Features

	Emissions VI Listener`s Guide
	Written by: Hochi666 on 5/13/2004 6:18:25 PM
Emissions from the Monolith, now in its sixth year, once again offers a wide variety of bands. While you might know most of the them, chances are you don`t know all of them. StonerRock.com`s Christopher McEvoy (Hochi666) put together this guide to the bands on this year`s bill. - Arzgarth
Hey, are you going to Emissions from the Monolith 2004? Of course you are! The now four day festival of all things heavy and rock will commence on Thursday May 27th running through Memorial Day weekend on Sunday, May 30th. The festival will once again be making its home in Youngstown, Ohio, at the mid-west cradle of monolithic rock known as the Nyabinghi. Featuring musical acts from all around the globe this year`s show promises to be the most hard hitting and all encompassing yet. Save for festival organizer and producer Greg Barrat, there are probably very few people who have heard every single band that will be playing through out the weekend. We’ve scoured the inter-web to put together a handy listening guide for both the adventurous festival go-ers and those not in the know to familiarize themselves with all forty-plus Emissions approved bands (as of early May). Thursday, May 27 Five Horse Johnson Website: www.fivehorsejohnson.com <> Five Horse Johnson come from Toledo, Ohio, by way of Detroit, Michigan. First established in 1995, the band has gone through a few configurations before settling on the current and allegedly final line up. Their sound is a potent combination of roots slide guitar blues rock and high powered rock riffs with intense harmonica work from vocalist Eric Oblander. Recent Recording: Last Men On Earth (Small Stone), 2003 Sounds Like: Foghat with a bit of Grand Funk Railroad pop sensibility A Thousand Knives of Fire Website: No band website available <> Halfway to Gone guitarist Lee Stuart has joined forces with drummer Bob Pantella, bassist Taj Briggles, and singer Mark Sunshine to form A Thousand Knives of Fire. Recent Recording: No published recordings; their debut release is expected on Small Stone in May 2004 Sounds Like: Halfway to Gone with more vocals Beaten Back to Pure Website: www.beatenbacktopure.com <> Thick chugging rhythms and some dual guitar soloing, but far more aggressive than their fellow southern-doom contemporaries with more of an upbeat “doom and roll” vibe. Recent Recording: The Last Refuge Of The Sons Of Bitches (Retribute Records), 2002 Sounds Like: A Southern sludge ala Eyehategod – and I mean heavy on the SLUDGE – with a death metal-esque vocals Puddy Website: www.puddy.org <> Described as "rhythm heavy riff mongers with a penchant for ‘70 flare in ‘90s kids" (Keith Carmen, ChartAttack.com), Toronto, Ontario’s Puddy are known for stressing originality, tight instrumental performances, and unique melodic heaviness. Recent Recording: Drive EP (Sony Music Canada), 2003 Sounds Like: Kyuss as interpreted by the Foo Fighters Zebulon Pike Website: www.zebulonpike.com <> Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Zebulon Pike describe themselves as doom-laden instrumental stoner metal and invite the listener to "join us in embracing the sad wings of destiny." Recent Recording: Self Titled demo available at their website Sounds Like: Instrumental doom, like ISIS without vocals or King Crimson with more doom and no vocals Swarm of the Lotus Website: www.swarmofthelotus.com <> Swarm of the Lotus describe themselves as over-the-top everything and 1000% adrenaline. Their intention is to batter the listener into sensory overload. Encompassing an emotional whirlwind, stretching from an absolutely crushing wall of sound to the most subtle and serene musical soundscapes, it’s cacophonous yet tender, claustrophobic yet wide open. Recent Recording: When White Becomes Black (At a Loss Recordings), 2003 Sounds Like: A more abrasive and hardcore Mastodon Delicious Website: faroutfreakyshit.com <> If you like your rock a little bit slower and quite a bit more spaced out, then Delicious may be exactly the band you’re looking for. This all instrumental trio has a strong collection of expansive psychedelic rock, fluid songs that have the better qualities of jams without meandering aimlessly. Recent Recording: Self Titled (Sancho Records), 2003 Sounds Like: A heavy but more prone to jamming Hawkwind Garfight Website: www.garfight.com <>"Overdriven tuned down guitars and evil vocals…it’s the kind of metal that you would almost expect to be a band out of Sweden with keyboards and bells tolling." (Rob Wrong, Stonerrock.com) Recent Recording: Hellen Keller (self released), 2003 Sounds Like: Eyehategod or Bongzilla mixed with a little Euro doom metal Friday, May 28 Unsane Website: No band website available <> Unsane have been churning out their unique and ground breaking synthesis of screaming distorted vocal howls, gargantuan bass, strangled guitar wranglings, and regimented drum assault since the early nineties. Despite a few bumps along the way, they’re still going and look to continue to pummel eager listeners’ eardrums for more years to come. Recent Recording: Lambhouse: The Collection 1991-1998 (Relapse), 2003 Sounds Like: Sounds like fucking Unsane, bitch! Meatjack Website: www.meatjack.com <> Pure, passionate metal streamlined into a blistering assault of sub-aquatic bass rumblings, ultra low-end guitar distortion, hard-edged stoner/experi-metalcore riffs, and thundering tribal/doom drumming. Recent Recording: Days Of Fire (At A Loss Recordings), 2003 Sounds Like: Neurosis meets the Melvins meets Mastodon Tummler Website: www.tummler.net <> A sound "so unique" it’s been described as heavy acid fuzz rock meets stoner rock meets metal meets good ol’ rock and roll. Four rock enthusiasts came together to meet one common goal: to create rock so heavy it will knock you on your ass. Recent Recording: Early Man (Small Stone), 2002 Sounds Like: Black Sabbath, Iron Butterfly, and other late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s greats Red Giant Website: No band website available <> Often described a modern version of Hawkwind, Cleveland’s own Red Giant take their Black Sabbath with a swig of rocket fuel and aim for the outer limits of the universe. Recent Recording: Ultra-Magnetic Glowing Sound (Tee Pee Records), 2000 Sounds Like: Hawkwind meets Sabbath Solace Website: www.solacedoom.com <> More Sabbath than Sabbath, and more evil than you can possibly imagine, Solace distill their heavy rock with care and craftsmanship to rival any musical outfit performing today. Solace may be the most highly evolved and ideally perfect stoner rock band ever. It’s soaring vocals with a powerful rasp, aggressive but fuzzy guitars with tasty blues soloing, gut rattling growling bass, and pummeling percussion with clockwork timing. Recent Recording: 13 (MeteorCity), 2003 Sounds Like: What Sabbath might have sounded like if Ozzy could have kept his shit together and Dio never joined Bongzilla Website: No band website available <> The mighty Bongzilla want you to know that they not only enjoy marijuana, but they’ve devoted their lives to it, started a band to honor the venerable plant, and called their band Bongzilla. That’s really all you need to know. Recent Recording: Gateway (Relapse), 2002 Sounds Like: Sabbath with nails-in-the-neck vocals RPG Website: www.rpgva.com <> "Hooks a-go-go, funny, clever lyrics, and undeniable soulfulness make this rock for the masses if the masses (as music consumers) hadn’t turned into one, big 14-year old girl somewhere along the way after Pearl Jam’s Ten slipped off the charts." - Sativa71 (StonerRock.com) Recent Recording: Full Time (self released), 2003 Sounds Like: The Ramones, AC/DC, Hank Williams Jr., Raging Slab, and the MC5 Kylesa Website: www.kylesa.com <> A strange combination of dissonance and harmony with noise elements. Throat shredding vocals and blasting drum beats make Kylesa a dynamic metal-punk hybrid . Recent Recording: No Ending/A 1000 Heat Index EP (Prank Records), 2004 Sounds Like: An odd combination of Melvins-like guitars, screeched male/female vocals, and rumbling slung-low bass Starchild Website: No band website available <> Starchild represent themselves quite properly in the cosmic space doom arena. Starchild will be showcasing their propensity for riffing, spaced-out, drugged-out doom n’ metal. StonerRock.com’s Rob Wrong calls them "simple, heavy soulful, stoner rock done right." Check it out. Recent Recording: Split EP with Rebreather (Twin Earth Records), 2004 Sounds Like: Sabbath – Black that is Saturday, May 29 Alabama Thunderpussy Website: www.alabamathunderpussy.com <> Early word from the peanut gallery says that the new ATP release is their strongest effort yet. With the addition of the powerful throat of new vocalist John Weills, we will surely witness ATP return to rightly claim their throne as the true lords of southern metal. Recent Recording: Fulton Hill (Relapse), May 2004 Sounds Like: Sabbath meets Skynyrd at the hardcore show Poobah Website: No band website available <> Poobah have been around since the early 1970’s. Often spoken of in God-like terms in "cult" psychedelic circles, Poobah’s relevance to this festival should be apparent to those with an appreciation for heavy guitar work. Recent Recording: Wizard of Psych (1998), Monster Records Sounds Like: Sabbath, Deep Purple, the Scorpions Dixie Witch Website: www.dixiewitch.net <> How does Dixie Witch differentiate themselves from all of the other bands described as southern and stoner? They temper their southern-fueled guitar rock with sincere, emotive song writing and with impressive sounding live show. Recent Recording: One Bird Two Stones (Small Stone), 2003 Sounds Like: Southern rock in the vein of ZZ Top infused with British metal ala Sabbath, and with leads like Judas Priest Kung Pao Website: www.kungpao.net <> I’m sure Kung Pao are tired of being compared to the spicy Szechuan chicken dish that apparently has inspired their name, but they certainly do bring the heat in the form of blasting bass sounds, growling vocals, and angry high volume noise guitar. Recent Recording: PeaceBear (two song mini-CD) (self released), 2002 Sounds Like: Blue Cheer, Mountain, a bit of Deep Purple The Hidden Hand Website: www.thehiddenhand.com <> Erich Von Daniken’s favorite band promises to reveal the truth about the origins of mankind while simultaneously ripping your head off and kicking it around like a football. Wino’s current project is heavy and thoughtful, intricate and expressive. Like no other band he’s been in before yet with the same impressive playing that’s given him "Wino is god" status, you’re sure to come away with brand new perspective on everything. Recent Recording: Divine Propaganda (MeteorCity), 2003 Sounds Like: Sounds like Wino (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed) Stinking Lizaveta Website: www.stinkinglizaveta.com <> Philadelphia progressive instrumental psycho-toxic-guitar-freak-out-hard-core-rock. Stinking Lizaveta are a band best left open for interpretation, like good poetry or modern art. Recent Recording: III (Tolotta Records), 2001 Sounds Like: "Combining a heaping scoop of Black Sabbath’s leaden grind and two pinches of King Crimson’s geometric calculations." (Cheshire Press Drum Magazine) Rebreather Website: www.rebreathermusic.com <> Described as "heavier than fuck," Youngstown, Ohio’s own Rebreather are all about bringing the heavy with simple yet effective riffs, wailing feedback noise, and a constant vibe of menace. Recent Recording: Split EP with Starchild (Twin Earth Records), 2004 Sounds Like: Godflesh, Eyehategod, Goatsnake Gil Mantera’s Party Dream Website: www.partydream.com <> The odd duckling in the Emission line up, Gil and his party bring the 1980’s in all its Casio and drum machine powered glory. Recent Recording: Once Triangular (self released), 2004 Sounds Like: "It’s like Cirque du Soleil on crystal meth." (www.partydream.com) The Brought Low Website: No band website available <> They are Brooklyn, New York southern rock, which may or may not be a contradiction. In the Brought Low’s case, it’s just a natural thing as they cook up a stew of hard rock riffs that might sound vintage but really, rock n’ roll doesn’t know or care what year it is – so bring it on! Recent Recording: Self Titled (Tee Pee Records), 2001 Sounds Like: Early AC/DC & Aerosmith Place of Skulls Website: www.placeofskulls.com <> Recently split from Wino following the release of their much heralded With Vision album, ex-Pentagram guitarist and current Place Of Skulls helmsman Victor Griffin continues on with medium tempo hard rockers, tuned down guitars and classic tones. Place Of Skulls are classic doom with no compromises. Recent Recording: With Vision (Southern Lord), 2003 Sounds Like: St. Vitus + Pentagram = Place Of Skulls - Wino = Place Of Skulls Rwake Website: www.rwake.com <> StonerRock.com’s Rob Wrong says, "Hardcore metal influenced with lots of parts to keep it interesting, and a unique blend of acoustic clean sounding guitars over fuzzed out bass at times." Recent Recording: If You Walk Before You Crawl You Crawl Before You Die (At A Loss Recordings), May 2004 Sounds Like: Today is the Day , Eyehategod, Bongzilla Buried at Sea Website: No band website available <> Mammoth slabs of molten metal, like the slowest but surely moving lava flow, nothing stands in the way of the mighty Buried At Sea. A powerful sound that will have to been seen and felt to be believed. Recent Recording: Migration (Original Sound Recordings), 2003 Sounds Like: Sleep-like tempos with guitar/bass sounds like Sunn 0))) The Mighty Nimbus Website: www.themightynimbus.com <> The Mighty Nimbus sound is a maelstrom of downtuned thunder, sonically oozing out of blown speakers. Yet the sound is complimented with delicately layered harmonies and blues based licks courtesy of guitarists Erik Larson (Alabama Thunderpussy) and "Minnesota" Pete Campbell (Sixty Watt Shaman). Vocalist Dan Soren, also formerly of Sixty Watt Shaman, belts out poems of war in unblemished evil like a crazed Viking. Recent Recording: Demo material available on the band’s web site. Sounds Like: Entombed, Crowbar, and St. Vitus Sunday, May 30 Orange Goblin Website: www.orangegoblin.com <> Masters of the universe and reality, Orange Goblin have worked for years on refining their unique and instantly recognizable hard driving rock n’ roll sound. Featuring the huge pipes of front man Ben Ward, this band is doom and blues swished together with every song having its moment of climatic worthiness. Recent Recording: Thieving From The House Of God (Rise Above Records), 2004 Sounds Like: Motorhead, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath Weedeater Website: No band website available <> In the realm of southern doom rock, Weedeater make it clear that simply smoking is not enough. Weedeater come at you with a bass sound deep enough to move furniture, some of the most evil sounding vocals you’ll ever hear and killer sludge riffs that leave the rest of the southern doom competition trailing behind. Prehistoric-acid-swamp-monster-"We’re all gonna die!!"-fuck you-rock. Recent Recording: Sixteen Tons (Berserker / Crucial Blast), 2002 Sounds Like: Goatsnake, Melvins, Black Sabbath Keelhaul Website: www.keelhaul.info <> Keelhaul are the ultimate evolution of the almighty riff. Staccato changes and weird off kilter rhythms with brutal percussive everything. Recent Recording: Subject To Change Without Notice (HydraHead), 2003 Sounds Like: Helmet, Slayer, Clutch, Black Flag Pelican Website: No band website available <> The most uplifting and positive sounding doom metal band ever, Chicago’s Pelican forgo a vocalist in lieu of further expanding the depths that one can reach by blasting out with all guns blazing in a glorious wash of gut-rattling sound. Recent Recording: Australasia (HydraHead), 2003 Sounds Like: Mogwai, Godspeed You!Black Emperor, Goatsnake Dozer Website: www.dozermusic.com <> If Dozer have their way, black metal won’t be the only kind of metal Sweden is known for producing. Dozer have a unique rough edged take on the stoner doom thing that sets them apart from other bands plumbing the depths of death’s pit. Recent Recording: Call It Conspiracy (Molten Universe), 2003 Sounds Like: Fu Manchu, Melvins, Kyuss, Soundgarden Porn (the Men of) Website: www.pornmusic.com <> The brainchild of Tim Moss on guitar, and with the unholy duo of Dale Crover on drums and Billy Anderson on bass, Porn (the Men of) put together an abrasive sound of percussive off-kilter drum work, buzzing bass, and crashing walls of beastly guitar. Recent Recording: Experiments In Feedback (Small Stone), 2002 Sounds Like: Sonic Youth, Unsane, Melvins Dove Website: www.wallofdove.com <> Floor and Cavity drummer Henry Wilson puts down the sticks and picks up the guitar as Dove. For those of you wondering, Henry’s guitar skills are just as brutal as his drumming. Far more maniacal than the measured cool of Floor. Dove are full of furious, frenzied guitar and precision off- and on-time percussion. Unexpected bits of melody float in and out with powerful but clear vocals. Recent Recording: Self Titled debut expected May 2004 Sounds Like: Brings to mind High On Fire, and, of course, Floor and Cavity. Lamont Website: www.lamontband.com <> White trash, rednecks, trailer parks and burned out rides – Lamont have no shame about putting forth a down and dirty image to match their Stooges` punk rock and roll riffs. Recent Recording: Thunder Boogie (Tracktor7 Records), 2003 Sounds Like: Stooges, Hellacopters, ZZ Top, early Reverend Horton Heat YOB Website: www.yobdoom.com <> Hailing from Portland, Oregon, YOB have accomplished songcraft that is as much their own sound as it is paying homage to the doom metal greats of the past and present. Recent Recording: Catharsis (Abstractsounds (UK)), 2003 Sounds Like: Funkadelic + Sleep = YOB Fistula Website: No band website available <> Slow, plodding, doomy and really, really, heavy with finger nails on the chalk board styled vocals, those of you who worship at the later of blood curdling doom should be crawling on your knees for the chance to bask in the slow, sludgy grind of Fistula. Recent Recording: Idiopathic (Shify Records), 2003 Sounds Like: Burning Witch, Eyehategod, Bongzilla Cudamantra Website: www.cudamantra.com <> Hailing from the birth place of English doom in Birmingham, England, Cudamantra bring forth rocking mid tempos, a little trancy acid rock here, a little metal bite there, and catchy lead guitar work with flashes of classic British metal. Recent Recording: Straight On ‘Till Morning (self released), 2002 Sounds Like: Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Deep Purple Trephine Website: www.trephinemd.com <> Trephine challenge the ideals of conventional music by amalgamating characteristics of math-rock, metal, jazz, prog-rock, punk, noise, and avant garde art forms to create their own brand of Rock In Opposition. Trephine’s live show utilizes high energy performance, sci-fi/horror imagery, and cyclopean lighting to create an unnerving sensory experience. Recent Recording: Surgical Preparation (self released), 2002 Sounds Like: Early Yes, the Melvins, Frank Zappa, and King Crimson - Christopher McEvoy
The sixth annual Emissions from the Monolith music festival launches on Memorial Day weekend, from Thursday, May 27 to Sunday, May 30. CDs, T-shirts, and LPs from many of the bands discussed in this feature are available for purchase from our All That`s Heavy Online Music Store.