Category: News

THE POWER OF THE RIFF Makes Its Return In November; Southern Lord And SUNN O))) To Celebrate 20th Anniversary By Headlining Los Angeles-Based Event

Posted on: September 13, 2018
THE POWER OF THE RIFF makes is return this year with a Los Angeles-based event in November, with two days of performances from a wide range of heavy acts. The event includes the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of both SUNN O))) and Southern Lord Recordings. The first incarnation of THE POWER OF THE RIFF since late 2016, this year’s gathering will take place the weekend of November 17th and 18th.
THE POWER OF THE RIFF‘s 2018 festivities will begin on Saturday, November 17th, with a kickoff party at The Echo. This show will see new Southern Lord act THE PRIMALS, a power trio featuring members of Darkest Hour, The Explosion, and more, opening for a rare set by legendary ’60s garage rock outfit, THE SONICS. The main event for THE POWER OF THE RIFF will take place the following day, Sunday, November 18th, at LA’s The Echoplex. This show will be headlined by SUNN O))), who in 2018 is celebrating the act’s twentieth anniversary along with the Southern Lord label which was also created by the band in 1998. This show mark’s SUNN O)))‘s only California show of 2018 and final show of the year.
Tickets for the even are on sale now at THIS LOCATION, and event pages for each day can be found below. A limited number of special VIP tickets available which include early entry, a drink token, Southern Lord swag bag, a SUNN O))) surprise, and more.
Watch for additional acts confirmed to perform at THE POWER OF THE RIFF‘s 2018 festivities to be announced over the weeks ahead.
THE POWER OF THE RIFF 2018:
11/17/2018 The Echo – Los Angeles, CA kickoff party w/ The Sonics, The Primals [info]
11/18/2018 The Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA w/ SUNN O))), more TBA [info]
With an intent of exposing fans of all ages to brand new underground acts alongside some of the biggest names in the underground metal and hardcore scenes, for nearly a decade, THE POWER OF THE RIFF has booked multiple major festivals on the East and West Coasts, several mini-tours, and more. Among the dozens of acts that have taken part in these widespread events, AGNOSTIC FRONT, ALL PIGS MUST DIE, BAPTISTS, BLACK BREATH, BLACK COBRA, COLISEUM, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, EAGLE TWIN, EYEHATEGOD, FROM ASHES RISE, GATECREEPER, GOATSNAKE, INCANTATION, NAILS, NECROT, NEGATIVE APPROACH, NEUROSIS, PELICAN, PENTAGRAM, REPULSION, SUNN O))), TRAP THEM, WINTER, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, XIBALBA, and many others have performed.
For press inquiries on Southern Lord Recordings and its artists and actions contact dave@earsplitcompound.com.

JESUS PIECE Announces December Tour Of Japan; Only Self Debut Album Out Now Through Southern Lord

Posted on: September 11, 2018
Following the release their monolithic, acclaimed debut LP, Only Self, through Southern Lord in August, Philadelphia’s JESUS PIECE is booking new tour dates in support of the album. The band has confirmed that they will travel to Japan for their first tour of the country in December.
JESUS PIECE recorded Only Self at Bricktop Recording Studio in Chicago with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos, Like Rats, Dead In The Dirt), after which the album was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Integrity, Nails, Xibalba) and completed with artwork by Dom Pabon.
JESUS PIECE has toured mercilessly alongside Darkest Hour, Comeback Kid, Burn, Knocked Loose, Terror, Vein, Year Of The Knife, and many more across North America and Europe over the past year, and just made their vicious return to This Is Hardcore this summer. Now, the band will make their maiden trip to Asia for a tour of Japan. The Only Self, Live In Japan trek will see the band playing across the chain of islands from December 15th through 19th. Watch for new stateside tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead as well.
Only Self is out now on CD, LP, and digital formats through Southern Lord. Find physical order options at the label shop HERE and digital at Bandcamp HERE, iTunes HERE, and through all other digital providers.
JESUS PIECE – Only Self, Live In Japan:
12/15/2018 Garret – Tokyo Shibuya, JP
12/16/2018 Club Zion – Nagoya, JP
12/17/2018 Hokage – Osaka, JP
12/18/2018 Bushbash – Tokyo Koiwa, JP
12/19/2018 Antiknock – Tokyo Shinjuku, JP
JESUS PIECE is quickly developing a reputation as one of the heaviest, most uncompromising acts both on record and on the stage. With the brutalizing grooves of Disembodied, Turmoil, Harm’s Way, and labelmates Xibalba, the band incorporates elements of noise, ominous tones, and haunting atmospheres into their dynamic songwriting. With crushing, modern production, the eleven new tracks on their Only Self debut LP place JESUS PIECE among the scene’s darkest and heaviest acts and delivers one of the most anxiously-awaited albums of the hardcore/metal underground this year with Only Self, a record which proves itself as one of the year’s most vicious releases.
“JESUS PIECE rage at the nexus of hardcore, death metal, industrial, and ’90s metalcore. They’re part of a new metalcore movement that proves that experimentation and succinct, clobbering riffs can not only coexist, but make for natural partners. On their first full-length, Only Self, they make the case that such should be the new tradition.” – Pitchfork
 
“Through clenched teeth, vocalist Aaron Heard sounds like an unhinged animal, ferociously tearing through drop tuning, d-beats, blasts and exaggerated breakdowns to create the ideal pied piper to lead us all down this path of hate and frustration.” – Revolver Magazine
 
“It’s unclear what’s in the American water these days (or perhaps the current political tenor makes it quite obvious…), but the United States is producing some of the best hardcore the country ever has. And Philadelphia’s JESUS PIECE might as well be the poster boys for the movement.” – Kerrang
 
“They’ve got a fat, bass-heavy attack that favors pure brutality over complexity. It’s the kind of thing that can seem like it exists just so angry kids have an excuse to go to a show and slam their bodies into each other for twenty minutes, but further listens reveal Only Self to be an album that’s a little more tasteful than that.” – Brooklyn Vegan
 
“This is some seriously crushing music, seemingly made to induce the most violent mosh pits possible.” – Metal Injection
 
“Only Self proves that the decision to go with Southern Lord was a good one and is a prime example of the ways hardcore bands can benefit from experimenting with their sound. As good as Only Self is, it proves that the band is capable of a lot more than we’ve seen, and I’m already anticipating where they go next.” – New Noise Magazine
 
“On Only Self, JESUS PIECE expands their sonic palette, incorporating drone and sludge influences in a way only hinted at previously by the “Mantra” interlude on their 2016 promo tape. The band stays true to their foundations as purveyors of violently heavy riffs while showing that they still have new tricks up their sleeve.” – No Echo
For review copies of Only Self and interviews/coverage of JESUS PIECE in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and internationally contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.

THE PRIMALS: Los Angeles Trio Streams Their Debut Album All Love Is True Love At Louder Sound; LP Out Friday Via Southern Lord

Posted on: September 5, 2018

LA-based rock trio THE PRIMALS will release of their debut, All Love Is True Love, via Southern Lord this Friday. The album is streaming in advance via Louder Sound, who calls the record, “one of the best power pop records in years.” The feature includes a track-by-track guide from vocalist/guitarist John Henry (also of Darkest Hour) who is joined in THE PRIMALS by bassist Chad Fjerstad (formerly of Dead To Fall), and drummer Andrew Black (formerly of The Explosion).

THE PRIMALS‘ fuzzy execution is equal slabs ripping guitar heaviness and infectious pop sensibility. Concocted by a seasoned group of thrashers with a historical backbone in the D.C. punk community, the disintegrated spirit of grunge rises from the ashes, revitalized in a new light.

Listen to All Love Is True Love, the debut album by THE PRIMALS, at Louder Sound RIGHT HERE.

All Love Is True Love features ten infectious tracks produced by John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes) and completed with cover art by Laura K. Giron. Fans of Wand, Ty Segall, Nirvana, and The Pixies are especially recommended to tune in.

Southern Lord will release THE PRIMALS‘ All Love Is True Love on CD, LP, and digital platforms on September 7th. Find digital preorders at Bandcamp HERE, at iTunes HERE, and find physical preorder options at the US label webshop HERE and the European label shop HERE.

THE PRIMALS will support the release of All Love Is True Love with several record release shows on both the West and East Coasts, including a Los Angeles show this Friday, September 7th, followed the following week by release shows Washington, DC on September 14th and Brooklyn on September 15th. The band will also join the legendary ’60s garage rock act The Sonics at the newly-announced kickoff party for the return of The Power Of The Riff, November 17th in Los Angeles. Watch for new tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead.

THE PRIMALS Live:
9/07/2018 Hi-Hat – Los Angeles, CA *record release show w/ Prissy Whip, Death Crux, Fraude, DJ Tuna [info]
9/14/2018 The Pinch – Washington, DC *record release show w/ Despite Despair, Rat Infested [info]
9/15/2018 El Cortez Safari Room – Brooklyn, NY *record release show
11/17/2018 The Echo – Los Angeles, CA @ The Power Of The Riff kickoff party w/ The Sonics [info]


“Channeling Redd Kross’ soaring harmonies, The Posies’ taste for sugary darkness and Kurt Cobain’s ability to disguise an arsenal of irresistible hooks under a barrage of pounding fuzz, the album rips up grunge’s ’90s roots and replants them for a modern audience.” – Louder Sound

“THE PRIMALS have an impressive pedigree, boasting a lineup consisting of current and former members of Darkest Hour, The Explosion, and Dead To Fall… The band is fronted by John Henry, best known as the vocalist of veteran metal band Darkest Hour. Musically, THE PRIMALS‘ music is a far cry from the melodic death metal stylings of Darkest Hour, but the band still brings some heavy riffing to their infectious brand of rock.” – Consequence Of Sound

“ballsy hard rock with a definite melodic punk bent to it… the record is a fuzzed-out riff fiesta with quirky yet pleasing hooks finding their way throughout the whole affair.” – No Echo

For review copies of All Love Is True Love and interviews with THE PRIMALS in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and internationally contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.

https://www.facebook.com/ThePrimalsLA
https://theprimalssl.bandcamp.com/releases
http://www.southernlord.com
http://southernlord.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/SLadmin
http://twitter.com/twatterlord

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM To Reissue All Three Southern Lord Albums On Limited Edition 20th Anniversary Silver Vinyl; North American And European Tours With Behemoth And At The Gates Confirmed

Posted on: September 5, 2018
Coinciding with Southern Lord’s 20th anniversary this year, the label announces the reissues of all three of the label’s acclaimed albums from WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM; Two Hunters, Black Cascade, and Celestial Lineage. Each special reissue will be issued on limited edition silver vinyl.
About the reissues the band remarks, “We are thrilled that Two Hunters, Black Cascade, and Celestial Lineage are back in print. These records document a fertile and magical time in our lives and we are so pleased that a new generation of fans will be able to enjoy these records on vinyl.”
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, who picked up the accolades for Best Underground Band at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards during their recent European touring, will continue to tour throughout the year. WITTR will be on tour with Behemoth and At The Gates October 19th through November 24th in the US and Canada. This same epic lineup invades Europe January 10th through February 11th, 2019.
Southern Lord and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM‘s USA and European Webstores will have black vinyl available near mid-September. The band will also be offering autographed editions and limited bundles from their store. Check WITTR.com for details.
Place orders for all three WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM LP reissues at Southern Lord US HERE and Southern Lord Europe HERE.
Reflecting on the anniversary year, label owner Greg Anderson comments, “Over the years Southern Lord has the incredible honor of releasing albums from cult legendary bands Electric Wizard, Sleep, Magma, Unsane, Darkest Hour, Grief, Saint Vitus, BL’AST!, Winter, Wolfbrigade, Poison Idea, and Pelican, as well as iconic, monumental artists, Dylan Carlson (Earth), Wino, Dave Grohl (Probot), Zakk Wylde (Zakk Sabbath), and Josh Homme (Desert Sessions). We are extremely proud to have been a part of the developing rise of several bands who are now part of the essential fabric of the underground: WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, Nails, Boris, and Power Trip.”
Anderson continues, “It is our mission to create a sanctuary for bands/artists/musicians to have their creative works released exactly as their vision was intended.” These three reissues will be no exception. Southern Lord and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM‘s US and European webstores will have black vinyl available near mid-September.
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM Tour Dates:
Ecclesia Diabolica America 2018 e.v. w/ Behemoth, At The Gates:
10/20/2018 Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
10/22/2018 House Of Blues – Dallas, TX
10/23/2018 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX
10/24/2018 House Of Blues – Houston, TX
10/26/2018 Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
10/27/2018 Janus Landing – Tampa, FL
10/29/2018 The Underground – Charlotte, NC
10/30/2018 The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
11/01/2018 House Of Blues – Boston, MA
11/02/2018 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD
11/03/2018 Playstation Theater – New York, NY
11/04/2018 M-Telus – Montreal, QC
11/06/2018 The Danforth – Toronto, ON
11/07/2018 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
11/09/2018 House Of Blues – Chicago, IL
11/10/2018 Cabooz – Minneapolis, MN
11/11/2018 The Truman – Kansas City, MO
11/13/2018 The Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
11/14/2018 The Depot – Salt Lake City, UT
11/16/2018 MacEwan Ballroom – Calgary, AB
11/17/2018 Union Hall – Edmonton, AB
11/20/2018 Showbox Market – Seattle, WA
11/21/2018 Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
11/23/2018 The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
11/24/2018 The Wiltern Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Ecclesia Diabolica Evropa 2019 e.v. w/ Behemoth, At The Gates
1/10/2019 Batschkapp – Frankfurt,DE
1/11/2019 Tonhalle – Munich, DE
1/12/2019 Forum Karlin – Prague, CZ
1/13/2019 Arena – Vienna, AT
1/15/2019 Komplex 457 – Zurich, CH
1/16/2019 Alcatraz – Milano, IT
1/17/2019 Le Transbordeur – Lyon, FR
1/18/2019 Razzmatazz – Barcelona, ES
1/19/2019 La Riviera – Madrid, ES
1/21/2019 Le Bikini – Toulouse, FR
1/22/2019 Bataclan – Paris, FR
1/23/2019 Turbinenhalle – Oberhausen, DE
1/24/2019 Huxleys – Berlin, DE
1/25/2019 Vega – Copenhagen, DK
1/26/2019 Annexet – Stockholm, SE
1/27/2019 Rockefeller – Oslo, NO
1/29/2019 The Circus – Helsinki, FI
1/30/2019 Pakkahuone – Tampere, FI
2/01/2019 Grosse Freiheit 36 – Hamburg, DE
2/02/2019 Tivoli – Utrecht, NL
2/03/2019 AB – Brussels, BE
2/04/2019 Rockhal – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU
2/06/2019 Motion – Bristol, UK
2/07/2019 O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK
2/08/2019 O2 Forum Kentish Town – London, UK
2/09/2019 O2 Ritz – Manchester, UK
2/10/2019 Vicar Street – Dublin, IE
2/11/2019 QM Union – Glasgow, UK
For Southern Lord press inquiries in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and otherwise contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.

DARKEST HOUR Confirms East Coast November Tour Dates With Damnation A.D., Cemetery Piss, Walk The Plank, And No Man

Posted on: August 30, 2018

Washington, DC-based DARKEST HOUR has booked a run of East Coast tour dates for this November. This succinct but vital trek sees the long-running metal quintet headlining with support from some of their hand-picked favorite hometown scene acts.

Produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge), DARKEST HOUR‘s eleventh LP, Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora, continues to solidify the band’s legacy as a major metal powerhouse. Raw, complex, melodic, yet cutting with razor blade precision, Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora is a fierce album which shows the long-running band as lethal and ravenous as ever. Following its 217 release through Southern Lord, the band has continued to tour regularly throughout North America and Europe.

DARKEST HOUR will kick off this latest mini-tour on their home turf in DC on November 13th, followed by shows in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn through November 16th. On all four shows, the band will be joined by hardcore icons Damnation A.D., blackened punk act Cemetery Piss, hardcore punk outfit Walk The Plank, and new band No Man.

DARKEST HOUR w/ Damnation A.D., Cemetery Piss, Walk The Plank, No Man:
11/13/2018 U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC [tickets]
11/14/2018 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD [tickets]
11/15/2018 Voltage Lounge – Philadelphia, PA [tickets]
11/16/2018 The Kingsland – Brooklyn, NY [tickets]

Stream DARKEST HOUR’s Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora in its entirety HERE and see the official video for the track “Enter Oblivion” HERE.
Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora is available on CD, black vinyl LP, picture disc LP, and all digital platforms via Southern Lord; find ordering options at the label’s webstore HERE, via Bandcamp HERE, and through all digital providers.

The banddeclares on their choices for the tour lineup:

“DARKEST HOUR is excited to announce this short run of dates with some of our most favorite bands and people from the Washington, DC-area scene!

No Man (features ex-Majority Rule members) are old friends with a kickass new sound! Walk The Plank has been making a name for themselves with some serious touring, and they bring their own brand of DC hardcore punk to the bill! Cemetery Piss is one of our new favorite bands from the Baltimore area. We can’t get enough of their black metal/punk-infused sound! Lastly, Damnation A.D. is one our band’s earliest loves! These guys were the first major influence to us as a band. They took us out on our first tour ever, they showed us how to tour, how to be a band, and most of all they made music that we still love and hold deep in our hearts today. We can’t wait to share the stage with them, and we are truly honored that these bands have all chosen to join us on this short but amazingly fun run!

We have some surprises in store on our end so make sure to get pre-sale tickets at the links provided. These venues are small, and these shows will be part of DARKEST HOUR history!”

For tour coverage of DARKEST HOUR, in North America contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and in Europe contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.

http://officialdarkesthour.com
https://www.facebook.com/DarkestHourDudes
https://twitter.com/darkesthourrock
https://www.instagram.com/darkest_hour_official
http://www.southernlord.com
http://southernlord.bandcamp.com
http://twitter.com/twatterlord
https://www.facebook.com/SLadmin

THE PRIMALS: “Pity City” Premiered At Consequence Of Sound; All Love Is True Love Debut LP Nears Release Through Southern Lord

Posted on: August 30, 2018

“Pity City” is the raging new track from THE PRIMALS — vocalist/guitarist John Henry (vocalist for Darkest Hour), bassist Chad Fjerstad (formerly of Dead To Fall), and drummer Andrew Black (formerly of The Explosion) — and their impending debut LP, All Love Is True Love. Consequence Of Sound is hosting an exclusive premiere of the new track as the LP nears release through Southern Lord.

THE PRIMALS‘ All Love Is True Love features ten infectious tracks produced by John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes). The band’s fuzzy execution is equal slabs ripping guitar heaviness and infectious pop sensibility, concocted by a seasoned group of thrashers with a historical backbone in D.C. punk community. The disintegrated spirit of grunge rises from the ashes, revitalized in a new light. The record is completed with cover art by Laura K. Giron. Fans of Wand, Ty Segall, Nirvana, and The Pixies, tune in.

With the premiere of the “Pity City” single Consequence Of Sound offers, “THE PRIMALS have an impressive pedigree, boasting a lineup consisting of current and former members of Darkest Hour, The Explosion, and Dead To Fall… The band is fronted by John Henry, best known as the vocalist of veteran metal band Darkest Hour. Musically, THE PRIMALS‘ music is a far cry from the melodic death metal stylings of Darkest Hour, but the band still brings some heavy riffing to their infectious brand of rock.”

John Henry explains, “This song originally came from a different project I was working on which was more electronic, using an old Univox drum machine and a bunch of layered synths and guitars. It stood out to me as more of a structured song than the rest from that session, so I decided to see if it would work with THE PRIMALS. Once Andrew added his version of the drumbeat and I heard it with Chad playing the driving bassline I knew it would work. This one is definitely more on the poppy/pretty end of the spectrum of the album, and the only track that features a synth part. Lyrically, this track is a good representation of the album title, All Love Is True Love, as it’s sort of a love song to everyone I’ve ever loved, even the ones who are out of my life. I think the last lines sum up the song fairly well: ‘Me and the ones I adore, I don’t believe there’s an end anymore, and we are nothing’.”

Crank THE PRIMALS’ “Pity City” early only at Consequence Of Sound RIGHT HERE.

Southern Lord will release THE PRIMALS‘ All Love Is True Love on CD, LP, and digital platforms on September 7th. Find digital preorders at Bandcamp where the track “Fortune & Sons” is streaming HERE, at iTunes HERE, and find physical preorder options at the label webshop HERE.

THE PRIMALS will support the release of All Love Is True Love with several record release shows on both the West and East Coasts, including a Los Angeles show September 7th, followed the following week by release shows Washington, DC on September 14th and Brooklyn on September 15th. The band will also join the legendary ’60s garage rock act The Sonics at the newly-announced kickoff party for the return of The Power Of The Riff, November 17th in Los Angeles. Watch for new tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead.

THE PRIMALS Live:
9/07/2018 Hi-Hat – Los Angeles, CA *record release show w/ Prissy Whip, Death Crux, Fraude, DJ Tuna [info]

9/14/2018 The Pinch – Washington, DC *record release show w/ Despite Despair, Rat Infested [info]
9/15/2018 El Cortez Safari Room – Brooklyn, NY *record release show

11/17/2018 The Echo – Los Angeles, CA @ The Power Of The Riff kickoff party w/ The Sonics [info]

For review copies of All Love Is True Love and interviews with THE PRIMALS in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and internationally contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePrimalsLA

FRIENDSHIP: Japanese Group Announces European Tour Dates; Hatred LP Out Now Via Southern Lord And Daymare Recordings

Posted on: August 24, 2018
Mysterious Japanese group FRIENDSHIP, known for their incredibly loud live shows, announces a full European tour this September in support of their most recent release Hatred, a collaboration between Southern Lord and Daymare Recordings.
While FRIENDSHIP‘s identity remains an enigma, those who have encountered their antagonistic, loud, and murky sonic world, can testify to the sheer power of the auditory torture the band creates. FRIENDSHIP has previously self-released two CD EPs which sold out in a month since reissued as I & II vinyl and cassette version through Sentient Ruin. For their Hatred LP, the band delivers twelve caustic tracks in just over twenty-five minutes, the album recorded in their home city of Tokyo, the album then mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Blackened, ominous, and intense, fans of prior Southern Lord releases by Nails, Heartless, Dead In The Dirt, Gust, and similarly devastating acts should not ignore this.
Originally released by Daymare Recordings on CD and digital formats, Southern Lord subsequently issued FRIENDSHIP‘s Hatred on LP in October 2017. Blackened, dark, loud, fast, and intense, fans of prior Southern Lord releases by Nails, Heartless, Dead In The Dirt, Gust, and other brutal, grinding devastation should take heed.
FRIENDSHIP will now be touring Europe and the UK in September supporting Palm. Find the confirmed routing below and watch for updates in the days ahead.
Stream FRIENDSHIP’s entire Hatred LP HERE.
Place digital orders for Hatred HERE and order physical product HERE.
FRIENDSHIP Europe/UK Tour w/ Palm:
9/14/2018 Bloodshed Fest – Effenaar – Eindhoven, NL
9/15/2018 T Chances – London, UK
9/16/2018 Rebellion – Manchester, UK
9/17/2018 The Harley – Sheffield, UK
9/18/2018 Gorilla Studios – Hull, UK
9/18/2018 Banshee Labyrinth – Edinburgh, UK
9/20/2018 Stuck On A Name – Nottingham, UK
9/21/2018 Temple Of Boom – Leeds, UK
9/22/2018 TBA
9/23/2018 La Scene Michelet – Nantes, FR
9/25/2018 TBA
9/26/2018 TBA
9/27/2018 ZXRX – Leipzig, DE
9/28/2018 TBA – Berlin, DE
9/29/2018 TBA – Cologne, DE
9/30/2018 Het Bos – Antwerp, BE
Stereogum declares of Hatred‘s vile attack, “tracks like ‘Life Sentence’ also showcase a riff dexterity and subtle multi-section mastery that evades a lot of genre-adjacent HM-2 steppers… Other bands would labor over a way to get the listener from Point A to Point B. FRIENDSHIP realizes that you don’t need much connective tissue if Point A and Point B both kick ass. And that’s the takeaway: While fast/slow, particularly punk-fast and sludge-slow, is one of the dustier tropes, to be a legitimate two-tool threat is still rare.” Svbterranean’s review includes, “From start-to-finish, FRIENDSHIP make quite the name for themselves on this monstrous, unforgivably heavy debut. Despite their name, FRIENDSHIP‘s music is the furthest thing from friendly.” Metal Trenches warns, “Hatred, as the name suggests, is a no frills, no bullshit slice of bitter hardcore and grind with no regard for your eardrums or well-being… Listening to this album conjures images of concrete slabs and dried bloodstains.”
For review copies of Hatred in North America contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and internationally contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.

THE PRIMALS: All Love Is True Love Studio Clip Featured At No Echo; Trio Features Darkest Hour, The Explosion, Dead To Fall Alumni + Debut LP Nears Release Through Southern Lord

Posted on: August 24, 2018
A new studio video of THE PRIMALS – the Los Angeles-based rock trio founded by current and former members of Darkest Hour, The Explosion, Dead To Fall, and more – has been featured at No Echo. All Love Is True Love, THE PRIMALS‘ debut album, features ten infectious tracks produced by John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes), and is nearing release through Southern Lord in early September.
 
THE PRIMALS is comprised of vocalist/guitarist John Henry (vocalist for Darkest Hour), bassist Chad Fjerstad (formerly of Dead To Fall), and drummer Andrew Black (formerly of The Explosion). The band’s fuzzy execution is equal slabs ripping guitar heaviness and infectious pop sensibility. Concocted by a seasoned group of thrashers with a historical backbone in D.C. punk community. The disintegrated spirit of grunge rises from the ashes, revitalized in a new light. The record is completed with cover art by Laura K. Giron. Fans of Wand, Ty Segall, Nirvana, and The Pixies must check this band out.
 
The short new video clip debuted by No Echo shows the band recording their All Love Is True Love LP with John Reis and is joined by an interview with all three members of THE PRIMALS, the zine offering about their debut album, “the record is a fuzzed-out riff fiesta with quirky yet pleasing hooks finding their way throughout the whole affair.”
 
Check out more on THE PRIMALS at No Echo RIGHT HERE.
 
Southern Lord will release THE PRIMALS‘ All Love Is True Love on CD, LP, and digital platforms on September 7th. Find digital preorders at Bandcamp where the track “Fortune & Sons” is streaming HERE, at iTunes HERE, and find physical preorder options at the label webshop HERE.
 
THE PRIMALS continues to announce live performances supporting the release of All Love Is True Love, including a Los Angeles record release show September 7th, followed the following week by release shows Washington, DC on September 14th and Brooklyn on September 15th. The band will also join the legendary ’60s garage rock act The Sonics at the newly-announced kickoff party for the return of The Power Of The Riff, November 17th in Los Angeles. Watch for new tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead.
 
THE PRIMALS Live:
9/07/2018 Hi-Hat – Los Angeles, CA *record release show w/ Prissy Whip, Death Crux, Fraude, DJ Tuna [info]
9/14/2018 The Pinch – Washington, DC *record release show w/ Despite Despair, Rat Infested [info]
9/15/2018 El Cortez Safari Room – Brooklyn, NY *record release show
11/17/2018 The Echo – Los Angeles, CA @ The Power Of The Riff kickoff party w/ The Sonics [info]
 
For review copies of All Love Is True Love and interviews with THE PRIMALS in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and internationally contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.
 

THE SECRET: Lux Tenebris EP Streaming At Invisible Oranges; EP Out Next Week Through Southern Lord

Posted on: August 23, 2018
Lux Tenebris, the first new material from Italy’s THE SECRET in six years, will see release next week through Southern Lord, and Invisible Oranges is now streaming the scathing EP in its entirety
THE SECRETends the extensive period of decay since their 2012-released Agnus Dei LP with Lux Tenebris, the EP delivering the most oppressive, blackened scourge from the band yet. Following three years without communication between members, the band regrouped under the same roof for the first time since 2015 to record this three-song act in sonic exploration of the theme of the sepulchre.
With their advance stream of the EP, Invisible Oranges offers in part, “The three songs on Lux Tenebrisare the first from the band since 2012’s Agnus Dei and as such they serve as more of a reintroduction to THE SECRET than a continuation of their previous releases… THE SECRET are a more patient band in 2018, but only in their willingness to let parts develop at a steadier pace. If anything, their raw speed has increased.”
Stream THE SECRET’s Lux Tenebris EP at Invisible Oranges RIGHT HERE.
Southern Lord will issue THE SECRET‘s Lux Tenebris as part of the label’s special twentieth anniversary subscription series on August 31st with a small portion of the pressing to be available via label direct mailorder. The 12″ vinyl pressing bears the three tracks on the A-side, with a silkscreened B-side; the EP will also be released on all digital platforms. Find preorders at the label webstore HERE, European store HERE, and Bandcamp HERE.
The twenty-minute Lux Tenebris EP sees THE SECRET abandoning the minimalistic approach of the previous two albums, the band expanding its sound by adding more layered and textural guitar work to the primordial destructive aggression that distinguished the Solve Et Coagula and Agnus Dei LPs. While still physical and confrontational, these songs show no concern for mortality and forget time and deterioration, creating new room for resonation and atmosphere. Lux Tenebris is an ode to the eternal night suspended beyond life and death. The signature sound of the band is pushed to its extreme by further developing the black metal and doom influences reminiscent of Southern Lord mid-2000s catalog, showcasing THE SECRET as one of Italy’s undeniably darkest bands in existence once again. Lux Tenebris was recorded by Steve Scanu and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege and completed with a cover illustration and layout by View From The Coffin.
For review copies of Lux Tenebris and coverage of THE SECRET in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com, in Italy contact luca.pessina@anubipress.com, all others contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.

JESUS PIECE: Revolver Magazine Streams Only Self Debut LP By Philadelphia Metallic Hardcore Quintet; Album Out Friday Through Southern Lord

Posted on: August 22, 2018

Just days ahead of the Southern Lord release of Only Self, the anxiously awaited debut LP from Philadelphia’s metallic hardcore outfit, JESUS PIECE, Revolver Magazine is hosting an exclusive early stream of the entire album.

JESUS PIECE is quickly developing a reputation as one of the heaviest, most uncompromising acts both on record and on the stage. With the brutalizing grooves of Disembodied, Turmoil, Harm’s Way, and labelmates Xibalba, the band incorporates elements of noise, ominous tones, and haunting atmospheres into their dynamic songwriting. With crushing, modern production, the eleven new tracks on their Only Self debut LP place JESUS PIECE among the scene’s darkest and heaviest acts and delivers one of the most anxiously-awaited albums of the hardcore/metal underground this year with Only Self, a record which proves itself as one of the year’s most vicious releases.
Only Self was recorded in Chicago at Bricktop Recording Studio with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos, Like Rats, Dead In The Dirt) mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Integrity, Nails, Xibalba), and completed with artwork by Dom Pabon.
Revolver notes of Only Self, “Through clenched teeth, vocalist Aaron Heard sounds like an unhinged animal, ferociously tearing through drop tuning, d-beats, blasts and exaggerated breakdowns to create the ideal pied piper to lead us all down this path of hate and frustration.
Musically, JESUS PIECEborrows from a thousand different sources in their approach, avoiding many of the modern tropes and sticking to influences like Buried Alive, Disembodied, Craft, Nasum, Cursed, doom metal, and more in their hateful approach to the genre.”
Hear JESUS PIECE tear a hole in the sky; stream Only Self at Revolver Magazine RIGHT HERE.
Southern Lord will release Only Self on CD, LP, and digital formats this Friday, August 24th. Find physical preorder options at the label shop HERE and digital at Bandcamp HERE, iTunes HERE, and through all other digital providers.
JESUS PIECE has toured mercilessly alongside Darkest Hour, Comeback Kid, Burn, Knocked Loose, Terror, Vein, Year Of The Knife, and many more across North America and Europe over the past year, and just made their vicious return to This Is Hardcore. The band has confirmed a hometown release show for the LP, this Sunday, August 26th with Horror Show and more. Watch for new tour dates forJESUS PIECE to continually to be announced throughout the year in support of Only Self.
JESUS PIECE:
8/30/2018 Ortlieb’s – Philadelphia, PA *Only Self release show w/ Horror Show, Raw Force [info]
A band which works tirelessly to play to everyone they can, the anthems of JESUS PIECE tackle topics of personal struggle and loss, to socio-political matters including racism, police brutality, and other injustices. The band formed in 2015 and self-released their first demo/EP in the same year, followed by a self-released EP in the Summer of 2016. Bridge Nine Records released a split 7″ between JESUS PIECE and Malice At The Palace in early 2017. The band has paved their own way into the national scene by booking multiple headlining coast-to-coast tours among many bouts of regional touring and performances at notable festivals including This Is Hardcore, Nature World Fest, Sound And Fury, FYA Fest, and others.
For review copies of Only Self and interviews/coverage of JESUS PIECE in The Americas contact dave@earsplitcompound.com and internationally contact lauren@rarelyunable.com.