Stöner – Page 2

Moths/The Stone Eye – Split EP

Moths/The Stone Eye – Split EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 21/08/2020
Running Time: 25:34
Review by Alun Jones
8/10

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. Which is why I like to mix my drinks. And my strippers. Why stick to just one, when you can explore everything life has to offer? This split EP offers two bands and four tracks in total, showcasing a considerable amount of musical diversity and talent.

First up is Puerto Rican band Moths, with their track ‘Intervention’. Beginning deceptively calm, restrained and quite beautiful, it soon builds and descends from a chunky stoner riff. And then, at pretty much the halfway mark, ‘Intervention’ erupts into a full-on aggressive growl fest, though still portraying an adept progressive spirit.

The meandering intrigue of the opening track is followed by a less surprising cover of the Black Sabbath classic ‘Hand of Doom’. A great song, but I was hoping for more original material or an unusual cover. No fear though, Moths inject the Sabs tune with plenty of atmosphere, the powerhouse vocals of Damaris Rodriguez helping to make their own mark on the song. Not easy with a genuine metal standard like this, Moths have the class to pull it off.

Then it’s over to The Stone Eye, for their track ‘Prescence of the Mind’. These guys are from Philadelphia, PA in the USA. A little harder to pin a style on, they journey on a stoner path that adds in psychedelic detours akin to some of the best 90’s alternative rock – but never abandoning a gutsy garage rock swagger.

A cover of the old trad ballad ‘Wayfaring Stranger’ is next from The Stone Eye. Delivered in a bluesy style, it contrasts nicely with the other songs. It both delights and begs for another play.

And there you have it: four songs, different in style but each displaying a sound that seems to well define both bands. An excellent endeavour from both Moths and The Stoned Eye, you’d be well rewarded in tracking this down.

And while we’re on the subject of moths: Glenn Danzig – remember him? Singer/visionary with the Misfits, Samhain, and of course, Danzig. Body builder, martial arts master and expert on the occult. Scared to death of moths, I shit you not. Always running around with his hands over his face, hiding under tables if there was one around. Eventually, I learned to calm Glenn down by telling him that moths were simply goth butterflies. Amazingly, it worked.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Moths – Intervention
02. Moths – Hand of Doom
03. The Stone Eye – Prescence of Mind
04. The Stone Eye – Wayfaring Stranger

MOTHS LINE-UP:
Damaris Rodríguez – Vocals
Jonathan Miranda – Guitars
Omar González – Guitars
Weslie Negrón – Bass
Daniel Figueroa – Drums

MOTHS LINKS:

THE STONE EYE LINE-UP:
Stephen Burdick – Guitar, Vocals, Bass (Track 2)
Jeremiah Bertin – Percussion
Christian Mechem – Guitar, Vocals (Track 1)
Wolfgang Noll – Bass (Track 1)

THE STONE EYE LINKS:

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.

EMQ’s with HER NAME WAS FIRE

EMQ’s with HER NAME WAS FIRE

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Lisbon, Portugal based Stoner Rock duo, Her Name Was Fire. Huge thanks to vocalist/guitarist João Campos 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?

My name is João, I am the singer and guitarist for the duo Her Name Was Fire. We started in 2016 when I asked Tiago the drummer if he was interested in creating a stoner rock duo, and the chemistry was there from the first jam. So far, we have recorded an EP then our debut LP “Road Antics’” in 2017 that took us to a lot of stages and cool adventures. We are currently working on the release of our second album “Decadent Movement”.

How did you come up with your band name?

We were looking for a name that had all the right ingredients, Her Name Was Fire was the one that best conveyed what we are trying to do musically. It has an element of mystery, danger and it’s clearly a rock’n’roll name that alludes to a femme fatale, so it was a winner combo.

What country are you from and what is the Rock/Metal scene like there?

We are from Portugal, the metal scene here is very active, there are loads of bands, gigs and metal festivals, the most know are Vagos Metal Fest and VOA.

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

We released the single ‘Allure’ two weeks ago.

Our new album “Decadent Movement” was just released on April 3rd and we are pretty stoked with what this album came to be.

Who have been your greatest influences?

Musically it changed along the time, started with Soundgarden and Alice In Chains, then Tool and Jeff Buckley and then came the stoner phase from Kyuss, QOTSA to Electric Wizard among other things like the classics -Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath or The Doors.

What first got you into music?

Thankfully my brother always had good taste in music and when I was 12/13, he introduced me to all the grunge bands, punk and even metal. I always had a curiosity about musical instruments and when I was 16 a classmate taught me my first chords as well as showing me the classics – he had old Zeppelin, Sabbath and Doors vinyl from his parents.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

Well I would love to do something with Trent Reznor, that would be out of this world.

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Tough choice, we still have a lot in our checklist, but from the top of my head Roadburn Festival is definitely one of the top ones. From all we saw about it, it seems to have the coolest vibe, bands and a lot of art happening besides the concerts.

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

Well nothing too crazy, our fans are pretty chilled, just the occasional shot that you don’t even want to know what is in it!

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Well since we are living in weird times with this pandemic, just stay home, stay safe, take care of each other and blast the new album from the couch. Soon enough we will be enjoying each other’s company with awesome live music.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Probably Jimi Hendrix, he still owes humanity a couple of killer albums.

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

I love creating new songs and playing live. I hate the long waiting hours from the soundcheck to the show.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Not change but regain something lost, the music industry changed so much that the Labels are no longer interested in creating careers. You either have a hit from the get-go or you are done. Artistic development takes time and nowadays it’s all about how to make money fast.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

“Superunknown” from Soundgarden, I don’t know how many hundreds of times I have listened to it. It has inspired me throughout my life and musical journey.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Downloads and streaming services are without a doubt the most practical, but nothing beats putting on a vinyl and just enjoying it from side to side.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

Probably the one gig we opened for Vintage Caravan at RCA Club in Lisbon. Awesome venue, line up and crowd, it was one of the best nights we had for sure.

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

Being an illustrator, which is my other passion and source of income.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Jim Morrison, Bill Hicks, Hunter S. Thompson, Maynard James Keenan and David Bowie. That sounds like a fun night.

What’s next for the band?

Releasing “Decadent Movement” and promoting it as soon as this storm passes. We want to play this album live so bad because these are fun songs to play, we feel they will gain a new depth when we do it live.

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

You can find us here:
www.instagram.com/hernamewasfire/
www.facebook.com/HerNameWasFire
www.hernamewasfire.bandcamp.com/

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

The eternal dilemma…Can we just settle for mini cake biscuit?

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thanks for the interview! Just stay safe and listen to the album “Decadent Movement” which was released on 3rd April 2020

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.

EMQ’s with STONE MACHINE ELECTRIC

EMQ’s with STONE MACHINE ELECTRIC

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Fort Worth, TX based Stoner Rock/Doom Jazz duo Stone Machine Electric. Huge thanks to Dub and Kitchens 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?

Kitchens: I’m Kitchens, I play drums, keyboard, theremin, and I also sing. We’ve been a band for 10 years now, but Dub and I have been in other bands together throughout the years and have known each other since I was in high school.

Dub: My name is Dub, and I play guitar and vocalize.

How did you come up with your band name?

We were listening to a lot of Electric Wizard and Black Pyramid back then. It was hard trying to find a name that sounded original and wasn’t already used. Stone Machine was taken, so we added the Electric to make it ours. Sounds weird to me sometimes still!

What Region/Country are you from and what is the Rock/Metal scene like there?

We’re in the United States. In Texas, specifically the Dallas/Fort Worth area, there’s a pretty rich metal scene for all different genres. It’s actually a bit saturated with bands, so it’s a bit hard to stand out.

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

We released our last album “Darkness Dimensions Disillusion” last year on Sludgelord Records. We put it out on CD and cassette, as well as on all the digital platforms. It has got all the stoner, doom, and jazzy psychedelic metal sounds you need.

Who have been your greatest influences?

Kitchens: My personal influences range a great bit. I’m a big fan of Frank Zappa and the many drummers he’s used over the years. I’m also a big Dave Lombardo fan, even though I pretty much suck at anything fast, ha!

Dub: Whatever I hear is going to influence me in some way, but going back it started with The Allman Brothers and recording them off the radio.

What first got you into music?

Kitchens: I grew up with MTV, and the biggest thing I remember from being a kid is Van Halen’s Jump video. I was so stoked when I was able to get this short sleeve Van Halen shirt from K-Mart. It was all music from that point.

Dub: It’s just in my blood, and it’s always been there since I was a kid.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

Kitchens: That’s a tough one. We’ve done some collab shows and jams with Wo Fat in the past. I’d love to do something with Here Lies Man or Elder. Would love to get some heavy funky weird psych shit going for hours and put on some weird shows!

Dub: I’d like to do some collaboration with Michael Walter of Wo Fat on some original material not necessarily in the heavy realm of music.

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

That’s another tough one. There are so many, and we’re starting to get some really good ones in the States. I’d have to go with Roadburn just because they always seem to have a good eclectic mix of music that just makes sense together. And I’ve never been; it just always looks epic.

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

Can’t say we’ve ever received anything weird. I guess we’ve failed as musicians.

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Kitchens: Explore, open your mind, discover as much as you can and enjoy it.

Dub: Thank you so much, we wouldn’t exist without you all supporting us.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Kitchens: Frank Zappa, because I want to see him perform his music because I missed out, dammit!

Dub: Agreed! On top of being a musical genius, he’s a smart Mother!

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

Kitchens: I love creating and performing, it is just so satisfying. I want to do it all the time, and it would be cool to make a living doing only that. Moving gear around and the business side aren’t fun, but I wouldn’t say I hate any of it.

Dub: It’s a creative outlet. I hate that bands don’t really get paid anymore. It’s the difference in cost to perform (gear, practice, time, and travel) versus what is provided in return.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Kitchens: Not sure it is the industry, but it would be nice if more people liked listening to new music or discovering new music. There’s so much out there that people don’t know about. People and the music industry need to be more adventurous.

Dub: See my last answer.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Kitchens: Firehose – “If’n”. That album has it all for me. I could listen to that non-stop. Mike Watt is awesome, and I recently got to see him live and fall down on stage. Dude got right back up and didn’t stop.

Dub: It’s hard to narrow it down to one album, but I can narrow it down to Led Zeppelin.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Kitchens: I don’t think it matters as long as you support what you like. I do all of the above in some form or fashion. Unfortunately I end up downloading a lot of music from bands that are outside of the country because shipping gets expensive!

Dub: I prefer vinyl for the sound and experience, but I do CDs for the convenience. Downloads sound like shit and aren’t convenient for me personally.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

Kitchens: We recently played the Lost Well in Austin, TX. It was awesome to actually play there on a night that didn’t have a bigger show going on that sucked up the crowd. They had a great crowd and staff. It was also awesome to play with our friends in Temptress from Dallas and our buds in Abject Terror made up of dudes from Destroyer of Light and Monte Luna. Gravitoyd Presents puts on some good heavy shows in Austin.

Dub: I agree. But I also dug our show in 2015 with Wo Fat where we all got on stage together and jammed as Whoa! Fat Machine. It was completely improvised, and that is always cool!

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

Kitchens: By day I’m an architect, but I’d probably be doing art more if I wasn’t playing music. I love messing with watercolours and markers and drawing weird shit.

Dub: I’d probably be dead, or living in a van down by the river. Except for the fact the river is dried up too.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Kitchens: Sam Adams, Colonel Sanders, Little Debbie, and Ben & Jerry. Every party needs food and drink.

Dub: Uh….. That’s a private affair!

What’s next for the band?

We’re working on something special for the 10th anniversary of our first show in March. Other than that, we’re working on booking shows regionally around Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

https://stonemachineelectric.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/StoneMachineElectric
https://www.instagram.com/stonemachineelectric/ https://twitter.com/SME_band
https://www.youtube.com/user/StoneMachineElectric

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

Kitchens: Can it be a biscuit cake or a cake biscuit? A biscake?

Dub: What’s a Jaffa cake?

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you for the opportunity to be heard on your platform, we appreciate it very much! We hope you and everyone reading really dig this and our music

EMQ’s with THEM FIXES

EMQ’s with THEM FIXES

Hi Everyone. Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Nashville, TN based Groove/Stoner/Hard Rock band Them Fixes! 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?
My name is Dustin Rye and I play guitar/bass and sing. Shawn Jones is the drummer/percussionist.
We’ve been playing in bands since we met in High School and then Shawn decided to move back to Ohio where most of his family is from. He then decided to come back to Tennessee and we reconnected along with some mutual friends and then I asked him to come be a part of a band I was forming at the time called The Clover Club. After about 4 years that project came to a close and we decided to do something new and fresh. I was super inspired by 2 piece bands like Royal Blood and Death from Above and I convinced Shawn to give it a shot. Of course put my own spin on the concept and decided to go with a Fender Bass VI as a weapon of choice among other things. Our first day of practice, after I had gathered the proper equipment and tuned up, we wrote our first single we released called ‘Fangs’. Everything else is playing out!
How did you come up with your band name?
It took about 2 months for us to finally land on a band name haha. In our last project The Clover Club we had a song that we favored titled ‘Fixes’ and as we were sitting in the jam room Shawn made the suggestion that instead of using “The” in a band name we should do like Them Crooked Vultures and use “Them”. Thus Them Fixes was born.
What country are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
Nashville, TN in the United States! It’s pretty rad but most of the best stuff in my opinion is in the underground scene. There’s a TON of amazing bands making rad music. You just have to be willing to turn over the rocks to find them due to the industry being the way it is and oversaturation.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single or Video)
Our Debut EP “Electric Prophetic” just released! You can listen to it at;
https://themfixes.bandcamp.com/
Who have been your greatest influences?
Royal Blood, Red Fang, Crobot, Queens of the Stone Age, Clutch and KISS to name a few!
What first got you into music?
Just picking up an instrument when I was young! I knew music was a part of who I am and what I wanted to do.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Oh man, Probably Neil Fallon / Clutch or Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
‘Bonnaroo’ for sure! It’s a huge festival in our Home state! All the greats have played and a ton of up and coming bands play there when they are first breaking out!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
So far nothing super weird but one of our fans/family gave us a drum head in a pizza box at our EP release show that had a very kind and encouraging message on it. It now resides on the wall in our jam room.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
That we appreciate them GREATLY and we couldn’t do what we do without them and Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
If you could bring one Metal/Rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Jimi Hendrix!
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Playing Shows and meeting people and other Musicians! Writers Block. There is nothing more infuriating than getting a good riff going just to be stopped dead in your tracks and not know where to take it.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Hmm…For artists to get a fair shake in the market and be more able to make a living with their art¬
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Clutch – “Psychic Warfare”!
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
All the Above but we are partial to spinning wax ourselves!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Our EP Release shows we had for sure. We played in Nashville and then in Huntsville, AL the next night. They were great shows regardless of the storm that decided to follow us.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
No clue, probably working in IT or Teaching.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, Mike Kerr, Dan Auerback, Jack White.
What’s next for the band?
Shows, Shows, Shows! We also will be releasing another song by the end of the year before we break ground on EP#2
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://themfixes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/themfixes
https://twitter.com/ThemFixes
https://www.instagram.com/themfixes/
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
We’ve never had a Jaffa Cake but from what i can tell from a google search it appears that they are…delicious!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We appreciate you interviewing the band and digging what we do! I’d like to just say if you’re reading this….send us Jaffa Cakes!

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 both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Duel – Valley Of Shadows

Valley Of Shadows Cover

Duel – Valley Of Shadows
Heavy Psych Sounds
Release Date: 17/05/2019
Running Time: 38:00
Review by Alun Jones
8/10

Duel have been on my radar for quite a while. Despite hearing a few tracks via the band’s social media, I’d never sat down, ear-goggles locked in place, to listen to a full album. So, I was pretty stoked to have the opportunity to review their latest album: “Valley Of Shadows”, released recently by Heavy Psych Sounds.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, these four fiends are responsible for an almighty stoner doom racket; full on heavy rifferama with psychedelic and classic metal references. In case that description alone doesn’t grab you like a graveyard ghoul on the way to an unholy shindig, their whole aesthetic is tripped out in the sort of late-night, B-movie gore that’s lurid enough to make your eyes pop.
It’s like Dracula Has Risen from the Grave sound-tracked by a bunch of longhair ne’er-do-wells, and that’s just how I like it.
‘Black Magic Summer’ opens up the proceedings with some appropriate rain-soaked sound effects, before launching into the heavy-as-a-crypt-door attack. There’s a brilliantly melodic middle section too, adding some light to the gloom.
Second track ‘Red Moon Forming’ has a direct, driving pace that’s infectious and purposely concocted to inspire the raising of horns. ‘Drifting Alone’ has a real classic desert rock vibe, with a cool head shaker riff.
‘Strike And Disappear’ comes on like the vampire Western that Tarantino needs to make. A slower, bluesy pace with a dusty feel, it’s the first taste we get of a very different – and effective – approach. It melts into a ferocious, face pummelling section that screams blood and violence.
Songs like ‘Tyrant On The Throne’ have a classic metal, almost (gasp!) Iron Maiden feel to them. Otherwise, the sound explores more of the head-banging, smoke induced groove of bands like Trouble and The Obsessed.
But just like the best stoner metal movers and shakers, there’s always room for some ZZ Top-style boogie, which particularly comes to the fore in the final track, ‘The Bleeding Heart’.
As always, my sound comparisons are only meant as genuine compliments. Duel manage to create an album full of their own spirit and character, and it’s one hell of a fun ride. At turns hypnotic, fist pummelling, and sombre; “Valley of the Shadows” pulls the stake out of the stoner doom corpse and brings it back to bloody life again.
The last time I actually was involved in a duel, it was a case of duelling banjos. I was on a canoeing trip with some buddies out in the Appalachian back country. We ran into some unsavoury redneck types, one of whom challenged me to a banjo showdown. Of course, I threw in some licks that my old mentor Jimi Hendrix had shown me, and the creepy little weirdo had no chance: I was victorious.
Unfortunately, the locals weren’t too happy and we had a bit of a run-in of sorts with ‘em later. It was all fun and games really, and we were on our way home soon enough. But I tell you: just whatever you do, don’t mention piggies to my buddy Bobby!
TRACKLISTING:
01. Black Magic Summer
02. Red Moon Forming
03. Drifting Alone
04. Strike And Disappear
05. Broken Mirror
06. Tyrant On The Throne
07. I Feel No Pain
08. The Bleeding Heart
BAND LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/DUELTEXAS/
https://www.instagram.com/dueltexas/
https://duel3.bandcamp.com/
RECORD LABEL LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/
https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/

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.

EMQ’s with ‘the HŸSS’

EMQ’s with ‘the HŸSS’

Hi Everyone. Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Chicago, Illinois Stoner / Grunge / Doom band the Hÿss! 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?
My Name is Patrick Daniel Kennedy the 3rd, but my friends call me PK. I get to play rhythm guitar and a few hot and very sexy leads for our band the Hÿss.
All of the band members have been friends since the 80’s and 90’s. We grew up together listening to the same music, playing in various bands and mostly having fun and laughing and being brothers in life.
In 2011, guitarist Dave Fitzgerald contacted me and wanted to play some music like we did when we were kids. We use to write riffs a lot. We loved Nirvana, Clutch, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Minor Threat, the Misfits, but also loved 70’s rock as well. Dave loved jammin’ on Hendrix, Cream, and Sabbath. Figuring out tunes was fun and “making up” our own combinations of riffs that we were learning was even more fun. We got super into it. Our friendship grew even tighter. Once we started up the Hÿss, I feel like it grew like a fire and we were back to writing cool riffs. Bill Sullivan joined the band and chose to pick up the bass and man oh man, I hadn’t seen the guy in a while and he just hugs me and starts playing like a fucking champ. He has amazing creative riffs and is a smart musician, so we were lucky he joined us. He and Dave learned the blues together in college. Two badass players in my opinion. The drummer, Mike Scales has been our friend for so long I can’t remember when I started hangin’ with the guy. He has an extensive history of playing with cool bands because he has skills. If you give a good listen to “Ghost Army” on the new Hound EP you will be impressed. He joined us immediately once he saw how awesome we looked in our cool stage outfits. My jeans had a rip just above the knee. And that combined with our cool riffs? How could he resist? The singer Matt McDonald is a guy we all grew up with even though he lived all the way up on the North Side of Chicago. He was the lead singer of Chicago punk band Renegade A-Bomb back in the 90’s. He was a legend and he gave the Hÿss a shot and it was like lighting. Matt’s interests are reading about history and apocalyptic situations. That’s his jam, so we like to write some fun sounding but dark material. It works great with the music and I always like where his head’s at on these songs. He’s a great writer and has a creative mind and a voice that’s as powerful as a t-rex on a horny day. Eventually we put together a lot of cool songs and have been giving it our best shot around town for a while and it’s been a ton of fun and people are really digging the sound. It’s exciting!
How did you come up with our band name?
The snake is the international beast of rock n’ roll and stoner rock music alike, and the Hÿss is the first sound you hear before the crack of the snake bite. This name is cool when you spell it with a Y and give it an umlaut, like a little snake bite. We are the Hÿss, you know… that sound.
What country are you from and what is the metal scene like there?
America. There is a ton of new music and genres spinning off of the gods of metal: Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Pantera, etc. 1980’s America had the best metal. A lot of people are enjoying what’s coming from all over the world now thanks to the internet. It’s a universe of music these days and it’s pretty amazing to watch other cultures and countries create new metal and pay their respect to old metal from where I live at the same time. It’s interesting and amazing and a lot of it is really bad A, these kids aren’t fking around.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single or Video)?
Our band is very proud to say we are finished with our official debut 5-track EP “Hound”, a few killer songs we have been perfecting and we just love playing them. We really wanted to kick the door open with some high energy doom on this and we feel like it really turned out the way we wanted it to. Pete Grossmann is an awesome sound engineer, and he really helped us bring the whole thing to life and portray our music just as we heard it in our heads when we imagined it. We enjoyed working with him and we are very happy with the way it turned out.
Who have been your greatest influences?
I’m usually inspired by my friends who seem to get better at their instruments than me at a very rapid pace. That, and I’ve been digging Unknown Hinson lately. I know that’s not a metal musician, but the guy’s an amazing player and I like how hilarious he is and how fast he goes. I like shifting through genres to get my fingers to move faster; it keeps me on my toes.
What first got you into music?
When I was little, I would listen to my parent’s Beatles records and my sister’s Queen Tapes. My friend and Hÿss axe slinger Dave had a guitar he found in the trash and we started making up songs, he got good fast and I wanted to do the same. I have to say my friends and family are the people who got me into music. I practiced enough that my parents bought me a nice Washburn acoustic for Christmas. Was the nicest gift ever!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Any band or musician that would be nice to me. Haha! Or Clutch, that would rule. They have a real testosterone robot sound and those dudes get mad respect across the land. I love their music and if they wanted us to open for them my heart would pound. Could you imagine? I wish.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Lollapalooza so I don’t have to drive far.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I have never been given anything. If I were it would be the weirdest gift by default because I couldn’t possibly believe anyone would give me anything Haha!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Thanks for liking our music and for supporting live music and for being a cool person on this earth.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Kurt Cobain, because I have a feeling he would have gone solo and made a bunch of cool folk songs. That’s my prediction and I want to be right.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love playing out with friends. The human connection of matching sounds up is a strange feeling and I’ve been enjoying that high my entire life.
I hate moving equipment and I don’t like ego maniacs. Lotta those folks out there!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I would kill the American Idol thing fast. Kids that sound like they would make badass singers in other types of music are told they “can’t sing” WTF is that? If I sing Happy Birthday, can I sing? And I feel like those millions of dollars travelling all through our lands and have tons of talented kids line up only to be insulted into giving up on music by some washed up celebrities. It’s like a cancer. I hope kids turn that shit off and go scream into a mic anyway!
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Nirvana – “Incesticide”. I love the pop on those tracks and then the album just gets hard and heavy and the riffs are flawless. I love the way they wrote those songs and the band is just one of my all-time favourites.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
These days it’s downloads but, if I’m honest, I prefer CD’s. The sound quality was just fine and you usually ended up listening to the entire album rather than skip songs and bands all day like an asshole.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
The best gig in my opinion was at The Forge in Blue Island. It’s a small bar, but it’s in our neighbourhood on the Southside of Chicago and all our friend’s bands were there. It was outside and lots of people came out and we had a great time that night. I love those nights.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Probably a rocket scientist that solves crimes in space. It would be boring though since the crime rate in space is very low.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
The four other Hÿss members plus Bill Gates and see if he can lend us some money.
What’s next for the band?
We’re looking forward to parading our new “Hound” around town and then maybe start working on another recording. We also have a lot of new material to work on so we definitely have our hands full!
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
You can find the Hÿss on Facebook, Bandcamp, Soundcloud and Instagram!
https://www.facebook.com/thehyss/
https://www.instagram.com/thehyss/
https://thehyss.bandcamp.com/releases
https://soundcloud.com/thehyss
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Anything baked in 1927 is a biscuit by now.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for putting us out there with these fun questions. I hope you will pound the Hound by the Hÿss and enjoy it as much as we do!

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 both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

EMQ’s with CALLUS

EMQ’s with CALLUS

Hi Everyone. Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Lancaster, UK based Doom/Thrash/Stoner Metal band and huge Ever Metal favourites Callus. We have already done loads of stuff with these guys and love them to bits. Please read on and check them out, especially as their debut album “Hogpocalypse” is one of the Metal highlights of 2019!
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Name’s Louis. Or if you’re close to me, Skidmark Clarke will do!
I’m the guitarist and one half of the vocals for our band CALLUS. I share vocal duties with Ben Wormwell who also plays gnarly bass for us, and we have Ryan who plays mad drums.
We formed in 2013, originally with an extra guitar player and loads of different drummers over the years… we parted ways with the guitarist though after the first gig, he got so drunk I had to take his guitar off him, retune it and hand it back… haven’t looked back since (Sorry dude!)
How did you come up with your band name?
Me and Ben had been jamming together for a while prior to this band, I had a load of potential band names written on this big sheet, Ben had a look through it one day and spotted CALLUS on there and was all like “That’s the one!”
What country are you from and what is the metal scene like there?
We are from the UK, North West really. We live in different parts of the country and come together for studio, jamming or for shows.
As far as the ins and outs of the UK scene and its current state so to speak, I really don’t claim to have a vast wealth of knowledge on it! I can think of loads of other people who could probably answer that better.
All that I think I could say Is that the UK has some immense heavy festivals (some of the best in the world) and therefore creates a lot of buzz with up and coming UK bands, and bands that come from overseas for the UK crowds and shows. The UK has also provided the world with some of the biggest and iconic heavy bands of all time… so I think we have something here on these shores… I don’t know what it is, but it’s here… somewhere!
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single or Video)
Our latest release is our debut, self – released and recorded album entitled “HOGPOCALYPSE” which we released January this year.
Who have been your greatest influences?
A lot of real riff playing monsters have probably formed the basis of my own playing as far as guitar hero’s go… such as Iommi (Sabbath), Bill Kelliher (Mastodon), Laura Pleasant’s (Kylesa) Matt Pike (Sleep / High On Fire) Hetfield (Metallica) and other players such as Dick Dale the godfather of surf rock and Jack White (White Stripes), Tom Morello (RATM, Audioslave) all certainly knew how to create some huge sounds and more experimental parts.
What first got you into music?
Probably my dad to be fair!
There was lots of music around the house when I grew up which I’m very grateful for, not really metal mind you that came later on for me. But there was loads of different sounds which was great.
My dad played (and still does!) sweet bluesy slide guitar so that was around from an early age
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Without wanting to jinx anything we MAY have something in the works with another artist from a band we admire, it’s a very exiting mini project for us we are working on and we very much hope we can share more about that in due course.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I saw a vid of Red Fang playing this fest called Duna Jam I think it was. It’s this little festival somewhere on this beach where the bands play on pallets with the waves and sunset behind them, and the crowd were all sat down headbanging… it was amazing, I want to play there!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Their hand in marriage!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We appreciate you more than you know, thanks for your continued support!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
That’s an impossible question! How could I pick one but not another? I guess I’d bring back Cliff Burton… taken well before his time… I would have loved to hear what else he would have created!
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
The playing of shows and jamming together and the recording of music is probably what I enjoy the most. Both are a very feel good experience for myself, I’ve honestly never been having a bad time doing either in the moment… It’s just the time in-between I struggle with!
I hate waiting for the next jam session or show, I struggle with that!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
More value on downloads would always be nice. (Credit where it’s due though to Bandcamp for being as good as they are).
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Death Is This Communion” – High On Fire… They never got better than that in my opinion.
But there are so many albums that I could note here!
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
That’s a question which causes a lot of divide! But for me I think Vinyl is the best sounding at least, which you could argue that’s what it’s all about… but records are an arse to transport and are, unwieldly.
CD’s are great too, apart from jewel cases!
Downloads are fine as well, as long as the artist gets their fair share of the cost back (which is why we use Bandcamp primarily).
So… they are all great as they cover different bases I think.
It’s down to the listener… but I’m a Vinyl / CD fiend, I need physical!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Hammerfest and Bloodstock were extra special for us when we played them both in 2018, but we have had some great nights in bars and clubs as well.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Hopefully if I couldn’t play music anymore for whatever reason (touch wood!) I’d certainly still follow the bands I do and go to the shows I do, I’d probably get further into collecting and listening to music, maybe start doing reviews and sticking them online I don’t know.
Whatever it would be, I’d have to do something with myself music related!
I’d go out with bands on the road and offer really bad advice, terrible feedback and shit business ideas.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Donald Glover, Donald Glovers Mother, Donald Glovers Mothers Brother, Donald Glovers Brother and Donald Duck!
What’s next for the band?
We have a slot an Amplified Fest on July 20th which we are massively looking forward to, plus a couple of shows leading up to that.
The main focus for us at the moment is we are in the stages of writing a batch of new material for what the aim is to become the next album. We have been jamming out some new tracks and recording them down in demo format.
The new stuff is sounding great (if I may say so!) with Ben and Ryan really stepping up and contributing some killer riffs and ideas, those guys are shining right now and giving me a real big and much needed kick up the arse.
I’ve been writing too of course, but those guys are really cracking them out.
It’s quiet at the moment… but gears are turning
Big bag o riffs with the lads.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We have all our music and merch up on Bandcamp:
https://callus117.bandcamp.com/music
We are also on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Callus.band/
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Most definitely, absolutely, one hundred percent CAKES!
(THE CLUE IS IN THE NAME!)
Plus there was a tribunal in 1991 (yes I did just Google that) and it concluded that Jaffa Cakes are indeed… Cakes!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Big riffs are the best riffs, be kind to your fellow man and big elephants can’t always use small exits.
Thanks for reading!

Promo by Beth Jones

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 both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Photo reproduced here with kind permission from Beth Jones.

CALLUS: “Hogpocalypse” Debut Album Teaser Premiered On Ever Metal!

CALLUS: “Hogpocalypse” Debut Album Teaser
Premiered On Ever Metal
05/08/2018
Article by Rick Tilley

Ever Metal are extremely proud to premiere a short teaser from the forthcoming, debut, album from Lancaster based Metal band CALLUS. We now know it’s entitled “HOGPOCALYPSE”, believe me, that’s an awesome title that describes CALLUS and their music perfectly, but what we don’t know yet is when the release date will be. However, I’m going to put my neck on the line and say that it will be absolutely ‘Hogtastic’!
Check out the teaser here:

CALLUS describe themselves as “Down-tuned stoner metal fused with thrash and sludge elements for a truly obnoxious, quite furious and outright terrifying sound” and that’s about as good a description as you’ll get. They combine a huge range of influences that together should sound completely wrong but CALLUS do the impossible and turn it into one of the heaviest, tightest and most enjoyable things I’ve heard from a band in years.
Whilst we await the album go and listen to, or buy, a copy of their EP “Through Blood, Sweat, Piss And Pain” and see why Ever Metal adore them and also make sure to see them live if they turn up at a venue or festival near you, because they pride themselves on being a ‘live band’. After seeing them four times in recent months, there is no doubt they are absolutely thunderous in a live setting.
If you want to know why I love doing this job so much then listening to CALLUS will give you the answer!
CALLUS ARE:
Louis Clarke – Guitar and Vocals
Ben Wormwell – Bass and Vocals
Ryan Ormerod – Drums
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Callus.band/
https://www.instagram.com/callus_uk/
https://callus117.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZOSaYdZBmL8DhLMPjLWggQ

Callus – Through Blood,Sweat, Piss And Pain EP

Through Blood, Sweat, Piss And Pain EP Cover

Callus – Through Blood,Sweat, Piss And Pain EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 26/03/2017
Running Time: 15:44
Review by Beth Jones
10/10

When I hear the words ‘Thrash’, ‘Stoner’ or ‘Doom’, I can be known to pull a face of overwhelming underwhelmedness. Its not usually my bag, but then you don’t usually get the whole lot in one fell swoop! Until now!

The debut EP from our tip for the top, Lancashire based CALLUS, is a weird and whacky meld of all of the above, with added classic heavy metal, and even a bit of punk to boot! It is 3 tracks of fast paced, grove laden, bass driven, riff loveliness, with an interesting concept intro and outro to book end the main tacks.

With obvious influences of Metallica and Megadeth, the first track, ‘Chimp Militia’, kicks off big time from the outset, in classic thrash style, with over driven guitar at a pace, being joined by bass and drums after a few bars. You think you are safe in the knowledge this is a solid thrash tune, then all of a sudden, the chorus comes and slaps you with some punk, with Louis Clarke and Ben Wormwell delivering ‘call and response’ style vocals. Then, as quickly as it started, it stops! If you weren’t listen at the beginning, you will certainly be giving it your full attention now!

‘Cycloid’ is up next – this is much more classic, very early Metallica, but with an added twist of Doom with Louis’ versatile vocal style; low growls to high screams, yet again ripping up the rules in favour of something new! One thing that Callus don’t seem to fuss about is intricate solos – there is no need for them in their music – but this one does have an extra little dash of guitar noodling half way through, as the tune cycles in a repetitive loop before speeding up, as the name would suggest! The rhythms really are the back bone of their music, not just in the percussive sense, but across the whole band, and that couldn’t be truer than in this song, which has very hypnotic qualities deep within its repetitiveness.

Then just as you were getting comfortable with thrash-doom, up pops a jaunty stoner-doom-thrash-sic piece, ‘The Root Of All Evil’, to really break your mind. A full on mix of the elements with some very slow, heavy stoner doom sections that give you an eerie sense of an impending apocalypse, combined with classic and thrash metal progressions, and Ben’s ridiculously heavy vocals, again backed up by insane rhythms, making the whole thing feel like you are going down a steep hill a bit faster than you probably should be, and suddenly have no control over your legs anymore. It is sublimely mental! I AM A HUGE FAN OF IT!!!

These three tracks, coupled with the soundbites from public information broadcasts of the cold war era, really take you on a journey into some odd, hallucinogenic, nuclear armageddon of the mind in a way that I am not sure I have seen a band of their young years do before. They are certainly musically very wise and create pieces to a standard way beyond that which the relative infancy of their band would suggest. I have to remind myself sometimes when I listen to Callus that they are a very new band, with this EP only being released last year, and them having been basically Louis and Ben with a succession of drummers for pretty much the entire of their five year old career. The percussion on this self-produced EP, as well as the mixing, was provided by Mark Johnson, however he has since left the line-up and new drummer, Ryan Ormerod, has more than filled his shoes.

Personally, I am pretty much convinced that they are all wizards, as none of the above should work at all, let alone as brilliantly as they have made it work on this EP, and in the live performances we have seen of them. As a debut EP, this is stunning. They have really set the bar. Their song writing is superb, their musicianship sublime and complete, and their production values intelligent and thoughtful, making them the full package; the real deal. They are a breath of fresh air in a saturated market and I really hope that their hard work and individuality pays off, and they carve out a brilliant career for themselves, as they thoroughly deserve it!

TRACKLISTING:
01. Intro
02. The Chimp Militia
03. Cycloid
04. The Root Of All Evil
05. Outro

LINKS:

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 do adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

All photographs are the property of Beth Jones and PhotograBee – http://www.facebook.com/PhotograBeeImages

Callus, Live at Wrexfest, Atomic, Wrexham 28/07/2018

Callus
Wrexfest, Atomic, Wrexham 28/07/2018
Review by Beth Jones

I love it when an idea goes to plan! When Brendan (head honcho at Wrexfest) contacted me and said they wanted to do a metal night at Wrexfest this year and who would I suggest to try and get for the line-up, one band immediately came to mind – CALLUS!

After seeing these guys at Hammerfest earlier this year and being totally blown away by them, and subsequently following them through social media and in the flesh as they progressed through the heats at Mammothfest, Battle Of The Bands, Chester, it was a complete no brainer that our favourite three piece from the North should be part of it. When we found out that they were on the bill, we were a touch happy!

The evening had a diverse billing, ranging from slightly softer rock, to Metalcore, to …erm… a band called Glove who I am not sure how to classify! But we are all for diverse here at Ever Metal! It is what keeps music alive.

Wrexfest is an event which has been plagued by the weather and other factors since it started in 2013, but it battles on. This year, due to various issues, two of the bands on the Atomic bill had pulled out by the time we arrived, however this did mean that CALLUS got a longer set time – two thumbs good in our book!!

After conducting a very funny interview with the boys down a side alley two minutes from the venue, we headed back to watch them do their thing. They had told us that, because of their extended set time, they were able to chuck in some new stuff and we were super pumped to hear it! They did not disappoint!

The dictionary definition of CALLUS currently reads: ‘A thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, especially in an area that has been subjected to friction’. This however will soon have the addendum…’subjected to friction from epic moshing to an amazing three piece who take you to a new level of awesome’.

O.M.G… I seriously cannot put into words how good CALLUS are! They are a weird mix of Thrash, Stoner, Doom, Progressive and Classic Metal, that should never work, but somehow it does, and brilliantly at that! They have a mix of chunky riffs, down tuned grooves, growly, shouty vocals, and insane drumming that gives you no choice but to move!

When they started their set the room was semi full, and it isn’t a big room, but as they played, the crowd grew and grew until it was packed to the rafters with people drawn to their sound. It was awesome!

I have stages of mosh – level 0 – ‘yeah they are ok – I will nod my head a bit’, level 1 – ‘I will take my hair out of my pony tail, because even though it is weird and wispy, I may want the hair effect as I nod my head to show that I am really in to this’, then level 2 – I will also now remove my glasses for I can feel my body going and I have no control over it, and if I don’t remove them they will end up in someone’s pint’! I was at level 2 mosh by the second song! I haven’t done that since my Tivoli days in the late nineties (and my body still knows it today!) but I seriously could not help myself!

These guys are so slick, so professional, so tight that you would swear they were a huge band of seasoned professionals, not a widely unknown one in the infancy of their career. I guarantee that they will not be unknown for long – they are too good not to get noticed! They kept the crowd thoroughly entertained throughout the 45 minute set and didn’t at any point lose anyone’s interest. Every single song was a smasher, and they performed the new stuff like it had been part of a great set for years. The audience were in the palm of their hands, even the breaks between songs, where guitarist/vocalist Louis Clarke switched guitars or retuned, were covered by an interesting sound effect which lead beautifully into the next song. Their set was not only jam packed with catchy, riffy grooviness, but was cleverly thought out and meticulously planned to keep the pace and momentum going from start to finish. We had not heard much of bassist/vocalist Ben Wormwell on vocals before now, but tonight we got to hear his vicious growl in some of the new material and it was growly and excellent! All of this brilliance was kept in check and time, and backed up by some of the most intricate tub-thumping I have ever seen, from drummer (and ego) Ryan Ormerod – the speed at which he moves his feet on the pedals, without triggers, is astounding!

I literally do not have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to describe how good these guys are, how they have completely won us over and have our utmost support here at Ever Metal, not only for the absolute amazing talent they all have, both individually and as a group, but also because they are three great, down to earth, genuine guys who deserve to be truly recognised for their hard work and dedication to their art. We are nearly old enough to be their parents, but I genuinely don’t think I could have been prouder of their performance here, if they were my own kids. #proud.

I implore anyone who has not heard them or seen them yet, to check them out and go and see them, you will not be disappointed. We eagerly await their debut album and will be first in the queue to buy our copy. A huge well done and a massive thank you to you guys for ripping it up in our little town!

LINKS:

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 all parties. Failure to do adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

All photographs are the property of Beth Jones and PhotograBee – http://www.facebook.com/PhotograBeeImages