More Than Flashing Lights & Sound

I'm Benedetto Manzella, and this is my point of view from the privileged times in my life when I witness musical artists sharing that which they've created with others. This is my way of documenting and sharing these experiences, as well as bringing attention to artists that inspire me and that I respect. Comment, share, explore. Thank you. For writings of mine that are more of a poem format, go here- thisbattleisnotminebutthelords.wordspress.com

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Photos from an amazing night of music at the Fonda Theatre with Cold Cave, Black Marble, and Choir Boy. 30/6/2018

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Oathbreaker returned to the Roxy in Los Angeles as a headliner this past Tuesday, March 28th with Khemmis & Jaye Jayle. @deathwishinc @earsplitpr-blog @khemmisdoom @sargenthouse

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Fires Within Fires - Neurosis

If it isn’t already clear, anyone that has come across this page is probably aware of my preference for Neurosis. They are one of the two bands at the moment, the other being Converge, who I can honestly call my favorite. The honor to document and attend all 3 shows which commemorated their 30th anniversary this year is hard to explain, and something I will hold on to for years to come. As many people will notice, artwork is an integral piece of Neurosis’ history and has become beloved aesthetic commemorated through fan art and tattoos over the years. The above artwork is done by world-renown tattooer Thomas Hooper from Rock of Ages tattoo in Texas. 

The slow burning of “Bending Light” is a very familiar territory sound wise for those who know and love Neurosis, and it lays a nice foundation for the beautiful and punishing push-pull dynamics that is again a signature of Neurosis and showcased very well over the 40-minute record. This is actually Neurosis’ shortest LP since The Word as Law( or technically since Sovereign) clocking in at just shy of 41 minutes(40:51 to be exact), but considering they made 5 new songs for that time period; there is nothing overdone or left out. I feel like this could be the wisdom found in a band marking such a significant anniversary, whereas when you’re younger the mission may be to push creative limits beyond even what is needed for a song. 

“Peeling the skin away reveals the heart”

I await my chance to pour over the lyrics sheet, as it feels like the balance that can be found in both beauty and tragedy is touched on throughout Fires Within Fires. While they touch on varying spectrums of the aural landscape, the transcendence in music by bands such as Swans is again found in this record; there are many hypnotic moments, I particularly found that on “Fire is the End Lesson”. The amazing rhythm work of Dave Edwardson & Jason Roeder ceases to amaze me, as well as drives me to practice more in my own music. 

“Broken Ground” is a very dreamy moment as Noah Landis provides an underlying pulse, that leads into the full band breaking in and moving the song forward. As is well documented in their live performances, amidst the various samples and sounds provided by Noah’s synthesizer and keyboard work, there isn’t often a moment of complete stillness or silence which creates a forward moving or progressive feeling. The music of Neurosis is far from stagnant, even in its slowest moments.

"Head to the mountains and choose where to die...”

On the closing, and longest, track of the record “Reach”; Neurosis shows another fantastic example of dynamics and what could be referred to as sound design. The way the guitar interplay of Scott Kelly & Steve von Till reels you in and takes hold is something not entirely human. In all seriousness, the band individually and collectively realize this to as well. To borrow a few quotes from Steve Von Till found in the article written by Amit Sharma for Music Radar, “We don’t live in a literal musical landscape,” he explains. “Ours is way more about the implied emotion, the energy, the depth and feeling as opposed to the storytelling or dictating to people what they should feel from the music. For us, it’s way more vast and cosmic than me being able to explain exactly what it all stands for. Every time we come to make new music, we open ourselves up to channel something greater than us - which is Neurosis - this sound that exists in the universe. We’re just the lucky motherfuckers that get to tap into it! Everything we see, hear and feel goes into that - all the energies are present all around us and within us. The ability to traverse the trials and tribulations of everyday life, whether that be psychological struggles or contemplating our place in the world or relationships with nature… there’s a poetic and atmospheric meditation collage that comes together as music.” 

The primary sound we’re left with as the record closes is Scott Kelly’s signature howl of the word “Reach”. I don’t know how to fully explain it, but while it’s great to introduce someone to a band through an older record; I would actually say this would be a great sort of introduction record for people still unfamiliar with Neurosis or that have only heard them in passing but never invested time into their discography. As the end of a very busy year for Neurosis approaches, it is marked by a fantastic record; the 11th in their storied career that has very much changed the landscape of heavy music. Doom metal, Sludge metal, Post Metal, and whatever ridiculous term can be thought up continues to fail to at all describe the intensity found within the music of Neurosis. The refined sound of Dave Edwardson, Scott Kelly, Steve Von Till, Jason Roeder, & Noah Landis is one that should not be missed by any fan of heavy music. 

Next on the live itinerary for Neurosis will two shows at KOKO in London. The first night will be with Earth & the second night is with Subhumans and Discharge. On November 25th and 26th, there will be two shows at the Hawthorne Theatre with YOB & Kowloon Walled City. And as of this week, the month of December will include dates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, & Vancouver. December 17th will see the band return to The Regency Grand Ballroom with YOB & Kowloon Walled City, December 18th will be the 2nd and final night of Power of the Riff festival with Neurosis headlining. December 19th will be at Neumos in Seattle with YOB & Sumac and then the same lineup will play the Venue nightclub in Vancouver, BC on December 20th.

@neurotrecordings

[ghostwish22]

(Metal Blade Records)

I still remember the amazed and confused feelings that arose as a high school friend introduced me to the song “Blood” by Candiria from the record “What Doesn’t Kill You Will Make You Stronger” While it took some effort, I’m very grateful the collective members who were part of Candiria in that their music contributed to me having a more open perspective on what I listen to and not getting so caught up on the preposterous invention that is genres. 

Today, I’m glad to hear the first of 12 new songs that will make the entirety of a new full-length record from Candiria; entitled, “While They Were Sleeping”, this new effort is a concept record thought up by vocalist Carley Coma. I’d urge you to read the full description of the concept as well as some descriptions of other songs on the record via the pre-order/preview page that Metal Blade has made.

Mereya features elements of the musical freedom that has seemingly defined Candiria as much as it has left their creative output open to interpretation.  This album is also the debut of Julio Arias on rhythm guitar and Danny Grossarth on drums/percussion. A full US tour announcement is impending and in the meantime a tour of the 5 boroughs that make Candiria’s home of New York City has been announced for October. While They Were Sleeping is set for release on October 7th through @metalblade Records

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pre-order and further info on the concept behind “While They Were Sleeping” can be found here- http://metalblade.com/candiria/

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(Sargent House)

Marked For Death, the title track from the new full-length record by Emma Ruth Rundle. Known for her contributions in Red Sparowes and Marriages, Ms. Rundle has approached her music as a solo artist with a clear vulnerability that is immediately captivating. Her solo debut, released in 2014 by Sargent House, entitled Some Heavy Ocean took me a while to fully engage with due to my being a bit impatient at the time and caught up with music in the metal or hardcore genres. Over the past year and a half, I’ve come to discover more and more that the musical heft I’ve grown to love doesn’t necessarily need amplification or shouting about war. Heaviness isn’t necessarily quantifiable in decibels or amplification when it comes to music, sometimes the heaviest song can be an honest ballad or a sorrowful dirge, and that is an important thing to realize.

As this first track shows, I actually get the best of both worlds in a sense and I’m all the more excited to hear what Emma has been working on. Listening to Some Heavy Ocean recently, most if not all of the songs are rooted around guitars and vocals; while that hasn’t been lost, it is an interesting show of dynamics as heard in the percussion work specifically on Marked For Death.

In an effort to avoid attributing my own ideas to a record I’ve only heard one track from, I won’t over analyze but I can tell you this with certainty; I was already anxious to hear a new record from Emma Ruth Rundle, and now I’m especially anxious after getting this first glimpse into the new music she has put together. Pre-orders have begun through the online stores for @sargenthouse While I will miss it by just a few days, I’m pleased to say Emma Ruth Rundle will be supporting Wovenhand on a European tour which is sure to be a show to remember. If you haven’t already, please make time to check out Some Heavy Ocean and get ready for Marked for Death; set for release on the 30th of September.

Sep 12   Cologne, DE – Gebäude 9

Sep 13   Frankfurt, DE – Zoom

Sep 15   Bern, CH – ISC

Sep 16   Zurich, CH – Bogen F

Sep 17   Vienna, AT – Flex

Sep 18   Budapest, HU – A38

Sep 20   Salzburg, AT – Rockhouse

Sep 21   Munich, DE – Ampere

Sep 22   Leipzig, DE – UT Connewitz

Sep 23   Berlin, DE – Heimathafen

Sep 26   Arhus, DK – Train

Sep 29   Helsinki, FI – Tavastia

Sep 30   Stockholm, SE – Nalen

Oct 01    Lund, SE – Mejeriet

Oct 02    Copenhagen, DK – Vega Jr.

Oct 04    Eindhoven, NL – Effenaar

Oct 05    Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg

Oct 06    Leuven, BE – Het Depot

Oct 07    Ghent, BE – Handelsbeurs

Oct 08    Charleroi, BE – L’Eden

Oct 10    Lille, FR – L’Aéronef

Oct 11    Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie

Oct 13    Orleans, FR – L’Astrolabe

Oct 14    Grenoble, FR – La Belle Electrique

Oct 15    Feyzin, FR – L’Epicerie Moderne

Oct 16    Toulouse, FR – La Rex

Oct 18    London, UK – The Dome

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An interview/review with Alaric 7/1/16

While it was bittersweet to be leaving San Francisco, I couldn’t have spent my last night in a better way than seeing the final show of Alaric’s two-week tour of the southwest/west coast of the United States. This run saw them play in many places for the first time such as New Mexico, Texas, & Oklahoma among other locales. I had the pleasure of interviewing most of the band aside from their bassist Rick prior to the show over some Mexican food at El Toro, a taqueria in the Mission district of San Francisco. I always try to keep interviews prior to a show short since the bands deserve some time to relax prior to playing as well as to give all of us time to enjoy all the bands playing, unfortunately, I missed most of Lotus Thief’s set but I do recommend checking them out for those of you are fans of Metal with mystic/darker influences.

Since it was sort of a general conversation, my questions will be italicized and the answers will be generally from Alaric(vocalist Shane Baker, guitarist Russ Kent, drummer Jason Willer, & keyboardist Thomas Dimuzio)

With it being the end of the tour tonight, is it nice to be back in a familiar setting?

Alaric: It was quite welcoming, even though the tour wasn’t that long. Especially with the weather being hotter everywhere else right now, it was comforting as we crossed the Bay Bridge. You have to do a homecoming show, it’s important to recenter yourself and brings a sense of completion. 

Was it the first time in most the cities you played?

Yes, beyond the Pacific Northwest, we haven’t toured much as a band. There were people we knew from other projects, other lifetimes; we’d run into a lot of people who used to live in the Bay Area. So it was a great time of seeing people, some we hadn’t seen in over 15 years.

Some of the bands you played with, such as Pinkish Black and Ides of Gemini, were great pairings. How was it getting to play with artists that could be potential tour partners in the future?

It was an awesome and exciting time and sort of a cosmic connection with Pinkish Black in that they had been mentioned in a review of our first record so we had become aware of them already. It’s always great to meet like-minded musicians to play with. Ides of Gemini was a great band as well. They’re actually going to be playing in the Bay Area on August 28th and we’re hoping to play with them, as well as possibly look into playing more together in the future.

With End of Mirrors being out for about a month now, how has it been playing more of the record live?

A lot of our set has been primarily the new record and it’s been good. With Thomas in the band now, we’re involving him as much as possible aside from the less familiar older songs. We feel the new album, in general, is another step towards the collective sound we’re aiming for.

Music at large has become a bit “overcrowded” in that music you want to listen to more than once can be difficult. What is some of your perspective on the state of music currently?

There’s always been lots of music out there, but the fact you can make an outstanding sounding record in your bedroom through your computer now has definitely made an amazing amount of music available to anyone; no matter their interest. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find stuff that stands out. It’s just weird how now more than ever music has come to be treated like it’s disposable. I mean we spend our lives doing this partly because we don’t want to do anything else, but we really can’t do anything else in the sense that music is what drives us. It definitely feels disrespectful as an artist as if what I do means nothing, because this is my life and I’m going to live this way whether I make nothing or just enough to eat. It feels like the respect for musicians has decreased even more than it was 10 or 15 years ago. At the same time, you have to just roll with punches and help people understand what it means to you as well as the work that goes into it. Another interesting part of being on tour is how people come out and support artists through merchandise, primarily rather than buying music. There’s a generation that thinks music is free, but it’s refreshing when people come out to support by coming to shows and buying merchandise. In a sense, music has returned to how it always, in that it revolves primarily around bands going on tour and playing shows.

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It was a great time of conversation and the night only got better as we all got back to Elbo room. The first band I saw was Naked Lights from Oakland. With a jangly yet frantic guitar sound and somewhat motorik sounding rhythm section, the post-punk sound of Naked Lights was very engaging immediately. I wasn’t too familiar with their music, but I would definitely like to see them again.

With my 5AM bus back to Los Angeles fast approaching, fatigue began to settle in; but when Alaric hit the stage, I didn’t care what was going on beyond the music. Alaric is a band I’ve only gotten to know after seeing them support Neurosis on the 2nd of 3 nights that were played in celebration of Neurosis’ 30th anniversary. Both with this point of reference as well as hearing a split record they made with Atriarch, I quickly became a fan of theirs and have been enjoying both of their LP’s for a few months now. As mentioned in the interview, the new record of End of Mirrors came out in the beginning of May and it was great to hear more of those songs live. Personal highlights were songs such as Adore, Alone, & Weep; the sheer heft of the music was actually quite complimentary to my fatigued mind. The pulsing, lively drumming by Jason matched with walls of sound from Rick’s bass playing as well as the sonorous picking of Russ’ guitar made for quite a combination; Thomas’s keyboard work is also clearly a great addition to Alaric’s sound and it’s clear that they as a band are honing their own identity through sound. Shane’s vocals fall somewhere between a yell and a howl and this vocal style fits Alaric’s music perfectly. 

You can find their discography on Alaric’s bandcamp and as I mentioned, End of Mirrors was released through @neurotrecordings and on cassette by Sentient Ruin Laboratories. Alaric will next be playing in Oakland supporting Atriarch and Sabbath Assembly at First Church of the Buzzard on July 30th, and then they will take part in Migration Fest which is presented by Gilead Media & 20 Buck Spin records. Migration Fest will be in Olympia, Washington on August 12th through the 14th featuring a wide range of artists including Krallice, Thou, Panopticon, Vhöl, False, Vastum, Full of Hell, & many more; while most of the tickets have already been sold, I highly recommend looking at the lineup if you are not already familiar with either the bands or even more so the record labels putting on the festival. Alaric will be starting the day off on August 13th so make sure to get there on time if you’re attending; many thanks to Alaric for the great music and for the interview.

Writer/photographer’s note: I apologize for the lack of photos. My camera was having some technical issues and the lighting was quite challenging so I only managed a picture on my phone.

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vEyzmlUyu8)

Visually enthralling and aurally encompassing, the new video for “Adore” by Alaric is a fantastic visual accompaniment to a solid song. If you’re a fan of gothic, post-punk music combined with metallic influences; I highly recommend Alaric. I’ve been a fan since the first time I heard them when they opened the second of three shows that were played to celebrate Neurosis’ 30th anniversary this past March.End of Mirrors is out now on CD/LP and digital format through @neurotrecordings as well as Cassette on Sentient Ruins Laboratories. Alaric is also just about two weeks away from a West Coast/Southwest US Tour which will see them playing shows with bands such as Ides of Gemini, Pinkish Black, Deth Crux, among others. They will also be playing the inaugural Migration Fest in Olympia, Washington presented by the great record labels 20 Buck Spin & Gilead Media along with artists such as VHÖL, Panopticon, Hell, Kowloon Walled City, Thou, and others. For more info on the festival go to www.migrationfest.us

Sat 6/11 Oakland, CA - The Nightlight with Flesh and the Devil, Untamed Creatures, Old Rust Cobra

 https://www.facebook.com/events/1120459644632010/ Wed 6/15 Glendale, CA - The Complex with Ides of Gemini & Death Crux

https://www.facebook.com/events/1308361545846240/ Thur 6/16 Costa Mesa, CA - Tiki Bar with Deathkings, Sex Powers

https://www.facebook.com/events/607156869438910/ Fri 6/17 Las Vegas, NV - Womb Room with Cloud Captive and Blast Flashes https://www.facebook.com/events/1715941102009541

SAT 6/18 Bisbee, AZ - The Quarry with Scorpion vs Tarantula and The Mission Creeps SUN 6/19 Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf with Econarchy

https://www.facebook.com/events/244075125959307/ MON 6/20 Austin, TX - The Lost Well with Pinkish Black, Thunderkie

fhttps://www.facebook.com/events/1700070813575937/ Tue 6/21 Houston, TX - Notsuoh with Chew (Chicago) False Punk (Florida) & KRVSHR https://www.facebook.com/events/1720500084905425/ Wed 6/22 Dallas, TX - Three Links with Pinkish Black, Steel Bearing Hand, Aztec Death https://www.facebook.com/events/884314991690613/ Thur 6/23 Norman, OK - Opolis Productions with Pinkish Black & Idre

https://www.facebook.com/events/1169302253120317/ Fri 6/24 Denver, CO - Hi Dive with Danava, Cloud Catcher and Blood Incarnation https://www.facebook.com/events/629463720534254/ Sat 6/25 Ogden, UT - Fraternal Order of the Eagles with Burn Your World, Northlander, The Wake of an Arsonist https://www.facebook.com/events/479229312270011/ Mon 6/27 Seattle, WA - Highline with Dead Spells, Same Sex Dictator and Anteinferno https://www.facebook.com/events/189938014736210/ Tue 6/28 Olympia, WA - Obsidian with Dark Palms, Quayde Lahue

https://www.facebook.com/events/1712976098957484/ Wed 6/29 Portland, OR - High Water Mark with Adrian H and the Wounds, Die Robot, and Vibrissae https://www.facebook.com/events/1596928527303696/ Thur 6/30 Sacramento, CA - Starlite Lounge Friday 7/1 San Francisco, CA - Elbo Room

Saturday 7/30 Oakland, CA - First Church of the Buzzard with Atriarch, Sabbath Assembly, Esses

Saturday 8/13 Olympia, WA - Capitol Theater (Migration Fest)

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End of Mirrors by Alaric

After seeing them play a fascinating set to start the second of 3 nights in which Neurosis’ 30th anniversary was celebrated, the release Alaric’s new album; End of Mirrors, is finally here.

Comprised of 7 tracks, mostly in the 5 to 7-minute range of time aside from the title track which clocks in at 2:51, the howling vocals of Shane Baker surround you as the dirge-like instrumentation sucks you in. The oceanic textures of the guitar work provided by Russ Kent, make a great match with the lumbering rhythm section of bassist Rick Jacobus and drummer Jason Willer. Touching again on the vocals from Shane Baker; his voice seems to take on many haunting aspects from being something of an enraged speaking tonality to a pained shout or howl that could ring through many sleepless nights. The atmosphere that is created by this darker interpretation of “post-punk” or “death rock” touches very distinctly on the subconscious and leaves you wanting more. 

This darkness is very much complimented by the mysterious artwork courtesy of multi-disciplinary artist Kevin Gan Yuen (of the band Sutekh Hexen) whose artwork has recently been used by acts such as All Your Sisters, Kayo Dot, and Muscle and Marrow to name a few. Also, if you’re familiar with the tribal infused sounds of Portland’s Atriarch; you will hear some similarities in sound to Alaric, which worked out well as the two bands released a split album together back in 2012 through 20 Buck Spin.

This is one of my favorite releases within the darker realm of music where many elements of personal life-long favorites like Joy Division find new life with darker atmosphere and influence leaning towards a more tribal, metal sound.

As they prepare for their hometown release show in Oakland, CA on May 13th with fellow Bay Area bands Cardinal Wyrm and Altar De Fey at Oakland Metro, I can’t give a higher recommendation than to check out End of Mirrors on @neurotrecordings for CD, Vinyl, and digital formats; you can also pick up the cassette version through Sentient Ruin. Below are all the upcoming live dates for Alaric. Also, be on the lookout in the next few weeks for a video from Alaric featuring one of the new tracks on End of Mirrors.

Fri 5/13 Oakland Metro, Oakland,CA w/ Cardinal Wyrm and Altar De Fey

Sat 5/28 Starlite Lounge, Sacramento,CA w/ Sumac, Jay Jayle, and ÆQUOREA

Wed 6/15 The Complex LA w/Ides of Gemini Thur 6/16 TBA Long Beach CA Fri 6/17 Womb Room Las Vegas NV Sat 6/18 The Quarry Bisbee AZ Sun 6/19 TBA Santa Fe NM Mon 6/20 TBA Austin TX Tue 6/21 TBA Houston Wed 6/22 Three Links Dallas TX w/ Pinkish Black Thur 6/23 TBA Oklahoma City Fri 6/24 TBA Denver Sat 6/25 TBA SLC  Sun 6/26 TBA Boise ID Mon 6/27 Highline Seattle WA Tue 6/28 TBA Olympia WA Wed 6/29 High Water Mark Portland OR Thur 6/30 Starline Sacramento CA Friday 7/1 Elbo Room SF CA

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On a breezy night in Los Angeles, I had the rare opportunity to see Dominick Fernow perform as Vatican Shadow and a one-off gig from the band, Earth. They were both supporting the electronic artist, Andy Stott, but I was unfortunately not able to stay late enough to see his set. If I’m, to be honest, I’m not familiar enough with his music to have felt deprived; but I’d never pass up on being introduced to new music in a live setting, so I hope to see him some other time.

While I had been to The Echo, a venue celebrating 15 years of being open this year, once before; I had yet to attend a show at Echoplex. The conjoined clubs have earned the reputation of being premier venues for live music in Los Angeles, and I can’t agree more in that both shows I’ve attended have had great sound quality and the atmosphere is ideal for any type of music to be performed on any given night of the week. I particularly enjoy that the entrance for Echoplex is tucked away and feels a bit more private or secretive, it felt more appropriate in some ways considering the music this particular evening was of a more “niche” interest.

As the disco balls glimmered on the ceiling and visuals akin to what I’ve been told taking psychedelic drugs provide were shown on the stage wall, Vatican Shadow’s set started right around 9:30. I will say ahead of time that I’m an admirer of Dominick Fernow’s various projects, but I’m not very savvy on gear knowledge so I won’t be able to specify exactly what he was using.

Nonetheless, over a 45-minute set; Vatican Shadow met the diverse Los Angeles crowd with bone-rumbling intensity and icy ambient passages. As I leaned my left hand on the stage, the stage rumbled so hard that it became painful to my arm at times from the volume of the music. Due to my own theories of “feeling” the music more, I actually left my arm in place to feel the pain from the intense volume as he manipulated the rhythms and soundscapes; creating a rather hypnotic atmosphere that was both dark and inviting. While some chose to mainly stand and nod their head to the beat, some in attendance chose to dance as the beats became more uptempo and made it almost impossible to stand still. Being that I’m frequently challenged by anxiety, going out at all is quite interesting. From a few different interviews, I’ve gathered that live performance is something of an anxious experience for Dominick; and at times due to this fact and the intense nature of the music, it made my watching his set feel oddly voyeuristic. I felt as though I was witnessing something that was private in nature and yet was in a mildly crowded club. I, nevertheless, enjoyed the set quite a lot and hope to have a chance to see a live set from Dominick again whether it's as Vatican Shadow or Prurient or even something new.

Once the table for the consoles was broken down, it was time to set up the amps for Earth’s set. Performing as a trio with Dylan Carlson on guitar, Don McGreevy on bass, and Adrienne Davies on drums; Earth would bring an altogether different type of hypnotic experience to Echoplex for their 45-minute set. While their music is primarily instrumental, Mr. Carlson was glad to greet the crowd and introduce each song including a new untitled track. With drone/experimental music being minimalistic in nature, more often than not, Earth had a tightness all their own as a band. 

As the meditative tones of the bass and electric guitar washed over the crowd, the drums provided a sort of calm pulse as the music moved along. Adrienne Davies’ drumming prowess and power were very much on display in her patient control; never attacking the drums but rather hitting them in a complementary way that completed the more or less constructive activity involved in guitar led drone music like that of which Earth is known for. So often in heavy music, tightness is judged by the speed and/or supposed technicality involved in playing; but Earth showed there is plenty of technicalities involved in playing slower and more calming music than there might be playing the fastest of death metal or grindcore songs. Slow, as well as calm, shouldn’t portray it as a quiet experience either and can only be further confirmed by the fact that Dylan blew out an amp as Earth started their final song for the night. Here’s the set list- Torn by the Fox of the Crescent Moon, There is a Serpent Coming(both from 2014′s Primitive and Deadly), The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull(the title track from Earth’s 2009 release), untitled new song, Old Black (from 2011′s Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1)

It was a unique and special evening to witness such different artists together, and I hope I can attend shows with this kind of diversity more in the future. 

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False Highs, True Lows - Plebeian Grandstand

Some time last year, my friend Andy and I were sitting at a bar in San Francisco enjoying some drinks and talking new music we’d heard since the last time we spoke. He played me a couple songs from the 2014 LP, “Lowgazers” by Plebeian Grandstand; and after only a minute into the first song, I knew I had a found a new band to be aware of. 

Having formed in 2005(according to Encyclopedia Metallum), the band has released 2 split albums, 1 EP, and will have released 3 LP’s at the end of April. An eight-song sonic assault from the four-piece band from Toulouse, France; shows you a band further establishing their identity musically while remaining out of reach from any sort of genre trappings. Throughout the album, they seamlessly weave influences of black metal, hardcore, and noise/ambient music in a way all their own. Where some would hear this and think that it would devolve into a disorganized collection of songs, the entire record has a natural flow from the siren sounding intro ”Mal Du Siècle” to the end of the final blasting song “Eros Culture”.

When a sample like a siren is used, especially for the type of music found on “False Highs, True Lows”, I find it to be a reminder that as a listener; you coming into this at your own risk. Extreme music can cause many extreme reactions no matter when or where you are listening to the music. While I’ve felt a bit scattered of mind today, I found that each song demanded my attention and I would actually want to stop my attempts at multi-tasking as I listened to this record. 

A particular song pairing that struck me was the final two on the album, “Tame The Shapes” and the previously mentioned “Eros Culture”. I can picture standing in a dark club/theater, as the guitar feedback begins to cut through to the audience; fuzzed, crunchy and intentionally picked notes on the guitar cause a certain air of suspense to come over the room. Simple lighting is on the stage, consisting of red and black to match the artwork made for “False Highs, True Lows”; suddenly, the drummer wallops his cymbals and the band begins to pound the crowd again with the dissonant beauty that is heard throughout this album. Just as you begin to think the band is going to bring the song to a close, a fever-pitch blast beat bursts forward from the speakers with guitars ripping alongside to lead into “Eros Culture”. At just under five minutes, this harsh example of endurance and intensity make a clear statement about Plebeian Grandstand's musical prowess; and while they’re good to give you a moment to breathe and gather yourself around the 3-minute mark, don’t be fooled into thinking that the band has released you just yet.

Coming out through Throatruiner Records, “False Highs, True Lows” can be pre-ordered now on limited edition CD and Vinyl -https://plebeiangrandstand.bandcamp.com/album/false-highs-true-lows

https://www.facebook.com/pages/PLEBEIAN-GRANDSTAND/160680714032

http://plebeiangrandstand.tumblr.com/

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA2Eb3MihE8) 

I’ve had the privilege of seeing Enslaved live 3 times now, and they have consistently been one of my favorite bands in Black Metal. I know because of their stylistic experimenting over the years, the “critics” say they aren’t black metal anymore or other ridiculous things; but no matter what ridiculous label you put on it, Enslaved has marked the milestone achievement of having been a band for 25 years and that is one very few bands can claim in any genre. Last week in London, they celebrated with 3 special concerts along with various events including an art gallery show featuring work by Kristian Espedal or as most may know him, Gaahl from Gorgoroth fame, God Seed, and Wardruna. The above video is a bit of a recap on the shows Enslaved performed for the many fans who came. They’ve just announced a European tour this fall with Ne Obliviscaris and will be playing various festivals, so be on the lookout to catch one of these rare and celebratory sets. Congratulations to Grutle, Ivar, Arve, Herbrand, and Cato; I look forward to the next time I see you all perform together.

Tour dates with Ne Obliviscaris:

Sep. 29 - CH - Aarau - KiFF Sep. 30 - DE - Stuttgart - Club Cann Oct. 15 - DE - Berlin - BiNuu Oct. 16 - PL - Warsaw - Progresja Oct. 17 - PL - Wroclaw - Firlej Oct. 18 - CZ - Prague - Nova Chelmnice Oct. 19 - DE - Munich - Backstage Oct. 20 - AT - Vienna - Szene Oct. 22 - H- Brasov - Club Rockstadt Oct. 24 - SLO - Ljubljana - Kino Siska Nov. 02 - FR - Toulouse - Metronum Nov. 03 - FR- Rennes - Antipode Nov. 04 - FR - Paris - Divan du Monde Nov. 05 - UK - Leeds - Damnation Festival Nov. 09 - DE - Hanover - Musikzentrum Nov. 10 - DE - Dresden - Beatpol

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIBZi7G-sSU)

“What One Becomes”, the new album from Sumac; a band comprised of Aaron Turner(known from bands such as Isis, Old Man Gloom, Mamiffer, & Greymachine etc.), Brian Cook ( of Russian Circles, Botch, These Arms As Snakes) & Nick Yacyshyn ( of Baptists & Erosion). 

I could try selling this music with journalistic words, I could show you the press release, but you know what; I don’t want to. With how music is taken in by a large majority of the world, the number count on this post isn’t going to move a single copy of what is sure to be a great record. If you come across this post and choose not to check out the new single, “Rigid Man”, I honestly think you’ll regret it. As a fan of music first as well as a musician, I feel incredibly privileged to be alive in the time in history we are now with musicians of the calibre of gentlemen that make Sumac. Out of the 3 men, I’ve so far only met Aaron Turner; but what these 3 individuals come together and do is altogether unique and something that won’t be found made by another grouping of musicians or if any variation of the lineup were to do something in my opinion.  So, check out this song; pre-order the album from Thrill Jockey and if they announce shows in your area, I’d encourage you to see them live. The main date announced so far is for Sumac’s participation in the Southwest Terror Fest in Tucson, Arizona which will commence from October 20th until October 23rd. Check out Thrill Jockey records here- http://www.thrilljockey.com/products/what-one-becomes

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With their 11th studio album set to be released this year (12th including the album they did with Jarboe), and many other releases made as Tribes of Neurot along with various side project; the past 30 years of Neurosis have been a redefining time in music. I think Steve Albini was right when said from the stage on Saturday night in that music, particularly heavy music, can somewhat be categorized as before Neurosis and after Neurosis. Genres have never done justice in describing their musical output, sure it has given an idea of aspects of their sound over the years, but as it’s put in a biography penned by Oxbow’s singer/accomplished writer Eugene S. Robinson, “Neurosis is music”.

Over a roughly 6-hour span, Neurosis came together with many friends and family as well as fans alike to celebrate their storied history as a band of uncompromising musicians. Rarely, will you find even one original member remaining in a band formed five years ago. After forming in 1985, the original three members being guitarist/vocalist Scott Kelly, bassist Dave Edwardson, and drummer Jason Roeder played alongside their fellow longtime member's guitarist/vocalist Steve Von Till and keyboardist/electronics contributor Noah Landis. Obviously, there is no amount of significance added to one individual for spending one more year in the band; but the fact that this five-piece lineup has been consistent for at least 20 of the 30-year history created by these gentlemen collectively is amazing. 

Here is a list of the songs played over the 3 nights:

Lost, Times of Grace, To What End?, Pain of Mind, Left to Wander, At The Well, the Tide, Water is Not Enough, Takeahnase, Stones from the Sky, Through Silver in Blood, Self-Taught Infection, An Offering, The Day of the Lords, To Crawl Under One’s Skin, Locust Star, Eye, Grey, Life on Your Knees, Pollution, Distill, The Web, We All Rage in Gold, Cold Ascending, No River to Take me Home, Blisters, Double-Edged Sword, Given to the Rising, The Doorway.

4 songs from Pain of Mind,  1 from Aberration, 4 from the Word as Law, 3 from Souls at Zero, 2 from Enemy of the Sun,  3 from Through Silver in Blood, 2 from Times of Grace, 1 from Sovereign, 2 from A Sun that Never Sets, 2 from the Eye of Every Storm, 3 from Given to the Rising, and 2 from Honor Found in Decay.

How they pieced such an amazing set together is completely beyond me. Are there songs that would have maybe been requested, had the opportunity been given to fans, that were left out? Sure, but that’s always going to happen. Considering their playing style has changed quite a bit, I found that the songs both from Pain of Mind as well as the Word as Law were particularly special to see performed. These songs were written and recorded by a much younger incarnation of Neurosis, and hearing them now; the songs haven’t lost anything and have only gained strength in the experience that the band now has. 

I can’t express enough gratitude to Scott, Steve, Dave, Jason, and Noah - Neurosis as a band of individuals who have left a significant mark of influence upon me. I want to thank their tour manager, Paula, offering me hospitality when I interviewed Scott and Steve; many thanks to all the photographers I shot alongside as well as the videographers who I’m especially grateful were in attendance to document such amazing shows. Thanks to Dave & Liz of Earsplit PR for arranging opportunities like this for me to support some of my favorite bands, and I also want to thank the collective fan base of Neurosis for coming out in very visible support of dedicated musicians. 

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Night 3: The punk/hardcore show came to The Regency Ballroom. I was particularly excited to see Converge, being that they’re one of the few other bands aside from Neurosis that I can honestly say is a favorite of mine.

To start the night, Negative Approach hit the stage. Originally together as a band from 1981-1984, they have played occasional shows and have done a few tours since 2009. Playing a 20-25 song set at a blistering speed and with ferocious energy, they essentially attacked all who had made it in time for their set. Due to the younger age of some in attendance, as was being discussed in earshot of me, Negative Approach did receive some blank stares at first. Whether everyone was familiar with NA or not, it didn’t matter the fans and certainly didn’t matter to John Brannon and the band. If not just out of respect, by the end of their set, Negative Approach rightfully received a good applause from the entire crowd.

As I was speaking with another photographer in between set, I described the situation of a possibly calmer crowd for such a high energy band as a physical example of a generational split. Some of the people who would identify as primarily being interested in punk or hardcore may have known Negative Approach by name and heard about them through the liner notes of records they’ve bought or being listed as an influence on one or many bands they listen to. For fans of Negative Approach, including Converge’s vocalist Jacob Bannon who actually said from the stage that NA’s vocalist John Brannon had been an influence on him, this was an amazing and somewhat rare opportunity to see them play live.

As the “Jane Doe” backdrop was shown and the lights went off, the crowd was enthusiastic in welcoming Kurt Ballou as he began playing the intro to “Plagues” off the 2006 ripper of an album, No Heroes.  As the rest of the band joined Kurt on stage, the ferocity only increased and the crowd very quickly became involved. I think before the end of “Plagues”, we had already had at least one crowd surfer almost join the photographers in the pit between the stage and the barricade. 

On the second night, Steve Albini said something along the lines of Neurosis being a rare artist to where you could actually refer to music as before Neurosis and after Neurosis. Jacob Bannon took a moment to refer to when first saw Neurosis, saying it was about 1991 or 1992 on the Word as Law tour, and that show changed him. He also mentioned he’d had a hard week and needed this set possibly more than he’d needed any other; he certainly gave his all that night as well as every member of Converge did. I want to talk about Nate Newton, the bassist of Converge, for a moment. I’ve seen him perform 3 times now, once with Old Man Gloom and twice with Converge, and every time I’m amazed at his energy and just the genuine fun he seems to be having in playing such intense music. I mean punk and hardcore aren’t necessarily genres that are ever associated with the word “fun”; but it hardly seems right to think he’d be up there jumping and headbanging with his bass over his shoulder as well as singing if he wasn’t loving every second of it. 

While the Regency Ballroom isn’t exactly the ideal venue for a hardcore show, there was a moment where a crowd surfer managed to get close enough for Jacob to hold out the microphone out to him and actually helped make sure he could stay long enough to scream into the mic before returning to the sea of people. It was also at the end of Converge’s set where I was reminded about the importance of when you’re a musician and no matter if you’re the first band on or headlining the show, you play your absolute best and don’t leave the stage until you have nothing left to give or at least until the next band needs to set up. 

Needless to say, Neurosis couldn’t have had a better lineup throughout the weekend of support bands and I’m still amazed to have had the opportunity to attend every night.

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Editors Note: The above photos are from when I saw Neurosis in 2014 on New Years eve at the Great American Music Hall. All my new photos will be posted soon, but I wanted to avoid confusion. Some of the wording may not be exact quotes for the sake of fluid dialogue in text form rather than audio.

Going into this interview, I was both nervous and exhausted. Having already seen Neurosis, Alaric, Shellac, Sleep, & Vhol all in the past two nights; my brain was a bit fried, but I was excited and grateful to finally meet Steve Von Till as well as meet Scott Kelly again. While our time was limited, I want to again express my gratitude for having had this opportunity. The first initial questions were also done and contributed through the online tribe on Facebook known as “Strength & Vision: Neurosis - Neurot Records” and so as a member I want to express my gratitude to the fellow members of that group for taking an interest in my writing and photography as well as their support.

One of the questions from the Neurosis group I’m involved with was about Tribes of Neurot; will there be any further releases or reissues of releases such as the subscription series releases?

Steve Von Till: It’s not something we’re working on, but there’s a lot of stuff that's been sitting around half-baked for a long time. That material is kind of abstract, spur of the moment; and so we just haven’t necessarily had the will to finish it. It will come out at some point, though.

Probably the most obvious question, will there be any further dates beyond the show scheduled at Roadburn and other festivals in Europe to celebrate the 30th anniversary?

Steve: That’s it for now.

Scott Kelly: There may be, but at this point; there aren't any other dates scheduled.

It’s been pretty clear for some time now that Neurosis would not be playing songs from early albums such as Pain of Mind or the Word as Law. How has it felt to be rehearsing and playing some this material live again?

Scott: They actually feel pretty good. It’s a weird thing, I think, those songs were literally dead to us. We never had any intention of playing them again, and so I think the fact that we committed to bringing them back and put the work into learning them again; actually gave them life that they wouldn’t have had if we kept playing them. If we had been playing them, they’d be more than dead. (Steve and Scott both laugh) This gave them life, because of having them put away for so long and forgetting how to play them. It’s not something we’ll continue with, it’s not really the way we like to work. There are sacrifices you definitely make with shows like this, and I do think the sets work, but there are emotional peaks and valleys you can’t really achieve with songs that are essentially flatline, bulldozers like these are.  They don’t have a lot of dynamic range, which is something we crave and ride on a lot. It’s surprisingly not bad, I guess I would say. We committed to doing the shows, and then we started to go ..” Fuck. What have we committed to doing?” Some songs like “To What End” is a motherfucker of a song, with so many parts. 

Steve: Ways that we don’t even play anymore, our hands don’t play that way anymore; our tones don’t even work for that shit.

Scott: Yeah, everything is just weird. But, we kind of just digging and digging until we had them down as a band; and there’s definitely a lot of energy with those songs and the past two nights have been great.

I know a couple highlights for me were hearing the song “Pain of Mind” as well as your cover of the Joy Division song, “Day of the Lords” (released on the Word as Law album) Being a long-time Joy Division fan, it was really exciting to hear you guys play that and I want to say that you guys killed it. Not even just based on sound quality, but the intensity of how it was performed. 

Scott: Thanks. Day of the Lord may have a bit of life in it, that is one that sounds good to me.

How was the recording process for what will be your new album? That was a two-week process at Electric Audio with Steve Albini, right? Is there a time frame for its release?

Steve: It was about seven days in the studio. We’re planning to get it out in September, but it won’t be discussed much until these initial anniversary shows are behind us. 

Did bringing out older songs inspire the new record at all?

Steve: We had to finish the new material before we worked on any of the old stuff for the shows. 

Scott: Yeah, we finished before we started rehearsing for these shows. It’s been a busy year for all of us, I mean; I’ve already forgotten the new one and need to go back and learn it.

Steve: We pretty much 8 weeks to the date from finishing the new record until the anniversary shows to learn the material on our own, and we only had a few days together. 

That’s definitely running a tight ship.

Scott: That’s generally how we do things, we do better with tight deadlines. I think it pushes everyone to their maximum potential; if we had a bunch of time, we wouldn’t know what to do with it. When we record, we record fast because we learned to record typically having a budget of a few hundred dollars and only 2-3 days to record. Now we do a record in 7 days, but that’s how much we’ve grown in thirty years; we’re just efficient with our time.

I was recently talking with someone about how bands having months of time to prepare for recording is occasionally looked down upon because it eventually becomes questionable if people are working or just screwing around. 

Scott: It’s about catching the inspiration and showing up ready to go. It kills me to hear about bands wasting time in the studio, I mean do as you wish, but that’s not our deal at all. 

Steve: Like recording one at a time? I thought it was a band? (laughs)

Scott: Aside from the vocals, we did two guitar dubs; everything else was done live.

With Roadburn festival in mind, it looks like there will be about 8 or 9 Neurosis related performances( two sets from Neurosis, a solo set each from Steve and Scott respectively, Scott Kelly and Sanford Parker’s project Mirrors for Psychic Warfare, and Steve Von Till’s involvement the Blood Moon set from Converge) As much as that will be a work intense time, are you guys still able to look forward to it with excitement?

Scott: Roadburn is great. It will be really good, again it’s about working under those intense conditions. It’s the same with me and Sanford, we accomplish a lot in a short time.

On the subject of your solo efforts, is there any chance of new solo albums coming from either of you in the next couple years or is that on the back burner for now?

Steve: There’s always that chance since we have more time apart than we do together. 

Scott: I’m trying to do a new solo record this year, I have about four songs now. About three others that are being written, so that should be done before the end of the year. 

Steve: I’ve had a new Harvestman album recorded for about a year and a half now, just haven’t had time to sit down and mix it. 

To end, has there been a specific band that’s been a highlight to have come and take part in the shows?

Scott: Negative Approach. I can’t wait.

Steve: Really, all of them have been. It’s an honor to have all these people show up to celebrate with us.

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Referring to my conversation with Neurosis’ tour manager, Paula, again; we agreed that Saturday was the more “artsy/experimental” music night. Night 2 of Neurosis’ 30th celebration was supported by Oakland’s Alaric and Chicago’s Shellac. 

Although I arrived a bit late due to some transportation issues as well as weather-related complications, I was very excited to see Alaric. I had recently become aware of a band called Dead and Gone which members of Alaric were involved with, thanks to the Everything Went Black podcast that Mike Hill from Tombs hosts. 

In their performance, they definitely touch on an aesthetic that I believe was easily appreciated by fans of Neurosis that already knew about them and those completely unfamiliar with them alike. As they performed with rather hypnotic visuals behind them, Alaric’s music was very easy to be locked into. A highlight for me was the second to last song of the night, “Weep”. This track, in particular, was the first song I heard by Alaric and is from a split release they did with the band, Atriarch. While they have some stylistic differences, what made it easy for me to grasp to Alaric’s sound was the classic, emotive sound that particularly reminded me of the song by The Cure called “Burn”. It’s a certain gothic, doom influence combined with raw vocals, hypnotic guitars, and charging drums that even hearken back to the post-punk bands of the late 70s and early 80s. Whether you’re interested in doom, punk, gothic, or whatever label you want to put on emotive and hypnotic music; I’d highly recommend you check out Alaric. Also, if you’re in the Bay Area; Alaric will be playing at the first church of the Buzzard on April 23rd in Oakland. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8TFgpFClXc

Next in the lineup for the night was Shellac. Going back about 8 or 9 years ago, while I was a fan of underground music; my drum teacher introduced me to music I had yet experienced or imagined. Steve Albini, the now famed producer/engineer and musician, was the name initially mentioned and Big Black was the band. My homework was to listen to the live version of “Jordan, Minnesota” (from their 1986 debut full-length, Atomizer) and tell him what I thought about it. Aside from being both excited and taken aback by the intensity of the music, the abrasiveness of the lyrics and vocals were particularly inspiring to me. This was truly music written with no apologies and no time for critics; it would never matter to the band if I liked it or not, they were going to do their music anyway. 

And so, Shellac presented a ferocious and altogether different hour of music. Rather than describing the musical qualities that stuck out, I want to focus on how they performed. As their set was coming to a close, both Steve and bassist Bob Weston put down their respective guitars and began to take apart the drum set of their drummer, Todd Trainer. As the drum set was reduced down to just the high-hat, the incredible rhythmic prowess of Mr. Trainer couldn’t be stopped until finally standing up before the drum throne was nearly taken away from under him. It was an appreciated reminder that even if you’re a serious musician, it doesn’t mean you have to act serious all the time. So don’t take yourself or your music too seriously, turn up the volume, and listen to Shellac.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAX8pyioL-U

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March 4th was the 1st of 3 nights in which Neurosis’ 30th anniversary was celebrated. Fans came varying distances by various forms of transportation. On the second night, I actually met a young woman who was on vacation from work in her home country of Saudi Arabia and happened to be attending her first ever concert. Because it is honestly quite daunting to try encapsulating one of these shows, let alone all 3; I’m going post three reviews in relation to the support acts of each night and then one final post dedicated specifically to Neurosis. There will also be an interview that I did with Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till. 

As I talked about with one of the people on Neurosis’ crew, Paula; we both agreed that the first night was the night that fits into the “Stoner” Rock or Metal “vibe” for the weekend. VHOL and Sleep were set to support Neurosis as the beginning of a weekend storm rolled into the Bay Area. 

Mike Scheidt’s vocals were presented in a whole other light to me as VHOL played their about 30-minute set. I hate to try classifying specific genres especially with a band like VHOL that involves musicians like John Cobbett and Sigrid Sheie from Hammers of Misfortune, Aesop Dekker of Agalloch and Worm Ouroboros, and Mike Scheidt of YOB. John and Aesop also played together in a favorite band of mine that is unfortunately no longer active called Ludicra; and among all these various bands, there is probably 8 or 10, if not more, sub-genres of Rock and Metal that can be attached the music put out by the respective bands as well as VHOL. 

At the end of the day, VHOL had me as a fan immediately and here are two of the main reasons. 1. Being a fan of the bands that I listed above, it’s not very hard to be interested in a new band coming together. 2. Since hearing their self-titled debut, Vhöl, I’m reminded of when my interest in Rock music began. The soaring, powerful vocals that Mike does remind me of the classic songs that are long loved by metal and rock fans alike sung by vocalists like King Diamond or Rob Halford. The fluid instrumental playing by John, Sigrid, and Aesop is a reminder of why playing one type of music is of no good to any musician. They all have been playing music for at least two decades now and have played in bands that touch on various styles of music, and it is an inspiring union as they charge through songs like “The Desolate Damned” which is the leading track from their latest album “Deeper Than Sky”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xksnkP68eSs

As a wall of amplification was put into focus, and as smoke was forming a cloud in the Regency Ballroom; lighters met various pipes and Sleep began their incredibly heavy set. As much as I hate the “Stoner rock” tag and popularization of marijuana, there is no way of talking about the band Sleep without mentioning psychedelic drugs and primarily weed or pot. 

Since reuniting in 2009, they have played occasional shows and released a new song in 2014; the lineup consists of original members Al Cisneros of Om and Matt Pike of High on Fire, playing bass and guitar respectively with Al on vocals. The main difference is that the drums are now handled by Jason Roeder of Neurosis after original drummer Chris Hakius(who was also a part of Om) decided to retire from music in 2010. 

Over the next hour, the foundations of the Regency Ballroom definitely shook from the vibrations of Sleep’s music. The heft of both Al’s bass playing as well the Jason’s drumming was felt very thick in my chest as I shot photos in the pit in front of the stage. Seeing them live gave me a new appreciation for Sleep’s music and while I’ve been a fan much longer of the bands that were spawned after Sleep, I had a particular moment of connection that occurred at the end of Sleep’s set. As Al Cisneros stood in front of the wall of amps that his bass was played through and let the vibrations essentially hit his body; I was reminded of the meditative and soothing qualities that have been a part of my enjoying heavy music for most of my life. 

Music is an art form that is undeniably tied with spiritual and cultural aspects of life. VHOL and Sleep both touched on some of those aspects as they started the 30th anniversary weekend off on this past Friday. As Mike said a few times and Al wore his “Pain of Mind” t-shirt, the gratitude and appreciation for and of  Neurosis was very clear and on display. These sets throughout the weekend were not necessarily done as favors, but they were done from a place of genuine admiration and friendship among musicians who are all collectively legends in their own right. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoEsgP9A3fU