JUSTIFICATIONS - "Urge to Kill"

JUSTIFICATIONS: The Red Chord members launch new band, drop first single "Urge to Kill"

"Urge to Kill," the first single from the upcoming debut album by Justifications, is out now.

Stream the official lyric video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKbQw1vuVvU

Based in Manchester, New Hampshire, Justifications is a new band featuring vocalist Guy Kozowyk and guitarist Kevin Rampelberg, both founding members of The Red Chord, alongside guitarist Mark MacDonald (Austrian Death Machine), bassist Jason Edney, and drummer Tony Hersey. As Justifications, these five deliver a spirited brand of metallic hardcore, bursting with energy and memorable lyrics, recommended highly for fans of Nails, Terror, and Turmoil.

Kozowyk lays out the band's mission statement: "Justifications is intended to be direct and fun. A knee-jerk reaction to the world around us." Rampelberg concurs: "The music is more direct, and I think that naturally allows it to connect with people in a different way."

Recorded by Kevin Billingslea (Lamb of God, Cruel Hand) and mixed and mastered by Zeuss (Hatebreed, Rob Zombie), first single "Urge to Kill" sees the quintet charge out of the gate with an infectious 2-minute blitz, packed with double-bass flurries and a ripping guitar solo. Although Justifications' sound is a far cry from The Red Chord, fans of that band will instantly recognize Kozowyk's commanding voice and colorful lyrics, straddling a line between sarcastic wit and blunt reality. "Your face greets me like an ulcer, starts to wreck my day / I’d rather play in traffic than see your stupid face," he barks on the song's verse, enunciating every word and allowing the message to really transmit. Despite the homicidal tint, "Urge to Kill" is ultimately a song about restraining impulses, not following through with them.

"I was on a mission to deliver lines that sounded abrasive but were also legible," says Kozowyk. "I have a great appreciation for vocalists who are both brutal and can enunciate. If you actually have something to say, I want to hear it."

Justifications will make its live debut on September 19th. Stand by for more show announcements and more details about the debut album, coming in 2027 on Kozowyk's label, Black Market Activities.

Justifications, live:

9/19 - Bensalem, PA @ Broken Goblet Brewing (w/ Deadguy)

9/26 - Henniker, NH @ Henniker Brewing Company (w/ Pathogenic)

Stream "Urge to Kill" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6GlPyPTeSUFGWChCyvIBJW

Stream "Urge to Kill" on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/urge-to-kill/6811964650

Stream "Urge to Kill" on Bandcamp: https://justifications.bandcamp.com/track/urge-to-kill

Follow Justifications on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justificationsnh/

Photo by Karen Jerzyk

Artwork by Mike Wohlberg

Out today: MR.PHYLZZZ - Fear the Lord

Signed to the legendary Amphetamine Reptile Records, Chicago duo mr.phylzzz – vocalist/guitarist Clinton Jacob and drummer Danny Sein – deliver an irreverent take on noise rock, lacing their songs with epic hooks and dark humor. Playful and theatrical in a way that most bands would not dare, this pair thrives on the subversion of all expectations. Out today, new album Fear the Lord features falsetto vocals, pianos, unorthodox percussion, and soaring arena rock vibes, amidst raw, sludgy pummeling.

mr.phylzzz is right at home on AmRep, the label that has come to define an entire sub-genre of iconoclastic music. Furthermore, it was revealed last month that frontman Jacob is 1/4 of Gatta Morta, the new AmRep supergroup featuring Buzz Osborne (The Melvins), Coady Willis (The Melvins, Big Business) and JD Pinkus (Butthole Surfers).

A US tour is underway now: https://www.mrphylzzz.com/tour

Stream the music and buy merch, here: https://mrphylzzz.bandcamp.com/

Stream the music videos, here: https://www.youtube.com/@mrphylzzz/

Follow the band, here: https://www.instagram.com/mrphylzzzband/

"Vocalist and guitarist Clinton Jacob and drummer Danny Sein approach noise rock with dark humor and a gleeful disregard for convention."
–Destroy//Exist

"Noisy as hell and hot on the heels of forming new supergroup Gatta Morta ... Chicago’s mr.phylzzz swings like a door barely on its hinges."
–Fecking Bahamas

"Guitar, drums, cheap suits, demonic vocals, massive beats and riffs 'til hell wouldn't have 'em. What more do you need? Praise the flies and pass the earplugs, preacher."
–Tinnitist

"The strange and wonderfully eclectic duo, mr.phylzzz ... I think this forthcoming record might be my favorite mr.phylzzz record so far."
–Whatever Comes Next Podcast

Sep 4 - Detroit, MI @ Paris Bar
Sep 5 - Canton, OH @ The Auricle
Sep 6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project
Sep 7 - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
Sep 8 - Troy, NY @ No Fun
Sep 9 - Somerville, MA @ The Rockwell
Sep 10 - Brooklyn, NY @ Lucky 13
Sep 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Love City Brewing
Sep 13 - Raleigh, NC @ Neptunes Parlor
Sep 14 - Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Taqueria
Sep 15 - Chattanooga, TN @ JJ's Bohemia
Sep 16 - Birmingham, AL @ The Nick
Sep 17 - Nashville, TN @ The Cobra
Sep 18 - Little Rock, AR @ Whitewater Tavern
Sep 19 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
Sep 20 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose
Sep 21 - Austin, TX @ Crow Bar
Sep 22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street
Sep 23 - Tulsa, OK @ The Whittier Bar
Sep 24 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
Sep 26 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
Sep 27 - Dubuque, IA @ The Lift
Sep 28 - Chicago, IL @ Casa Cafe

Photos by Madison Rease

Cover art by HAZE XXL

CHAINLINKS 069: mr.phylzzz

Chainlinks is a series we started back in 2017 to give our friends a space to share the stuff currently inspiring them — music, film, books, or anything else they wanted to recommend to the world.

For Chainlinks 069, we have Clinton Jacob and Danny Sein, who together form the great mr.phylzzz (pronounced "Mr. Flies"!) Signed to the legendary Amphetamine Reptile Records, vocalist/guitarist Jacob and drummer Sein deliver an irreverent take on noise rock, lacing their songs with epic hooks and dark humor. Playful and theatrical in a way that most bands would not dare, this pair thrives on the subversion of all expectations. Their newest single, “Rodeo Clown,” opens with Jacob’s pensive vocal and acoustic guitar strums and waits almost two minutes before erupting into its larger-than-life arena rock finale. Stream the superb music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWm5EMZUZMk

mr.phylzzz is right at home on AmRep, the label that has come to define an entire sub-genre of iconoclastic music. Furthermore, it was revealed this month that Jacob is 1/4 of Gatta Morta, the new AmRep supergroup featuring Buzz Osborne (The Melvins), Coady Willis (The Melvins, Big Business) and JD Pinkus (Butthole Surfers). With mr.phylzzz's new album Fear the Lord coming out next Friday, September 4th, the duo will hit the road for an extensive US tour.

Clinton Jacob of mr.phylzzz

1) Favorite Hotel Ever

If there is one thing that puts a smile on my bitter, gay face, it's a nice, lush hotel. I think there's something timeless about them. We have come a long way since the days of the "Two-Penny Lean"—a 19th-century bench with a rope strung across that you could lean over to sleep. Charming, right? No, thanks! Give me something swank and wild (and with a bed!).

My all-time favorite hotel would have to be The Lafayette Hotel in San Diego, California. It is a true gem in this country, bursting with old-Hollywood charm. We're talking, over-the-top, gaudy mid-century modern mixed with 1940s Colonial Revival design, a 24-hour train car diner inside the hotel, and an old-school bowling alley with Great Gatsby-era gold decor. And don't forget the Olympic-sized pool smacked dead in the middle of the property, complete with stunning views and poolside service.

With leopard-print seating, floral wallpaper, and velvet dripping from every corner, this place is a gay man's absolute dream. I highly recommend it!

2) Favorite Guitar Pedal

It goes without saying: I love fuzz pedals. I want that sound of a swarm of bees screaming through a blown-out speaker. After years of trial and error with junk amps and terrible gear, I’ve finally landed on the ultimate fuzz: the Death By Audio Fuzz War.

The name alone tells you everything you need to know. "Death By Audio" already lets you know they aren't messing around, and a pedal called Fuzz War? Sign me up for the battlefield.

My biggest issue with most pedals is build quality. I’m a stomper. In the heat of the moment, I’ll stomp a pedal six feet into the ground, but this box withstands the abuse every single time.

It’s also blissfully simple. I hate pedals that require a degree in electrical engineering just to dial in a decent tone. With a straightforward layout—Volume, Fuzz, and Tone—you’re ready to rip right out of the box.

This pedal has a dark, massive low-end hum I’ve never heard anywhere else. I used to try getting close by chaining three Big Muffs together, but the Fuzz War is way easier and infinitely more effective. It’s the only fuzz I’ve played that feels truly full and can stand completely on its own. Turn it on, and it rips speakers apart with sustain for days. It sounds like a literal war between your guitar and your amp.

I love Death By Audio. Go get one!

3) Weird Al Is The Goat

I think back on why I got into music, and I can pin it down to one man and one accordion: "Weird Al" Yankovic. I remember being a kid in school with one friend who happened to get a portable CD player. He had only one CD—Weird Al’s Bad Hair Day. We snapped the band on the over-ear headphones so we could each hold a cup to an ear and listen together on the school bus. It may have only been the right speaker, but it was enough to change me forever. I had never heard anyone do something like that—taking these popular songs my mom would blare in the car to drown out our cries for McDonald's and turning them into funny, clever new tracks. "Amish Paradise" is permanently burned into my head. To this day, I couldn't even tell you the original lyrics to the real song. As far as I'm concerned, Weird Al's versions are the originals.

I've seen him live over 12 times now, and he never misses. His shows are always fun, always perfect, and he tours more than most artists out there.

Beyond the music, a key thing I’ve taken away from Weird Al as a musician myself is kindness. Al is always gracious and respectful. He treats the artists he parodies with complete integrity, always asking for their sign-off first, even though, by law, he doesn't have to. He is a true gentleman and an absolute weirdo at the same time, and I strive to replicate that same ethos in my own career.

Sure, me learning the accordion didn't work out for anyone involved, but the life lessons I've learned from him will keep me weird and kind forever.


Danny Sein of mr.phylzzz

1) Fugazi - "Glueman" Live (from the Instrument DVD)

This gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. Sometimes it even makes me tear up because of the emotional and spiritual power of the performance and the tightness of the band. (I also get this feeling from The Jesus Lizard's performance from 1991 at DC Space). This particular performance encapsulates what Fugazi is known best for; the band is tight and the performance is unpredictable, unscripted and transcendent. Guy’s performance is out-of-body, like the music is an electric current and he stuck his entire being in the socket. The power of the performance also generates itself without the shock value stunts and adrenaline of a more violent band. It doesn’t feel contrived in any way, which is a real feat for something so theatrical. There’s also another performance of this song where Ian’s guitar cuts out for more than half the song and the band immediately reacts by dipping the dynamics on the fly and building it back up without Ian’s wall of distorted guitar. They were not only firing on all cylinders as a band but they were spiritually tapped in. I frequently reference this as a main source of inspiration.

2) Roald Dahl 

Roald Dahl, the beloved children’s book author (whom I grew up adoring) also writes grotesque, acerbic, and darkly witty short stories for adult readers. I found this “Best of Roald Dahl” book of short stories, just browsing at one of my favorite new bookstores, Perpetual Books, here in Chicago. It’s a real page turner and there’s always a twist you’d never expect. I devoured it in about a week which is the fastest I’ve made time to read something in a minute. I even lifted the title of one of the stories for a song on our upcoming album, entitled “Switch Bitch.”

3) Coffee

When I wake up, one of my first thoughts is “Where can I get coffee or caffeine in some form?” I love it black, with cream, with sugar, brewed, espresso, americano, cold brew, whatever. Gas station coffee even has its place. I love the ritual, the smell and the feeling. Such a simple, nice thing. If I don’t have coffee my day is definitely worse and I almost definitely have a headache. It also builds itself nicely into a tour routine where you can get a small feel of the town by the coffee shop near the venue after soundcheck. This goes hand in hand with record stores or music stores for me as well. Often times that could be my only glimpse of the city we are playing in, outside of maybe a nearby restaurant. The Melvins guys tour with an aeropress which is very convenient if you’re in a pinch for time. When we toured with them in 2023, Coady and I would switch off getting coffee for one another. Last tour, our merch guy Enrique got obsessed with ‘Dunkalattes’ and we made a special stop to Dunkin’ for him every day. Clinton and Enrique made a song and dance for it too. But then, since I’m a coffee priss sometimes we’d go to Starbucks after so I could get a cold brew. Hey, I know it sounds like a lot but most bands have members who are alcoholics and/or drug users and some have sober caffeine addicts!

MR.PHYLZZZ - "Rodeo Clown"

mr.phylzzz: next-gen Amphetamine Reptile rockers drop "Rodeo Clown" power ballad and music video; US tour begins

Chicago duo mr.phylzzz has revealed "Rodeo Clown," the new single from its upcoming album, Fear the Lord, on Amphetamine Reptile Records.

Stream the official music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWm5EMZUZMk

Formed in 2015 and signed by Amphetamine Reptile founder Tom Hazelmyer in 2019, mr.phylzzz has the distinction of being one of the only active bands on the legendary label's current roster, alongside The Melvins. Vocalist/guitarist Clinton Jacob and drummer Danny Sein deliver an irreverent take on noise rock, lacing their songs with epic hooks and dark humor. Playful and theatrical in a way that most bands would not dare, this pair thrives on the subversion of all expectations.

While the band's previous single, "Emma Draws a Dog," is a hard-charging noise rock banger, new single "Rodeo Clown" opens with Jacob's pensive vocal and acoustic guitar strums and waits almost two minutes before erupting into its larger-than-life arena rock finale. The song's superb music video, shot in one take with a single camera, has Jacobs and Sein performing the song, clad in clown makeup and their trademark cheap suits, amidst a series of moving sets.

Sein states: "Clinton came in with this beautiful, quiet song already half finished with the verses. We wrote the latter half of the song from there starting with the big drum hits onward. It definitely showcases the musical depth and dynamics of the band."

Jacob adds: "When writing the song, I knew it was a full departure from what we were doing and I loved that ... I think the best thing about mr.phylzzz is the fact that there are zero rules. We write what seems cool to us and we disregard genre. Sometimes it's metal, sometimes it's pop, sometimes it's acoustic. The important thing is that it's fun for us. If it makes me laugh, I'll probably explore it."

Even the head-scratcher of a band name is intended to challenge the audience and amuse the band – contrary to the spelling, the correct pronunciation is "Mr. Flies." Given the band's penchant for humor, it is no surprise to discover that Jacob spent time in the standup comedy scene and that he derives as much inspiration from comedians such as Andy Kaufman and Doug Stanhope, as from musicians.

Truly unfettered, mr.phylzzz is right at home on AmRep, the label that nurtured the careers of outliers such as Helmet, Today Is The Day, The Cows, and the aforementioned Melvins, and came to define an entire sub-genre of iconoclastic music. "I love AmRep and Tom," says Jacob. "Tom found the band on Facebook because I would constantly be making these crazy videos of the band playing these insane places and having the cops called on us for noise. One day I got a call from Tom and the rest is history! We've been working together now for 10 years and he's been a huge supporter of what we do."

Furthermore, it was revealed this month that Jacob is 1/4 of Gatta Morta, the new AmRep supergroup also featuring Buzz Osborne (The Melvins), Coady Willis (The Melvins, Big Business) and JD Pinkus (Butthole Surfers).

With Fear the Lord coming out September 4th, mr.phylzzz will hit the road for an extensive headlining tour of the US:

Sep 3 - Kalamazoo, MI @ The Run Off
Sep 4 - Detroit, MI @ Paris Bar
Sep 5 - Canton, OH @ The Auricle
Sep 6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project
Sep 7 - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
Sep 8 - Troy, NY @ No Fun
Sep 9 - Somerville, MA @ The Rockwell
Sep 10 - Brooklyn, NY @ Lucky 13
Sep 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Love City Brewing
Sep 13 - Raleigh, NC @ Neptunes Parlor
Sep 14 - Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Taqueria
Sep 15 - Chattanooga, TN @ JJ's Bohemia
Sep 16 - Birmingham, AL @ The Nick
Sep 17 - Nashville, TN @ The Cobra
Sep 18 - Little Rock, AR @ Whitewater Tavern
Sep 19 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
Sep 20 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose
Sep 21 - Austin, TX @ Crow Bar
Sep 22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street
Sep 23 - Tulsa, OK @ The Whittier Bar
Sep 24 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
Sep 26 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
Sep 27 - Dubuque, IA @ The Lift
Sep 28 - Chicago, IL @ Casa Cafe

Photo by Madison Rease

Cover art by HAZE XXL

BODY STUFF - "The World Is Yours"

BODY STUFF releases new single "The World Is Yours," announces album release show with Today Is The Day

"The World Is Yours," the third single from Body Stuff's new album, Body Stuff 5, is out now.

Stream the official music video, here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ync4f5wc3w 

Stream the song on Spotify, here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/2XCTnOOJDt0jiPnt8qykf0 

Stream the song on Apple Music, here:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/body-stuff-5/6769001310

The solo project of NYC artist Curran Reynolds, Body Stuff's impassioned rock music has been described as "a hardcore Bruce Springsteen" (The Wire Magazine), “Springsteen fully embracing his Suicide influence" (Stereogum), and "a very New York City sound" (Decibel Magazine). Reynolds opts to call it, simply, “hard rock.”

Coming October 16th, sophomore album Body Stuff 5 brings the project to new depths and heights. Eight anthemic songs hum with longing and triumph. Big, slamming drum beats, seemingly echoing the boomboxes of NYC summers past, are peppered with storms of double-bass. Guitars, performed by Reynolds’ friend Andee Blacksugar (Blondie) ravage and glisten, transmitting from a place where hair metal and post-punk converge. The album was engineered and mixed by longtime Body Stuff collaborator Ryan Jones and mastered by Ted Jensen (Madonna, Metallica).

New single "The World Is Yours" is a driving, metallic rock song that sees Reynolds recounting past travels. He states: “This is a song about traveling the world, playing in a band. When you’re on tour, the world shrinks. The outside becomes your home and the unfamiliar becomes familiar. This song reminisces proudly on places seen and people met. London, Paris, Tallahassee ... But the ego trip fades into the realization that everyone has their own story and they’re all of equal value. My story is one little part of the bigger story.”

Having played shows this year with Martin Rev, Swing Kids, and Dazzling Killmen, Body Stuff will return to the stage on October 9th for the Body Stuff 5 album release show at TV Eye in Queens, New York, with Reynolds's former band Today Is The Day also on the lineup.

Album release show tickets: https://www.eventim.us/event/tickets/700599?afflky=TVEye

Additional Body Stuff links and info: https://linktr.ee/bodystuff

Photo by Paul Roura

Flyer by Curran Reynolds

Cover art by Matt Kepler

SEMUTA - Thoughtless/Dreamless

SEMUTA: post-metal dynamo returns with sophomore album Thoughtless/Dreamless; new track streaming

From Portland, Oregon, Semuta returns with its sophomore album, Thoughtless/Dreamless, coming October 9th on Accident Prone Records.

Recorded and mixed by Scott Evans (Neurosis, Kowloon Walled City) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Portrayal of Guilt, Torche), Thoughtless/Dreamless sees guitarist/vocalist Benjamin Caragol and drummer Ben Stoller deliver their greatest work to date.

Pre-order the album, here:

https://semutamusic.bandcamp.com/album/thoughtless-dreamless-2

Stream the music video for the album's first single, "Slow Decay," here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0dPzfPQBQg

With 2024's debut album, Glacial Erratic, Caragol and Stoller established a mournful strain of sludgy post-metal, marked by enthralling songcraft and passionate execution. Decibel Magazine described the sound as "progressive, melodic sludge metal" and Nine Circles hailed its "unexpected juxtapositions of melancholy and crushing crescendos."

Speaking in interviews about the path that led to Semuta, Caragol characterized himself as a metalhead kid, weaned on the likes of Gorguts and Enslaved, who then discovered Radiohead and whose artistic evolution was defined by the mix of those essential influences. "I was drawn to heavy bands that experimented with sonics, odd times, and emotive melodies; bands like Neurosis, Converge, Godspeed You! Black Emperor," he stated. "I really appreciate music that pushes boundaries while maintaining a lot of feeling."

Two years down the road, Caragol and Stoller have grown more deeply united as a musical unit and on the new album their efforts crystallize into a sprawling yet purposeful work of art. "There is something magical about two people being dialed in and making it happen, especially when the music is kind of fucked up and complex," enthuses Caragol.

At nine minutes in length, Thoughtless/Dreamless's first single, "Slow Decay," captivates from start to finish. Caragol's exceptional voice shines, a rich, soaring wail, as the duo travels in unison, hammering out its glistening, moody metal, and gradually building tension in 4/4, 5/4, and 7/4. With only four songs adding up to almost 40 minutes of music, Thoughtless/Dreamless is a musical feat that will likely grab the ears and hearts of fans of progressive rock, post-metal, and the more exploratory fringe of the extreme metal spectrum.

"We wanted to challenge ourselves as players and songwriters, but we also want the songs to be memorable and emotive," states Caragol. "It has always been the goal to ride the line between cognitively engaging and viscerally powerful, and I think this album does it pretty well. Thoughtless/Dreamless is our attempt to push the limits of what we can create. We wanted to lean into the more complex and metallic aspects of our band, while also creating more space, atmosphere, and beauty. We wanted to embrace long-form song writing and create something cohesive, with all four songs flowing into one one another to create something seamless and expansive."

Where the debut album explored political failures, Thoughtless/Dreamless turns inward. “The lyrical content is more personal and less political than our last album," reveals Caragol. "It is centered around the difficulty of holding onto the things that we find meaning in, and the toll it takes on us when things fall apart. I’ve always struggled with depression and feeling dissatisfied with what I’m doing, and I had some particularly trying times while we were writing this record. I think this is a pretty innately human thing, especially at a time where civilization feels like it’s falling apart. I don’t think my experience of the world is particularly special or unique, but I hope what I’m singing about resonates with people who are struggling with their own inner dialogue."

RIYL: 

Neurosis, Isis, Cave In, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Yes, King Crimson, Enslaved, Oranssi Pazuzu, Rhododendron

Tracklist:
1) Slow Decay
2) A Relic
3) The Well
4) Thoughtless/Dreamless

Lineup:
Benjamin Caragol - guitar, bass, vocals
Ben Stoller - drums, synth

Upcoming shows:
October 16 - Portland, OR @ High Water Mark (Album Release Show)
October 17 - Tacoma, WA @ New Frontier
October 18 - Seattle, WA @ Add-A-Ball
October 23 - Chico, CA @ Naked Lounge
October 24 - Los Angeles, CA @ Coyote Studios
October 25 - Oakland, CA @ Thee Stork Club

Photos by Luis Hernandez

Cover art by Orion Landau

LOCKSLIP - The Conversation

LOCKSLIP: metallic hardcore powerhouse announces debut full-length on Bleakhouse; first single streaming now (ft. King Yosef)

Bleakhouse, the label founded by industrial-hardcore phenom King Yosef, presents its next release: The Conversation, the debut full-length album by Lockslip, coming November 6th.

Pre-order the album, here:

https://bleakhouse.co/pages/lockslip

https://lockslip.bandcamp.com/album/the-conversation

Stream the album's first single, "Gray World," featuring guest vocals by King Yosef, here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=R9sdOVkKj5I
https://bleakhouse.vyd.co/GrayWorldFtKingYosef

From Los Angeles, Lockslip delivers a punishing brand of hardcore inspired equally by Converge's bleeding-heart authenticity as by Car Bomb's kaleidoscopic complexity.

"We think of ourselves as a blend of mathcore, metalcore, and hardcore, while not wanting to be limiting to those labels," states vocalist Sara G, also known in some circles as the vocalist of Entry.

On new album The Conversation, Lockslip's songs are powered by inexorable momentum, like blind horses barreling down mountainsides. Noah Baxter's breakneck drumming fuels Lockslip's stampedes, leading to world-ending breakdowns courtesy of guitarists TJ Jaeger and Nick Pinder and bassist Enrique Isla-Eisenacher. Above the fray, lustrous melodic passages occasionally appear like sunlight through storm clouds. Sara G screams every word with absolute conviction, as if drawing from a bottomless well of horror. The Conversation is the sound of a band pushing all the way to the edge – musically, emotionally, in the red.

"The state of the world is complex, it’s dark, and it’s unpredictable, so we want to write music that reflects those anxieties," says G.

The album's first single, "Gray World," was inspired by the book, The Giver, she reveals: "The Giver is a dystopian sci-fi novel about a seemingly perfect society where no one is suffering or in pain. It’s one of those stories where you learn pretty quickly that things aren’t as perfect as they seem. One of the biggest questions the book brings up is if it’s worth giving up a world of beauty knowing it will also numb all of the pain. It seems like in today's world, there is no escaping pain. There is no distraction or no joy big enough to ignore it. When I’m able to enjoy myself, I immediately feel guilt knowing what is going on in the world. Sometimes I think I’d trade the good and the bad for something that is neither one."

Founded in 2022, with just one self-titled, self-released EP to its name until now, Lockslip has quickly grabbed the attention and respect of the scene in LA and beyond. In addition to King Yosef, the band's champions include Todd Jones of Nails, who lent his vocals to The Conversation's penultimate track, "Iconoclast," and Kathryn Edwards of Thirdface who sings on "Paradise Is Not for Us." Recent tour mates include Scalp and False Body. The band will travel to Gainesville, Florida this fall to play the legendary The Fest. 

"There’s such a huge community and passion for heavy music in LA and the wider country too, right now," says G. "We’re incredibly grateful to be surrounded by such supportive and inspiring people."

The Conversation was recorded and mixed by Lockslip drummer Noah Baxter at his East LA studio, Dichotic Studios, and mastered by Nick Townsend (Nails, Angel Du$t).

Tracklist:
1) Gray World (ft. King Yosef)
2) Vengeance (You'll Be Seen By Your God)
3) Rattle of Death
4) I'm the Same
5) Speak Without Words
6) Inglorious
7) Paradise Is Not for Us (ft. Kathryn Edwards)
8) Cut Out the Odds
9) Young
10) Iconoclast (ft. Todd Jones)
11) End the Conversation

Lineup:
Sara G - vocals
TJ Jaeger - guitar
Nick Pinder - guitar
Enrique Isla-Eisenacher - bass
Noah Baxter - drums

Production:

Recorded and mixed by Noah Baxter

Mastered by Nick Townsend

Cover art by Emma Maatman
Photos by Harper King

Discography:
The Conversation (2026, Bleakhouse)
Lockslip EP (2024, self-released)

Upcoming shows:

October 24 - Gainesville, FL @ The Fest

Links:

https://lockslip.band/

https://instagram.com/lockslip/

https://bleakhouse.co/

https://instagram.com/bleakhouse.co/

MR.PHYLZZZ - Fear the Lord

MR.PHYLZZZ: Amphetamine Reptile to release new album "Fear the Lord"; new single streaming now; US tour in September

From Chicago, Illinois, the duo known as mr.phylzzz has revealed its newest single, "Emma Draws a Dog." The song will appear on the band's upcoming album, Fear the Lord, coming September 4th on Amphetamine Reptile Records.

Stream "Emma Draws a Dog" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rhJtKjXJ1Q

Formed in 2015 and signed by Amphetamine Reptile founder Tom Hazelmyer in 2019, mr.phylzzz has the distinction of being one of the only active bands on the legendary label's current roster, alongside The Melvins. Clad in cheap suits, vocalist/guitarist Clinton Jacob and drummer Danny Sein deliver an irreverent take on noise rock, lacing their songs with epic hooks and dark humor. Playful and theatrical in a way that most bands would not dare, this pair thrives on the subversion of all expectations. 

Fear the Lord opens with piano and falsetto, setting a wistful, classic rock tone for two minutes before devolving into detuned chaos. Track 2, "Build to Nothing," is a stadium-sized call-to-arms, built on an earthquaking drum beat and Jacob's soaring vocals. New single, "Emma Draws a Dog," an infectious banger propelled by a bouncing riff and rhythmic wordplay, might be mistaken for a merrier Rage Against The Machine.

A reflection on menial jobs and odious coworkers, "Emma Draws a Dog" is a song about the triumph of creativity in the face of oppressive circumstances. It is arguably one of the catchiest songs to ever bear the AmRep logo.

"I think the best thing about mr.phylzzz is the fact that there are zero rules," states Jacob. "We write what seems cool to us and we disregard genre. Sometimes it's metal, sometimes it's pop, sometimes it's acoustic. The important thing is that it's fun for us. If it makes me laugh, I'll probably explore it. Thats what I love about this band, nothing is off the table."

Even the head-scratcher of a band name is intended to challenge the audience and amuse the band – contrary to the spelling, the correct pronunciation is reportedly "Mr. Flies." Jacob describes it as a test to filter out the truly dedicated fans: "I say it wrong on purpose and spell it wrong on purpose because if someone does find us, they really must like us to go through all that. Nothing good should be easy!”

Given the band's penchant for humor, it is no surprise to discover that Jacob spent time in the standup comedy scene and that he derives as much inspiration from comedians as from musicians. "Andy Kaufman and Doug Stanhope are big influences for me. Kaufman for me is where the antics come from, from me thinking 'what if Kaufman was in a band?'. I think humor is so important and we need more of it. I worked in comedy clubs for a long time and was highly influenced by how standups will grind something down till its perfect. It really inspired me as a musician and changed my perspective of playing. I can treat shows as open mics and test songs just like comics test material. Gauge the response and cut the fat."

The freedom with which mr.phylzzz operates is refreshing and it might be attributed in part to the fact that there are only two members. Like a speedboat outmaneuvering an ocean liner, a duo can shift gears and change course with greater speed and ease than, say, a quintet. Drummer Danny Sein elaborates: "There’s something to be said about the special musical bond a two-piece shares. After you’ve been playing with one person for so long, it almost feels like you are one unit. Also, I feel like in a band the chemistry is always best when you can tell the people on stage are real friends. Clinton is my best friend. Everything is easier as a two-piece: songwriting, decisions, scheduling, finances. As soon as you get more people involved, things drag."

Truly unfettered, mr.phylzzz is right at home on AmRep, the label that nurtured the careers of outliers such as Helmet, Today Is The Day, The Cows, and the aforementioned Melvins, and came to define an entire sub-genre of iconoclastic music.

"I love AmRep and Tom," says Jacob. "Tom found the band on Facebook because I would constantly be making these crazy videos of the band playing these insane places and having the cops called on us for noise. One day I got a call from Tom and the rest is history! We've been working together now for 10 years and he's been a huge supporter of what we do."

Upcoming new album, Fear the Lord, is mr.phylzzz's fourth release for AmRep. Apropos of the album title, the majority of the songs were recorded in a church in rural Wisconsin. "We recorded the bulk of the album in a beautiful church in the middle of nowhere," recounts Jacob. "A huge Victorian-style cathedral. We just set up our gear amongst the pews and on the stage. The place was absolutely not meant for recording but we made it work."

"I am not religious," he clarifies. "I find religion, and the way people will take a book and twist it for their own gain, fascinating. I think more then ever I'm seeing people use 'that's my religion' as a way to cover for their shitty behavior and as an avid reader I can say without a shadow of doubt that God is definitely up there going 'yo, those people aren't with me, my original recipe for the human race must have been misplaced.'”

Having toured in the recent past with the likes of The Melvins, Boris, and fellow duo Venus Twins, mr.phylzzz will hit the road for an extensive headlining tour of the US in September to celebrate the release of Fear the Lord. Expect the unexpected!

Tour:

Sep 3 - Kalamazoo, MI @ The Run Off
Sep 4 - Detroit, MI @ Paris Bar
Sep 5 - Canton, OH @ The Auricle
Sep 6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project
Sep 7 - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
Sep 8 - Troy, NY @ No Fun
Sep 9 - Somerville, MA @ The Rockwell
Sep 10 - Brooklyn, NY @ Lucky 13
Sep 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Love City Brewing
Sep 13 - Raleigh, NC @ Neptunes Parlor
Sep 14 - Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Taqueria

Sep 15 - Chattanooga, TN @ JJ's Bohemia
Sep 16 - Birmingham, AL @ The Nick
Sep 17 - Nashville, TN @ The Cobra
Sep 18 - Little Rock, AR @ Whitewater Tavern
Sep 19 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
Sep 20 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose
Sep 21 - Austin, TX @ Crow Bar
Sep 22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street
Sep 23 - Tulsa, OK @ The Whittier Bar
Sep 24 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
Sep 26 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
Sep 27 - Dubuque, IA @ The Lift

Sep 28 - Chicago, IL @ Casa Cafe

Tracklist:

1) A Plea
2) Build to Nothing
3) Switch Bitch
4) Emma Draws a Dog
5) Over and Over Again
6) Rodeo Clown

Lineup:

Clinton Jacob - guitar, vocals
Danny Sein - drums

Production:

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4:
Recorded by Evan Douglas Peters at an undisclosed church in rural Wisconsin
Mixed and mastered by Evan Douglas Peters

Tracks 5, 6:
Recorded and mixed by Taylor Hayes at Electrical Audio
Mastered by Greg Obis

Photos by Madison Rease

Cover art by HAZE XXL

Discography:

Fear the Lord (2026, Amphetamine Reptile)
Fat Chance (2023, Amphetamine Reptile)
Cancel Culture Club (2022, Amphetamine Reptile)
Penitent Curtis (2019, Amphetamine Reptile)

CHAINLINKS 068: Kilter

Chainlinks is a series we started back in 2017 to give our friends a space to share the stuff currently inspiring them — music, film, books, or anything else they wanted to recommend to the world.

For Chainlinks 068, we have Laurent David, founder and bassist of Kilter. Based in Paris and New York, Kilter’s highly experimental music exists in a space between John Coltrane, Sunn O))), and Meshuggah. The new album, Ten Billion Years, is a musical rendering of nothing less than the birth and death of our solar system. Using bass, drums, and sax, Kilter trace the journey of one water droplet as it travels and transforms through space and time. Inspired in part by John Cage’s explorations in time-stretching, the trio’s process was to record 10 minutes of music, slow it down to 25% of its original speed, then recreate the pieces from scratch at the new, glacial tempo – a process of reinterpretation and rediscovery they liken to the way in which entire new worlds are revealed when looking through a microscope.

A review in the new issue of August 2026 issue of The Wire Magazine states: "The music seems to suspend time, hovering in place like a black cloud ... a sustained low growl, halfway between jazz and noise rock or arty doom ... the roaring power of Melvins, if Buzz Osborne was a saxophonist."

1) Becoming a Listener Again

Even though I’ve always loved listening to music, somewhere along the way I developed the habit of listening like a producer: analyzing sounds, production choices, compositional systems and arrangements. After finishing a major project, I try to let go of that mindset for a while and simply become a listener again, whatever the style of music.

Last fall, I spent weeks listening to hundreds of new releases. Some of them stayed with me—not because I admired the craftsmanship, but because I genuinely wanted to hear them again. That’s a very different feeling. Here are three of them.

Caroline – Total Euphoria

Exactly the kind of song that reminds me how important time is—and how differently we perceive it depending on our musical references. The constant shifts between moments of acceleration and deceleration fascinate me. They challenge the way we experience musical time while remaining surprisingly emotional.

Laura Marling – What He Wrote

This is pure emotion to me—but never sentimentality. You can feel how strong and deep Laura Marling is as a singer. It feels as if the song comes from a place we don’t rationally understand, but instantly recognize.

Duke Dumont

Even though I’ve always considered myself an open-minded metalhead, electronic music has always interested me. Especially old-school house music from the ‘90s. I can hear that influence very clearly in Duke Dumont’s music, and it’s good to hear.

2) Walking Alone / Philosophy

I enjoy spending time alone, walking for hours while listening to philosophers. I think many people look for answers by trying to fix what’s wrong with them. Philosophy doesn’t necessarily provide answers, but it constantly offers new perspectives. Seeing how different thinkers have approached the same questions throughout history is full of lessons. It changes the way I think about society, human nature, and the role artistic creation can play.

I often find these ideas reflected in music. Meshuggah makes me think about the complexity of the world. Cattle Decapitation raises profound ethical questions about our relationship with animals. The list is endless. I can make the same connection with opera, where so many stories revolve around moral dilemmas and human tragedy. Different artistic languages, but often the same philosophical questions.

As a jazz musician, this has also changed the way I relate to jazz. I discovered much later—especially after spending time in the United States—how deeply political this music is, and how much of its history is inseparable from social struggle. For a long time I approached jazz mostly as an aesthetic language. Today, that no longer feels sufficient.

I don’t feel I have a personal struggle to express through jazz, and because of that I sometimes feel less legitimate than musicians whose lives are directly connected to that history. Yet I still love playing it. Maybe that’s precisely why philosophy fascinates me so much: it reminds me that art doesn’t always provide answers—it asks questions, creates perspectives and invites us to rethink the world.

3) Knowing My Limits

For a long time, I tried to become as complete a musician as possible. I wanted to understand orchestration, composition, production, and become the best bass player I could be. I don’t regret any of it. Every new skill changed the way I think about music.

But today, I know much better what I’m really good at—and what I’m not.

Rather than trying to become excellent at everything, I’d rather focus on what I naturally bring to a project and surround myself with people who are much better than me in other fields. I think this is the direction my next projects will take. Not because I’ve lowered my ambitions, but because I’ve become more realistic about where I can contribute the most.

BODY STUFF - "Hysteria"

 

 

BODY STUFF releases "Hysteria" single and music video

"Hysteria," the second single from Body Stuff's sophomore album, Body Stuff 5, is now streaming.

Stream the official music video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4oqxahuHqw

The solo project of NYC artist Curran Reynolds, Body Stuff's cathartic rock music is bolstered with metallic power and cloaked in a dreamlike haze. At times, yearning, at times, euphoric, Body Stuff seems to encompass the extremes of NYC, from the sewer to the skyscraper.

“Springsteen fully embracing his Suicide influence," was Stereogum's summary of Body Stuff's unique style. A recent write-up from Decibel Magazine calls it "a very New York City sound." Reynolds opts to call it, simply, “hard rock.”

Coming October 16, 2026, sophomore album Body Stuff 5 brings the project to new depths and heights. Eight anthemic songs hum with longing and triumph. Big, slamming drum beats, seemingly echoing the boomboxes of NYC summers past, are peppered with storms of double-bass. Guitars, performed by Reynolds’ friend Andee Blacksugar (Blondie) ravage and glisten, transmitting from a place where hair metal and post-punk converge. The album was engineered and mixed by longtime Body Stuff collaborator Ryan Jones and mastered by Ted Jensen (Madonna, Metallica).

New single "Hysteria" is driven by the tones of a string quartet (or a synthesized facsimile). Reynolds states: "My dad was a classical music fan and some of my earliest memories are of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, etc. As a kid, I was excited to hear pop and rock bands of the 1980s play around with classical elements, in songs like 'Rock Me Amadeus' and 'The Final Countdown.' The strings on 'Hysteria' are a nod to that tradition.”

"Hysteria / in America / twisting like a worm / you're in a room, high above the herd," Reynolds sings in the song's first verse. He explains: “'Hysteria' is a simple song that equates turmoil in the world with turmoil in the body, then suggests that love is the way out."

The video features theater masks, created by artist Matt Kepler to resemble the masks he drew for the Body Stuff 5 cover art. 

With recent shows played this year with Martin Rev, Swing Kids, and Dazzling Killmen, Body Stuff will return to the stage for a Body Stuff 5 album release show in the fall. Stand by for details.

More info about Body Stuff: https://linktr.ee/bodystuff

Photo by Paul Roura

Cover art by Matt Kepler