DUMB WAITER + New Noise Magazine

“Someone had to get there at least 30 minutes before everyone else got there to make sure both of the space heaters where running so it would be warm enough to play in. I think we explored sonic territory we hadn’t touched on before. It’s ugly; it’s menacing, and its kinda like the space we were in when we were writing it.”
- Dumb Waiter on track "GRSLN"

Listen to the new track, "GRSLN", premiered via New Noise Magazine, here.

Formed in 2012 in Richmond, VA, Dumb Waiter were founded by Nick Crider and Nathaniel Roseberry. As Nick explains it, the band’s formation came out of humorous necessity:

“Back then, I was the booking agent at non-profit venue space, and I had booked Lightning Bolt and wanted to be a complete brat and play the show as well. So, I asked Nathaniel to start a noise power violence band. After a few practices, Nath brought in more players (Tristan Brennis and Keith Paul) and Dumb Waiter was formed.”

Since then, the band has mutated to what could be described as avant-garde jazz rock, looking to move away from being pigeonholed into the “math rock” label that they generally don’t relate to.

Tsk was recorded by Kevin Bernsten (Full of Hell, Magrudergrind, Weekend Nachos, Noisem) at Developing Nations in Baltimore. Mastered by James Plotkin. the album will be available digitally, on limited-edition cassette, and limited-edition vinyl (250 copies on solid mint with black splatter) May 15. Preorder the album, here.

CRASHER - Traitor EP

"...a cool EP that takes some familiar sounds — attitude-fueled garage punk, breezier indie rock, and a slight Americana twang — and fuses them together in ways that feel fresh."

- BrooklynVegan

Stream Crasher’s debut EP, ‘Traitor’, in its entirety via BrooklynVegan, here.

Crasher is a newly formed San Diego-based band comprised of Dave Meade (Exasperation) and AJ Peacox (Weatherbox, Future Crooks). Though he is not on the EP's recording, Crasher has also enlisted Jordan Krimston (of Miss New Buddha, Band Argument, and Weatherbox) to join on drums moving forward, when they are able to tour again.

Crasher’s debut release is, in a sense, a trojan horse- catchy pop songs housing dark undertones, creating cathartic music from a place of processing unpleasant experiences. Much of the major lyrical content is heavy:  con-men who promise futures to people, only to leave their lives in ruins. Relationships that grow tenuous and fall apart, followed by the realization that they never should have happened to begin with. The processing of grief that comes with emerging out the other side of an endless, seemingly dark tunnel, and the disbelief that something that was a reality for so long can finally be over.

But with these concepts can also come lightness. In fact, the title for the EP comes from a place of humor-- explains Dave Mead: “A friend who is also a drummer saw a show at Soda Bar [a venue in San Diego] and wrote a one word review of my switch from drums to frontman: ‘Traitor.’”

Traitor comes out May 8th. Preorder, here.

Traitor EP:

1. That Same Old Thing

2. Whatever Dude

3. Prisoner

4. It’s Over

CRASHER Bandcamp

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THRONE TORCHER + Idioteq

"Being the weirdos that we are, it seemed normal to us to turn inward and just dive into this album/film concept we had about living in this nightmare world. For no other reason than you have to do something in the winters here to keep you from going insane. So we drew on the records, books, and movies we loved and made something that we are really proud of."

Stream Throne Torcher's newest song, "Despair Orgy", and read about some of the influences for their upcoming album, The Mechanics of a Nightmare, via Idioteq, here.

Described by punk rock bible Maximumrocknroll as “anthemic, blasty hardcore for the A.D.D.generation,” Winnipeg trio Throne Torcher blend traditional thrash and hardcore punk with jazz and ambient influences to create something wholly unique. With its origins dating back almost a decade under the controversial name Terrorist (changed after cops tried to raid the band’s apartment when their merch order was sent to "TERRORIST HQ"), the group has a reputation for a meticulously-crafted, self-produced sound – culminating in The Mechanics of a Nightmare. Throne Torcher’s combination of raw, violent aggression and progressive, technical instrumentation has made them a cult favourite in heavy music circles. With a new record and an accompanying, self-produced horror film (shot in an abandoned Manitoba sanitarium), the trio is set to re-emerge on the scene after years of self-imposed studio exile with this bizarre and grim descent into decadence and self annihilation.

The Mechanics of a Nightmare will be released digitally on June 5th. Preorder, here.

CRASHER + Aversionline

"The group's debut four-song EP, Traitor, was recorded as a duo with AJ Peacox on bass (Jordan Krimston has since joined on drums) and kicks out a really nice batch of alternative/indie rock tunes that are both jangly and restrained as well as punky and energetic...You might not catch just how much it's stuck with you until later in the day when you realize that you've got a little looped guitar riff, vocal snippet, or roving bassline acting as a secret soundtrack in the back of your mind."
- Aversionline

Read the chat with guitarist/vocalist Dave Meade and listen to opening track "That Same Old Thing", via Aversionline, here.

Crasher formed in summer of 2019 in San Diego. Dave Mead (Exasperation) had been writing songs on guitar in the background of his life as a serious post-punk drummer. With a few years of family tragedy and some compounded thoughts on a lost and misled America to reflect on, he eventually stood up from the drums to yell disjointed lyrics and play some grinding guitar chords. Driven by his anger with the experience of the failed state of healthcare regarding the death of his mother to early onset Alzheimer’s disease, the con-men turning the gears along the way, and his own personal grief of losing a family member in such a cruel and slow manner, Crasher created an outlet and, in time, some solace for Mead. Moving forward, AJ Peacox (Weatherbox, Future Crooks) joined on bass. Jordan Krimston (Band Argument, Weatherbox, Miss New Buddha) has since joined up on drums for future live performances.

Traitor will be available digitally on May 8th. Preorder, here.

Album cover by Alex Kuhse.

CHAIN ART

In 2016, Curran Reynolds, Justin Pearson and Brandon Gallagher teamed up to form The Chain. The plan was to build a PR company but fundamentally The Chain is an alliance between three friends whose collective experience consists of PR, record label ownership, graphic design, video directing, touring the world in bands, and much more.

When The Chain was formed, one common standard was established: to work with clients we believe in and help them realize their potential. That started with the music and extended to style, aesthetic and branding. From Day One, we recognized the importance of our clients' visuals, and we also began developing our own The Chain image along the way.

Four years into our journey as The Chain, we’re stoked to announce the next phase: CHAIN ART, led by The Chain art director Brandon Gallagher and co-founder Curran Reynolds. In addition to the press campaigns we are known for, we are now officially offering creative services such as: directing and editing music videos, creating content for socials, designing merchandise, logos, cover art, and much more.

https://thechainworld.com/art

THE CHAIN - 4th anniversary

Celebrating 4 years!

Thanks to all our friends and colleagues.

Enjoy this playlist: https://spoti.fi/3cOhF7N

Love, JP, Brandon, Curran

BINARY CODE - "Those I Sought to Spare"

BINARY CODE: Arch Enemy guitarist guests on new track from upcoming "Memento Mori" album to benefit suicide prevention

Binary Code have revealed new track "Those I Sought to Spare," featuring a guitar solo by Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, ex-Nevermore).

The song appears on Binary Code's upcoming new album, Memento Mori (out May 15th).

Stream the song, here:
https://youtu.be/tXybawXmKhU

Pre-order the album, here:
https://binarycodemusic.bandcamp.com/album/memento-mori-2

Memento Mori was inspired entirely by the suicide of founder/guitarist Jesse Zuretti's girlfriend and all sales will be donated to suicide prevention. While this album is rooted in one personal tragedy, the suicide prevention cause is as relevant now as ever, in light of current events.

In Zuretti's words: "The album was written after my girlfriend at the time committed suicide. The album literally saved my life. I remember begging life for a sign or some guidance, and I woke up the next day and started writing music."

Memento Mori is an immersive experience that absolutely crushes. With cinematic atmosphere, metallic weight, and heart-wrenching sadness, Binary Code have created an album that commands attention from the first note to the last. Zuretti (who, by day is a composer for Marvel Entertainment) credits modern composers like Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman for influencing the sound, along with Katatonia, Devin Townsend, and Gojira. The album is the end result of a decade-long musical evolution, showing the band to have transcended the technical deathcore sound they mastered ten years ago.

The album was mastered by Alan Douches (Mastodon, Converge).

The album artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (Soulfly, Testament).

More info: http://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2020/03/binary-code-memento-mori.html

ÖTZI - "Hold Still"

ÖTZI reveals new track "Hold Still" from upcoming Artoffact Records album "Storm"

Oakland post-punk group Ötzi have revealed new track "Hold Still," from their sophomore album, Storm.

Storm will be released May 22nd on Artoffact Records.

Stream the song and pre-order the album, here:
https://otzi.bandcamp.com/track/hold-still

Drummer/vocalist Gina Marie states, “We’re so overwhelmed by the awful things happening in the world, that sometimes it’s hard to see the good that exists right in front of us. The song was written to express love and appreciation for that one person who gets you through the day.”

Ötzi bassist/vocalist Akiko Sampson continues, “’Hold Still’ is a love song, about the kind of supportive love that keeps us grounded in turbulent times. It’s about realizing that sometimes the best we can do is to just be still, slow down, and appreciate each other. We shot the video right before the pandemic outbreak, and goofing off at the boardwalk for this video was one of the last things we did as a band. Now it feels like a reminder to not take for granted all the times that we can be together.”

On new album Storm, Ötzi pierces the heart with their dark and passionate style of post-punk. Brooding and aggressive sounds intertwine, via dual vocals, flanged-out guitar, austere bass and tense drumming. Anthemic hooks, worthy of '80s new wave radio hits, are delivered by way of stripped-down production, the rawness of which makes the songs penetrate even deeper.

While nodding to the commanding howls of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the anarcho-punk of Crass, and the laments of early The Cure, Ötzi's realness is what separates them from the pack of stylish bands currently resurrecting dark sounds of the '80s.

Since their formation in 2014, Ötzi has toured the world with the likes of The Chameleons, Deerhoof, Modern English, and She Past Away. Stay tuned for news of the band's next shows.

More info:
http://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2020/03/otzi-storm.html

Band photo by Kevin Brown

VERHALTEN + Idioteq

"I asked 7 friends of mine, all of whom I have had conversations with about some kind of patterns in their lives, to write a sentence of varying word counts based on the idea of being misheard, misunderstood or not listened to. I then assembled these word by word based on the sequencing patterns i used to create the track. 7 sentences, 7 channels used in my sequencer. The result lets us find patterns of our own in the individual words that can stray completely from the original intent of the content of the sentences feeding back into the concept of being misheard, misunderstood or not listened to… hence the title ‘It Is These Inconsistencies in Language That Assist in the Formation of Discernible Patterns.'"
- Patrick Scott (Verhalten)

Watch the video for the "mind and ear wrenching" track “It Is These Inconsistencies in Language That Assist in the Formation of Discernible Patterns,” via Idioteq, here.

Patrick Scott is a musician whose passion for homemade minimal music and experimental noise has led to his creation of the field recording project Verhalten, as well as his label Modern Tapes, which seeks to give a home to the obscure, minimal, experimental and DIY. Beginning with a fascination for punk and experimental music, Patrick initially found himself sidestepping into the post-punk/synthwave scene under the name Unur, releasing 5 tapes and a 12”. While recording with Unur, Scott would break off onto experimental tangents and began recording other ideas-- more noise-based, sometimes industrial, sometimes drone, sometimes blunt, harsh noise wall. Eventually, these tangents would be named: Verhalten, a german word for “behavior” that also implies control and restraint. Of the name, Scott explains that it “parallels my own paradoxical internal attraction to both chaos and precision.” Verhalten has released 8 tapes (with the ninth forthcoming) and one 12”, as well as having appeared on a handful of compilations.


Verhalten’s Corrupted Structures V.3 was released April 9, 2020 via Patrick’s DIY label, Modern Tapes.

THRONE TORCHER + No Echo

"Let's just start off with the fact that Throne Torcher is a great band name. I mean, come on. The Winnipeg trio formed a decade ago, and if you're into the rolling thunder arrangements favored by such band as Mastodon and Kylesa, plus the twisted metallic hardcore the likes of Burnt by the Sun and Curl Up and Die are known for, you'll love what Throne Torcher is doing."
- No Echo

Stream the band's newest track, "Cadaver Dogs", via No Echo, here.

Described by punk rock bible Maximumrocknroll as “anthemic, blasty hardcore for the A.D.D.generation,” Winnipeg trio Throne Torcher blend traditional thrash and hardcore punk with jazz and ambient influences to create something wholly unique. Throne Torcher’s combination of raw, violent aggression and progressive, technical instrumentation has made them a cult favorite in heavy music circles. With a new record and an accompanying, self-produced horror film (shot in an abandoned Manitoba sanitarium), the trio is set to re-emerge on the scene after years of self-imposed studio exile with this bizarre and grim descent into decadence and self annihilation.

The Mechanics of a Nightmare will be released digitally on June 5th. Preorder, here.

THRONE TORCHER Bandcamp

Website

YouTube

Facebook

VINCAS - Phantasma

VINCAS: Georgia post-punks unite H.P. Lovecraft and Nick Cave on third album "Phantasma"

Learning Curve Records announces the May 29th release of Phantasma, the new album by Vincas.

Stream "The Witch," a track from Phantasma, and pre-order the album, here:
https://learningcurverecords.bandcamp.com/album/phantasma

From Athens, Georgia, Vincas conjure a uniquely Southern brand of death-rock – a thrilling, chilling, Deep South cemetery stomp. The band take cues from the assorted works of H.P. Lovecraft, Howlin' Wolf, and David Lynch, whilst bashing out some of the most macabre post-punk this side of The Birthday Party.

A mix of live and programmed drums propel twangy guitars, distorted bass, and frontman Chris McNeal's nefarious baritone, through ten gleefully dark, cinematic anthems. With song titles like "Until It Rains Red," "The Witch," and "Bury Me Upside Down," Vincas' drama is moonlit, morbid, and lots of fun. The Nick Cave influence is strong, but the setting is a haunted shack on the banks of a Georgia swamp. 

McNeal (who also rocks as a member of the renowned Maserati) states: "Pretty much every song on the record is about an unimaginable evil destroying or enhancing a person's life. Just a random horrible or liberating experience." Vampiric lust oozes through lyrics such as "I’ve been here all along / Your body is my home / I’ll build a bed out of your bones" (from "The Witch") and "I’ll crawl through your window / I’ll scratch, let me in / Say the words and let me in" (from "Let Me In").

Gear Gods has described the Vincas sound as "a gunky, noisy form of deathrock, but with a certain Southern twang. Think somewhere in between Creedence Clearwater Revival and Type O Negative." CVLT Nation has named it, "apocalyptic blues... exactly what you’d want to scare the pants off some Bible Belt Southern conservatives."

Phantasma is Vincas' third full-length, following 2013’s Blood Bleeds and 2016's Deep in the Well. The album was engineered by Mike Albanese (Maserati), and mixed and mastered Kyle Spence (Harvey Milk). Newest Vincas member Gene Woolfolk, who joined during the recording of Phantasma, is a member of noise-rock supergroup Plaque Marks.

Stand by for news of the band's next live shows.

Tracklist:
1) Until it Rains Red
2) The Witch
3) Bury Me Upside Down
4) Blood Mover
5) Let Me In
6) Phantasma
7) Lead Man
8) Dead Train
9) The Shadow Hand
10) I’m Taking You To Hell

Lineup:
Chris McNeal - bass, vocals, synth
Scott Kviklys - guitar, vocals
Tim Payne - drums, drum programming
Gene Woolfolk - guitar

Discography:
Blood Bleeds (2013, Douchemaster Records)
Deep in the Well (2016, Learning Curve Records)
Phantasma (2020, Learning Curve Records)

Band photo by Jenna Halik

SPECTRES - "When Possessed Pray"

SPECTRES: Vancouver post-punks premiere "When Possessed Pray" music video via CVLT Nation

With SPECTRES' new album Nostalgia released in March on Artoffact Records, the Vancouver post-punks have teamed up with CVLT Nation to premiere the music video for their song "When Possessed Pray."

"When Possessed Pray" is a shimmering, melancholy rocker, evoking '80s greats like New Order, Modern English, and The Chameleons.

Asked about the song's meaning, vocalist Brian Gustavson gave only this clue: "If everything should fade, what will be left of us?"

The video was shot on location on the streets of the band's hometown of Vancouver.

Stream the video, here:
https://cvltnation.com/spectres-when-possessed-pray/

Purchase the new album, here:
https://spectresvancouver.bandcamp.com/

Founded in 2005 by vocalist Brian Gustavson, SPECTRES is commonly cited as one of the bands responsible for kicking off the renewed interest in the post-punk sound in Canada. Inspired initially by the original UK anarcho-punk bands of the late '70s and early '80s, SPECTRES mixes the ethics of that scene with the stylings of post-punk and an incredible knack for writing catchy songs.

Guitarist Zac Batalden gives this statement, reflecting on the band's 15-year career: “This band has never been about trying to be in the right place at the right time. We basically started out of a pure interest in music and a desire to explore something creatively that basically none of our contemporaries were doing in the DIY punk scene at the time. We played for years on mismatched bills alongside crust, metal, and hardcore punk bands, booking our own shows, brokering our own deals with small scale labels, paying for everything out of our own pockets and working our way from sticking out like a sore thumb, to 15 years later being a respected band that in many ways helped jump start the interest in post punk music throughout the DIY music community and beyond. Throughout that time we've just tried to stay true to what we always set out to do in the first place: make music that is interesting to us, explore our own musical obsessions and connect with other like minded people through live music.”

More info:
http://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2019/12/spectres-nostalgia.html

Band photo by Lindsay Wallace

THREE ONE G CRAMPS COMPILATION feat. DAUGHTERS + Cvlt Nation

“We knew no matter what song we choose to cover that we could never create an alternate version to supersede the original. We can only hope our cover of “What’s Inside A Girl” does justice to The Cramps and their undeniable embodiment of rock n roll.”

– Alexis Marshall (Daughters)

Listen to Daughters' cover of The Cramps' "What's Inside a Girl?", via Cvlt Nation, here.

Eighteen years ago, Three One G Records flew in the face of Queen purists with the release of Dynamite With A Laserbeam: Queen As Heard Through the Meatgrinder of Three One G, the label’s 20th release. On it, bands like Melt-Banana, Weasel Walter, The Locust, Bastard Noise and The Blood Brothers unapologetically tackled some of the most beloved and universally recognizable music in popular culture and made it nasty, noisy, and brutal-- and they did so with nothing but love and respect. This was followed by an equally bold tribute to Australian avant-garde legends The Birthday Party, entitled Release The Bats. More frenetic energy from the likes of bands like Cattle Decapitation, Das Oath, SSion and Some Girls, more chaotic feedback giving way to unsettling synth lines, and still (knock on wood) not a lawsuit in sight.

It is only fitting, then, that Three One G’s one hundredth release be another tribute, this time to an iconic band known for its raunchy and pure punk spirit, all while looking effortlessly cool: The Cramps. For the label’s third comp, the lineup of musicians enlisted to take part is even more diverse, including the likes of Chelsea Wolfe, Daughters, Mike Patton, and Metz, among others-- all members, in some way or another, of the extended Three One G family. Here you’ll hear everything from Cumbia-style Cramps as interpreted by Sonido De La Frontera, to Panicker’s electronic dance-centric distorted version of “I’m Cramped”. Just as The Cramps mastered the art of covering music through their own warped lens, Three One G carries on the torch of re-imagining songs with swagger and style, making it their own while honoring a band whose influence on the label is obvious.

This compilation will be the landmark 100th release by Three One G Records. It will be available digitally as well as on limited edition vinyl. Preorder, here. iTunes preorders will get the instant gratification of the Daughters track, about a month ahead of the record release, thanks to the folks at Three One G.

Really Bad Music for Really Bad People:

1. Child Bite “TV Set”

2. Metz “Call of the Wighat”

3. Secret Fun Club feat. Carrie Gillespie Feller “I Was a Teenage Werewolf”

4. Chelsea Wolfe “Sheena’s in a Goth Gang”

5. Sonido de la Frontera “Zombie Dance”

6. Qui “New Kind of Kick”

7. Zeus! feat. Mike Patton “Human Fly”

8. Retox “Garbageman”

9. Magic Witch Cookbox “People Ain’t No Good”

10. Microwaves “Don’t Eat Stuff Off the Sidewalk”

11. Daughters “What’s Inside a Girl”

12. Panicker “I’m Cramped”