In their enduring dedication to that which is as aurally fucked as possible, collaborative outfit The Body & Braveyoung have announced a run on the East Coast for the early part of February. After seeing The Body the last time they came through Brooklyn at the Saint Vitus bar, I can safely say if you like volume, you’ll probably want to catch them if they’re headed out by you. Nothing Passes was also one of 2011′s most unrepentantly creepy records.

The PR wire speaks to YOU — do you listen???

Following a myriad of regional touring together, as well as their recently released fully collaborative full-length Nothing Passes, apocalyptic doom duo The Body and orchestral/drone rock outfit Braveyoung have just confirmed another stint of shows together.

The new Braveyoung & The Body tour will tangle with eight East Coast cities in early February, which will see both acts performing individual sets, in addition to an additional collaborative set with both bands simultaneously performing material from their Nothing Passes album on several of the dates. Braveyoung are on their way to Providence to record new material during this special tour, which immediately follows the current West Coast tour The Body are embarked on with Thou — including the band’s first-ever shows in Mexico this week.

The Body West Coast Tour w/ Thou (remaining dates):
01/13 Burial Grounds Salem, OR
01/14 924 Gilman Street Berkeley, CA w/ Brainoil
01/15 Submission San Francisco, CA w/ Brainoil
01/16 Pioneer Santa Cruz, CA
01/17 The Smell Los Angeles, CA
01/18 Bica Tijuana, Mexico
01/19 house show Rosarito, Mexico
01/20 Che Cafe San Diego, CA
01/21 The Trunkspace Phoenix, AZ
01/22 The Train Yard Las Cruces, NM
01/23 Sons of Hermann Hall Dallas, TX
01/24 Zeitgeist New Orleans, LA

*NEW – The Body & Braveyoung Collaborative East Coast Tour:
02/04 Bull City Metal Fest Durham, NC
02/05 The Courthouse Downtown Rock Hill, NC
02/06 Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, GA
02/07 The Milestone Charlotte, NC
02/08 Floristree Baltimore, MD
02/09 Saint Vitus Brooklyn, NY
02/10 Dad City Amherst, MA
02/13 AS220 Providence, RI

I guess the headline pretty much says this one. Avant-garde Rhode Islander doomers Queen Elephantine have a new record out and some tour dates booked to support it. Kind of undercut myself this time around.

Anyway, here’s the news, the Bandcamp stream of the three-song album, and the jpeg of the cover art, which rules:

Queen Elephantine, modal psychedelic doom, presents their third album: a long song in three parts, Garland of Skulls. They have also released several EPs, including splits with Sons of Otis and Elder. Formed in Hong Kong in 2006 and migrated to USA, the band is currently based between NYC and Rhode Island.

Queen Elephantine & Fashion Week August Tour:
08/16 Philadelphia, PA M-Room w/ Human Shield
08/17 Pittsburgh, PA Howler’s Coyote Cafe w/ Chrononaut
08/18 Youngstown, OH The Royal Oaks
08/20 New York, NY Saint Vitus (Fashion Week only)
08/24 Fairfax, VA The Old Firestation #3 (Queen Elephantine only) w/ Ancient Astronaught
08/25 Wilmington, DE Frottage Cottage w/ Bubonic Bear, Pagan Wolf Lord and Chromelord

At just over five and a half minutes long, the gorgeously-packaged Menace of the Universe 5” from Providence, Rhode Island, bash and thrashers Megasus is over almost before it starts. Where their 2009 20 Buck Spin self-titled full-length offered a few minutes here and there of respite, on such a small vinyl, there’s barely time for the songs themselves, let alone a breather, so you’re in, you’re out, all of a sudden you have a black eye, and that’s it. Time is not wasted, either theoretically or practically, as Megasus up the intensity on both of the included tracks, “Menace of the Universe” and the b-side “Damned Hammer,” enough so that I wondered in my first time hearing it if I wasn’t listening at the wrong speed. I wasn’t. Megasus bring out the thrash and let it run roughshod all over Menace of the Universe.

The two songs, released via Brutal Panda Records, run 2:48 and 2:46, respectively. “Menace of the Universe” is a quick kick in the ass, guitarist Ryan Lesser’s tone reminding of Entombed and drummer Brian Gibson hitting a bright, punkish snare to accent the riff. Jason Kendall’s vocals are far back and similarly effected here as they were on the self-titled, but he screams maniacally on the first track, and is no less appropriate in doing so than he is the subtle, sub-psychedelic melody he throws in later on before Lesser’s solo brings the song to a close. Bassist Paul Lyons has more of a role to play on “Damned Hammer,” which is slower (still not as slow as some of the Megasus material was) and offers more room for him to run counter to Lesser’s riffing. The Motörheaded aspect of “Menace of the Universe” is all but gone from “Damned Hammer,” and Megasus show more of their doom side in the shorter track, still managing to keep the immediacy of the a-side, just cutting the pace.

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Rhode Island duo The Body, who made a splash last year with the avant weirdness of their At a Loss debut, All the Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood, have announced a quick run over the next week-plus that has them playing with the likes of Thou and haarp. The tour started last night in New Orleans and hits Baton Rouge this evening, and the PR wire has the rest of the dates below.

Providence‘s punishers The Body are back on the road early in the New Year, set to kick off a Southeastern US mini-tour today. The duo will devastate cities in Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and Maryland over the coming days, appearing alongside Thou, haarp and more over the short onslaught. These dates all build up to The Body’s appearance later this month where they are scheduled to provide support for reunited hardcore icons The Universal Order of Armageddon in New York City.

The Body January 2011 Tour:

01/04 Tupac’s Bungalow Baton Rouge, LA w/ Thou, Haarp
01/05 Sluggo’s Pensacola, FL
01/06 Farside Tallahassee, FL
01/07 Wayward Council Gainesville, FL w/ Civilization
01/08 Lomax Lounge Jacksonville, FL w/ Civilization
01/10 Legitimate Business Greensboro, NC
01/11 some warehouse space Baltimore, MD
01/21 The Cake Shop New York, NY w/ Universal Order of Armageddon, Orphan

Named for a UFO that allegedly surfaced on the Japanese coast in the 19th Century, Utsuro Bune is the Providence, Rhode Island-based drone project of Matt Kattman (ex-Kingpin), who shines through on his debut album with a self-awareness that comes out as immediately as in the title, The Drone Remains the Same (Heavy Lifting). Not only is it true of drone and a clever play on Led Zeppelin, but it displays a sense of humor rarely seen in the generally-joyless realm of repetitive of experimental riffing. Utsuro Bune is strictly guitar, effects and loops from Kattman, who also recorded the album himself live on a two-track and did the art for the limited-to-100 physical CDR release. The skull front (it’s either white on black or black on white, depending which way you face the liner in the sleeve) is a little incongruous with the joke in the title, but Kattman pulls everything together musically, so not to worry.

The Drone Remains the Same is comprised of five tracks, two of which are over 10 minutes long. Opener “Massive Atmospheres” (more of that self-awareness) is 10:08 and has a touch of SunnO)))’s hyper-distortion to it, and “Raking the Cosmic Leaves” (more of that humor and just one of the many chores no one considers when owning a piece of the interstellar dream) is 12:10 and more orchestral, brighter-sounding like something off of Earth’s Earth 2. Between the two relative behemoths is the 2:35 “Kinetics,” and following “Raking the Cosmic Leaves” is “Whispers in the Abyss” (5:07) and “Disappear Slowly” (3:13). I wouldn’t go as far to call “Kinetics” or any of the three shorter tracks interludes — in part because it’s drone and it’s not like they’re leading two or from songs with catchy choruses — but they manage well in terms of affecting the overall feel Kattman is going for. Part of his obvious familiarity with the drone scene comes out in the surprising amount of diversity from track to track. In terms of hearing it elsewhere this year, I’d point to fellow New Englander Darryl Shepard’s Blackwolfgoat project, which was similarly able to keep a measure of sonic consistency (essential for drone) while also “changing it up” as much as possible when you’re one dude with a guitar and a pedal board.

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You might recall esoteric doom prodigy Indy Shome from Providence thunderfoots Queen Elephantine, whose album Kailash was reviewed on this site a while back. Well, even if you don’t, I count Indy as a friend of the site and doom compatriot, so when he reached out to me about his new project Throne of the Void in the Hundred Petal Lotus, I jumped at the chance to check it out.

Those familiar with Queen Elephantine‘s more experimental edges will recognize some of those elements in Throne of the Void in the Hundred Petal Lotus, and though the production on their first recorded outing — a 16-minute single track bearing the same cumbersome name as the band that can be heard on their MySpace or on the player below — is rough, Shome and company are able to affect a mini-Dopesmoker vibe by the end of the piece, riffing with similarly stoned abandon and droning repetition. I shudder to think of the expanses the band might cover given proper studio time and recording.

The psychedelia present in “Throne of the Void in the Hundred Petal Lotus” (as opposed to all those other thrones of the void out there) is dark and gritty, and where the music leads you to think perhaps there’s going to be a bright turn, there absolutely isn’t one, so as you listen, be prepared for drudgery. I might like to hear Shome and his band experiment with some lighter psychedelic elements à la a massively proportioned Lamp of the Universe — though I’ll allow that band’s propensity for long lotus-infused titles is part of the connection in my head –but until then, their premiere output has a weight to it that’s bound to get the attention of the doomed underground. It has mine, anyway.

Prolific-as-fuck youngins Queen Elephantine (MySpace here) have announced they’ve got a new live album out via France‘s Ruralfaune/Faunasabbatha (MySpace here) that was recorded in Brooklyn way back in 2008. I was just thinking to myself how it had been a couple weeks since Indy and Co. had put anything out, so I guess they were due. Here’s the info:

We’re very honored to have a live CDR and cassette released by the great French label Ruralfaune/Faunasabbatha.

The artwork is done by Emil Tibell. The show was on November 8, 2008, at the Meat Wallet. The documentary Such Hawks Such Hounds was screened and also playing that night were Naam, Weird Owl, and Bad Dream. The show was put together by Tiffany Ang and Death by Drone. Many thanks to everyone.

In and out in a little over 12 minutes, this split 7” between British rockers Alunah (whose ending ‘h’ seems a recent addition) and multi-continental experimental droners Queen Elephantine is a quick trip, but a satisfying one nonetheless. Limited to 250 copies and issued through Catacomb Records, each side of the vinyl features one song just past six minutes long and though the two bands work in different atmospheres, there’s a far-off echo that permeates both pieces and builds cohesiveness between the styles.

With “Song of the Sun,” Alunah offer comparatively straightforward riff-based heavy rock, set apart from the pack by the lead vocals of Sophie (no last name given), for whom Acid King comparisons can’t possibly be anything new. Nonetheless, the band spend their time wisely, fading out and back in at the end for an additional few seconds of riffing and lead lines. The four piece aren’t really breaking any new ground for stoner rock, but neither are they offensive. They’re recording a new full-length this year, and I’d be interested to check it out, so if the idea of “Song of the Sun” was to get people interested in the band by giving them a small taste, then it worked.

Whether they’re hailing on any given day from New York, Providence, RI, or Hong Kong, the prolific Queen Elephantine always seem up for a little mind expansion. Somewhat ironic is that by keeping their contribution, “Mephistopheles,” to around six minutes, they’re actually more reigned in than usual. I get the feeling there’s a half-hour version of this song out there somewhere. As it stands on the split, though, the band, led by Indy Shome continue their progressive journey through deconstructed psychedelia. In contrast to Alunah, Queen Elephantine care little for structure and ride their song out to wherever it takes them. In the context of an LP, this can be challenging, but here they keep it relatively on track, which makes for a fascinating balance.

For Alunah, this is their second release following the Fall to Earth EP (also on Catacomb), and Queen Elephantine seem to have a new split or online-only release every few months, so it’s a fair bet we’ll be hearing more from both bands. Going by the tracks included on this 7”, that’s just fine, since they each have something of their own to offer but don’t stray so far from the other as to make for incongruous listening.

Alunah on MySpace

Queen Elephantine on MySpace

Catacomb Records

We live in an age where beasts and wizards and magic and metal have all come together into one steaming chaosserole. In the last decade, acts like High on Fire and Mastodon made it big on tales of giants and wildebeests, and now we can see bands from throughout the world taking on and defeating such monsters. The Providence, Rhode Island four-piece, Megasus, on their self-titled debut, gather their brave kinsmen and ride into epic metal glory, with just a hint of tongue-in-cheek good times (okay, more than a hint). What’s most important, though, is they’re heavy.

Comprised of vocalist Jason Kendall, guitarist Ryan Lesser, drummer Brian Gibson and bassist Paul Lyons, Megasus has already seen international acclaim thanks to exposure via the Guitar Hero series of videogames. Since all four members of the band work at Harmonix, the company responsible for Guitar Hero and its sundry spinoffs, it’s no big surprise that Megasus would be included, but the response their songs — over 30,000 downloads and countless videos of people trying to keep up with them on YouTube — speaks for itself, as does the fact that after catching wind of the independently released vinyl version of Megasus, respected underground label 20 Buck Spin picked up the band for the CD release.

It’s good news for Megasus, who’ve found the virtual enthusiasm shown for the band translates to the real world as well (or as real as this world is, anyway) and who continue to spread the word of swords and sorcery across the barren metalscape. Kendall and Lesser recently checked in to inform on the band’s origins, processes and proclivities for the riff. Thanks to them for taking the time and to you for reading. Interview’s after the jump.

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It?s a new school form of the Heavy in which Megasus traffic. The Providence, RI, four-piece unit, making their debut on 20 Buck Spin with this self-titled effort — originally a digital release and independently pressed to 200 vinyls — riff with a post-High on Fire largess and crash and rumble with the grandiose 21st Century definition of doom. The traditional groove is all but completely absent, but the frantic, chaotic, seemingly unhinged headbang-worthy fury that has come to typify the genre in this decade is present and then some.

Without getting into a debate over whether something must necessarily be played slow to be doom (I?d say no and point to any number of faster songs in the Sabbath and Pentagram catalogs), it?s clear Megasus are drawing more on the modern than the classics for their influences. This doesn?t necessarily have to be a detriment, but it does make the album Megasus easier to pigeonhole, which works against it. And with songs like ?Swords,? ?Paladin vs. Berserker? and ?Iron Mountain,? they?re not exactly breaking new thematic ground.

However, they are falling right into line with this generation of metallers? re-embracing classic metal subject matter: wizardry, mythology, epics, etc. And let?s face it, if we didn?t think that stuff was cool at least on some level, we probably wouldn?t be here in the first place. But, like a lot of what Megasus are doing on this record, it?s been done before. Moments like ?Hexes/Szaadek,? which give Slayer a Lair of the Minotaur-style dirtying up before a tempo switch and some cymbal panning from drummer Brian Gibson, are more satisfying, particularly as regards the performance of vocalist Jason Kendall. The centerpiece track of the total seven, listening to it makes me want to say, ?Yes, do this.?

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