by BBG

After expansive releases like Of Sound Mind lit up the critical press in 2009 (we posted a track back then), Ancestors retreated back into their riff cave to further their progressive vision for their new release. The result is the Invisible White EP, a 29 minute progressive odyssey that borrows elements from 70s fuzz, Pink Floyd, Yes, and plays like a pensive soundtrack in a room full of ganja smoke. Check out the epic EP closer "Epilogue" which makes its debut in this post, streaming below. Look for the release on Tuesday (6/21) via Tee Pee.

Ancestors currently have just one day on their calendar, and that's tonight (6/17) at Three of Clubs in LA. Sister band Night Horse have no dates at all. We'll let you know if that changes.

Meanwhile Night Horse vocalist Sam Van Velde will see the release of the three album discography from his prior pastime, Bluebird. The LA band will see the reissue of said material via Tee Pee on August 13th. The triple album, entitled Saguaro (1995-2003), will feature 2003's Hot Blood, 2000's The Two and 1999's High Atmosphere EP along with "various singles and compilation tracks".

Song stream, and some video is below.

Continue reading "Ancestors releasing new EP (song premiere)"

photos by Adam L. Murray, words by BBG

Goatsnake: Greg Anderson raises his axe in praise of the riff

Think of Sunday's (8/6) all-day Power of the Riff Festival at the Echo and the Echoplex as less of a celebration of heavy metal and more of a mission statement. The objective: Raise respectability for the perennially underground hard rock genre.

"I've been a fan of heavy music for as long as I can remember," said Night Horse singer Sam James Velde, who organized Riff Fest with Southern Lord head Greg Anderson. "I hope this will increase awareness and opportunity for bands of this nature to be able to play. You look at bigger festivals like Coachella, and you have a token heavy band. There's Dillinger Escape Plan, or there's Mastodon. But there's no tent dedicated to that music. Yet metal, hardcore and true rock 'n' roll has an incredible fan base. This is something to try and make a strong impact." -[LA Times blog]

More pics from the show are below...

Continue reading "Power of the Riff in pics "

by BBG

Speaking of LA, they have another noteworthy festival happening in August, though that show focuses more on the heavier side of things. August 8th will mark The Power of The Riff Fest at The Echo and Echoplex in LA with the return of Corrosion Of Conformity III (aka Animosity era!), Goatsnake, From Ashes Rise, Trap Them, Repulsion, Nails, Coliseum, Black Breath, Eagle Twin, Early Graves, and many others. The Converse-presented show is FREE (wow), but requires an RSVP. Poster and full lineup below.

The original 3-piece Corrosion of Conformity also have a handful of other dates scheduled around that time. Unfortunately none on the east side of the coast (for now), but they are listed below. Three of the dates, including The Power of the Riff, are being called the "Southern Lord West Coast Tour" which all include the lineup of Goatsnake, Eagle Twin, and Black Breath (poster below).

Nails will be in Brooklyn on September 23rd alongside Strong Intention and Venomous Concept at Europa. Tickets are still on sale. Nails are also on the lineup of Philly's 3-day This is Hardcore Fest.

Unfortunately most of this stuff does not include NYC action, though we have two sunn o))) & Boris shows to look forward to, not to mention Boris/Russian Circles/Torche, and SLEEP. Coliseum was just here last week.

Dates and stuff below...

Continue reading "Corrosion of Conformity touring as original 3-piece (dates), playing LA's Power of the Riff Fest (lineup)"

by Black Bubblegum

Battlefields' Rusty, belching forth the unholiest of bellows

To quote my Aunt from Pennsylvania, I was in "a pickle". French Swans-y post-metallers Overmars were touring the US for the first time ever with another favorite of mine, the criminally underrated North Dakota (!) band Battlefields at Europa. Across town, LA's Night Horse were playing Union Pool with Tournament & Orphan. Which to go to? With impeccable timing and some well-placed text messages, I was able to make both on Sunday (8/16).

Starting out the night at Union Pool, I caught an opening set by Orphan, my first live experience with that band. As a fan of the well-written and brilliantly executed Aborted By Birth, I can't tell you how disappointed I was by their live show. Union Pool definitely felt like a practice session, complete with false starts, off timing, and an overall lack of interest in engaging the audience. I hope their live show improves, because the riffs and the songs are definitely there.

After Orphan, I made it over to Europa to catch the last few moments of Inswarm before Battlefields set-up to tear down. Battlefields' new LP on Translation Loss, Thresholds of Imbalance, hits that sweet spot between post-metal dirge and post-rock ambience, with a touches of jazz (!). It's a favorite of mine and is recommended for those who appreciate bands like Neurosis, Cult of Luna, and Samothrace (with which they once shared a member). Their live firepower is impressive as well, as I originally learned when I saw them headline a show with Amenra at Precious Metal close to two years ago. Their lineup has changed considerably since that encounter, but their performance/ability hasn't. If any of this sounds appealing, I highly recommend that you get to The Charleston on September 3rd (also with Overmars).

As Battlefields were waving sayonara, I made it back to Union Pool in record time to catch Night Horse who had just begun their set (I missed Tournament). Night Horse has all the makings of a really killer blues-based rock band, and are tons of fun to boot, but I could have done without the stage stylings of vocalist Sam James Velde who comes off like as a Chris Robinson knock off complete with the shoeless 70s dances. I could be sensitive to this schtick (The Black Crowes and in particular, Chris Robinson, bother me), but it came off as a distraction. That said, there was nothing distracting about the instrumental arrangements that surrounded Velde. Performing simple bluesy rock is walking a fine line, as bands in this style are a dime a dozen, but searing solos by Justin Maranga (also in Ancestors), and Greg Buensuceso, elevate this band from cool neighborhood local to a worthy touring band. While at the show, Saviours dropped in (fresh off their Dinosaur Jr appearance) and received an birthday wish from the band.

I skipped out of the last couple Night Horse songs in order to make it to Overmars in time. The French band's "new" LP (released in 2007, out now on Crucial Blast) is comprised of a single massive song, "Born Again", which dabbles in blackened ambience, but recalls faves like early Swans, Godflesh, and Neurosis. Overmars performed with the lights out (hence the poor photos), a coordinated video presentation (possibly a little cliche?), and were absolutely stunning. Highly, highly recommended along with their new LP. In addition, look for an upcoming split in the works with Starkweather. More on that soon.

Night Horse also played a show at Pianos with Graveyard (who played the Gramercy Theatre that same night) while they were in town. More of their dates HERE. More pics and full Battlefields/Overmars dates are below...

Continue reading "Overmars, Night Horse, Battlefields & Orphan @ 2 Brooklyn venues in one Sunday night - pics & more tour dates"

by Black Bubblegum

Night Horse, in the chill station

TK Webb & The Visions have unfortunately dropped off of the previously announced Night Horse show at Pianos on 8/13 (Thursday), but have been replaced by a "special guest" headliner. No official word on who said guest is, but I would bet that you can make an educated guess based on Night Horse's current label, and the other band in town that night (and what is written on Pianos' website).

Night Horse also play NYC again a few days later (8/16) - at Union Pool with Tournament and Orphan. All dates HERE.

Night Horse and Graveyard's Tee Pee Records label-mates Nebula are on tour with The Entrance Band. Their NYC show is August 22nd @ Santos Party House. Tickets are still on sale.

Ancestors, which features members of Night Horse, have a new album on the way.

Continue reading "special guest playing w/ Night Horse @ Pianos & other stuff"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Ancestors - The Ambrose Law" (MP3)

People use the word "epic" too often nowadays.

Whether for good reasons: "@ahj Yup! Chlamydia free. EPIC WIN!" [holymolydotcom]

Or for bad: "Free lunch at work = win. No sweets served with said lunch = EPIC FAIL." [strangedesign]

Does anyone really know the meaning of epic? I'm pretty sure that Ancestors (or anyone that has seen them play) do, and during SXSW I experienced that first hand. Anyone can riff like the 70's through a haze of ganja smoke, but Ancestors do it particularly well. The proggy-yet-surprisingly-heavy crew ripped through some epic material during their set at Room 710 in Austin, with one then-unreleased song leaving a specific impression. That song proved to be the 13+ minute "The Ambrose Law", which the band laid to tape for their upcoming LP Of Sound Mind (out Oct 2nd via Tee Pee Records). Download that track above. Full tracklist below.

Of Sound Mind features contributions by cellist Ramiro Zapata, Sera Timms of another SXSW 2009 fave, Black Math Horseman, as well as solo artist/contributor-extraordinaire David Scott Stone (Melvins, Unwound, Lavender Diamond, Joe Lally). The LP was recorded by Pete Lyman, the guilty party behind LPs for The Mars Volta, Qui and No Age.

As discussed before, Ancestors (not to be confused with the black metal band) members Brandon Pierce and Justin Maranga (not to be confused with Jonah Matranga who plays Southpaw Monday 8/10) are also doing time in Night Horse, a project which surfaces in NYC twice in the next couple weeks, Aug 13th @ Piano's and Aug 16th @ Union Pool. More dates HERE. Check out a video of that band performing at SXSW below....

Continue reading "Ancestors - new MP3 from new album 'Of Sound Mind'"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Nebula - "Pulse" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nebula - "The Dagger" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Night Horse - "Good Bye Gone" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Entrance Band - "Grim Reaper Blues" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Naam - "Kingdom" (MP3)

Nebula, inna black-metal stylee

Call it the unofficial Tee-Pee-clusterfuck week if you want, but for nine days this August, four separate tours featuring bands on their label will pound NYC with a barrage of shows, with a few shows falling on the same day.... sigh.

First up, the psychedelic LA band Nebula have announced a US tour with The Entrance Band. That includes a stop at Santos Party House on August 22nd with Naam. Tickets are on sale. Nebula are touring to promote their Heavy Psych (the LP name and in practice), which will pounce on an unsuspecting public on July 7th via Tee Pee. Check out "Pulse" and The Dagger" from that LP, both of which are downloadable above.

The Entrance Band (an Ecstatic Peace-signed band who are sometimes just called "Entrance") are also touring with Sonic Youth even sooner. In fact they are playing United Palace in NYC with them on July 3rd (tickets are still available).

The Entrance Band is one of a few openers that are scheduled for the Sonic Youth tour which has Sonic Youth taking July 4th and 5th off. The Entrance Band aren't taking as long of a vacation though. You can catch them headline Southpaw in Brooklyn on the 5th (this Sunday) with TK Webb & the Visions. Tickets are on sale.

Meanwhile, another Tee Pee band from the westside is hitting the eastern shores within a week of Nebula's show at Santos AND have a release coming on the same day as Heavy Psych. Night Horse, who share guitarist Justin Maranga and drummer Brandon Pierce with the mighty Ancestors (not the black metal band), have scheduled a pair of NYC area dates for the second week in August. They play Pianos on August 13th with TK Webb & The Visions and Union Pool on August 16th with Tournament and Orphan. Night Horse will release the first of a three part split 7" series planned for this summer with Dirty Sweet. Look for that 7" on July 7 and check out the first track, "Good Bye Gone", available above.

Next up, Swedish doom-proto types (or is that doom-prototype types?) Graveyard are scheduled to tour the US with CKY (yes, the one with Bam Margera's brother) which includes a NYC date at Gramercy Theater on 8/13, same night as Night Horse at Pianos. Tickets are on sale.

Oh, and did I mention The Warlocks shows at Bowery Ballroom and Maxwell's on August 14th & 15th respectively? Tickets are still available (BB here, Maxwell's here).

Although Ancestors are NOT on the road in any significant fashion, they recently announced their new album, the massively epic Of Sound Mind. Featuring contributions from David Scott Stone (Unwound, Melvins) and Sera Timms (Black Math Horseman), look for Of Sound Mind to hit stores on Oct 6th via Tee Pee Records. MUCH more on this record to come... highly recommended.

Full tour dates for Nebula, Night Horse, The Entrance Band, and Graveyard are below.

Continue reading "Nebula, Graveyard & Night Horse & the Entrance Band tour (not together) - 2009 dates (Sonic Youth, TK Webb too)"

by Black Bubblegum

Merle Allin, Pinback's Rob Crow, and Dino Sex (Sweet shirt Rob!)

Pinback are hitting the road this fall. The San Diego band, whose last LP was 2007's Autumn of The Seraphs on Touch N Go, will be premiering some material from their upcoming Temporary Residence Limited debut, not due until Spring 2010. One of the new dates is on Devil's Night (10/30, apropo for Senor Goblin Cock?) at Irving Plaza. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday, 6/19 at noon here. They play Halloween in Boston.

Rob Crow's Goblin Cock played with Orphan earlier this year at Highline Ballroom. Wow, that last sentence sounded kinda sick.

Orphan has a few dates of their own as well, including a string of dates with the great Malkuth, none of which are in NYC. However, the band IS playing NYC on June 21st as part of the Tom Tom Magazine Benefit at Public Assembly, and again on August 16th with Night Horse and Tournament at Union Pool. Night Horse has also scheduled a second NYC date, at Pianos three days earlier (8/13) with TK Webb & The Visions, Barracks.

All Orphan, Night Horse, and Pinback dates are below..

Continue reading "Pinback - 2009 tour dates (Irving Plaza) ++ Orphan shows too"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Night Horse - "The Dark Can't Hide You" (MP3)

Saviours Live at Europa (Mindy)

Titan will play the Charleston in Brooklyn on Oct 16th with Villains and a "special guest" from Oakland who is on Kemado Records. Hmmm... they might as well just come out and say that it's Saviours, who we already know are in town with Iced Earth and Into Eternity at the Nokia Theater that night (tickets are still available).

Meanwhile, Titan's labelmates and Californians Night Horse, are doing QUINTUPLE (thats 5x) duty out on the East Coast, playing three CMJ shows as well as celebrating the release of their new record The Dark Won't Hide You on Tee Pee (check out the title track above). First up for Night Horse is a show at The Charleston (that album release party) on Oct 21st with Pollution and Acid Tiger and Said Fury. Second and third, a loft party on Oct 24th with It Lives & Mythical Beast followed by a late night show at The Studio @ Webster Hall with Monotonix. Numero four, a Tee Pee day Party on Oct 25th with Weird Owl and It Lives.

Night Horse

At a fifth show, Night Horse will link up with Titan to pummel Europa with King Tuff (mem Witch), The Weight, Weird Owl, and Hopewell as part of Tee Pee's CMJ showcase at Europa on Oct 22nd. Tickets are on sale.

Later this month Steve Moore of Titan (and also Zombi) will play Unsound at Fontana's on Halloween with Nadja, Black Sun, and Menace Ruine.

Aidan Baker of Nadja recently dropped Fantasma Parastasie with Tim Hecker on Alien 8.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Saviours surprise show, Titan, Night Horse & Tee Pee CMJ"