Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Torche Endorsed by Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee on Fox News' Red Eye * New Album "Songs For Singles" Out Now on Hydra Head!




Watch Part 1 of Torche on Fox Red Eye here! // Watch Part 2 here!

"It's Black Sabbath meets U2 mixed with a vat of delicious chocolate sauce... it's Jane's Addiction, only louder and scarier... it's Nirvana without the depression... it's the Foo Fighter with, you know, songs... it's heavy, thunderous, melodic, exhilarating, and most of all, huge. That's Torche." - Mike Huckabee on Fox News' Red Eye

Check out the video from Monday night's episode of Fox Red Eye featuring Torche's Steve Brooks and Jonathan Nunez above!

The first video includes an intro by Red Eye's resident doom metal expert, former presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, who, extolling the many virtues of Torche, says they're "the world's greatest band" and "heavier than something really heavy like a tractor or something."

In the next video, Gutfeld interviews the band members, asking the openly gay Brooks "Do you get lots of groupies?" at one point and later adding, "I could smell David Lee Roth coming out of you." See how it's handled (above).

* Text courtesy of our friends at the
Broward Palm Beach New Times


** Purchase Songs For Singles digitally at iTunes today! Order Songs For Singles on CD or LP format at BlueCollarDistro.com!



Stream "Songs For Singles" here!


Songs For Singles Track List
1. U.F.O.
2. Lay Low
3. Hideaway

4. Arrowhead
5. Shine On My Old Ways
6. Cast Into Unknown
7. Face The Wall

8. Out Again

Torche Live!
10/27 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle w/ High on Fire and Kylesa
10/29 Gainesville, FL @ Common Grounds (FEST 9)




For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/torche
www.hydrahead.com

Koji Partners With Humility Now * Announces New Album, "Some Small Way," Out November 9th on Run For Cover Records and Upcoming Split Release w/ La Dispute!




* photo courtesy of Gene Smirnov

In my life, the two worlds of art and activism exist because of each other. At the heart of things, what I want is positive change and to have done my part. - Andrew Koji Shiraki

Andrew "Koji" Shiraki might best be known around the world for his activism/social justice work centered around achieving peace in central and east Africa, specifically working to end the LRA's use of child soldiers in the war torn northern region of Uganda.

Through advocating on behalf of organizations like Invisible Children (www.invisiblechildren.com) and Resolve (www.theresolve.org), Shiraki has played countless benefit concerts, but more importantly, has taken to the streets by organizing for Invisible Children's 100 city demonstration last April, called The Rescue, and has been actively organizing meetings with legislators across the country on behalf of this issue. Just this year their efforts have resulted in the landmark passage of the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, which has been called "the most significant action ever taken by our leaders to end this crisis." (* citation taken from www.theresolve.org)

Domestically, Shiraki has collaborated with the Miami-based homelessness advocacy group, Humility Now (www.humilitynow.com) to bring attention to the issue of homelessness in the United States (look for their table at The Fest 9 in Gainesville). He's also performed at childrens' hospitals, camps for special needs kids and adults, youth centers, and schools, using his voice as a source for change and positivity in the community. "It's been one of the defining aspects of my career thus far." says Koji.

With his last release, "Spring Song Vol. 1" (September 2010 / Run For Cover Records) Shiraki took an intimate approach in creating a live recording. "Growing up in Pennsylvania, the DIY scene that brought music affordably and for all ages to VFW Halls, American Legions, living rooms, basements, barns, and backyards across the state instilled within me a sense of self reliance and empowerment. Some places in the world aren't so fortunate to have public spaces where people can gather around the arts. Even in communities where it is available, that freedom of expression is often challenged or put at risk. It's our responsibility to make a place for that freedom and keep it safe. I hope this recording will stand as a small testament to the connection people share through music and how the arts can build bridges and strengthen communities. A sound can be a spark."

Now, on "Some Small Way" (his first studio recording for the label), Koji takes his upbeat and sometimes tortured pop approach (think Chisel meets Jeff Buckley) to its greatest heights yet. Engineered and co-produced by Gabe Liberti at Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn, NY and mixed by TW Walsh (Sufjan Stevens, David Bazan, Rocky Votolato), the new album features longtime collaborator Chris Sigda on guitar and vocals, Jim Tomlinson on synth and keys, and rhythm section which includes Dave Goletz and Willie Rose of Settle (Epitaph).

* Koji has also announced the upcoming Spring 2011 split release w/ La Dispute. Koji is currently collaborating w/ La Dispute drummer Brad Vander Lugt on the upcoming Koji split w/ Into It. Over It. and will be writing and performing together starting with Koji's first full band tour ever taking place this December.



Some Small Way Track List
1. Eating Lemons
2. Waking Up
3. Stay
4. Windows (live)
5. Color Quiet Loud


Koji Live!
Oct 31 Civic Media Center (The Fest 9) Gainesville, FL *
Nov 2 Swayze's Venue Marietta, GA **
Nov 3 Humankind Nashville, TN **
Nov 4 House Show Columbia, MO **
Nov 5 TBA Chicago, IL **
Nov 6 Mac's Bar Lansing, MI **
Nov 7 It's A Kling Thing House Akron, OH **
Nov 8 The Smiling Moose Pittsburgh, PA **
Nov 9 Eldolyn Terrace Altoona, PA **
Nov 10 The Fire Philadelphia, PA **


* = w/ Into It. Over It., Dave Dondero, Jared Grabb (of Scouts Honor)
** = w/ Into It. Over It. and Such Gold





For more information, visit:
www.kojisaysaloha.com
kojisaysaloha.tumblr.com
www.myspace.com/kojisaysaloha
www.runforcoverrecords.com

Monday, October 25, 2010

Around The Web This Week w/ Envy, Clutch, Masters of Reality and More!

This week has seen some pretty great attention for new releases from Envy, Clutch, Masters of Reality, Knights of the Abyss and more, here's just a sampling of quality reading:



* Envy's Tetsu Fukagawa interviewed by horror website Bloody-Disgusting

* Sailors With Wax Wings and White Moth frontman R. Loren submitted a piece on his daily routine to the newly updated Decibel Magazine website

* Clutch frontman Neil Fallon sat down w/ Iann Robinson and Crave Magazine to talk about their new releases

* Masters of Reality's new album "Pine / Cross Dover," received some glowing words from AOL's Noisecreep.com, and Antiquiet.com has also just posted their piece w/ frontman Chris Goss

* Pepper's new EP "Stitches" was reviewed at Consequence of Sound

* Knights of the Abyss' new album, "The Culling of Wolves," was reviewed on PopMatters.com

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Torche on the Cover of The Aquarian!

huge thanks to The Aquarian Weekly for their support!
Full interview running online soon!


Thursday, October 14, 2010

Masters of Reality Announce US Headlining Dates + UK Dates w/ The Cult * New Album "Pine / Cross Dover" Out This Week!




Download the new song "King Richard TLH" exclusively @ Jambase.com!

Although Chris Goss is probably best known for his production/engineering talents (having worked with UNKLE, Stone Temple Pilots and, most extensively, Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age), since the late '80s, he has been issuing albums as the leader of Masters Of Reality. - Billboard

A study in Goss’ brand of desert-rock weirdness, a kind of bad-acid-trip storyboard that makes you believe you’re in a German expressionist production of Alice In Wonderland and you can’t blink or else the pod people will erase your soul. - Magnet

...the most creatively engaged album MoR leader Chris Goss has made since 1992's Sunrise On the Sufferbus - Blurt-Online


On maps, or from the air, the Mojave Desert is usually deemed brown... a blotch in the lower stomach of California that bulges against Arizona and Nevada. For fifteen years, the Mojave Desert has been the adopted home of one songwriter / performer / producer who calls himself 'one half of Masters of Reality.' Meet Chris Goss. About 2,800 miles East by Northeast; New York City. Another man sits at the head of Manhattan's media design giant Spontaneous. Director / illustrator / songwriter / drummer, and former member of New York noise and space rock bands Surgery and Dr. Mars, he is the "other" half of Masters of Reality. Meet John Leamy.

For nearly 20 years, the intermittent and somewhat reclusive collaborative musical efforts of Goss and Leamy, collectively known as the avant-renegade rockers Masters of Reality, (a relationship that began with Leamy painting the cover of their very first Masters album), have changed the face and character of rock and roll music around the world. Hence, these two ain't part time hobbyists. Goss describes himself as a "parallel aesthetician." "Art and music can be loaded with aesthetic and esoteric nano-timebombs, each level of delivery and digestion can and should be emotionally manipulated and shaped for the future... and the best part is, no one knows what we're building because it will never be finished. Look how the world of food is fusing, well, that's happening to a million things simultaneously. Our brains and nervous systems, even in our rock and roll, hopefully."

They are what's called in the 'biz' as 'musician's musicians.' Goss explains "With John and I wrapped up in so much media production in our day to day lives, when we get together to record and tour a new 'Masters of Reality' album, it's the white rat thrown into the cage of two hungry pythons. It's nothing short of a quick ecstatic feast. We have absolutely no intentions other than making music that we want to hear, and other musicians definitely sense that wonderful freedom and experimentation and try to emulate it, to great profit. Proof of good design, I'd assume."

And if a band's musical history and credibility are still relevant in today's American Idol, vocal tuned, studio buffed pop world; Goss began working with music-mega-mogul Rick Rubin in the mid 80's by recording the longest running 'Top of the Hour' theme music for MTV. Followed shortly by the release of the first Masters of Reality LP on Rubin's Def American Records. Goss soon reformed the band's line-up to join forces with none other than Cream's Ginger Baker, a collaboration that lasted nearly three years and resulted in an LP that sent the single "She Got Me (when she got her dress on)" to Number 8 on the Billboard charts. Simultaneously, Goss began working and forming what's now known as the 'California Desert Rock Scene,' producing three legendary albums with Kyuss and soon after began producing and even giving the name Queens of the Stone Age to a young musical protege' Joshua Homme. A musical partnership that still exists now nearly 20 years later and the start of a production career that has made Goss one of the world's most sought after rock and roll studio wizards and songwriters. His collaborations include The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, PJ Harvey, UNKLE, Mark Lanegan, SOULWAX, Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson's Twiggy Ramirez and many many more, but it's Masters of Reality that delivers the true core of Goss' and Leamy's musical powers, and the reason that the musical world has been paying close attention for over two decades.

Both improvisation and rhythm have always been major components of the unmistakable Masters of Reality sound, but on their new album, ‘Pine/Cross Dover’ (the band's brand new, two-headed beast of a full-length recording), the group pits the finer elements of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Public Image Limited against each other. The end result? A Masters of Reality album that rocks, rolls, and grooves like one devilish son of a gun.

Joining Goss and Leamy, includes a host of special guests, including Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O’Connor and guitarist Dave Catching, Merle Jagger guitarist Mark Christian, background singers Shawnee Smith and Missi Pyle, as well as former Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Brendon McNichol. With a tour currently being planned, it’s only a matter of time until the latest batch of Masters of Reality classics take on a new life on stage.



Pine / Cross Dover Tracklisting:
1. King Richard TLH
2. Absinthe Jim And Me
3. Worm In The Silk

4. Always * video
5. Johnny's Dream
6. Up In It

7. Dreamtime Stomp
8. Rosie's Presence
9. The Whore Of New Orleans
a) The Pharacies Fall
b) The Wicked Flood
10. Testify To Love
11. Alfalfa


Masters of Reality Live!

US Headlining Tour Dates
11/10/2010 - House Of Blues - Anaheim, CA
11/11/2010 - 4th & B Street - San Diego, CA
11/12/2010 - House Of Blues - Los Angeles, CA
11/16/2010 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
11/17/2010 - Lola's - Portland, OR
11/20/2010 - Pappy & Harriets, Pioneertown, CA


UK Dates w/ The Cult
1/18/2011 O2 Academy Leeds, UK
1/19/2011 O2 Academy Bristol, UK
1/21/2011 Hammersmith Apollo London, UK
1/22/2011 Cambridge Corn Exchange Cambridge, UK
1/23/2011 O2 Academy Bournemouth Boscombe, UK
1/25/2011 Rock City Nottingham, UK
1/26/2011 Wolverhampton Civic Hall Wolverhampton, UK
1/27/2011 O2 Academy 2 Newcastle, UK
1/29/2011 Academy Glasgow Glasgow, Scotland
1/30/2011 Academy Manchester Manchester, UK


More US Dates and European Festival News Coming Soon!



For more information, visit:
www.mastersofreality.com

www.coolgreenrecordings.com

Jesu Announce "Heat Ache & Dethroned" * Premiere New Song "Annul" at Stereogum.com




Stream new song "Annul" exclusively at Stereogum!


Led by Justin Broadrick of the British industrial-metal pioneers Godflesh, Jesu soars on clouds of rumbling guitar noise that inevitably turn turbulent. - NY Times

Dripping heavy, cascading walls of sound, U.K. shoegazing trio Jesu--helmed by Justin Broadrick--churn out static-edged mini-epics. - Spin


There are few artists operative at the fringes of popular music today whose sound has not been in some way or another informed or shaped by the works of Justin K Broadrick. As a founding member or sole proprietor of seminal outfits such as Godflesh, Napalm Death, Techno Animal, and Final, Broadrick has managed to help change or even define the now widespread genres of industrial and death metal, abstracted hip hop and dub, grindcore, and ambient electronics. So is also the case with his work in Jesu, who in the course of a very productive seven year existence have taken the churning pummel of his former project Godflesh, augmented it with the textural melody of 90s shoegaze rock and spawned a new sub-genre and the inevitable legions of imitators. And while imitators may abound, as the originator of this relatively newfound musical territory Jesu is still the clearly visible leader.

For those who may only be vaguely familiar with the history and subsequent trajectory of Jesu the re-release of the debut EP, Heart Ache, may function as the most suitable starting place for the process of initial immersion and discovery. Over the span of two towering 20 minute tracks one can hear not only the smoldering remnants of Godflesh embedded in the aural tapestry, but also the foundational elements that would define the future of the Jesu lexicon - extended and hypnotic structures, overlapping multi-layered melodies, alternately harsh/beautiful sonic embellishments and a palpable sense of the human capacity to express feeling through the mode of song craft. While Heart Ache itself may be reason enough to warrant investigation by the uninitiated, the inclusion of the recently completed Dethroned EP as a part of this release gives further reason for new listeners and long time devotees to discover (or remember) why so many accolades lay heaped at the altar of Jesu. The 4 tracks from Dethroned were originally conceived and partially finished in 2004, but were only finally completed in 2010. Perhaps due to the length of time over which these tracks were created the full evolution of Jesu is apparent within their structures, fluctuating from suffocatingly heavy to delicately sparse and covering an emotional spectrum of considerable depth. While "full circle" might not be quite the appropriate term to describe the content of Dethroned there is a completeness to its statement, recalling the monuments of Jesu past while simultaneously pointing towards the ever widening path of its future.

* Pre-order "Heart Ache & Dethroned" here!



Track Listing

DISC ONE: heart ache
01 heart ache [19:42]
02 ruined [20:14]

DISC TWO: dethroned
01 dethroned [07:12]

02 annul [07:16]
03 aureated skin [06:46]
04 i can only disappoint you [07:09]




For more information, visit:
www.hydrahead.com

Pepper Ready Premiere of 3D Video for New Single "Drunk Girl" * Release New "Stitches" EP This Week!




“This is Pepper 2.0, a new chapter, a new beginning, it feels amazing. Stitches is the 1st chapter in the best music, times and memories we've ever made, we've scratched music's back and now music is scratching ours, it feels good!!!!!!!! Stitches is the tip of the iceberg" - Pepper drummer Yesod Williams

This week, Hawaii's reggae-punk heroes Pepper, are celebrating the release of their new, self-produced, Stitches EP out everywhere through the band's own LAW Records imprint. Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering by Brian "Big Bass Brian" Gardner (Blink 182, Foo Fighters, Jane's Addiction) and recorded at Total Access Studios in Los Angeles (Sublime, No Doubt, Pennywise), Stitches features two new tracks, "Wake Up" and "Drunk Girl," currently seeing heavy rotation around the country at stations such as San Diego's 91X (XTRA), San Francisco's Live 105 (KITS) and West Palm Beach's The Buzz 103 (WPBZ). Stitches also features the new track "Lonely" written and originally performed by friend Mishka Frith (support Boulder-Portland).

Always at the forefront of technology (see also the band's recent Q&A with fans via social network / online broadcast site UStream), Pepper have just completed the production of a hi-tech, one-of-a-kind new video for the EP's single, "Drunk Girl," filmed live on location at The Grove in Anaheim (also the band's recent tour kick-off event) set to premiere worldwide in the coming weeks (fans can get their hands on 3D glasses through the band's website, www.pepperlive.com) - more details on the premiere of the 3D "Drunk Girl" video coming soon! In addition, and in support of what is arguably their best material to date, Pepper is currently on the road headlining a massive two month series of dates where they'll be joined along the way by friends and guests such as Pour Habit, Brother Ali, Fishbone, and more.

About Pepper
PEPPER, comprised of guitarist/vocalist Kaleo Wassman, bassist/vocalist Bret Bollinger and drummer Yesod Williams, formed in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1997. Having grown up surfing on the island, it’s not a wonder that they would mix their rock “shock and ah” flare, along with their mellow island rhythm roots to create their own truly diverse sound. They have also been known to hypnotize fans of all walks of life with their incredibly sweet harmonies all the while keeping bodies moving on the dance floor. The trio played mostly house parties and garages before finally shipping out to San Diego, CA in 1999 to push their first studio release Give’n It.

In 2001, they entered the Volcom warehouse studio with Steve Kravac (Blink 182, Less Than Jake, MxPx) to record Kona Town, which included the hit single “Give it Up (Dirty Hot Sex)” - which has become one of KROQ’s most played songs to date. On the heels of that success, PEPPER retreated into The Hive, a completely analog studio and home of 311, with legendary producer Ron “The Saint” St. Germain (Bad Brains, Living Colour, 311, Tool, Sonic Youth, Soundgarden) to record In With the Old. When the dust settled from the flurry of large-scale tours, the band recorded the expansive No Shame (originally released by Warner Bros.), which featured a slew of exciting producers including 311’s Nick Hexum, No Doubt’s bassist Tony Kanal and current partner in crime Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers.

PEPPER has sold over half a million records independently and founded their own record label, LAW Records - through which three other artists’ music is distributed: IRATION, Passafire, and The Supervillians. Their music has appeared in many movies (including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Good Luck Chuck), television shows and video game soundtracks as well as having had a number of album tracks appear on Billboard’s “Alternative Songs” chart (including No Shame’s “No Control,” which peaked at 18, and “Give It Up” which peaked at 34). Their song “Your Face,” also from No Shame, is now available for Guitar Hero World Tour.

The band has also amassed a large and loyal following stemming from their non-stop touring which includes numerous rounds on the Vans Warped Tour and outings with reggae legends The Wailers, 311 and Snoop Dogg, to name a few. PEPPER has performed at several festivals including Lollapolooza, Mile High Festival, West Beach Music Festival, as well as many others. In 2008, PEPPER made the rounds through Europe twice alongside Flogging Molly in the spring and Less Than Jake in the fall. They spent their summer of that year celebrating the July release of PINK CRUSTACEANS AND GOOD VIBRATIONS, which peaked at number 11 on Billboard’s “Independent Albums” chart, by hitting up US amphitheatres with longtime friends Slightly Stoopid, and headlined the very first “Here Comes the LAW Tour” - which featured other Law Records artists, The Supervillains and Passafire. The madness continued through the spring of 2009 when PEPPER ventured out for the second time co-headlining the Jagermeister Music Tour with punk rock legends, Pennywise. In the Fall, PEPPER took the party to the streets of Los Angeles playing the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival with rock legend Ozzy Osbourne.

After spending the early months of 2010 writing and recording new music, PEPPER spent their summer on the annual Unity Tour with long time friends 311, and The Offspring. They played twenty-five big dates including several amphitheaters and arenas. Between Unity Tour, new music, a single, “Wake Up” accompanied by a B side, ”Mirror,” which were released this past July, and plans for a 45+ major market national headlining tour this fall in support of the forthcoming release of their Sitches EP due out Oct 12, 2010, PEPPER fans are sure to get the fix they’ve been craving since 2009!




Stream the new "Stitches" EP here!


Stitches Track List
1. Wake Up
2. Drunk Girl
3. Mirror
4. Lonely
5. Mirror (acoustic)


Pepper Live!

w/ Brother Ali and Pour Habit
Oct 14 Webster Theater Hartford, CT
Oct 15 9:30 Club Washington, DC
Oct 16 Starland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ
Oct 17 Met Cafe Providence, RI
Oct 19 The Crofoot Pontiac, MI
Oct 20 House of Blues Cleveland Cleveland, OH **
Oct 21 Metro Chicago, IL
Oct 22 Majestic Theatre Madison Madison, WI ***
Oct 23 Cabooze Minneapolis, MN **
Oct 24 Granada Theatre Lawrence, KS


w/ Mishka and Pour Habit
Oct 27 Fort Collins CO Aggie Theatre
Oct 28 Boulder CO Fox Theatre
Oct 29 Denver CO Ogden Theatre
Oct 30 Salt Lake City UT The Complex
Oct 31 Boise ID Knitting Factory Concert House
Nov 02 Missoula MT Wilma Theater
Nov 03 Spokane WA Knitting Factory Concert House
Nov 04 Seattle WA Showbox Sodo
Nov 05 Portland OR Roseland Theater


w/ Fishbone and Pour Habit
Nov 06 San Francisco CA The Warfield Theatre
Nov 11 Tempe AZ Marquee Theatre
Nov 12 Tempe AZ Marquee Theatre
Nov 13 Los Angeles CA Club Nokia at L.A. Live ^
Nov 17 Solana Beach CA Belly Up Tavern
Nov 18 San Diego CA House of Blues
Nov 19 San Diego CA House of Blues


^ = w/ Chalie 2na
** = no Brother Ali
*** = w/ Rebelution


+ More Dates To Be Announced Soon!



For more information, visit:
www.pepperlive.com
www.law-records.com

White Moth Release and Stream Debut s/t Album This Week on Angel Oven Records




Stream the debut album from White Moth here!


No matter the lineup, or the number of folks adding beats and electronics to the dark cacophony, Loren clearly carries the most weight, and you’ll find plenty of threads linking White Moth to his other work(s): He’s expanding a central aesthetic/showing us another angle in an overall musical landscape. - Stereogum

White Moth keep the same ambient textures of Pyramids but rush into a melding of electra-hardcore and black metal... it's a dark symphony truly unafraid of where it's leading. - Noisecreep


The story of the White Moth began 15 years ago. In a REM cycle, maybe, or a lucid moment of acute mental unrest. It was immediately obvious that the Moth was unhindered by those supersensory barriers that (seem to) cleave the disparate planes of consciousness. For all R. Loren knew, the Moth could occupy any or all of the dimensions, separately or at once. It was simultaneously an insect, a metaphor; a homing beacon with which to navigate the imperatives of the cosmic subconscious. So Loren followed the Moth through the cycles, the planes, the patterns; to the far-flung corners of ephemeral cognizance and lingering, substantive reality.

At some point during June of 2009, the Moth led back to something that resembled the beginning—the first flower, the stirrings of artistic impulse. To a cluster of tangled roots that formed the basis of a highly specific musical inspiration. To Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot. To Shelby Cinca of Frodus. To Lydia Lunch. The journey continued unabated, charting a course through the faraway locales occupied by kindred spirits like Colin Marston (Krallice), Ashley Scott Jones (Treasure Fingers, Evol Intent), Sam Hillmer (Zs), Jacob Kirkegaard (Touch Records), Christoph Heeman (H.N.A.S.), Dälek, C. Rogers, John Gossard (Weakling/Asunder) and [artwork by] Chet W. Scott (Blood Of The Black Owl/Glass Throat Recordings).

All of whom lent their considerable talents to White Moth’s self-titled debut.

And so it follows: Fast on the feathered heels of his Sailors With Wax Wings project, Pyramids mastermind R. Loren steps across the fold with something completely unlike his previous work. Well, maybe not completely unlike. The sonic linchpins are there, albeit in trance states of perpetual metamorphosis. In this case: frenzied breakbeats, whirring black metal guitars, gaping celestial caverns and hair-trigger hyper-melodies, all punctuated by cavalcades of digitized psychic terror, saxophone jags and dense sheets of whipsaw electronics. The White Moth spans idioms and screeches across margins; it loops and dives, wheels and cranes. Generally (but not exclusively) at top fucking speed.

All told, White Moth is a sonic experience that not only demands but somehow compels total immersion. Meanwhile, the Moth itself - the beacon, the metaphor - continues on its journey through the vapor.

White Moth enlists the collaborative musicianship of:

R. Loren
vocals, textures

C. Rogers
vocals

Ashley Scott Jones (Treasure Fingers, Evol Intent)
beats, electronics

Colin Marston (Krallice)
guitar, bass

Sam Hillmer (Zs)
saxophone

Jacob Kirkegaard (Touch Records)
processed field recording

Christoph Heemann (H.N.A.S.)
guitar, piano, electronics, percussion, moog

Lydia Lunch
vocals

Dälek
vocals

Alec Empire (Atari Teenage Riot)
vocals, tr 808, linndrum, roland jupiter 8, roland rs-202, arp solina, arp 2600, minimoog

Shelby Cinca (Frodus)
vocals

John Gossard (Weakling, Asunder)
vocals

Chet W. Scott (Blood Of The Black Owl, Glass Throat Records)
artwork and design




Stream White Moth's debut album here!


Tracklisting:
1. There was a man with tongue of wood
2. Two women, knitting

3. The sea was blue meadow
4. Shoot the clock
5. You texas, dark star
6. Blood and torn grass
7. Smiles warm red light
8. To the cathedral




Watch studio footage of Frodus' Shelby Cinca recording material for White Moth's debut album here!




For more information, visit:
www.youtexasdarkstar.tumblr.com
twitter.com/youtxdarkstar

Envy Release "Recitation" * Stream New Album at AOL's Spinner.com!




Stream Envy's New Album, "Recitation," exclusively @ Spinner.com!


In keeping with their post-rock roots, ‘Recitation’ is a tumultuous addition to their previous cerebral offerings. Pummelling screamo chant-cum-divertimento ‘A Breath Clad In Happiness’ and the fury of ‘Rainclouds Running In A Holy Night’ coexist effortlessly with gentle opener ‘Guidance’ and the serenade of ‘A Hint Of The Incapacity’, proving that big bursts of cacophonous bedlam and instrumental sentimentality aren’t mutually exclusive. A brutally romantic record. - NME

Recitation, renders vocals and instruments into moods and textures—albeit ones with melodies that truly move the listener. Like its predecessor, 2006's stunning Insomniac Doze, Recitation relies increasingly less on post-hardcore angst and screaming and more on post-rock spaciousness and ambience. But when frontman Tetsuya Fukagawa cuts loose—as he does on the beautifully bludgeoning "Rain Clouds Running In A Holy Night"—the balance between aggressive and angelic could soundtrack a battlefield in heaven. - 4/5, Alternative Press

...one of the most admirable qualities in Envy’s music has always been their proud commitment to the eradication of subtlety. Throughout each inspired and moving track, Recitation reaches for your heart and doesn’t let go until the final violins of “Your Hand” fade into the atmosphere. - DecoyMusic.com


There is a precise point early on in Recitation where it dawns on us that there truly is no other band quite like Envy. 90 seconds into album opener “Guidance,” amid a subtle symphony of synth washes, backwards guitar harmonics and chiming bells, a solitary female voice recites what sounds like a poetry in a language that few Envy fans outside of Japan can understand. And yet, its beauty is undeniable, and the emotional resonance is transcendent, sounding like a Japanese love letter to Brian Eno. This is why labels like “post-hardcore” feel so clumsy and slippery when slung at Envy; such tags assume a starting point that’s miles away from where Envy began and worlds away from where they are now.

It’s no surprise that Envy have increasingly found inspiration in cinematic rock and experimental ambient music – genres that historically circumvent cultural trappings. With each album since their inception in the early ‘90s the group have chipped away at the linguistic and cultural barriers inherent in international rock music. Their breakthrough came with 2003’s A Dead Sinking Story, the groundbreaking third album that replaced familiar hardcore breakdowns with the sound of actual emotional breakdowns, and – along with similarly celestial groups like ISIS and Explosions In The Sky – helped blur the lines between more than a few genres. That began a transition that leads straight to Recitation, by far the most dynamic, technically diverse and emotionally complex album of Envy’s two-decade career.

All the touchstones of classic Envy are there: Enormous dynamic range, soaring melodies that feel equally inspired by late 80s power ballads and dramatic film scores, and tortured, impassioned vocals that, even in a foreign language, vaguely recall 19th Century romantic poetry. The difference with Recitation is in its execution. Where recent co-releases with fellow underground rock icons Thursday and Jesu hinted at a band in transition, Recitation is a fully-realized vision from a band at their most inspired. Packed with more songs than any previous Envy album – songs lengths range from 90 seconds to nearly 9 minutes – Recitation is more than most any Envy fan could have hoped for, a triumph for the band and an inspiring leap forward for heavy music the world over.

Since their inception in 1992, Envy has become a dominant band in the independent heavy music scene in Japan, alongside fellow innovative head-splitters like MONO, Boris, Corrupted and Melt-Banana. Their music, through their own evolution, encompasses a sound where pure emotional intensity and elegant, fragile beauty perfectly coexist. They have recorded countless singles and albums, including split releases with Thursday, Jesu, This Machine Kills, Endeavor, Six Pence and Yaphet Kotto. They have toured Japan and Europe with the likes of friends and UK labelmates Mogwai and ISIS. In 1997 and 2000, they toured throughout Asia, playing to audiences in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Korea. Envy have toured Europe four times, including two invitations to perform at the legendary All Tomorrow's Parties Festival. They have toured North America only twice in their two decade career, in 2005 and 2006; this year will see Envy return to the United States for their lengthiest tour yet. They are one of the most innovative and world-renowned independent Japanese bands and are widely considered to be one of the best live bands in the world.

Members:
Tetsuya Fukagawa - Vocal, Sequencer
Nobukata Kawai - Guitar
Masahiro Tobita - Guitar
Manabu Nakagawa - Bass
Dairoku Seki - Drums




Stream "Recitation" here!


Recitation Track List
1. Guidance
2. Last Hours Of Eternity
3. Rain Clouds Running In A Holy Night
4. Pierces Of The Moon I Weaved
5. Lights And Solitude

6. Dreams Coming To An End
7. Imcomplete
8. Worn Heels And The Hands We Hold * Video
9. A Hint And The Incapacity
10. A Breath Clad In Happiness
11. 0 And 1
12. Your Hand


Envy Live
10/15/10 Seattle, WA El Corazon***
10/16/10 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater***
10/18/10 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord ***
10/19/10 Anaheim, CA Chain Reaction ***
10/20/10 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour***
10/22/10 San Diego, CA The Casbah***
10/23/10 Mesa, AZ The Underground***
10/25/10 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves***
10/26/10 Austin, TX Emo's Alternative Lounging (Indoor) ***

*** La Dispute, Touche Amore, And So I Watch You From Afar




For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/officialenvy
www.sonzairecords.com/envy.html
www.temporaryresidence.com

Into It. Over It. and Koji Ready Split Release, "IIOI/KOJI," Out November 23rd on No Sleep Records




Watch Into It. Over It.'s Evan Thomas Weiss and Andrew Koji Shiraki talk about their new collaboration here!


Evan Thomas Weiss (Into It. Over It.) and Andrew Koji Shiraki (Koji) have made something "Ten years overdue." The two prolific singer songwriters, who have been longtime friends for years, entered Drasik Studios in Chicago, IL for seven days this summer and collaborated to record ten new songs (five songs each) with the help of engineer Mark Michalik (The Swellers, Fireworks, Stay Ahead Of The Weather).

This split vinyl LP release, featuring a tirade of guest musicians from bands such as La Dispute, Castevet, Cloudmouth and more, will see the light of day on November 23rd and be accompanied by three documentary in-studio film segments shot by The Work (thework.com), as well as new photos and other multimedia content. These songs were an effort to bring to the public a friendship that has transcended time, distance, creativity and background. These are two best friends. This is what they made together.

* Limited first-edition vinyl will be available on black (200), clear (400) and white (400) at $12 per, w/ a limited to 75 3-pack for $30, as well as a special pre-order shirt. Pre-order available here!



IIOI/KOIJ Track List
(Into It. Over It.)
1. Wicker Park
2. Humboldt
3. Ravenswood
4. Pilsen
5. Logan Square
(Koji)
6. Most of Everything
7. All Below
8. Matches
9. Shift
10. Giants Sleeping


US Tour Dates Coming Soon!



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/intoitoverit
www.myspace.com/kojisaysaloha
www.nosleeprecords.com

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Eugene S. Robinson Readies Live Reading Appearances in Support of Debut Novel, "A Long Slow Screw" * Adds Guest Musicians James Plotkin, Scott Kelly and More!




Eugene Robinson should have a phobia named after him: fear of hulking bodybuilders trained in mixed martial arts fighting with a thing for exhibitionism who front bands that play savage, jet engine-loud pummel-core and also dabble in porn and journalism. - SF WEEKLY

What is it about Oxbow that strikes fear into the hearts of men, women, and children of all ilk and denomination? The bands awe-inspiring predatory squall? Their lengthy history of confrontational live shows? Is it the fact that frontman Eugene Robinsonhas electrical tape over his ears and will stomp the tar out of you (gladly) if only youd ask (or get too close)? Only the members of a band with albums entitled Fuckfest, King of the Jews (featuring a picture of Sammy Davis, Jr. on the cover) and The Balls in the Great Meatgrinder Collection would know. - DECIBEL MAGAZINE


From Jack Kerouac's reading to Zoot Sims and/or Steve Allen to Eugene Robinson's past book, European tour backing from the likes of JAMIE STEWART [Xiu Xiu], BRUCE LAMONT [Yakuza], SCOTT KELLY [Neurosis] and more, the closing 2010 "readings" of his debut novel A LONG SLOW SCREW are anything BUT simple readings.

Picture an Oxbow show with subtitles, a SPAULDING GRAY set piece without the suicide, or a West Side Story with a lot more criminal sexual activity, and you might come close to what Robinson can do with one chair, one mic and a bottle of decent red wine. Characters come alive and with secret invitations to musical friends and fellow travelers in each town to join in, each show is a hard-ass ramble into the heart of a hard-boiled book non pareil.

Occasionally followed with an author's Q&A in which Robinson promises to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
So help him God.

Don't miss it.

About A Long Slow Screw
The first novel from OXBOW's EUGENE S. ROBINSON, and the second publication after the release of his 2007 book FIGHT: EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ASS KICKING BUT WERE AFRAID YOU'D GET YOUR ASS KICKED FOR ASKING [Harper Collins], A LONG SLOW SCREW is a two-fisted hardboiled crime saga set in 1970s New York that closely follows a diamond heist gone right and then murderously wrong. Featuring a passel of punks, tough broads, shysters and homicidal homos, A LONG SLOW SCREW draws heavily on Robinson's real life involvement with elements partially detailed in his best-selling FIGHT, weaving a fictional story of the chaotic pre-9/11 world of New York City. A native New Yorker himself, Robinson's novel reads like a travelogue to the business end of a bunch of very, very bad things.




Eugene S. Robinson reads from "A Long Slow Screw"


Eugene S. Robinson Live!
10/13 Los Angeles, CA @ Mountain Bar
10/14 San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
10/15 Portland, OR @ The Woods w/ Scott Kelly
10/16 Seattle WA @ Comet Tavern (early)
10/16 Seattle WA @ Black Lodge (late) w/ Great Falls, Madraso, The Family Curse
10/23 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (early show)
10/25 Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Café w/ Chicago Luzern Exchange
10/26 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie w/ James Plotkin
10/28 Allston, MA @ O'Briens w/ Black Heliocopter
10/30 Portland, ME @ Geno's Rock Club w/ Hessian, Johnny Cremains


Buy "A Long Slow Screw" at Amazon.com or a signed copy direct from Robotic Boot!



For More Information, visit:
www.facebook.com/eugenerobinson
www.eugeneSrobinson.com
www.hydrahead.com
www.roboticboot.com

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Around The Web This Week: Clutch, Torche, Masters of Reality, and More!

Every week we spotlight some of the nicest write-ups on our clients from around the web and this week is no exception. Read below for reviews and interviews w/ Clutch, Torche, Masters of Reality, White Moth, Envy, Aficionado and more!



* SoundSpike and Antiquiet.com recently sat down w/ Clutch singer Neil Fallon

* Absolutepunk caught up w/ Torche on the road

* Blurt Online reviewed Masters of Reality's latest "Pine / Cross Dover" and Magnet Magazine spotlighted the band's video for new song "Always" in their Film at 11 column

* Hails and Horns interviewed Sailors With Wax Wings and White Moth collaborator R. Loren

* Decoymusic.com gave a glowing review of Envy's new album "Recitation" and SLUG Magazine spoke w/ the band about their upcoming live shows

* Pastepunk.com reviewed Aficionado's debut EP "When It Comes To Creation"

Friday, October 1, 2010

Sailors With Wax Wings Stream Debut Album Out October 5th on Angel Oven Records * R. Loren Speaks to Hails and Horns About New Projects




Stream Sailors With Wax Wings' debut self-titled album here!


Denton, TX

“...the texts herein are born of [an] encounter, in which [Stephen] Crane himself ran fluid in my walls chanting verses from the Black Riders and War Is Kind...”


Conceived in June of 2009 by R. Loren (Pyramids), after a horrific encounter with the late Stephen Crane, this took many hands to birth. After traveling the world, the result could not possibly adhere any closer to the original vision. The debut, self-titled release from Sailors With Wax Wings will feature contributions from the following group of renowned artists:

R. Loren - vocals / textures
J. Leah - vocals
Ted Parsons (Swans, Jesu, Godflesh) - drums
Simon Scott (Slowdive) - electronics
Aidan Baker (Nadja) - guitar
Colin Marston (Krallice) - guitar
Vern Rumsey (Unwound) - bass
Prurient (Dominick Fernow of Hospital Productions, Cold Cave, etc) - noise / electronics
James Blackshaw (Young God Records solo artist, Current 93) - piano
Hildur Gudnadottir (Touch Records) - cello
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) - vocals
Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) - vocals
Marissa Nadler (Kemado Records solo artist, appears on Xasthur’s latest record) - vocals
David Tibet (Current 93) - cover art
Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer) - design, layout, painting, collage




Stream Sailors With Wax Wings' self-titled album here!


Sailors With Wax Wings Track List
1. Soft gardens near the sun, Keep your distant beauty
2. There came a drooping maid with violets
3. If I should cast off this tattered coat
4. And clash and clash of hoof and heel
5. Yes, I have a thousand tongues, And nine and ninety-nine lie
6. God fashioned the ship of the world carefully
7. There was one who sought a new road
8. Strange that I should have grown so suddenly blind




Listen to the new song "And Clash And Clash of Hoof And Heel" w/ accompanying video here
/ download it here!

Album Produced by R. Loren and Colin Marston
Mixed by Colin Marston at Menegroth
Engineers: Ashley Scott Jones (New York), Steve Fisk (Seattle), John Devoy (Phoenix), Austin Johnson (Dallas)
Mastered by James Plotkin
Cover Art by David Tibet
Collage, painting and design by Faith Turner Coloccia

Prurient appears through the courtesy of Hospital Productions.
Jonas Renkse appears courtesy of Peaceville Records.
Aaron Stainthorpe appears courtesy of Peaceville Records.


Sailors With Wax Wings front man R. Loren speaks to Hails and Horns Magazine - read the full interview here!



For more information, visit:
youtexasdarkstar.tumblr.com