This is the legendary reformed COC - the lineup responsible for the 'crossover' metal/punk holy grail 'Animosity' from 1985. After some years with a major label, and several lineup changes, the trio of Mike Dean, Reed Mullin, and Woody Weatherman re-convene (sans sometime vocalist Pepper Keenan) to bring the heavy punk-meets-metal sound screaming into the 2000s here. Part 1 is a thick and sludgy Black Sabbath meets Black Flag assault - with elements of doom metal sandwiched between speedy Greg Ginn-styled jazz-noise guitars. Part 2 adds another layer of guitar for an even deeper riff-o-rama. Superb and rocking material, and the best I've heard from COC in years!
Next May will mark the third edition of the Sonic Whip Festival, though I’ll admit this is the first I’m hearing of it. No surprise there, as I’m about two years behind on most things in life. Tickets for Sonic Whip 2020 are set to go on sale tomorrow at noon CET for the night-and-dayer, with a pre-party May 1 and a full event on May 2 at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and the lineup will feature a few of the acts making the rounds at that time, including headliners Masters of Reality and Kadavar, as well as Pissed Jeans, Rotor, Forming the Void, The Cosmic Dead, Gum Takes Tooth and Bonnacons of Doom.I’ll admit it was Forming the Void that caught my eye and not just because I happen to be wearing their t-shirt today. This is the second event around that time that the Louisiana-based progressive heavy rockers have been announced for, and while I was already just waiting for them to announce a European tour after, this only further confirms that update is coming.Likewise keeping an eye out for Masters of Reality‘s full run to be unveiled, as they’re set to do Desertfest and others in addition to this one.
And, well Kadavar are just kind of always on the road somewhere, so yeah, they’ll probably be touring too.But I’m getting off-track, so here’s the announcement from the fest:Sonic Whip 2020Sonic Whip, the multi-headed rock monster that combines roaring guitars riffs with steaming bass lines, pounding drums and other sonic, psychedelic excesses, is preparing for the third edition. We kick off on May 1 with a pre-party deluxe in Doornroosje to go completely berserk on May 2 at the same location.LINE-UP?
MASTERS OF REALITY? PISSED JEANS? THE COSMIC DEAD? FORMING THE VOID? GUM TAKES TOOTH? BONNACONS OF DOOM?
MORE TO BE ANNOUNCEDTicket sales start on Friday 22 November at 12.00 with the combi tickets. The first batch of very limited combi costs € 57.50, then € 67.50. Day tickets go on sale later, more info will follow.More info:Forming the Void, Rift (2018)Rift by Forming the VoidTags:,. Desertfest London 2020 has made its first lineup announcement, with nine acts serving as the foundation of the fray set to take place May 1-3 next year. This one happened a bit ago, concurrent I think to the, but, well, life happens I guess. Either way, the two festivals will share an artwork theme for the first time, which feels only appropriate — one hopes Desertfest New York does the same next September, if only because I’d like to buy a poster on this theme — as well as a few acts in the likes of Masters of Reality, Corrosion of Conformity, Brant Bjork, and Orange Goblin.They may end up sharing more than that, of course, between the bands that each has thus far revealed.
There’s always a bit of stagger between one and the other as they add locals — The Brothers Keg and Green Lung and Black Orchids come to mind here — to distinguish themselves and each offer something of its own to attendees. I wouldn’t be surprised, for example, if The Picturebooks and Possessor wound up playing Berlin too, but that hasn’t been announced yet if it’s going to happen at all. You get the point.The point is Deserfest London 2020 already looks awesome, and if you can make it, you should go. I should go too. We should all go.
And hang out. It’ll be fun.Mark your calendar:MASTERS OF REALITY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, ORANGE GOBLIN + 6 MORE ANNOUNCED AS FIRST ACTS FOR DESERTFEST LONDON 2020For their first UK appearance in five years, Masters Of Reality – Official will make their Desertfest debut as 2020 headliners next May. One of the most influential bands in desert rock history, with the genres very own Godfather at the reins, Masters is the brainchild of legendary producer Chris Goss (Welcome to Sky Valley, Rated R, Blues for The Red Sun, Songs for The Deaf). Masters of Reality, Sunrise on the Sufferbus (1993)Originally based in Syracuse, New York, Masters of Reality count their beginnings as being in 1981, which as it was also the year I was born, I can tell you was a very long time ago. They released their Rick Rubin-produced self-titled debut, aka The Blue Garden, in 1989 and 1990 on Def American and then Delicious Vinyl, and then it would be three years and a new lineup before Sunrise on the Sufferbus came around as the follow-up via Chrysalis Records. I was, if bet-hedgingly so, that last year might’ve brought new music from Masters of Reality. Sadly, it didn’t.
Though 2016 brought a reissue of the desert-rocking 2001 outing Deep in the Hole , it’s been since 2009 that an actual new record from the band has showed up. That last full-length was the pop-experimental Pine/Cross Dover , which seemed to take particular delight in its own strangeness of vibe even as it played from a foundation of ultra-solid hooks very much in the tradition of Chris Goss‘ songwriting — an element that, if you don’t know by now, is about as unfuckwithable as they come.Early 2018 brings two new pieces from Goss, and they’re immediately distinct for appearing under his own name. Does that mean they won’t turn into Masters of Reality songs at some point? Does that mean he’s going to put out a solo record?
Does that mean there’s going to be any kind of follow-up at all and the songs might not get taken down by the time this post goes live? I have no idea. I have no idea on any of it.
One cut is an excerpt of a song called “The Workhouse Howl” that’s got kind a haunting ambience of volume swells and some keyboard-sounding string arrangement, and the other is the acoustic-based “Powder Man,” a quiet but memorable and melancholy chorus executed in an efficient three-plus minutes.Again, I don’t know what if anything these songs are leading toward. Following Goss on Twitter is something of a mixed bag of retweets and conservative political whatnottery, but ultimately pretty light on info as regards new music. Still, these songs exist and for today that’s enough to make me really happy and renew my hopes that at some point the man will produce a new full-length, be it under the Masters of Reality moniker or even his own name.
Corrosion Of Conformity Band
If it’s a solo piece in the vein of “Powder Man” here or something more progressive along the lines of “The Workhouse Howl” or both, or even just the solo single, I’ll take it. Shit man, it’s Chris Goss. Take what you can get and be happy for it.Here are those tracks: Chris Goss, “The Workhouse Howl (Excerpt)”Chris Goss, “Powder Man”Tags:,.
Masters of Reality, Deep in the Hole (2001)Who could argue? Led by Chris Goss, founder of Masters of Reality, and producer of not only their own landmark output but also records by Kyuss, Fatso Jetson, Queens of the Stone Age, etc., 2001’s Deep in the Hole offered some of the catchiest, most immediately memorable fare ever to come from American heavy rock.
Yes, I mean it. Goss‘ love of classic rock — need we mention that Ginger Baker played on 1993’s Sunrise on the Sufferbus? — and particularly The Beatles showed itself throughout the record in some of the poppy turns and its strong hooks, but tonally it was of the desert all the way through, and the list of guest reads like a Desert Sessions roster: Josh Homme, Dave Catching, Nick Oliveri, Roxy Saint, Troy Van Leeuwen, among others. Goss himself is the focal point, however, his vocals and guitar front and center throughout, guiding the record in classic form. Its blend of influences and stylistic pulse hit at just the right moment to capture an atmosphere of what post- Kyuss desert rock could be all grown up.And I guess I’m breaking it out to close the week because it’s summer, or close enough to it.
Deep in the Hole, with its bright guitar, sing-along choruses in “Third Man on the Moon,” “A Wish for a Fish,” “High Noon Amsterdam” and the title-track, among others, has always been a warmer-weather record in my mind, so with the sun out and the sky blue, it seems as fitting a time as any to break this one out. I hope you enjoy it.—Kind of dragging ass owing to no caffeine, poor sleep, general stress, and so on, but before I get into any of that, I want to send extreme thanks to Diane Farris aka Diane Kamikaze for having me on her show yesterday at 91.1 WFMU in Jersey City, NJ, for a recap of this year’s Roadburn. If you didn’t get to hear it, please check it out here:It was great to be on FMU for the second time, and of course awesome to talk about music with Diane and to relive some choice Roadburn memories. I had Enslaved twice in the playlist. I professed my love for Anathema. It was a good time.After that, en route to lunch with Slevin, whom I’d not actually seen in far too long, my car started to overheat four separate times, so I had to pull off to the side of the road and let the engine cool for a while.
It kept doing it later, so my car’s in the shop and I’m waiting to hear from them, and I’m still in New Jersey when I was supposed to leave yesterday evening. Not sure when or how I’ll be getting out of here and heading back north, first to Connecticut, then to Massachusetts, but whatever. I’ll figure it out. After the Kings Destroy show Tuesday, family time Wednesday, FMU and vehicular drama yesterday and a full day today, I’m too exhausted to care. Any one of those things would’ve been enough for one week on its own. This week was like three weeks rolled into one. I feel like a grindcore snare drum.This week coming is that other job interview.
Not sure exactly when that will be, but somewhere in there. I’ve got new stuff coming from Plainride, Closet Disco Queen and maybe Hosoi Bros. if I can actually get two seconds to answer an email, and reviews of Cherry Choke, My Sleeping Karma, and if there’s time, Goatsnake. We’ll see if I get there.Have a great weekend and thanks for reading. Please check out the forum and radio stream.Tags:,.