Bands – Page 7 – Southern Lord Recordings

Magma

The first 10 years of Magma were celebrated on three memorable evenings in June 1980 at the Olympia theatre in Paris. This retrospective, reuniting most of the musicians who had performed in the group, was issued as two albums, Retrospektïẁ 1 / 2 (double) and Retrospektïẁ 3 (single). Issued first, Retrospektïẁ 3 comprises 3 titles Retrovision, a long piece in the style of the album Attahk, in which the vocalists Stella Vander, Guy Khalifa and Maria Popkiewicz turn in a blazing performance over a driving rhythm section; a supercharged version of Hhai, in which the trio Lockwood / Paganotti / Widemann works miracles; and finally La Dawotsin, where, in a more muted register, the voice of Christian Vander triumphs through its mastery and profound sensibility.

Recorded, like Retrospektïẁ 3, during the soirees at Olympia in June 1980, Retrospektïẁ 1 & 2 is an absolutely fundamental album in which Theusz Hamtaahk, the first movement of the trilogy of the same name, is presented for the first time. The second and third movements, Wurdah Itah and Mekanik Destruktiw Komandoh, were of course already well known. Although played in concert since 1974, Christian Vander had waited for years before recording it for posterity as he wanted every note to be as beautiful, magical, essential and definitive as possible. It is with the same respect for his music that he releases here the most successful version of Mekanik Destruktiw Komandoh, considered outstanding on account of two incredible improvisations from Bernard Paganotti and Didier Lockwood. Klaus Blasquiz, who did not perform on Retrospektïẁ 3, is the lead vocalist on this version – and justifiably so, since he was indeed the Magma singer who first sang these two masterworks.

There’s no doubt about it, Magma have left a legacy of music that defies any of the standard and convenient classifications of rock, operating instead in a realm of their own creation. Southern Lord looks forward to being part of their ever-evolving story…

Loincloth

Like Rats

LIKE RATS feature members of Chicago power-violence legends WEEKEND NACHOS. This compact disc compiles every filthy fucking note they have ever recorded. Most importantly it features their brand new album “II”. NACHOS have spawned a different beast with LIKE RATS. The focus of the beatdown is heavily death metal influenced with generous helpings of caveman swing. Think of the old school slaughter of Celtic Frost, & Obituary with the modern ass kicking of Nails, Black Breath etc..

Riff worshiping posers need not apply.

Lifesick

Lies

Members of Skin Like Iron and The Hope Conspiracy proudly stand by their long time hardcore influences, with a nod to Swedish punk ala Anti-Cimex and Skitsystem.

Krömosom

Boasting an entirely unhinged, filthy auditory assault, Melbourne-based ragers KROMOSOM have hooked up with Southern Lord Recordings for the band’s first CD release, Live Forever.

Born in the smoldering wake of now defunct Australian crust acts Schifosi and Pisschrist, and featuring current members of Leprosy, Bloody Hammer and fellow Southern Lord mercenaries Nuclear Death Terror, KROMOSOM have kicked a massive dent into the international crust/punk/hardcore circuit working under the band doctrine: “Noisier, nastier, rawer.” Through several vinyl-only indie releases and steady waves of international touring since their 2010 inception the band caught the attention of Southern Lord who confirmed the first CD release in KROMOSOM’s discography with Live Forever.

Kohti Tuhoa

ISKRA

The blistering anarchist black metal unit ISKRA are teaming up with Southern Lord for the CD release of their latest phenomenal LP, Ruins. Approaching the most fearsome of all genres from a foundation in filthy metallic crust, ISKRA have skilfully created an old school orthodox epic that their extensive back catalogue has always been working towards, and in Ruins is executed in sublime, scathing style.

The Canadians, almost two decades in to their journey as ISKRA, stand out as staunch advocates of anarchism, and reject all forms of oppressive mainstream ideologies such as communism, fascism and democracy. To underline this, they coined their unification of extreme punk anger and black metal sonics ‘anarchist metal’, separating themselves from other acts deemed as ‘extreme’ or ‘radical’ but lacking conviction or real menace. It is certainly evident in their vitriolic offensives that they mean business, but most impressive is the sharp, refined songcraft that makes Ruins a compelling black metal record regardless of your political (dis)orientation. The magnificent constantly shifting tremolo riffs and blasting drums are some of the most devastating and aggressive you will hear, and fans of Absu and early Immortal will find plenty to enjoy – ISKRA exert overwhelming levels of energy and brutality in Ruins, outpacing and outwitting the vast majority.

ISKRA have toured across scores of countries with countless acts operating in various subsects of punk and metal, with a heavy presence throughout the international underground. A wealth of DIY and independent label releases trails behind them, with numerous albums, splits and demos all available to download for free from their website in accordance with their principles.

Iceburn

Asclepius is the new album from the ever-evolving and adventurous collective Iceburn, who return with their first new material in twenty years, which Southern Lord shall release on 25th June on LP and digital formats.

Much like the mythical ouroboros that appear in their music, Iceburn have come full circle, as Gentry Densley comments, “Iceburn had always been about progressing and pushing the boundaries, pushing the music ahead of ourselves so we had to work to catch up. This new record comes from a place of rediscovery of who we are deep down, a place that with all it’s challenges and comforts, ultimately feels like home.”

He continues, “In recent years Iceburn basically became four friends hanging out and working on music. After all going in different directions for so many years we found ways to embrace our earliest influences and the foundations of our musical selves. We basically cycled back to the way we made music in our heyday, our salad days, and it felt right once again.”

The rawness of Asclepius harks back to the days of their early records (such as Hephaestus), and fuses elements of metal, jazz, psychedelia, and rock with a seamless flow, monolithic riffs, swirling harmonies, and a groove that are the cornerstones of their sound.

Asclepius comprises two long-form tracks, “Healing The Ouroboros” and ‘Dahlia Rides the Firebird’, the latter is based on an old traditional Greek tune. With some members majoring in classics/philosophy, music/composition and studying ethnomusicology – classic mythology has always been a key reference point for the themes of their music. That the new record is named after the god of healing and medicine and arriving at this moment in time is coincidence, as the band comments, “It felt like we needed healing even before this pandemic hit.”

The line-up on Asclepius represents the core of Iceburn through the early formative years. Iceburn, later the Iceburn Collective, initially existed from 1990 to 2001. Later reuniting in 2007 with this current lineup again at the core. The band’s initial output slowly evolved from hardcore and metal to free improvisation and noise, The 10 year arc saw the band following their own path and becoming more and more obscure as they got deeper into unknown musical worlds. By 2000 the cycle seemed complete and Iceburn did their final tour in Europe 2001. In 2007 this early core crew reunited to play a local anniversary show focused on the earliest material. Every few years since they would get together for another ‘reunion’ until that word became more of a joke, it was clear the band was back, getting together every week, and working on new material.

ICEBURN LINE UP:

Joseph ‘Chubba’ Smith – drums, founding member of Iceburn from 1990-’93 then 2007-present
James Holder – guitar, was also a founding member from ’90-’95 and ’07 to present
Cache Tolman – bass, ’91-97 off and on, and ’07 to present
Gentry Densley – guitar and vocals, 1990 to present

Asclepius was recorded and engineered by Andy Patterson (SubRosa, INVDRS, Insect Ark, and The Otolith) a collaborator also for Gentry’s other band’s Eagle Twin and Ascend.

Hissing

A blackened/death/ sludge behemoth from Seattle, WA. Started in 2014 out of a mutual interest in exploring dissonant and punishing sounds and inspired by bands such as Portal, Incantation, Blut Aus Nord, and Swans. Hissing guitarist: Joe O’Malley is the younger brother of Sunn O)))/Burning Witch/Khanate/KTL guitarist Stephen O’Malley and yes the grimm darkness runs in the blood….