Stöner – Boogie to Baja EP Heavy Psych Sounds Release date: 24/02/2023 Running time: 27:00 Review by: Alun Jones 9/10
You need to ask yourself, is this review late? Or have I, the humble author of this review, chosen to emulate the gonzo journalism style of Hunter S Thompson? And by that I mean, get so baked listening to this latest EP from Stöner that I lost all track of time in a psychedelic swirl, handing in the assignment a month overdue? Or did the dog eat my review? Only you can be the judge. And the Ever Metal editors of course, who may decide to hand me my marching orders.
Let’s ignore all that and have a little chat about this release, shall we? Gather ye round!
In a perfect example of a band name doing exactly what it says on the tin, Stöner are essentially a stoner rock supergroup comprising of Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu, solo), Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, QOTSA, Mondo Generator) and Ryan Güt (Brant’s drummer). As a band, they take the desert rock template and steer it off into the ultimate version of this style.
As a result, the head bending riff of ‘Stoner Theme (Baja Version)’ and the grooving rumble of ‘Night Tripper vs No Brainer’ slouch comfortably alongside a punkier ‘It Ain’t Free’. All the influences and intricacies of desert rock are succinctly demonstrated with a clanging garage rock cover of ‘City Kids’ (Pink Fairies/Motörhead); through to ‘Boogie to Baja’: a ten-minute driving rocker that reeks of desert parties, never ending skies and lamentable substance abuse.
‘Boogie to Baja’ is the highlight of this set, but the whole EP is a great primer for the band Stöner and the varied music they create. Almost an Idiot’s Guide as to what to expect for the uninitiated, it’s also inventive and addictive for the aficionado. I ordered the vinyl copy and I’ve already played it to death. That’s how late this review is. But don’t you be late: go check out ‘Boogie to Baja’ now.
PS: I don’t own a dog.
PPS: Would’ve finished this review sooner, if not for adding all the umlauts.
TRACKLISTING: 01. Stöner Theme (Baja Version) 02. City Kids 03. Night Tripper vs No Brainer 04. It Ain’t Free 05. Boogie To Baja
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Alun Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Alun’s had a very busy year listening to some great albums and donning various disguises, including a Mexican wrestling mask, on Ever Metal Staff video calls. One of these things raised a few titters here at EMHQ. I’ll let you decide which one for yourself. But while you do, here’s Al’s favourite albums of the year! Enjoy…
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
TOOM – Behold The Basilisk EP APF Records Release Date: 01/10/2021 Running Time: 21:27 Review by: Alun Jones 8/10
Let’s start with a history lesson. The “Behold the Basilisk” EP by TOOM is a dug-up time capsule, having been recorded in January 2010. The band themselves were formed in 2007, and split not long after this recording. What could have been a long-lost curio, to be spoken of fondly by the few who had inside knowledge, has now been reanimated and set loose by APF records.
What we have is an EP consisting of four stoner doom tracks from an extinct trio. Like those ape dudes at the start of “2001: A Space Odyssey”, Teddy-James Driscoll, Jus Smith and Jack Newnham have been enlightened by a big, Black Sabbath obelisk – the legacy of which has been excavated for our enjoyment.
‘Snake Chalmers’ opens things up, with an acoustic guitar intro that’s highly reminiscent of those mellow Iommi passages from ‘Master of Reality’. It’s a beautiful, yet deceptive beginning to a collection of crushingly heavy music. Play it for Granny, she’ll be surprised as fuck when the lethal riffage of ‘There’s Nothing Cute About Cobras’ revs up and creates utter destruction. Growling vocals and gruesome, pounding guitars are where we’re at here.
It’s a similar approach for ‘Mandark’, though this track throws in some variations in riffs and tempo, with a short, but killer “quieter” section. Here, and on the final song, ‘Decapodiformes’, there’s a hint of influence from the likes of Sleep, High On Fire, and Mastodon – with relentless, mighty riffs powering through.
Gone but nor forgotten, then: it’s introducing and welcoming back TOOM on this impressive EP. Makes you wonder what might have been…
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Alun Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Various Artists – Live In The Mojave Desert Heavy Psych Sounds Volumes 1-5 Review by: Alun Jones
Hi everyone, it’s Rick. Before I hand you over to Alun I wanted to give you just a little extra background on these releases. All of these performances were a partnership between the California Desert Wizard Association and, in Europe, Heavy Psych Sounds to bring you a series of world-premiere 1080p HD livestream concerts that would subsequently be released as digipak and vinyl versions. All performances were recorded in 24 track ProTools and inspired by Pink Floyd’s 1972 Concert Documentary, “Live At Pompeii”!
Hello there! Remember me? It’s me, that bloke who occasionally reviews albums for Ever Metal and spins ropey old yarns about rock’n’roll. Yeah, him. Sorry I’ve been absent for a while, had a few things on my all-you-can-eat buffet plate recently. More about that another time (if the lawyers allow me). For now, recline in your favourite easy chair, and let’s review. Are you with me? Good.
Right then, bit of a mammoth task, this one. “Live In The Mojave Desert” is actually a series of five albums, each recorded live (of course) amongst the sand and rocks of the Californian desert. It’s probably like Star Trek, when Kirk and crew are roaming around the cliffs and valleys – but in the dark, and with guitars and lights and stuff – and no one dies (hopefully).
Up first in my sequence of albums is the legendary Earthless, a band who should need no introduction. I listened to their offering whilst on a trip to North Wales; sadly, the surf was flat, but the sonic musings of this three piece fitted perfectly with the rolling roads between green valleys and big skies. In the land of druids and standing stones, witches and warriors, this was a perfect soundtrack. The songs are a journey in themselves, awash with psychedelic Hendrix style explorations. Only three songs, but they’re plenty lengthy and offer huge scope. It’s actually quite beautiful.
An offering in this series from my old buddies Nebula was very welcome, their brand of psych drenched sci-fi hard rock being something I’m somewhat partial to. This is the album with the most obviously “live” feel – not that it’s sloppy at all, the very occasional tiny imperfections and wall of fuzz give a genuine and celebratory vibe. Opening track ‘To The Centre’ is a feedback drenched, blistering explosion. ‘Giant’ is another standout track with a bouncing, crazy gonzo riff.
Spirit Mother are another band I’ve not heard before, and they were a real surprise. Their first song, ‘Tonic (Exodus Inc)’ is straight off the soundtrack of some forgotten Italian/Turkish 1970s’ horror movie. The band take the standard desert/doom rock and add violin, and everything veers off in a totally unexpected direction. From mournful 70’s rock on “Ether” to creating their own genre of gothic Spaghetti Western (“Dead Cells”), it’s like Morricone on peyote orchestrating The Exorcist. Strangely beguiling.
Next on the list was the debut release of Stöner, the very aptly named stoner rock “supergroup” which features Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu, solo etc) and Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, QOTSA, Mondo Generator etc etc). With Brant’s drummer, Ryan Güt whacking the tubs. As a fan of these rogues’ other bands, I was definitely curious about this release. No fear here: this is exactly what I hoped it would be: desert rock royalty. ‘Rad Is Rad’ features a relentless, rolling bassline that drags the listener along on a head-nodding journey whilst Brant croons in his laid-back manner. The big, groovy bass continues in ‘The Older Kids’, and the tracks develop a trancelike vibe as it progresses. And strap yourself in for the final song, ‘Tribe/Fly Girl’ – over 13 minutes that will melt your eyeballs. Definitive.
The album I listened to last in the collection was Mountain Tamer, a band I wasn’t familiar with previously, but a cool name. And a cool name goes a long way with me. The Mountain Tamer sound is raw and in-your-face, with mighty, meaty riffs that clunk around in full-on doom style. There’s also a mind expanding, trippy element to their music, leaving me with the impression of Black Flag in a collision with Hawkwind. This unique approach is best exemplified by stand out tracks ‘Black Noise’ and ‘Scorched Earth’, but it’s all damn fine.
That’s it: five albums, five bands, and a mind-blowing excursion into the remote desert valleys. Whether showcasing how it should be done, or abducting the listener in a smoke-filled UFO to be probed in new realms, these live collections are a trip.
TRACKLISTINGS: Earthless – Live In The Mojave Desert: Volume 1 01. Violence Of The Red Sea 02. Sonic Prayer 03. Lost In The Cold Sun
Nebula – Live In The Mojave Desert: Volume 2 01. To The Center 02. Man’s Best Friend 03. Giant 04. Clear Light 05. Highwire 06. Wall Of Confusion 07. Tomorrow Never Comes 08. Let’s Get Lost 09. Messiah 10. Perfect Rapture
Spirit Mother – Live In The Mojave Desert: Volume 3 01. Tonic (Exodus Inc) 02. Ether 03. Go Getter 04. My Head Is Sinking 05. Martyrs 06. Premonitions 07. Dead Cells 08. Black Sheep 09. Space Cadets
10. Heathens
Stöner – Live In The Mojave Desert: Volume 4 01. Rad Stays Rad 02. The Older Kids 03. Own Yer Blues 04. Nothin’ 05. Evel Never Dies 06. Stand Down 07. Tribe/Fly Girl
Mountain Tamer – Live In The Mojave Desert: Volume 5 01. Warlock 02. Turoc Maximus Antonis 03. Chained 04. Death In The Woods 05. Black Noise 06. Funeral Of A Dog 07. Living In Vain 08. Scorched Earth
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Alun Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview, with Louisville, Kentucky based Depressive Suicidal Stoner Doom band, Shi – 死. Huge thanks to guitarist/vocalist, Bael, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Howdy! I’m Bael and I play guitar and do vocals for Shi. We are a Depressive Suicidal Stoner Doom band from Louisville, KY. We’ve been playing together for I think just over 5 years now, with our current sound really coalescing about 2-3 years ago.
How did you come up with your band name?
I took 3 years of Japanese in High School, and was trying to figure a way to incorporate the language into musical projects before the band formed. Shi translates to “death”, and it felt fitting for a metal/doom band. I’d be lying if I said the name hasn’t provided some challenges, but we’ve all grown to dig it.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
Louisville, KY is a little bit of an odd spot. It’s too north to be southern, but a bit too southern to be northern. We’ve got a little bit of that midwestern air about us as well…it’s a weird city for sure. However, we’ve got a great music scene with tons of talented bands (Blind Scryer, Prayer Line, Volcandra, Bad Wires, the list goes on and on)
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
We have a new album coming out on October 15th, “Basement Wizard”, and we just put out the first single, ‘Rehash’, on Spotify for streaming right now!
‘Rehash’
Who have been your greatest influences?
So, each of us pull a bit of varied influence as players and have pretty wide tastes, but for this particular band it’s other rad doom bands. Weedeater, Church of Misery, Bongzilla, and of course Black Sabbath are all big ones for us. We all also really like classic rock stuff, so some of that comes out in our songwriting when we get together.
What first got you into music?
For me, as far as actually playing music, it was just what another friend wanted to do. We were in middle school and he was going to pick up the drums. I wanted to basically do anything he did, and he already knew a guitarist, so I said I’d learn bass so I could be in a band with them. Eventually started playing guitar myself as well.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Really any of the aforementioned influences would be incredible! We also would love to branch out and get a little more out there, so being able to work with instrumentalists or performers from other genres would be neat. We just like to play, have fun, and see what comes of it.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Psycho Las Vegas and Muddy Roots both jump to mind as far as larger fests, but any of the Doomed and Stoned fests around would be super cool. Getting to play over in Japan or Europe would be awesome as well!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I don’t know if we’ve ever received a gift from a fan….especially not one that would be considered weird!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Keep on keeping on.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Freddie Mercury, for sure.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
It’s kinda liberating putting yourself out there creatively, but at the same time it’s terrifying. Not knowing how folks might react to your work is really the double edged sword of it all, isn’t it!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I really don’t know…my gut reaction would be to go back closer to where there were talent scouts and labels were proactively out looking for talent to sign and support, but that also leads to a lot of predatory practices. It seems like moving away from that has given artists and creatives more autonomy, and the advent of technology and digital distribution allows smaller independents to put their material out there more easily and widely than ever before.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”. I’ve listened to it countless times, and it never really gets old. A true masterpiece! Although, my Last.FM account says that the Jesus Christ Superstar ’96 London Studio Cast is my most listened to album since I’ve been scrobbling through there.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Each serves their own purpose. I wouldn’t say any single one is best! I mostly listen to streams/digital these days but that’s just for ease of access at work.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
That’s probably a toss-up between our first album release show in January of 2020, and the Louisville is Dead fest from 2019. Both were wild times with lots of friends.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Probably all the things I currently do outside of music; Twitch streaming, watching movies, being a boring old person!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
I’m way too introverted to want to host a dinner party…I’d just leave that up to the others!
What’s next for the band?
Putting out this album on October 15th, and then playing the album release show the next night on October 16th at our home base Mag Bar here in town!
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
I’ve never had them, but now I know what I’m gonna search for next time I’m at an international market!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We super appreciate you allowing us to fill this out, and hope you enjoy the new tunes! Bewell, y’all.
Photo Credit – JPF Designs
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Hippie Death Cult – Circle Of Days Heavy Psych Sounds Release Date: 21/05/2021 Running Time: 37:15 Review by Dark Juan 10/10
Hello, dear children of the night, who, like me, are probably vastly overheated and cranky, as summer stubbornly persists over northern England, and doesn’t appear to be going away after a couple of days like it normally does, to be replaced by the iron grey skies and stair rods of driving rain that we are used to, and at the moment would frankly welcome. I have a tan! I haven’t had a fucking tan since 1996 and now my beautiful alabaster skin has a definite brown tinge to it and my goff credentials are utterly ruined forever. No more can I mock goths in hot weather, knowing that secretly I am one (for the record I am currently seated in the lounge at Dark Juan Terrace, clad in black Vans, black denim cut off shorts and black St. Pauli totenkopf t-shirt) of the pale revenants of the night. Instead, I have a “healthy glow” and I want no part of it!
I am instead consoling myself with gallons of iced cider and the latest offering to the altar of Ever-Metal.com from the excellently named Hippie Death Cult of Portland, Oregon. That is in the United States of America, if your geography is as poor as some of the young gentlemen in my charge at my other job. One of them pointed at India the other day and was absolutely convinced it was France and wouldn’t be told otherwise until I showed him the Channel fucking Tunnel and that it came out at Calais and not fucking Chennai.
In other news, briefly, Field Marshal and our Great Leader Rick “Don’t Try Sucking Up To Me, It Won’t Get You Anywhere, You Shocking Tart” Tilley fielded some enquiries about just what it is Mrs. Dark Juan creates while I write this nonsense. I sent him a picture of her latest creation and now he is traumatized (completely and utterly – Rick). However, Anabelle from Cradle Of Filth seems quite taken by it so as far as I’m concerned, it’s all gravy. Mrs. Dark Juan is now currently making fingers(!) while listening to some form of baroque ghost story. Her psyche is absolutely shot to fuck with a constant diet of horror films, M.R. James stories and the darkest imagination for creations I have ever known…
Oh yeah, music review…
Hippie Death Cult – Oregonian, as I believe I have already said. I’m sorry. I’m a bit hungover after the wicked strength lager I drank last night. HDC are really a quite interesting band who have taken the sounds and expansiveness of progressive music and melded them to a combination of the grittiness of classic rock sensibilities and the fuzz overdrive of doom and stoner. The result is rather extraordinary, being fuzzy and slow enough to please the doomsters, yet offering some absolutely incredible riffing and pounding heavy metal to entertain the mainstream crowd, and also having a lovely touch of exploratory madness to lift the music from the mundane or the repetitive. In short, It’s fair to say it’s fucking brilliant and I am a massive fan after this, their sophomore effort.
The sound is extremely cohesive, the mix solid and the production clear and legible, even if the snare drum is lacking some punch. The bass is clearly and cleanly heard and the guitar snarls and roars with a real classic rock sound. As an experiment, I bought some proper old 70’s cans from my mate Tony and played this record back-to-back through them, to compare them to the headphones I normally use. Hippie Death Cult sound absolutely fucking huge through the older phones and merely competent (production wise, this is) through the newer ones. Therefore, I am junking the newer ones immediately.
The opening song on the record is called ‘Red Meat Tricks’ and sets a tone that just begs you to listen more, melding classic rock vibes with progressive elements and some glorious coruscating riffs and solos including a scale in the middle eight that just made me wet my pants with sex wee excitement. Guitar and bass are both used as lead instruments and this offers even more interest on a song that beguiles as well as slays. The second song is entitled ‘Hornet Party’ and the chord medley at the start of the tune immediately just says ‘Seasons In The Abyss’ and Slayer to me, before blasting into the ionosphere with some speedily concussive metal, being sinuously wrapped around by that chord medley. The song as a whole reminds this metal loving idiot of a mix of Slayer and ‘Hooker With A Penis’ era Tool, and let’s be honest that’s a fucking great thing – Tool and Slayer are two of the greatest exponents of their art there are.
Track three, ‘Walk Within’, is where we diverge from the more metal elements of the music and has piano and clean, fingerpicked guitar and a dreamy, ethereal vocal line with a much more proggy sound – it kind of reminds me of a less folky Blood Ceremony throughout the song, until it ends with a huge, dissonant crash and into the fourth cut of the album – ‘Circle Of Days’’ which opens with a superfuzzy doom riff before morphing gently into a supremely technical and complex prog metal song, but with rather more earthiness and soul than most prog and technical metal – there’s gorgeous harmonies, intertwining vocal lines, guitar that alternately wounds and bewitches, yet it maintains a relaxed and smooth groove than you can lean into and special mention must be made of vocalist Ben Jackson. The boy has a fucking amazing set of pipes on him. Equally happy performing a wail worthy of the Ozzmeister himself, to a gravelly low pitched (but still clean) sound, to a more than passable Dave Wyndorf analogue, Ben proves his versatility on every single song and is a fine, fine rock singer. The last tune on the record is called ‘Eye In The Sky’ and is by far the most psychedelic offering on here, with soft wah on the chiming, shining guitars, until four minutes in when the song takes a massive left turn and delivers a metal riff of such shining splendor (imagine Jerry Cantrell at his heaviest in Alice In Chains and make it more metal) I can’t help but fall to my knees and give thanks to the gods of meal for giving me this to listen to. And the solo. Oh, my FUCKING GOD THE SOLO!!!!!!
Yeah, it’s fair to say I am a bit of a fan and Hippie Death Cult (and others like them) are EXACTLY the reason why I trawl the underground for music – under here is where the ultraclassic live. This is where you find the most egregious talents and the greatest music. With rare exceptions, I find the underground bands more astonishing than the mainstream ones. There is NOTHING like Hippie Death Cult in the mainstream and that is to the mainstream’s detriment, because this is sheer inventiveness and music made for the sake of performance. Hippie Death Cult are truer to the soul and idea of metal than Metallica and their ilk will ever be. This record is heavy as fuck, rich, organic, chock full of feeling and absolutely fucking amazing.
The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System has listened to this record three times back-to-back already and shows no sign of slowing down because it’s just so fantastic. 10 out of fucking 10 without a question. Buy this. Now. Don’t argue. Just buy it.
‘Red Meat Tricks’ (Official Video)
TRACKLISTING: 01. Red Meat Tricks 02. Hornet Party 03. Walk Within 04. Circle of Days 05. Eye In The Sky
LINE-UP: Ryan Moore – Drums Eddie Brnabic – Guitar Ben Jackson – Vocals/Keys Laura Phillips – Bass/Vocals
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of ‘Dark Juan’ and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Ungraven/Slomatics – Split EP Blackbow Records Release date: 05/03/2021 Running time: 30:53 Review by Alun Jones 8/10
How did you spend your time during the pandemic? Did you learn a new language or a musical instrument? Did you get out there running, hammering marathons and getting super fit? Or, like most of us, did you hang on there by your finger nails, just about keeping it together and escaping the monotony? Well luckily for us, these two bands – Ungraven and Slomatics – decided to put their talents to creative use and deliver some music to keep us all sane in these bizarre times.
This is one EP, two bands and six songs in total. First off, we have Ungraven, who despite only being formed in 2019 feature musicians of fine pedigree: Jon Davis (Conan), David Ryley (Fudge Tunnel) and Tyler Hodges (Tuskar). ‘Defeat The Object’, their first offering, features a reliably sturdy riff to nod your head to. Next track, ‘Onwards She Rides To A Certain Death’ comes galloping out of the gates like an armour covered battle horse – it’s no nimble dressage, more like a cavalry charge into a frenzied battle. Ungraven’s final song, ‘Blackened Gates Of Eternity’, has a grinding intensity that has an industrial feel.
Slomatics pick up the baton and start off with the brutally heavy, atmospheric ‘Kaän’, which seems to move sideways rather than forwards. Slow and hefty, I’ve seen ox bow lakes form quicker than the pace of this monster. ‘Proto Hag’ follows a similar style, but you’ll be glad to learn that it’s even more intense. Slomatics have been building their reputation for some years now, and these tracks confirm their prominence. Their final song, ‘Monitors’ – probably my favourite on the whole EP, though I feel bad singling out one track – only pushes their reputation further. The music is almost trancelike, with a magnetic melodic element.
This split EP is dense and compelling. Both Ungraven and Slomatics impress with their conviction and integrity. The only down side is that approx. 31 minutes just isn’t enough. This is a very enjoyable starter, but it just makes me hunger for a full plate of whatever these two immense bands can serve up. Please sir, can I have some more?
TRACKLISTING: 01. Defeat The Object (Ungraven) 02. Onwards She Rides To A Certain Death (Ungraven) 03. Blackened Gates Of Eternity (Ungraven) 04. Kaän (Slomatics) 05. Proto Hag (Slomatics) 06. Monitors (Slomatics)
UNGRAVEN LINE-UP: Jon Davis – Vocals Tyler Hodges – Drums David Ryley – Bass
SLOMATICS LINE-UP: David – Guitars Chris – Guitars Marty – Drums, Vocals
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Alun Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Milan, Italy based Instrumental Psychedelic Stoner band, King Bong. Huge thanks to them for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
We are King Bong, an instrumental psychedelic band. We play mostly improvised music. We started in 2008 with the aim of playing heavy riffs adding some improvisation and we’ve now published 16 albums. Our sound has evolved to include many different influences: what started off as a combination of doom riffs and psychedelic funk grooves evolved into progressive compositions first, and into free improvisation including elements of jazz and noise later.
How did you come up with your band name?
The name was actually the reason we started the band: on the 9th of March 2008 Teo sent an SMS to Andrea and Alberto, with a joke: “We should make a band called King Bong and play the doomiest riffs”. Said and done.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We’re from Milan, Italy. The country as a whole doesn’t have a huge metal/rock scene, if compared to others like Germany, or the UK, but Milan being a big city and closer to the borders with other countries is the city where most touring bands stop. Small live clubs have been struggling in recent years, and Covid has forced some to close. The scene is still there but it’s likely less healthy than a few years ago.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
“Beekse Bergen, vol. 6 – OGOPOGO”. Released on 5th March. It’s the latest chapter in our ongoing project: a series of live improvisations based on a map we drew.
(It’s 4 CD’s and 4 Hours long and what I’ve heard of it is pretty damn good! – Rick)
Taken from the above!
Beekse Bergen XXII w/ Chris Haskett (Henry Rollins Band, David Bowie, Tool).
Who have been your greatest influences?
They’re very different for each one of us, but as a band we could name the Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Motorpsycho, Parliament\Funkadelic, King Crimson, Metallica, Faith No More, Ulver, Miles.
What first got you into music?
Our parents exposed us to music since we were born, so it was natural for us to pick up an instrument when we were kids. Bizarrely enough, none of our parents are actually musicians!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
We’d love to play with Nils Petter Molvær.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Roadburn! Because it’s the best festival, with the best music and we’ve been attending it for a decade. They’re able to constantly evolve and find new flavours of heavy music. They give every musician enough time (no 20 minutes sets at 1PM!), they have a fantastic sound system, they treat fans with great respect. It’s a dream.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Two friends from Rome brought us a huge piece of guanciale. It’s a kind of cured fatty meat that is the basic ingredient for carbonara (God forbid you use bacon!). We were very grateful, for several meals!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
“Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST.” – Frank Zappa
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Jerry Garcia.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
We love the freedom that comes with art: we keep exploring and learning and we can’t wait to find something new to try. We hate the fact that it’s almost impossible to make a living out of it.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
We’d love for it to be more about actual music.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Blind Guardian – “Nightfall In Middle-Earth”
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
We enjoy a bit of everything, but certainly not cassettes. Fuck cassettes!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
We once played in Koper in a fantastic squat. It was fully packed, with a nice stage and a great sound crew. Half-way through our gig we were interrupted by local hero/artist/provocateur, Marko Brecelj. He was moved by our music and he needed to give a speech to the house. He then proceeded to thank us, and we resumed playing. Amazing night.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
We were once told by a great artist that no matter what daily job you might have, if you’re a musician you will always be one, even when you don’t earn from it. We might work in different fields, but at the core we’re musicians.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Robert Fripp, Dave Grohl, Andy Summers, Grace Slick and Tony Iommi.
What’s next for the band?
We’ve also just reissued our 2017 LP “Sand ≈ Return” through Mandrone Records.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We’ve got a Facebook page and a BandCamp account, plus our albums are available on most major streaming services.
We’ve never tried them, but we can say that we love pulled pork.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
The King is happy to welcome you in his family: come along, follow us in our explorations and we promise you’ll never get bored!
Stefano Di Noi PH
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Florence, Italy based Stoner/Alternative Metal band Mars Era. Huge thanks to the band for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hi guys, here’s speaking Mitch, Dave, Tom and Leo. We are MARS ERA, a stoner alternative metal band born in 2014 in Florence (ITA).
How did you come up with your band name?
It’s just that…we like humans…but we definitely love Martians!
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We’re based in Florence, but we come from different parts…of the universe!
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
In 2017 we released “DHARMANAUT”, our first LP, via Argonauta Records, and now we’re ready to roll with our next release, “ONIRO”, out on 19th February 2021!
‘Brighter Than The Sun (Official Video)
Who have been your greatest influences?
We can surely say that the alternative metal scene of 2000’s mixed with stoner rock and psychedelic rock music of the 70’s could be a perfect description of our mixed influences.
Anyway, we could tell that there’s one of us who grew up with Pink Floyd, someone with Beatles and Led Zeppelin and someone with the Encyclopedia Metallum in his pocket!
What first got you into music?
The power of the music itself, the magic that melts different souls together just playing it!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Aaaaaah, there’s lot of bands we’d like to collaborate with!
Stoned Jesus! We love their sound, it’s evolving release after release in an original way.
Elder…seen live in Bologna two years ago, amazing musicians and songwriter, great psychedelic and progressive rock!
Last but not least, Bud Spencer Blues Explosion. We had the opportunity to share the stage in 2016 on one of our first summer festivals. Live they rock, neutron bomb sound!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Pinkpop Festival, for sure. How could you forget Eddie Vedder in 1992 climbing above the crowd?
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
A perizoma…ahem…but we cannot say anything else…
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Keep rolling stronger and stronger, cause we have to make this world a better place!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chris Cornell. Each of us was born with Soundgarden and then Audioslave. We miss him a lot.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Enjoy: the power of playing live in front of the crowd. It’s pure energy. We benefit from it second by second when we are on the stage.
Hate: the deadlines…We used to say “we’ll be ready when we are!”
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
TV Talent shows. They’re not the worst thing that happened…but maybe they could be managed in a more illuminating way. Why just pop? We want to listen to every kind of music genre in talent shows. People’s music taste is too much addressed by music industry nowadays.
Music W Festival, opening to Chelsea Wolfe. A great show, it was our first festival and we were so excited to play!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Probably living on Mars, trying to improve the underground station below Amanthes Planum Region. Have you been there too?!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
We would have to invite Lemmy of Motorhead ‘cause there’s no party without alcohol! R.I.P.
Rick Rubin, one of the best producer nowadays to ask his advice.
Cristina Scabbia, ‘cause she’s one of the best metal vocalists nowadays and…of course…cause she’s so damn Hot!
Maynard James Keenan & Tool! Cause we want to have a barbecue with them!!!
What’s next for the band?
We are focused now on our upcoming album, “ONIRO”. It will be released via Argonauta Records on 19th February 2021.
“ONIRO” is a warning to an internal awakening: it’s the story of an ordinary man who finds himself facing his innermost fears which, changing through music, become real and tangible dreams. Only by facing these difficulties, our character will overcome the obstacles that arise on his long and imaginary journey. An oniric travel that leads to a final awakening.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Jaffa…don’t you remember that the “The cake is a lie”????
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
May the Mars Era be with You!
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
INTERVIEW WITH SHEPHERD FIRST HAND…Blurring The Lines Of Metal Genres! By Stephanie Stevens
Welcome to the world where Stoner and Doom soundscapes intertwine with Modern Metal. Denver, Colorado’s SHEPHERD is crossing genres all over the place, with the band’s latest full EP “FIRST HAND”. The heaviness is sustainable throughout the record, but it weaves in and out with layers of Post-Metal, Rock and even hints of Hardcore. From songs like ‘CHARIOT’, ‘SEA CAVE’ and ‘PERSEPHONE’ you will be guided into the not normal atmosphere of Doom Metal and it’s just a really breathtaking freshness.
I had a chance to speak to the guys about working with Juggernaut Audio, how they fell into the love for Doom Metal and what brings them happiness in a live show setting.
Q. Tell us a little bit about the members of SHEPHERD and how long you have been playing music?
A: We’re a few blue-collar dudes from the burbs north of Denver who’ve been fortunate enough to live most of our lives here in Colorado. We’ve all been in several bands throughout childhood with and without each other and after the last project we were all involved in went belly up we moved forward with the power trio line-up to fully realize our sound and fine-tune our craft.
Q. What instilled your love for the Doom/Stoner rock vibe that you guys have made and is there a particular band in this genre who influenced you the most?
A: We all listened to a lot of metal and metal sub-genres in high school which I suppose made for a solid foundation. Coming out of high school and gaining new perspectives we all branched out a great deal and gained a lot of new influences. Once we finally came back together, we really intersected on Deftones which is kind of outside the stoner sound, but I think their fingerprints can be found on this album and will continue to be an influence for us as a group.
Q. In November you released your debut EP, “FIRST HAND”. What can you tell people about finishing a project you put your heart and soul into and knowing the world will be listening soon. What emotions do you go through during that process?
A: When “First Hand” finally came out, one of the chief emotions was definitely relief, followed by a sense of pride for having accomplished the entire process of writing, recording, and releasing an album. Given everything that has transpired this year both during the process and up until the time we released it, we were definitely in need of a win. We’re proud of this album as our first entry into our career as a band and we’re thrilled with the response we’ve received so far.
Q. What is the biggest thing you learned about yourself as musicians working with Juggernaut Audio and what would you tell other bands if they are looking for a studio?
A: Ben at Juggernaut has been our biggest supporter and someone who has imparted a lot of lessons upon us throughout this endeavour. This was our first real studio experience since we’ve all been playing music and while we came well prepared, there’s a lot of unexpected things that can come up in the weeks or months that it takes to finish an album and Ben was instrumental in guiding us through the whole enchilada. We would highly recommend him to anyone in the Denver area and abroad who’s looking for a professional and seasoned audio engineer, whether the music is metal or otherwise.
Q. ‘CHARIOT’ was your first single. What made that song stick out to be the platform song for the EP and how did you approach the songwriting aspect of that track?
A: ‘Chariot’ has a really catchy bridge part that we amended somewhat on the fly while we were in the studio and once it all came together in an hour or so we really thought it elevated the song in a lot of ways and gave the clearest impression of our sound and what to expect from the rest of the record.
Q. ‘PERSEPHONE’ is the newest single and it’s a song about a mythic tale. What made you dive in lyrically to a song like this and what was the best thing about writing a story like this?
A: We pulled that one together almost a year ago now in the midst of the doldrums of winter, which I think can be heard in the overall mood or tone of the song. ‘Persephone’ has some pretty clear surface themes which don’t pose too much of an issue to dissect, but it does have some more personal subtext in the lyrics and hopefully, where they’re a little bit more peculiar a listener, could take something away of their own. The best thing about writing a song that could be perceived as fiction is that there really aren’t any rules or anything grounding you into a preconceived notion or idea, you can be free to create your own little world and populate it with whatever you like.
Q. For people who are new to your style of music, how do you guys get that blizzard of distortion into your songs, and how fun is it to play in a live setting?
A: Our sound comes from adoration for the monster rigs of bands past and present. There’s something so powerful about the idea and the image of a wall of amplifiers that has always driven us to pursue some level of that in a live setting. We’re also huge gear nerds, we love the wide world of effects pedals and tone-crafting and combining different elements to create your own sonic signature. What you’re hearing on the album is a meticulous collection of our own personal taste and what you can expect to hear at a live show. For now, at least, until the sound gets bigger.
Q. Speaking of live shows, what is the best thing about playing your music live and how would you describe your fans?
A: The best part about playing live is the feeling you get right below your heart and right above your gut. The feeling of being nervous and excited all at once. You become so unhinged that you forget about any troubles or worries going on in your life. The only thing on your mind is playing as best you can while putting feeling into what you’re playing. It’s almost like going on a roller coaster on acid. You don’t know where the hell you are or where you’re going but you know it’s fun and best of all it’s loud. Our music works for anyone and everyone, young and old. We’re often surprised at how diverse our fan base seems. We’re truly grateful for everyone who gave us a shot and we’ve got more to come. This is only the beginning.
Q. Music industry-wise, what are you hoping to see change in 2021 and how can fans help support change in the industry, that has been beaten down in 2020?
A: If there is anything we could all obviously agree on is making sure that we can all hopefully enjoy playing and seeing live shows again. It’s what we live for and like a religion to us. there is no honest substitute for the real deal. That being said, it’s very hard for a lot of touring musicians who not only love shows, but also need it to pay the bills. One thing that musicians are staring down right now is the issue with streaming royalties. Bands and musicians are getting the shaft when it comes to fair compensation on almost every platform, and without the income from touring it’s nearly impossible for artists to get what they deserve.
Q. Empower another artist by telling us why they inspire you?
A: It would a tough ask for us to settle on one band that inspires us all. but if we had to shed a light on anyone it would be all the bands struggling to survive in this very trying time. Live music and the entertainment industry have taken one of the hardest blows we will probably experience in our lifetime. So, whomever you enjoy whether it be us, or any other band trying to make it in the midst of all this. Buy merch, Buy an album, give them a couple more likes and follows. Do what you can to keep your favourite acts and artists in a place where they can continue to create.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Stephanie Stevens and East Coast Romper, and has been released to Ever Metal on this basis. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
