Band Submission: Lawman-Heavy Psychedelic Rock From Austin, Texas

Band Name: Lawman
Genre: Heavy Psychedelic Rock
Location: Austin, TX
Brief Bio/Description:Raw and Heavy Psych from Austin, Texas featuring members of Ditch Witch. "Moon" EP free download available now via lawman.bandcamp.com
Band Members:
Nick-Guitar and Vocals
Mikey-Bass
Sean-Drums
Links: Bandcamp | Facebook

Sunday Cinema: Slow Southern Steel

Half the bands I love stomp south of the Mason-Dixon line. For all the dribbling of these exhaustive Sunday Sludge posts, I've spent the last few years never succinctly outlining exactly WHY these sounds are distinctly Southern, likely due to geography's shortcomings. The grit and groove of Southern metal is unique, powerful, and impossible to stuff into a box of labels or expectations. Sure, Portland has its place. The Southwest is buzzing with anger and fuzz. Greece, Hungary, and Denmark have all bred incredible sludge acts tattooing the genre's landscape. But let's be fuckin' serious: Sludge metal owes everything to the American Southeast (Texas, we'll let you in, too).

Rwake's Chris Terry has (sort of) finally unveiled Slow Southern Steel, a documentary wholly devoted to a dissection of Southern metal. What sets apart Southern sludge metal? What influenced acts like EYEHATEGOD and Jucifer? And what's with the fuckin' flag of the Confederate States? You'd be surprised. Loaded with booze, beards, and an alarmingly warm dose of unmatched brotherhood, this documentary highlights an under-appreciated musical niche via candid interviews, blunt assertions, and no shortage of flattening live stage footage. If you weren't raised in the South, you won't sound like the South. And they'll know it.

Strong family ties, nostalgia, religion, and unending uphill battles are just a few of Slow Southern Steel's triumphant reveals. This "dirt circuit" survives on familial bonds and realistic expectations. Word o' mouth is more important than social media, and there's no shame in sharing a disco-based rebellion. Beautifully-realized gravel road imagery complements the sounds, the stories, and the impact of a scene so ripe with mutual respect and appreciation that it's damn-near overwhelming. This film perfectly explains the things I can't. I'm just a dude who loves Acid Bath. But this is a film that helps me understand why.


For fans of: Rwake, EYEHATEGOD, Acid Bath, Buzzov-en, Dark Castle, Hank III, Dixie Witch, Down, HAARP, COC, Arson Anthem, Black Tusk, Kylesa, Deadbird, Seahag, Beaten Back to Pure, Alabama Thunderpussy, (the) Melvins, Music Hates You, Outlaw Order, Mastodon, Goatwhore, Soilent Green, Lamb of God, Sourvein, Assjack, Weedeater, ANTiSEEN, Hawg Jaw, Crowbar, Hail! Hornet, Zoroaster, A Hanging, and countless fucking other bands you already love.

Pair with: Pabst Blue Ribbon tallboys, one after another

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New Band To Burn One To: KING BISON

HEAVY PLANET PRESENTS...KING BISON!

"From the first hell-blazing drum fill of "Queen of the South" to the soul scorching southern boogie swagger of EP closer "One Step", Red Hill, PA three piece King Bison grabs you by the balls and don't let go. Combining a vintage southern hard rock strut with an updated bluesy stoner rock groove the band shakes and shimmies through these four solid rock nuggets. Gruff beer-drenched vocals, a wondering bass line and mammoth riffs sounds like a bastard mix of Molly Hatchet, Clutch and Dixie Witch. If you are a fan of what Small Stone Records does then this band will be right up your alley. You will feel your beard instantly grow as you crank up this fine example of kick ass rawk and roll!" 

Beer Pairing: Pabst Blue Ribbon Lager

~facebook|bandcamp~

Album Review: Dixie Witch - "Let It Roll"

What's it been, guys? Five years? Dixie Witch's 2006 effort, Smoke and Mirrors, managed to firmly cement the band's status as Austin's booze-stained Boogie Rock gods. On 2011's Let It Roll, they demonstrate their continued dedication to the cause. You won't find any 8-minute opus on this disc, and you also won't find original guitarist Clayton Mills. What you're treated to, though, is ten fuzzy shards of jagged licks and rolling rhythms on the band's fourth release.

The opening title track springboards listeners into a sea of killer southern riffs and groove that, amazingly, don't melt away in the span of an all-too-quick 36 minutes. Let It Roll demonstrates cosmic admiration, hog-tied production, and one hell of a good time. This power trio ain't lettin' their amped knowledge of songwriting and instrumentation get in the way of leaving behind a trail of blistered lips and weak knees. Ladies must LOVE this shit.

New guitarist J.T. Smith gets his share of marquee billing on damn-near every southern stone on this disc, and rightly so. Boogie Man begins with a choppy axe/skin reach-around, but audiences are liable to get soaked in dark themes, lifted portside tempos, and a fuzzy breakdown that mimics a cool, buzzed rumble through misty morning debauchery. Follow it up with The High Deal, and you'll see exactly why J.T.'s giving hard-ons to record label execs. A confident crunch, flanked by smoked-out bass and soaring Van Halen pipes, hums until a soulful string ascent sets fire to this ballad and steps back as that old barn burns.

Ah, shit. I shouldn't lead you guys to think CC and Trinidad have thrown on leotards and stuffed their shorts à la David Lee Roth. Hell no. Red Song and Anthem are marching, fist-pumping tales of vengeance and loss. These dudes have had nothing handed to them, and beyond the fuzziness you'll hear three dudes that've been thrown into a few barbed-wire fences. Halfway through these songs, you'll be picking moss out of your hair and dirt from your nails.

Beyond their vocals, CC and Trinidad haven't forgotten how to lay down some thick black carpet. Trinidad's drums motor up sidewalks, knocking over blue-haired old ladies on Saving Grace. Sevens is the album's bounce-heavy gravel road to gambling addiction. Pair the low-end fuzz with some ashy licks and you barely notice your skin's a deep shade of beaten.

And when these assholes wanna pick it up and get scandalous, it seems to come easier than that drunk bitch down the block. Enjoy a quick roll through the hay with Automatic Lady all you want, and be sure and tell your friends. (You're also gonna need to burn those clothes, by the way). December is a perfect, frenetic closing to an album that doesn't let up and doesn't disappoint. Quick tempo parallels a quick mood, along with a guitar highlight that's gonna leave scars up your back.

Dixie Witch certainly haven't gotten clean. Let It Roll is loud exhaust pipes, spilled Lone Star, and a gaze or two at the heavens. But on the other hand, this band's not gonna let a little fuzz hide prodigious song craftsmanship. It's a nice balance. But if I'm ever able to catch these guys live, keeping a sober balance is the last thing I'll worry about.


Small Stone Recordings | Facebook | Myspace

Clayton Mills Leaves Dixie Witch

From Clayton Mills of DIXIE WITCH:

After ten years as the founding guitarist of DIXIE WITCH, I am leaving the band to concentrate on family for awhile. I know that there have been some word of mouth rumors circulating so I just want to set the record straight. My wife and I are having a child this summer and I`m going to stay at home and take care of business there for the time being. The band will continue to play shows and tour with a new guitarist and we`ll just have to play it by ear as to my involvement with DIXIE WITCH in the future. By no means am I getting out of music or quitting playing guitar for good or any bullshit like that. Y`all will be hearing from me and my Les Paul again! Its been a great decade of playing music with the WITCH, we`ve been all over and played nearly 1,000 live shows since 2000 and I`m very grateful for the experience and career I`ve had with the band.


I`d really like to thank all of those who have supported us over the years! The list of names could go on and on forever so I`d just like to say thanks to all the fans who have come out to the shows and bought our CDs and merch, all the bands we`ve shared the stage with, all the family we`ve made on the road (especially those who have opened their homes to us), all the bartenders for the extended hospitality and all the clubs and venues who have let us rock their stages. I`d like to say an extra special thanks to Tone Deaf Touring (Erik, Troy, and Greg), webmaster Jeff Downing, Scott and Small Stone Records, John Perez and Brainticket Records, Mauro and Arclight Records, Erik Larson and ATP, Jeff Pinkus and HONKY, THE SUPLECS, Joel Hamilton, Klaus at the Vibra Agency in Europe, Greg Barrett from Emissions from the Monolith, Walter and the Roadburn festival, the Room 710, Emo`s Austin - and of course to Trinidad and CC for being the incredible musicians that they are! It`s been quite the ride! We have two more shows coming up in Texas with our good ol` friends HONKY - April 10 at the Continental Club in Houston and April 11 at Room 710 in Austin.


- Clayton

Witch and Earthless Winter Tour Dates

Witch and Tee Pee Records labelmates Earthless will team up for a set of tour dates starting in late February.

2/20 Toronto, CA The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
2/21 Montreal, CA Les Saints
2/22 Providence, RI AS220
2/23 Boston, MA TT The Bears
2/24 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
2/25 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall Of Williamsburg
2/26 Washington, DC DC9
2/27 Asbury Park, NJ Asbury Lanes
2/28 Baltimore, MD Ottobar


Witch is touring behind their March 2008 release Paralyzed. The record found Witch evolving beyond the standard Sabbathian riff structure that defined much of their first record. With Paralyzed, Witch step into new realms melding punk rock tempos with acid guitar freak-outs while maintaining sludgy head nodding grooves. Rather than revisiting the sounds of the 60's/70's, Witch reinvented them.

Earthless recently released Live At Roadburn, a double CD/LP masterpiece recorded live at the 2008 Roadburn Festival.

"Earthless's 'Live At Roadburn' is the perfect middle ground between Randy Holden's 'Population II' and Mahavishnu Orchestra's 'Between Nothingness And Eternity' - an instrumental hard rock odyssey recommended to any brain in
need of frying." - Phil Freeman, METAL EDGE

Witch To Tour West Coast

Witch will be heading out on their first ever West Coast tour this September. Joining them will be Tee Pee Records label mates Earthless and Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound. J Mascis will not be touring with the band on these dates due to Dinosaur Jr. commitments. Instead Mario Rubalcaba of Earthless will man the kit throughout the tour, adding his crushing drum beats to Witch`s sinister assault. The tour promises to be a sonic, face melting experience.

Witch, Earthless, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound Tour Dates
9/2: Seattle, WA - Studio 7

9/3: Portland, OR - East End
9/4: San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
9/5: Brookdale, CA - Brookdale Lodge
9/6: San Diego, CA - The Casbah
9/7: Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex (Tee Pee Records Manifest Destiny), with Graveyard, The Warlocks, Earthless, Ancestors, Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound + More.


Witch is touring in support of Paralyzed, released in March on Tee Pee Records. Paralyzed finds Witch evolving beyond the standard Sabbathian riff structure that defined much of their first record. Witch step into a new realm on Paralyzed, melding punk rock tempo`s with acid guitar freak outs while maintaining sludgy head nodding grooves.


Earthless released Rhythms From A Cosmic Sky in 2007 and have their first ever live record, Live In Tilburg set to hit stores in October. The album was recorded at this year`s Roadburn Festival. Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound will head into the studio this fall to record the follow up to their 2007 record Ekranoplan, a lesson in stoney, space psychedelia.

Album Of The Day-Dixie Witch-"One Bird, Two Stones" (2003)

The Album Of The Day is "One Bird, Two Stones" by Dixie Witch.

Review:

Unlike most of its hard-rockin' new millennium counterparts, Texas trio Dixie Witch rarely explodes into manic spells of stoner rock head-banging, but rather tends to lay back and coast along laid-back highways paved by Southern rock grooves. The piss-poor production values aside, there's much to love in the band's second album, One Bird, Two Stones, which features a wealth of inspired head-nodding anthems like "Drifting Lady," "Makes Me Crazy," and especially the Skynyrd-esque "The Wheel." Singing drummer Trinidad Leal employs a convincing Dave Wyndorf-styled moan 'n' yowl technique on both the unusually hard-driving "Turbo Wing" and the more typical stride of "On My Way," while the standout "More of a Woman" simply flips the guitar riff from Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" inside out. And to wrap things up with a flourish, lengthy, lazy closer "Traveler" offers an admirable tour de force by guitarist Clayton Mills, including electric, slide, and acoustic work. With so much strong material weighing in the album's favor, it's really a pity having to deal with such a frustratingly muddy sound mix, but then perhaps this is as Dixie Witch intended. Whatever the case, most lovers of gritty and honest Southern rock are likely to forgive these technical issues in order to see through to the great tunes below. (Ed Rivadavia, AMG)

Track Listing:

01. Get Busy
02. Going South
03. More Of A Woman
04. The Wheel
05. On My Way
06. Drifting Lady
07. Makes Me Crazy
08. Turbo Wing
09. Here Today Gone Tommorow
10. Traveler

Listen

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