It really is a renaissance time for heavy, melodic experimental doom fans with The Exuviae Of Gods series from Mournful Congregation, the cathartic Katatonia-indebted Mother of Graves making significant waves and now the first album from Portland’s beloved Usnea in over half a decade. A band rooted in care-for-others and awareness of their place in the cosmos making some of the most expansive and also acerbic doom around? What’s not to love?
Ghost Cult contributor and model Christine Hager has some sick tastes (in both senses of the word) in the dark and nasty sounds that infest our corner of the musical world…Continue reading
Portland’s Usnea is not one of your proto-typical Doom bands, and there is so much more on offer than just down-tuned, droning noise, so coming to their new record, Portals Into Futility (Relapse) with an open mind is an absolute requirement as not only will it writhe and wrap itself around your very being, it will also frustrate and at times make you long for the next song.Continue reading
Before you sink your teeth into this, let me make a quick disclaimer for those of you looking for a standard review. This ain’t it. If you want to read, ad nauseam, about each band that played, who was good, who wasn’t, what songs they played or how many bands are “female fronted,” have female members or where any of these bands are from I can guarantee you a quick internet search will get you your fix somewhere. If you are looking for someone to tell you what any of the bands sound like, look like or act like then here is a novel idea, buy their music, go to a show and form an opinion for yourself. No offense intended to anyone writing something like that or looking for that kind of thing but you won’t find it here because I don’t feel like writing something everyone else has or will. (Offense intended to anyone still finding some ridiculous need to write or read about bands being “female fronted.” Fuck off.)
Oh, also there will be naughty words.Continue reading
Psycho Las Vegas 2017 will be taking place from August 18th-20th at the Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. The initial lineup seemed to feature every band ever, but now they’ve added Mastodon as the final headliner, and it’s officially one of the sickest bills ever created. Continue reading
Oakland funeral death/doom quartet Lycus have completed the recording of their sophomore full-length and Relapse Records debut. The album was recorded at Atomic Garden Studios in Palo Alto, CA in April and will once again feature album art from the renowned Italian painter Paolo Girardi (Inquisition, Bell Witch). The band have an upcoming West Coast tour run with Dispirit.
*With Dispirit
Jun 04: The Press Club – Sacramento, CA (with Ufomammut, Usnea, Church – NO Dispirit)
Jun 05: The Complex – Glendale, CA (with Volahn)*
Jun 06: The Merrow – San Diego, CA (with Volahn)*
Jun 07: The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA (with Lluvia, Gloam)*
Jul 08: Starlite Lounge – Sacramento, CA (with Arabrot (Norway))*
Jul 09: Club 66 – Ashland, OR *
Jul 10: Panic Room (Formerly Tonic Lounge) – Portland, OR (with Knelt Rote)*
Jul 11: Highline Bar – Seattle, WA (with Predatory Light)*
Jul 12: Obsidian – Olympia, WA (with Predatory Light)*
Jul 13: Wandering Goat – Eugene, OR (with Hiding)
Oct 11: California Deathfest – Oakland, CA (with Immolation, Nader Sadek, Bolzer, etc)
Portland, OR sludge/doom rockers Usnea has been confirmed as the sole support act for Ufomammut’s first ever North American tour this Spring. They are touring in support of their Relapse Records debut Random Cosmic Violence, out now.
Recorded and mixed by Jared “Fester” See at Haywire Studios (Nux Vomica, Stoneburner, Rabbits) who supplies additional guitars to the title track, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Yob, High On Fire, Integrity), through their overwhelming black/occult metal-influenced funeral doom, Usnea has created a classic of the new millennium with Random Cosmic Violence.
USNEA Tour Dates:
Mar 07: Obsidian – Olympia, WA (w/ Eusapia, A God Or An Other, Eye of Nix)
Mar 26: Blackwater Bar – Portland, OR (w/ Deathgrave, Augurs, Shroud of the Heretic)
May 08: High Water Mark – Portland, OR (* tour kick-off w/ Eye of Nix, Hiding, Shine of the Serpent)
May 09: Crazy Horse – Boise, ID
May 10: Metro Bar – Salt Lake City, UT (w/ Odium Totus)
May 11: Lost Lake – Denver, CO (w/ Inter Arma, Yautja, Prison Death)
May 12: TBA – Lawrence, KS
USNEA North America Spring 2015 w/ Ufomammut:
May 13: Reggie’s – Chicago, IL
May 14: Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH
May 15: Bug Jar – Rochester, NY
May 16: Mod Club – Toronto, ON
May 17: Le Ritz – Montreal, QC
May 18/2015 Middle East Upstairs – Boston, MA [no Ufomammut]
May 19: Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY
May 20: Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
May 21: Maryland Death Fest – Baltimore, MD [no Usnea]
May 22: King’s – Raleigh, NC
May 23: Drunken Unicorn – Atlanta, GA
May 24: HiTone Café – Memphis, TN [no Ufomammut]
May 25: Siberia – New Orleans, LA
May 26: Walter’s – Houston, TX
May 27: Red 7 – Austin, TX
May 29: Sister – Albuquerque, NM
May 30: Flycatcher – Tucson, AZ
May 31: Complex – Los Angeles, CA
Jun 01: TBA – Los Osos, CA [no Ufomammut]
Jun 02: Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA
Jun 03: Elbo Room – San Francisco, CA
Jun 04: Press Club – Sacramento, CA
Jun 05: WOW Hall – Eugene, OR [no Usnea]
Jun 06: Rotture – Portland, OR
Jun 07: Chop Suey – Seattle, WA
Jun 08: Neurolux – Boise, ID
Jun 09: Bar Deluxe – Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 10: Hi-Dive – Denver, CO
Jun 11: TBA – Lincoln, NE [no Ufomammut]
Jun 12: Turf Club – St Paul, MN
Jun 13: Metal Grill – Milwaukee, WI
Usnea on Facebook
Usnea on Bandcamp
Relapse Records on Bandcamp
Relapse Records on Facebook
Italian mystical doom trio Ufomammut has announced their first ever North American tour with Usnea as support. Their new album Ecate is out March 31, 2015 in North America via Neurot Recordings.
Now more than fifteen years into their time together as Ufomammut, the band’s only prior US outings were two live shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2009 in conjunction with their crushing Idolum LP. Since Idolum, the band’s popularity has grown exponentially, through the magic of their Eve LP, their signing with Neurosis‘ label, Neurot Recordings for the 2012 release of their two-part ORO LP, and their following 2013-released XV DVD through their own Supernatural Cat Records. The desire to witness the outfit crafting its psychedelic and decimating craft in the flesh has become nearly overwhelming for stateside fans, but a shift in the tides this Spring will bring a major change as the trio invades American soil for their first-ever widespread US tour in the months ahead.
Watch Ecate‘s guitars become realized with episode four here.
Catch up on the recording of the drums, bass and more with part 1, part 2 and part 3.
Ufomammut Ecate European Tour Dates:
Apr 04: e20 Underground – Montecchio Maggiore (IT)
Apr 10: Bloom – Mezzago (IT)
Apr 18: Impetus festival – Delemont (CH)
Apr 19: Glazart – Paris (FR) (w/ Conan)
Apr 21: Forum – Bielefeld (DE) (w/Conan)
Apr 22: Schlachthof – Wiesbaden (DE) (w/ Conan)
Apr 23: Feierwerk – Munich (DE) (w/ Conan)
Apr 24: Desertfest – Berlin (DE) (w/ Conan)
Apr 25: AB – Brussels (BE) (w/ Conan)
Apr 26: Desertfest – London (UK) (w/ Conan)
Apr 28: Vortex – Siegen (DE) (w/ Conan)
Apr 29: Kellerclub – Stuttgart (DE)
Apr 30: Weekender Club – Innsbruck (AT)
Ufomammut North America Spring 2015 w/ Usnea
May 13: Reggie’s – Chicago, IL
May 14: Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH
May 15: Bug Jar – Rochester, NY
May 16: Mod Club – Toronto, ON
May 17: Le Ritz – Montreal, QC
May 19: Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY
May 20: Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
May 21: Maryland Death Fest – Baltimore, MD [no Usnea]
May 22: King’s – Raleigh, NC
May 23: Drunken Unicorn – Atlanta, GA
May 25: Siberia – New Orleans, LA
May 26: Walter’s – Houston, TX
May 27: Red 7 – Austin, TX
May 29: Sister – Albuquerque, NM
May 30: Flycatcher – Tucson, AZ
May 31: Complex – Los Angeles, CA
Jun 02: Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA
Jun 03: Elbo Room – San Francisco, CA
Jun 04: Press Club – Sacramento, CA
Jun 05: WOW Hall – Eugene, OR [no Usnea]
Jun 06: Rotture – Portland, OR
Jun 07: Chop Suey – Seattle, WA
Jun 08: Neurolux – Boise, ID
Jun 09: Bar Deluxe – Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 10: Hi-Dive – Denver, CO
Jun 12: Turf Club – St Paul, MN
Jun 13: Metal Grill – Milwaukee, WI
Ufomammut on Facebook
Malleus Delic Official Site
Neurot Recordings on Facebook
Portland rockers Usnea has released a track-by-track breakdown of their latest album Random Cosmic Violence here and stream the album here. They have also confirmed several new live dates, which are posted below.
The album was recorded and mixed by Jared “Fester” See at Haywire Studios (Stonebummer, Rabbits, Nux Vomica), who supplies additional guitars to the title track, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Yob, High On Fire, Integrity), the artwork and design was handled by Justin Cory and Orion Landau.
Nov 24: The Wisp House – Salem, OR (w/ Urzeit, In Thoth)
Dec 02: Holocene – Portland, OR (w/ Deafheaven, Lesbian)
Dec 03: Chop Suey – Seattle, WA (w/ Deafheaven)
Dec 13: White Owl Social Club – Portland, OR (*Random Cosmic Violence release show w/ Lord Dying, Cold Blue Mountain)
Usnea Official Site
Usnea on Facebook
Usnea on Bandcamp
Relapse Records Official Site
Relapse Records on Bandcamp
Relapse Records on Facebook
