Showing posts with label Witches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Witches. Show all posts
Monday, August 10, 2015
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Concert Review - All Them Witches with King Buffalo and King Dead
The Sherman Theater, Living Room
Stroudsburg, PA
August 23, 2014
I hadn't taken an over-night road trip
for a show in a long time. But when I found out that All Them Witches and King
Buffalo would be making a stop in Stroudsburg (about a four hour trip from
Pittsburgh), I rallied some troops and we took to the weary path that these
musicians are all too familiar with.
Being one of the lucky cats to get a King Buffalo tee with a promo
earlier this year, I brandished it with pride, and began strolling Main Street
Stroudsburg in search of our venue and a good dive bar. Our destination was the Sherman Theater’sLiving Room. With a quiet appearance,
more common for art galleries and open mic poet nights, we were psyched to
experience All Them Witches and King Buffalo in a tight fitting and intimate
setting. As we approached the Living
Room we were waved down by King Buffalo’s drummer Scott, who noticed my
shirt. After the friendly introduction,
we offered to give the guys a hand loading, but we were too late. We chilled for a while, waiting for The
Witches to arrive, and carried on with Scott anticipating the music to
come. Scott was a stand up dude with a
killer Van Halen tee (thanks for letting us talk your ear off dude). All Them Witches pulled up and we got them
loaded into The Living Room and after friendly hello’s I was in much need of a
drink. Luckily there was a nice little
joint called Kay’s Tavern with a pool table and old timers playing an ancient
table top bowling game. My buddies and I
ordered up a round of Yuenglings and they proceeded to kick my butt at
pool.
This
is where I found out there was another opening band, King Dead a bass heavy
trio Heavy Planet covered earlier this year (see the exclusive here).
Some of the other musicians arrived at Kay’s and somehow All Them
Witches lead man and bassist, who goes by the name Parks, and I ended up talking world music and the mystery that is Tuvan throat singing. Losing more time than we realized King Dead
had already hit the stage with a western inspired atmospheric doom sound. I had made it back for their monstrous
closer. Noticing that the trio was all
lows, two basses and a thunderous set of drums, I wasn't prepared for the rattling
my rib cage experienced. With a final
crash of percussion King Dead laid waste to what was left of a battered crowd
and tore down making way for the mighty King Buffalo.
Oozing a very different vibe, King Buffalo courted the audience with a more reflective sort of groove leaving the crowd in a head nodding daze. Front man Sean is of tremendous stature, proclaiming their message above the rhythmic crunch being laid down by Scott and Ben (bass) during their standout performance of Providence Eye. Scott’s tenacity with his kit left my buddy, Paulrus, and I impressed at the trio, who set a solid foundation for All Them Witches to take the stage and finish the night big.
The $3.00 Sam Adam’s draughts kept the set up time occupied and the conversations soaring. Before we realized it All Them Witches were rolling, checking their sound waves. Sound check seamlessly moved into the set with Lightning At The Door’s album opening one-two punch Funeral For a Great Drunken Bird and When God Comes Back. My initial reaction, of course after the rocking that surged through my body, was that these four have a spectacular chemistry together, truly something every music lover wishes to experience at a live show. The Witches set ran through the majority of Lightning and just as I was awestruck at Rob’s percussion antics during my first listening of the album (you can check out my opinion here), I was even more so impressed with his live performance. The dude has some serious mo-jo that naturally makes the grooves groovier. The four-some closed with emotion-builder Charles William and I would say that no group of musicians could have chosen a better way to end the evening. Each instrument, paired with Parks genuine vocals, built an immense wave of desire of liberation and The Witches delivered just that. When an evening of live music leaves you forgetting all of your other life concerns you know the music did exactly what it needed to do and that should leave the musicians themselves feeling resolute in their creation. As much as this music and these musicians meant to me upon the first listen, they now mean even more. If you’re interested in seeing more of the bands check the links below. If you’re a Pittsburgh native, you won’t want to miss King Buffalo, who will be playing at The Shop tonight (August 27th). They will also be playing with Heavy Planet favorite The Midnight Ghost Train at Bar Matchless in Brooklyn, NY for an event by The Electric Beard of Doom.
King Dead
King Buffalo
All Them Witches
#icantevenseemyself
Parks (All Them Witches), Scott (King Buffalo), & Paulrus
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Zac's Top Ten of 2013
I don't care much for Bruce Springsteen... however he had some killer tunes, especially The Seeger Sessions. Here are my favorite releases of 2013.
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Preferred EPs:
Surprise, surprise, surprise! More great music from Sweden. This female lead quartet seduced me with their acid blues influenced dark psych. I Will Hunt You and Foaming Waters was released on a special 7" by Who Can You Trust? Records. They only pressed 500 copies, so if you missed out earlier this year you may be S.O.L. Be sure to check Who Can You Trust? Records web-store for this one and a hand-ful of other Heavy Planet favorites.
Stand-out track: Foaming Waters
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My second Preferred EP of 2013 belongs to Nashville Tennessee's The Wans. My love for this trios Tenneessee brethern, All Them Witches, blessed me with an introduction to this "feel good" / get your rocks off EP. Don't miss my favorite track Want You with all its southern swagger and rhythmic wandering.
Stand-out track: Want You
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Favorite Full-Length Releases:
Stand-out track: Age Of Reason
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009: Supervoid: Filaments
Sometimes the city of Pittsburgh might be guilty of displaying too much pride. I try to be humble for the most part, but I can proudly proclaim musical victory for this city with Supervoid and their progressive, sludge-tastic release Filaments. Releasing a conceptual, "interstellar road trip" of a metal album earlier this year Supervoid are off to an epic start. My apologizies to lead vocalist Brian for describing his performance on Wake of the Smoke Jumper in my write-up earlier this year as female vocals. That is just how dynamic this man's vocal abilities are though folks.
Stand-out track: Wake of the Smoke Jumper
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008: Cavern: S/T
I warned you. Cavern would rear its ugly head come years end and here we are. This authentic release full of sludgy thrashing has stood the test of time and continually battered my ears senseless. I'll show no remorse if you have yet to lend your ears to this Maryland trio and their RIFF lashing.
Stand-out track: Far Beyond Fields and Evergreens
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007: Summoner: Atlantian
Summoner is the first band to land on my year end list two years in a row. Last year's Pheonix was well rounded and full of stoner and desert rock and haunting, psychedelic fuzz. Atlantian takes the genius that was Pheonix and enhances the formula. Take the Nuclear Dog's words, here you will find "polished psych-edged licks of ingenuity" and "raw-boned riffs". Check out the rest of the review for a better idea of what awaits on Atlantian.
Stand-out track: Under the Crystalline Sky
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006: Clutch: Earth Rocker
Earth Rocker simply kicks ass. An all out attack of blues inspired rock and roll fronted by some of the best vocals, defended by some of the grooviest guitar work, and founded on some of the best rhythmic percussion in the business. "If you're gonna do it, you better take it to the stage."
Stand-out tracks: D.C. Sound Attack!, The Face, The Wolf Man Kindly Requests...
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The under-dog of 2013 lands at my number five spot. As I described earlier this year... Black Wizard are "like a sleazier, Nordic version of Guns 'N Roses" that rock blazing guitars accompanied by a rhythmic cavalry. Here new listeners will find raw vocals, blistering RIFFS, and even some spacey Radiohead-esque interludes. If you missed Young Wisdom upon its release back in June, now is the time to familiarize yourself with Adam Grant and company and their debut full-length Young Wisdom.
Stand-out track: Wicked Wanderer
*For those readers that truly dug Black Wizard, please check out Adam's other project Three Wolf Moon.
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There is so much to say about Heart Of Oak... the excellent progression and transformation of each track, the completely killer blackened-death like vocals, the strike of each drum head or cymbal strike, the intracate and yet groovy RIFFs, the bluesy Gilmour meets Allman picking! What an excellent release! Kenny Cook and the gang have out-done themselves with Heart Of Oak and Anciients first release.
Stand-out tracks: Overthrone, For Lisa
*Kenny is also a part of our number five spot Black Wizard. That is beyond groovy.
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I completely fell in love with this album the moment my eyes graced the album artwork. Could I be considered a Pelican fan-boy. I guess so. But how is that a bad thing? Forever Becoming is simply another phenomenal release by the best instrumental band. Period. Will you always be in the mood for albums of this magnitude? Probably not. Will you always walk away with a new impression or new ideas after experiencing a piece of art so authentic? Most certainly. Pelican rules. Welcome to the show Dallas.
Stand-out track: Perpetual Dawn
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Still full of that vibrant southern soul All Them Witches produce their very own Psyche-a-delta Rock with immense confidence and swagger. Mr. Staebler's drumming genius has only grown in skill and charisma while the infectious RIFFING will keep you coming back for more. If I might take a line from my favorite track Charles William, "I wanna take you home... everyday.".
Stand-out track: Charles William
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001: Kylesa: Ultraviolet
I've really grown with Kylesa in their past three releases. Ultraviolet hit me hard upon first spin and has stuck with me throughout all of 2013. These guys and gal, "display their full mainpulation of sonic frequency" here on Ultraviolet and do it with class in a sub-five-minute dark pop, dream sludge tone. I knew this was my favorite album of 2013 immediately, I don't even think album opener Exhale was half way through its three minute run time when I realized it. The quintet have recorded an album that grows in experimentation as it does with time. New to the sound are some spacey psychedelics and Ms. Pleasants totally lovely clean vocals. Something you may be familiar with... the tribal and unchaining sound of Carl McGinley and Eric Hernandez's dual percussion.
Stand-out tracks: Exhale, We're Taking This
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Zac's "Double Dose": All Them Witches / Necronomicon
Man, I love the influence the south has had on music. Whether it be blues, jazz, country, or rock something about the soul of the south etches itself in the music and it remains there... eternally. Case in point, my current favorite record Our Mother Electricity (Remastered) by All Them Witches. That southern soul is vibrant in Nashville's All Them Witches and one listen through Our Mother Electricity will make you a believer. The music the band describes as Psychedelta Rock is full of "sweaty beats and dope riffs" and most certainly inspired by "divine energy". The album is also completely dynamic. For instance the first track Heavy/Like A Witch, with its Alice in Chains dual vocalizing, is heavily blues inspired with moments of intense doom and 70's era psychedelics and the very next track The Urn finds an Americana via alt country twang and has lyrical lines that demand to be sung-along. The album continues to travel through fast paced rockers, soulful grooves and slower chill tracks. The final tracks Family Song For The Leaving and Right Hand are smooth, super chilled and full of luscious melody. Family... being an acoustic plucked gem really stands out while Right Hand has more of that Alice in Chains style vocalizing and then there is the sound of fingers sliding along the guitar strings... simply hypnotizing. The remastered edition includes a bonus track with a power-punk punch, some bad attitude and whiskey-stained breath. Seriously, why are you still reading this? Just go get a copy of Our Mother Electricity at bandcamp or Elektrohasch Records... NOW!
Members:
Ben McLeod
Robby Staebler
Michael Parks
Allan Van Cleave
Jason Staebler
I bandcamp I facebook I soundcloud I tumblr I
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The fans of psychedelic doom will rejoice at the triumphant noise resounding from Brazil's Necronomicon. Playing a low-fi style psych-rock in the name of progress, Necronomicon combine a taste of Sabbathian doom with Floyd-esque space rock. The Queen of Death, the trio's second LP, catapults listeners into an intergalactic adventure of a hit-man blood-thirsty for the evil doer known as the Queen of Death. Yes, we have a concept record on hand folks and this multi-talented trio deliver the story subtly. Most of the emphasis and emotion is placed in the albums diverse instrumentation. Necronomicon will please the psych and progressive crowd with the contrasting sounds of an organ, harpsichord and synths against a wall of guitar, bass and drums. The album truly has that 70's vintage feel. I highly suggest this one for fans of Witchcraft, Kadaver and Graveyard. Check out their official video for The Assassin's Song below. The sun bleached and over-exposed film really compliments the trippy track. Want to support Necronomicon? Order a copy of the record at Hydro Phonic Records or Necro-nom-nom-nom-icon on The Queen of Death at bandcamp.
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