CATERWAUL 2024 schedule

CATERWAUL: updated schedule revealed for Minneapolis festival celebrating "iconoclastic, noisy music" (Brainiac, Oxbow, Whores., more); tickets on sale now

With the 2024 incarnation of Caterwaul just one month away, the fest organizers have released the final updated lineup and schedule for the event.

Unfolding over four days, across stages at two iconic venues in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this year's Caterwaul boasts dozens of artists representing the full spectrum of "independent-minded, iconoclastic, noisy music," in the organizers' words.

Scheduled for May 24-27 at Minneapolis institutions Palmer's Bar and Mortimer's Bar, Caterwaul is fast becoming the epicenter of its own scene – a mix of the old and new, the known and unknown, not limited to any one specific genre but dedicated to uniting all people on the noisy, eccentric side of the fence. The festival, now in its third year, is sponsored by Three Floyds Brewing.

Some of the many highlights of the 2024 lineup include: Brainiac, Oxbow, Whores., Part Chimp, J. Robbins Band, Couch Slut, Gaswar, Ganser, Thrones, and CNTS. Newly added to the lineup is powertakeOff.

Beyond the stellar curation, Caterwaul has come to represent a cooperative, familial spirit within the underground. Through their decades of work in the trenches of independent music, serving in the roles of musician, label owner, show booker, podcaster, and more, Caterwaul founders Conan Neutron (Seismic Wave Entertainment), Rainer Fronz (Learning Curve Records), and Melanie Thomas are deeply tied to the artists and fans whom Caterwaul pulls together. A recent statement from the trio proclaims: "With Caterwaul we make a promise to showcase the paragons of the weird, whilst also prioritizing the community spirit that holds us all together. We are working harder than ever to make sure that our 2024 version will top the previous editions. Count on it."

4-day passes and single-day tickets can be purchased here: https://ticketstripe.com/2024caterwaul

The updated schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 24 @ Mortimer's

12:30 am - Murf
11:45 pm- Heet Deth
11:00 pm - Chief Tail
10:15 pm - Shovel
9:30 pm - Pretty Please
8:45 pm - The Kronk Men
8:00 pm - DUG

Saturday, May 25 @ Mortimer's

1:15 am - The Art Gray Noizz Quintet
12:15 am - Neckbolt
11:30 pm - Facet
10:45 pm - Bronson Arm

Saturday, May 25 @ Palmer's

9:15 pm - Oxbow
8:15 pm - Part Chimp
7:25 pm - Ganser
6:40 pm - Thrones
5:45 pm - Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends
5:00 pm - Lords and Lady Kevin (LALK)
4:15 pm - powertakeOff
3:30 pm - DEAD
2:45 pm - Isolation Tank Ensemble
2:00 pm - Asbestos Worker

Sunday, May 26 @ Mortimer's

1:15 am - Couch Slut
12:30 am - Cougars
11:30 pm - Primitive Broadcast Service
10:30 pm - BEDTIMEMAGIC
9:45 pm - Vestments

Sunday, May 26 @ Palmer's

8:15 pm - J. Robbins Band
7:15 pm - Gaswar
6:30 pm - The Triceratops
5:45 pm - Zach Dracula
5:00 pm - Almanac Man
4:15 pm - Flooding
3:30 pm - Porcelain
2:45 pm - Another Heaven

Monday, May 27 @ Palmer's

9:15 pm - Brainiac
8:15 pm - Whores.
7:30 pm - Djunah
6:45 pm - CNTS
6:00 pm - The Austerity Program
5:15 pm - Scrunchies
4:30 pm - Gay Witch Abortion
3:45 pm - Intercourse
3:00 pm - Quits
2:15 pm - In Lieu

Caterwaul logo, by Whitney Does

KONTRAVOID - "Detachment"

KONTRAVOID: "endboss of modern electronic darkwave" releases final music video from new album "Detachment"; European tour begins April 25th

With new album Detachment out now on Artoffact Records and with a European tour kicking off April 25th in Greece, Kontravoid has revealed the official music video for the album's title track. It is the fourth and final music video from the album.

Stream the "Detachment" video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRBegARiBMc

Stream the album and buy it, here: https://kontravoid.bandcamp.com/album/detachment

Created by video artist Sean McGuirk, the "Detachment" video is a comically unsettling clip with a deliciously awkward retro-1980s aesthetic, featuring three minutes' worth of Kontravoid mastermind Cameron Findlay's unflinching stare. The visuals are the perfect accompaniment to the song's sluggish synth-pop groove, monotone vocal, and lyrics exploring the titular state of detachment. "Detachment from ourselves, now what have we become," intones Findlay.

"Detachment is more or less the theme for most of the tracks on the record, referring to being disconnected from reality in some way," he explains. "It’s just a theme I wanted to explore with this era of the project."

Since 2012, the Canada-born, LA-based Findlay has used Kontravoid as a platform to perfect his brand of dark pop that cruises freely through electronic music genres. He states: "The sound of the new album is definitely influenced by freestyle and electro, and I try to mix those influences with more of a modern EBM sound." Renowned industrial music outlet I Die: You Die has proclaimed: "Kontravoid is the endboss of modern electronic darkwave."

Other videos previously released from the new album include: "For What It Is," "Losing Game" (featuring Nuovo Testamento vocalist Chelsey Crowley), and the eyeball-melting, anime-inspired "Reckoning" clip, a video that so convincingly pays tribute to its influences that the world's #1 anime platform, Crunchyroll, was moved to interview Findlay about it: https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/interviews/2024/4/13/cameron-findlay-kontravoid-interview-top-ten-anime

Kontravoid 2024 European Tour:

Apr 25 - Thessaloniki, Greece @ OSM Tapes
Apr 26 - Athens, Greece @ Death Disco
Apr 27 - Geneva, Austria @ La Gravière
Apr 28 - Marseille, France @ Le Molotov
Apr 30 - Bratislava, Slovakia @ FUGA
May 2 - Madrid, Spain @ The Basement Club
May 3 - Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Upload
May 4 - Valencia, Spain @ Spook Club
May 6 - Glasgow, UK @ Flying Duck
May 9 - Manchester, UK @ The White Hotel
May 10 - Newcastle, UK @ Lubber Fiend
May 11 - London, UK @ Camden Assembly
May 14 - Paris, France @ La Petit Bain
May 17 - Leipzig, Germany @ Wave-Gotik Treffen

Photo by David Rauch-Batista

Out today: ULTRA SUNN - US

US, the new album by ULTRA SUNN, is out today on Artoffact Records.

From Brussels, ULTRA SUNN brings a modern edge to the classic sound of their home country's New Beat boom of the late 1980s, a genre originally popularized by artists such as Lords of Acid and Technotronic. ULTRA SUNN's 2020 single "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" was a worldwide hit, amassing tens of millions of streams so far. With the new album, US, out now, a slew of world touring is underway for 2024, including a stop at Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas this month (with Slipknot, System of a Down, Code Orange).

Stream the album and buy it, here:
https://ultrasunn.bandcamp.com/album/us

More info:
https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/02/ultra-sunn-us.html

"As soon as I hit play... I was lost in an an electric darkwave reverie! If you can listen to this track and not dance, I can’t help you."
–CVLT Nation

"Hailing from Belgium, ULTRA SUNN is slicing through the electronic underground music milieu with their brooding beats and icy synth motifs. They’ve rapidly captured the gaze of the international scene with their bold foray into the realms of unabashed dance music that transcends time and generations. Marrying earnest beats with tuneful harmonies and topped with hooks that are nothing short of infectious, they’ve mastered the art of concocting anthems that beckon the crowd to sing along."
–Post-Punk.com

ULTRA SUNN 2024 Tour:

Apr 25 - Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater
Apr 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ Catch One
Apr 27 - Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World Festival
May 2 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
May 3 - San Diego, CA @ The Kensington Club
May 4 - Riverside, CA @ The Hideaway Cafe
May 7 - San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
May 8 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlows
May 10 - Portland, OR @ Coffin Club
May 11 - Seattle, WA @ Substation
May 12 - Vancouver, WA @ Verboden Festival
May 30 - Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain
Jun 1 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique Orangerie
Jun 6 - Berlin, DE @ Gretchen
Jun 7 - Krakow, PL @ Klub Re
Jun 8 - Warsaw, PL @ Hydrozagadka
Jun 9 - Wroclaw, PL @ Liverpool
Jun 28 - Köln, DE @ Amphi Festival
Aug 8 - Lokeren, BE @ Fonnefeesten
Aug 17 - Matra, HU @ Fekete Zaj
Sep 19 - Bordeaux, FR @ Iboat
Sep 21 - Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks
Oct 3 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's
Oct 4 - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus
Oct 5 - Newark, NJ @ QXT's
Oct 7 - Richmond, VA @ Fallout
Oct 8 - Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House
Oct 9 - Atlanta, GA @ 529
Oct 10 - Tampa, FL @ Absolution Fest
Oct 12 - Nashville, TN @ The Cobra
Oct 15 - New Orleans, LA @ Santos
Oct 16 - Austin, TX @ Elysium
Oct 17 - Houston, TX @ Etro Nightclub
Oct 18 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
Oct 19 - Dallas, TX @ Sundown
Oct 21 - Wichita, KS @ Liminal Evasion
Oct 23 - Kansas City, MO @ VIVO Life
Oct 24 - Saint Louis, MO @ The Crack Fox
Oct 25 - Carbondale, IL @ Hangar 9
Oct 26 - Indianapolis, IN @ White Rabbit
Oct 27 - Madison, WI @ Crucible
Oct 30 - Detroit, MI @ Small's
Oct 31 - Chicago, IL @ Sanctum Fest
Nov 16 - Dresden, DE @ Coldhearted Festival

DARK DAYS BRIGHT NIGHTS

DARK DAYS BRIGHT NIGHTS: Pageninetynine, Portrayal of Guilt, Thou, Young Widows to headline Richmond festival's inaugural lineup; 3-day passes on sale now

Virginia-based labels Persistent Vision Records and Yr Screaming Youth announce the inception of Dark Days Bright Nights, a new music festival in Richmond. 

Scheduled for September 13-15, 2024 at The Broadberry, the fest's inaugural lineup boasts screamo godfathers Pageninetynine, blackened hardcore favorites Portrayal of Guilt, sludge kings Thou, noise rockers Young Widows, and many more bands from Richmond and beyond, representing a spectrum of punk, hardcore, and metal.

Some of the many other standouts include the mighty Kowloon Walled City, along with up-and-comers such as Tijuana crust collective Habak, blackgazers Infant Island, ex-Majority Rule outfit NØ MAN, screamo torchbearers Massa Nera, post-hardcore powerhouse Porcelain, and industrial-metal punks Prisoner (whose new album, Putrid | Obsolete, dropped last month on Persistent Vision Records, and earned rave reviews.)

In addition to hosting a slew of crucial artists of the present day, Dark Days Bright Nights will also feature reunion sets by three bands that have not graced a stage in many years: Pygmy Lush, The Red Scare, and Kilara (members of Avail, City of Caterpillar).

The complete lineup is as follows (in alphabetical order):

Fórn
.GIF from God
Goetia
Habak
Infant Island
Kilara
Kowloon Walled City
Lagrimas

Listless
Massa Nera
NØ MAN
Northeast Regional
Pageninetynine
Porcelain
Portrayal of Guilt
Prisoner

Private Hell
Pygmy Lush
Quiet Fear
Respire
The Red Scare
Thou
Young Widows
+ more TBA

Three-day passes are available now at an advance price of $115. A limited number of individual day tickets will be available in June. Purchase three-day passes here: https://bit.ly/DarkDaysBrightNights9-13

Paul Hansbarger, owner of Persistent Vision Records, describes how Richmond's already-thriving DIY music scene inspired him to start the festival:

"Richmond has an incredibly vibrant and prolific scene for punk, hardcore, metal and other independent/alternative music. There's no question about that. It’s more active than it’s ever been, not to mention having a more diverse, inclusive and younger scene. I've been going to shows here since 2000 and I don't think I've ever witnessed such a wildly active and supportive scene. If anything, we are trying to add something to an already flourishing scene. I feel like there has been an absence of a fest here in Richmond for a while, and we wanted a way to showcase many of the amazing bands from here, alongside a curated lineup of out-of-town bands. We wanted some of the DIY spirit of the house and basement shows that have been such a big part of our lives, but presented on a slightly bigger stage that could accommodate out-of-town visitors, and have an opportunity to share with them a bit of a Richmond experience."

Mike Taylor, owner of Yr Screaming Youth and guitarist of Pageninetynine, adds:

"A big inspiration for me, putting on a fest located in Richmond, is that it has that old Richmond feel. An understated magic. The feeling of finding out about a show in the middle of the day that you had no idea about, showing up to it and being absolutely annihilated by some touring band you’ve never heard of, playing a basement somewhere like it was the last night on earth. The city has a rich, storied past with so many bands who’ve influenced me so much in my life and I guess I want to give that back a little. My hope is that we can make a memory of a lifetime for some young kid at our fest."

Hansbarger's and Taylor's shared vision is no surprise, given that the two have been connected for more than 20 years. "I've been a fan of Mike's band Pageninetynine since first hearing their demo during my senior year of high school in 1999," says Hansbarger. After moving to Richmond for college, Hansbarger started his first label, Perpetual Motion Machine, and his very first release for that label was Pageninetynine's last – a split seven-inch with Circle Takes the Square in 2002.

Launching his new label, Persistent Vision Records, in 2022, Hansbarger was still inspired by what Taylor and his comrades in Pageninetynine had created, and as he began formulating the idea for Dark Days Bright Nights last year, Taylor was his first choice for a collaborator. He states: 

"When I started seriously considering doing a label again, I initially thought about just focusing on reissues. I also knew that there were active, contemporary bands cut from the same cloth as Pageninetynine, who were underrepresented in the overall punk/hardcore community, making incredibly explosive and equally profound music. I envisioned the possibility of a label that could stand with one foot in the past, and one in the future, looking at the rich history of all the bands and old heads I knew from the old days, and to the future of this vibrant scene of new, up and coming bands. Persistent Vision is my attempt at trying to document that. Now, with Dark Days Bright Nights, we aim to bring that same spirit to the stage."

Follow Dark Days Bright Nights, here: https://www.instagram.com/darkdaysbrightnightsva

Photo of Pageninetynine, by Reid Haithcock

BANGLADEAFY - Vulture

BANGLADEAFY: NYC synth-punks evolve on new album "Vulture"; euphoric single "Beautification" streaming now; East Coast tour in April

Bangladeafy announces the June 21st release of new album Vulture on Nefarious Industries.

Pre-order Vulture, here: https://www.nefariousindustries.com/nef114

Stream the "Beautification" music video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRjqV1yByZ4

Back in 2016, VICE described Bangladeafy's music as “Lightning Bolt and The Melvins eating big, greedy spoonfuls of each other’s candy-colored vomit." The Observer reported, similarly: "Not since Lightning Bolt wreaked havoc across DIY underground spaces in its heyday has there been a bass/drums duo as bat-shit complex as Bangladeafy."

In those early years, the NYC band, consisting of Jon Ehlers and Atif Haq, pounded out dizzying prog-punk compositions, using bass and drums as their weapons of choice. Haq's relentless, mercurial rhythms melded with Ehlers' four-string maximalism in songs that hypnotized whilst teetering on the edge of total breakdown.

Separating this singular outfit even further from the crowd was the fact of Ehlers' sensorineural hearing loss, a condition which requires him to use hearing aids. He states: "I’ve certainly faced criticism, or murmurings that I might not have what it takes to hang with the big dogs, so to speak, because there’s a limit to what a hearing disabled musician might be able to do. If anything, I feel that I've proved myself and have worked harder to get there."

Over the course of Bangladeafy's first five releases, synths were gradually introduced into the arsenal, with 2020's Housefly marking a tipping point. With the duo name-dropping Devo, Skinny Puppy, and Nine Inch Nails as influences, Housefly showcases an exhilarating union of human and electronic elements: Ehlers' synths alternate between smothering tension and angelic bliss, and his vocals are delivered with wild-eyed urgency, with Haq's nonstop drumming echoing the manic episodes of octopi like Brian Chippendale and Damon Che. A 2020 article in Decibel Magazine noted the shift: "Gone are the bass-driven metal songs in favor of acoustic drums, synthesizers and sample pads... It has both a cinematic and tribal feeling, despite its electronic trappings.”

Now in 2024, new album Vulture – the band's sixth release, and fifth for Nefarious Industries – sees Bangladeafy hurtling further in this direction. "Vulture is the crossroads of organic and electronic expression," declares Ehlers. "Instead of choosing a path, we chose to drive straight through the cornfield and hope for the best."

Crediting the likes of Clark, Dan Deacon, and Uganda's Nihiloxica for inspiration, Ehlers reveals the process behind the making of Vulture, illustrating clearly the interplay of nature and machine: "All synth sounds were created on a Yamaha MODX6. Sampler stabs were shaped from various manipulated sources, such as field recordings of bees and counter-rocket systems used in war. Said samples were pitched to match the song and mangled in various ways. The drums were all played live and recorded on a Yamaha kit with no click."

Ehlers explains that, as much as Vulture represents the new direction, it is also a return to roots. "Vulture is the sound of Bangladeafy settling into our purest form," he states. "When Atif and I were young, our first jam had me on a Roland synth. The very first time we got into a room together, it was something of a synth-punk persuasion, way back in late 2006. As time went on, our individual skills as a bassist and drummer took off and Bangladeafy was officially formed in 2009. That youthful display of bass and drum acrobatics can be heard on our early albums. Once Ribboncutter had been released in 2018, I felt I personally had said all I needed to say on the bass guitar. My true passion has always been synthesizers."

At just over two minutes in length, Vulture's first single, "Beautification," is an instantly infectious burst of vivid color, located somewhere between the anxiety of The Locust and the euphoria of Torche. "Beautification" is, in fact, one of the longest tracks on the album; Vulture's songs create maximum impact in minimum time.

While Bangladeafy's sound is evolving, so are the lyrics. "We used to have silly songs with chants about bedbugs and witches," says Ehlers. "The lyrics on Vulture reflect my personal experiences. Betrayals, let-downs, and the clarity that comes with age. The transformative effects of age and experience – the loss of innocence – is a theme that pervades the album. Each song has its own story that fits under this umbrella." Regarding the first single, "Beautification," he states: "This song is about fleeting innocence, fleeting security. The line between stability and poverty, or life and death, is very thin."

With shows played in the past year with the likes of Godflesh, Bangladeafy hits the road in April for an East Coast tour, followed by an official Vulture release show in Brooklyn in June.

Lineup:
Jon Ehlers - vocals, synths, samplers
Atif Haq - drums

Production:
Synth and vocals recorded by Jon Ehlers
Drums recorded by Mike Gatto
Mixed by Jonathan Vergara at Pancake Studios
Mastered by Damien Moffitt

Tracklist:
1) Lonely White Inferno
2) Whisper Rat
3) We Will Never Be Safe in This Place
4) Beautification
5) Pastures
6) Washed by the Dust Storm
7) Prism
8) Don't Take My Light Away
9) Diamond
10) Dreams Are for the Weak
11) Earn Your Colors
12) First to the Carcass
13) Belly Up
14) Mirage
15) Hounds

Tour:
Apr 20 - Ambler, PA @ The Yard
Apr 21 - Richmond, VA @ Gallery5
Apr 22 - Raleigh, NC @ Neptunes
Apr 23 - Asheville, NC @ 27 Club
Apr 24 - Atlanta, GA @ The Inner Space
Apr 25 - Savannah, GA @ El Rocko Lounge
Apr 26 - Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone
Apr 27 - Chapel Hill, NC @ The Cave
Apr 28 - Baltimore, MD @ Holy Frijoles
Jun 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Made (Vulture Release Show)

Discography:
Vulture (2024, Nefarious Industries)
Housefly (2020, Nefarious Industries)
Ribboncutter (2018, Nefarious Industries)
Narcopaloma (2016, Nefarious Industries)
The Briefcase (2013, Nefarious Industries)
This Is Your Brain on Bugs (2011, self-released)

Photos by Jenna Hill

Cover art by Greg Meisenberg

GOD MOTHER - "Spellcraft"

GOD MOTHER: Stockholm's metallic hardcore heroes channel love of role-playing games into new single "Spellcraft"; music video now streaming

With the new God Mother single, “Spellcraft,” out April 12th, the song's official music video is now streaming.

Stream "Spellcraft," here: https://www.invisibleoranges.com/god-mother-spellcraft/

Pre-order God Mother's new EP, Sinneseld, here: https://godmothersverige.bandcamp.com/album/sinneseld

Invisible Oranges writer Tom Campagna reports: “Already known for wreaking chaos on a global scale, Swedish metallic hardcore unit God Mother are returning with their new EP Sinneseld and more of their trademark madness. I originally ran into this band at New York City’s Terminal 5 as part of the original run of Dillinger Escape Plan farewell shows… Their live performance was enough to make sure I followed them on subsequent releases, including their previous full-length, 2017’s Vilseledd which was featured on Dillinger’s label Party Smasher."

Sinneseld will be released May 10th and vocalist Sebastian Campbell describes it as their “most sprawling release” so far, with tracks ranging from cowbell-banging rockers to blasts of grindcore. The EP was mixed by God Mother's Michael Dahlström and mastered by Cult of Luna's Magnus Lindberg (Refused, Birds in Row).

Regarding the new single, "Spellcraft," Campbell states: "My love of fantasy roleplaying games really came alive in this song, leaning heavily towards the celebration of fantasy through old films like 'Mio, My Son,' 'Conan,' and 'The Sword and the Sorcerer.' I’ve dungeon mastered a lot, and I loved writing it. Performing this song makes my whole self energized like nothing else."

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/03/god-mother-sinneseld.html

Photo by Emil Johansson

Out today: AMBLARE

The self-titled debut album by Amblare is out today on Melodic Virtue. Recorded by Matt Talbott (Hum) and mixed and mastered by Mario Quintero (Spotlights), the album is recommended highly for fans of the spacey, soaring, soulful edges of post-hardcore. It is the final recording of powerhouse drummer Bryan St. Pere (Hum).

Stream the album, here: https://amblare.bandcamp.com/album/amblare

Stream the "Starlight" music video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FehHrXT4NZw

Buy the album, here: https://www.melodicvirtue.com/products/amblare-lp 

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/02/amblare.html

"Before Hum drummer Bryan St. Pere passed away in 2021, he finished up work on the debut album by a new band he formed alongside Matt McGuyer (also currently of Mock Orange) and Alex Wallwork called Amblare. The album was produced by Hum’s Matt Talbott and mastered by Spotlights’ Mario Quintero, and its existence remained under wraps until now. It’s sludgy, melodic, and spacey – not unlike Hum – and it’s a treat to get the opportunity to hear what are Bryan’s final recordings."

–BrooklynVegan

“Amblare, the self-titled album from the band of the same name, contains the final recordings of Hum drummer Bryan St. Pere… Amblare operate in a similar territory of heavy, fuzzed-out rock that borders on shoegaze, building a moody atmosphere.”
–Decibel

"Masterpiece of radiant, emotive rock."
–Idioteq

“Through their eight-song debut, Amblare deliver moments of mega-distorted, Hum-like grooving; meter-vaulting, clean-channel moodiness; and overwhelming, incandescent gloom.”
–Northern Transmissions

"Balances between heavy, post-hardcore and emotive, contemplative tones."
–Scene Point Blank

"The new self-titled LP coming out from Amblare... It's incredible."
–Songwriting Malpractice

"Simultaneously triumphant and tragic, the Indiana post-hardcore power trio's darkly potent debut also serves as an unintended epitaph for Hum drummer Bryan St. Pere."

–Tinnitist

"Matt McGuyer is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter... If you're at all a fan of Hum (or Chavez for that matter) I encourage you to get into Amblare."

–Vinyl & Vision