New Noise Magazine Issue #46

NEW NOISE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 41

ON TOUR NOW

A COLLECTION OF B-SIDES, COVERS & MORE OUT APRIL 19TH

THU, APR 18 - ROCHESTER, NY FRI, APR 19 - POUGHKEEPSIE, NY SAT, APR 20 - HARTFORD, CT SUN, APR 21 - WORCESTER, MA TUE, APR 23 - BROOKLYN, NY WED, APR 24 - LANCASTER, PA THU, APR 25 - BALTIMORE, MD FRI, APR 26 - VIRGINIA BEACH, VA SAT, APR 27 - CHARLOTTE, NC SUN, APR 28 - WEST COLUMBIA, SC TUE, APR 30 - JACKSONVILLE, FL WED, MAY 01 - NASHVILLE, TN M 02 - COLUMBUS, OH THU, MAY FRI, MAY 03 - MILWAUKEE, WI SAT, MAY 04 - BLOOMINGTON, IL SUN, MAY 05 - CHICAGO, IL MON, MAY 06 - BURNSVILLE, MN WED, MAY 08 - GRAND RAPIDS, MI THU, MAY 09 - INDIANAPOLIS, IN M 10 - TOLEDO, OH FRI, MAY SAT, MAY 11 - LAKEWOOD, OH TICKETS & INFO AT: SEAWAYBAND.COM

ISSUE 46

6 7 8 10 15 16 20 22 24 26 28 30 34 36 38

BYO SPLIT SERIES SCENE NOT HEARD JIMBO PHILLIPS EXPERIMENTAL / AVANT-GARDE HELMS ALEE BRUTUS SHOW ME THE BODY SUNN O))) BIG-ASS ROCK BIG BUSINESS GRAND MAGUS SUMMER JAMS DAVE HAUSE MARTHA PUP

40 52

ANGEL DU$T MISERY INDEX

46 47 48 50 54 55 56 58 60 64 66 68 69 70 72

DEATH IN SPRING WHITECHAPEL ALLEGAEON INTER ARMA LEGENDS SUZI QUATRO THE BOUNCING SOULS GANG OF FOUR THE OLD FIRM CASUALS DEFEATER SWORN ENEMY LAURA STEVENSON NUMENOREAN THE SHORTLIST ANALOG CAVE

ANGEL DU $T COVER PHOTO BY NATHAN COPES MISERY INDEX COVER ART BY GARY RONALDSON / BITE RADIUS DESIGN TABLE OF CONTENTS PHOTO BY MICHAEL THORN BAND - SICK BAGS

I. LEATHERFACE / HOT WATER MUSIC

According to the Sterns, the series came about simply because Hot Water Music wanted Leatherface to come over from the U.K. to tour with them. Hot Water Music’s Chris Wollard made a proposition to Leatherface, and Frankie Stubbs told him to talk to BYO, Leatherface’s label in the States—unbeknownst to the Sterns. “I don’t think Leatherface was really a band at that time, but then, their bass player Andy [Crighton] died and that brought them back together,� Shawn says. “They wanted to do an EP, but we told them it costs just as much to press an EP as a full-length, so they decided they’d do half a record and Hot Water would do half a record.�

YEARS LATER:

BYO THE

BYO released the split in April of 1999 with the visuals of old jazz Blue Note series and promoted the tour, which was legendary. “That’s some of my favorite Hot Water Music material on that record,� Mark says, “and, of course, Leatherface’s track ‘Andy.’� “We wanted bands that would complement each other,� he explains. “It was really coming together.�

BY SEAN GONZALEZ

SCENE NOT HEARD FEATURING AUTHOR/RAPPER

PHOTO BY BILL PHELPS

DESSA

SPLIT SERIES

REVISITED

Dessa is an artist I have respected for years because of the way she is able to sell her various pieces of art with both prestige and care. There’s a lot of meticulous detail in every sense that piles into her resolve.

Whether it’s music, prose, or a performance, Dessa is unique in that ability, and she was willing to open up and share some of her wisdom.

INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDERS MARK AND SHAWN STERN

BY JON COEN The digital age has already dropped the guillotine on many things that we hold dear. No need to rewrite the obits on decapitated music sales, mailed letters, and payphones—notice we didn’t say print mags‌ yet— but one less obvious loss from the cultural shift is a specific run of albums, the first of which turns 20 in April. “We haven’t put any records out on BYO in 10 years,â€? admits Mark Stern, cofounder of Better Youth Organization Records, the seminal Los Angeles band Youth Brigade, and the Punk Rock Bowling festival alongside his brother, Shawn Stern. “We still manufacture and distribute our catalog, but it was just becoming a losing proposition.â€?

That meant an end to the much-loved BYO Split Series.

The Sterns first started putting together L.A. punk shows and releasing records in 1982. Initially, it was comps and their own band’s output, then later, 7 Seconds, SNFU, The Bouncing Souls, Swingin’ Utters, and more. In 1999, they put out the first of the BYO Split Series, which turned out to be a celebrated effort of the subculture to this day.

II. SWINGIN’ UTTERS / YOUTH BRIGADE

The same year, Youth Brigade were touring a lot with Swingin’ Utters, so Mark called them up for the second installment. “Everyone loved that first one, and at that time, we had some songs but not enough for an album,� he says. “Those are some of my favorite Youth Brigade songs.�

Released in October of ’99, it included Youth Brigade’s “Let Them Know,� which became the title of their heralded 25th anniversary box set.

III. RANCID / NOFX

The third installment, in March 2002, would be the biggest of the series. Fat Mike suggested that NOFX do a split with Rancid, but it was Tim Armstrong’s idea for the two bands to cover each other’s favorite tracks. It wound up being the best-selling record BYO ever released. “Neither band was letting the other hear the mixes as they recorded them,� Shawn remembers.

The album art deviated from the series up to that point. Mark brought up the Blue Note art, but Armstrong was already headed in another direction. “At a certain point, we just didn’t have a say anymore,� he laughs.

IV. THE BOUNCING SOULS / ANTI-FLAG

“Oh, man. I just made a very tender face in a coffeeshop. Thank you for the compliment. For understandable reasons, a lot of artists are seriously uncomfortable about the self-promotional part of the job.

I’m sure there are a million ways to handle that discomfort, but here’s my approach in a nutshell.�

The fourth edition, in September of 2002, took a logical step with The Bouncing Souls, for whom BYO had distributed early records, and Anti-Flag, who they’d seen at a festival and become instant fans of.

The jazz-inspired cover art returned, and both bands took the opportunity to do covers. The Souls did Anti-Flag’s “That’s Youth,� Cock Sparrer’s “We’re Coming Back,� and Sticks And Stones’ “Less Than Free,� while Anti-Flag spit out their version of The Souls’ “The Freaks, Nerds, and Romantics,� as well as “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)�

by Buzzcocks.

V. ALKALINE TRIO / ONE MAN ARMY

In April 2004, with Alkaline Trio on top of the world after releasing Good Mourning on Vagrant Records in 2003, Matt Skiba came to the Sterns with the idea to do a split with One Man Army of San Francisco.

The album cover was a takeoff of the Blue Note tradition by artist Heather Gable.

The record introduced a number of Alkaline fans to Jack Dalrymple and One Man Army. It would be the last of the BYO splits, although it started a trend of punk heavyweights doing creative collaborations on other labels.

The BYO Split Series was cut short before it could realize its full potential. There were talks with Dillinger Four, Dropkick Murphys, and Off With Their Heads. The latter’s frontman, Ryan Young, actually wrote the songs for a split with D4, and when it didn’t happen, the tracks went onto their first record with Epitaph, 2010’s In Desolation. “It kind of turned into this thing where you were doing it with another band, so you kind of had to step it up,� Shawn says. “It wasn’t like anyone was going to hand over some B sides.�

But then came the age of sharing and, eventually, streaming music. “Things were just turning for selling records,� Mark says. “It became a lot of work and no money.�

The Sterns are well-versed in the way that streaming has destroyed the economy of selling music for independent labels and all but the biggest artists. The BYO catalog has been taken off of Spotify and other streaming services. They explain how the industry model has morphed into surviving off of live performances. Their festival, Punk Rock Bowling, which takes place in Las Vegas—this year, from May 24 to May 27—is a return to their show-promoting roots, and the lineups always include bands who played on their splits. “I still listen to every one of those records,â€? Mark concludes. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

6 NEW NOISE

collecting a really strong body of work before reaching out to business partners. A lot of artists, myself definitely included, get excited about sharing the work before it’s quite done. I rely on a few trusted readers to help me refine my drafts; I ask them to indicate which parts of a new essay are confusing or boring.

By the time I share my work with a potential publisher, it’s already been through many iterations.�

THE FOCUS FROM THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CREATE THE BEST ALBUMS TO TAKE AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE JOBS THAT KEEP THE INDUSTRY RUNNING. GO BEYOND THE MUSIC AND MEET THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP YOUR FAVORITE BANDS IN THE PUBLIC EYE...

“You can never make anyone like your art. The task is to connect to as many people who share your taste [as possible]; let everyone else go and find something that aligns with theirs.� “Genuine enthusiasm is something we recognize in one another. Same goes for bullshit. Communicate accordingly.� “Try to make every interaction artful, even if it’s just a tweet announcing a show or the reminder that new music is available. Take a photo or write a sentence with a little humor or a little beauty. That way, every exchange rewards your audience’s attention—a finite resource for them and one critical for us as art-makers.�

collection of essays fills the “Prose and song lyrics rely on some knew I wanted to include a candid pages of “My Own Devices: of the same fundamental tech- account of my experiences as a True Stories From the Road niques—metaphor, parallel struc- touring rapper, but I didn’t want on Music, Science, and Senseless ture, vivid description—but the two the book to be only about me or Love,â€? the latest amalgamation of disciplines are really pretty differ- music—I wanted to incorporate scitrue stories from rapper Dessa, pub- ent. In writing a song, you’re aware ence and philosophy to investigate lished in September 2018 by Dutton. of the fact that a human voice will what it means to balance ambition An extremely talented individual, ultimately deliver the work, and and fear, love and independence. I Dessa spills her heart, thoughts, love, that voice can add emphasis, hu- focused first on writing each essay “Cleverness is like white sugar: It’s and experiences into a variety of dif- mor, tenderness, or anger. In writ- so that it could stand alone. Then, I a quick slug of pleasure and the ferent artforms. Her latest full-length ing for the page, ink is your only worked on threading them together appeal is almost universal, but it’s not substantive. To make somealbum, Chime, released in early 2018 weapon. Every pause or joke or to create a cohesive narrative.â€? thing meaningful, you’ll need more via Doomtree Records, is a chal- double entendre has to be commulenging dive into love and the path nicated in the sequence of letters What is Dessa’s advice to aspiring serious components—and not just intellectually compelling material the artist took to change the way her and spaces you choose.â€? writers? but the emotive stuff too. You have brain saw her ex. “For someone calibrated to songs “I worked through a literary agent to learn how to be a person on the How does Dessa approach change and short stories, writing a book- to sell ‘My Own Devices’—thanks, page, not just a writer.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł when writing prose versus song lyrics? length work was a big endeavor. I Sam!—but generally, I’d suggest

A

NEW NOISE

7

While speaking about music, it turns out that Phillips’ taste runs the gamut. “I usually listen to punk rock, hardcore, and metal, with bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Testament, Baroness, Misfits, NOFX, Pennywise, A Wilhelm Scream, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, etc.,� he shares, “but I also like to chill with some mellower reggae and acoustic tunes, like Steel Pulse, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Slightly Stoopid, Dirty Heads, Grateful Dead, etc.�

INTERVIEW BY GREG PRATO

T

It also turns out that he is never at a loss for work assignments and is always hatching potential n e w

he website of Jimbo Phillips states, “Creating eye-popping graphix since 1988.�

A truer statement has never been made, as countless graphics by Phillips do indeed contain someone with their eyeballs popping out of their face! Providing art for both the skate and surf worlds, as well as for rock artists, everyone has certainly—whether knowingly or unknowingly—come across one of Phillips’ doodles.

“My dad, Jim Phillips, is an amazing artist, so I grew up looking at his work all the time,� Phillips recalls about how he got started. “I would draw almost every day throughout my childhood.

Then, after high school, my dad hired me on to help him with graphics for Santa Cruz Skateboards, and I have been doing it ever since.� “My dad is obviously my biggest inspiration,� he says. “Another would be Robert Williams—I went to see an art show of his when I was 19, and it had a big impact on me.

Also, Rick Griffin, [Vernon Courtlandt Johnson aka] VCJ, Wes Humpston, Stanley Mouse, [Ed] ‘Big Daddy’ Roth, Pushead, Basil Wolverton, Jack Davis, Don Martin, Frank Frazetta, Salvador DalĂ­, Picasso, Jack Kirby, Marvel [and] DC Comics, Mad Magazine, Saturday-morning cartoons, horror, monster, and sci-fi movies, and rock posters.â€?

Eventually, Phillips found himself providing artwork for several subjects that have a major hold on pop culture. “My favorite graphics have always been skateboard graphics,� he says, “but I also love rock posters, snowboard and surf graphics—anything that lets me have some artistic freedom and get some cool creative ideas.� “I enjoy them each for different reasons,� Phillips adds. “Skateboard graphics have a history of pushing the boundaries and embracing radical artwork; surf designs get me in touch with the ocean and nature, usually a mellower vibe; and music is fun, interpreting a band’s vibe through artwork, and they usually want something badass.�

8 NEW NOISE

sketches. “I usually stay pretty busy creating custom designs for companies, bands, businesses, and also artwork for my own line of apparel, stickers, and accessories for my webstore at jimbophillips.com,� he says. “So, yeah, I’m always at the drawing board. On my time off, I like to spend time with my family, skate, surf, and play music.�

Regarding potential work assignments, Phillips is open to either coming up with the ideas entirely on his own or with his clients providing input. “A combination of both. It’s usually cool to get a little input from the customer or band or rider, then I like to inject my ideas, details, and style into it,� he explains. “Sometimes, they have no idea what they want, and you can really let loose with your ideas.

Ultimately, it’s up to me to create a design that catches your eye, has good composition, and is fun to look at.�

It’s easy to correspond with Phillips concerning a potential assignment: just email him via his aforementioned website or contact him on Instagram, @jimbophillips.

Finally, what advice would Phillips give to artists looking to break into doing graphics as a profession? “Look forward to hard work, long hours, and minimal pay,â€? he says, “but when you get your creative art and ideas out in the world for people to enjoy, it’s a great feeling!â€? đ&#x;’Ł

EXPERIMENTAL

AVANT-GARDE

SONIC SHIFTS, MYTHICAL CREATURES, CREATIVE COLLECTIVES, RETRO SATANISM, SPOKEN-WORD, ORGANIC MACHINERY, EMOTIONAL EXORCISMS, MASKED CROONERS, RITUAL DRONES, HARDCORE BANJOS… AND NICK CAVE. EXPAND BEYOND THE THREE-CHORD REPERTOIRE WITH THESE ECLECTIC RELEASES! BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

IOANNA GIKA Los Angeles

Thalassa | April 5 | Sargent House RIYL: Greek tragedies. Religious experiences. Being human.

PHOTO BY DANNY O'DONNELL

Thalassa is moving in a way that only the best albums dare to capture, like a tide that takes you on a journey, though you only realize how far you’ve gone when you look back at the shore. The throbbing, shapeshifting soundscapes mixed with spiritually-resonant vocals creates a haunting soundtrack to the breadth of human experience.

Calling Ioanna Gika’s debut solo album a resounding, rousing success minimizes the lengths to which the record goes to offer constant surprises. “The idea of change is a constant that runs throughout the album,” Gika says. “I wanted to reflect life’s way of taking sharp left turns through drastic sonic shifts, both between songs and within a single one in some instances.” Indeed, Thalassa—named after the Greek primeval spirit of the sea—is hard to pin down but easy to get swept up in. Through the sea of emotions and bold, shifting synthpop beats, one can feel the loss and existential despair just as easily as the hope and perseverance. Gika’s debut is a powerful, crashing sonic wave.

PHOTO BY JORDAN LEVY

RED MASS Montréal, Québec

Kilrush Drive | March 22 | No Coast Records & Label Etiquette RIYL: Transformers. Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Charles Darwin.

SERMON London

TWIN TEMPLE Los Angeles

Everything about Sermon’s debut LP is centered on attaining perfect equilibrium. The

Twin Temple’s unique vision is carefully crafted for maximum cognitive dissonance.

anonymous collective have crafted a brilliantly balanced sound, birthed from varied

Their Satanic retelling of the ’50s is electric, playing upon images of the perfect nuclear

Birth of the Marvellous | March 22 | Prosthetic Records RIYL: Being inquisitive. Obtaining balance. Warmth.

Twin Temple Bring You Their Signature Sound... Satanic Doo-Wop | March 1 | Rise Above Records RIYL: “Blue Velvet.” Black Mass. Turquoise kitchen appliances.

ideas melded together masterfully. Katatonia, Porcupine Tree, and A Perfect Circle are

family and the submissive, doting wife to wonderful effect. The playful, lively doo-wop

all clear reference points, but Birth of the Marvellous is somehow more diverse, leaning

of their first LP conjures a retrofitted version of the decade: a dainty wife committing

on both aggressive extreme metal tendencies and wistful prog ambiance. It’s a religious

glorious ritual sacrifice instead of preparing a nice dinner for her philandering—ahem,

experience in itself how Sermon speak their sonic symmetry into action, but their the-

dreamy—husband. The strangeness, the otherness of their creation is just stunning,

matic gospel speaks even louder. Founded on the principle of preaching theological

recalling the aesthetic of David Lynch’s classic “Blue Velvet” and the seedy underbelly

and spiritual balance, Sermon have no religious bias; they are simply staring into

that lies beneath the flawless veneer. It also helps that vocalist and Twin Temple High

the abyss and searching for answers. This open-minded methodology leads to more

Priestess Alexandra James has a spot-on femme fatale voice. If you zone out from the

questions than answers, but the collective are just fine with that. “I suppose it’s a kind

liberated, feminist lyrics—but why would you?—you’ll feel completely transported to a

of agnostic view,” they share, “a nondefinitive belief. I like this idea of everyone being

different world altogether. “I think cognitive dissonance is a powerful tool to heighten

born unknowing—i.e. until another human being has informed you of anything, you

reality,” James asserts. “We do take our art deadly seriously, but we also don’t take

may never wonder about a god or you may wonder if there is. The ultimate view being

ourselves deadly seriously. Personally, I feel like it’s meant to be a pleasurable experi-

that if you remember this starting point of unknowing, accusing someone of being right,

ence to enjoy art. We like to incorporate a sense of play, a subversive humor. Nothing

wrong, good, and evil in terms of organized religion doesn’t really feel logical anymore.”

is sacred nor profane to us. Nothing is true; everything is permitted. We try to demolish

If that sounds like a work in progress, that’s exactly the point, as Sermon’s mission is to

any kind of preconceived stereotypes and boring societal commandments, including

stay open to being proven right or wrong based on experience. Ultimately, it’s about

those that dictate what art ‘has’ to be.”

connection and warmth, and Birth of the Marvellous radiates that message vividly.

When looking at art, we often focus more on our personal enjoyment of it than on how and why it was created. In essence, function is seen as more important than form. However, Red Mass excel in large part due to their visionary form—and the function happily follows. Created by Roy Vucino as part of the “Free Creative Enterprise” TA DA

SÂVER Oslo, Norway

They Came With Sunlight | March 8 | Pelagic Records RIYL: Philosophy. Being ice cold. Bad analogies.

arts collective, the group purposefully transform, morph, and evolve

The prophet André 3000 once posited, “What’s cooler than being cool?” SÂVER pon-

over time. The goal is simple in theory but staggeringly impressive in

der a different question: “What’s heavier than being heavy?” So, what do Outkast and

execution: create art regardless of scene, genre, or even members.

SÂVER have in common? Little except for the desire to push boundaries and deliver

Each Red Mass record is imbued with a punk ethos and certain cha-

exhilarating music. At first blush, their debut, They Came With Sunlight, traffics in the

os magic ideals, so that the function stays the same, but the form

kind of murky, grandiose post-metal that Pelagic Records specialize in. To be sure, this

is in constant flux. That freedom is liberating, making Red Mass a

is gloriously crushing sludge of the highest order. However, SÂVER also utilize a great-

sort of mythical creature that takes on whatever structure it wishes.

er sense of balance and atmosphere, and where they really push the boundaries of

“Switching it up a lot keeps it interesting for ourselves,” Vucino states.

post-metal is in their fairly liberal use of background synth and foreground melody. In

“I think it’s beneficial to be flexible and allow change in oneself. It can

a post-“Stranger Things” world, everyone is bringing back the keyboard, but SÂVER’s

push us to have a better understanding of others. Realizing how my

wonderfully novel use of eerie, haunting synths only increases their heaviness tenfold.

tastes have changed over the years has allowed me to question and

“We wanted to create an album that is challenging for the listener and to push the limits

alter my own views and habits more readily as well.” The success of

of what’s heavy, sound-wise,” bassist and vocalist Ole Christian Helstad notes. It’s this

Red Mass’ first official LP, Kilrush Drive, is a product of this liberated

mix of the haunting and the harrowing that truly elevates SÂVER’s sound, resulting in an

viewpoint, but the invigorating potion of various punk styles is equal-

intoxicating immensity that is meant to be savored.

ly potent. Here, form and function collate into something magical.

10 NEW NOISE

NEW NOISE 11

UNKNOWN

RATSO

INSTRUCTORS

INTERVIEW WITH LARRY “RATSO� SLOMAN

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST DAN MCGUIRE

BY JANELLE JONES

nknown Instructors went about crafting their fourth album, Unwilling To Explain—or “Round Four,� as spoken-word vocalist, poet, and founding member Dan McGuire calls it—using a “diametrically different process but identical in spirit: No wine before its time.� Previously, the Southern California supergroup’s records were “improvised live for aesthetic, scheduling, and financial consideration, in that order,� the vocalist explains.

On Unwilling To Explain, released on Feb. 22 via Org Music, he and bassist Mike Watt decided “to script the album from start to finish.�

U

“This whole album was written from the ground up,� McGuire says. “Mike wrote and recorded the bass parts, then recorded George [Hurley] trying to improvise his drum parts, but it didn’t go well, so George spent a couple weeks working out his parts.� All the while, “Mike and George were practicing for their fIREHOSE reunion tour,� he mentions. “Even though it was a diametrically different approach, what I did was pretty similar lyrically, memorize the music and find my place, but with one big difference,� McGuire explains further. “This was seriously intimidating, because it was literally going to songwriting school for me. I have always just got in where I fit in and rode the rhythm. From the beginning of ‘Round Four,’ Mike told me point-blank it was time to step up my game and learn the parts and changes precisely for a change.� He notes that he learns “the music by heart so I know where to put the planned parts, then [I] get loose improvising.

FACS

ACS use the tunnel of reverie to take hold of the listener’s mind.

The Chicago-based trio never step far into transparency, distancing themselves from wholeness. Their sound veers toward machination but is actually at the heart of naturalism, an organic sort of machinery.

F

“I know my limitations as a guitarist,� frontman Brian Case laughs. “What I’m trying to do is react to the rhythm section, so my playing winds up being very abstract.�

Hopefully, you can’t tell which is which.�

Unknown Instructors’ origins—which resulted in their first album, The Way Things Work, some 14 years ago—all began with McGuire going for a “poetry-rock thing� with people he knew locally. Their approach did not coincide with his vision, as they needed him to “explain every meaning and pantomime each emotion so they could mimic it musically,� whereas he “wanted something to respond to.� He ended up meeting his perfect improvisational future collaborators, Watt and Hurley, by seeing them live, forming a friendship by “helping Mike schlep boxes of t-shirts [and] safekeeping his glasses when he was onstage.� He muses that he was a “willful fIREHOSE flunky.�

Through the years, McGuire stayed in contact with Watt and shared his writings with him before asking if he’d be into collaborating. “Younger and brash, these seemed perfectly reasonable asks,� he reminisces, calling Watt, Hurley, and longtime collaborating guitarist Joe Baiza of Saccharine Trust “the three best guys in the world for what I had in mind.

Just get in the studio and let fly live on the fly.

Seemed a quintessential idea musically if I never added a word ever. Still does.�

Watt and Hurley were also the rhythm section of the seminal early-’80s punk band Minutemen. “Ultimately, I said my securing the most mythic rhythm section alive to do this thing with wasn’t by accident,� McGuire says, “and

best yet, they were friends already and mutually respected each other.�

Another way Unwilling To Explain differs from Unknown Instructor’s catalog is that McGuire realized he wouldn’t be able to work with Baiza, who was too busy with his own work. “By that time, I’d heard the bass and drum tracks thousands of times, knew them by heart rhythmically and semi-melodically, but needed a full-blown melodic counterpart to go off before I could do my vocals,� he says.

person alive to play guitar on this?�

McGuire says, relaying his predicament. “J Mascis [of Dinosaur Jr.] was fantastic.

Mike sent him the rhythm tracks, and he wrote and recorded his parts on his own.

His playing on [Unwilling To Explain] bracingly, effortlessly moves from aggressive and harsh to painfully, poignantly beautiful in a way that I could play off and then lay off and just let his guitar speak.

It is as expressive meaning-wise as my vocals, lightening my load considerably.�

“Older but still brash, who was the best

The final result is truly something to behold. đ&#x;’Ł

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST BRIAN CASE

BY CHRISTOPHER J. HARRINGTON

PHOTO BY ZORAN ORLIC

Lifelike echoes this hesitation. With its layers of minimal density, beauty, and harshness, it has a circular sort of madness. The listener is confronted with this huge anxiety that’s filtered through a seductive vibration.

The power of the bass helps achieve this division. New to the band, bassist Alianna Kalaba—who has played drums for Cat Power, We Ragazzi, and Crocodiles— brings a freeness that morphs immensely with Case and his former Disappears bandmate drummer Noah Leger’s longtime execution. The total sound is one of reflection and controlled chaos.

The band’s newest work, Lifelike, was released on March 29 via Trouble In Mind Records.

“Alianna actually never played bass,� Case notes. “We had her come in and really just do her thing. Her ideas about rhythm are truly great.�

“It is a political record of sorts,� Case says. “It’s about what’s happening in America, the confusion of waking up every day. I mean, I get up and there’s this hesitation to pick up a newspaper, you know?�

The results are impressive. The ease with which each song on Lifelike rolls out is uncanny; the richness of every groove sinks like digital raindrops. It’s a massive intake. The feeling is modern and loose. “Anti-Body� illustrates this

12 NEW NOISE

hey say you have your whole life to write your first album and two years to write your second. Typically, artists don’t actually take the first part of that mantra to heart, but Larry “Ratso�

Sloman isn’t exactly your standard fresh act.

T

best: a mindscape that drives straight through one’s forehead, numbing and opening. “That song actually took a couple of months to write,� Case says. “It came from a long jam, something like 10 minutes, and we just started chipping away. We always try to get about 30 minutes of music together, and then, we’ll take it to the studio and start looking at it as a record. We had a really great

time making this album, being in the studio with Alianna, and just putting it all together.�

Lifelike goes by quick but grows in one’s thoughts, every angle an invisible screen of totality. There is nothing wasted, every second a mindful expression. “Definitely, the idea of minimalism is important,â€? Case says, “stripping things down to their essence.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

do, and considering Ratso’s renowned wordplay, it’s no surprise that it has some wonderful stories to tell along the way.

Ratso is frank when comparing his past to this present work. “Writing lyrics is quite different from writing the nonfiction books that I’m most known for,� he says. “It’s a The man from New York City is a legend of different form of storytelling, where I can the written word, having collaborated with Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Leonard Cohen, take my experience and transmute it into snippets of a story that hopefully will connot to mention writing best-selling memoirs nect with people on some level. As for doing for Howard Stern, Anthony Kiedis, Mike an enterprise like this at my age, I can hold Tyson, and David Blaine. In fact, it was while out hope to be the Jewish Susan Boyle. A on Bob Dylan’s 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue as the tour’s official scribe that “Ratso� was ‘Best Old New Artist’ award would be great!� christened. Activist and singer-songwriter Joan Baez created the moniker due to “Those [nonfiction works] were all fun projects,� he continues, “but there’s something Sloman’s disheveled appearance, and a different when you’re writing lyrics. It’s legend was officially born. similar in that you start staring at a blank page, trying to come with some word, but The man born 70 years ago and officially once you marry those words to music, made on that famed 1975 tour never let you’ve created something transcendent. his love of music go. It’s that adoration for the power of music that fuels his de- Whenever I would walk past the window of a bookstore—remember those?—and but, Stubborn Heart, out April 5 on Lucky see my book on display, that was always Number. The album has a timeless quality a proud moment, but when I was sitting in that speaks to the soul like all the classics

PHOTO BY WILLIAM BEAUCARDET

the back of the Bottom Line club in NYC and listening to John Cale [from The Velvet Underground] onstage singing my lyrics, that was a transformative experience. [It] actually gave me goosebumps!�

Lyrically, the album is imbued with a series of personal vignettes that crackle with personality. Taking Stubborn Heart as a whole, the story of a life well-lived and appreciated comes through. Ratso concurs, “I’m glad you picked up on that sense of appreciation.

There was definitely some pain that was memorialized in some of these songs, but like the personal trainers say, ‘No pain, no gain.’�

Working with friends—including Yasmine Hamdan, Imani Coppola, and Paul Shapiro—only magnified Ratso’s experience with Stubborn Heart. “It certainly was a thrill to be sitting in a studio in Los Angeles “Of course, the album had to end with some words from my mentor, Bob Dylan,â€? he adds. watching Nick Cave sing my lyrics on our duet, ‘Our Lady of Light!’â€? he exclaims. “And “Remarkably, he was in his 20s when he wrote we didn’t have to prod the dynamic Ruby ‘Sad Eyed Lady [of the Lowlands].’ I think revisiting that song as a septuagenarian only Friedman to let it all loose on the final chorus of ‘Sad Eyed Lady [of the Lowlands].’ reminds us how precocious he was, and it seemed to be the perfect coda to these I think she broke a couple of [producer] Vin songs of innocence and experience.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł [Cacchione]’s glasses hitting that note.â€?

ALL YOUR SISTERS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST JORDAN MORRISON BY CALEB R NEWTON

ordan Morrison’s music, as part “Basically, to paint the right picture, this reof the increasingly visceral Cal- cord had to sound larger and more broodifornia act All Your Sisters, feels ing than the previous ones,� Morrison says. like a communal catharsis. The outfit’s aptly named third record, Trust Ruins, is out While each listener will plug into that motif April 12 via The Flenser and explores, in its in somewhat different ways, the concept sonic construction, how far one can fall. remains familiar. Morrison expanded this Thanks to the sprawling, jagged base on context into his musical storytelling. which Morrison places the listener, Trust Ruins’ boundary-pushing electronics-cen- “Just before I really got into the groove of tered music feels as though it communi- writing this album, I was compartmentalcates its title’s picture. izing and sorting out all kinds of personal issues,� he says. “When I took a step back, Morrison explains that due to his life’s they all looked like a bunch of short stories. circumstances surrounding the album’s Those stories correspond to art by Alex creation, that “big picture� was important to Brown, and more of that’ll be available him. He needed catharsis out of the writing with the limited-edition release.� process; he wasn’t just shooting in the dark.

Brown and Morrison are personal friends “I needed a bigger-sounding record with from Morrison’s time in San Francisco, the a lot of dense layers,� he explains. “I All Your Sisters mastermind explains, and also cared to focus a little more on the that grew into his contribution to Trust conceptual side of things, the album as a Ruins’ presentation. whole. Trust fosters lifelong relationships, and when that trust is broken, it can be Brown is far from the only one outside of All something that sends a person spiraling Your Sisters who has a stake in the band’s into a pit of depression with episodes of music, however. Operating in 2019, there’s irrational, reactionary behavior.� plenty of anxiety like the kind reverberating through Trust Ruins to go around.

Those “episodes� get reflected in All Your Sisters’ songs, which veer from angry an- “Life, at the time, was filled with constant tagonism to bleak nihilism with ease, tied anxiety, depression, a lack of self-care, together by atonal harmonic sounds that and a reluctance to address those issues,� contribute to the musical anxiety.

Morrison explains of the album’s creation

J

PHOTO BY JESS GARTEN

process. “The ability to trust myself and my “All Your Sisters has always been a catharown emotions became increasingly hard. tic outlet,â€? he explains. “Music has been my favorite and most useful tool in dealing It was a daily ongoing battle, not unlike with life’s obstacles. Part of that process most everyone I know. Either I was going is to create a sound that represents what to crumble or the physical world around I see in my head. There’s a need to get it me was. I had to go with my gut.â€? out. Writing an album, to me, is a physical, Morrison’s work places him in an illus- mental, and emotional exorcism.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł trious line of musicians who’ve leaned heavily on the personal aspects of their music, using the sound to communicate what words simply could not.

NEW NOISE

13

helms alee

PHOTO BY CARLOS SANTOLALLA

ORVILLE PECK rville Peck’s music has a wideopen, panoramic atmosphere that owes much to the cosmic, Spaghetti Western sound of Ennio Morricone. The larger-than-life twang of the guitars drifts through a limitless ambient space, anchored by a punchy backbeat that’s as much punk as it is honky-tonk.

O

INTERVIEW BY J POET

says. “It doesn’t represent anything; I just like the way they look. I design them and sew them all myself. I wear them when I perform, but I don’t like to talk about the mask—or the music, to be honest. It’s just part of who Orville Peck is.�

Sub Pop Records released Peck’s debut album, Pony, on March 22, and, as promised, the music speaks for itself. Peck croons “Queen of the Rodeo,� an ominous ode to lost love, in a despondent baritone, supported by dense waves of processed guitar. “Take You Back (The Iron Hoof Cattle Call)� rides a sauntering rhythm sup“I like sci-fi sounds, but I draw my biggest influences from country music,� Peck says. plied by a thumping bass and kick drum.

Peck whistles casually while surveying the “Everything’s rooted in country, done my landscape of a problematic love affair. own way, with layers of instruments like you’ll find in shoegaze and space music “Racing down the road that I’ve been on before / I’ve seen rattlesnakes behind embellishing the sound. I like an element every door,� he sings. Like his music, the of the unknown to draw you in.� lyrics of his love songs are open-ended, full of yearning that transcends gender.

That mysterious element is magnified

by Peck’s stage appearance. A leather mask covers his eyes to complement his “I’ve been with men and women, so whatever that means to people is fine,� he says. “I don’t big cowboy hat and brightly-colored personally use a word to identify myself, but shirts. The mask’s long fringe hangs down no matter how I’m seen, it doesn’t bug me. to his chest. “I have masks with fringe I’ve called myself gay or queer, but queer that reaches down to the floor,� Peck

DEAFKIDS

seems to have a special meaning to some people. It’s a big part of my life, but I don’t commonly focus on defining it. I spend most of my time thinking about music.�

Peck grew up in a home where music was always playing—punk, country, and Broadway musicals. He played in bands in high school and made albums with a few of them, but he says his heart was always in country. “I’m a fan of all kinds of music,� he says. “When I walk around every day, I listen to punk, weird ’90s shit, old musicals, and pop, but country is always there. I’ve always wanted to play country music. I used to drum and play guitar in punk bands. I used to be an actor, a singer, and a dancer. So, this project feels like

the most rounded, true expression of all those aspects. I get to play country while I draw on all the parts of my past.� “Country songs ask us to listen to the words and feel the emotions,� he adds. “A good song tells a story. That’s what draws me to country music and what draws people to Orville Peck, or any music. I’ve always listened to the words.

One of my biggest influences as a teen was Patti Smith. Her lyrics were so important, maybe more so than the music.

It told a story and set up an image that doesn’t end with the last note. There’s so much emotion left after the song is over.

That’s what I’m aiming for.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL THORN

the majority of their compositions, but a distinct sun shimmers throughout. There is wholeness here, unique to a group of individuals who enjoy working and experiencing the creative process together. “The unspoken language of collaboration has become stronger between the three of us,� Matheson-Margullis explains, “but we still just show up and start making sounds together like we did on day one, 12 years ago.�

PHOTO BY JEAN RIBEIRO

INTERVIEW WITH PERCUSSIONIST MARIANO DE MELO BY HUTCH

identity in all instances, we are trapped EAFKIDS play their brand of between having to justify every one of our electropunk with an abstract actions, whether by its ‘political purity’ delivery that is confrontational or as a declaration of lack of interest for and disturbing. The band are not fettered it—hence ‘political incorrectness.’ More by any conventional paradigm of song structure, tempo, or instrumentation. than ever before, we feel watched on our actions while watch the others’, and not Dissonant barrages of tones and aural only by their ethical meaning but by their abrasions culminate in a cacophony of people in a deeper, less rational way,â€? de aesthetical value and the ethical value we pulsating sounds that sit perfectly—or Creating solidarity structures in such an Melo adds, acknowledging their inability extract from it.â€? paradoxically—on South American and individuality-based era is complicated, to empower listeners directly. “We are Afrobeat rhythms, breathing vivacious life but it’s a necessity nonetheless.â€? not avatars being controlled by a mental “Add to that a growing dependence on into the songs. tools on which control is exerted by algo- main core; body and mind are one, and Combining techno and South American as the idea that they’re separated spread Based in Volta Redonda, Rio De Janeiro, rithms not controlled by us, and we end percussive rhythms with an onslaught of and rooted itself, we distanced from such up speaking to the same people, reading Brazil, DEAFKIDS also embed political jagged anarcho-punk execution suits evaluation and criticism in their belliger- the same opinions, and distancing our- a notion. Only by comprehending this en- Metaprogramação’s catchier—even danceent electronic screams and sonic aggres- selves from contradicting perspectives,â€? tanglement will we be able to take a leap able!—tracks like “Mente Bicameralâ€? and toward emancipation.â€? he continues. “It’s not complicated for sion. Metaprogramação, the band’s third “Templo do Caos.â€? They illustrate DEAFKIDS LP, out March 15, is a true fit for Neurosis’ the people who have the power to mameeting their listeners halfway from the DEAFKIDS’ intent is to encourage listeners nipulate emotions in such a polarized label, Neurot Recordings. electronic blitzkrieg, but even the more to desire that emancipation, and de Melo context by confusing and telling people solidly defined songs are still hostile, manadvocates for people’s exploration of what to believe, making their relation to “There are many aspects influencing gled music. DEAFKIDS concede that the the concept of truth a very different one— their mental health and the histories that this relationship between identity and lofty message must not be lost in the path of have shaped the lower class. something blatant when politicians deny politics,â€? percussionist Mariano de Melo transmission, but as Marshall McLuhan fasaying something even if there’s physical explains. “Our own vision of the self is mously stated, “The medium is the message.â€? affected by the stage of our civilization, evidence of them saying it, all while nod- “We can support and promote initiatives to spread resources among ourselves, “[The songs] end up being extensions of with the technological and social rela- ding to their supporters. It’s happening whether material or symbolic [and] here, and it’s happening there.â€? tions implied by it. There’s also a huge their message, as they carry the same immaterial,â€? he unveils. “Creating ways boom on populism, since the credibility kind of chaos we try to portray lyrically,â€? for people to master various instruments, de Melo elaborates. “The message ceases of representative politics as a whole— “Our music has no power to change that tools, and forms of communication, for complex game by itself, but we hope the with its local differences and nuances to be something contained by the lyrics; them to develop their own language heat it tries to convey—and its, both literal everywhere—is close to zero. The catch it is something embedded on the sound is that with an increase on the impor- and sensorial, message of deprogram- with those things, taking a grassroots itself, to be absorbed by other parts of approach to it seems to be one way. mind and body.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł ming [and] reprogramming—touches tance of one’s self-affirmation of its own

D

14 NEW NOISE

INTERVIEW WITH DRUMMER/VOCALIST HOZOJI MATHESON-MARGULLIS INTERVIEW BY CHRISTOPHER J. HARRINGTON

H

elms Alee are a trio with three distinct voices. “We all take equal turns being the dictator,� drummer and vocalist Hozoji Matheson-Margullis laughs.

Though there’s strong individuality throughout, the band morph together like few others. Every layer topples another, and the sequence blends like the salty water that surrounds them.

Like many groups from the Pacific Northwest, Helms Alee conjure space and time through a distinct lens. “We are surrounded by nutrient-dense darkness that is very conducive to holing up in a practice space and making loud noises,� Matheson-Margullis posits.

Except the Seattle rockers have churned out something quite effervescent with their newest album, Noctiluca, due out April 26 via Sargent House. “We didn’t set out to make Noctiluca sound any certain way or be markedly different than any of our other albums,� Matheson-Margullis says. “I think it’s in all of our natures to be continuously challenging ourselves. It’s part of what keeps the process fun! I’m often trying to write stuff I can’t quite play yet or haven’t tried before. As a group, we really just let things happen naturally.�

That naturalness echoes as clear joy. The band’s trademark posthardcore and noisy grain still layer

That’s a lifetime for a band, and Noctiluca is a work that resembles an old masterpiece, one shaped with trust, finesse, and the acceptance of living in the moment. One can look back and ponder the reflection once it’s made, but what’s really important is capturing the moment, even if you can’t quite recognize it. “I definitely notice a feeling of time and place when I listen back to records that we made years and years ago,� Matheson-Margullis says. “While we are making the records, we are so caught up in the physical execution of the songs that not much, if any, thought goes into how the album ‘feels.’ So, I enjoy listening back after a long time and being able to hear the memories of what life was feeling like while we were writing the

songs and recording the album.

In a way, it’s like I’m hearing the songs for the first time.�

For Noctiluca, Helms Alee worked with Sam Bell, a veteran producer and engineer with credits like Weezer and R.E.M, and one can hear a slight change in the band’s positioning, a directness that aligns toward an area that is new and accessible. “The style and personality of the engineers [and] producers we have worked with most definitely affects the end result of the records we make with them,� Matheson-Margullis notes. “When I listen back to old albums with fresh ears, I can really hear a strong element of the person who recorded the album.�

The connection Helms Alee make is paramount. Ideas interact without losing their quality. There is nothing forced, and Noctiluca is a celebration of that looseness. “I don’t think any of us feel we ‘have to’ voice specific opinions through our music,â€? Matheson-Margullis explains. “Any themes that exist just come out naturally because of the people who we are and what is happening in our lives at the time.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 15

PHOTO BY EVA VLONK

INTERVIEW WITH PETERÂ MULDERS, STEFANIE MANNAERTS, AND STIJN VANHOEGAERDEN

BY SEAN GONZALEZ he new album from Belgian trio Brutus, Nest, is a journey of overcoming adversity to achieve invincibility. “The album is a raw and emotional reflection of everything that came with making choices about ourselves and the ones in your nest and everything we were emotionally dealing with at rehearsals,� bassist Peter Mulders comments. What’s featured on the 11-song release is a gripping display of power, an outpouring of viscera, and a gratifying fortress of emotional energy.

T

The musical compositions of Nest—which saw the light of day on March 29 via Sargent House—highlight sorrow-driven, minor-key melodies and cries of anguish. Vocalist and drummer Stefanie Mannaerts cuts through dense instrumentals with a gnashing vocal quality that weeps with reminiscence. “I think the overall theme in the vocals is

16 NEW NOISE

‘realness,’� she says. “The album is about things we were dealing with personally and people close to our hearts, so it is normal that these often-sorrowful feelings are surfacing throughout the lyrics and the record as a whole.�

The eighth track, “Distance,� finds Mannaerts floating high above the instrumentals, grasping at the clouds above and bringing down the weight of the heavens into the essence of emotionally-driven substance.

One listen to Nest’s spitfire third song, “Cemetery,� is all it takes to hear the emotive edge that borders the chasms of Brutus’ sonic fortitude. “The song is about making choices in life.

People don’t always back up those choices you’re making,�

Mannaerts explains. “To go full ahead with Brutus, we had to make some tough choices about life in general—which was

definitely hard to do, because you’re always letting people you love down.�

This emotional weight bursts through the energy of the song’s grooving first half, asking for loved ones to give them time and understanding as the trio continue with Brutus. “The ‘girl’ in the song is not really one girl; it’s more a generalization of the people you expect a lot from,�

Mannaerts elaborates. “In the end of these tough decisionmaking processes, everyone is just disappointed in each other: they are disappointed ’cause you’re making decisions that don’t include them, and you’re disappointed because they don’t understand why you have to make these decisions.�

The beauty of Brutus is their willingness to bring their deeper feelings forth beyond the boundaries of space, time,

and musical orchestration. “We have no boundaries when we are writing songs,� guitarist Stijn Vanhoegaerden comments. “If the music captures the feeling we want to express, it’s all we need.�

This rings out in the atmospheric grace of the ninth track, “Space.� “It may sound weird, but we did talk more about feelings and what it all meant in this album than we did before with our debut album, Burst, [in 2017],�

Vanhoegaerden continues. “If Stefanie’s lyrics asked for a certain vibe, we tried to talk about it a lot and then support it or clash with that vibe together.�

The breaking fury of sixth track “Warâ€? and the honesty of the album’s closer, “Sugar Dragon,â€? are more examples of the swirling creative storm of Brutus. Nest is a war waged by musicians fighting to keep that spirit of vigor alive. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 17

HIGH PLAINS DRIFTERS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST JON LANGFORD

BY TOM CRANDLE

ekons have quite a history. They were originally formed as a British punk band in 1977, by a group of University of Leeds art students. They soon moved on to post-punk, but even that was only the beginning. Over the course of 40 years, Mekons have covered more musical ground than most bands would dare dream of. They’ve played punk, post-punk, country, alternative, world music, and dub reggae, influencing countless artists and genres along the way.

Additional musicians and singers have augmented their sound over the years. In 2019, they’re basically a collective who goes wherever the music takes them. Mekons are set to drop their new album, Deserted, on Bloodshot Records March 29.

Despite the musical changes, Mekons still feel a kinship with ’77 U.K. punk.

Founding vocalist and guitarist Jon Langford explains, “There is definitely a thread that goes back to the moment the band formed. It was never about musical virtuosity. It was about politics, art, and having a good time.� “In a way, we took the idea that you didn’t really have to play very well to an extreme,� Langford continues. “When we started, we couldn’t play at all, but now, there are some great musicians in the band, and although we’ve been doing this for 40 years, musical competence is still not very high on our list of priorities.�

Langford is pleasantly surprised by the fact that Mekons have survived for more than 40 years. “It seems totally absurd to me, but I have no idea what else I might’ve done,� he confesses.

mekons

“[Vocalist] Sally [Timms] always says the secret to our success is our lack of success. We haven’t been exposed to all the pressures that destroyed bands, and it’s always been more of an art project or social grouping than some ambitious commercial hit machine.�

Deserted was recorded on the fringes of Joshua Tree National Park, and the surroundings had a significant impact on the record. “We knew that going to the desert would influence [us] in a major way, and there are a lot of themes on the album that we were attracted to before we got there,� Langford says. “We had some preconceived ideas and a few tunes written, but mostly, that went out the window when we got to the desert.�

songs. A lot of the albums recently have been site-specific. We go to a place, get together, absorb our surroundings and see what comes out,� Langford admits.

This also helps Mekons avoid making the same album twice. “I think every record moves off in a different direction or there wouldn’t be any point in doing it,� he says. “This one has a lot to do with resilience, landscape, survival, and open spaces.�

Even after 40 years, Mekons still are still challenging themselves. “There are physical places in the world we would like to take the band,â€? Langford concludes. “Sometimes it’s a beautiful voyage of discovery; sometimes it’s Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

This is in line with the way Mekons have worked in recent years. “Sometimes we don’t have any

PHOTO BY RICKY_MALPAS

18 NEW NOISE

NEW NOISE

ART BY SARAH SCHMIDT

19

PHOTO BY MICHAEL THORN

N

ew York City’s Show Me The Body excel at delivering pure expression.

It’s an energy that is never defined by any one thing. The group’s 2016 debut, Body War, showcased a confidence channeled by the city’s concrete fissures; there was a very specific tale being told.

With Dog Whistle, out March 29 via Loma Vista Recordings, the trio expand that articulation with a story that’s wider and more abstract. It’s about a band realizing their destiny. “It’s all about discovery,� vocalist and banjoist Julian Cashwan Pratt says. “The fact is we’re super New-York-centric, being here our whole lives, so that’s what we’ve talked about, and I don’t think it’s changed that much. We’re still talking about living here and dealing with the struggle, but at the same time, it’s from a larger perspective, because we’ve grown.�

Dog Whistle sounds like that manifestation and isn’t afraid of any structure it inhabits. The shape it takes is nothing but a form to deliver an urgent plea, a message for no one and everyone all at once. It has an analog quality to it. It feels like real humans made it, in a dirty little corner in some mad city on Earth, with Scotch tape, blood, and wires. It captures the truth of its time, a disappearing art in the age of simulation. “What’s interesting is, with the internet age, everything kind of exists within a genre, and it kind of wipes clean a lot of the past and it also makes it accessible,� bassist Harlan Steed notes. “But in the

20 NEW NOISE

INTERVIEW WITH JULIAN CASHWAN PRATT, HARLAN STEED, AND NOAH COHEN-CORBETT BY CHRISTOPHER J. HARRINGTON

show me the body

late ’80s and early ’90s, there was all kinds of hardcore, hip hop, and experimental music that was very informative of itself and came from a similar stewing pot. There’s a lot of sounds that we draw from that people are like, ‘Where is this coming from?’ but there’s a tradition of just making shit and putting it together.�

Dog Whistle succeeds in heightening the listener’s introspection because the band just went for it: there is no hesitation when conjoining street poetry and hardcore, hip hop and noise, no contemplation about how things fit, only how things feel. “There was no intention of, like, ‘We want to write this kind of song,’ never anything like that,� drummer Noah Cohen-Corbett chimes in. “These songs just came naturally and sounded like we wanted them to sound. The album ended up going into a lot of different places, but none of that was premeditated.�

“Like Noah said,� Steed adds, “we didn’t have any premeditated idea about it. We just had so much experience since the first one that we could bring into this one.

So, I think we tried to be more uncompromising with our sound and with our writing. We really just went for what we wanted.�

Show Me The Body’s penchant for transparency is clear to anyone who’s ever seen them perform.

Their live shows are a massive tsunami of community and punk, harking back to the golden age of NYC hardcore. “It’s all about feeling,� Pratt opines. “There’s also a New York sound that a lot of people from different schools of music are a part of just because they came from the city. That’s inherent in all of the music, just a New York sound. It’s almost more of a spiritual and emotional lineage that we want to take part in and consider ourselves part of.�

And like their forefathers in CroMags, Beastie Boys, Youth Of Today, and Public Enemy, Show Me The Body highlight that which is essential to the artistic process: a conversation and a connection that goes far beyond the stage. “That’s important to us,� Pratt explains, “making sure that anyone who likes the band, or who feels a part of our culture, also feels held down by it. I mean, what’s the use of people liking your band if they never get anything from it, you know what I mean? That’s the real thing about community: it’s not about being fucking nice and handing out.

There’s no charity involved with community. It’s really about the quality of questioning each other, like ‘How deep are we putting it in?’ because if you can really challenge each other, that’s what it’s about.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY RONALD DICK

INTERVIEW WITH COFOUNDER GREG ANDERSON BY MARIKA ZORZI

A

t the very beginning of 2018, Sunn O))) cofounders and guitarists Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson set out on a path toward producing a new album. They were both determined to create new music and a new method of working in the studio without forgetting the long and proud history forged during their first two decades of existence.

From this new approach, they have created Life Metal, their first studio album in four years, out via Southern Lord Recordings on April 19. “Every time we make a record, we try to make it somewhat different than the one before it,�

Anderson explains. “Then, as far as the way of working in the studio, we chose a different recording engineer and studio to work with.�

22 NEW NOISE

In July 2018, Sunn O))) spent over two weeks in Chicago at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini at the helm. “Working with Albini is our 20th [anniversary] present to ourselves,�

Anderson confesses. “Our method in the past and the process were very lengthy. It took a long time to get the album together, and there was a lot of different recordings of different instrumentation or different vocals in different countries, and then, all these pieces were kind of put together somehow to create a final piece in the end.� “With this one, it’s one performance,� he continues. “It is very in-the-moment, and [Albini] is such a skilled engineer and so focused on detail like the mic placement or the kind of mics to use. Steve is already five steps

ahead of what’s going on. He’s got this bigger picture in his head.

It was really interesting; it really challenged us. Personally, I felt like I had to be more focused and really had to step up my game.�

Before working with Albini, Anderson and O’Malley gathered twice for writing, conceptualizing, and riff woodshedding in the very building where the band were formed: Downtown Rehearsal in Los Angeles. “I have had a rehearsal space down there since 1996. Sunn O))) came out of that space. Goatsnake came out of there. That’s where my stuff is currently, so that’s where we’re going to play because we can play loud,� Anderson laughs.

Life Metal’s themes developed in terms of brightness and

energy. Sunn O))) realized they were exploring other zones of consciousness via sound manipulation. “I really wanted to challenge myself personally to make heavy music that doesn’t have to be so dark,� Anderson explains. “That music is great; I’ve been a fan of it and played it all my life, but what about trying to present it in a different sort of frame or different light?�

The resulting album’s title, Life Metal, represent this new approach. “That term, when I first heard about it, I was at a party with Nicke Andersson. [His band] The Hellacopters had just played in Los Angeles, and me and my friends were obsessed, and still are, with Entombed and Nihilist, his older bands,� Anderson shares. “We were, like, just punishing this

guy, bugging him about stories and stuff like that. He ended up telling the story about when Entombed got signed to Columbia Records in the ’90s. He was getting death threats, and all his old friends from Norway were pissed and saying he was a sellout and that he was no longer death metal—he was ‘life metal.’ Me and my friends thought that was hilarious.�

[Nieuwenhuizen] did as well. The sound of the music we’re creating is brighter, and the overall aesthetic and feeling of it isn’t so gloomy and dark. It was still heavy, but it kind of had this really epic, shining light feeling to it. So, Life Metal as a title of the record really fit where everyone’s heads are at, everyone’s tone and the music we were creating.�

“So, it kind of became this inside joke among Sunn O))). When something was positive or bright or happy, it was life metal, not death metal,� he continues. “I think the life metal thing, with us, is that we’ve all sort of gotten to this point in our lives where there are some really great things happening. I had some children, Stephen had some really positive things happen in his life, and [keyboardist] Tos

Life Metal also features other collaborations on the first song, “Between Sleipnir’s Breaths.� “The intro is actually stolen from Bathory, the [1988] Blood Fire Death record,� Anderson admits. “I love that intro of the horses going into battle, and I just joked and said, ‘Why don’t we run that through some amps?’ It was funny, because I was thinking, ‘Albini is not going to be into this idea. He’s

probably going to be like, “I don’t know, guys,�’ but right away, he was like, ‘Where can I find that?’�

Icelandic cellist Hildur GuĂ°nadĂłttir lent her incredible attitude, as well as her voice and breath to the song. “That’s personally my favorite track on the record, and I think part of it has to do with the fact that I think her voice is amazing,â€? Anderson says.

In the autumn of 2019, Sunn O))) will reveal a second, more meditative LP entitled Pyroclasts, also recorded by Steve Albini parallel to Life Metal. “That album is going to be made up of five drone pieces. They’re all about 11 or 12 minutes. We were actually staying in the same building that we were recording at, so we would wake up in the morning and have a cup of

coffee and then go down and start playing music,â€? Anderson says. “What we tried to do every morning was start the day, pick a key, and then just play completely free and drone in that key. We also would try to do it at night as well, before the day was done. It was kind of like taking a nice warm bath or having a glass of wine. It was very relaxing and you kind of ended the day on a nice note.â€? “This record is made of those drones, those morning-ritual or night-ritual drones,â€? he continues. “I think it’s going to be something for the diehard fans. It’s kind of an interesting story that might attract people to Life Metal. This is kind of a bonus and, to me, something special for people who really like Sunn O))).â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE

23

GLITTER WIZARD

BIG-ASS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST WENDY STONEHENGE

BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

SONIC DAY-DRINKING, CONCEPTUAL ESCAPISM, BOLD VISUALS, EXISTENTIAL GROOVES, DYNAMIC DUOS, BIG CHORUSES, BIGGER GUITARS. CRANK THESE JAMS TO 11, KICK BACK, AND FORGET YOUR PROBLEMS.

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR PHOTO BY CAM EVANS

ASTHMA CASTLE Baltimore

DRUG APTS Sacramento, California

Mount Crushmore | March 15 | Hellmistress Records RIYL: Sand. Beer. Metal family vacations.

Clean Living Under Difficult Circumstances | March 23 | Mt.St.Mtn. RIYL: Midcentury modern. Mod punks. Balancing acts.

We all could use a vacation to break free from the frustrations of the day-to-day—just “Clean Living‌ is a rock ’n’ roll record, period,â€? Drug Apts drummer Mike Thiemann some time at the beach with a drink in our hand. Asthma Castle is a metaphorical states matter-of-factly. He’s right in the sense that Drug Apts’ debut album is as bold getaway for the band’s lineup; featuring members of Pig Destroyer, Misery Index, and and daring as the legendary rock ’n’ roll classics, but it would be completely unfair to Integrity, the project is like a sandcastle-building exercise for rifflords. “We just want lump anything on this lively and lovely record in with current rock radio. Named after use this [band] as a vehicle to escape,â€? guitarist Justin Ethem states. “We’re trying to the midcentury modern complexes in their hometown and having chosen a record title be the sonic equivalent of day-drinking at the beach or something,â€? he laughs. Though that references the Mod Father himself, Peter Meaden, this Sacramento act could be their debut LP, Mount Crushmore, may not initially sound suited for beachside relaxation, out of place in the modern world; however, one listen to Clean Living Under Difficult there’s a sonic comfort that just oozes from the speakers. This heavy rock-sludge hybrid Circumstances offers a complete picture of how impressive the band’s balancing act is the musical incarnation of that first sip of a margarita. Harmonized leads, driving is. Whitney Kebschull’s dexterous and ambitious vocals only tell half the story, as Drug rhythms, and delightful low-end riffs are the name of the game, and few bands can match Apts’ blend of art punk, garage rock, grunge, and even ’80s hardcore is as wild as it is Asthma Castle’s ability to exert a calm control over the proceedings. Mount Crushmore is a easy to love. They are a band who have a lot to say, but they’ve carefully considered sandy altar to the almighty riff. Come one, come all—bow down and relax, dudes. their words before delivering this killer first speech. For those interested in visceral punk masterpieces, Drug Apts deliver.

PHOTO BY MILLIE BENSON

SKRYPTOR Brooklyn, New York

Luminous Volumes | March 29 | Sleeping Giant Glossolalia, Aqualamb, & SKiN GRAFT Records RIYL: Meeting your heroes. Imagination. Childhood ghost stories.

The tale of Luminous Volumes is like an onion, unfolding layer after layer of interesting details. The outer layer is Skryptor’s inception, when drummer Hank Shteamer was able to start a band with members of his favorite ’90s acts, Tim Garrigan of Dazzling Killmen and David McClelland of craw. Next is the eagerly anticipated visual component of all Aqualamb releases: this time, a series of illustrated horror stories from McClelland and friends, which are reminiscent of M. R. James and those enchanting tales of childhood terror, “Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark.� The next three layers, really, are how damn enjoyable Skryptor’s brand of instrumental prog post-hardcore is. Imbued with the playfulness of Led Zeppelin, Melvins, The Jesus Lizard, Yes, and Black Sabbath—just to name a few—their debut, Luminous Volumes, speaks volumes, even without a vocalist.

It’s a shimmering, boldly visual album, and these aural pictures contrast with the aforementioned terror: Skryptor are more sci-fi action than horror at their musical heart.

The songs are bluesy, punky, melodic, and introspective without ever trying to broadcast how intricate they are. It’s prog music for those who don’t want to do math while rocking out. “To me, this record is a little bit out-of-time,� McClelland mentions. “I think it could have come out anytime in the last 30 years, maybe. What I really wanted to do was make an album that resonates with listeners in the specific way that a handful of records have resonated with me since I was a kid.� He’s spot-on. This is one tasty musical onion.

24 NEW NOISE

T

he name says it all: Glitter Wizard are super-freaky, doomy, fabulous rock ’n’ roll.

those were more individual efforts that we brought to the table right before we hit the studio. It’s kinda like our version of Fragile, [Yes’ fourth album, from 1971].�

But don’t be fooled by the theatrics, though they definitely are there. This San Francisco Glitter Wizard also incidentally carried on band can also really write a song. “This a lot of the thematic structure of their prealbum is a bit more theatrical than our vious works, despite attempts to take things previous releases,� vocalist Wendy Stone- in a different direction. “Opera Villains is far henge says. “We are constantly trying to less conceptual than [2016’s] Hollow Earth push our boundaries and avoid repeating Tour, but when it was all said and done, ourselves. I think you’ll find that the dynam- most of the songs coincidentally ended up ic range of Opera Villains is very wide on a having villains in them,� Stonehenge says. song-to-song basis.� “We actually came up with the album title before we wrote most of the material, so maybe, subconsciously, I was working with Out, fittingly, on April 20 via Heavy Psych that concept after all.�

Sounds, Opera Villains is the band’s fourth full-length, and it promises to be just as fun and playful as their previous works but While it’s clear that Glitter Wizard really with even more substance and focus on do put a focus on creating quality music, the sound. “This album has quite a bit of they are completely fine with the fact that material that you’ll probably never see us they’re mostly associated with partying and perform live,� Stonehenge says. “In addi- fun. After all, sometimes a release is very tion to the usual bangers, we wrote a lot of much needed—especially in 2019. “We all short songs and interludes that we weaved need a break from our problems,� Stonethroughout the entire record. A lot of henge says. “If someone can come to see

PHOTO BY ALAN SNODGRASS

us and forget about it for a couple of hours, we’ve done our job. We actually had a guy tell us he decided not to commit suicide after seeing a Glitter Wizard show! That’s fucking heavy! As far as I’m concerned, that one incident makes it all worth it.�

Grab a copy of Opera Villains in April, catch

the Well

the band in S.F. and Oakland in May and on tour across Europe in June, and start dreaming of world peace, because Glitter Wizard plan to deliver. “You know how in ‘Bill & Ted[’s Excellent Adventure],’ their band, Wyld Stallyns, becomes the force that ushers in a world utopia?â€? Stonehenge says. “Something like that.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY SALLY PATTI

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST IAN GRAHAM

BY J POET ustin and heavy metal aren’t terms that are often linked, but the success of the hard rock, psych doom trio known as The Well has helped spawn a small but thriving scene in the Texas town.

A

“There’s always been plenty of metal here,� lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Ian Graham says, speaking from the Austin home he shares with his partner, Lisa Alley, The Wells’ bass player. “Since we started, the popularity of metal has grown. We’ve been around about eight years, and there’s been a big spike in interest. There are still a lot of places to play, a lot of clubs, but I don’t know if it will be that way in a few years. Rents are going up, and we’re afraid it’s gonna be a San Francisco situation here sooner or later.�

Graham started The Well after he left another band. “I was hanging out in Lisa’s garage, drinking, smoking, and playing guitar,� he recalls. “I’ve been obsessed with esoteric things since I was a kid. I wanted to dig into the well of human knowledge—obscure, occult stuff. The music moved in that direction. After we talked to [drummer] Jason [Sullivan], we

stole him from another band and practiced constantly for about a year.�

RidingEasy Records will release The Well’s third album, Death and Consolation, on April 26. The nine songs are full of dense grooves and lyrics that contemplate the meaning of life from a grand philosophical perspective. “We all struggle with questions of good and evil, but they’re songs are concise. There’s more of a rock absolutes, constructs borrowed from Christianity,� Graham says. “They fucked up ’n’ roll aspect to the whole thing.� our semantics. We’re always falling behind because of our anxieties and our desire for “Before we started recording, we went to Europe. I was able to walk down the cobanswers. That’s the reason we don’t evolve blestone streets of medieval towns and as a human race.� bring that feeling back with me,� he continues. “I had an idea of what ‘medieval’ The album struggles with the meaning of meant, but when you stand there in these life, examining dark and light approaches old cities, you get this haunted feeling. It to the problem. Graham’s guitar creates flipped over into my writing. During the an immense soundscape, augmented by recording, we tuned down to C standard.

Alley’s massive basslines and Sullivan’s That evoked something darker and sugheart-crushing kick drum. On their last gested new rhythms.� album, 2016’s Pagan Science, the band launched a freewheeling attack with improvisations that augmented the spiri- Regardless of the tuning, The Well are going to be loud. “I like to feel my shirt vibrate tual quest of the lyrics, but for Death and against me when I turn on my amp,� GraConsolation, they took a more measured ham says. “If I don’t have a good backline, approach. “I wasn’t in the mood to jam you’re not gonna get the full effect. When and stretch things out,� Graham says. “The

we play live, the sound guys often tell me I should turn it down. I always tell them, ‘I know that! You could also learn how to work your fucking room so we can get the sound we want.’â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 25

INTERVIEW WITH DRUMMER COADY WILLIS BY THOMAS PIZZOLA

S

ince 2004, the duo of vocalist and bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis have been delivering the quirky rock goods as Big Business.

They’ve put out five albums of their unique, multifaceted take on heavy rock, played and recorded with Melvins, and killed it on whatever stage they happen to be playing on.

It’s now 2019, and the Seattle band are set to release their sixth album, The Beast You Are, through Joyful Noise Recordings on April 12. After the addition of new guitarists in 2008 and 2010 and their subsequent departures in 2012 and 2014, respectively, Warren and Willis returned to their two-piece roots on 2016’s Command Your Weather, and this back-to-basics approach continues on The Beast You Are. The reason for this move was quite simple. “We had a long, emotionallydraining breakup with our guitar player. It was a bummer,� Willis says, “but we had already committed to a European tour opening for Mastodon, so we had to get it together and make it happen as a two-piece.

It was actually galvanizing. We ended up having a really good time after a really long bad time. It felt right, like a new beginning. We just decided it was better this way!�

The benefits of being a two-person band far outweigh the negatives according to Willis. “Obviously, there are more duties to take on with only two people, but it’s nice not to have to make every decision by committee,� he says. “Also, the logistics of moving two people around as opposed to four or five are way easier to navigate. It’s a real timesaver across the board.�

This rebirth and renewed focus show themselves on The Beast You Are. It’s the band’s longest album and also one of their strongest and most diverse. They sound rejuvenated. “It’s just how it turned out. We worked really hard getting all these songs together, and we were fortunate to have a particularly productive writing spree,� Willis says. “We tried to overdo it a little just to be able to have the option of editing if a certain song didn’t make the cut.�

It was all in their approach. “It’s always anything-goes, as long as the idea gets across. We did a lot of recording as we went, demoing the songs,� Willis says. “It’s nice to be able to record an idea while it’s fresh and move on to something else while being able to digest what we did earlier and come back to it rather than obsessing on one thing and choking the life out of it. It’s easy to lose perspective when you fixate on one idea for too long. So, we kept it loose, and it actually turned out to be a faster and more enjoyable way to work.�

Big Business have always been a heavy band, albeit a heavy band with a myriad of influences. There are traces of punk, psychedelic rock, power pop, new wave, and even New Age sprinkled throughout their releases. Though, sometimes writers and members of the music scene brand them with a simpler descriptor: the dreaded letter S, which in this case, stands for sludge. They’re not too fond of it. “I mean, it’s lazy, but I can see why someone would go there,� Willis says. “We’re kind of a weird band. It’s a lot to ask of someone to really actively listen in

PHOTO BY GREG JACOBS

depth to all of the nuanced splendor while they’re doing the dishes or talking about Jeff’s weird mole.�

That last response showcases another thing Big Business are known for: their sly sense of humor. This manifests in song titles like “Abdominal Snowman� and “The Moor You Know,� the band’s lyrics, and even the way they answer interview questions. They also include a humorous note to go along with the new album. It’s all part of their charm, and none of it is forced. “I don’t think about it that much; we just try to be ourselves,� Willis says. “Maybe it’s all been a huge mistake.

Time will tell.�

It must not be a huge mistake, because 15 years and six albums in, Big Business sound as fresh and vital as ever. The Beast You Are will easily be one of the best heavy rock albums this year, with the band sounding like world champs. So, what is the secret to their longevity? Well, the three P’s. “Pizazz, Perseverance, and Pizza Pizza Pizza,â€? Willis concludes. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST SCOTTY IULIANELLI AND DRUMMER BRANDON MOSS BY TOM CRANDLE

B

ars Of Gold are set to release Shelters, their first new album in more than five years, on April 12 through Equal Vision Records. The suburban-Detroit-based six-piece describe themselves as four-parts Wildcatting and two-parts Bear Vs. Shark, and those are pretty good reference points for the uninitiated.

It’s weird, angular rock ’n’ roll with half-shouted vocals, shifting time signatures, and lots of guitars.

Bars Of Gold certainly take some cues from the Motor City acts who have preceded them, including one who listeners might not expect.

When it comes to his biggest Motown influences, guitarist Scotty Iulianelli has a simple answer. “Bob Seger & The Last Heard, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, and The Bob Seger System,� he relates.

Drummer Brandon Moss also eventually gets around to mentioning the soon-to-be-retired Seger when talking about who helped shape the Bars Of Gold

26 NEW NOISE

PHOTO BY JAMES REXROAD

sound. “My gut reaction is to say, hands down, the MC5,� he says. “Their chaos, their heart, bravado, politics, even their mistakes. I love it. They even had Bob Seger in their circle. Come on, just amazing stuff.�

Iulianelli has an interesting way of describing the current state of rock ’n’ roll in Detroit. “I think Detroit is back in the primordial stew phase,� he opines. “Remnants from all different sounds from the city and influences are starting to form complex organisms.�

Moss feels good about being in a rock band in Detroit in 2019. “Maybe I’m too much of an optimist, or possibly naĂŻve, but I feel like it’s always been good to be in a rock band in the Detroit area—or any artistic venture, really. There’s a great heap of beautiful thinkers and doers in town,â€? he says. “It’s a strange place that we’re all pretty stoked to call home.â€?

Moss says the individual band members have kept plenty busy in

the five-plus years since their last album, 2013’s Wheels. “We built a pretty solid practice space between where we all live, so basically, lots of construction,� he shares, adding, “Our families have expanded.� For Moss, that time also included a Bear Vs. Shark reunion.

Shelters is clearly the work of a confident, maturing band who understand their strengths. “Shelters is the first focused Bars Of Gold record where we all just let it fall out of us,� Iulianelli says. “We don’t force anything. When we do, it pushes back hard.�

Moss claims that having six people in the band doesn’t make things overly complicated. “Truth be told, it actually seems easier,� he says. “Like any social situation, it’s about the chemistry of who’s involved.� “It’s funny because people often ask, ‘What are you going to do with so many guitar players?’ and I always opt for, ‘Let’s all play the same thing at the same time,’�

Iulianelli shares. “It gets a good laugh, but I think it gives Shelters a kind of power, both live and on the record, that most people are afraid to tap into.�

Despite being the band’s most straightforward rock album to date, Shelters is still probably going to be too weird for mainstream audiences. Bars Of Gold are OK with that. “I personally wouldn’t know how to do anything other than the way we do it already, and I’m pretty stoked with that,� Moss says. “Per usual, it’s cool when people pay attention, but it’s fine if they don’t. We’ll still keep running.�

Iulianelli concurs, “We just do what we do. There is little conscious effort to make anything other than what we make. For the most part, we just listen to music individually, and when we find something truly inspiring outside of the Bars Of Gold universe, it usually manifests itself into our music.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 27

grand

' PHOTO BY JENS RYDEN

magus

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST JANNE “JB� CHRISTOFFERSSON BY GREG PRATO

F

or two decades, Stockholm’s Grand Magus have been steadily issuing up mammoth slabs of doom metal. Comprised of vocalist and guitarist Janne “JB�

Christoffersson, bassist Mats “Fox�

Skinner, and drummer Ludwig “Ludde� Witt, the trio return mightier than ever on April 19 with their ninth studio effort overall, Wolf God, out via Nuclear Blast. “We jammed together this time instead of me sitting at home with an iPad and guitars,� JB explains about what sets Wolf God apart from previous offerings from Grand Magus. “We met up, I think, 10 times, 10 weekends during 2018. Then, we had a very clear vision that we wanted to record the basic tracks live, which meant that we had to find a studio where we could do that and also a studio where we could live, so we could concentrate 100 percent on recording the album instead of going home every day. I think that made the

28 NEW NOISE

whole process a little more fun for us.

Hopefully, that’s also something you can hear in the finished result.�

Prior to the album’s release, its standout title track was issued as a sneak preview. “It was super hard to choose the first song to present the album,� JB says. “There are quite a few more epic tracks on the album and more chorus-heavy type songs, but I felt this song was very Grand Magus somehow, and it’s the title track of the album. It’s got some different parts to it, and what I mean by that is there are a lot of Grand Magus trademarks in the song. So, I just felt, ‘Let’s try this one,’ and hopefully people like it.�

It turns out that JB fancies quite a few other selections as well. “‘A Hall Clad in Gold’ is a strong track. Also, ‘Dawn of Fire’ is a strong track. The last track on the album, ‘Untamed,’ is a strong track,� he says. “Those three have big choruses, which is something that we’ve gotten known

for over the years. But there is also a track called ‘He Sent Them All to Hell’ that I really like as well; that’s more of a MotĂśrhead, Saxon-ish type song. I think we have a really good variety of stuff on this new album.â€?

For decades, spooky album cover art and heavy metal have gone hand in hand. For Wolf God, artist Anthony Roberts certainly delivered. “It’s the third time in a row that we’ve worked with Anthony for the cover artwork,�

JB explains. “The stuff he does, it’s the real deal. From the drawing filled with emotion, he just seems to capture what I think is a fitting visual language for our music. For this album, I had a few ideas that I pitched to him, mainly ideas about the actual wolf god figure. I think it was his second sketch that wound up being the finished piece.�

Hailing from Sweden, one would figure that JB would be aware of

what’s currently going on in the local metal scene. Guess again. “Well, I really haven’t got the foggiest,� he admits. “We’re a band that has never been part of a scene.

I have a lot of friends that play in a lot of bands, but they are bands that have been around for a long time.�

However, when pressed about which Swedish metal bands he considers friends, he does list Unleashed, Dismember, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, and At The Gates.

Finally, with Wolf God representing a major accomplishment in the band’s career—it is their ninth album, after all—did JB have any idea that Grand Magus would last this long when they began? “No, absolutely not,� he says. “Just the idea of getting a record deal back then was something really special.

Once we were able to do our first album, I definitely didn’t have any idea or plan to have done so many albums as we have.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

The new album

OUTSTRIDER Coming July 5!

Season-of-Mist.com

NEW NOISE 29

SUMMERjams

PHOTO BY WHITNEY LERCH

PHOTO BY JOE CALIXTO

TV RERUNS, SIMMERING FURY, SCORCHING LYRICS, BALMY EVENINGS, BREATHABLE FABRICS, SKA BASSLINES, WARM BEER, WARMER HEARTS, SWEATY BASEMENTS, YOUTHFUL NOSTALGIA, SPIRITED SINGALONGS, OPEN MINDS, HARD TRUTHS, ROWDY PITS, PIT STAINS‌ OH, OH, THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS!

BY NICHOLAS SENIOR PHOTO BY GIANNA VADINO

NIGHTMARATHONS Pittsburgh

SECTION H8 Los Angeles

Missing Parts isn’t missing a damn thing. It’s one of those albums that transports the lis-

Section H8: Population‌ Five, but they’re happy to accept immigrants. Applicants must

tener back to high school and those local Friday night shows, evoking the intensely fun

be willing to think freely, embrace diversity, and H8 the state of the world. Also, and very

Missing Parts | March 29 | A-F Records RIYL: Basement shows. Upbeat nightmares. Community.

AMERICAN WAR MACHINE Boston Unholy War | April 12 | Bridge Nine Records RIYL: Squad goals. “The A-Team.� “M*A*S*H.�

“Some people see [our] name and instantly think [we’re] fascists,� American War Ma-

CABANA WEAR Philadelphia & New Jersey

Cabana Wear | March 15 | Sludge People RIYL: Swim trunks. Tiki drinks. Self-awareness.

party afoot. Indeed, with a name evoking a beachside hut and stunner shades, Cabana

so much blind faith in a system that is proven to be corrupt. It makes zero sense to me. We

Wear are the sonic embodiment of a relaxed yet incredible summer party. However,

touch on the silliness of the American political system without being too heavy-handed

there’s much more going on within their self-titled debut LP than simple surface-level

about it, as well as the horrors of war.� In that sense, they’re like a hardened, bitter

shenanigans. “The last song, ‘Where I Am,’ I think is a good culmination of the silly and

version of “M*A*S*H,� rallying against the absurdity of war and politics yet not afraid

soul-bearing,� vocalist and guitarist Brian Mietz states. “In the end, it’s about really just

to have a good time in the process. Founded by members of Blood For Blood, Agnostic

trying to be the best person you can be every day. Wake. Pray. Slay.� That’s a hell of

Front, Slapshot, and more, American War Machine are every bit the East Coast hard-

a mantra, but it showcases the self-reflection and self-awareness that are the key to

core punk A-Team, bringing together the best of the scene to form a band who aren’t

Cabana Wear’s success. This is a record imbued with sunny smiles in the way only the

afraid to kick ass and sound great doing it. Their debut LP, Unholy War, is hardcore at

best power pop is—think an even cheerier version of Weezer’s Blue Album. Cabana Wear

its most efficient: raw, relentless, and furious. Yet, the members’ collective talents show

is peak summer jams.

they are clearly having fun despite it all, and that’s where the album truly shines.

importantly, they must love enraged, lively metallic hardcore. This storied land’s mission

closest friends. Nightmarathons feature a host of scene veterans trying to recreate that

statement is clear: “Section H8 is about friendship and telling the truth,� vocalist Mexi

late ’90s, early ’00s melodic punk fever dream, but Missing Parts is no nightmare. Big riffs

says. “The five of us are very close friends, so doing this together feels good, because

and bigger hooks are de rigueur here, but there’s a pervasive energy and enthusiasm

it’s more of a gang than a band. In a world full of manipulation, posturing, and phony

that leaves you with the biggest shit-eating grin possible. “I like to party. I also have a lot

nonsense, we are the band that will never lie to you.� The national anthems on Section

going on in my brain all the time. Boom: Nightmarathons,� vocalist and guitarist Corey

H8’s debut EP, Phase One, traffic in a wild and varied style, mixing New York hardcore,

laughs. Missing Parts isn’t all fun and games; the album reflects on personal, political,

grind, and Japanese metallic hardcore in equal measure. It all results in a riveting short

and existential frustrations, but that isn’t what sticks with you after you’ve spun it 17 con-

burst of excitement—roughly eight and a half minutes in total—that will unite listeners

secutive times—but who’s counting? These are expertly-crafted, nostalgic tunes by and

through a shared hatred of humanity and a willingness to throw the fuck down in the pit.

for those who want to shout about the world in a basement together. It’s a punk party.

VANDOLIERS

PHOTO BY MIKE BROOKS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST JOSHUA FLEMING BY JOHN B. MOORE he six-piece Dallas-Fort Worth band Vandoliers sound like a lot of things—punk, outlaw country, Tejano, Americana—but above all else, they sound like Texas.

The Bloodshot marriage comes, in part, thanks to their friends and fellow Texans in Old 97’s. “From what I’m told, Bloodshot had been given a copy of our [2017] album, The Native, by the Old 97’s and had been listening to it at the office,� Fleming says. “I don’t think we would sound anything “They liked it enough to invite us out to play like this if we weren’t from Texas,� lead their day party at SXSW last year. We had vocalist and acoustic guitarist Joshua a blast performing that day, and after the Fleming says. “So many great styles show, we went to dinner where they offered were born in Texas—electric blues, Te- us a deal to work together. So many great jano, outlaw country, Texas swing, just albums have come out under this label, to name a few—so there’s a lot of great and I’m excited to add our name to that list.� history that we were born into and surrounded by growing up. It’s also a very Old 97’s lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist proud state, and it comes with a state Rhett Miller also shares a cowriting credit of mind. Our twang, our fiddles and on the song “Fallen Again.� “While I was horns, our loud drums all come from our writing this album, I found myself between a regional influence. People call us cow- rock and a hard place,� Fleming says. “I had punk, Americana, red dirt, rock, country, a pile of songs, but I wasn’t confident in my and a million other things, but to me, we choices for the record—maybe it’s the presare just playing Texas music.� sure of being on a new label, putting out a third record, or just my own anxiety. I reached That Texas music is all over Forever, the out to Rhett, as he is a huge influence on my band’s latest LP and first for Bloodshot writing, a great person, and has been someRecords, released on Feb. 22. one I can message when the chips are down.�

T

DOWNHAUL Richmond, Virginia

Before You Fall Asleep | March 29 | Refresh Records RIYL: Growing up. Getting down. Slappin’ da bass.

When a band have something unique and extra special, it’s typically at the forefront of their sound, not an important nuance. However, one of Downhaul’s best aspects is subtle—and delightfully out of place when compared with other like-minded bands.

Vocalist and guitarist Gordon Phillips puts it succinctly: “Pat [Davis]’s bass parts are a huge component of our sound, and I think his playing is largely informed by punk and ska. Most bands that sound similar to us don’t have busy bass parts or actual ‘basslines’ as a core tenet of their music. Pat loves fills.� Davis stands out because his slaphappy yet tasteful approach really does feel like he’s playing in a ska punk band rather than an emotionally-resonant emo ensemble, which helps Downhaul’s heartfelt and exceptionally fucking fantastic songs about coming to grips with the person you’ve become avoid ever lapsing into sappiness. Their debut LP, Before You Fall Asleep, is emo punk for those who are willing to let their hair down while shedding a tear—or five.

30 NEW NOISE

feeling from those old haunts where you screamed along to loud punk songs with your

When an album begins with a killer hook about throwing up, you know there’s quite the

chine guitarist Craig Silverman notes. “Nothing could be further from the truth. There’s

PHOTO BY MADISON EARLS

Phase One | March 29 | Flatspot Records RIYL: Diversity. Free thought. Unity through hatred

Miller helped look at the songs from a different angle and allowed Fleming to feel confident in what he had written.

While there are definitely shades of outlaw country and rock in Vandoliers’ music, the band members are punks at their core.

They all grew up listening to punk rock and still do, and those influences can be heard throughout Forever. “Before Vandoliers, I was in a series of failed punk rock bands,�

Fleming says. “I grew up loving The Clash and Ramones, Bad Religion and Rancid, and anything loud and aggressive. I have always been surrounded by country music;

being from Texas, it’s everywhere. The honesty of the songs and the ability to just write about my life, regardless of if it was punk or outlaw, is what attracted me to try something different.�

With Forever finally out in the world, Vandoliers headed to SXSW before beginning their trek through the western states in April and May. “It looks like we will be touring constantly, and I’m excited to travel overseas at some point too,â€? Fleming says. “It’s all been leading up to this, and we’re ready for anything.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE 31

CHILTON

“

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/DRUMMER JOSH CAROTHERS BY JOHN SILVA just go back to ‘What did I like as a kid when I first heard all these bands?’ and just do my own version of it,� he says.

here is the occasional odd time signature, but we didn’t color very far out of the lines,� vocalist and drummer Josh Carothers says of his new Brooklyn-based punk rock band Chilton’s new album.

If there’s one thing the band want listeners to get out of Little Birds, it’s the freedom to be unapologetically oneself. Their music captures that liberating feeling, which draws so many people to this genre.

There’s something fun about a back-tobasics approach to punk, and that’s what makes Chilton such a refreshing listen.

Released on March 26 via Dead Broke Rekerds, Little Birds is Chilton’s first record, but this ain’t their first rodeo. Carothers has previously been in bands like I FARM and Earworms. For this most recent endeavor, he partnered with other veterans of the alternative music scene, including Bill Stevenson of Black Flag, Descendents, and ALL.

“To us, it was important not to make some kind of dickhead record, where everything is so on point you feel like you’re in trouble while you’re listening. We’re saving that for our sophomore effort,â€? Carothers jokes. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

T

Musically, Little Birds is a fairly straightforward punk album. It’s fast, catchy, and packs a hell of a punch. “I figured, with the first Chilton record, just write stuff that feels good and worry about technical stuff later,�

Carothers says. Chilton have a very tight sound, which may stem from how well the members play together. For example, longtime friends Carothers and Stevenson—who has stepped away from the kit to play guitar— have great chemistry. “We just get along

really well,� Carothers says. “[We] make fun of all the same stuff and don’t take anything too seriously besides the actual music and getting the rad out. I consider Bill one of my best friends and an ancient family member.�

Although they have a close friendship, Stevenson’s work has been so influential for Carothers that he found it nerve-racking to reach out at first. “The first time I went and recorded with those guys, I was

scared shitless,� Carothers says. “I mean, I learned how to play drums from listening to Bill in Black Flag and all that. So, to come this many years later and be able to create with him as a friend, I mean, that’s like dream-come-true kind of stuff.�

INTERVIEW WITH REGAN ASHTON AND SHANE AUGUSTUS

alt Lake City’s Problem Daughter released their new album, Grow Up Trash, via Wiretap Records on March 22. Being a band off Interstate 80 in the middle of Utah can be a challenge for a number of reasons, political and otherwise, and Grow Up Trash is more fun disenchantment from the state’s pop punk forerunners.

lead songwriter Regan Ashton says. “We have different outlets than everyone else does. This place fuckin’ sucks. It’s also the best place at the same time. I don’t think I could live anyplace else—unless my friends come with me. I couldn’t move anywhere else unless my friends came with me, my band came with me. It’s really what you make it.�

“It’s kind of terrible and kind of great at the same time,� vocalist, bassist, and

Despite being influenced by living in Utah, Problem Daughter are the kind of band

S

PHOTO BY MCKENNA FRANDSEN

BY JOSHUA MARANHAS

32 NEW NOISE

PHOTO BY JEN CRAY

he Woolly Bushmen love that old- Farfisa organ, and barely audible vocals. time rock ’n’ roll. The 11 tunes on They’re delivered with enough energy to In Shambles, their third album, due blow every fuse in a small city. out on Pig Baby Records on May 10, sound like blasts from the garage-band past. The “I was playing classical piano and not that songs sport three big chords, memorable interested in rock ’n’ roll,� says Simon hooks played on fuzzed-out guitar and Palombi, the band’s songwriter, who also played music for over 15 years together.

There’s some riffs, hooks, and melodies on this record that we wrote when Problem Daughter started 10 years ago. It’s been really cool. You get different pieces of our lives: 10-years-ago versions of us, yesterday versions of us. We’re really big on frankenstein-ing too; we all come together and frankenstein songs together.�

who strive to tell universal tales. Listeners can be from New Jersey, Gainesville, Florida, or Boston and still understand the anthems they belt out. “A lot of people wouldn’t connect with our politics,�

Touching on the tone of Grow Up Trash, guitarist, vocalist, and cowriter Shane Augustus adds, “I hope [listeners] connect Augustus says, “[but] everybody has their with how sad it is, but also, it’s not just like, own battles, their own personal struggles that they’re going through. I think a lot of ‘Poor me.’ It’s like, ‘This kind of sucks, but we got this, we can do this, we can get people, wherever they are, can relate to through this.’ It’s a very poppy record.� that shit.�

Ashton explains the band’s process for “We have this really weird dynamic, where we’ll write some of the worst parts of our writing Grow Up Trash by noting, “I like to write about some shit—just get it out. lives, but we’re kind of a good time—not going to lie,â€? Ashton concludes. “All of our It can be something that’s very personal songs are kind of ridiculous, because we to me, but a lot of people have gone don’t want to be that band that’s kind of through the same thing. When I write a song, I don’t sit there and say, ‘You know, too serious. We get it out in songs. Other than that, we’re down for a good time.â€? tomorrow, I’m going to write a song.’ It just kind of—when it happens, it happens. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł I write a cool riff. I don’t even write the lyrics until I can get a melody. I hum it, kind of bounce around with it. As soon as I hit a roadblock, I just pass the baton to Shane. I don’t like to force anything, so as soon as I can’t contribute anymore to the riff, I start on lyrics while they figure out the rest of it.â€?

Augustus elaborates that collaborating as a band is what makes their writing work. “Our band is really cool in the way that we have two songwriters,� he says. “Regan writes the lion’s share of our songs.

I write a good portion of our songs. So, we come together on that. Regan and I

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST SIMON PALOMBI BY J POET

T

Chilton make music that is energetic and fun above all else. It’s the type of music that made Carothers fall in love with punk rock in the first place. “I kinda wanted to

Problem Daughter

THE WOOLLY BUSHMEN sings lead and plays guitar, Farfisa, and bass. “We lived in Cleveland. I was going to school for classical composition. Every time I wrote a piece, I was told, ‘You’re doing everything wrong. Drums can’t go here, strings can’t be there.’ I dropped out and started recording high school punk bands.

That got me into rock a little. Then, my uncle gave me a copy of Nuggets II: [Original Artyfacts From the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969], with all the British bands. That was it.�

Palombi moved to Orlando, Florida, for a degree in Recording Arts but dropped out after a few months. “I didn’t want to learn how to make hip hop beats. That’s all they were teaching,� he says. “I met Jacob [Miller]. He played guitar and bass, just like me, so we’d jam together, thinking about starting a band. We went through a couple of drummers, then convinced my brother Julian [Palombi] to start playing.�

Orlando has a small punk and garage band scene, and The Woolly Bushmen were soon filling clubs and house parties with frenzied fans. When they put out an LP

entitled Sky Bosses on their own label, Chesterwick Records, in 2014, the 200 copies they made sold out almost instantly. “I saw a post on the Pig Baby Records Facebook page. They said they were looking for bands,� Palombi explains. “I sent them 11 songs we recorded at home in eight hours.

They released it in 2017 as Arduino, our first proper album.�

When it came time to make a follow-up, the trio decided to expand their musical horizons. “I put more time into writing the songs on this record and more emotional attachment as well,� Palombi says. “In Shambles was recorded over a long period of time, in our home, using analog tape and vintage equipment to capture the sound we like. Doing analog tracking, mixing, and editing was a pain in the ass. We only had eight tracks, so you have to do a lot of bouncing tracks down. We broke out of the three-chord realm and added a couple of ominous fourth chords while keeping the songs short and catchy.� “On a couple of things, you can hear the loss in sound generation on the tape, but it doesn’t bother me,� he concludes. “I like the way it all muds together. When you have the time to go through things and keep retrying different takes, you tend to get overcritical of things the average listener won’t notice.

That can ruin it. Most of the time, the first take is the best.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

TOUGH

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST MARK BANFILL BY J POET serious, dealing with the realities of growing he Tough Shits like to party and rock up in a time when options are often limited out, but the Philadelphia band also by financial and political situations, but the have a serious side. Burger Records released their new album, Burning in Paradise, short, upbeat arrangements keep things moving along at a brisk pace. “Brevity is the on March 22. It’s hitting the streets eight years soul of wit,� Banfill says. “Our attitude has after their self-titled debut LP came out in 2011, and it shows off the band’s new maturity. always been, ‘OK, you didn’t like that one?

Here’s another.’� “Children were had, problems—personal and professional—were wrestled with, and deBanfill says they chose the album title to mons were beaten off,� says Mark Banfill, who plays rhythm guitar and keyboards in addi- encompass the themes of the songs. “There’s a lot of loss, regret, and failure,� he explains, tion to contributing lead vocals. “Nothing too “facing the monster in the mirror after the dramatic, just general real-life shit.� party is over. You have something good and you ruin it.�

After their last album, the band briefly broke up and came back together, lost and added The band recorded the music live at Retro a few members, and played as many dates City Studios with producer Joe Boldizar, who as they could. This time out, Banfill says, they took a more realistic approach to recording. has worked with artists like matt pond PA and Ruby The Hatchet. He helped the band tweak “We probably still had some optimism when we recorded the first one,� he says, laughing. the finished tracks and add a few overdubs. “The early vintage Tough Shits songs were con- “Joe is great. He was a babysitter and mediator,�

Banfill says. “He flipped all the switches and sciously dumb and fun. This one is more like the flip side of too much dumb fun. It’s a reck- twiddled all the knobs. We don’t really know about that shit, so we need someone who does.� oning but hopefully cathartic, not overly dour or self-pitying. We concentrated on making a joyous noise in the face of ugly odds, ’cause With Burning in Paradise on the streets, The what else are you gonna do?�

Tough Shits are ready to get back out there and hit the clubs. “Shows can be hit or miss,� Banfill says. “It’s part of our charm.

The 10 songs on Burning in Paradise stay close to the band’s original template: bright, uplift- Ideally, there is a great feeling of release for everyone involved, a less-than-sober ing music with a hint of punk, glam, and R&B communion of some sort.� in the arrangements. The lyrics are a bit more

T

Despite all the ups and downs they’ve been through, Banfill says the band are in this for the long haul. “[Lead guitarist] John [Heald] and I have been playing in one band or another for 15 years now,� he says. “The Tough Shits came together over our shared affinity for cheap beer and Sam-Cooke-based allnight dance parties. The initial lineup lived together in a South Philly row home. It was

also our practice space. This was 2007 or so.

Members got married and moved and got frustrated and quit, but, foolishly, we persisted. [Bassist] Max [DiMezza] and [drummer] Joe [Reno] had been buddies for a long time and slid very nicely into the rhythm section role. We’re still family with everyone who’s ever been in the band.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE

33

e v a D hause

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN SNODGRASS PHOTO BY ALAN SNODGRASS

INTERVIEW BY JOHN B. MOORE

here is a pretty steep contrast between Dave Hause’s last record, 2017’s deeply nostalgic and surprisingly optimistic Bury Me in Philly, and his latest, Kick. While Bury Me in Philly digs into three-minute acoustic punk jams about the power of friendship, love, and growing up, Kick tackles much darker themes.

T

“This record is more of a survival guide of how you stay human when you feel like everything around you is disintegrating into chaos,â€? Hause says. “A lot of the ideals that we had assumed were normal—civil rights and open thoughts toward immigrants—all of that stuff is now in question. I do think it’s a lot more immediate, it’s a lot more topical, and as I continue to make records, it may turn out that the ‌Philly record is more of an anomaly.â€?

Hause describes Kick, which comes out on Rise Records on April 12, as in the same vein as his first couple of solo albums and the music he wrote with The Loved Ones. “It’s much more what I’m used to,� he says. “I think, with Bury Me in Philly, that dealt a lot with where I was at the time. I wrote a lot of [it] with Tim [Hause] prior to the election. I was living in this weird bubble where I came out to California and my life was good; I had stopped drinking, and I didn’t want to make a negative record or a sad record.

I wasn’t any of those things when I made Bury Me in Philly.�

sical soulmate with that big of a gap is pretty remarkable and special.�

Tim initially joined Dave as part of his band for the Bury Me in Philly tours. “He came to us very green, just out of Temple University,� Hause relates. “He was just a little stalled out at college, didn’t know what to study. That was until he came out on the road for a 10-week tour and it got into his blood and he was really good at it. It’s kind of blossomed into a creative relationship.�

So, where does the relationship go from here? “That sort of begs another question: Does this become more like a duo, like The Avett Brothers or something, and less like a solo endeavor?�

Hause asks rhetorically. “I never wanted a solo career. The Loved Ones just sort of slowed down, stalled out.

We had so much coming at us and everyone wanted to take a break, but I didn’t. I just wanted to keep going, so I thought, ‘I guess I’ll just do this on my own.’ It’s weird the way life plays out. At this point, it’s more of a family affair with my brother; it seems to be leading in that direction. If he wanted to do a Bruno-Mars-style record, maybe we’d go our own ways. We’re sort of still grinding that out.�

As the two work out their future on tour, Hause is faced with another new situation: having to tour for the first time as a father of twin sons.

Hause’s brother and bandmate Tim “They were born in January. We did helped a bit with the songwriting one show in November in New Jersey, direction on the last album, but it’s because I knew the kids were coming. on Kick that the two brothers really We kinda put all these dates together emerged as a songwriting team. “We hoping we could get a record done, just went whole hog into this new re- knowing that I had to go back to work,â€? cord as cowriters,â€? Hause says. he says. “I kinda carved out a paternity leave for myself. When you’re a muAt 25, Tim is 15 years younger than sician, paternity leave is a whole other Dave. “It’s been a really cool bond thing that’s just when you know you’re to forge,â€? Hause says. “He really not going to be getting paid. Thankbrought me and my sisters together fully, we got the record done, and this when I was a teenager and there will be my first foray into touring with was sort of a period when my mom kids, which is super scary. We set it up passed; he was 11 and I was touring so that I’m only gone for about two a lot and he was getting into high or three weeks at a time each month, school and there was a natural drift. and then we go to Europe, so that To kind of develop an adult relation- we can take little bites out of this new ship together and end up with a mu- endeavor.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

34 NEW NOISE

A V A I L A B L E M AY 1 7

Recorded by Grammy Award winning producer

JAMES BROWN

(Foo Fighters, Ghost, NIN)

Featuring the singles “10 DAYS� and “SAVAGE HEART�

AVA I L A B L E F O R M AT S

CD / 100 page art book / Limted edition colored vinyl AQUAL AMB.ORG

SCAN TO ORDER

NEW NOISE 35

S T S I H C R ANA PRE TT Y

MARTHA

INTERVIEW WITHÂ DRUMMER/VOCALIST NATHAN STEPHENS-GRIFFIN BY JOHN SILVA

“

I

t takes a degree of strength to is critical of big social media orga- says. “DIY was always a means to the bands like Fleetwood Mac or The open yourself up to falling in love nizations who sell users’ information end of critiquing capitalism, not an Beatles, who seem to share lead again after going through some- for a profit. He acknowledges that end in and of itself.â€? responsibilities fairly seamlessly in thing very difficult,â€? Martha drummer using those platforms has become a their records,â€? Stephens-Griffin says. and vocalist Nathan Stephens-Griffin necessary evil, particularly for small- The band also take an anarchist “We were also influenced by anarcho says of the title track from the band’s er bands in DIY circles, but he still approach to their sound, as the four bands like CRASS and Chumbawamnewest LP, Love Keeps Kicking, out April understands the criticism of groups, members share both songwriting ba who had that kind of ahierarchi5 on Dirtnap Records. “There’s an in- like his, who leverage tools like Spo- and singing duties instead of des- cal process where different people evitability that love will keep kicking tify, Facebook, and Instagram. “We ignating one frontperson. “It was would front songs but it wasn’t ever the shit out of you all through your life, sometimes get called out for being always the aim to have a kind of about one person being ‘the lead.’â€? but there’s some hope in that.â€? ‘fake DIY’ these days, and I understand collaborative process in songwriting that and sympathize,â€? he says. “I think where anyone can write or sing a As a result, Martha’s sound has a The track is a good example of some- the term has been completely ap- song,â€? Stephens-Griffin explains. familial, communal feel. Listening thing the Durham, England, band do propriated by profit-seeking forces, “We had all been in bands before, to Love Keeps Kicking feels like remarkably well, especially on Love and we’ve played a small part in and that had helped us to have a sitting in the living room of a punk Keeps Kicking: juxtaposing upbeat letting that happen by calling our- pretty clear idea of what we wanted house, laughing and crying with joyful music against downhearted selves DIY yet engaging with these to do. We knew we wanted the band a group of close friends to escape lyrics. “I think, certainly, we always corporate interests.â€? to be collaborative in who is writing the world outside. The band are want there to be some hope in there and who is singing.â€? unabashedly collaborative in their somewhere in the songs, but the new- As Martha have grown in popularity, approach, and it comes through est album is probably the most som- the band have gained more oppor- The sharing of vocal duties is more sonically. “We like the idea that our ber we’ve done,â€? Stephens-Griffin tunities to promote their values to than just an artistic choice; it is albums will sound coherent and says. “I think that reflects a world that their listeners, and that has become rooted in the band members’ core flow well but it’s actually four differfeels increasingly bleak and hopeless.â€? their objective. “Ultimately, I see our beliefs and values. “There was ent people contributing songs,â€? Sterole now as taking opportunities to an anarchist element to having a phens-Griffin says. “It’s something Martha are decidedly political in articulate anti-capitalist, anti-neolib- nonhierarchical band structure and that takes work. Ultimately, all of the both their songwriting and how they eral ideas from the modest platform writing process. As weird as it sounds, songs are, to one degree or another, conduct business. Stephens-Griffin we’ve achieved,â€? Stephens-Griffin we were also influenced by classic collaborative efforts.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

36 NEW NOISE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACKI VITETTA

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST STEFAN BABCOCK

BY JOHN SILVA

I

“Literally all of these ideas start off as jokes. Like, ‘Wouldn’t it be crazy if— whatever,’� Babcock explains, “and then, we sit down and say, ‘All right, how do we actually accomplish this?’ I think one of the things that I’m pretty proud of with this band, that I think has really set us apart, is that usually whenever we come up with a pretty wild concept for anything, we try to follow through with it.�

One of PUP’s most recent experiments stemmed from Babcock’s fascination with musicians covering songs they’ve never listened to. The band released lyrics and chords for “Free At Last� ahead of Morbid Stuff’s April release and asked their fans to record their own version of the song.

In a matter of weeks, they had hours and hours of covers—of a song no one had even heard yet.

The Dream Is Over. Since forming the band, the four members have toured relentlessly, building a loyal and ever-growing following. If there’s one takeaway from PUP’s success, it’s that hard work pays off—eventually.

“There are a few that I’m like, ‘This “We did so many shitty tours playing legitimately might be better than to five people a night,â€? Babcock ours!’â€? Babcock laughs, “but also, the says. “We spent three years playing interesting thing is that of these 200- 250 shows each year, just on the road plus covers, not a single one of them for 10 out of 12 months, three years sounds like ours and not a single one in a row, doing crappy gigs, sleeping of them sounds like another one that on floors, just trying to make it work. I was submitted. It’s fucking crazy!â€? think that kind of resilience has paid off for us. I feel really lucky that we’ve Fans will get to hear what “Free managed to do that and that people At Lastâ€? actually sounds like when in the States and Europe and AustraMorbid Stuff is released on April 5 lia and wherever are responding well. via Rise Records and the band’s new It makes me feel like all the effort is label, Little Dipper. The album’s title worth it, and I feel really lucky.â€? đ&#x;’Ł is a fairly accurate description of its subject matter.

38 NEW NOISE

STRAIGHT INTO THE ADVENTURE OF ANCIENT DAYS! OUT

Viking Metal for fans of Heidevolk, Trollfest, Moonsorrow!

p U p

4/26 ! MANEGARM - Fornaldarsagor Available as LTD Digipak, LTD Vinyl, Download & Stream!

monkey 3 sphere Heavy Psych-Rock from Outer Space – Your Mind-Blowing Trip to the universe! “Monkey3 continues to make me trip, cool vibes coming from this one. Heavy, mesmerizing killer jams. Dig it 100%.

Go get this record!!“ John Garica (Kyuss / Vista Chino) OUT

really think so many people have “The reason I write songs is to kind of great ideas, and the fact that figure shit out for myself, and with mupeople generally don’t follow sic, with this band, there’s a chance to through on them, it’s really a shame,� do something productive with somesays Stefan Babcock, lead vocalist thing that’s pretty self-destructive at and guitarist for the Toronto rock the same time,� Babcock admits. “It band PUP. might be our darkest album, but I also think, at the same time, it’s our It’s not surprising that he has this most joyous and fun. To me, it’s kind point of view; besides being a really of celebrating the fact that we’re good band, PUP are probably best working through all that shittiness.� known for their out-of-the-box ideas, from releasing an innovative music This is PUP’s third full-length album, video in the form of a Choose Your following their beloved 2016 record, Own Adventure game to writing a 3D zine—with 3D glasses included—to offering a preorder package for their new record, Morbid Stuff, that includes an emergency preparedness kit with an actual full-sized inflatable boat.

4/12 ! MONKEY 3 - Sphere

Available as LTD Digipak, LTD Vinyl, Download & Stream!

MELODIC DEATH METAL MEETS TRANCE – THIS ALBUM MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW MOVEMENT!

OUT

“

3/29 ! RAGE OF LIGHT - Imploder VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE WITH OVER 30.000 ITEMS – SPECIAL EDITIONS, CDS, VINYL, DVDS, MERCHANDISE: WWW.NAPALMRECORDSAMERICA.COM!

Available as LTD Digipak, Download & Stream!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM PARSHALL

40 NEW NOISE

NEW NOISE

41

J

Justice Tripp didn’t set out to make summery acoustic love songs reminiscent of running through a floral meadow in slow motion.

tracks out loud while recording was “definitely difficult.� Songs like “Biggest Girl� and “Light Blue� show the dimensions of love, “asking the questions, ‘Do you want to be with me? Do you think I’m deserving?’� he explains. The raw instinct and passion on the record is undeniable, even at moments of peak vulnerability.

In fact, the frontman of Baltimore’s own Angel Du$t was going through one of the toughest times of his life. Dealing “Writing [this] music was very organic [and] one of the more emotional with loss, feeling inadequate, and at a crossroads, he did things I’ve ever put myself into in my life,� Tripp says. “A lot of times what felt right, and that was to transcend hardcore. when you start writing a song, you know what it feels like [and] you know what it sounds like. I was having trouble letting myself write down This new era of Angel Du$t was always on the horizon, but with their re- what I was thinking. When you write those words down, it becomes lease of Pretty Buff via Roadrunner much more real. I held off on Records on March 15, the group writing lyrics, [and] actually have solidified their own path in having to sing them out loud rock ’n’ roll. Described by Tripp as was a different process for me.� “vulnerable, energetic, [and] cool,�

Pretty Buff shows the band are still From inception to fruition, evolving, even though the vocalist Pretty Buff stands as the first and guitarist wanted to take Angel album Angel Du$t have made Du$t in this direction all along. with Roadrunner Records and finds the band blossoming into “We all gravitate more toward their uniquely off-the-wall yet [music] that sounds like running sensitive character, influenced through a field of flowers, so it more by The Lemonheads, The makes sense we came out with Violent Femmes, and The Feelies music like [Pretty Buff],� Tripp than classic hardcore. Climbing says. “It’s provocative in a sense. the charts and showing up on We [wanted] to do something curated playlists may seem like people didn’t expect us to do.� minor steppingstones, but these accomplishments have garHaving been “hit [with loss] a little nered the band more attention more than usual� over the past than ever before. While Tripp couple of years, Tripp decided says being a musical influencer to cope by adding some glittery is “scary and intimidating,� earworms to the Angel Du$t cataAngel Du$t wear it well, never log. With quintessential love songs taking themselves too seriously. “Take Away The Pain� and “Big Ass Love� as Pretty Buff’s lead singles— “The idea that you have a first released on a four-song preresponsibility and people are view EP dubbed Lil Buff—it might looking at you and caring about not be immediately apparent what you do or say� is intimidatthat Tripp was having a difficult ing, Tripp says. “That’s part of time when writing these lyrics. being in a band, though; people are going to listen to what you “Everybody experiences loss; I am say. I’m very aware of what no different,� he says. “I [thought] [being in this position] means. a fun concept was thinking about With appreciation comes reloss and things that traditionally sponsibility to create a product can be presented very dark that’s inclusive and welcoming.�

PHOTO BY JOE CALIXTO and [then] making it hopeful, exciting, and as happy as possible. It made me feel more optimistic.â€? After Angel Du$t’s sophomore album, Rock the Fuck On Forever, was released via Pop Wig Records in 2016, Tripp says he saw “a “Funâ€? is an understatement: Pretty Buff shines with springy, silvery vocals lot of influence of our music on young people,â€? leaving an from Tripp and unorthodox percussion instruments woven into the “impressionâ€? on them. The band walk the line between leading hooks of the tracks. The single “Big Ass Loveâ€? is an ode to Angel Du$t’s their rock ’n’ roll revolution and joining it themselves. Though passion for rock ’n’ roll, yet the video features the members wearing they want to “change the way people view music in general,â€? papier-mâchĂŠ replicas of their respective dogs’ heads. Having Tripp says the young people of the world are the ones who will recently lost his English Bull Terrier, Spike, Tripp beams with love on really change things. If turning tragedy into glimmering warmth the song and calls the video a “cool representation of that love.â€? is an indication of how the youth’s perspective can turn things around, then Pretty Buff will be the soundtrack to their rebellion. “How we are to our dogs is how we are as people,â€? Tripp explains. “The way the [song] speaks about music in gen- “When we started the band, there was not a lot of intention of taking eral relates how much somebody can love their dog.â€? over the world,â€? Tripp says. “While I always like pushing people’s buttons, I wanted to offset how people see rock ’n’ roll music. I never The emotional tenor of Pretty Buff isn’t lost on Tripp. He struggled thought I’d be in a position where it would go [this] far. Hopefully [the with putting pen to paper for the album and says playing the music is] inspiring young people to do whatever they want to do.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

42 NEW NOISE

NEW NOISE 43

44 NEW NOISE

DEATHSPRING ELDER GODS, ANCIENT RITUALS, BLISTERING SPEEDS, DEMONIC VOCALS, SOCIAL AWARENESS, POLITICAL ACUMEN, BOLD EXPERIMENTATION, UNDYING PERSISTENCE, SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY, CREEPING FLAMES. FUCK FALL‌ EVERY SEASON IS THE SEASON OF DEATH!

UNDEAD PROPHECIES

Sempiternal Void | March 22 | Listenable Records RIYL: Summoning demons. Worshiping the Old Gods. Snazzy cloaks.

Without trying, Undead Prophecies are the Tenacious D of death metal: Their second album, Sempiternal Void, isn’t the greatest death metal album in the world‌ It’s just a tribute. That last part is unembellished. Literally cloaked in secrecy, Undead Prophecies consist of five mysterious individuals who have created a record dripping with the spirit of what made the ancient gods so special. Death, Morbid Angel, Possessed, Massacre, and even Edge Of Sanity could be namedropped, but none of that gets at why this album is so singular. Indeed, Undead Prophecies have conjured the actual souls of those Old Death Metal Gods, invoking and imbuing their retro-death with the feel of the classics while also coloring outside the lines. Sempiternal Void is an incredible tribute to the masters who birthed death metal and may even prove that earlier statement wrong: only time will tell if it is the greatest death metal album in the world. Regardless, it will easily go down as one of the most enjoyable and downright nasty examples in recent years. Wisely, Undead Prophecies’ lyrical concepts echo their musical darkness. “We want to illustrate the mortuary walk initiated by mankind with this album,â€? vocalist King Oscuro notes, “a hopeless and endless circle to the void.â€? Sempiternal Void may be circling the drain lyrically, but musically, it’s ascending to a new plane of death metal existence.

V

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST ALEX WADE BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

I

n this era of throwback culture, there are some musicians and bands fans revisit and shrug at and others who definitely stand the test of time.

Whitechapel are one of those bands.

Although many remember them from their earlier days of metal fandom, the Knoxville, Tennessee, band have grown, changed, and progressed with each passing year while still staying true to their original heavy roots. Their seventh studio album, The Valley, released on March 29 via Metal Blade Records, is a very new take on their traditional sound. “I feel like we have just matured our sound and image overall,� guitarist Alex Wade says when asked about the group’s progression since forming in 2006. “We will always be the deathcore band people grew up listening to, but over the years, we have been taking steps away from that and just focusing on being a heavy metal band. We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into a genre. If we want to sing, we’re gonna sing; if we want to be heavy,

then we will be heavy. Everything we write comes natural. Nothing is forced, so whatever music we release is just the next evolution of the band to me.�

sound the same as the last one. We want each record to stand on its own and have no interest in writing albums that sound the same.�

Whitechapel also took a brandThe new record branches out new approach when they recorded from Whitechapel’s previous w, stepping outside of Wade’s home work. Although their sound has studio to capture this new sound. evolved with every release, this one takes things in a boldly different “For this one, the instrumentation direction. The imagery of The Valley was mainly written and recorded is like something out of a ’70s occult at [guitarist] Zach Householder’s film, and the sound feels fresh, home studio,â€? Wade explains. “That borrowing from the deathcore was new, as usually we work from canon while tapping into the sounds my house. Then, the vocals were of traditional death metal and recorded at my home studio, and doom as well. the drums were done at a Warner Brothers studio location in Nashville. “I’m excited for everyone to hear the The drum room really made the new sounds we have created for this drums sound amazing in my opinion.â€? record,â€? Wade says. “It’s different, but it still sounds like Whitechapel. Between the new recording process, Even when we experiment with the direction their music is going, our sound, you can still hear small and the touring schedule the band traits of Whitechapel throughout in have ahead of them, 2019 appears my opinion. So, expect something to be a good year for Whitechapel. different but familiar as well. I Look out for them in the U.S. as they believe every record we release is coheadline the Chaos & Carnage just the next chapter of our career. Tour with Dying Fetus from April With every album, we progress and 18 to May 17 and expect more big mature our sound, never stepping things from the band after this backward but also never trying to major release.đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

“IF WE WANT TO SING, WE’RE GONNA SING; IF WE WANT TO BE HEAVY, THEN WE WILL BE HEAVY. EVERYTHING WE WRITE COMES NATURAL.�

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST RUNE “BLASPHEMER�

ERIKSEN BY BRANDON RINGO AND KELLEY O’DEATH

L

egendary former Morbid Angel vocalist David Vincent, former Mayhem guitarist Rune “Blasphemerâ€? Eriksen, and Cryptopsy drummer Flo Mounier have come together to form the death metal super-trio VLTIMAS. Connecting across vast distances from their homes in Georgetown, Texas; Almada, Portugal; and MontrĂŠal, QuĂŠbec, the members have cultivated a crushing debut LP, Something Wicked Marches In, out March 29 via Season Of Mist.

“I literally learned to play guitar to death metal records in the late ’80s, so I guess you can say that this style of expression has somehow become my most recognizable voice,� Eriksen says. “After a few failed attempts of getting something steady up on its feet, speaking about death [and] black metal bands here, VLTIMAS became the grand solution.� “Flo and I had worked together before and knew each other well musically, so contacting him was a no-brainer for me. [He’s] a great drummer who I knew would be the right man for the job,� he continues. “For me, David is the definite voice of death metal and a great frontman, so with him and Flo onboard, I knew immediately the potential was huge, to put it mildly.�

Eriksen notes that there’s “always a bit of uncertainty in the air when the first rehearsal kicks off. You know, although we have known each other for longer

46 NEW NOISE

than this band has existed, we have never jammed together before—well, Flo and I had, as already mentioned, but with David onboard, it was a new thing, a new experience altogether. I am sure there was some confusion at times to how we could get this going smoothly, but the more time we spent together, the easier things started going, not only from a musical perspective but also from a more spiritual perspective. The key is dialogue.�

determined and pretty much prepared, With nine devastating tracks and cover so it was a rather easy ride,� Eriksen art by renowned Polish artist Zbigniew shares. “Besides, the British countryside M. Bielak, Something Wicked Marches In always puts me in a good mood.� is poised to cast a wicked pall over the spring and summer months. Though he In contrast to that peaceful pastoral set out to make death metal, Eriksen imagery, the lyrics on Something Wicked says VLTIMAS’ sound developed col- Marches In are thick with apocalyptic laboratively. “Once we got in the same portent. “The lyrics are David’s field, so rehearsal room, some new things came I don’t want to put too much of my own along and some modifications were interpretation out there, but generally done to the already-existing ones,� he speaking, there is apocalypse, from pre says. “When we all are gathered in the to post,� Eriksen explains. “Personally, I same space, with more people tuning believe our expression is of joint characin to the vibe and giving their energy, ter; I honestly think we managed to conopinions, and inputs, it all changes a vey the same feelings from a lyrical and bit. So, ultimately, I’d say this is the way musical point of view. Even the artwork we collectively sound. Now, the task is to itself gives a feeling of a complete unity.� feed this fire and see where we are at when the second album is done.� “This is a full-on band,� he concludes, “and we will do what we can to bring this The album was produced and mixed by as far as possible. I believe I can state Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios for all of us that we have this as our in the U.K. “I’ve had my share of rough stu- main band at this point. Of course, we dio experiences in the past, but this one will also keep our other bands alive. Flo was rather enjoyable. We came in very has Cryptopsy and has a rather hectic

PHOTO BY TINA K.

year; David is doing I Am Morbid, as well as his country music. I do Aura Noir, although to a lesser extent these days, and I also do have a psychedelic rock band called Earth Electric out on Season Of Mist, who will begin to record album number two this summer. But all things considered, VLTIMAS is our main drive and focus now, and I expect a busy 2020.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

Whitechapel Whitechapel Whitechapel STILL RIPPING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Whitechapel NEW NOISE 47

ALLEGAEON

PHOTO BY GREG JACOBS

“A damn fine album that further blurs whatever dividing lines are left b e t w e e n p u n k a n d A m e r i c a n a a n d o u t l a w c o u n t r y. � — D Y I N G S C E N E

The first proper album in 8 years from the long-running, genre-hopping, impossible-to-kill British folk-punk collective.

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST RILEY MCSHANE BY NICHOLAS SENIOR

T

he world doesn’t necessarily need a metal version of Bill Nye The Science Guy, but with their astronomically wonderful latest record, Colorado’s Allegaeon are filling that particular niche rather well.

To be clear, Apoptosis, out April 19 via Metal Blade Records, feels like it’s doing what The Science Guy does: encouraging listeners to be more informed, both from a scientific perspective and on how to be a better person. Of course, the band’s music is markedly better than and different from Nye’s iconic theme song—“Inertia is a property of matter!�—but their focus on various topics is similarly engaging and entertaining as well as educational. When your parents yell to keep the “Satan music� down, tell them it’s for science!

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a normal and controlled part of an organism’s growth and/ or development, and that explains why the record’s sonic shift feels like it unveils the best version of Allegaeon.

While the band’s patented blend of proggy, melodic extreme metal has flirted with organic perfection—they

48 NEW NOISE

even joked about their blend of the utilization of human intelligence “The amount of division and ratios on “1.618â€? from 2014’s Elements as a contributor to collective misdirection of tolerance in metal of the Infinite—it’s only now that forward progress that it really is is absolutely astounding,â€? he asserts. they’ve discovered their own Golden frustrating to observe.â€? “You see people ripping out each Ratio. Each of their styles is expanded other’s throats over the incorporation and blended to perfection, and their “With Apoptosis, I tried to address of stylistic changes in one breath music is more progressive, catchier, some of the more poignant issues while making excuses for domestic thrashier, and even more extreme. in 2018 from my own personal abusers or pedophiles or blatant viewpoint without incorporating racists because it’s ‘important to The past few records have seen judgment or condescension on any separate the art from the artist’ with members leave and be replaced, one group of people,â€? he continues. the next. It’s the most backwards thing members move across the country, “Rather, I am trying to push people to I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Of all a crowdfunding campaign to keep examine the current state of affairs the things to leave in the dust forever, the band going, and a never-ending and ask themselves if they are OK this method of behavior in the metal sense of resolve. All the turnover, with continuing to move in this community is at the top of the list.â€? personal growth, and introspection direction. Songs like ‘Metaphobia,’ resulted in a controlled pattern of [which literally means the fear of Apoptosis tackles various scientific development—with Apoptosis as the change], and especially the title agents of change throughout its pinnacle of Allegaeon’s growth. track address this idea forcefully.â€? sterling runtime, only magnifying the power of embracing growth in Vocalist Riley McShane notes how he Are there any particular aspects nature and in humanity. To Allegaeon, tried to balance these ideas from a of society that are due for a the connection is clear: being different perspective in his lyrical programmed death? “Toxic behavior comfortable with the latest version of approach. “Y’know, not to be the and thinking,â€? McShane answers. themselves had to start from within. ‘We live in a society‌’ guy, but there “While it may be clichĂŠ, ‘Why can’t Many will notice McShane’s amplified are just so many outdated methods we all just get along?’ seems to be a vocal range—with beautiful singing, of thought and operation being put pretty important ideology to adopt, gasp!—the push away from standard into action in society today,â€? he says. especially in the metal community. song structures, and the expanded “Whether it’s social or political, This world of ours, so well-stocked sonic boundaries; however, it’s the religious or philosophical, business- with so many incredibly talented sense of fun that makes Apoptosis responsive or labor-oriented, there and creative people, has spent the such a welcome release. are practices that people have better part of the past 10 years adhered to for years and years that putting ourselves into a box and Who knew songs about programmed are so entirely counterproductive to eating each other alive.â€? death could be this joyous?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

HUMAN QUESTION H u m a n Q u e s t i o n i s n ’ t m e a n t f o r t h e m e e k o r c a s u a l l i s t e n e r.

It will make you dance, mosh, sing along, and dig deep into your soul.

O R D E R N O W ! AT B L O O D S H O T R E C O R D S . C O M

T HE W O R L D I S O N FI R E

INTER ARMA 50 NEW NOISE

I

INTERVIEW WITH DRUMMER T.J. CHILDERS BY BEN SAILER

nter Arma have never If the overt aggression on Sulphur English constrained their sound to is a reaction to categorical complacenfit within traditional stylistic cy, its lyrical content is a call to arms to boundaries. Ever since the push back against both personal deRichmond, Virginia-based mons and the noxious political rhetoric metal quintet released their emerging from the swamps of Washingdebut album, Sundown, in 2010, they’ve ton, D.C., just north of the band’s home been blending loud subgenres with base. Those personal and political zero regard for audience expecta- themes may be more interconnected tions—nor the convenience of anyone than they appear, tying into a broader tasked with writing about them. That resistance against internal self-decephas often led journalists, promoters, tion and corrosive external pressures and even other bands to lazily label alike, all carried beneath a banner them sludge or doom, categorizations intended to invoke the toxic stench of that focus on the band’s penchant for fear-driven political hyperbole while suffocating atmosphere and extended sounding unique for a metal record. song lengths, while ignoring their other influences from the broader metal and “Some of the lyrics, putting it very broadly, deal with rising up and tryrock landscape. ing to overcome the powers that be,�

So, where exactly do Inter Arma fit Childers says. “‘Don’t let the man bring within the current climate of heavy you down,’ so to speak.� music? Drummer and primary songwriter T.J. Childers offers a mercifully What defines Inter Arma most beyond their specific sonic and aesthetic succinct response. choices may be their commitment to “We’re just a fucking metal band,� challenging their own status quo. While Childers says. “Some of the songs are Sulphur English may come across as fast, some of the songs are slow, some a deviation from their previous work, of the songs are quiet and melodic, you it’s also consistent with their desire to know? I think it’s boring to limit a band never write the same record twice, nor to one category.� compromise their own creative vision.

Fair enough. If you detect some “There were definitely some musical frustration in Childers’ tone, it’s moments in there where we were trybecause his band are frankly tired ing to do something we hadn’t done of being pigeonholed into whatever before, which we always try to do,â€? metal subcategory is trending at any Childers says. “It’s just terribly boring to given minute. It’s not a coincidence me when a band tries to write the same that their latest record, Sulphur fucking song over and over and over English, due out April 12 on Relapse again. That’s been one of our things Records, is their most brutal release since day one, to not repeat ourselves to date, incorporating a strong dose too much.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł of death metal into their progressive songwriting approach. The results are positively punishing, erasing all questions of the band’s commitment Featuring photographer Kari Greer to the power of the almighty riff. “The image of the flaming

THE ART OF SULPHUR ENGLISH

It’s a stark contrast to the lush sounds explored on 2016’s critically-acclaimed Paradise Gallows. Instead of dramatically building tension, Sulphur English immediately gets to the goddamned point with throat-searing bellicosity and pinch harmonics to spare. Those expecting a turn toward more accessible territory would do well to readjust their assumptions about Inter Arma’s sonic trajectory. Instead of pursuing mainstream acceptance, they’re aggressively following their own abrasive muse. “There’s never been a conscious decision to sit down and write songs people are gonna really like,� Childers says. “I just sit down and write shit I dig, and this time around, I just wanted it to be the most fucked up sounding that I could make it sound.�

tree was photographed during an actual wildfire in Arizona. The story behind the image is that I was on-scene photographing the fire, and the flareup happened as I was hiking through the forest on a high-burn day. The band Inter Arma saw my work and connected with this image and then approached me about using it for their album cover. They were adamant that the image was right for their vision.�

“Reality and perception crisscross here, because it was perfectly normal for me to see this natural phenomenon. To me, it was a normal occurrence, but now, looking back, it feels exciting and somewhat unreal. Did I really see that and feel that heat? Absolutely, yes. Maybe that is what spoke to Inter Arma, looking with fresh eyes, a sense of the ominous?� “I worked remotely with Inter Arma, by email correspondence from T.J. Childers when he contacted me and inquired about the flaming tree image. We discussed the feel of the image and how it represented the mood of the album. I offered some other options, but T.J. never wavered.

This was the one.�

NEW NOISE 51

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEIDI STRENGELL

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST/VOCALIST MARK KLOEPPEL

BY JAMES ALVAREZ

M

isery index, that push those kinds of things, the the term, oppression and grouping of people,� has been always manage to creep back into a r o u n d power, Kloeppel describes. since the 1960s. It’s However, “the targets are not so a metric that combines the national clear cut,� he says of today’s pounemployment rate with inflation to litical climate. Case in point, the gauge the shittiness of the average album’s slamming first single, “New American’s life. Misery Index, the Salem,� which addresses the hypocband, have been hammering out risy of faux-progressive “fashionisociopolitical death-grind anthems stas� on the other side of the specsince 2001. They’ve advocated for le- trum by invoking Horseshoe Theory. git action and societal reform, railing “Man, we had a lot of internal deagainst imperialism and the busted bate about that one,� Kloeppel fire hydrant of “invisible hand� cap- shares. “We did not want to come italism since day one. Long before a off as some kind of right-wing opcertain orange-faced Bond villain pressor that hates the left. We’re in the White House got #resistance more left-leaning, but at the same trending on Twitter, the revolution time, there’s a lot of extremist voices on the left side of things that are Misery Index long for was very real. getting to the point where they’re Luckily, the Baltimore-based band circling all the way back around to have compiled a new batch of rau- meet the fascists on the right. So, we cous tunes to help lead the charge. felt obligated to say something about Rituals of Power, the band’s sixth full- that and be critical of that despite length album, released March 8 on maybe getting a little tongue-lashSeason Of Mist, is the latest in a long ing on the left.� line of heavy metal masterworks from the Misery Index crew and aims to put “We aren’t trying to defuse moveboth armchair activists and purvey- ments that are pro human rights at all, but if you’re wearing civil ors of alternative facts on notice. rights like a new pair of shoes, “The whole thing is just mind-bog- you need to cut that shit out,� gling,� guitarist and vocalist Mark Kloeppel declares. “Take it seKloeppel says regarding the lum- riously or get out of the way. bering crypto-fascist in the room. What is totally counterproduc“Not just that Donald Trump is the tive is to have a major social President of The United States, like problem that requires incre‘The Simpsons’ at one point por- mental change, and instead trayed as a joke. It was all the hype, of trying to diagnose that with these supposed news sources re- and do something with it, setally showing their true colors.� ting up some strawman enemy and then knocking that straw“Where do you turn to get your infor- man down as if you’ve solved mation?� he muses. “I can’t tell if it’s the problem. It didn’t go away. easier or harder to determine what You’ve just detracted real effort.� is going on in the world because the voices are so loud and so extreme. It’s Speaking of real effort, the Misery a confusing time. Not to sound like a Index gang worked damn hard on conspiracy theorist, but maybe that’s Rituals of Power. Aside from some the point? To have it be confusing and logistical hurdles, like members livhave the people be divided.� ing in different states and countries and coexisting in numerous other “That’s a tried and true tactic: divide bands, they faced the daunting task the people, and they’re easier to con- of following up their previous album trol,� Kloeppel warns. “Our album is and career highpoint, 2014’s The Killsort of about that. It’s more about the ing Gods. “How the hell are we going power struggle that goes on through- to follow that up?!� Kloeppel laughs. out history. There is a dual feeling of “Not to toot our own horn or anything, nihilism and hopefulness, a sort of but there’s some pretty epic stuff and rallying cry for those who see some hard stuff to play on that one. That kinds of truth to not silence them- record went pretty dark, uncomfortselves amidst all the extremist voices.� ably dark for us, so we felt we needed to take what we learned from Songs like “They Always Come Back� that process and the kind of stylistic highlight the tragically cyclical na- stuff we fell upon and turn around ture of human history. Despite all the and refine ourselves.� advances we have made, “the vermin

52 NEW NOISE

The blistering compositions and damn near inhuman performances that propelled the band’s last album have been scaled back a bit on Rituals of Power. Instead, fans are gifted with tons of neck-snapping grooves and an insane mastery of hooks and melodies—as far as snarling metal tunes go, that is. “The Choir Invisible,� for example, thrashes along like a madman before the ultra-groovestomp chorus kicks in and glorious guitar leads dazzle the senses. The album’s title track is another potent specimen that mixes galloping punk energy with metal precision and boasts a hook-filled breakdown that might actually void headphone warrantees it’s so freakin’ heavy.

“I CAN’T TELL IF IT’S EASIER OR GOING ON IN THE WORLD BECAUSE EXTREME. IT’S A CONFUSING TIME.�

These whirlwind tracks showcase the traits that have made Misery Index continually awesome for close to 20 years now. “We understand what our distinct style and voice is,� Kloeppel reveals, “and so, we wanted to do that to a certain level of perfection.�

Mission accomplished, Misery Index.

Rituals of Power slays. đ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE

53

KICKER PHOTO BY MICHAEL THORN

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST MATT “MAUZ� PARRILLO

BY TOM CRANDLE ou’d be hard-pressed to find a band with a more impressive punk pedigree than Kicker.

Guitarist Matt “Mauz� Parrillo is best known for his stint with the long-running crust punk band Dystopia. Bassist Dave “Dave Ed� Edwardson has held down the low-end for post-punk heroes Neurosis for more than 30 years. New drummer Dave Mello played with ska punk favorites Operation Ivy. All are Bay Area legends in their own right.

Y

Despite all this, most of the attention is reserved for Kicker’s vocalist, Pete The Roadie. Roadie, as his bandmates lovingly refer to him, is an original ’77 English punk who roadied for Subhumans, Amebix, Chumbawamba, Fugazi, and many other touring bands and U.K. locals. After relocating to the Bay Area in the early 2000s, he continued his work with notables like Jello Biafra and Neurosis. He also happens to be quite a character. The band he now fronts released their third album, Pure Drivel, through Tankcrimes on Feb. 8.

According to Mauz, the other members of

Kicker don’t mind that people tend to focus on Roadie. “He deserves every bit of it,� he claims. “He’s attended and worked more gigs than anyone you know. He’s kept a ledger, and I believe it’s close to 5,000 at this point. He got into punk in 1977 and never looked back.�

Mauz knew Roadie needed to be a frontman the first time he heard him sing. “I forget what he was singing, but it stopped me in my tracks, almost like dĂŠjĂ vu or something,â€? he recalls. “He sounded amazing. The rest of the vocals and a few other things in my es and attitudes one would expect. It’s 11 the night, I kept thinking, ‘Why the hell isn’t tracks of classic U.K.-meets-East-Bay punk. basement and took our time with those. he in a band?’â€?

So, we were under less pressure to finish “We’re stuck in the past, as our influences are primarily ’80s U.K. anarcho-punk, UK82, everything on time and on budget and Before joining Kicker, Roadie has simply re- and ’80s U.S. hardcore,â€? Mauz explains. “It’s had a lot of fun in the process.â€? fused. When asked, his standard mantra was: got our usual cheeky humor at times, but it’s “I’ll never cross over to the dark side.â€? Against also a bit darker than our usual lyrical con- Kicker just wouldn’t be Kicker without their all odds, Kicker managed to get started back signature wit and self-awareness, and aptent, because, well, the world is way more in 2010. Mauz never expected them to still be parently, it makes for a fun working situation. fucked up right now compared to when we at it nine years and three records later. “Hell “Roadie has an amazing sense of humor that recorded our last albums.â€? no. Originally, I figured we would’ve lasted never shuts off, so I think it’d be impossible about nine weeks!â€? he exclaims. “I assumed for us to do things any other way. It wouldn’t The process of making Pure Drivel was we would write a few songs, maybe release a be genuine without some cheekiness,â€? Mauz different too. “It’s our first record with demo or EP, and do a few gigs.â€? reports. “Band practice, for us, is just as our new drummer, Dave Mello, who fits us much about hanging out and having a like a glove,â€? Mauz says. “We also spent a Pure Drivel draws from exactly the influenc- little longer on this one. We recorded all laugh as it is actually playing music.â€?đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

MIKE EDISON

KICKING DOWN THE DOOR

INTERVIEW BY MATTHEW HUTCHISON

H

ere’s some truth for you: Reality and firsthand experience trump any anxiety-ridden Instagram story.

Just ask New Yorker Mike Edison about his life and his path into the literary and music worlds—there’s no filter on that.

His beginnings involved grinding out a multitude of porn novels, more than he cares to mention, which presented him with opportunities to scribe his perversions for Penthouse Letters; lead the editorial team for High Times Magazine; and land deals to author books, including a living memoir, the legacies of print smut kingpins, and a recap of living with an emotionally abusive father. His will to survive in this cutthroat industry and his balancing of high- and low-brow literature have led Edison to an illustrious editorial career, covering not just pornography and counterculture but also music, wine, culinary arts, political satire, and professional wrestling.

How has he managed all these years? “Dude, if it were easy being me, everyone would do it,� Edison quips.

54 NEW NOISE

INTERVIEW BY JONESY

The fact is, Edison lives an interesting and fulfilling life. His work in cultural journalism intersects with music quite often, including being a propaganda man for Jon Spencer and his many assorted projects.

Destiny, it may have been, considering he’s also a musician himself.

F

or over 50 years, Suzi Quatro has been in the spotlight, delivering classic rock songs like “Can the Can� and “Devil Gate Drive.�

These hits made her an icon in the 1970s, but she is far from ready to retire.

Edison leads his own garage rock ’n’ voodoo gospel group called The Edison Rocket Train. After a 14-year recording hiatus, the engines of The Train will fire up again with a new EP for Everlasting Records, Mary Don’t You Weep, followed by a full-length to round it out before the year’s end.

will understand. For those who haven’t, your time will come.

The Edison Rocket Train first took off in 2000 and has been an off-and-on project for Edison and the other folks involved ever since. Raising Cain from Brooklyn to Bayonne—we’re talkin’ France here, not New Jersey—they’re a group who don’t get as much publicity as some of the bands they’ve been billed with. Nonetheless, one can’t discount their ability to fill rooms and incite rounds of table-dancing with their jungle-beat laced with groove, fuzz, and offbeat wit. Only those who’ve seen them

In 2008, with life circumstances precipi- “We finally got it together to record a tating the band’s hiatus, Edison published bunch of songs that are all reimagined his debut book, “I Have Fun Everywhere American roots music with a hard garage I Go: Savage Tales of Pot, Porn, Punk sound. Gospel from the garage!â€? he Rock, Pro Wrestling, Talking Apes, Evil exclaims. “New protest music; the times Bosses, Dirty Blues, American Heroes, need it! I’m expecting this to redefine the and the Most Notorious Magazines in the genre. It’s gonna be fucking huge! The World.â€? The memoir brought him further New Delta Science Sound of The Edison recognition in the literary world, but his Rocket Train!â€? unshakable itch to “save soulsâ€? with his music remained. With his cohort Mickey Weird times call for eccentricity, and The Finn at the B3 helm, ready to drive the Edison Rocket Train are as eccentric as redefined Rocket Train toward the gospel ever as they steam forward again.đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY MELISSA KINSKY

sound, Edison’s enthusiasm for his vision is made clear.

Still rocking her Elvis-inspired leather catsuit, she is continuing to wow her fans and attract new followers with her latest album, No Control, released through Steamhammer / SPV on March 29.

Starting out as a teenager growing up in Detroit, Quatro didn’t have any female role models of her own, but with her guts and talent, she helped to inspire the likes of Joan Jett and Girlschool, as well as Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads and

QUATRO

KT Tunstall with whom she recently “I wanted every song to have its own collaborated. voice, to feel natural and organic,� she elaborates. “I am very proud to have kicked the door down and given women per- It is easy to see how the title No mission to be in rock ’n’ rolls bands,� Control goes hand in hand with Quatro says, commenting on what the continuous need for artistic it feels like to be a female pioneer freedom that has followed Quatro in the world of rock music. “With throughout her career. my new album, it feels like I have gone around the block and come The majority of the material on the back home with everything I have new album consists of collaboralearned about life and my musical tions with Richard Tuckey, her son journey.� from her first marriage with her former guitarist Len Tuckey.

It’s a musical journey that started when Quatro opted for a life on “We started with a demo, then the road at the age of 14. Growing another one, and by the third, we up in a musical family, she always realized something important was knew she wanted to be an enter- happening,� she explains, describtainer, and on No Control, Quatro ing their writing process. “He pushed presents 11 new songs, each one my Suzi Quatro button big time.� living a life of its own.

Each song on the new album has its own personality, as Quatro explains, yet the finished product still feels very cohesive. “Strings,� for instance, is a riff-driven track with horn arrangements and a powerful message. “Easy Pickings� is a bluesy track about selling out and not staying true to one’s beliefs and creativity.

With a career that has lasted over five decades, Quatro knows what it means to stay true to oneself and maintain that originality, and with No Control, the rock pioneer who showed everyone that women rockers belong on the stage proves that she isn’t ready to take a step out of that spotlight. đ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Ł

NEW NOISE

55

PHOTO BY SCOTT MURRY

bouncinG INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST PETE STEINKOPF BY SCOTT MURRY

I

t seems like there’s about a 50-50 chance of staying close with childhood friends, and the numbers are probably even leaner for high school bands. The Bouncing Souls have known each other since high school, but they beat the odds: 2019 is their 30-year anniversary. To celebrate, the band released a six-song EP, Crucial Moments, and a book under the same name via Rise Records on March 15.

Steinkopf’s phrasing of “growing as people� as opposed to “growing as adults� stands out as The Bouncing Souls’ ethos. They always grow creatively but need not apply the label of “adults,� as they continue to have fun together and chase their passion. From the beginning, they have always created music and a community that are positive and upbeat. “We started The Souls right at the end of high school,� Steinkopf says. “We all got this house in New Brunswick, [New Jersey], on Welton Street. It was awesome. We moved in together and started our own little scene down there. In the beginning, I would write songs and they sucked. We were all really bad when we started. We had a huge personality crisis, but we always had this energy that people gathered around. We harnessed that and started getting better at writing songs. We all bring different songs to the table and, as a group, make them better.�

The title reflects all of their memories and the impact the members have had on each other’s lives.

They’re not just another band; The Souls are lifers. “I knew [lead vocalist] Greg [Attonito] as a kid from soccer, and [bassist] Bryan [Kienlen] was in 10th grade when I was in ninth,� guitarist Pete Steinkopf recollects. “I heard he played bass, and I played guitar, so we got together. I went to his house, to the garage, and I think we were playing some Ramones songs and U2, ’cause it’s the only thing we knew. That’s where I first met Bryan. Greg ended up getting kicked out of private school, and The “greater than the sum of its that’s when we all started going parts� approach is a creative proto the same high school. So, I’ve cess they carried over into their known them for over 30 years, and book. Friends, family, and even [drummer] George [Rebelo] has fans had a say when recounting been a part of our world through The Bouncing Souls’ history for the power of music for 15 years “Crucial Moments.� People from all at least. Going through life and the way back to their beginnings growing as people, we’ve always are included in this compendium, which the band worked on for apbeen there for each other.�

56 NEW NOISE

proximately 18 months. “There’s no narrative; it’s just a cool collection of stories. That was the concept, and it kinda grew into this bigger thing as we were finding all these old flyers and pictures. We all started going through our boxes of shit in our attics and finding all sorts of cool stuff,� Steinkopf says enthusiastically.

Community has always been central to The Bouncing Souls’ identity, whether through bringing bands they love on the road or songwriting that empowers audiences with big singalongs. Steinkopf reveals one of the secrets to their approach. “We really were into the energy of European soccer crowds,� he says. “They all sing along. So, we wanted to do some

shit like that. We saw that power and wanted to harness it in songs.�

It works in spades, as fans routinely chant “OlĂŠâ€? and “Here We Goâ€? prior to the band hitting any stage worldwide.

Every healthy relationship has its ups and downs, and sometimes, bands don’t stay together. It can be challenging, and Steinkopf admits, “There’s been a couple of times we’ve almost packed it in, but there’s always something that re-sparks the fire and makes us want to keep doing what we’re doing. We’ve always been there and had each other’s backs. When we get together, it’s not like we’re on a hamster wheel. We do it because we love it. We are a big part of each other’s lives.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł

GANG OF VINTAGE SOULS PHOTO BY MICHAEL THORN

more and more, as the decades have gone by, we’re sort of re-concerned about whether we are happy, contented, or fulfilled. Corresponding, there are little happiness industries, whether it’s a cannabis manufacturer or whether it’s religion or whether it’s shrink-dom.�

Vocalist John “Gaoler� Sterry chimes in, “I think, with what seems like the advent of mass social media, everybody assumes everyone’s having a better time than they are. I find myself doing it. I’d like to think I’m better than that, but I’m not. I wouldn’t post a bad selfie, right?�

Happy Now—which began its life on PledgeMusic and will be available on April 19 via the band’s official TM Stores page—is the second album with Sterry replacing original vocalist Jon King.

On 2015’s What Happens Next, he split vocal duties with Alison Mosshart of The Kills and German musician Herbert GrĂśnemeyer. “I didn’t even realize that we were making a record,â€? he deadpans. “I just used to turn up.â€?

“FEAR AND SEEM TO BE BACKGROUND �

GANG OF FOUR A

ndy Gill stomps on his guitar, which he recklessly tossed to the Underground Arts stage while performing the four-decades-old classic “Love Like Anthrax.� Nothing seems amiss with the one original member of Gang Of Four, other than his making the questionable decision to destroy his instrument during the very first song.

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST ANDY GILL AND VOCALIST JOHN “GAOLE R�

58 NEW NOISE

STERRY BY BRIAN O’NEILL

The current Gang, rounded out by bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Tobias Humble, released a politically-charged download-only EP in late 2018 entitled Complicit. It features Ivanka Trump on the cover and as an unlikely lyricist; the track “Ivanka (Things You Can’t Have)� is partially comprised of quotes from the first daughter.

Unfortunately, he is actually quite ill, and that becomes obvious after the band’s soundcheck. He slowly makes his way to the band’s tour bus, scarcely able to catch his breath. One hand holds a plate of bread and salami from the deli tray, while the other clutches an inhaler.

Although it will catch up to him a couple of days later—and a trip to the emergency room will necessitate canceling the Brooklyn finale to the band’s U.S. tour—in Philadelphia, he is the consummate professional: able to play well over an hour of Gang Of Four songs spanning four decades from the stage and discuss the band’s new album, Happy Now, beforehand.

He isn’t happy now, actually, but the flulike symptoms aren’t the cause. “I think there’s a temptation to think, ‘OK, you voted for Brexit, you voted for Trump, you got what you wanted,’� he explains, “but I think it’s more complicated. The world that we’ve sort of created or narrated is much more complex than just us.

Fear and anxiety seem to be sort of background harmony. I also think

“I feel that she should be getting some of the songwriting [royalties],� Gill laughs. “There’s a certain kind of inspiration that the Trump dynasty provides. It’s like they’re writing the song for you.�

It’s hard to believe that 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of Entertainment!, their debut LP. That full-length and the preceding “Damaged Goods� single essentially invented dance-punk, inspiring everyone from Franz Ferdinand, LCD Soundsystem, and Red Hot Chili Peppers—whose 1984 self-titled debut Gill produced—to Tom Morello and St. Vincent.

Even the band’s own vocalist laughs, “A lot of the bands that I was listening to when I grew up were that jangly, angular, scratchy indie stuff that I later found out was inspired by Gang Of Four. I didn’t quite realize the magnitude of it, but I very quickly did.�

When the subject of the original lineup comes up, Gill doesn’t mince words. “I consider, absolutely, 100 percent definitely, that will never happen again.�

Fortunately, Happy Now is a grand, uncompromising, and eminently danceable album that does nothing to tarnish Gang Of Four’s legacy.đ&#x;’Ł

PHOTO BY MICHAEL THORN

BRAND NEW ALBUM OUT MAY 10TH!

THE

OLD FIRM W

hile on the road in the U.K., The Old Firm Casuals vocalist and guitarist Lars Frederiksen opens up about the band’s latest release, the spirited and fiery 12-track album, Holger Danske, out via Pirates Press Records on March 15. At these well-attended shows, INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST LARS FREDERIKSEN the band have been playing a

BY JANELLE JONES number of new songs, which have been very well-received. “There’s checking one of the new album’s of guitarist Gabe Gavriloff, “our ‘Motherland’ is about. It’s about a good buzz,� he explains, adding songs, he explains that their style sound got wider and fuller, and we how I wanna leave this realm. It’s that for the band, the U.K. is like “a can be summed up as “‘Casual are able to do more on the song- about how I view life and death.�

Rock-N-Roll.’ It’s our own thing.� home away from home.� writing end of things.�

Another song, “Thunderbolt,� is They don’t have any concrete “We really put a lot of effort into it,� Frederiksen says that as a whole, about the Norse god Thor. “We plans for a U.S. tour in support of he confides, saying that some of “We have a chemistry that only use Thor as a metaphor, lyrically, the record, as it’s sometimes hard the songs were written “a few years comes once in a lifetime,� though about smashing fascism and gofor all the band members to get ago but just never really came to he’s quick to note, “In my case, it’s ing against the grain,� he shares. together for long stretches of time fruition until now.� One song that come a few times,� referring to, one Getting deeper, Frederiksen says given their schedules. They did, they resurrected from an earlier can only guess, Rancid. It helps that his 7-year-old, Soren, who is way however, schedule a record re- time is the affecting closer, “Zom- there’s “no drama, no bullshit,� he into punk and thrash, came up lease show—and video shoot—in bies.� He notes that it fit nowhere adds. “We are honest and trans- with the title. “I would jam that riff, their hometown of San Francisco when they first came up with it parent with each other. No egos. and he loved it,� he recalls. “Caon March 16 and another date on during the 2016 A Butcher’s Banquet All for one, one for all.� sey is his favorite guy in the band, sessions, but it “seemed totally apAug. 12 in Chicago. so he was stoked when he heard propriate for Holger Danske.�

There are a good number of Casey singing it.�

Now, onto this powerful, multifacDenmark-inspired tunes on Holger eted record. Yeah, multifaceted. Taking a broader view, Frederiksen Danske, as the album title, song An instrumental on the record enThe Old Firm Casuals may be elaborates, “Everyone in the band titles, and subject matter evince. titled “De Ensomme Ulveâ€? is named categorized as Oi! and street punk, contributes,â€? explaining that “Ca- Frederiksen explains, “My mom is after “a book written [by Gunnar but the band feature a welcome sey [Watson] being the other lead from Denmark, and I grew up with Dyrberg] about the Holger Danske array of sounds on Holger Danske. vocalist brings a totally different that culture. I’m a Pagan. I don’t Danish resistance movement in As Frederiksen relates with a laugh, perspective and style to what we subscribe to the commodity gods WWII,â€? the frontman explains. He this record is “a snapshot into our do. Paul [Rivas] is literally one of and the zealots who think their god says his uncle was a part of that record collections. We love punk the best drummers I’ve ever played is better than someone else’s. I’m group and that the entire record and Oi!, and we also love AC/DC, with and has a swing and style of spiritual, which is different than is dedicated to him. đ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Ł Rose Tattoo, and Slayer.â€? Name- his own.â€? He says, with the addition being religious, [and] that’s what

60 NEW NOISE

DEBUT ALBUM FROM FAT MIKE’S ALTER EGO, FEATURING TRAVIS BARKER, DANNY LOHNER, AND DIZZY REED! OUT APRIL 26TH!

BRAND NEW ALBUM OUT MAY 31ST!

info and pre-order at fatwreck.com NEW NOISE

61

LISTENABLE RECORDS LISTENABLE.NET | SHOP.LISTENABLE.NET | JOIN US FACEBOOK.COM/LISTENABLERECS www.rockabilia.com

For more than 30 years, Rockabilia has offered retail customers the largest selection of officially licensed band merchandise available in the world.

NOW OFFERING

WHOLESALE, DROPSHIP & FULFILLMENT SERVICES

‘SEMPITERNAL VOID’ IS A MAJESTIC AND COMMANDING RETURN FOR THIS AUTHENTIC, OLD SCHOOL, DEATH METAL BAND STRAIGHT FROM THE PITS OF HELL! DIGIPACK CD WITH BONUS TRACK, SPLATTER VINYL, DIGITAL OR LIMITED EDITION BOX SET INCLUDING: TAPE, 7” EP, PATCH, PENDANT AND CD! 12TH OF APRIL

‘ÉRIÚ’S WHEEL’ IS THE FANTASTIC COMEBACK FROM ONE OF THE ORIGINATORS OF THE FOLK /METAL MOVEMENT O CARD CD / COLOURED VINYL / DIGITAL 12TH OF APRIL

ALSO AVAILABLE ON LISTENABLE RECORDS

GOJIRA - TERRA INCOGNITA DOUBLE GREY VINYL

GOJIRA - FROM MARS TO SIRIUS DOUBLE RED VINYL

GOJIRA - THE WAY OF ALL FLESH DOUBLE WHITE VINYL

THRON - ABYSMAL RED/BLACK ON WHITE SPLATTER VINYL

SATAN - LIFE SENTENCE GOLD OR BLACK VINYL

SATAN - ATOM BY ATOM GOLD OR BLACK VINYL

62MERCH, NEW NOISE VINYLS, BUNDLES, EXCLUSIVES SHOP.LISTENABLE.NET

to receive 10% off your first order, use code PCNEWNOISE @ checkout

(952) 556-1121

PHOTO BY RYAN MACKFALL

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST DEREK ARCHAMBAULT AND GUITARIST JAKE WOODRUFF

BY JOE SMITH-ENGELHARDT

B

oston melodic hardcore band Defeater took a few years to break from touring after releasing their 2015 album, Abandoned, but on May 10, the band will make their return with a new self-titled album for Epitaph Records.

Vocalist Derek Archambault says they didn’t initially intend to step away from touring, but the process has become much easier since their hiatus.

“When [second guitarist] Adam [Crowe] joined the band and it came time to write a new record, priorities moved toward writing and spending time at home with our loved ones rather than trying to keep up with our contemporaries on the road,� he says. “There were ups and downs, as with any band, on tour, but it has been a much more positive experience since late 2015.�

Defeater parted ways with former guitarist Jason Maas after experiencing personal and creative differences around the release of Abandoned, but they found a perfect replacement in Crowe. Guitarist Jake Woodruff says working with Crowe for the new album was simple and easygoing, since the band were already friends with him. “I filled in for [Crowe’s other band] Miles Away on a U.S. tour a few years ago, so we’d already played in a band together and I knew how much of a shredder he is,� Woodruff says. “The first writing session he came to, he had two rad songs ready to go, one of which eventually became [‘No Man Born Evil,’] the last song on the record.�

64 NEW NOISE

The recording sessions for Defeater began with the members trading ideas via email while they were split into different parts of the world and touring with other projects. Woodruff explains that they sporadically met in person to work on material for the record, which gave them time to really refine their sound.

that got them into punk and hardcore than some of their other records.

The members have explored their softer sides in other projects such as Dreamtigers, Night Letters, and Alcoa, but Woodruff explains that Defeater wanted to keep the band rooted in their punk beginnings.

“The whole process, from writing to “We all play in projects that are recording, really felt like we could varying degrees of more melodic or let each idea mature and then ex- indie-sounding, and we’ve all seen ecute it completely without rushing,â€? heavy bands flip to playing more Woodruff says. “After finally catch- melodic music and do it well,â€? he ing our breath for the first time in says. “It sounded more interesting to a few years, this was a welcome all of us to keep Defeater sounding change and is definitely the way we like Defeater, as nebulous and weird all prefer to work.â€? as that might be.â€? đ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Ł Defeater continue to build on the lore they’ve been creating since starting the band over a decade ago, developing the story of a struggling post-WWII New Jersey family.

Archambault feels the characters woven throughout the story are an extension of his own experiences and those of people he is close to.

This unique approach allowed him to expand the idea of a concept record when the band’s 2008 debut, Travels, was written. “I never really expected to be so deep into this story, as the duration of a hardcore band is generally short-lived,� he says. “When I was writing the lyrics to Travels, I was mapping out ideas and characters for other records, if we ever got there. Now, after 10 years of the band, these characters feel incredibly real to me and their stories almost infinite. As we’ve said many times over the band’s lifetime, the band is the story and vice versa.�

Defeater is the rawest, most fleshedout version of the band to date and explores all of the aggressive and melodic elements developed throughout their career. However, Archambault says the album has more in common with the sounds

“AFTER 10 YEARS OF THE BAND, THESE CHARACTERS FEEL INCREDIBLY REAL TO ME AND THEIR STORIES ALMOST INFINITE. AS WE’VE SAID MANY TIMES OVER THE BAND’S LIFETIME, THE BAND IS THE STORY AND VICE VERSA.�

PROMOTE YOUR BAND with custom printing 144

100

CUSTOM T-SHIRTS

DIE-CUT STICKERS

Regularly $5.19

SWORN ENEMY INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST SAL LOCOCO BY HUTCH

Q

86

$

$ it-based greed, and Gamechanger proves to be the template for crushing thrash and New York hardcore.

After dropping Gamechanger, Sworn Enemy are “hitting the road,� Lococo exclaims, “doing some record release shows and then touring with Sacred Reich.� He adds, “Four of the West Coast Sacred Reich shows we play with Excel and Vio-lence,� sounding as excited as the teenage Lococo who saw those bands at L’Amour in Brooklyn decades ago.

ueens, New York-based, thrash-fu- album and Living on Borrowed Time new drummer’s talent, motivation, eled quintet Sworn Enemy have with a solitary word: “Breakdowns.� and synchronization with their guitarbeen stalwarts in hardcore and He describes Gamechanger as ists. Jackson grabbed sticks “right metal for 20 years. Nearly two de- “falling between As Real As It Gets after Living on Borrowed Time came The continued plan for Sworn Enemy cades ago, they released an EP, and [2006’s] The Beginning of the out,� he says. “He joined a month is to “play as many shows as we can,�

Negative Outlook, on Jamey Jasta’s End. I think it gives that vibe. It has later. So, he’s been there for five Lococo says. “Everybody has jobs, label, Stillborn Records. A second EP, everything that we are as a band: years. Everyone else has been in busting our humps doing the nine-toIntegrity Defines Strength, dropped 100 percent Sworn Enemy.� the band since 2010.� When writing five thing.� via Stillborn in 2002. The following Gamechanger, Lococo noticed year, the band signed to major la- Lococo’s delivery is voracious. Vent- immediately that Jackson is “the Amid those work schedules and bel Elektra Records and released ing with venomous vitriol, he cites the difference-maker for this band. I U.S. shows, Sworn Enemy are about the smash—your face!—LP As Real As lyrics as ignited by corruption and don’t know too many drummers broadening their geographical It Gets with a revamped lineup. political tumult. Gamechanger be- who are better than him. Think of imprint and propagating the hardcomes a mirror of a roiling New York some of the greats out there, and core scene worldwide. “We went to Since then, Sworn Enemy have pro- City and a lost society misguided he can do what they do.� Jackson Europe two times last year. It was duced four more studio albums that by those elected to lead. “You put shines on Gamechanger’s intense really awesome,� Lococo boasts. waxed and waned between thrash on the news, and you can instantly rhythms and driving percussion. “We went to China in 2016. We went and hardcore. On April 5, they re- write a novel,� he notes. “Every day, “It’s the little things he does, fills to Australia and New Zealand too leased their sixth LP, Gamechanger, you hear about corruption. That’s the and accents, which make the al- for the first time in 2016. We went to South America for the first time. via M-Theory Audio. Vocalist Sal biggest thing in politics right now—so bum,� Lococo asserts.

I enjoy doing things I’ve never done Lococo was joined by the same much corruption.� This is illustrated bandmates—guitarists Matt Garzilli by song titles such as “Seeds of Hate,� Gamechanger is rife with thrash riffs, before. For as long as we have been and Jeff Cummings and bassist Mike “Justify,� “Fall of Modern Man,� and featuring chunky guitars from Cum- around, you’d have thought we had Pucciarelli—as on their prior album, “Selling a Dream.� mings and Garzilli adding searing, done those things.�

2014’s Living on Borrowed Time, except screeching leads. The prime exfor new drummer Taykwuan Jackson. Sworn Enemy flew out to Oakland, ample is the intro of “Justify,â€? which In the past three years, Sworn EneMore surprising is Robb Flynn of Ma- California, to record in the early then recedes into a fierce stomp. my have been opening doors and chine Head in a rare producer role. summer of 2018. They spent 10 days Other tracks focus on speedier conquering challenges. They played Combined with technical vet Zack with Flynn and Ohren. Lococo appre- approaches, like “Fragments of a 15 shows in 15 different cities in ChiOhren, who engineered, mixed, and ciates Flynn’s coaching and guidance. Broken Life,â€? which is driven by Puc- na. They ravaged stages in South mastered Gamechanger, the result is “A lot of little things we never had on ciarelli’s gnarly bass. The epitome America and Down Under. With another crushing, combative album record before, that’s what he brought of Lococo’s “breakdownsâ€? crashes Gamechanger poised to incite fans’ from Sworn Enemy. to the album,â€? he says. down hard on “Selling a Dream.â€? reverent fury, Sworn Enemy will go Splash in a divebomb, a gang cho- even further. đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł Lococo replies to an inquiry about Sworn Enemy embrace those addi- rus of mid-tempo aggression, and the difference between the new tions, but mainly, Lococo lauds their screaming about senseless, prof-

66 NEW NOISE

4.68

Regularly $96

Each

Sell For $15 = $11 in Profit!

Alstyle 1301 / Black / Single-Color Print Single Print Location

3Ă—3" White Vinyl / Full Color / Full Bleed

250

500

FULL COLOR STICKERS

FULL COLOR FLYERS

Regularly $87

Regularly $82

$

74

$

4Ă—6" 100lb Gloss Text / Double Sided

3Ă—2" White Vinyl / Full Color / Full Bleed

500

ONE

Great for Merch Booths & Backdrops!

ROLL STICKERS

6×4΄ VINYL BANNER

Regularly $136

Regularly $72

122

$

65

$

3" Circle White Vinyl / One-Color

Gloss Vinyl / Full Color / Full Bleed

Save 10% CALL 877.246.3132

78

Use Promo Code at Checkout

MERCH4BANDS

10% off your order. Expires 3/31/2019. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Maximum discount amount $100.

Valid on retail pricing, only. Discount does not apply toward taxes or shipping costs. Single-Use Code. Prices shown with promo code applied. Pricing shown above is for reference and is subject to change.

CLICK JAKPRINTS.COM

NEW NOISE 67

LAURA STEVENSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY RACHEL BRENNECKE

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARISTS/VOCALISTS ROGER LEBLANC AND BYRON LEMLEY BY ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

T

he vast northern expanses of Norway and Sweden have long been associated with black metal fury. So, it makes a certain kind of poetic sense that atmospheric black metal and blackgaze would find a home in the vast, snowy expanse of Alberta, Canada.

This makes Calgary’s Numenorean perfect members of the post-black metal scene. The band’s forthcoming album, Adore, out April 12 via Season Of Mist, is full of the same beautiful, haunting sounds that go so well with a snowy landscape. However, ironically, the album was actually recorded in the U.S.

INTERVIEW

BY JOHN SILVA

FREEZE.

T

here is a theory that as the universe expands, it will get colder, eventually reaching a point where life is no longer sustainable.

This concept is known as The Big Freeze, which also happens to be the title of New York-based singer-songwriter Laura Stevenson’s fifth LP, out March 29 on Don Giovanni Records.

Stevenson says what appealed to her about the concept is “the lonely feeling of just drifting forever, which is kind of how I feel sometimes and kind of how I felt when I was working on a lot of the songs. I just really connected to that dark, low expanse, and it’s overwhelming but beautiful, because it’s over.�

Her explanation of the title is an apt description of the album itself. Whereas her previous record, 2015’s Cocksure, was poppy and upbeat, The Big Freeze is dark, somber, and introspective. “A lot of the themes are about, like, just isolation and that kind of thing,�

Stevenson says.

Stevenson recorded the album in her childhood home, which she says producer Joe Rogers described as “the most haunted house I’ve ever been

68 NEW NOISE

in.â€? Perhaps that environment is what gave the music such an atmospheric sound. “There was a heaviness but also a comfort of being in that space that I’m so familiar with that made it so easy for me to emote and evoke what I was singing about in a way that I felt comfortable enough to do it,â€? she explains.Â

Like Stevenson’s previous records, The Big Freeze is deeply personal, but she has a way of making specific details sound somewhat vague so that listeners can better relate to the songs. Blurring some of the specifics also adds a layer of distance that makes it easier for Stevenson to confront the situations about which she sings. “A lot of me putting a veil on things is so that I also can talk about shit that I’m not ready to talk about,� she says. “It’s my first step into dealing with shit that maybe, in the real world, I’m not ready to deal with.�

The idea was to get a new perspective and put a fresh spin on this record, and it worked. “This album is so completely different than the ones in the past,� vocalist and guitarist Byron Lemley says. “We tried to have the same feeling and emotions we put into the riffs and ideas but really didn’t want to stay inside a box that we were kind of in before. We were more ready to experiment. Wherever the songs took us, that’s where we went. Where [2016’s] Home was more of a complete package of what we wanted, there were rules we didn’t go outside of, [Adore] let us guide it wherever

we wanted to go, and you can hear stark differences.�

feelings they want to convey through their music.

In addition to new musical direc- “I think we wrote the album for tions, Numenorean also took on ourselves in a way,â€? LeBlanc muses. “I think, with Adore, we bold lyrical themes with Adore. kind of just said, ‘Fuck it,’ and “I think we wrote it in a way that tried to mash as many ideas and it can be interpreted different- genres as we could together.â€? ly by everyone,â€? LeBlanc shares. “These are personal lyrics, but Look for Adore in April and stay everyone can find something. tuned for more announcements There are a couple tracks that from Numenorean about their talk about addiction, tracks that touring plans and future releases. talk about the loss of loved ones, đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł all real stuff.â€? “The lyrics were all written by different members, but the main themes deal with depression, hope, love, just trying to understand who you are and figuring it out,â€? Lemley adds, “just everyone’s thoughts and feelings in a melting pot.â€?

Overall, the album is a clear expression of each member’s emotions and the images and

HEART.

of playing shows with her own band as up, many of her fans are people from Laura Stevenson—formerly known as the punk community—and that comLaura Stevenson And The Cans—she munity isn’t leaving her side. has made a name for herself and has become an important voice in “I feel like maybe I am seeing a little the DIY scene. Her honest, vulnerable bit of a shift, but the people who have lyrics fused with her incredible vocal been with me the whole time, a lot of ability and catchy music has helped them are still with me. That means a Stevenson build a fanbase that has lot to me, because I’m making somestayed with her for nearly a decade. thing that they’re growing with, and they’re still standing by me and supIn recent years, she’s started to break porting me,â€? Stevenson says. “The into a more indie crowd, but because people who come to my shows and of the bands she frequently tours with support me are the nicest people in and the DIY circle in which she grew the world. I really feel very lucky.â€? đ&#x;’Ł

This method of songwriting is therapeutic for her, but when the writing and recording is complete, it’s time to give the song away to someone else who can use it. “The act of making it is for me,� she explains, “but the act of putting it into the world is for other people.�

Stevenson started out as a member of the punk ska collective Bomb The Music Industry!, but after over a decade

“We drove really far to do this record; it was like 2,000 kilometers, a fuck of a long drive,� guitarist and vocalist Roger LeBlanc explains. “The whole band went out, and we got across the border no issues, and then, the recording process itself was awesome.�

“WHEREVER THE SONGS TOOK US, THAT’S WHERE WE WENT." PHOTO BY ESTER SEGARRA

NEW NOISE

69

DON'T SLEEP ON THESE SPLITS, EPS, & REISSUES

BAT: AXESTASY: HELLS HEADBANGERS

Thank the dark lord that the boys in Richmond, Virginia’s BAT are back. Those dudes are, of course, Felix Griffin, the drummer for D.R.I.’s first four iconic albums, joined by vocalist and bassist Ryan Waste and guitarist Nick Poulos, both of Municipal Waste. Their upcoming EP, Axestasy, will be out April 26 on CD and 12” vinyl, available in black or bone-colored wax. Over their 2013 demo, Primitive Age; 2015 EP, Cruel Discipline; and debut 2016 full-length, Wings of Chains, BAT have been slinging S&M sleaze in a dirty, rotten version of NWOBHM mixed with d-beat and American crossover. On Axestasy, BAT spew forth five songs—plus an interlude—of splattering mayhem in under 14 minutes, redoing “Ritual Fool” from their LP. Here, the rage is topped with gruffly barked vocals—sounding like X-Cops!—set to horrible tales of the darker side of rock ’n’ roll. The cover art and song titles like “Long Live the Lewd” and “Wild Fever” let listeners know that BAT are here to continue their disgusting onslaught. –Hutch

BRANT BJORK: KEEP YOUR COOL: HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS

Riff-rumbler and stoner el jefe Brant Bjork worked with longtime collaborator Heavy Psych Sounds to remaster and release his third solo LP, 2003’s Keep Your Cool, on April 12. Bjork and the fuzzlords at Heavy Psych Sounds reissued Bjork’s back catalog in 2018, starting with 2004’s Local Angel and 2007’s Tres Dias, to celebrate Bjork’s 2018 solo LP, Mankind Woman. Now, the spotlight turns to Keep Your Cool, remastering classic tunes like “Hey, Monkey Boy,” “Johnny Called,” and “Gonna Make the Scene.” Originally released on Duna Records, the album spans eight catchy, attractive stoner rock songs spiced and goosed with soul and funky, laidback grooves. Available on digipak, digital, and vinyl: 40 test pressings; 250 on ultra-limited clear blue; 400 on limited white with marbled blue, dark blue, and clear silver; and black.

Heavy Psych Sounds also announced the release of Bjork’s mythical but vaulted LP recorded in 2010, Jacoozzi, on April 5. –Hutch

DUSTER: CAPSULE LOSING CONTACT: NUMERO GROUP

Lo-fi was not solely a production approach for Duster.

It was an ethos, describing both their sound and their aesthetic: quick repairs on used gear to project somber “slowcore” played in home studios after work. Duster are the lauded trio from San Jose who released two classic LPs, 1998’s Stratosphere and 2000’s Contemporary Movement, plus 1999’s 1975 EP and a smattering of other records.

Sometimes called “space rock,” Duster’s members were Canaan Dove Amber, Clay Parton, and Jason Albertini, who went on to play in Built To Spill and Queens Of The Stone Age. Amber and Parton were also in Clam together, and Amber and Albertini formed Helvetia after Duster. The vibe is slow and morose, but the chemistry of the three is evident and sparks in its own way. Numero Group again employed exhaustive tactics to thoroughly celebrate their catalog with the extensive box set, Capsule Losing Contact, on March 22. Choose four LPs or three CDs, and you get 51 tracks totaling 163 minutes, plus a 32-page, full-color, perfect-bound book. –Hutch

70 NEW NOISE

VARIOUS ARTISTS: BROWN ACID: THE EIGHTH TRIP: RIDINGEASY RECORDS

On 420—ahem, April 20—RidingEasy slings up 10 more fuzzedout tracks in the eighth installment of the Brown Acid series, which focuses on curating ripping ’60s and ’70s tunes that predicted stoner rock and metal. These proto powerhouses often only dropped one 45, but RidingEasy does its part in exposing their forgotten—actually, never known—classic tracks. The laborious digging of Permanent Records co-owner Lance Barresi unearthed splendid gems and astonishing feats of blues rock, and RidingEasy honcho Daniel Hall then contacted label owners and band members to fully license and compensate all involved. The comp kicks off with the fretboard gymnastics of Attack’s “School Daze” before bringing some max R&B with a harder edge via White Rock’s “Please Don’t Run Away.” Also included are psych garage covers of Cream with Inside Experience’s “Tales of the Brave Ulysses” and Elvis with Grump’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” The Eighth Trip is available on CD, digital, and vinyl: 100 on clear, 400 on orange, and black. –Hutch

NEW ORDER: MOVEMENT (DEFINITIVE EDITION): RHINO

Long-running new wave pioneers New Order came out of the great early U.K. punk band Joy Division, whose visionary singer, Ian Curtis, died in the spring of 1980. The remaining members, guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook, and drummer Stephen Morris, decided to keep going after the tragedy, bringing on new recruit keyboardist Gillian Gilbert. They released their first single as New Order, “Ceremony” backed with “In a Lonely Place,” which were both written before Curtis died, in 1981. This effort, along with the band’s debut fulllength, Movement—released the same year on Factory Records and showcasing the same beautifully icy, stark ambience as their Joy Division work—are featured in this April 5 box set from Rhino. Furthermore, this set also includes the vinyl LP and original sleeve, the CD version, another CD with previously unreleased material and a bevy of singles and B sides that foreshadowed their future prowess as new wave heroes, a DVD featuring live performances, and a hard-backed book. –Janelle Jones

NEW NOISE 71

ANALOG BECAUSE CASSETTES RULE HARD AND NEVER REALLY AGE, T HE ANALOG CAVE IS HERE TO BRING YOU SOME OF THE BEST IN UNDERGROUND TAPES A ND COLLECTED VISION. A CASSETTE IS LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND, YOUR MOST TRUSTED TRAVEL PARTNER, AND A SPECIMEN OF IMAGINATIVE FANTASY AND OTHERWORLDLY DIMENSION. POP ONE IN AND TRANSFORM. RIDE THE HIGHWAY ETERNAL.

MADWRECK : FUTURE SYSTEMS : FONETAP

Madwreck’s a veteran producer from North Carolina with a soft spot for lo-fi nostalgia. The Future Systems EP is a trek into that world, fusing samples that are clear and refined for a mix that retaliates against modernization. Its five tracks are smooth and tasteful, with an overarching theme of early hip hop groove and minimal—but plentiful—house music. Things get edgy with “Planet Krylon,” dangling synths and layered vocals for a futuristic take on the past, something like Jack Kirby meets Grandmaster Flash via French New Wave. The whole is a perfect mixtape, a journey through the mind, body, and soul.

You can dance, revisit past journeys, float into the netherworlds and concentrate.

It’s a nice excursion into the beauty of an analog mindset. There is much grace in old machinery.

72 NEW NOISE

SOMN: RADIO KNIFE: FEEDBACK SNAKE VARIOUS ARTISTS: TIJUANA - MUSIC FROM THE OTHER SIDE : FRESH POTS! !

A compilation of contemporary Tijuana-based artists, Music From the Other Side showcases the immense diversity of one of Mexico’s largest cities. It’s a mixtape for the times. Artists like Maura Rosa and Entre Desiertos forge traditional Mexican folk with club sensibilities, DFMK bring the punk, and grinders Violencia offer powerviolence with sharp wit. Delta Sine are avant-techno with circle beats and gamer formation, and tulengua morph hip hop with the country’s distinct yet varied cultural aura. Spurs And Rockets are edgy, indie post-rock, and Korbukow are hardcore rage, their breakdowns maddening and real. Astral Azif carry psych-doom from the plains to the city, while Mountain Bridge prove pop can still have some bite. This is such a great experience. ¡Viva México!

There’s not much information out there about somn, but we do know that radio knife was recorded directly to cassette via improvised guitar noise and feedback manipulations. The songs are amazing, conjuring a life all their own. “broken hands that grip” is madness with calm and order, while “breathing dragon” is inspired chaos, noise of the uber-tasteful. You can feel the painting being forged while in the midst of this total recording, the hands and forearms of the artist straining and moving toward connection. radio knife is psychical; it is harshness with beauty. You can sense a human form in each track, which in turn is a universal metaphor: the oneness of pain and joy. Album closer “to cut/to sever” is perhaps the most flamboyant, its mini-solos stacked on top of each other. The whole song feels like an angry screwdriver to the temple but in a good way.

ITZEL: BASALT:: NEW YORK HAUNTED New York Haunted is an experimental and techno label out of Tilburg, Netherlands, with a wide array of confident artists. Itzel are one of the most intense. The sounds on Basalt have a lightness to them that is hard to describe. The compositions have the tendency to drift into your subconscious. Like clouds, they float around the perimeter, and you can’t help but make shapes out of them.

Opener “Ginsin” is shadow techno, never committed to one constant, always battling itself triumphantly. “Mutiny” is shallow ambience with a distant-sounding beat in the foreground; the space it travels is pristine and beckoning. “Softspine” is equal parts EDM and avant-garde, confusing and intriguing, like a dream you can’t escape from, waking up over and over again. Basalt is a foggy landscape, a trip down the rainy coastline. It is abstract and totally fulfilling.