SEMUTA - "Toeing the Line"

SEMUTA: Portland post-metallers release new single "Toeing the Line"

“Toeing the Line,” the new track from Portland, Oregon’s Semuta, is streaming now. The track appears on the band’s upcoming new album Glacial Erratic, out May 24th.

Stream the song, here: https://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2024/04/25/exclusive-premiere-semuta-are-toeing-the-line-with-new-track/

Pre-order the album, here: https://semutamusic.bandcamp.com/album/glacial-erratic

Heavy Blog Is Heavy reports: “This is an expansive and extremely well composed post-metal album that channels all of the great themes and sounds of the sub-genre to an impressive degree of proficiency. ‘Toeing the Line,’ the album's opening track which I am ecstatic to premiere here today, is a fantastic introduction to the release.”

Semuta is the duo of guitarist/vocalist Benjamin Caragol and drummer Ben Stoller; the two summon a mournful strain of sludgy post-metal, marked by enthralling songcraft and passionate execution, likely to hook the ears of any fan of progressive heavy music, from Russian Circles to Cave In and beyond.

Glacial Erratic was mixed by Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Great Falls) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Portrayal of Guilt, Torche).

Catch the band live on the West Coast:

May 31 - Portland, OR @ The High Water Mark
June 1 - Bellingham, WA @ Make Shift
June 2 - Seattle, WA @ The Sunset Tavern
June 8 - Santa Rosa, CA @ Shady Oak
June 9 - Oakland, CA @ The Stork Club

More info: http://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/03/semuta-glacial-erratic.html

Photo by James Rexroad

CATERWAUL 2024 schedule

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The updated schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 24 @ Mortimer's

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

Saturday, May 25 @ Mortimer's

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

Saturday, May 25 @ Palmer's

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

Sunday, May 26 @ Mortimer's

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

Sunday, May 26 @ Palmer's

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

Monday, May 27 @ Palmer's

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

Caterwaul logo, by Whitney Does

KONTRAVOID - "Detachment"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kontravoid 2024 European Tour:

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

Photo by David Rauch-Batista

Out today: ULTRA SUNN - US

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

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

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

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

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

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

ULTRA SUNN 2024 Tour:

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

DARK DAYS BRIGHT NIGHTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo of Pageninetynine, by Reid Haithcock

BANGLADEAFY - Vulture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos by Jenna Hill

Cover art by Greg Meisenberg

GOD MOTHER - "Spellcraft"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Emil Johansson

Out today: AMBLARE

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

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

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

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

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

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

–BrooklynVegan

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

"Masterpiece of radiant, emotive rock."
–Idioteq

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

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

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

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

–Tinnitist

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

–Vinyl & Vision

SEMUTA - Glacial Erratic

SEMUTA: Portland post-metallers debut title track from new album "Glacial Erratic"; official music video features members of Usnea, Dark Castle, more

"Progressive, melodic sludge metal... The video for 'Glacial Erratic' [is] a true celebration of the scene Semuta come from." 

–Decibel Magazine

From Portland, Oregon, Semuta announces the May 24th release of its debut full-length album, Glacial Erratic, and reveals the official music video for the album's title track.

Stream the "Glacial Erratic" music video, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZOBawig1HE

Pre-order the album, here:
https://semutamusic.bandcamp.com/album/glacial-erratic

Semuta is the duo of guitarist/vocalist Benjamin Caragol and drummer Ben Stoller, former members of noted Rose City bands Burials, Dark Numbers, and more. Together as Semuta, the two summon a mournful strain of sludgy post-metal, marked by enthralling songcraft and passionate execution.

Mixed by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio (Kowloon Walled City, Great Falls) and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Portrayal of Guilt, Torche), debut full-length Glacial Erratic depicts an ocean of melancholy, punctuated by triumphant swells. Its five songs unfold over the course of 37 minutes, with Caragol's rich, clean vocals soaring over icy lulls and metallic eruptions. Navigating gentle interludes, tense buildups peppered with odd time signatures, and heroic climaxes, Stoller delivers rock-solid beatings in the Bonham tradition and Caragol unfurls a spectrum of six-string magic, all in service of the songs' momentum.

Caragol states: "When I was a kid all I really cared about was metal, but around the time I was 15 or 16 I started to branch out. A big moment for me was seeing Radiohead for the first time. I had never seen a group of musicians so willing to dispense with conventions, and explore such a wide array of sounds. After that I was drawn to heavy bands that experimented with sonics, odd times, and emotive melodies; bands like Neurosis, Converge, Godspeed... I really appreciate music that pushes boundaries while maintaining a lot of feeling. I want the music we make to be ambitious, but I also want it to resonate with people emotionally."

Caragol's goal, to create music that challenges the mind whilst stirring the soul, has been realized with Glacial Erratic, an album likely to hook the ears of any fan of progressive heavy music, from Russian Circles to Cave In and beyond.

Revealing the themes at play behind the new album, Caragol states: "Most of our songs are about the ways in which human systems are failing us. Governments waging endless war. Corporations hoarding wealth and exploiting natural resources at the cost of an inhabitable planet. The abandonment and persecution of our most vulnerable populations. It’s hard to look at our civilization and not see a gaping wound. And most people bury their heads in the gutter of social media and vapid entertainment; a desperate attempt to hold onto fleeting moments of joy as the world around us falls apart."

In contrast to the grave messaging, the official music video for the album's title track sports a lighthearted, B-movie tone. Directed by renowned documentarian of Portland's metal and punk scenes, Shelby Kray, the video sees a party at a backyard skateboard ramp devolve into hallucinatory horror. Making cameos are a bevy of Semuta's hometown friends, including members of Usnea, Dark Castle, Armed for Apocalypse, Stoneburner, Nasalrod, and more. "Portland has a pretty thriving music scene," says Caragol, in regards to the video casting. "There’s a wide variety of bands, and the music community is pretty close knit."

The Glacial Erratic album artwork was created by Ashleigh Caragol, with design and layout by Justin Cory. The album follows one self-titled EP, released by the band in 2020.

Semuta has announced a string of West Coast dates for the spring, teaming up with such bands as Conan and Heiress along the way.

Apr 18 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios (w/ Conan)
May 31 - Portland, OR @ The High Water Mark (w/ Yellfire)
June 1 - Bellingham, WA @ Make Shift (w/ Melancholia)
June 2 - Seattle, WA @ The Sunset Tavern (w/ Heiress)
June 8 - Santa Rosa, CA @ Shady Oak (w/ Ex Everything)
June 9 - Oakland, CA @ The Stork Club (w/ Ex Everything)

Tracklist:
1) Toeing the Line
2) A Distant Light
3) Glacial Erratic
4) Selective Memory
5) Wounds at the Stem

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

Photos by James Rexroad

FÓRN - The Departure of Consciousness

FÓRN: funeral sludge masters reissue debut album "The Departure of Consciousness" via Persistent Vision Records; new album in the works

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Fórn's debut album, The Departure of Consciousness, Persistent Vision Records announces its official reissue of the funeral sludge masterpiece.

Originally released in 2014 via Vendetta Recorda and Gilead Media, The Departure of Consciousness is an auspicious debut that documents this remarkable band in its earliest state.

Out June 14th, Persistent Vision's 12” vinyl release will include expanded artwork, by tattoo artist Bryan Proteau, and limited color variants.

Pre-order the LP, here:

https://persistentvisionrecords.com/products/forn-the-departure-of-consciousness-lp

https://deathwishinc.com/collections/persistent-vision

Stream the album, here: 

https://forn.bandcamp.com/album/the-departure-of-consciousness

In the band's own words, Fórn was formed in 2012 in "a particularly dismal and harsh winter in Boston, Massachusetts" and found its initial inspiration in the sounds of Grief, Burning Witch, and Asunder. With instruments tracked by Alec Rodriguez at New Alliance, vocals tracked by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer, and mastering handled by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, debut album The Departure of Consciousness captures the raw greatness of those early days. A mix of cavernous atmosphere and gargantuan riffs, the six-track full-length plumbs the lowest depths of human misery, yet buzzes with a relentless energy that keeps the momentum flowing ever forward and holds the listener's attention with a suffocating grip.

Kim Kelly, writing for SPIN in 2015, reported: "Rarely does a debut album spring forth from the womb so fully-formed and vital as Fórn’s The Departure of Consciousness... The album’s six, tense, foreboding compositions take their cues from Thou’s poisonous sludge and funeral doom’s lightless melancholia in equal measure, and come punctuated by sparse, blood-curdling howls. Elephantine riffs like the backbone of 'Gates of the Astral Plane' feel positively cosmic in scope when subjected to this level of desperate, dire intensity. This album drags listeners into the utter depths of despair then leaves them there, alone, as the last light winks out."

Reflecting on the TDOC era, vocalist Chris Pinto states: "Our first show ever was with the mighty Floor. It was also Joey’s first show playing guitar in a band. What I remember most is that we had way, way, way too many amps, but that was kind of the point. From there, things came very quickly. I remember getting to play with Thou, Windhand, Noothgrush, Brainoil, Bell Witch and The Body around when TDOC came out and those were all highlights."

The band also famously played in a cave (located in the ruins of the historic Sutro Baths in San Francisco) in 2014, the week of the album's original release.

Pinto reveals this about the concepts at play behind the album: "The title was inspired by some pseudo research paper I came across when I was studying cognitive psychology in college. A lot of concepts for Fórn songs relate to psychology and occult philosophy. A reoccurring theme on TDOC is facing your shadow self and the negative feelings and experiences that surround that, and how it’s even worse if you don’t confront your shadow self."

In the years since TDOC, Fórn has released two more albums and a split with Yautja, and has established itself as a stalwart of the scene. With members spread now between Boston, LA, Portland and Berlin, the band confirms that a new album is in the works, to be released on Persistent Vision Records later in the year. Guitarist Joey Gonzalez gives the following statement on the upcoming new album: "It's very much a test to see what I could do with this band and how I could push our art into uncharted territories, while still feeling like we’ve maintained the identity of the band. We’re very excited to share new music with the world. In many ways it feels like a homecoming, though certain aspects of the new record are definitely going to feel otherworldly compared to our past releases."

In the meantime, the band will play select dates across the US and Canada, including stops at festivals such as Toronto's Prepare the Ground Festival (with Orchid, Liturgy, Body Void) and Cascadian Midsummer Festival (with Wolves in The Throne Room, Steve Von Till, Earth).

Tracklist:

1) Emergence

2) Dweller on the Threshold

3) Gates of the Astral Plane

4) Alexithymia

5) Suffering in the Eternal Void

6) Cerebral Intermission

Tour:
May 29 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
May 30 - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus
Jun 1 - Toronto, ON @ Prepare The Ground Festival
Jun 2 - Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo
Jun 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Knucklehead
Jun 21 - Bakersfield, CA @ Death Over Bakersfield
Jun 23 - Pe Ell, WA @ Cascadian Midsummer Festival

The Departure of Consciousness lineup:
Chris Pinto - vocals
Joey Gonzalez - guitar
Brandon Terzakis - guitars
Brian Barbaruolo - bass
Chris Donaldson - drums

2024 live lineup:

Chris Pinto - vocals
Joey Gonzalez - guitar, electronics

Danny Boyd - guitar

Brian Barbaruolo - bass

Lane Shi - vocals, synth

Andrew Nault - drums, electronics

Promo photo by Reid Haithcock
Live photo by Brian Pelletier

ULTRA SUNN - "You & Me"

ULTRA SUNN: Belgian "New Beat" heirs release new single "You and Me" from upcoming Artoffact Records album "US"

Belgium's ULTRA SUNN has released new single "You & Me," from its upcoming new album, US.

US will be released April 19th on Artoffact Records.

Stream the official music video for "You & Me," here:

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

Stream "You & Me," here:

https://ultrasunn.bandcamp.com/album/us

https://open.spotify.com/album/4BuaTajxHj0SuBs0UoJcIB

https://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1726038404

Pre-order the album, here: 

https://ultrasunn.bandcamp.com/album/us

From, Brussels, Belgium ULTRA SUNN consists of Gaelle Souflet and Sam Huge. The duo brings a modern edge to the classic sound of their home country's New Beat boom of the late 1980s, commonly referred to as "The Sound of Belgium." 

A genre allegedly birthed from a 45-rpm record (A Split Second's 1986 track, "Flesh") being played at the wrong speed, New Beat is explained with these words in a 2018 article from Red Bull Music Academy: "Across a tight-knit network of clubs in cities such as Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp, the small and unassuming nation of Belgium moved to a rhythm all of its own. Known as New Beat, this genre fused electro-pop, industrial music, EBM and the nascent gurgles of acid in surprising ways, drastically slowing down records and seamlessly blending styles into detached and crepuscular dancefloor magic." Two of the most famous artists to come out of the scene are Technotronic and Lords of Acid.

The band comments: "The famous Sound of Belgium is indeed one of our major inspirations, we grew up with this music and sounds and we have the pleasure of having met most of the acts in this scene. Some are true mentors and we cherish the advice they gave us. We are proud to be considered the heirs of this musical tradition while having the desire to add our current and modern touch to the sounds and themes."

Across three EPs – Night Is Mine, Body Electric, Kill Your Idols – ULTRA SUNN has evolved, inspired not only by predecessors in the Belgian electronic music scene, but by art, fashion, and a broad array of sounds. "Our inspirations can range from 17th-century Baroque music to RuPaul," they state. The duo has collaborated with the likes of Kontravoid, Kris Baha, and Curses. 

ULTRA SUNN's 2020 single "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" was a worldwide hit, amassing tens of millions of streams so far – over half a billion views on TikTok alone – as well as radio play and DJ spins around the globe.

The upcoming album, US, is its debut full-length.

Souflet and Huge say this about the new single, "You & Me": "It’s probably the first love song we have written. 'You & Me' is one of our most intimate tracks. It’s a song that talks about our relationship and what we love to experience together. The verses echo our travels and places that are important to us in which we like to take refuge. The chorus sounds like something we say to each other, as if in all our experiences and favorite places, we were looking for and finding each other."

ULTRA SUNN has performed live across Europe, North America, and South America, including shows with with legends Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, A Split Second, and more. A slew of world touring is underway for 2024, including a stop at Sick New World Festival (Slipknot, System of a Down, Code Orange) in Las Vegas.

Mar 29 - London, UK @ Moth Club
Mar 30 - Brighton, UK @ Alphabet
Mar 31 - Sheffield, UK @ Resistanz Festival

Apr 6 - Bologna, IT @ Tank
Apr 21 - Malta, MT @ Dark Malta Festival
Apr 25 - Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater
Apr 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ Catch One
Apr 27 - Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World Festival
May 2 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
May 3 - San Diego, CA @ The Kensington Club
May 4 - Riverside, CA @ The Hideaway Cafe
May 7 - San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
May 8 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlows
May 10 - Portland, OR @ Coffin Club
May 11 - Seattle, WA @ Substation
May 12 - Vancouver, WA @ Verboden Festival
May 30 - Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain
Jun 1 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique Orangerie
Jun 6 - Berlin, DE @ Gretchen
Jun 7 - Krakow, PL @ Klub Re
Jun 8 - Warsaw, PL @ Hydrozagadka
Jun 9 - Wroclaw, PL @ Liverpool
Jun 28 - Köln, DE @ Amphi Festival
Aug 8 - Lokeren, BE @ Fonnefeesten

Aug 17 - Matra, HU @ Fekete Zaj

Sep 19 - Bordeaux, FR @ Iboat
Sep 21 - Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks

Oct 3 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's

Oct 4 - Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus

Oct 5 - Newark, NJ @ QXT's

Oct 7 - Richmond, VA @ Fallout

Oct 8 - Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House

Oct 9 - Atlanta, GA @ 529

Oct 10 - Tampa, FL @ Absolution Fest

Oct 12 - Nashville, TN @ The Cobra

Oct 15 - New Orleans, LA @ Santos

Oct 16 - Austin, TX @ Elysium

Oct 17 - Houston, TX @ Etro Nightclub

Oct 18 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger

Oct 19 - Dallas, TX @ Sundown

Oct 21 - Wichita, KS @ Liminal Evasion

Oct 23 - Kansas City, MO @ VIVO Life

Oct 24 - Saint Louis, MO @ The Crack Fox

Oct 25 - Carbondale, IL @ Hangar 9

Oct 26 - Indianapolis, IN @ White Rabbit

Oct 27 - Madison, WI @ Crucible

Oct 30 - Detroit, MI @ Small's

Oct 31 - Chicago, IL @ Sanctum Fest

Nov 16 - Dresden, DE @ Coldhearted Festival

Photos by Kris Parenti

GOD MOTHER - Sinneseld

GOD MOTHER: Sweden's metallic hardcore phenom diversifies on new EP "Sinneseld"; d-beats and cowbells unite on first single "Big Things Coming"

From Stockholm, Sweden, God Mother announces the May 10th release of new EP, Sinneseld.

Pre-order the EP here: https://godmothersverige.bandcamp.com/album/sinneseld

Stream the EP's first single, "Big Things Coming," here: https://metalinjection.net/new-music/god-mother-rages-on-with-new-single-big-things-coming

With its debut album, Maktbehov, released in 2015, God Mother caught the ear of the Dillinger Escape Plan's Ben Weinman, who went on to release the band's 2017 album, Vilseledd, on his own label, Party Smasher Inc, and to give the band an opening slot on one of Dillinger's final farewell shows in New York that year.

Weinman endorsed the band with these words: "After 20 years of touring the world and playing thousands of shows with thousands of bands, it is hard to impress me. But Sweden has done it again. God Mother is an undeniable 'force majeure' that demands attention like bands did in the old days, by just being that f*cking good. Torch, officially passed!"

Pitchfork's review of Vilseledd read: "Sweden’s God Mother blend d-beat, grind, math rock, and more, contorting tradition rather than kowtowing to it... The quartet are miles ahead of their peers."

Almost five years later, 2022's Obeveklig EP was startlingly lean and mean, expressing all the pent up frustrations of the pandemic era – the sound of a chained dog released from its cage. "Converge at their most hostile," was the assessment delivered by metal blog Last Rites. European tours with Suffocation and Frontierer followed.

Returning now in 2024, God Mother is back with Sinneseld. The fourth in a series of 9-letter titles, all in the band's native Swedish, the word "sinneseld" is an archaic description of mental illness, translating to English as "mind fire." Vocalist Sebastian Campbell states: "The world has also changed a lot for the worse in the time between Obeveklig and Sinneseld. We have struggled to hold onto mental health and our sense of purpose, with the reality around us."

With the world in as fragile a state as ever, and with the band members building families in the midst of it – Campbell and guitarist Max Lindström both have children on the way and drummer Michael Dahlström just welcomed his second child – a feeling of "carpe diem" pervades Sinneseld. Where Obeveklig was lean and mean, Sinneseld sees the band exploring new musical directions, as if to say "the time is now, try everything, do it today."

Amongst Sinneseld's five tracks lies the most accessible song of the band's career, as well as the most punishing one. "It’s our most sprawling release, musically," says Campbell. "'Human+' is probably the hardest song we’ve ever written, sharing space with the rock n' roll vibe of 'Big Things Coming.'"

Unlike any other song in God Mother's catalog, "Big Things Coming" is an infectious, cowbell-heavy banger that sees Campbell trade his scream for a throaty yell. "It was fun to write and arrange something that sounded more clear and direct than what we’ve done before," he says.

Lyrically, the song skewers the artificiality of our image-based, content-driven culture, with Campbell facetiously boasting about his imaginary successes. "In a world where your self worth is based off of your ability to produce or build something, there is no weight, truth or real act," he states. "Our digital selves are just a product to consume and to convey to others how good we are."

Sinneseld was mixed by God Mother's Michael Dahlström and mastered by Cult of Luna's Magnus Lindberg (Refused, Birds in Row).

Tracklist:
1) Huddinge Blues
2) Big Things Coming
3) Breacher
4) Human+
5) Spellcraft

Lineup:
Sebastian Campbell - vocals
Max Lindström - guitar
Daniel Noring - bass
Michael Dahlström - drums
Robin Hansson - guest vocals on "Human+"

Shows:
April 13 - Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7 (w/ Cult Leader)
May 9 - Vadsø, Norway @ Valo Rock Festival

Discography:
Imitation EP (2013, self-released)

Inga Budskap Kvar EP (2013, self-released)

Maktbehov (2015, self-released)

Split EP w/ Artemis (2016, self-released)

Vilseledd (2017, Party Smasher Inc)
Obeveklig EP (2022, self-released)
Sinneseld EP (2024, self-released)

Press:

"It's easy to see why someone like Ben Weinman would speak so highly of it... Chaotic, grindy hardcore."
–BrooklynVegan

"God Mother escape easy classification. Their blend of sludge, hardcore, punk and grindcore is blistering."
–Decibel

"Converge at their most hostile."
–Last Rites

"Pummeling rapture of audio violence."
–Loudwire

"One crucial piece of chaotic, noisy hardcore."
–New Noise

"A focused blitzkrieg of hardcore, crust, and noise rock."
–No Echo

"They toggle between bone-crushing barnstormers and slow-churned stoner metal with remarkable technical proficiency... The quartet are miles ahead of their peers."
–Pitchfork

"Dillinger Escape Plan-approved spazzcore."
–Revolver

Photo by Emil Johansson

AMBLARE - "The Splits"

AMBLARE: post-hardcore powerhouse releases new single "The Splits" from upcoming self-titled debut

"The Splits," the new single from Evansville, Indiana’s Amblare, is out now.

Stream the track, here: https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2024/03/14/track-premiere-amblare-the-splits/

A glorious, glistening post-hardcore song that stirs the soul with soaring vocals and walloping grooves, “The Splits” is the second single off the band's upcoming self-titled album, out April 5th on Melodic Virtue.

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

Amblare vocalist/guitarist Matt McGuyer gives this background on the song: “‘The Splits’ is about when you’re embracing your individuality to the point that you’re alienated from your circles of friends, and the loneliness that accompanies it."

Recorded at Earth Analog Recording Studio by Matt Talbott (Hum), and mixed and mastered by Mario Quintero (Spotlights), Amblare's self-titled debut is recommended highly for fans of Cave In and Failure. 

Drummer St. Pere passed away in the summer of 2021, just as the Amblare album was nearing completion. Reporting on St. Pere in 2021, NME stated: "St. Pere joined Hum in 1990, a year after the band first formed. He performed on all five of the band’s albums, including their most well-known track ‘Stars’ from 1995’s ‘You’d Prefer An Astronaut.’ St. Pere’s drumming style has been described as a blend of heavy hardcore rhythms and the spaced-out shoegaze that flowed throughout Hum’s catalogue. St. Pere was also a member of the Indiana-based band Amblare."

Melodic Virtue is an Evansville-based label and publishing house run by designer Aaron Tanner, whose catalog includes beautiful, authorized coffee table books on such artists as The Residents, Ministry, and Pixies.

Pre-order the LP here: https://www.melodicvirtue.com/products/amblare-lp

Photo by Heath Metzger

Out today: PRISONER - Putrid | Obsolete

Putrid | Obsolete, the new album by Richmond, Virginia band Prisoner, is out today on Persistent Vision Records.

Stream the album, here: https://prisoner.bandcamp.com/album/putrid-obsolete

Buy the album, here: https://persistentvisionrecords.com/collections/prisoner

Info and tourdates, here: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/02/prisoner-putridobsolete.html

"Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, heavy quintet Prisoner are a force to be reckoned with... Built on a bedrock of blackened metal and dark hardcore, Prisoner incorporate clanging industrial sounds and hints of death metal, making music that can only be described as violent."
–Decibel

"Richmond's Prisoner combines death metal, doom, crust, and industrial into a distressing, genre-mixing fusion of extreme heaviness and edginess."
–Destroy//Exist

"Like a doomier combination of Napalm Death and Godflesh, Prisoner have produced an innovative and crushingly heavy second album that is unrelenting in its grim vision of the future."
–Distorted Sound

"It's a fun album, if you're into something extremely intense and agonizing and brutal."
–Every Album Ever Podcast

"There are metal bands, there are grind bands, there are industrial bands, there are highly energetic and expressive bands, and then… there is Prisoner."

–Everything Is Noise

"Welding together crust-punk fury, industrial relentlessness and death-metal power, 'Putrid | Obsolete' is a record that clamps its metal jaws down on the listener in its opening seconds and offers barely a moment’s reprieve."
–Ghost Cult

"Emerging architects of a sonic dystopia where death metal, doom, and crust collide with industrial chill, Richmond, Virginia's Prisoner are about to unleash their second album, 'Putrid | Obsolete.'"
–Idioteq

“Prisoner keep it gross and misanthropic... The record uniquely balances the scales between industrial insanity and d-beat delinquency, with a sludgy backdrop to create an all-encompassing feeling of hatred and dread.”
–Invisible Oranges

"To add a sense of churning gears to filthy death metal or punk-inflected tunes can create a sense of unease. Prisoner creates music that provides a sense of unnatural order, to music that should be all about chaos, to great effect."
–Last Rites

"[Prisoner's] brand of industrial-tinged noise and metal feels like skulls melting from insurmountable heat, brains scrambling, and our blood washing away forever... A destructive record that mirrors human behavior."
–Meat Mead Metal

"A release that evokes (for me at least) the industrial ethic of the late 80s and early 90s. Although it reminds me of that period, there is nothing here that suggests it’s a copy of that music. Within the 8 songs, there is a dizzying level of confidence in their material and whilst some moments frustrate, it’s one of the most original albums I’ve heard in a while."
–Metal Epidemic

"Prisoner’s nearest sonic compatriots at the moment are Full of Hell, and like them, I am very curious to see where Prisoner go next. It’s exciting to hear bands engaging in this kind of experimentation and hybridization because the sounds they conjure really seem to capture the nihilistic zeitgeist of our current world."
–No Clean Singing

"Raw intensity and sonic experimentation... A blend of dark, atmospheric soundscapes and blistering aggression."
–RVA Mag

"A foreboding mix of industrial corrosion and crusty hardcore, this eight-track record delivers epic condemnations that encapsulate the simmering rage and distress that has pervaded our society over the past decade. Released under the emerging Richmond label, Persistent Vision Records, this highly anticipated album arrives just in time to coincide with the intensification of the political tumult in our country..."
–The Auricular

"This is the T-1000's favorite death metal record."
–The Heavyist Podcast

"The Virginia killers bludgeon you into submission with their ferocious metal hybrid... The unrepentant Richmond crew unite death metal, doom, crust and industrial on their devastatingly heavy sophomore release."

–Tinnitist

"Channeling noise, dissonance and a shot of pure punk adrenaline into one of the most thrilling explosions of sound I’ve heard in some time."

–Treble

"This is a band who lean in hard to their darkest visions and force you to contend with the demons inside their heads whilst provoking those who live in yours. 'Putrid | Obsolete' is not easy listening, but that's not the point. The suffering is the point. The volume is the point. And above all, Prisoner is the point. Dive the fuck in."
–Two Guys Metal Reviews

"Like a car crash of industrial metal, synths and grindcore, you can pick out obvious shards of Napalm Death, Godflesh and Neurosis amongst the musical wreckage... The overall theme of the album being that of 'the horrific failure of humanity,' Prisoner have kindly provided the perfect soundtrack."

–V13

"Prisoner are a hard band to put into a neat box. The Richmond, Virginia five-piece could be described as sludge metal, crust punk, industrial metal and more besides. What can be said with certainty is that the band’s forthcoming album 'Putrid | Obsolete' makes for a convincing soundtrack to a world going up in flames."
–Whatever Comes Next Podcast

Out today: DEL JUDAS - "Angela"

DEL JUDAS returns with new single "Angela"; country-goth enigma goes bigger, bolder, brighter on first new music in six years

Stream the official music video for new single "Angela," here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeVD2JhI3xU

The solo project of NYC musician Charlie Schmid, Del Judas melted hearts in 2018 with debut album Deity, a dark, cinematic slice of gothic Americana, released on Primal Architecture, the label owned by Josh Strawn of Azar Swan and Blacklist. Post-Punk.com called that album “the soundtrack to a lonely drive out west… lovingly giving nods to crooning melodies of Johnny Cash, Chris Isaak, Peter Murphy.” Invisible Oranges stated: "Schmid’s voice is rendered in a Chris Isaak-like croon... a slow, nocturnal drive down the dark side of memory lane. 

Schmid is a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music, whose musical credits range from playing tympani in symphonies to churning out blastbeats in metal bands, but the launch of Del Judas in 2018 represented a reimagining of his most fundamental influences from childhood – icons of early rock n' roll and country, from Cash to Roy Orbison.

Officially released March 15th, new single “Angela” is the first new Del Judas music in six years. Where 2018's Deity album existed in a shadowy, post-punk realm, "Angela" sees a bigger, bolder, brighter version of Del Judas emerging. Schmid states: "I would characterize the new material as the outcome of a psychic rebirth. I’ve taken a lot of time to meditate and contemplate who I want to be as a person and as an artist since the release of my last record. I was in a dark place back then, which is why Deity was such a dark record. The upcoming material has some dark undertones of course, but ultimately reveals itself as more playful and revelatory."

Recorded by John Ried and mixed and mastered by Dustin Cicero, "Angela" is an instantly infectious track whose moody verses explode into an iconic chorus, calling to mind the wistful hooks of Dire Straits' heyday, among other things. “The song is about love and loss," says Schmid. "A snapshot in time from a summer spent upstate.”

New Noise Magazine reports: "While ‘Deity’ was a darker, atmospheric, post-punk affair, the new work from Del Judas is moving in a brighter direction. With the moody, bluesy style of Dire Straits on the verses and an almost power pop chorus, ‘Angela’ brings a sense of hope to the gloom."

Schmid reveals how his day job has helped guide the evolution of the Del Judas persona: "Now I sing professionally as a crooner for an entertainment company and play guitar and percussion for private events as well. That's how I earn my living. I feel that if it wasn’t for this shift in my career, I wouldn’t have transitioned into making the music I’m making now. I’m a firm believer that you end up sounding like who you’re surrounded by, and I can say with confidence that dressing up in a gold blazer and singing the shit out of Frank Sinatra has forged a new version of me."

A new full-length album is in the works now, promising to push even farther in this new direction. Schmid describes the new songs as "melodically dramatic, with overtones of country-western infused with the baroque pop excesses of the 1960s." 

Stay tuned for updates on the new album and Del Judas' next live performances.

Photo by Jaka Vinšek