Toby's Top 10 of 2011

Let me start by wishing everyone out there a very rock and roll New Year! Based on the sheer variety of albums being mentioned by Seth, Zac and myself, it's evident that 2011 was a fucking monster year for this music that we all know and love. Of course, if you haven't already done so, I recommend that you make a point to check out every album on all of our lists...as well as those on Reg's...which will be unleashed tomorrow.

Why take our word for it? Because between the four of us, we've listened to hundreds of albums by bands from around the globe and we've done our best to cherry pick our personal favorites. It wasn't an easy task and if I tried to put this list together again next week...hell, tomorrow even...it may very well look different. But this is today and this is my list, so here goes nothin'...I give you Toby's Top 10 of 2011.

10.Rwake - Rest

Seth reviewed this one as part of his Sunday Sludge feature and I don't know about you, but if Seth says something is good enough to be his album of the year, then I check that shit out. Rest is an atmospheric head fuck from start to finish that will make you want to crawl into a hole and curl up in the fetal position. In Seth's words, "this is an album you'll feel, one you'll discuss, and one you'll remember." Do not miss it.

09. The Gates of Slumber - The Wretch

With their 2011 release The Wretch, The Gates of Slumber ditched their Conan the Barbarian worship and went straight for the jugular. This one is eight tracks of sorrow, longing and regret set to music. You want to know what a doom record sounds like, then give this one a spin. As I said when I reviewed this one last summer..."pure sonic drudgery." And I mean that in the best possible way.

08. Lo-Pan - Salvador

Dude! As soon as you hit play on Lo-Pan's latest effort and hear the opening feedback spill from your speakers, you will be hooked. From the driving bass line and soaring vocals of "El Dorado" to the unmistakable groove of "Solo", this is an album of pure rock fury...pardon the Clutch reference. In Zac's review for this one, he compared the vocals to part Maynard Keenan and part Chris Cornell...how can you not get down with that?

07. Borracho - Splitting Sky

You had to know that this one was gonna be on my list, seeing as I pimp this band every chance I get. Borracho stormed onto the scene this year and made an immediate impact with their debut LP. Combining stoner rock grooves, doom metal riffs and classic guitar licks, oftentimes all in the span of the same song, this album was definitely one of a kind. Throw in the barking, drill sergeant-esque vocals and you have yourself a fine slab of rock.

06. Elvis Deluxe - Favourite State of Mind

A lot of stoner/doom type stuff is abstract and somewhat conceptual. Not so with Elvis Deluxe. This band wallops you over the head with some of the catchiest rhythms and sing-along choruses you're likely to hear this side of FM radio. Think the zanier, Oliveri sung bits of QOTSA and you're on the right track. I got my hands on this one thanks to Zac's glowing review and months later, it's still in heavy rotation for this guy.

05. U.S. Christmas - The Valley Path

Speaking of abstract and conceptual...what a perfect segue into the latest from USX. When I first heard this gargantuan 38 minute song (yes...the entire album is one song) I didn't quite know what to make of it. But after multiple listens, it grew on me like a mold. The combination of over the top orchestration with the sounds of nature is...as I said in my review...arresting. This one requires patience, but in the end, it is a trip worth taking.

04. Ponamero Sundown - Rodeo Electrica

As soon as I heard the opening drum roll of the first track, "Evil Wand", I knew this album would be one of my favorites. Ponamero Sundown do not let up...ever! Take the laid back fuzz of Kyuss, the catchiness of the Foo Fighters and the heaviness of every grunge band Seattle ever spawned and throw it into a blender. This is desert rock at warp speed.

03. Across Tundras - Sage

Back in January 2011, if you had told me that one of the best albums of the year would mix the heaviness of doom with the twang of country, I would have laughed. But that's exactly what Across Tundras manages to do on Sage. As I said in my original review, this is "an incredibly original slice of Americana set to music." This is the sound of desolation...and it is beautiful.

02. Freedom Hawk - Holding On

Freedom Hawk released this album in October, I didn't hear it until December...and it shot straight to number two on this list. That should tell you all you need to know. But if that isn't enough, then just know that Freedom Hawk have written thirteen songs that are unforgettable and they sound kind of like Ozzy fronting Fu Manchu. This is "fist in the air, wind in your hair rock and roll."

01. Skraeckoedlan - Äppelträdet

I had a feeling this one was gonna top my list when I reviewed it back in September and damn if I wasn't right. Äppelträdet is chock full of ultra heavy riffs, more poly-rhythmic shifts than even Mastodon and soaring vocals sung in both English and the band's native Swedish. Skraeckoedlan manage to combine dissonance, power and volume with harmony, melody and rhythm and that my friends is why this is my favorite album of 2011.

Album Review - U.S. Christmas: The Valley Path

Somewhere along the Appalachian Trail where the Blue Ridge Mountains straddle the border of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, there is a distant rumbling of psychedelic noise echoing through the canyons. It is a sound that has been heard in those parts for damn near ten years, but as of recently, it is one that has been growing and becoming more prevalent on a global scale. The sound is a dichotic mosaic of nature’s soothing majesty and metal’s jarring and abrasive power. It is the music of a collective known as U.S. Christmas (USX).

Now you may know them from recent high profile gigs with Baroness…and you probably heard their previous album Run Thick in the Night since it was arguably the best stoner/doom release of 2010. But on their latest record, The Valley Path, USX has decided to challenge their listeners in a way that some bands have attempted, but in which very few have been successful. You see, The Valley Path is in fact one…epic…song.

At the risk of speaking for the band, I won't try and explain why they decided to eschew traditional song structures, opting instead to string each musical movement together with continuous guitar notes or in some cases simply the sounds of the wilderness to create one, long, uninterrupted listening session. But the fact is there are no fewer than five…maybe even six places within the album where the music shifts or moves if you will, becoming essentially a new song. Instead, USX uses a variety of techniques to connect these pieces and in the end we're left with the lone, gargantuan track clocking in at just under 40 minutes. Vocalist/guitarist Nate Hall offers some insight into this decision saying that “a song does not have to be a part of a collection. It is more important for music to take the path it chooses, and an artist must be willing to let this happen. The Valley Path is one song. And a song is a thing that changes.” So now that you understand what you're in for, let's get down to the business at hand…is it any good?

Well I'll be honest, this is a meandering piece of music that will likely take multiple listens to "get it". As I gave The Valley Path a second run through…and then a third…and a fourth, I began to discover things I'd missed on my first journey through the album. For starters, as I've already mentioned, it is really made up of five distinct musical ventures and a number of interludes that are all interconnected. The first of these begins with the early morning sounds of birds singing and crickets chirping before a few guitar notes join the mix…but the guitar doesn't so much as overcome the sounds of nature as it plays alongside them…like they too are an instrument of the band. Eventually the bass and drums enter the picture slowly…steadily…and we hear Hall's lazy drawl…"there is a time for wicked redemption". That initial, trance inducing guitar part carries on for the next ten minutes, driving the music through a series of guitar solos and our first taste of Meghan Mulhearn's excellent violin playing, which adds a perfectly ethereal touch to the USX sound.

This all flows into the first sort of interlude, this one consisting of strummed guitar, gentle violin and ambient noise. And just as your mind begins to wander and you've been lulled into a hypnotic state, USX hits you with a fantastic riff and for the first time, we hear the full band jamming together in unison. And to hear these guys incorporate every instrument in their arsenal at once is a treat for the ears because there are seven band members and each one is contributing in their own way. You'll hear multiple guitars, dual drummers, what sounds like an organ and of course that magnificent violin permeating through all of it. This span of The Valley Path from around the fourteen minute mark to the nineteenth minute may just be my favorite part. It is heavy, it is beautiful and when you find it buried within the overall piece of music, it's like discovering a hidden treasure for the ears.

The next phase of the album returns us to the woods, to the gentle sounds of nature…perhaps now it's midday. The band makes their presence known, but only through subtle soundscapes and atmospheric noises in the background. At one point you'll even hear a train passing by somewhere off in the distance…or maybe I just imagined that to be the case…because that's what it's like listening to The Valley Path…you're eyes will glaze over and your mind will take a trip without your body. And then just when you give in to the peacefulness you're hearing and the images and memories that its conjuring inside of you…a guitar jolts you back to reality…and then a cymbal…and that violin…USX returns and this is where The Valley Path becomes epic. The section from around the twenty-one and a half minute mark to the twenty-sixth minute is absolutely arresting…a full orchestra couldn't produce beautiful noise such as this.

Another minute or so passes by…white noise…nothingness…and then…familiarity…the opening guitar notes that started this whole dramatic piece of music returns. Thunderous drums follow close on its heels…and finally Hall's murmured vocals return. This reprise of sorts guides us…drives us…leading us…where? To the conclusion. The beginning of the end of this musical saga takes place at around the thirty-four minute mark, where USX unleashes the full force of their musical capabilities for the second time and the impact on your eardrums is absolutely monumental. Words cannot describe that sound, you just need to hear it. And when the final echoes of feedback drain out of the speakers, we find that we've been dropped off right back where we started at the beginning of The Valley Path…only things are different…time has passed…gone are the sounds of early birds getting their worms…this is the sound of evening…toads croaking and crickets drowning out the day…this is the end.

So to answer the question of whether or not this album is any good…I would say emphatically…yes! However, you do need to understand that it is a challenging listen. You cannot digest The Valley Path in pieces, no matter how tempting it may be…it must be taken whole…USX has designed it that way intentionally. This is not the album you'll go to when you want to blare something from your car stereo with the windows rolled down. This is the album you'll turn to when hope seems lost and you just need time alone with your thoughts. This is a headphone album. It is sweeping in scope, and although it will require patience, the payoff is there…it is rewarding and quite honestly…it is enlightening.

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Band Members:

Nate Hall – Guitars, words, vocals
Matt Johnson – Synthesizers, guitars, sounds
Chris Thomas – Guitars, bass
BJ Graves – Drums
Justin Whitlow – Drums, experimental sounds
Josh Holt – Bass, drones
Meghan Mulhearn - Violin

Heavy Planet's Top 20 of 2010: #5 to #1

Well, as you have anxiously been anticipating, here are my Top 5 albums of 2010. At this time I would also like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and look forward to hearing some great new music in the upcoming new year.

#05. Ramesses-Take the Curse (Ritual Productions)

I couldn't wait for this album to come out, and after listening to it through the first time I had no doubt that it would be a perfect fit in my Top 10. Unfortunately, there were four other albums that hit me a bit harder than this fine release, otherwise it would have been ranked higher.

What others had to say:

Mike Kemp, (Rocksound.tv)

"Hailing from the darkest depths of Dorset and featuring the original Electric Wizard rhythm section, Ramesses don’t piss about when it comes to delivering weighty slabs of pure, malignant doom. Their second full-length, ‘Take The Curse’ is as dark and claustrophobic as they come, bursting at the seams with massive sludge riffs and enjoyably camp soundbites from 70s horror flicks. The production is appropriately dank and musty, adding an extra layer of unpleasantness to numbers like ‘Black Hash Mass’ and ‘Baptism Of The Walking Dead’, the latter sounding like an Autopsy record spinning at the wrong speed. Doom the fuck out."

Doommantia.com

"I first heard the tracks off "Take The Curse" almost a year ago now when a friend sent me their CDR promo that was circulating at the time, it was such a killer collection of songs that i lent out the disc to another so called friend and never saw the CD or that dude ever again! Finally after nearly a year of waiting i have the album back again and it was worth the wait. Released on the Ritual Productions label, it is due for a official release on April 19th. The CD comes in 2 alternative covers with glossy artwork and the first 200 copies comes with a exclusive limited edition collector's art card set, made especially for this release. What is remarkable about Ramesses is they have become a big influence to a lot of bands but have only ever released one previous full length album which was "Misanthropic Alchemy" released in 2007. They have released a couple of split albums with other bands and a couple of EP's including last years brilliant "Baptism of the Walking Dead". The power doom-trio have a originality that is hard to compare with anyone else which is the band's strongest point and on "Take The Curse", they have taken their sound to the next level of sonic extremes and accessibility." Read more...

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#04. U.S. Christmas-Run Thick in the Night (Neurot)

After the release of their brilliant 2008 release "Eat the Low Dogs", I did not believe that album could be surpassed. On "Run Thick In The Night", the band continues to explore the boundaries of music: dark, brooding, spacey, trippy, chilling or whatever you want to call it, USX simply puts out some truly phenomenal music. I think they just might be one of my new favorite bands!

What others had to say:

Evan, SwanFungus.com

"A few months ago one of my friends was hanging out at South By Southwest (you all know how I feel about that shit, my friend is lucky I still speak to him), and I made him promise me that he would check out U.S. Christmas. I think they were playing a Neurot showcase. I don’t remember. He sent me a text mid-way through their set saying that the band’s percussionist was frying on mushrooms, and that the band sounded incredible. For the first time in my life, I was actually jealous of somebody at SXSW. I guess there is a first for everything." Read more...

Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility.org

"Purveyors of Hawkwind and early Floyd should be interested in Run Thick In The Night, the new album from space/psych rockers US Christmas. It is their fifth release to date and the follow up to Eat The Low Dogs. US Christmas has been around for about ten years but I have to admit this is the first time I have come across the band's music. Band members include Nate Hall (words, voice, slide, electric and acoustic guitar), Matt Johnson (electric guitar, synthesizers), Meghan Mulhearn (violin, voice), Josh Holt (bass, drones, synthesizers), BJ Graves (drums, percussion), Justin Whitlow (drums, controlled feedback) and Chris Thomas (guitar, bass)." Read more... 
 
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#03. Ufomammut-Eve (Supernatural Cat)
 
 

Usually I am not really into the critically aclaimed albums because frankly I just don't understand what all the hype is about but this album is worth all the hype. It is a tremendous result of how well an album can be constructed. If you have never heard anything by this band, Eve is a great place to start.

What others had to say:

Matt Mooring, MetalReview.com

"“Ufomammut are gonna make a big splash with this album."

Seems like I’ve been saying that since 2004, when I first heard Snailking. But for whatever reason, these Italians still seem to be flying under the radar of most doom fans. Maybe it’s their peculiar moniker or the fact that you may have to search a bit to find their releases. But really, there’s no good reason that the doom faithful would miss out on a band capable of chest rattling riffery worthy of Electric Wizard, the hypnotic incantations of Om, and ensnaring ambient intensity of Neurosis and Isis. Of course, Ufomammut don’t actually sound like any of these bands. They don’t actually sound like ANY band. But the trio have honed their attack, forging their own lethal brand of psychedelic doom, and Eve may well be their finest hour." Read more...

Deafsparrow.com

"The line between art and entertainment is totally blurred with Eve, the sixth recording of Italian psyche-doomsters Ufomammut. This new offering is a slow burn and as such, it may require too much from the average listener to enjoy. Others, wiser, more patient and with more sophisticated taste will realize that even though this is best consumed in one sitting it may take several listens to discover and get engaged by the hidden grooves and the slow ascensions presented here. For most, Eve may be too artsy. Hence, not entertaining, nor rocking enough. For others, most already familiar with Ufomammut’s past works, this will be a trip worth ingesting and digesting." Read more... 
 
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#02. Droids Attack-Must Destroy (Crustacean Records)

After the release of Droids Attack's previous effort Fatal/Error, I didn't think the band could get any better, man was I wrong. Although the band incorporates some pretty silly lyrics into their music, I could seriously care less. I just want to fuckin' rock, man and these guys do not hold anything back. This album cured my urge for some serious classic stoner rock riffage with a dash of punk thrown in for good measure.

What others had to say:

Jay Snider, (HellRide.com)

"You’re not likely to get more bluesy riffs and swagger on any other album this year. Droids Attack have again pushed all the right buttons, when it comes to my love for big, classy riffs and Must Destroy will probably end up on my next, horribly disfigured “year end best of list” as a result of their groovy prowess."

DeafSparrow.com

"Life’s not fair, you know. While most bands spend all their years in existence trying to write one good song and a not so sizeable portion of others manage to do so and live off it, others, like Droids Attack, make it seem so easy and write whole albums of high quality chutzpah and high energy music. What’s more infuriating, they make it seem like a joke. A good joke. I mean, they have a song called "The Unforgiven 4" for chrissakes! Taking a look at the digipack you can tell these droids aren’t about getting deep and making you think sad thoughts. Yeah, they may be dressed as soldiers in the second world war but that robot mascot – named Robo – is beyond cute and apparently he is an enlisted stoner fanatic too" Read more...

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#01. Barn Burner-Bangers (Metal Blade)

While not critically acclaimed, the album gained some pretty decent reviews. This album was one of the first releases of the year and I just couldn't get enough of it. It is just one of those albums that gets your blood flowing. The band deemed themselves “the 3 headed love child of Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Fu Manchu“. A pretty accurate statement I must say. I also hear a little C.O.C. influence in there as well. After reading that statement I knew it would have to be great.

What others had to say:

OneMetal.com

"Montreal, Canada-based 4-headed riff machine Barn Burner don’t believe in beating around the bush. Album opener ‘Holy Smokes’ comes roaring out of the gate with a direct aggressiveness that lays out the band’s stall in no uncertain terms – no atmospheric intro, no acoustic lead-in, hell, there’s not even a hi-hat four count – from the second you press play, you’re blasted by guitars, bass and drums in full hell-for-burnished-leather mode. Self-described as “the 3 headed love child of Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Fu Manchu“, the band’s commitment to dirty, sleazy riffage mingled with a punkish rawness and a hard-partying attitude is undisputable. The fifth track, ‘Runnin Reds’, in particular sounds like it could slot neatly onto Black Flag‘s Damaged II album, while mid-album 6:38 epic ‘Brohemoth’ showcases a more thunderous, mid-paced side of the band’s musicianship, barrelling along on crashing, discordant riffage and downtuned stomp." Read more...

The Klepto

"It's easy to write a lot about a band that is bad, or a band that has lots of ups and downs, but for the acts that are solid throughout, unless you listen to the album repeatedly - enough to fully digest it's complexities - then it is damn difficult to make a decent article about it. Barn Burner is one of those acts. Their debut (I believe) album, Bangers, is a solid rendition of rockin' and groovin' stoner metal. They play the blues-tinged, funk-riddled style of the genre which is my favorite. Every song - while great - sounds similar to the one previous and the one after, there is no way to pick the stand-outs, no song falls behind either, all are of the same caliber, all of them rock!" Read more...
 
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Honorable mentions:
 
Kylesa-Static Tensions
Monster Magnet-Mastermind
Venomin James-Crowe Valley Blues
Fatso Jetson-Archaic Volumes
Yawning Man-Nomadic Pursuits
Brant Bjork-Gods & Goddesses
Dax Riggs-Say Goodnight To The World
Loimann-Towards Higher Consciousness

Read #20-#16 here
Read #15-#11 here
Read #10-#06 here

Heavy Rotation-U.S. Christmas– "Run Thick In The Night"

If you are into the whole psychedelic space-rock sort of thing, I suggest you direct all of your attention towards the band U.S. Christmas. After the release of their brilliant 2008 release "Eat the Low Dogs", I did not believe that album could be surpassed. On "Run Thick In The Night", the band continues to explore the boundaries of music: dark, brooding, spacey, trippy, chilling or whatever you want to call it, USX simply puts out some truly phenomenal music. I think they just might be one of my new favorite bands!

What others are saying:

U.S. Christmas are one of those rare bands who can meld seemingly disparate elements together to form their own cohesive and distinct sound. Think Neil Young jamming with Hawkwind, Spacemen 3 and Pink Floyd, and you're in the right direction, but comparisons like those don't even give them their due credit. Bands like USX (as they're commonly referred to...) are more than the sum of their parts. Although the influences are distinct, they've got their own thing going on, and its fully righteous.

Their last album, Eat The Low Dogs, was hailed as a masterpiece, and Run Thick In The Night doesn't depart drastically on the sound they've already established. It begins with the moody, brooding 13 minute track "In The Night", with its heavily textured, wall of sound "outlaw country gone shoegaze" guitars and spacey keyboard sweeps, and morphs quickly into the Hawkwind inspired rager "Wolf On Anareta". "Fire Is Sleeping" is a tender ballad, really upping the ante on the Southern and Skynyrd influences without resorting to the usual cliches, and adds some weepy violin and mournful slide guitar to the mix. The next few songs continue in this s t y l e, country-tinged, acid drenched, and melancholy, until the bass and drum driven track "The Quena" breaks the spell and gives a much needed change of pace.

The rest of the album is more of the same, highlighted by the tremendous closer, "The Moon In Flesh And Bone." It's a well developed, well paced track with some spacey jams and killer guitar work throughout. It shows the band at their best and most elaborate, and provides a fitting close to the album.

The production is awesome. There's a lot going on in every track, and you can hear all of it, yet there's not always a ton of space and separation, so you get that melding of sounds when instruments occupy a bit of the same frequency and dynamic range, resulting in new sounds altogether. The effects are abundant, and yet tasteful and always serve to augment the overall sound rather than act as a novelty.

All in all, this is one I'm going to need to get on vinyl. At 77 minutes in length, it's a bit hard to digest in a single sitting, and I like the four album sides of a 2xLP, with its inherent groupings of songs and "breaks" to catch my breath and let things set in a bit. This is certainly a tremendous effort from U.S. Christmas, but it's challenging, and the pace lags somewhat in the middle of the record, bookmarked between the longer and more upbeat tracks. Still, I'll recommend it, this is a great band, and another great release to their catalog that I think just needs more listening time before I really grow to appreciate its subtleties, much like the first album. Fans of latter day Earth, Across Tundras, and all things trippy take note." -Andy "Dinger" Beresky (http://www.stonerrock.com/)

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"A few months ago one of my friends was hanging out at South By Southwest (you all know how I feel about that shit, my friend is lucky I still speak to him), and I made him promise me that he would check out U.S. Christmas. I think they were playing a Neurot showcase. I don’t remember. He sent me a text mid-way through their set saying that the band’s percussionist was frying on mushrooms, and that the band sounded incredible. For the first time in my life, I was actually jealous of somebody at SXSW. I guess there is a first for everything.

My love for U.S. Christmas is similar to that of artists like White Hills, Emeralds, Harvey Milk, Spiritualized or Earth. They can do no wrong. If a new album is on the horizon, you don’t have to ask me, of course I need to obtain multiple copies on different formats. When the first e-mail graced my inbox detailing the new U.S. Christmas album, Run Thick In The Night (a title culled from the Sam Peckinpah western Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid), I demanded an advance. I requested an interview too…but we’ll see if that ever materializes.

If you’ve heard the band’s recorded output, the foundation of the band’s sound should be familiar by now. Guitars (two, three, maybe sometimes four!?), synthesizers, drums (sometimes two drummers!), bass, drones and strings (most often violin). Salt The Wound featured cuts (some reworked or re-recorded) from the band’s first two self-released CD-rs, Prayer Meeting and Bad Heart Bull (I guess now’s as good a time to say that if you own either of these, I need to buy them from you). The band’s self-titled EP was the first recording of theirs I heard. From the first bars of the fantastically raw, spaced-out blues rocker “Lazarus” I was one-hundred percent sold. By the time Eat The Low Dogs was released, I’d started hailing USX as one of the best rock bands in the world. The have been desribed somewhat simplistically by various music rags as “stoner rock,” but there is much more depth to the band, in my mind they defy such easy classification. There’s a southern, bluesy aspects (without that annoying whiskey-soaked posturing you find on a lot of stoner/metal records). There’s also a ton of far out, Pink Floyd shit involved. Synthesizers and effects pedals spiraling off into distant galaxies, kaleidoscopic and grand, pierced by the heavily-processed vocals of guitarist Nate Hall.

Run Thick In The Night is as consistent and far-out as anything the band has released to date. Some of the melodies actually stand out now, instead of being crushed to dust beneath walls of noise and feedback. You can actually hear chord changes! The band doesn’t play with space as much as on Eat The Low Dogs or Salt The Wound (see: “Silent Tongue,” “Lazarus,” etc.), but the increased attention to filling in gaps between notes aids the band’s desired wall-of-sound. As someone who loved and appreciated the — dare I say it — minimalist compositions of the band’s earlier albums, I’m happy that the more fleshed-out songs on Run Thick In The Night don’t distract from the band’s essence. So often a band decides to record a new album with a highly-touted producers (as USX has done this time around, enlisting Minsk’s Sanford Parker to record, whose credits include Pelican, Lair Of The Minotaur, Nachtmystium, Zoroaster and more) to terrible, over-produced results. That’s most certainly not the case here.

Highlights include the so-very-U.S.-Christmas-esque opener “In The Night,” the acoustic guitar and violin ballad — that’s right, it’s a fucking kick-ass ballad — “Fire Is Sleeping,” and “Suzerain,” which sounds like what Rex could have sounded like if they didn’t go for broke with the alt. country vibe after their first LP. “Fire Is Sleeping” or “Devil’s Flower In Mother Winter” — both stellar acoustic dirges — remind me of that self-titled Flying Canyon record. It’s not CSNY on horse tranquilizers in an echo chamber, but it’s close. Of course, these tunes sound prettier.

The 13-track album closes with the slow-churning hymn, “The Moon In Flesh And Bone.” This is U.S. Christmas at its best. Minimal guitars, straightforward drumming, oozing with violin drones, slow-building with call-and-response vocals, finally reaching its crescendo, catapulting the listener into the deepest regions of space, eventually collapsing into a mess of chaotic noise. At some point I realized that those swirling synthesizers — the key elements of the bands previous albums — had quietly exited some time ago. It’s okay. The guitar/violin interplay is just as great, and it shows that U.S. Christmas is so much more than just a one-trick pony. USX is now capable of both sending you off into the deepest, uncharted recesses of your brain — where the totally psychotropic shit resides — and breaking your heart with ornate requiems. I too once tried to oversimplify the U.S. Christmas sound to a friend by saying, “They pretty much have only one song, but I fucking love it and they play the shit out of it.” Run Thick In The Night blows that idea out of the water, and I am happily humbled to hear it. Like I said earlier, you can’t easily classify a band like U.S. Christmas. You just have to tell people that they fucking rock."-Evan (Swan Fungus)



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Concert Review-Baroness W/Earthless And U.S. Christmas

On occasion I will post a concert review for you guys to check out. This particular review comes courtesy of my boy Toby from his very cool blog "The Year Long Music Binge".

Baroness with Earthless and U.S. Christmas

Rock n’ Roll Hotel
Washington D.C.
November 18th, 2009

"The Binge was at the Rock n' Roll Hotel this week, which is a very small, cozy venue in my favorite neighborhood in DC...the "up and coming" (which really means, keep to the beaten path or you may not make it home) Atlas District. The place is a freaky, little, hole-in-the-wall dive that doesn't hold much more than a couple of hundred people at best. And when I say freaky, I'm talking mannequins with steer skulls for heads, hanging from the ceiling freaky. So with that said, let's get to the business at hand.

U.S. Christmas
U.S. Christmas, hailing from a little town called Marion in my home state of North Carolina, was up first. The band literally crammed every square inch of the tiny R n' R Hotel stage as they consist of seven members! Lead by vocalist/guitarist Nate Hall, they played a psychedelic blend of stoner/sludge/doom rock. In addition to Hall, U.S. Christmas includes guitarists Matt Johnson and Chris Thomas, bassist Josh Holt, drummers B.J. Graves and Justin Whitlow and violinist Meghan Mulhearn. The dueling drummers, who quite literally blended together visually as if you were watching one drummer playing beside a mirror, provided a rhythm to the music that was heavier than all hell. And the subtle violin gave an eerie backdrop to the entire proceeding. Speaking of eerie, Hall had the skull of some mysterious, antlered animal hanging from his microphone stand, and to top it all off, he used it to hold his finger slide...weird! The band was nothing if not original, especially in a genre that has become oversaturated. Impressive.

Earthless
San Diego's Earthless were second on the bill and although foreign to me, there appeared to be quite a contingent there to see these guys. Appearing to be the band's front man, Isaiah Mitchell, walked onstage, thanked the crowd for coming out and then pushed the microphone away from him and proceeded to create a wall of feedback that lasted for at least five minutes. I knew immediately that those would be the last words we would hear from Mitchell, and true to my inclination, Earthless turned out to be an instrumental act. The band also includes bassist Mike Eginton and drummer Mario Rubalcaba, whose kit had one of the biggest bass drums I've ever laid my eyes on.

Earthless basically played one 40-minute song with Mitchell soloing for what seemed like 95% of that time. Now listen, I get what these guys are about and I have nothing but respect for it. Talent-wise, they have it in spades. With that being said, their shtick got old. Kyuss used to do this type of thing back in the day, but they did it much better. The difference? They had a vocalist, John Garcia, who would exit the stage and allow the rest of the band to play for what seemed like forever, but his presence alone ensured that you never, ever got bored with the music. Earthless weren't able to keep my attention in the same way. Perhaps they should consider adding a vocalist to the mix, even if it's only to offer the occasional distraction from all that guitar wankery.

Baroness
Baroness, from Savannah, Georgia, is the current torch bearer for stoner rock in my humble opinion. The band plays an amazing blend of slowed down, Clutch-like beard rock with a slight dose of Van Halen-esque guitar flare thrown in for good measure. Quite honestly, I could have listened to this shit all night long!

You would have been hard pressed to know the band was kicking off the tour in support of their latest opus "Blue Record" tonight, as they hit their stride immediately. Apparently these guys have ties to the DC area, having grown up in nearby Lexington, VA, which explains their decision to start the tour in DC (and explains vocalist/guitarist John Baizley’s tie to local bands Darkest Hour and Pig Destroyer, for whom he’s done album artwork in the past).

Baizley is quite the imposing figure, sporting a shaved head, a mighty beard and eyes that drill holes through the audience. When the vocalist screamed into the mic, the veins in his neck stood out so vividly, I thought they might explode…and those damn eyes, I tell you the man looked possessed! Baizley managed to command the stage, despite having nothing to say to the crowd throughout the first ¾ of the show. It wasn't until Baroness left for an encore that he addressed his audience, offering a sincere thanks and saying..."you allow us to do what we do".

Meanwhile, pig-tailed bassist Summer Welch was a maniac onstage, never losing the wicked smile that adorned his mug the entire night. And Peter Adams was equally as psychotic on the other side of the stage, handling lead guitar duty and playing off of Baizley’s rhythm guitar perfectly. Drummer Allen Blickle completed the picture, tying the whole thing up into a nice, neat package of southern-prog-swamp-metal bliss.

Speaking of pictures, behind the band was a backdrop with Baizley’s cover-art from “Blue Record”. This guy’s work really is worth a look, as he is an amazing artist. If you haven’t already done so, do yourself a favor and check out Baroness. Come for the music and stay for the art…just don’t get caught in the gaze of those eyes…"

Go to the blog for pictures from the show and to check out more badass reviews.