donderdag 8 juni 2023

Freak Valley Festival

 

 

Freak Valley Festival

And we’re off! Off to Freak Valley Festival in Germany! Never been there, but the Festival has always been high on my list to experience. And this time, the sun, moon and stars, hell, everything in the universe aligned so we could go! Hell, and with a line-up that sports King Buffalo, Besvärjelsen, Kamchatka, Slift, Gaupa, Seedy Jeezus, Astroqueen, Steak, Earth Ship, Earthless, Clutch, The Obsessed and many more!! There is no way we could say no to the universe… We had to go… Seeya’ll on the flipside!


O’ we might upload a pic or two on the Instagram page…

Go here for that… INSTAGRAM

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woensdag 7 juni 2023

Worldwide Premiere - Phe - Saviour

 

Phe - Saviour

The three called Phe from Helmond in the Netherlands will be releasing their new almost forty minute long Five-track EP somewhere in October. Perhaps they should just call it an album, cause the duration warrants it. They released their self-titled debut EP back in 2017 and followed that with Glooming Dawn in 2021. We had Kyle SB / Shastabeast review it back then. This time we asked both Kyle SB / Shastabeast and Reek of STOOM to give some ear and time to their new single Saviour. So… Before you click play on the premiere of the new Phe single Saviour. Or after you clicked play… Read those words and see if you agree with what the two had to say about Saviour!

Reek of STOOM: “With a new album on the horizon, Netherlands Stoner Doom outfit Phe offer up a first single "Saviour": A gnarly, gritty piece of crunching riffs, piercing solos and epic proportions! A great introduction to a long-awaited return!”

Kyle SB / Shastabeast: “Dutch rockers Phe return with a slab of huge, fuzzy riffage in their new single "Saviour", off their upcoming EP to be released this October. As emotive and heavy as ever, the lads from Helmond have cranked up the scale of their sound to epic proportions. Saviour is all big riffs, soaring leads, and Ruud's always distinctive and powerful vocals. There's a bluesy touch to the solo starting at the halfway point as well, before the song flies off into parts unknown with winding licks and spacey keys. If "Saviour" is any indication of things to come, October will belong to Phe.”


Here's the new
Phe single SAVIOUR!



 


Mothman and The Thunderbirds – Gazer

 

 

Mothman and The Thunderbirds – Gazer
Self released – 2023
Rock, Hard, Metal, Nu, Grunge, Sludge, Prog
Rated: ***

The new Mothman and The Thunderbirds EP, Gazer is about to be released. Four songs, two covers, one original and one instrumental bonus track. And even though we definitely dig the original title track Gazer, I am pretty sure most everyone will be talking about that Smash Mouth cover song All Star first and foremost. Turning that, dubious song, into an almost nu-metal flashback of that era and punching all the buttons to change the entire track and morph it into an even more dubious version of the original, takes courage and talent. Which they show again with their version of The Byrds’s Mr. Spaceman. Turning this ditty into an insane carnival ride, as crazy as and as weird as a Bazooka Circus kind of trip. And turning up the freak on something The Byrds did, definitely takes skill. And that, it seems, that the Mothman and The Thunderbirds crazies have in abundance. But let’s turn back to Gazer, a song from 2018 the guys unearthed this year, and turned into something short and sweet, prog and sludge metal. A song that seems to be all about cramming as much catchiness into something intense one moment and very wide and big gestured the next. And this in only two minutes and forty-six seconds. Served as a fun side dish to the main course to arrive later this year, Gazer makes one hungry for more. More of their original work… Hungry with a curious anxiety to hear if the next passage around the sun will glitter like gold, and if they will be the shooting stars that will break the mold…


(Written by JK)


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dinsdag 6 juni 2023

Tour Announcement: Ruff Majik off to wreck Europe in August

 

 

Ruff Majik off to wreck Europe in August

Their newest album was released in April and we fell head over heels in love with Ruff Majik’s Elektrik Ram. Wrote a few weird lines about it, which you can read here: (review). So, you can be absolutely sure I shall not miss them hitting the Netherlands. Turns out, they’re playing my hometown together with Acid King! Another entity that released one of the best albums, Beyond Vision, of 2023 and which we mentioned back in February. (review) Two big hitters on one night levelling the Effenaar in Eindhoven. Hell yeah! Let’s see what kind of mess this will leave…



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Mongrel Records


Ruff Majik Set to Ignite European Stages on Long-Awaited Tour. 


Prepare for an explosive journey as South Africa's leading stoner rock band, Ruff Majik, embarks on their highly anticipated We’ve Come To Lay Waste European tour brought to you by the good people at Sound Of Liberation. With their hard-hitting sound and electrifying performances, Ruff Majik is set to captivate audiences across the continent.

Fresh off the release of their critically acclaimed album, Elektrik Ram, the band is eager to share their powerful and introspective compositions with fans around the world. Known for their signature blend of heavy riffs, hypnotic melodies, and captivating lyrics, Ruff Majik has established themselves as torchbearers of the stoner rock genre.

The European tour will see them gracing renowned festivals, including Sonic Blast, Blue Moon Festival, Trafostation 61, Moosenmättle Open Air and Rifffields. Their dynamic live shows, characterized by intense energy and an undeniable stage presence, will leave audiences craving for more. In addition to their festival appearances, the guys will also have the privilege of sharing the stage with prominent bands such as Acid King and Sasquatch, further solidifying their position in the global stoner rock community while expanding their fan base to new horizons.

Lead vocalist and guitarist, Johni Holiday expresses their enthusiasm, stating “After a 3-year absence we’re finally making it back! With two new albums to tour as well. We’re bringing fire and baptising.”

With a loyal fan base in their home country and growing international recognition, Ruff Majik is poised to make a significant impact during the tour. Their evocative music speaks to the human experience, transcending boundaries and resonating with listeners from all walks of life.


Tour Dates:

5/8 DE Wolfach - Moosenmättle Open Air
9/8 PO Ancora – Sonic Blast
12/8 DE Lichtenstein – JUST Riot / Voice Of Art
13/8 DE Frechen – Trafostation 61
15/8 DE Berlin – Urban Spree with Sasquatch
17/8 DE Hannover – Faust with Sasquatch
18/8 DE Cottbus – Blue Moon
19/8 PL Kozmin Wielkopolski – Rifffields
20/8 CZ Prague – Nová libeňská Synagoga
22/8 DE Frankfurt – Zoom with Greenleaf
23/8 NL EDE – Astrant
24/8 NL Eindhoven – Effenaar with Acid King
25/8 DE Dresden – Ostpol
26/8 DE Siegen – Vortex

Buy / Stream Elektrik Ram on all digital platforms:

https://orcd.co/elektrik_ram

Order Elektrik Ram on 180g black vinyl with gatefold sleeve.

South Africa / Africa - https://www.mpiremusic.co.za/products/riff-majik-elektrik-ram-180g-gatefold-lp

Rest of World - https://mongrelrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/elektrik-ram

 

“A career album, and the sort that not every career gets to feature.”The Obelisk

"Ruff Majik once again push the limits of their sound and come out with something so beautifully crazy that you can’t help but fall in love with its quirkiness. Elektrik Ram is brilliantly eclectic and is easily the most colourful chapter in the band’s already vivid discography."Distorted Sound Magazine

"Ruff Majik continuing to prove why they are in a league of their own and one of the brightest prospects of the South African rock scene." - Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life

 

About Ruff Majik

The horned infant known as Ruff Majik emerged from the primordial ooze when the band moved from the historical town of Lydenburg in 2012 to the capital city of Pretoria, where they honed their craft for a few years before finally entering the studio to record for the first time. Now, with several EP’s and two lauded albums under their belt, not to mention a megaton of local and international touring, they return with what might be their defining work in the shape of ‘Elektrik Ram’.

Ruff Majik is Johni Holiday (vocals & guitar), Cowboy Bez (guitar & vocals), Jimmy Glass (bass), and Steven Bosman (drums), four horsemen of the feedback apocalypse who know what they want to say and do it without apology.

 

Rock ‘n roll is dead - LONG LIVE RUFF MAJIK.

 

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