen. Never Work ist eine Protest-Playlist für unsere kollektive Reise ins Vergessen oder an den Strand, ernsthaft und ironisch zugleich.

Roy Buchanan gilt bis heute als "der beste unbekannte Gitarrist der Welt". Die Rolling Stones wollten ihn als Nachfolger für Brian Jones, Eric Clapton als Gitarrist bei Derek & The Dominos - beides Angebote, die er ablehnte. Roy Buchanan war ein Meister auf der Fender Telecaster-Gitarre, sein Spiel beeinflusste Musiker wie z.B. Gary Moore, oder Jeff Beck maßgeblich. Roy Buchanan wuchs in Kalifornien auf, wo er auch Gitarre lernte. Als Teenager zog er nach Los Angeles und spielte mit Spencer Dryden (später der Drummer von Jefferson Airplane) in der Band Heartbeats. Danach tourte er mit Dale Hawkins und spielte mit Robbie Robertson (The Band), der Buchanan später als einen seiner Haupteinflüsse bezeichnete. In den 60er Jahren heiratete Roy Buchanan, zog nach Washington DC und arbeitete als Studiomusiker an mehr als 100 Produktionen, vornehmlich für Freddy Canon und Leiber/Stoller. Erst 1971 erschien sein erstes Solo-Album, was dazu führte, dass er und sein unnachahmliches Spiel auf der Fender Telecaster von Größen wie John Lennon, Eric Clapton oder den Rolling Stones als Geheimtipp gehandelt wurde. Die ab 1985 aufgenommenen Alben "When A Guitar Plays The Blues" (1985), "Dancing On The Edge" (1986) und "Hot Wires" (1987) gehören zu den Highlights seiner Karriere. Nur drei Jahre vor seinem tragischen Selbstmord wurde dieses Rockpalast-Konzert am 24. Februar 1985 in der Markthalle in Hamburg aufgenommen. Ein Auftritt, bei dem Roy Buchanans Genie als Gitarrist in einzigartiger Weise überzeugt - nicht zuletzt durch seine kongenialen Cover-Versionen u.a. von Jimi Hendrix oder Don Gibson. Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass Roy Buchanan seine Qualitäten vor allen Dingen bei seinen Auftritten ausleben konnte, von denen nur wenige aufgezeichnet wurden. Ein beeindruckendes Vermächtnis!

Als eine der frühen Bastionen des US-Metals sind Attacker aus New Jersey zurück, um ihr 40-jähriges Jubiläum mit einem neuen Album zu feiern, einem triumphal, klassischem Metal-Album mit acht Songs! Bekannt wurde die Band durch ihr einflussreiches Debüt von 1985 und ihr zweites Album 'The Second Coming' drei Jahre später, sowie durch Alben nach der Reformation 2001. 'The God Particle' ist wieder die bewährte Dosis reinen, ungezügelten Heavy Metals mit reichlich Aggression und Melodie - beides dauerhafte Elemente des Attacker-Sounds, der auch von Marc Sassos (Dio, Halford, Marvel) packendem Cover-Artwork unterstrichen wird. Die Band würdigt mit dem neuen Album ihr geschichtsträchtiges Erbe und schafft neue, fesselnde Musik, um eine ihre Fangemeinde zufrieden zu stellen.

Erlend Øye & La Comitiva - 'La Comitiva': In einer kleinen Stadt wie Siracusa, Italien, findet das gesellige Beisammensein meist in den Häusern der Menschen statt und besteht aus: Zutaten für ein Essen kaufen, das Essen zubereiten und reden, das Essen essen und reden, die Instrumente holen und stundenlang am Tisch sitzen und spielen und singen. Erlend spielt eine Ukulele, Marco spielt Nylonsaitengitarre, Luigi spielt Cavaquinho, ein brasilianisches Samba-Instrument, und Stefano spielt Bass auf denselben Stahlsaitengitarren, die Erlend bei Kings of Convenience verwendet. Die Band wurde während einer Tournee 2018 durch Chile, Argentinien, Kolumbien und Mexiko professionalisiert. Während dieser Tour entstanden viele der ursprünglichen Songs der Band, wie Altiplano, dessen Arrangement in einer staubigen Grenzstation zwischen Chile und Peru stattfand. Nach vielen unfreiwilligen Pausen (Covid, Veröffentlichung des Kings of Convenience-Albums, Veröffentlichung des Marco Castello-Albums) wird die Full Length LP "La Comitiva" im Frühjahr 2024 endlich das Licht der Welt erblicken. 2016 wurde Erlend während des kollaborativen Festivals "People" in Berlin auf das freigeistige Klassik-Ensemble Stargaze aufmerksam und er begann, einige der Mitglieder in Studio-Aufnahme-Sessions und Live-Konzerte mit La Comitiva einzubinden.

Hauptsächlich mit dabei sind: Kobi Arditi (Posaune), Maaike van der Linde (Flöte), Romain Bly (Trompete, Horn und Percussions).

GOTHIC SUMMER ist das neueste Album der australischen Pop-Rock-Legenden The Veronicas! Nach einem aufregenden Jahr 2023 mit Auftritten auf der ganzen Welt hat die Band erneut ein Album geliefert, das eine klare künstlerische Vision vermittelt. Auch 2024 wird die Band das ganze Jahr über auf Tour sein - mit GOTHIC SUMMER im Gepäck.

Electro-Dynamic-Psych-Folk! Das außergewöhnliche Musiker-Kollektiv aus Bayern versteht es gekonnt, den erdigen Groove des eurasischen Raums durch experimentelle und individuelle Arrangements anzureichern. Die Kombination von traditionellen Instrumenten mit Klängen von Synthesizern, dem Electro entlehnten Acid-Sequenzen und Samples verleihen ihrer Musik eine einzigartige Note. Ihre energetische und explosive Spielfreude überträgt sich schnell aufs Publikum. Kein Konzert klingt wie das Andere. Improvisation ist ihnen ein Kernelement - sie befeuert die Organik der Arrangements. Das Resultat klingt dreckig und ungestüm - diese Musik knurrt, bietet aber auch viel Dynamik und sanfte Passagen, die ihre Zuhörer:innenschaft in Trance versetzen. Ihr Repertoire basiert auf alten Volksliedern, Schlagern und vergessenen Gassenhauern aus dem musikalischen Archiv Anatoliens und des Nahen Ostens. Der Sound der Band ist verwurzelt in den frühen Produktionen der türkischen Rockszene. Die Band öffnet das Konstrukt noch weiter: Elemente von Funk, Surf Rock, Ethno-Jazz, Dub, Breakbeat und Electronica sind selbstverständliche Versatzstücke in ihrem Soundmix. "Neyzen" ist das langerwartete Debüt von Lucile and the Rakibuam

Die vier-köpfige Band Porij aus Manchester gehört mit ihrem Alternative-Dance-Sound zu den aufregendsten und spannendsten Newcomern aus UK und durfte bereits Größen wie Coldplay, Metronomy, Friendly Fires und Jungle supporten. Nicht umsonst steht die Band auf „ones to watch“ Listen von u.a. The Guardian, NME und BBC 6. Nun erscheint das Debütalbum 'Teething'. Ein Coming-Of-Age Album, eine Kollision von Indie-Rock und Dance, das organische und elektronische Klänge einzigartig vermischt zu zärtlichen und zugleich transzendenten Songs.

In many ways, the music of Writhing Squares could have only originated in Philadelphia; the city itself a microcosm of creatives, go-getters, freaks & weirdos that have coalesced into a supportive & boundary-pushing crew. Former Purling Hiss bassist Daniel Provenzano & Ecstatic Vision sax-player & vocalist Kevin Nickles' first musical missive was shot forth in 2013 (the self-released CDR "Live In Space") & various singles, split releases, albums (and a double-album) later we arrive at the duo's fourth full-length "Mythology", their third for Chicago-based Trouble In Mind Records. "Mythology" picks up the pieces left shattered by their previous double-album "Chart For The Solution" and reconnects the broken shards together like Kintsugi, the ancient Japanese technique for mending broken ceramics, infusing the breaks with powdered gold. The Squares themselves are like mad-scientists, taking the ruined detritus populating junk shops & surplus outlets & constructing their own sonic laboratories in their New Jersey basements to record, mix & tweak "Mythology"s eight tracks. Their new location allowed the band to regroup, reassess & reconstruct their sound from the ground up, shearing away the cosmic excess of 2021's "Chart For The Solution" to a sharper point. Tracks like `Barbarians' & `LEM' are classic Squares; brutal, aggressive, unwavering assault of Motorhead/Stooges-inflected sci-fi punk scree, while others like `Chromatophage's mutant funk & `Cerberus's techno-slink owe a serious debt to electric-era Miles Davis or Herbie Hancock & show that the group has more to offer than bludgeoning you with sonic force. Provenzano's bass & electronics are like a tank rolling across the terrain - a gnarly construct of Hawkwind-ian headiness & `Vincebus Eruptum's snarl - uncaring of what gets in the way. Nickles' brass vacillates between Stooges-influenced sleaze, jazzy no-wave stabs, & cacophonous sonic storms, strafing the listener into oblivion. The duo are joined on "Mythology" by drummer John Schoemaker - who contributed drums to "Chart For The Solution"s epic closing track `Epilogue' - whose percussive pulse adds an organic swing to The Square's sonics, particularly on album closer "The Damned Thing"s cosmic strut. "Mythology" tackles a multitude of themes, from fantastical tales of hellhound `Cerberus' or the comic-inspired "Eternity " to `Chromatophage's colorful/evil yarn about animals that eat colors (or a Magic: The Gathering card) to the true-life influenced `Acid Rain' that deals with the uncertainty of consuming drinking water after a chemical spill in the Delaware River. Elsewhere, `Ferrell' is an homage to the late, great Ferrell "Pharaoh" Sanders & `The Damned Thing' by a short horror story penned by Ambrose Bierce about an animal whose coloring is invisible to the naked eye. Writhing Squares are in a transitional phase, mapping out a new sonic mythology for themselves after crossing the event horizon into unknown space. "Mythology" is streaming on most DSPs & released on black vinyl & limited fluorescent green vinyl (while supplies last) on April 26th, 2024.

In many ways, the music of Writhing Squares could have only originated in Philadelphia; the city itself a microcosm of creatives, go-getters, freaks & weirdos that have coalesced into a supportive & boundary-pushing crew. Former Purling Hiss bassist Daniel Provenzano & Ecstatic Vision sax-player & vocalist Kevin Nickles' first musical missive was shot forth in 2013 (the self-released CDR "Live In Space") & various singles, split releases, albums (and a double-album) later we arrive at the duo's fourth full-length "Mythology", their third for Chicago-based Trouble In Mind Records. "Mythology" picks up the pieces left shattered by their previous double-album "Chart For The Solution" and reconnects the broken shards together like Kintsugi, the ancient Japanese technique for mending broken ceramics, infusing the breaks with powdered gold. The Squares themselves are like mad-scientists, taking the ruined detritus populating junk shops & surplus outlets & constructing their own sonic laboratories in their New Jersey basements to record, mix & tweak "Mythology"s eight tracks. Their new location allowed the band to regroup, reassess & reconstruct their sound from the ground up, shearing away the cosmic excess of 2021's "Chart For The Solution" to a sharper point. Tracks like `Barbarians' & `LEM' are classic Squares; brutal, aggressive, unwavering assault of Motorhead/Stooges-inflected sci-fi punk scree, while others like `Chromatophage's mutant funk & `Cerberus's techno-slink owe a serious debt to electric-era Miles Davis or Herbie Hancock & show that the group has more to offer than bludgeoning you with sonic force. Provenzano's bass & electronics are like a tank rolling across the terrain - a gnarly construct of Hawkwind-ian headiness & `Vincebus Eruptum's snarl - uncaring of what gets in the way. Nickles' brass vacillates between Stooges-influenced sleaze, jazzy no-wave stabs, & cacophonous sonic storms, strafing the listener into oblivion. The duo are joined on "Mythology" by drummer John Schoemaker - who contributed drums to "Chart For The Solution"s epic closing track `Epilogue' - whose percussive pulse adds an organic swing to The Square's sonics, particularly on album closer "The Damned Thing"s cosmic strut. "Mythology" tackles a multitude of themes, from fantastical tales of hellhound `Cerberus' or the comic-inspired "Eternity " to `Chromatophage's colorful/evil yarn about animals that eat colors (or a Magic: The Gathering card) to the true-life influenced `Acid Rain' that deals with the uncertainty of consuming drinking water after a chemical spill in the Delaware River. Elsewhere, `Ferrell' is an homage to the late, great Ferrell "Pharaoh" Sanders & `The Damned Thing' by a short horror story penned by Ambrose Bierce about an animal whose coloring is invisible to the naked eye. Writhing Squares are in a transitional phase, mapping out a new sonic mythology for themselves after crossing the event horizon into unknown space. "Mythology" is streaming on most DSPs & released on black vinyl & limited fluorescent green vinyl (while supplies last) on April 26th, 2024.

With $10 Cowboy, Charley Crockett didn’t set out to make a themed record. He had released a concept album in 2022, the critically acclaimed Man From Waco, propelling Crockett to new heights and establishing him as one of the leaders of a sparkling revival of traditional country and folk music. For the follow up album, Crockett wrote freely, over a two-month period, as he wound his way across the United States on the back of a tour bus. The resulting songs—raw, personal, vivid portraits of a country in transition—ended up being connected after all. “This material is written at truck stops, it’s written at casinos, it’s written in the alleys behind the venues, it’s written in my truck parked up on South Congress in Austin,” explains Crockett. “A ramblin’ man like me, a genuine transient, is in a pretty damn good position to have something to say about America.” As the album unfolds, you begin to understand that a $10 Cowboy is anyone who has hustled to get by, who didn’t fit in, who has slept on other people’s couches, or the street, who has fallen down, gotten up, and ventured from home chasing a paying gig, or a new start. “Being out on the road gives you a first-hand experience of how different kinds of Americans see themselves as going through some kind of great struggle,” Crockett says. “The roughneck working the oil and natural gas fields in West Texas. The single mother raising kids by herself. The young man working a street corner because he thinks it's his only option. I would be dishonest if I said I couldn’t see the thread. Each of ‘em feel invisible. I am struck by the battles they are fighting internally, and the ways they have been entrapped by what America says they are.” The album was recorded at Arlyn Studios in Austin, produced by Crockett and his long-time collaborator Billy Horton. It was recorded live to tape, with anywhere from 6-12 musicians and backup singers on each track, giving the songs the feel of a live performance. It’s a sound Crockett has been after for years. “Reason I cut it on tape is because when you got the right people in the room, and the great players rise to the occasion when that red light is on and the tape is rolling, you get the magic of a great performance.” It's exactly what he achieved with $10 Cowboy. Regular bandmates Fox, Nathan Fleming, and Mayo Valdez are joined by some of the genre’s most talented players—Rich Brotherton, Kevin Smith, Dave LeRoy Biller, T. Jarrod Bonta and others, including a string quartet. Lauren Cervantes and Angela Miller sing on the album. While the musicianship and accompaniment are exquisite, they are also subtle, placed joyously, yet judiciously across the album. No, Crockett didn’t set out to write a themed record. Or, through his studied eye, to find America. But with $10 Cowboy, he might have done both.

The third studio album from Rebecca Downes with 12 new, original blues-influenced, rock tracks all written by Steve Birkett and Rebecca. Album mixed by Bill Drescher and Chris Childs. With exciting new material that continues the evolution of the music towards rock, More Sinner Than Saint is worth the wait. At the outset, Downes consulted with producer Chris Kimsey, who has previously worked with The Rolling Stones, to select and refine the 12 tracks and to achieve what she and co-writer Steve Birkett see as the perfect expression of their current writing. With five of the fabulous tracks having been mixed by Californian based Bill Drescher, whose previous accolades include working with Rick Springfield and The Bangles, Downes showcases her trademark powerful vocals throughout. With the remainder of the tracks being mixed by Thunder’s Chris Childs, the pedigree of this album is faultless. With her superb studio band that includes Dan Clark, Lloyd Daker and Magnum’s Rick Benton, there was no shortage of artists queuing to join her on the odd track or two. The multi award winning Alan Nimmo (King King) plays guitar on If I Go To Sleep and Magnum’s Tony Clarkin delivers a fabulous guitar solo on Breathe Out. With her signature voice, style and song writing, it was little wonder that last year she was voted Female Vocalist of the Year at the FORM UKBlues Awards. The release of this jubilant new album once again gives her the chance to showcase her formidable powerhouse and gutsy vocals in tracks that have greater range and depth than anything she’s done before. Rebecca said: “We were honoured and humbled to receive Chris Kimsey’s guidance. He gave us confidence about the direction of our writing changing to a rockier sound and advice on the way the material should be recorded. Meeting Bill Drescher in LA was fantastic – such a lovely, down-to-earth guy – and his mixing took the five tracks to the next level. Chris Childs has since done an excellent job on the rest in matching Bill’s mixing style. We are very proud of this album – and the way the music has evolved towards rock. More than ever before we believe it captures the best of our song writing.”

Melbourne/Naarm-based musician and curator Rama Parwata, known for being the backbone drummer in bands such as Kilat, Whitehorse and Rinuwat, releases his second major solo album titled ‘Ceases’ on Cassauna/Important Records.

Parwata's gripping new electro-acoustic work is a sonic exploration within the realms of post-free-jazz and experimental electronics. At its core, ‘Ceases’ navigates the liminal spaces between rhythm and noise, structure and chaos. The album traverses a vast emotional and conceptual landscape, touching upon themes of impermanence, transformation, and the cyclical nature of existence.

At the forefront of the album is Parwata's emotive compositional and performative approach, which serves as both anchor and catalyst for the album's journey. The percussion performance is cymbal heavy accompanied by deeply meditative drones and slow moving melodies. The wash of sound touches on a spiritualism akin to Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme Part 4: Psalm”, albeit with a modern electronic vision á la Tim Hecker. With a keen sense of textural intricacy Parwata favours the emotional expression of electro-acoustic composition, weaving complex poly-textures that ebb and flow with hypnotic, prayer-like intensity. Each performative gesture creates a visceral immediacy that draws the listener deeper into the celestial, otherworldly sonic framework.

The diverse array of electronic elements, meticulously crafted and seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the album are a testament of Parwata’s capacity for acousmatic composition. From pulsating synthesizers to glitched-out samples, the electronic timbres in "Ceases" serve as both sonic embellishments and structural foundations, blurring the boundaries between organic and synthetic, acoustic and digital. Honing in on the electronics, a listener could be convinced they were hearing anything from spiritual-jazz, 90s rave, dungeon synth or doom. Through judicious composition, Parwata imbues each sound with a sense of transcendental allure and paints a soundworld that has a distinct ‘outerness’. At times the narrative is pointedly bleak but over a few passages the sonic language often bends toward rejuvenation; finding respite in cadence. The title itself suggests a sense of cessation, of endings and beginnings intertwined—a motif that reverberates throughout the album.