#ruff majik

[ralofofriverwoods]

Reminder to go listen to ruff majik

Because that music is majik for real

[doomedandstoned]

THE DOOMED & STONED SHOW

~Season 6, Episode 35~

Wading waist deep in the swampy waters of downtuned doom metal and fuzzy stoner rock, Billy Goate (Doomed & Stoned) and John Gist (Vegas Rock Revolution) discover some real gems this week, including music by Borracho, Ruff Magic, White Dog, Sky Pig, Ohm Rune, and lots more. We also pay tribute to the late great Eddie Van Halen.

Huge thanks to all our High On Fiver supporters for making this week's episode possible!

PLAYLIST

INTRO (theme: Dylan Tucker) (00:00)  1. Van Halen - "Romeo Delight" (00:31)

HOST SEGMENT I (incidental music: Mythic Sunship) (04:50)  2. Borracho - "It Came From THe Sky" (18:52)  3. Dead Now - "Slow Beam" (25:26)  4. Sleeping Tigers - "Witch Hunt" (30:13)  5. Sasquatch - "Destroyer" (36:23)

HOST SEGMENT II (incidental music: Mythic Sunship) (40:06)  6. Ruff Majik - "Lead Pills And Thrills" (51:34)  7. Stone Vibe - "In The Name" (54:53)  8. White Dog - "Sawtooth" (58:10)  9. Deftones - "Urantia" (1:03:10)

HOST SEGMENT III (incidental music: Stonila) (1:07:40) 10. Morganthus - "Supercult" (1:15:40) 11. Pimmit Hills - "Ginger" (1:21:54) 12. Red Spektor - "Masquerade" (1:28:55) 13. The Ugly Kings - "Stand in Line" (1:34:16)

HOST SEGMENT IV (incidental music: Bose) (1:37:05) 14. Sky Pig - "The Scag" (1:59:26) 15. Shepherd - "Chariot" (2:03:43) 16. Stygian Crown - "Devour The Dead" (2:09:17) 17. Ohm Rune - "Star Destroyer" (2:15:52)

OUTRO (theme: Dylan Tucker) (2:22:24) 18. Tony Reed - Waterbirth (bonus content) (2:23:35)

☆ NOW STREAMING ON ☆

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[theroundtrip]

Earthless, UFOMAMMUT, Purple Hill Witch, Ruff Majik and Atavismo are the latest additions to SonicBlast Moledo's lineup! Things are getting pretty serious..

Join: SonicBlast Moledo 2018 Buy: here

[doomedandstoned]

South African Rebel Rousers Ruff Majik Return With Greater Madness!

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Christelle Duvenage Photography

Here’s a band I haven’t given near enough love to. RUFF MAJIK was one of the clear highlights of last year’s compilation, Doomed & Stoned in South Africa and we also had the opportunity to premiere a single just before the band jetted over to Europe to play with Colour Haze, My Sleeping Karma, and The Devil And The Almighty Blues. Johni Holiday (guitar, vox), Jimi Glass (bass guitar), and Benni Manchino (drums) have a very recognizable sound -- the mean sass of Mother Love Bone, the verve of Led Zeppelin, and the boldness of the Melvins, saddled to a very doomed, very stoned warthog drunk on marula fruit and busting straight out of a garage decorated with Electric Wizard, Fu Manchu, and High on Fire posters, somewhere in the vicinity of Pretoria.

Got the picture? No? Fine, call it sludge 'n' roll, then -- sludge 'n' roll with a devilish knack for mischief and an unbridled tendency to call it like you see it. Despite my difficulty in wrapping words around Ruff Majik's approach to music, what matters most is that they're likely to stand out in your mushrooming playlist, because they sound different. Different enough to make you stop what you're doing and ask, "Now who's that track by?"

Building on the momentum of last year's Seasons, Ruff Majik has really been on a roll. Now, they've conjured a new vision: 'Tårn' (2019). By the looks of Anni Buchner's soon to be revealed album art, it has something to do with a tower (and, in fact, that is what the word means in Norwegian). Today, Doomed & Stoned is taking you inside the castle, as it were, for a listen to the album's opening number "Schizophrenic." What's different about this song compared to others in their repertoire is Ruff Majik's decision to dabble in black metal, without ever becoming subservient to it.

As a matter of fact, that's pretty much the case with every genre the band traffics in. Be it stoner, sludge, or punk, these are like toys in the hands of three guys eager to take them out for a joy ride. There are moments when I could hear allusions to The Yardbirds and late-sixties folk rock -- you know, where you'd have a flute solo come in out of the blue. In "Schizophrenic," the guitars seem to take on the folksy character of the wooded instrument, with its whiz and warble. How ingeniously the concept of musical schizophrenia meshes with the lyrical content, too.

Make no mistake about it, though, I'm hanging around for the doom, boys, the doom! Take a song like "I'll Dig The Grave," which is as nasty and muddy as they come, featuring downtuned passages that are almost symphonic in concept. Or its successor, "Dread Breath," which at first blush feels like an old fashioned Soundgarden hoe-down (like "Ty Cobb"), but after it does its stomping, settles down as low to the earth as you could wish for. Ditto to the closer, "Seasoning The Witch," perhaps the dirgiest of doomers on this thirty-six minute spin. Like each of the six songs before it, this charms with an odd, alluring appeal.

I'm beginning to pick up on a distinctive sound and style belonging to Ruff Majik and them alone. Sound engineer Evert Snyman did a stand-up job of capturing the vibe honestly at Backline Studios in Johannesburg. Tårn was mastered in my own backyard of Portland, Oregon by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, who succeeded in bringing out the nuances, without spoiling its grungy sheen. Keep your eyes peeled for the release on May 3rd via Lay Bare Recordings, with pre-orders happening here.

And now to the premiere before us, the first single from Tårn, the aforementioned "Schizophrenic." The music video was shot and edited by Ruff Majik's own Ben Manchino. "Inspired by black metal, Black Sabbath and psychedelia," he tells us, "the video is a visual trip through VHS glitches and over-saturated colours." Frontman Johni Holiday chimes in: "This video was inspired by our love for Immortal, classic black metal videos, and the psychedelic look and feel of the pioneers and current tastemakers in the stoner rock and doom metal scene."

As for the song itself, that links directly Ruff Majik's muse, Black Sabbath. Here the band reimagines the seminal "Paranoid" as a kind of "fuzz-drenched speed metal frenzy, ending in a riff of pure, bleak doom, with some very dirty doom breakdowns at the very end of it." Pay attention to the lyrics, for they are even more "frenzied and terrified than its inspiration, verging on the edge of schizophrenia," the band explains, adding that it is "an ode to Venom as much as it is to Sabbath.” Sounds like just what the psychiatrist ordered to treat the insanity of my week!

If you dig it, show the band some love and pick up the single on Bandcamp, Deezer, iTunes, or any of your other favorite watering holes.

Give ear...

Lyrics

Hay you looking into my eyes, won't you lend me a hand? Hay you looking in through the mirror, won't you understand? I'm losing my mind, and I don't have the time to bury myself, but I don't see nobody else.

Every morning all I hear is doom. She asks me: "Who the hell are you talking to?" I don't know. Have I taken too much, am I out of touch? I can't keep the ghosts away. No it seems they're here to stay.

Hay you looking into my eyes, won't you lend me a hand? Hay you looking in through the mirror, won't you understand? I'm losing my mind, and I don't have the time to bury myself, but I don't see nobody else.

I've seen it all. The churches burn, the cities fall. And when the serpents came they took my mind away. She says: "Your fever's high, have you been dreaming again?" I said: "Lock me away, I believe I've seen the end."

Hay you looking into my eyes, won't you lend me a hand? Hay, you looking in through the mirror, won't you understand? I'm losing my mind, and I don't have the time to bury myself, but I don't see nobody else.

Hay you looking into my eyes, won't you understand?

Christelle Duvenage Photography

Some Buzz

In a small, secluded mining town in rural South Africa, three friends heard the call of the void, and spat fuzz back at it. Thus, Ruff Majik was born, and the adventure of sex, drugs and mostly rock ‘n roll began.

Ruff Majik set sail to Pretoria, South Africa, where they’ve become infamous for their lively shows and aggressive on stage persona. With their brand of what they call “stoner rock/sludge ‘n roll” they move between slow grooves and breakneck speeds in the blink of an eye, with live shows being described as ‘whiplash inducing.’

Consisting of three members, Johni Holiday, Jimmy Glass and Ben Manchino make up The Atomic Trinity, the relentless noise machine that is Ruff Majik (blessed be the name). Ruff Majik is a power trio, a stoner juggernaut, and they bring good times with them wherever they go.

The Bear by Ruff Majik

The Fox by Ruff Majik

The Swan by Ruff Majik

The band surfaced in 2015 with the release of their first six-track, 'The Bear.' This got them lots of attention from reviewers all over the world. They quickly followed up with 'The Fox' in 2016, that got them into Classic Rock Magazine with the song "Sodoom and Gomorrah," as well as 100, 000 views on the YouTube of the full album -- and counting.

In 2017, Ruff Majik rounded off the animal trilogy with 'The Swan,' which introduced a heavier side to their sound previously unheard, but very much welcomed by fans. Swiftly after this release, they got to work on the follow up album 'Seasons' (2018), which was released in four segments ('The Hare and the Hollow,' 'A Finch in a Cherry Tree,' 'A Dragon and His Hoard,' and 'The Stag in the Leaves') -- one per season, over the stretch of a year.

Seasons by Ruff Majik

Now there's more coming your way, and it's going to be heavier than ever before. The band are very happy to announce their signing to Dutch label Lay Bare Recordings for new album 'Tårn' (2019), set for release on the 3rd of May. Désirée Hanssen from Lay Bare Recordings is excited about the partnership, “You want magic? We'll give you Majik! Lay Bare Recordings is ecstatic to expand the Lay Bare family, with the power trio Ruff Majik! And let us tell you, their music will excite all your senses! Pure, unstoppable power!”

Guitarist and vocalist Johni Holiday adds, “Ruff Majik are extremely proud and excited to announce that we will be joining the Lay Bare family for the release of our new album, 'Tårn'! Lay Bare have been putting out exciting high-quality records for the last few years and we’re very happy to finally join in on the action!"

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[ralofofriverwoods]

I NEED to make a character duo that’s married and hates each other. For animatic reasons

[andmaybegayer]

Oh sweet Ruff Majik is doing a Europe tour including Prague, it'll be fun to catch that.

Ruff Majik's Community

Join Ruff Majik's community to access exclusive messages from the artist and comments from fans. You'll also be the first to know when they

Highly recommended going if they're going to be in your area.

[doomedandstoned]

RUFF MAJIK’s ‘Elektrik Ram’ Full Review + Interview

~By Billy Goate~

Artwork by Anni Bouchner

'Elektrik Ram' (2023), the latest spin by RUFF MAJIK, is a quintessential rock 'n' roll album. The motley collection of tracks has an Adams Family feel, grabbing your attention straight away with the snaggle-toothed "Hillbilly Fight Song." A rude, jangly welcome to the world of rehab and mental health, when COVID-19 stalked the world, keeping us fearfully isolated in our desolate rooms, going out of our everloving minds.

On his path to freedom from the clutches of chemical addiction, Johni Holiday encountered a host of strange, alluring, and belligerent characters. The songs act as "sketches of the many faces he saw inside the white walls of the hospital." No surprise, then, that the first one is brash and in your face. "Shut your mouth, you'll catch a fly," a most disagreeable fellow warns, insisting that you "sit down before you bleed." His vocals, cast in the tradition of Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) and Dan McCafferty (Nazareth), snivel and snarl with the portrait of a man you better not cross.

"She's Still A Goth" is an effective, up-tempo ride through the night. In my recent interview with Johni Holiday (which follows below), I asked him if this was a person he met in his recovery. He said it was emblematic of his wife, who has been a continual support and encouragement during the long, slow road to wellness.

"Mourning Wood" slows the pace for a doleful, introspective mood. Things pick right back up, though, with the footloose "Rave to the Grave,". The Monster Mash vibe really pops alive, thanks to spooky touches from an '80s-style synth. I was ready for a beach party after this one. Ooo-weeee-ooo-ooooo.

The great thing about Ruff Majik is just how they joyfully borrow from different rock and metal traditions, stick 'em in a blender, and make due with the pieces, like a Salvador Dalí canvas. "Delirium Tremors" is such an example, a wide-ranging cartoonish soundscape that teeters on the edge of sanity (as we'd expect from someone going through actual DTs).

"Cement Brain" brings us back into the warm, swampy southern-stoner territory that Ruff Majik is known for, here utilizing a trip-hop beat that is so welcoming to the ears. The keyboard accents work quite well, but it's those gorgeous twin guitar harmonies that really get to me, especially following this impassioned plea: Please don't let me go back again. Don't let me fall off the fucking wagon.

Title track "Elektrik Ram" has one of those take the money and run kind of rhythms, not unlike "Dread Breath" from 'Tårn' (2019) -- one of my top Ruff Majik tracks. While the band provides an underlying sense of agitation, the lyrics are drenched in despair and regret:

I used to be a blue eyed boy I used to be so full of joy Now I'm a cog in the machine A random access memory Just a counterfeit of me And I've got nothing to give

A number of the tracks are prefaced by the sardonic wit of horror actor Vincent Price. This works especially well in the case of "Queen of the Gorgons," which plays out like an ultimate tribute to those classic monster movies. It's a great song, too -- one of the standouts of the album, joining "She's Still A Goth" (both inspired by Johni's wife and Ruff Majik album artist Anni Bouchner). Let's pause to respect that two of the record's most successful tracks were inspired by love.

"A Song About Drugs (with a Clever Title)" is a weird, quirky, lopsided march that one might expect to hear in some dimly lit cantina in a galaxy far, far away. The shortest of the 11 tracks, I'd love to hear Ruff Majik do more in this vein. Meanwhile, "Shangrilah Inc" is a soulful, slow blues number where Johni's grimacing vocals really show us what they can do. Lyrically, the song may be a dig at the commercial industry that's grown up around Mental Health.

The last track, "Chemically Humanized" is the longest and most remarkable track on the record, thoughtfully choreographed from beginning to end. There are some interesting literary references in the lyrics, as well. I tried to steal the Devil's note -- a reference to the dreaded tritone, once feared to drive people mad. I even borrowed David's chord, by contrast, draws upon the story of David in the Bible, whose harp playing was legendary for driving away King Saul's evil spirits. Our protagonist laments that none of these things -- not even a seance and crystal ball -- could relieve his tormented state. "I wish I was dead," he confesses, "I'm a ghost after all."

Quirky and enigmatic, Elektrik Ram showcases Ruff Majik at an exciting stage of creativity. Because of its thematic nature, the album begs to be considered not on the first track or even the singles, but as a collection united by an overarching theme.

Ruff Majik's new album is out now in digital and vinyl formats via Mongrel Records (get it here). Stick it on a playlist with Queens of the Stone Age, The Heavy Eyes, and The Tazers.

Give ear...

Elektrik Ram by Ruff Majik

Interview with Johni Holiday from Ruff Majik

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[gbhbl]

Interview: Johni Holiday (Vocals/Guitar) of Ruff Majik (Video/Audio)

South Africa’s megalithic four-piece Ruff Majik are back with their brand-new album, Elektrik Ram. Due to be released on April 28th, 2023, via Mongrel Records. We spoke to vocalist and guitarist, Johni Holiday.

South Africa’s megalithic four-piece Ruff Majik are back with their brand-new album, Elektrik Ram. Due to be released on April 28th, 2023, via Mongrel Records. Combining elements of noise, punk, sludge, and more. Covered with a thick layer of fuzz, while being undeniably infectious. This is what Ruff Majik do and Elektrik Ram exemplifies this with great aplomb. You can read our full review…

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