DEAD WAVES - "Secret Violence / The Visitor Part 2"

DEAD WAVES: NYC outsiders mark 10th anniversary with hypnotic new tracks "Secret Violence" and "The Visitor Part 2"

New York City duo Dead Waves closes out 2023 with the surprise release of a new single, consisting of two new tracks: "Secret Violence/The Visitor Part 2" drops November 10th on the band's label, Entheon Records.

Stream "Secret Violence," here: https://deadwaves.com/album/secret-violence-the-visitor-part-2

Brothers Nick and Teddy Panopoulos are NYC natives who together have been churning out dazzling outsider-music under the Dead Waves name for a decade.

Perched in the outer reaches of Queens, watching from a distance as trends come and go, Nick and Teddy have marched to their own beat from the start, delivering highly compelling works of art that follow no one else's lead.

Initially bashing out noisy rock, with releases produced by the likes of Steve Albini and Martin Bisi, the brothers have gradually dropped the volume over the years and stripped things down to skeletal basics.

2018's God of the Wild and 2022's Abandoned Children saw Dead Waves submerge into a hypnagogic zone of murky psych and folk, at times utilizing a lyre in honor of their Greek heritage. Under The Radar's review of Abandoned Children states: "Nick and Teddy Panopoulos find fragile intensity in haunting psych and folk arrangements, creating raw, strange, and soulful meditations... perfectly balancing hypnotic, fractured beauty and raw simmering menace.”

On "Secret Violence" and "The Visitor Part 2," Nick and Teddy have descended even deeper, conjuring a state of sheer intensity by way of sparse, muffled sounds. "Secret Violence" and "The Visitor Part 2" are chilling songs that use the gentlest means to imply the heaviest feelings.

With primitive drum machine, chiming guitar, and Teddy's whisper-soft vocals, recorded as if heard through a locked door, the duo summons a dream state that shimmers with faint reflections of Suicide and early Sonic Youth; like those great NYC bands, Dead Waves projects a vision of its city that is as lonesome and perilous as moonlit desert canyons.

Teddy says this about the new songs: "I was tapping into that ghostly, yet beautiful, freeing feeling of living in the in-between states of our existence, between what we perceive as being awake here in the present and what we perceive as being in a dream. And in that in-between feeling, being aware of all the pain and suffering that was brought on by some external factors trying to inhibit our true psyche, and escaping them. Escaping from the corrupt and complacent, dull, bland, safe, consumeristic, detached, arrogant, delusional, matrix-like nightmare existence they created. And not letting them get away with it anymore. They are getting back the energy they deserve, as when we regain our true selves in that in-between state, channeling the blurred lines, brushing with our inner consciousness and manifesting it into our present. Owning this existence."

Teddy gives this statement about Dead Waves' progression over the past decade: "It's pretty much us always listening to ourselves and challenging ourselves, exploring whatever it was that was trying to come out of us. We always wanted to experiment with every sound we had available to us, always having fun and trying out whatever instruments or sounds we were feeling in that moment, and we always listened to ourselves, not compromising anything and keeping our expression honest and real. So it's like we went on this journey and now we're back to where we started, embracing the innocence of it again, but full of experience and seeing even more clearly that our inclinations and feelings when we first started, ended up being true. And now, kind of giving ourselves a pat on the back, thanking ourselves for never trying to be something we're not or compromising our music, our expression, for anything or anyone, or to use music for the wrong reasons, chasing fame and fortune or whatever bullshit thing people use it for, to fill their empty void. We do it for therapy, to get by. For existence."

"Secret Violence" and "The Visitor Part 2" were recorded and mixed by Dead Waves at their home studio in Queens, NY, and mastered by Kim Rosen (Wynonna Judd, Billy Bragg).

Tracklist:
1) Secret Violence
2) The Visitor Part 2

Discography:
Secret Violence/The Visitor Part 2 (2023, Entheon Records)
Abandoned Children (2022, Entheon Records)
God of the Wild (2018, Entheon Records)
The Great Clock (2017, self-released)
Living Inside (2016, self-released)
Nature (2015, self-released)
Oracles of the Grave/Promise (2014, self-released)
Take Me Away (2013, self-released)

Lineup:
Nick Panopoulos - guitar, bass, drum machine
Teddy Panopoulos - guitar, vocals

Photo by Ursula Sommer

Out today: CRONIES - L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST

Cronies' new album, L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST, is out today on Reptilian Records.

Euphoric melodies and hard grooves clash with scorched tones and unhinged vocals in Cronies' fresh, young take on early '90s vibes. Cronies' bounce and vigor are likely to stoke the fires of old heads who grew up on Rage Against The Machine, Helmet, Butthole Surfers, and Beastie Boys, and will convert fans of current rippers like Turnstile and Show Me The Body. The NYC band is on tour now and will celebrate their official record release show this weekend at the nation's preeminent noise rock festival, No Coast Fest.

Stream tracks and buy the album, here:
https://reptilianrecords.com/products/748722
https://reptilianrecords.bandcamp.com/album/l1v3-s1ck0-l0v3-f3st

"Cronies are an exciting new band hailing from New York City... Uplifting melodies, striking grooves, and manic vocals. With a nod to nineties noise rock and post hardcore... channels the spirit of Helmet and Rage Against The Machine among other past greats."

–Destroy//Exist

"Literally, it’s a hardcore record, and a hell of a fun one at that. The NYC quartet are far beyond channeling only aggression – much like the punk institutions that came before them (anywhere from Beastie Boys to Turnstile), L1V3 S1CK0 L0VE F3ST is multifaceted, even pulling in some classic grunge tones and progressively psychedelic climaxes to color in the journey... 'Ice Pop (Tastes Like Love)' is one of my favorite songs of the year."

–Everything Is Noise

"[L1V3 S1CK0 L0VE F3ST] flits between grunge-era noise rock buzzers, late 90’s post-hardcore pump, and a sort of aggro spoken cadence which isn’t as abstract in effect as something like Show Me the Body but might appeal to fans of scatterbrained noise rock sludginess a la Chat Pile."

–Grizzly Butts

"A harmonious blend of indie rock, post hardcore, blues infused noise rock... A hypnotic concoction of scorched tones and visceral vocals."

–Idioteq

"Classic punked-up, grungy rock that sets aside the dreary attitude and embodies a mood worthy of a skateboard hill bomb in summer with friends. Guitar tones have crunchy textures, drums are positively locomotive in their movement and ceaselessness, and the emotive vocals smack of '90s Beastie Boys when they started using more effects."
–Lambgoat

"On New York City grunge-punks Cronies’ second album, they prove whey they are one of the most exciting young bands to come out of the Big Apple in a long time. While their sound may harken back to the noise-punk of the 90’s, their modern spin on these classic sounds puts them right up there with contemporaries in Show Me The Body and Venus Twins."
–New Noise

"Some New York City cockpunchers take a grungy old flannel shirt from the ’90s, soak it in a filthy bathtub of LSD — and then shove it down your goddamn throat."

–Tinnitist

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2023/10/cronies-l1v3-s1ck0-l0v3-f3st.html

SHADOW AGE - "Ours"

SHADOW AGE: Richmond post-punks return with new single "Ours"; US fall tourdates with VOSH and more; remix cassette drops December 1

Richmond, Virginia post-punks Shadow Age have returned from a long hiatus and delivered "Ours," their first new track since 2018.

Stream the official "Ours" music video and read an extensive new interview with frontman Aaron Tyree, here: https://post-punk.com/richmond-post-punk-outfit-shadow-age-return-with-new-single-ours-plus-interview/

Shot and directed by Cat McCarthy, the "Ours" video sees the trio bathed in smoke and vibrant hues and features more than one moonwalk, courtesy of Tyree. Over the song's five-minute arc, Tyree's rich, clear voice soars alongside guitarist Tony Gloom's melancholy strumming and drummer Patrick DeWit's irresistible beat.

The track – in its original form, plus a slew of remixes – will be released on cassette on December 1st via Play Alone Records. 

Post-Punk.com reports: "Emerging from a five-year hiatus with renewed energy and a fresh perspective, Richmond, Virginia’s post-punk outfit Shadow Age returns... 'Ours' is an emotional anthem that features Tyree’s powerful vocals, set against a danceable drumbeat and complemented by reverb-drenched guitars and keys. The song serves as a dreamlike tribute to resilience in the face of heartbreak, and is sure to move anyone who listens."

"One of my favorite things about this song is that I can give a multitude of answers about what it's about," says Tyree. "The moon. Time. Being alone. Finding solace. Acceptance. I wanted to write something that was honest and real, but not too specific. Vague but tangible. The lyrics were written over the course of a week in a methed out hotel in Salt Lake City."

Shadow Age's return to the scene will be rejoiced by old fans and welcomed by newcomers familiar with the likes of Drab Majesty, Urban Heat, French Police, and Soft Kill. Before the hiatus, the band released one LP and two EPs, and shared stages with the likes of The Chameleons and Modern English.

Tyree describes the chaotic state of affairs that led him to step away from music five years ago: "Everything was a mess. I was unbearable to be around. I needed time away from everything. As I was centering and stabilizing my mind and life, I was thrown into a time mostly defined by loss. Lovers, friends, family, death... the world, to a degree. I started really looking at my life and flaws and mistakes and reconciling them. After a while I just realized, 'There's only ever really today. Half of my friends are dead. I'm healthy. I can't stop writing good songs. The time to do Shadow Age is now.' Now we are here."

New single "Ours" was recorded and mixed by Ricky Olson and mastered by Dan Randall. For the remixes, Tyree reached out to some of his closest friends and collaborators. He states: "As soon as we left the studio after tracking 'Ours' I asked Tony Gloom about doing the Petrified Entity remix. I was curious to hear his take on what a remix would look like, seeing as how he co-wrote the track. I really like the bounce and optimism he brings to the track. House music extraordinaire, Maude is my friend and former bandmate Aaron Boles. I like how big and theatrical his mix turned out. Glyphics is the solo project of Evan Sharfe, formerly of Skeleton Hands. A couple of years ago while I was visiting Evan in Cincinnati, he made an off-handed comment about completing a remix in an hour for a friend of his. I joked that he would have the same amount of time to complete a Shadow Age remix and the whole idea of him doing a remix spawned from there. According to him, his remix is essentially what Shadow Age would sound like if he produced us. Xör is the solo project of Matthew from Secret Shame. I really like how his mix feels more open and dour. I also like how he played around with the structure."

Shadow Age will hit the road October 25th for a 3-week US tour, including dates with Twin Tribes, VOSH, and more. “Excited to announce our first tour in more than five years," states Tyree. "We will be playing some new material for the first time live. We are playing a few of our favorite cities to play, and also playing some cities for the first time ever.”

A new full-length album is in the works for 2024.

Oct 25 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rock Room
Oct 26 – Chicago, IL @ Open Center for the Arts
Oct 27 – Memphis, TN @ Zen House (w/ Twin Tribes, VOSH)
Oct 28 – Dallas, TX @ The Armory (w/ The Pop Ritual)
Oct 29 – Laredo, TX @ Boogalo (w/ The Pop Ritual)
Oct 30 – San Antonio, TX @ The Mix (w/ The Pop Ritual)
Oct 31 – El Paso, TX @ The Living Room (w/ The Pop Ritual)
Nov 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Church (w/ Yellowcake)
Nov 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Footsies
Nov 3 – San Diego, CA @ The Bancroft
Nov 4 – Oakland, CA @ Joy Gallery
Nov 5 – Portland, OR @ Blackwater
Nov 7 – Salt Lake City, UT @ INTL Artist Lounge
Nov 8 – Denver, CO @ The Crypt (w/ VOSH)
Nov 9 – Wichita, KS @ The Lumberyard
Nov 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ Healer
Nov 12 – Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana

Tracklist:
1) Ours
2) Ours (Xör Remix)
3) Ours (Petrified Identity Remix)
4) Ours (Maude Remix)
5) Ours (Glyphics Remix)

Lineup:
Aaron Tyree - guitar, keyboard, vocals
Tony Gloom - guitar, keyboards
Patrick DeWit - drums
Dann Rothwell - live bass

https://shadowage.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/shadowagesongs/

Photo by Cat McCarthy

OLDEST SEA - A Birdsong, A Ghost

OLDEST SEA: ethereal doom duo expresses "feminine rage, grief, and transformation" on new album "A Birdsong, A Ghost"; official music video now streaming, directed by Dylan Pecora (Merzbow, Ecology: HomeStones)

Oldest Sea announces the December 1st release of its new full-length album, A Birdsong, A Ghost.

The album will be released on Darkest Records, the label owned by Jordan Cozza of sludge-doom greats HUSH.

Stream the official music video for the first single, "Sacred Destruction," here: https://www.invisibleoranges.com/oldest-sea-video/

Pre-order the LP, here: https://oldestsea1.bandcamp.com/album/a-birdsong-a-ghost

"It's an expression of feminine rage, grief, and transformation," says Oldest Sea vocalist Samantha Marandola. "It's kind of just one long primal scream for me."

On "Sacred Destruction," the album's opening track, Marandola's crystalline vocals, layered sumptuously, dance around the sparse twang of a lonesome guitar, building tension that eventually gives way to a majestic doom dirge. Marandola's voice is stunning and one-of-a-kind. Whether quavering vulnerably or soaring all-powerfully, it hooks the ear and commands attention like a hawk's talons sunk in flesh.

"I started as a one-person project back in 2017 and wrote experimental, ethereal, folk music," she says. "My husband Andrew joined me a short while later and we began to play out as a two-piece. By 2021, my writing evolved into something heavier."

Across A Birdsong, A Ghost – five tracks, clocking in at almost 40 minutes and unfolding like one long scene in a film – the couple set a tone that is haunting, otherworldly, and heartbreaking. The two have stated their influences to include doom bands such as Mournful Congregation and Shape of Despair, composers such as John Carpenter and William Basinski, and iconic vocalists such as Björk and Roy Orbison. All are clearly represented here.

The Marandolas also give credit to their rural New Jersey surroundings. Samantha, who works by day in environmental conservation for a land and water trust, states: "It is very rural. A farming community. Being so close to the natural world has a huge impact on how and what I write."

The "Sacred Destruction" video, created by Philadelphia sculptor and video maker Dylan Pecora, is a gorgeous, surreal clip, laced with body horror, reminiscent of the works of Matthew Barney. "The song is about letting go of a former self," says Samantha. "Dylan's video captures everything that's meant to be conveyed in that song, and I really appreciate their surrealist approach. They found a way to seamlessly unify song and film so that they're essentially one unit." 

Pecora's credits include building props and puppets for Saturday Night Live, and creating music videos for artists such as Merzbow. They are also alleged to be involved in the mysterious Ecology: HomeStones project, which has amassed more than half a million followers across social media.

A Birdsong, A Ghost was engineered and mixed by the Marandolas and mastered by Dan Lowndes (Leviathan, Unearthly Trance).

Oldest Sea has played shows with the likes of Planning for Burial, Bell Witch, and Mizmor. A short tour with Oktas begins November 9th.

Tour:
Nov 9 - Worcester, MA @ Ralph’s Diner (w/ Oktas)
Nov 10 - Providence, RI @ The Mayday (w/ Oktas)
Nov 11 - Portland, ME @ Urban Farm Fermentory (w/ Oktas)
Nov 12 - Burlington, VT @ The Monkey House (w/ Oktas)
Nov 13 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Desperate Annie’s (w/ Oktas)

Tracklist:
1) Sacred Destruction
2) Untracing
3) Astronomical Twilight
4) The Machines That Made Us Old
5) Metamorphose

Lineup:
Samantha Marandola - vocals, synth, piano
Andrew Marandola - guitar, bass, drums

CRONIES - "Ice Pop (Tastes Like Love)"

CRONIES: NYC punks reveal euphoric new track "Ice Pop (Tastes Like Love)"; new album "L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST" drops Friday on Reptilian Records; US tour hits No Coast Fest

With Reptilian Records' release of the new Cronies album, L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST, coming up on Friday, October 20th, the band has revealed another new track from the album.

Stream "Ice Pop (Tastes Like Love)" here: https://lambgoat.com/news/40521/cronies-reveal-ice-pop-single-from-their-upcoming-record/

Pre-order L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST here: https://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/748722

Euphoric melodies and hard grooves clash with scorched tones and unhinged vocals in Cronies' fresh, young take on early '90s vibes. Lambgoat reports: “It's classic punked-up, grungy rock that sets aside the dreary attitude and embodies a mood worthy of a skateboard hill bomb in summer with friends. Guitar tones have crunchy textures, drums are positively locomotive in their movement and ceaselessness, and the emotive vocals smack of '90s Beastie Boys when they started using more effects.”

Indeed, Cronies rock with bounce and vigor that is likely to stoke the fires of old heads who grew up on Rage Against The Machine, Helmet, Butthole Surfers, and the aforementioned Beastie Boys, and they fit right in with current rippers like Turnstile and Show Me The Body.

The NYC band is on tour now and will celebrate their official record release show this weekend at the nation's preeminent noise rock festival, No Coast Fest.

Oct 17 - Atlanta, GA - Innerspace
Oct 18 - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
Oct 20 - Denton, TX - No Coast Fest
Oct 21 - Austin, TX - Swandive
Oct 23 - Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge
Oct 24 - Kansas City, MO - Farewell
Oct 25 - Chicago, IL - Fallen Log
Oct 26 - Columbus, OH - Half Baked

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2023/10/cronies-l1v3-s1ck0-l0v3-f3st.html

Out today: ÅRABROT - Of Darkness and Light

Of Darkness and Light, the tenth full-length album by Årabrot, is out today on Pelagic Records.

The band's macabre sound has evolved over the years into something totally anthemic and rocking – landing between Nick Cave, Swans, Killing Joke, and Ghost. NPR's Lars Gotrich describes the newer work as "a cathedral-shaking rock-and-roll powerhouse." The band consists of of the iconic married couple of Kjetil Nernes and Karin Park; Of Darkness and Light was recorded entirely in the church in rural Sweden where they live with their two kids. It was produced by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Mark Lanegan, PJ Harvey).

Stream the album and buy it, here: https://listen.pelagic-records.com/arabrot

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2023/07/arabrot-of-darkness-and-light.html

"A very cool dose of loud, catchy, gothy rock."
–BrooklynVegan

"The latest from these folk, rock, whatever, weirdos is nothing short of uplifting—in the true, religious music sense. Much like a solid hymn, the catchiness and authenticity of these songs will move you and make you want to listen again and again."
–Invisible Oranges

"This Norwegian band’s sound may have evolved from the noise rock they were known for in the past, but Årabrot’s 10th studio album 'Of Darkness And Light' offers something more melodic and riff driven."
–MetalSucks

"Årabrot have transformed from a noise rock band to a heavy, twisted, art-rock band that just want to rock... 'Of Darkness And Light' is another excellent album from a band that are known for quality albums. It is dark, hard-hitting, catchy, and a bit blasphemous. What more could you want in a rock album these days? Get down with the Church Of Årabrot. It’s such a holy place to be."
–New Noise

"Thanks to the duo’s vocal interplay, all of the songs get a gothic sheen. Alain Johannes’ production gives the album the energy and bombast of radio friendly alternative rock. All of the songs on this album sound huge."

–Nine Circles

"A sumptuous experience from start to finish, with atmospheric texture, emotive lyrics, booming guitars, and echoing rhythms that make one feel as if the walls of one’s ears are soaking in the exact music created within the church walls they were formed in."

–Outburn

"Kjetil Nernes and Karin Park have been forging their own distinctive musical path with Årabrot for two decades, with the forthcoming 'Of Darkness and Light' marking the Norwegian duo’s tenth full-length effort."

–ReGen

"These shady Scandinavians are ready, willing and able to score your next black mass / masked orgy."
–Tinnitist

CRONIES - L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST

CRONIES: NYC punks channel psych, grunge, and stadium-sized hooks on new Reptilian Records album "L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST"; new single "Rentboy" now streaming; US tour kicks off this week

Reptilian Records presents L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST, the new album by New York City band Cronies.

L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST will be released October 20th on Reptilian – the latest feather in the cap of the Texas (by way of Baltimore) label that counts Dwarves and Chat Pile amongst the highlights of its 33-year history.

Stream first single "Rentboy," here: https://reptilianrecords.bandcamp.com/album/l1v3-s1ck0-l0v3-f3st

Pre-order L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST, here: http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/748722

First single "Rentboy" absolutely captivates. Building over four and a half minutes, the song bursts with attitude and stadium-size hooks, spewed across a slow groove. A fresh, young take on '90s stylings, it hits like a maniacal new re-imagining of early Rage Against The Machine.

As hard as "Rentboy" goes, this anthem is just one of eight, equally banging bangers. There are no misses on L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST.

The formula is golden. With one hand, Cronies offers euphoric melodies and unapologetic bounce; with the other, scorched tones and unhinged vocals. One hand welcomes you in, the other goes for the throat. "I see Cronies as being the trainer," says vocalist Brad Hoyt. "The listener is the dog whose nose we’re pushing into the shit."

The balance of the catchy and the abrasive in Cronies' psychedelic grunge brings to mind Helmet, Nirvana, and Butthole Surfers, but bassist/vocalist Shea Glasheen reminds us that Cronies is a band of the here and now: "I definitely take some influence from '90s artists but I'd say my peers in the NYC music scene influence me more than anyone. I think now, I hear everything I've been taught by my good friends. That's what I hold the most dear to my songwriting."

Indeed, the band shines amidst NYC's current scene of forward-thinking noise-punks – bands like Show Me The Body and Venus Twins. And beyond NYC, beyond the "underground," fans of current superstars Turnstile and Idles might very well find something to love as well.

Speaking about his lyrics, Hoyt backs Glasheen's assertion that Cronies is a band of today; his words are grounded in the experience of living in America in 2023. He states: "For this release, I wanted to focus my lyrics more on what is worth hating in my external, not internal, world. Cultural mobilizations against media and ideologies deemed dangerous; all from those who willfully do nothing to protect vulnerable groups against real world violence. Worship for rich politicians and celebrities, often by those who bemoan wealth inequality and social division. Being told from childhood that your country is the global standard of opportunity, by the very figures who benefit to see people suffocating and want you pushed to a state of total immobility. I just wanted to lash out at any of the topically blatant, violent contradictions of American culture, rather than myself."

L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST is Cronies' second full-length, following a self-titled 2021 album and three EPs. Like its predecessors, the album was recorded by "Toppy," the father of Cronies members Sam and Jack Carillo.

The band kicks off a US tour on Friday, October 13th, including a stop at the nation's preeminent noise rock fest, No Coast Fest.

Tour:
Oct 13 - Baltimore, MD - Holy Frijoles
Oct 15 - Harrisonburg, VA - Crayola House
Oct 16 - Charlotte, NC - Milestone Club
Oct 17 - Atlanta, GA - Innerspace
Oct 18 - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa

Oct 20 - Denton, TX - No Coast Fest (RECORD RELEASE SHOW)
Oct 21 - Austin, TX - Swandive
Oct 23 - Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge
Oct 24 - Kansas City, MO - Farewell
Oct 25 - Chicago, IL - Fallen Log
Oct 26 - Columbus, OH - Half Baked

Tracklist:
1) 400 Blows
2) Ice Pop (Tastes Like Love)
3) Hose in the Sand
4) Rentboy
5) Hot Test Sour Mash
6) A Simple Case of a Wrenched Back
7) Come Down and Dig
8) Acid Western from the Heart

Lineup:
Brad Hoyt - vocals, guitar, electronics
Shea Glasheen - vocals, bass, samples
Sam Carillo - guitar, bass
Jack Carillo - drums, percussion, samples

Links:
https://instagram.com/croniesny/
https://croniesny.bandcamp.com/

Out today: LUNG / CONAN NEUTRON & THE SECRET FRIENDS - Adult Prom

Adult Prom, the new split LP from Lung and Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends, is out today on Learning Curve Records.

On Adult Prom, Lung's grungy cello-core clashes perfectly with the noisy power pop of Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends. 

Consisting of classically trained opera singer and cellist Kate Wakefield and drummer Daisy Caplan, Lung has been described by Cincinnati's CityBeat as “Tony Iommi teaching a Nirvana class at Juilliard”; true road dogs, Lung has played over 700 shows with the likes of Brainiac, Screaming Females, and Fucked Up. 

Conan Neutron is known also as the co-founder of Caterwaul Festival and the host of the Protonic Reversal podcast; his rhythm section, a.k.a. The Secret Friends, consists of drummer Dale Crover (Melvins) and bassist Tony Ash (ex-Coliseum). The trio bashes out a charming, noisy, classic-rocking sound in the vein of old Cheap Trick, by way of Amphetamine Reptile.

Stream the album and buy it, here: https://learningcurverecords.bandcamp.com/album/adult-prom

Stream Conan Neutron's "Crybullies" video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsU-3k0dugY

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2023/08/lung-x-conan-neutron-adult-prom.html

The two bands kick off a West Coast tour together, tonight:

Oct 6 - Tempe, AZ @ Time Out Lounge
Oct 7 - Los Angeles, CA @ Redwood Bar and Grill
Oct 8 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
Oct 9 - Sacramento, CA @ Old Ironsides
Oct 10 - Reno, NV @ The Loving Cup
Oct 11 - Eugene, OR @ Sam Bond’s Garage
Oct 12 - Portland, OR @ High Water Mark
Oct 13 - Bellingham, WA @ Make Shift Art Space
Oct 14 - Seattle, WA @ Southgate Roller Rink

"Cincinnati, Ohio’s larger than life cello/drum duo is back at it. This time in the form of a split LP with Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends... featuring dizzying harmonies and shark-toothed cello from Kate Wakefield, and kick-your-entire shit in drums from Daisy Caplan."

–The Hard Times

"The cello-punks of Lung team up with the “big weird rock music” stylings of Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends to unleash a killer split release that showcases each band in all their glory... For those not in the know, Lung are a cello and drum duo. Vocalist/cello player Kate Wakefield is a classically trained opera singer and cellist. She plays her cello through a bunch of distortion pedals and big amps, while drummer Daisy Caplan beats the crap out of their drums. It’s a sound that is ethereal, but also down, dirty, and heavy, like early grunge. They know how to use the quiet/louder dynamic to its full potential. It’s quite the musical stew. Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends are underground impresario Conan Neutron on guitar and vocals, backed by the rhythm section of Dale Crover (Melvins) on drums and Tony Ash (ex-Coliseum) on bass. They take classic rock and bend it to their own twisted goals. Basically, it’s noisy power-pop that is ultra-catchy and rocks. They’re bringing rock back into the underground. Plus, his lyrics are sly commentaries on living in the our messed-up, modern world."
–New Noise

"Lung shakes and shimmers within its neo-classical style as Neutron & The Secret Friends more than allude to rock leanings... Lung – the duo of cellist Kate Wakefield and drummer Daisy Caplan – offer up so much range and depth within their songs it’s difficult to imagine Lung is just a duo and here it’s no different. Neutron on the other hand strikes with memorable melodies through its rhythms and crunchy guitars, making it easy to fall in love with the band’s nostalgic sound which is firmly rooted in the present. Hell yes."

–Ghettoblaster

"If you only buy one split LP today featuring an intense cello-metal duo on one side & a quirky power-pop band on the other … well, it would probably have to be this one."

–Tinnitist

SHADOW AGE - Fall Tour 2023

SHADOW AGE: post-punk greats return from hiatus with US fall tour; shows with Twin Tribes, VOSH and more; new single coming soon

Back in action after five years, Richmond, Virginia post-punks Shadow Age will hit the road October 25th for a 3-week US tour, including dates with Twin Tribes, VOSH, and more.

Shadow Age frontman Aaron Tyree states: "Excited to announce our first tour in more than five years. We will have some new and familiar faces with us, and will be playing some new material for the first time live. We are playing a few of our favorite cities to play, and also playing some cities for the first time ever."

Back before the band’s hiatus, renowned writer/DJ/promoter Andi Harriman described Shadow Age with these words in an article for Post-Punk.com: "If you’re craving that early sound of flanging guitars, tribal-esque drum beats and atmospheric reverb, look no further than Shadow Age. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, a Southern city known for its black metal and hardcore punk, Shadow Age is anything but. The tracks recall the romantic but dark music of Faith-era The Cure, The Sound and Asylum Party… Shadow Age acts as revivalists of the early post-punk sound, successfully delivering a fresh perspective into the current spectrum of today’s music – a feat few have yet to achieve."

Tyree describes the chaotic state of affairs that led him to step away from music five years ago: "Everything was a mess. I was unbearable to be around. I needed time away from everything. As I was centering and stabilizing my mind and life, I was thrown into a time mostly defined by loss. Lovers, friends, family, death... the world, to a degree. I started really looking at my life and flaws and mistakes and reconciling them. After a while I just realized, 'There's only ever really today. Half of my friends are dead. I'm healthy. I can't stop writing good songs. The time to do Shadow Age is now.' Now we are here."

With the tour starting this month, Tyree and his crew also have new music on the way. Stand by for the band's first new music since 2018's self-titled album.

Oct 25 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rock Room
Oct 26 - Chicago, IL @ Open Center for the Arts
Oct 27 - Memphis, TN @ Zen House *∆ †
Oct 28 - Dallas, TX @ The Armory †
Oct 29 - Laredo, TX @ Boogaloo †
Oct 30 - San Antonio, TX @ The Mix †
Oct 31 - El Paso, TX @ The Living Room
Nov 1 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Church
Nov 2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Footsies
Nov 3 - San Diego, CA @ The Bancroft
Nov 4 - Oakland, CA @ Joy Gallery
Nov 5 - Portland, OR @ Blackwater
Nov 7 - Salt Lake City, UT @ INTL Artist Lounge
Nov 8 - Denver, CO @ The Crypt ∆
Nov 9 - Wichita, KS @ The Lumberyard
Nov 11 - Indianapolis, IN @ Healer
Nov 12 - Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana

* – w/ Twin Tribes
∆ – w/ VOSH
† – w/ The Pop Ritual

Lineup:
Aaron Tyree - guitar, keyboard, vocals
Tony Gloom - guitar, keyboards
Patrick DeWit - drums
Dann Rothwell - live bass

https://shadowage.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/shadowagesongs/

Photo by Cat McCarthy