That Days of the Doomed II poster is starting to get awfully crowded. Over the weekend, the Mercyful Mike Smith, the organizer of the fest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, announced that While Heaven Wept and a reunited Solace (I think we all saw it coming) would be taking part, and today brings two more additions: Orodruin and Snake Dance.

And so an impressive bill gets even more impressive. Here’s the full update from Smith himself:

It is an absolute honor to announce to all of you that the mighty While Heaven Wept will be performing at the second installment of Days of the Doomed Fest this June in Kenosha, WI!!! I’d like to share with you the official statement I received from the band:

“We’re extremely happy to announce that we will be appearing at the Days of the Doomed II festival in June 2012! We’d actually been in discussions with Mike [Smith, fest organizer] even prior to the first edition, so this has been a long time coming indeed! While there was a time when we faced some challenges in making this happen, ultimately the planets have aligned! We look forward to sharing the stage with all of our old friends and bringing the music of While Heaven Wept to the Midwest for the first time! Don’t miss this event as it is the culmination of many years of “homegrown” doom metal events in the USA reaching a level of maturity and passion previously unseen!”

I also have the pleasure of announcing that the masters of heaviness and volume known as Solace will also be making the trek to Days Of The Doomed Fest II! Prepare for ear damage!!!

Want more? Back by popular demand! Rochester, NY, doom mongers Orodruin will be returning to pummel all of you!

One last announcement! I’m happy to introduce Chicago‘s stoner/doom rockers Snake Dance as the fest’s official openers on Friday!

In other fest news, I have been informed by Henry Vasquez that Blood of the Sun will be forced to pull out of Days of the Doomed due to his commitment with Saint Vitus. This is 100 percent understandable, and I wish Henry and the legendary Saint Vitus all the best on their 2012 tour!

And don’t forget the “Raffle of Doom” is in full swing!!! $5.00 gets you a shot at winning some seriously killer loot!!! Visit the official Days Of The Doomed Fest site (www.daysofthedoomed.com) for a full listing of what’s up for grabs!

Tickets are on sale now, and will move fast! Visit www.daysofthedoomed.com to purchase tickets, and to get all the updates on Days of the Doomed Fest II!

Founded in the sun-bleached desert lands of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1998 by Jadd Shickler (also of the band Spiritu) and Aaron Emmel, the imprint MeteorCity had its humble beginnings supporting a genre of underground rock that, to date, finds kinship among relatively few listeners. The two were new to underground rock. I recall interviewing Shickler years back and he told me that people would ask him if his online store, All That’s Heavy, would be stocking the new Orange Goblin album, and he said, “Yeah, of course!” and promptly set about to discover who the band was. 1998 was, if nothing else, a long time ago.

Along the way, though, MeteorCity became inextricably linked with All That’s Heavy and eventually with the much-missed StonerRock.com, becoming one of the most important heavy rock imprints of the post-Man’s Ruin era. Starting with the first Welcome to MeteorCity compilation in 1998, Shickler and Emmel helped establish what stoner rock became in the wake of Kyuss‘ demise, and albums released from Nebula, Solace, The Atomic Bitchwax, Blind Dog and Eternal Elysium provided a model for bands and other labels alike.

In 2007, Shickler and Emmel said goodbye to the label they started and the scene they helped found, selling the site to Dan and Melanie Beland, who had previously taken over All That is Heavy (now with the full “is”) in addition to hosting StonerRock.com. Their farewell came in the form of another comp, this time the three-disc …And Back to Earth Again — for which I was fortunate enough to have contributed to the liner notes, and which was less an inflation of an ego and a “look what we did, how important we are” than a “I can’t believe how lucky we were to put out so much good music.”

Shickler and Emmel, who were admittedly burned out on the genre, went on to other work, and Dan and Melanie embarked on a string of incredibly strong releases, effectively revitalizing MeteorCity and declaring in no uncertain terms that a new generation of the heavy underground was rising to the fore. Full-lengths by Black Pyramid, Elder, Snail and Freedom Hawk (among others) demonstrated that not only was there life in the style, but that the label had its ear to the ground when it came to finding bands and choosing which acts to highlight.

Adopting the ethic of taking on acts with strong self-releases and bringing them under the MeteorCity fold, the imprint released CDs from SardoniS, Egypt, Valkyrie and Dead Man (again, among others), and though StonerRock.com met its demise at the end of last year, the enterprises of MeteorCity and All That is Heavy have continued on into 2011, with the label re-releasing the self-titled debut from Boston duo Olde Growth, the second album from New Keepers of the Water Towers, and most recently, a compilation of vinyl-only and previously-unreleased tracks from Black Pyramid called Stormbringer, with more expected before 2011 is through.

The inevitable question, then, is where to start. If you’re new to the label or maybe have a couple of the discs you picked up along the line, which in their catalog are the most essential releases? Well, here are my picks…

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Solace died as they lived: Drunk.

After releasing the best album I heard in 2010, the long-awaited A.D., my favorite Garden State doom rockers have decided to pack it in. They were slated to share a bill this coming Saturday at the Double Door in Chicago with Buried at Sea, Bible of the Devil and their longtime compatriots in Orange Goblin, but now not only is that off, but the band seems to be officially defunct.

Guitarist Tommy Southard was succinct in confirming the news on the forum this morning. He had this to say:

shitty….

solace has never “broken up” before…. been inactive, yes. it’s been a bumpy ride. no doubt.

thanks to those that supported us over the last 15 years. all others can fuck off…

Likewise, the band’s Thee Facebook page simply stated:

Solace is closed for business. We may or may not re-open…

Thanks for all your support!

In this age of breakups and reunions, that they’d leave the possibility of doing more as Solace open is encouraging (and more honest than most), but even if this is it for the band, their 15-year run speaks for itself. Three quality records in the shape of 2000′s Further, 2003′s 13 and 2010′s A.D., numerous EPs and DVDs and, most importantly, the ability to blow just about everyone they played with right off the stage. I don’t even know how many nights they were the highlight of for me, but yeah, they’ll be missed.

Today, New Jersey doom rockers Solace announced that drummer Kenny Lund has rejoined the band. According to guitarist Tommy Southard, Keith Ackerman — who’d come aboard to replace Lund before the release of A.D. last year (on which Lund plays) — has a work situation wouldn’t allow him to participate in Solace‘s touring schedule, which will take them to SXSW in Austin, Texas, next month for Small Stone Records‘ annual showcase.

Southard sent along the following:

Keith Ackerman is out of Solace on drums and Kenny Lund is back in the fold. The split with Keith was amicable and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors. So when he split we called up old friend Kenny who played all drums on A.D. Look for more A.D. songs in the Solace set now!!!

If all you know of my beloved Garden State is the smell of the Turnpike, Bruce Springsteen, guido stereotyping and the airport, you’re missing out. From the very beginning of stoner rock, New Jersey was right there making landmark contributions to the genre, and as the most crowded, most densely-populated state in the union, there’s always been a special brand of annoyed attitude that comes out of New Jerseyan bands that you can’t get anywhere else. It’s like the music is calling you out on your bullshit.

Of course I’m talking about the Red Bank scene, which is unquestionably the state’s biggest contribution to the canon of underground rock, but even that’s not the end to New Jersey‘s influence. As a lifelong resident and vehement defender of the state in the face of embarrassing reality shows and the rest of it, I humbly offer this list of NJ bands for anyone looking for a place to start in discovering the scene:

Monster Magnet: They’re quintessential stoner rock. Spine of God from 1992 is one of the most pivotal albums from the genre and if I didn’t mention them and it first, this entire list would be a sham. Tracks like “Zodiac Lung,” “Nod Scene” and “Spine of God” are absolute classics and unparalleled by either psych- or riff-obsessives.

Halfway to Gone: Their sound had no shortage of Southern influence, but the crunch they brought to it couldn’t have come from anywhere but the Northeast. 2002′s Second Season stripped down the songwriting from the first album and showed a meaner side.

The Atomic Bitchwax: Their 1999 self-titled gets a lot of play because it boasted Ed Mundell from Monster Magnet on guitar, but to me, the band really came into their own when Core‘s Finn Ryan replaced Mundell on 2005′s 3. Start with that, or if you’re craving Mundell, its predecessor from 2000, II.

Solace: I know I’ve said a lot about Solace lately, but that proves all the more why they need to be on this list too. Their first two albums, Further (2000) and 13 (2003) are killer, but 2010′s A.D. blows them out of the water. Best thing to come out of Jersey in a long time.

Evoken: Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum from all this guitar rock, Lyndhurst‘s Evoken make some of most grueling, most punishing funeral doom ever. Their earlier work had rough production, so I’d say start with 2007′s A Caress of the Void and work your way back. Slowly, of course.

For further reading: Various side-projects and offshoots of the above. Bands like A Thousand Knives of Fire, Core, Gallery of Mites, and so on. Also worth digging into are Lord Sterling (now defunct), abrasive duo Rukut, the righteous heaviness of Clamfight, A Day of Pigs, The Ominous Order of Filthy Mongrels, and many more.

If I forgot anyone or anyone wants to really go to bat for that first Bitchwax, leave a comment.

How many albums can you legitimately say are worth a seven-year wait? Two or three years, sure. Maybe even four. But seven? You might as well be starting your career over at that point, and come to think of it, that’s kind of what New Jersey doom ‘n’ rollers Solace did with their Small Stone Records debut, A.D. Sure, there had been various DVDs, a split with Greatdayforup and the The Black Black EP in that time, but true to its name, A.D. marks the beginning of a different era. I can’t think of a better way to close out this decade than with one of its most awaited records.

Whether it’s the straightforward riffly progression of a song like “The Eyes of the Vulture,” the thrown-bone stoner groove of “Six-Year Trainwreck” or the head-spinning madness six-stringers Tommy Southard and Justin Daniels get up to on opener “The Disillusioned Prophet,” every movement of A.D. was majestic almost in spite of itself, and no matter which direction they turned, Solace did what almost nobody remembers to do: They fucking rocked.

Even as vocalist Jason cleverly layered his vocals into A.D.‘s most outwardly simple and straightforward cut, the hardcore-fueled “The Skull of the Head of a Man,” now-departed drummer Kenny Lund righteously propelling the song with his double-kick, there was an ultra-confident attitude behind Solace‘s songwriting. For an album that was recorded in multiple-sessions over the course of several years — bassist Rob Hultz was still living in Chicago, last I heard — A.D. managed not just to sound cohesive, but natural and flowing. It was as close as 2010 got to perfection. If you’re feeling brave, the full review is here.

The thing that’s stayed with me most about the album is how well Solace embodied the notion that just because it’s doom doesn’t mean it has to be dumb. A.D. is rich and complex — and not just in the oft-harmonized guitars — and technical never at the expense of the songwriting, but to track the different parts of a song like closer “From Below” (my favorite single song of the year,” for what it’s worth; I’m still trying to wrap my head around Jason‘s vocal arrangement toward the ending) is more work than 365 days can allow, and like the absolute best of releases, Solace‘s A.D. is a landmark by which I’ll remember the year it was released.

It’s the weekend of my wedding anniversary, but man, the lineup for Small Stone‘s Philadelphia showcase is pretty badass. True, I’ve seen most of these bands, but I don’t imagine House of Broken Promises are going to make a habit of being on the East Coast, Backwoods Payback are buddies, Solace kill every time, Red Giant‘s got a new album coming, I’d really, really like to hear some of the material from Sasquatch‘s third record live, and the Millcreek Tavern has their own home brew. Looks like it could be another test of The Patient Mrs. living up to her name.

Here’s the news from Small Stone:

Small Stone is pleased to announce that we will be doing two back-to-back showcases at The Philadelphia Film & Music Festival in September. Our events will be taking place at the Millcreek Tavern which is located at 4200 Chester Avenue, University City, Philadelphia (215-222-1255). And, now for the lineup:

Friday September 24th: Dixie Witch, The Brought Low, Throttlerod, Lo-Pan, Sun Gods in Exile, Backwoods Payback

Saturday September 25th: Solace, Roadsaw, Sasquatch, House of Broken Promises, Gozu, Red Giant

Well friends, it looks like there’s a technicality issue with this year’s TFFH. I thought I’d be all set to go with Clamfight‘s righteous Vol. 1 at number five, but I got this comment from guitarist Sean on the original post:

To clarify, the CD has not been officially released, we are aiming to have it out for a release show in Philly on August 13th with some incredible bands. We’ve been doling out home-burned copies to a select few and some songs will be up for download on the various sites shortly.

August clearly is not June, and since this is the Top Five of the First Half of 2010, Vol. 1 is hereby disqualified.

Controversy! I’ll give you a second to gasp…

Now that the shock has (hopefully) subsided, we can deal with the issue on a practical level. We all know Clamfight‘s Vol. 1 will be seen again at the end of the year, so it’s not worth crying about that, and obviously this change is no value judgment on the record — which, let me emphasize, fucking rules — but if I include a record that won’t be out until August on this list, then I’d have to include stuff like the new Zoroaster too, which comes out in July, and that’s not really what the TFFH about.

Without further ado, here is the revised Top Five of the First Half of 2010:
1. Asteroid, II
2. Solace, A.D.
3. Ufomammut, Eve
4. Fatso Jetson, Archaic Volumes
5. The Wounded Kings, The Shadow over Atlantis

There. Now we can all dance like Ewoks and be happy that the list is fair and only includes albums which were released in the first six months of the year. Honorable mentions go out to Apostle of Solitude, The Brought Low, Sasquatch and Brant Bjork, any of whom could have been on this list easily.

With that cleared up, that’s it for the 2010 TFFH. If you’ve got a list of your own, leave a comment and let me know what I’ve been missing.

It just occurred to me that, along with Fatso Jetson‘s Archaic Volumes, Solace‘s A.D. is the second album on this list to have taken seven years to complete. Sure, Solace had the The Black Black EP in between, but for studio full-lengths, 13 came out in 2003. It’s hard to believe A.D. is only Solace‘s third album. Seems like at this point they have more DVDs out than CDs.

Nevertheless, the New Jersey natives have, at long last, released the album, and it’s some of the best recorded doom and roll I’ve witnessed in a long time. In February, when I joined guitarists Tommy Southard and Justin Daniels for the mixing session at Mad Oak Studios in Allston, Massachusetts, and I first got to hear the tracks, I was blown away by how powerful the material sounded. Yes, it was recorded over a span of years at different sessions, but at no point does A.D. sound hodgepodge or like it’s the product of one big cut and paste.

Those who were waiting for A.D. know now it was worth the time. I still get a chill up my spine whenever I listen to “From Below,” and cuts like “Six Year Trainwreck” and “Za Gamman” are great examples of why Solace have made such a name for themselves in the doom underground. Yeah, they’re from Jersey and so am I, so there’s a regional loyalty there, but I defy you to listen to A.D. and find me a better doom album that’s come out this year. It doesn’t exist.

The only reason it’s not number one on this list is it hasn’t been out as long as my number one pick and I factor in listens over time so as to offset the novelty of the more recent releases (it’s a very complex system). Without that, A.D. would be my number one for sure, as Solace have made a defining point of an album that I’ve no doubt will prove a landmark in years to come. And it’s good, too.

[Note: I decided to feature this again since there had been enough posts in the meantime to knock it off the top page. Today's newer posts will appear underneath.]

It’s been seven years since the last Solace record came out, and The Obelisk is proud to premiere the first leaked track from their new record, A.D., which hits iTunes next month and will exist in the physical realm come June. The song is “Za Gamman,” it rocks, and if you seek any further information, I recommend you check out either Solace‘s MySpace page or the Small Stone website. While I’m plugging things, my review for A.D. is here.

Solace, “Za Gamman”

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Says guitarist Justin Daniels of the track: “I’d have to say that it’s one of the more Solace-sounding songs on the album and I have to give Jason credit for sticking that ungodly hook in my head. That motherfucker’s voice soars at the end of the song. Chills every time.”

Solace recently announced they’ve been added to the lineup of this year’s Hellfest in France. They’ll be playing alongside the likes of Garcia Plays Kyuss, Yawning Man, Black Cobra, Brant Bjork, Mondo Generator, Weedeater and Rwake in the Terrorizer tent on Sunday, June 20. Oh yeah, Kiss and Motörhead will be there too.

I know I’ve discussed on multiple occasions the fallacy of objectivity in criticism. It’s kind of a sticking point for me. Ostensibly, I don’t even need to acknowledge it — most people who review albums certainly don’t — but the question continues to linger: “How the hell am I supposed to decide whether a given band’s record is good or not if I like it so damn much?”

That’s oversimplifying. In the case of A.D., which is the first full-length from New Jersey doomers Solace since 2003’s 13 (2007’s The Black Black EP and 2005’s split with the now-defunct Greatdayforup providing odd-yeared stopgaps/notice that the band was still active), I’m a longtime fan of the band, I’ve known the guys for years and I was with guitarists Tommy Southard and Justin Daniels at Mad Oak Studios in Allston, MA, while the record was being mixed. I had sentimental attachment to these songs before I even heard them in their finished, mastered form. Now I’m supposed to write a review? How is that even fair?

Of course, it’s easily enough ignored. A review could easily be written full of blanket praise for A.D., which is Solace’s debut on new label Small Stone Records. It would be simple to do that, especially feeling the way I do about the album, and especially given the hard time I’m having even composing a sentence acknowledging that there are choppy moments in the recording that come out on repeat listens. Let it be said, however, that I have nothing really to gain from kissing Solace’s ass. My opinions are as irrelevant as they are wordy, and I doubt very much if anyone in the band’s afternoon hinges on my judgment of their performance on the record.

So, now that I’ve had the weekend to properly agonize over it, and realizing that I’m, in fact, only accountable to myself, please find enclosed the following review of Solace’s A.D.:

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1:26AM: Made it into the valley about an hour ago. Not bad time. The Patient Mrs. did her undergrad in Waltham, MA, which essentially means I can do the Masspike-to-84-to-91-to-95-to-287-to-287 (the highway so nice you have to drive on it twice) thing with my eyes closed. Helpful in situations such as tonight, when I basically did.

I still have Solace songs stuck in my head after the drive. They were finished with “Disillusioned Prophet” when I left, 9:20PM by my watch, and were talking about starting tomorrow with “The Immortal, the Dead and the Nothing,” since it’s the longer and potentially more complicated of the two songs left to do. As for the rest of the night, there was some talk of drinking, some talk of going up the road to see Doomriders, but mostly I think Tommy wanted some ice cream and Justin wanted to not smell anymore. Both reasonable desires.

So ends my in-studio adventure with Solace. I don’t know how done A.D. will be by the time the two guitarists head back to Jersey tomorrow — it’s an album and anything can happen — but of course I wish them all the best with the rest of the work they put into getting it out, and thank them for letting me come up and observe for a bit. Anyone who’s ever made a record knows it can get tedious even in this technologically advanced age, but as someone perpetually fascinated by even the boring parts of the process, I’m happy to witness it whenever I can, whether I’m in the band or not. Thanks again to them as well as Benny Grotto (whose band, Motherboar, I’m looking forward to checking out) and Mad Oak Studios for their hospitality, and to you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it half as much as I did.

7:54PM: A little dinner (okay, a lot of dinner) later and spirits are up. Work is resumed on “Disillusioned Prophet” and universal opinion in the room — that is, mine, Justin‘s, Tommy‘s and Benny‘s — is that the song is kicking ass. I don’t imagine much if anything will be done when this song is “finished,” but given how much work has gone into the two tracks that were worked on today, if I was required to judge one way or the other, I’d say it’s a win.

Still to be done are the songs “The Immortal, the Dead and the Nothing” and “Six Year Trainwreck,” which will likely be tackled tomorrow, but as far as closing out the work this evening, the decision to walk away for a bit and have a bite to eat was definitely the right one. Everyone feels better and as I hear “Disillusioned Prophet” closer to closer to being done, I can easily imagine it being the opener. The song has great energy and sets a good tone for the rest of the cuts (at least the ones I’ve heard so far; unless they go blackened folk metal on the others, it should fit nicely into its intended spot).

My plan is to split out of here in either an hour or so or when this song is done, whichever comes first. Doomriders are reportedly playing down the street at this or that bar, but hitting the road back to Jersey wins. Real life was bound to come back into it sooner or later.

5:35PM: Work has begun on “Disillusioned Prophet,” and yes, that is as ominous as it sounds. The song is set to be the opener of A.D., and for the last two hours or so, Benny has been going track by track — that’s “track” as in the individual layers of instrumentation and vocals making up the songs, not the songs themselves — making sure all the frequencies and whathaveyous are where they should be. At first, he kicked Justin and Tommy and I out of the room, but I cited freedom of the press and wormed my way back in for what he aptly called, “The Boring Part.”

Everyone’s a little tired, a little hungry, a little on edge. By yesterday at this time I had at least three PBRs in me, but more than that, I think all parties involved were hoping today would go a little faster than it has been. Getting “Down South Dog” (or maybe “The Down South Dog Boogie,” I don’t think a final call has been made as regards the title) to where it was supposed to be proved a monumental task, and since it’s the opener, the same applies in an ongoing tense for “Disillusioned Prophet.” The layers of guitar alone — acoustic coupled with electric, solos, harmonies, etc. — could probably take two days to work out.

But that’s mixing, and if my arsty-fartsy black and white photo of a plastic cup and stack of CDs that were on the counter in the lounge proves anything, it’s that downtime can do strange things to people in a given physical space. Tommy spent much of the time working out his restlessness on the Asteroids machine and he and Justin wrote a honky-tonk song in the live room (sorry no video), so there’s that. I have half a headache and could stand a shower, but that’s heavy metal. Earlier on, we all gathered around Benny‘s laptop to watch the over-the-top ridiculousness that is Dream Evil‘s video for “The Book of Heavy Metal.” I imagine when and if that book is ever written, afternoons such as these will be left out in favor of giving space to tits, beer and moshing, but this is how shit really happens. Life is not what you see on VH1 or read on self-indulgent music blogs.

2:48PM: We’ve been asked to leave the control room so Benny can concentrate. Reasonable. When putting together the semi-final version of “Down South Dog,” one of the several hundred of Jason‘s vocal tracks went missing, so there’s some work to be done there. The thing is, these songs were recorded in at least three separate sessions, over the course of more than three years, so a major challenge for Mr. Grotto has been making it cohesive. You know, like an album. Fortunately he seems up to the task.

Miraculously, I fell back to sleep on the floor of the live room this morning. Breakfast was at around 10:30AM at a cafe up the street. Kind of a hippie place, local art on the walls and all that, but not too crowded and not too pretentious — and a killer breakfast burrito goes a long way. Some gorgeous collegiate-types directed us a couple blocks down to In Your Ear Records, where Tommy picked up his fair share of vinyl and then some. I grabbed some CDs that I’ll likely detail at another time.

If there’s anything I’ve noticed in listening to these tracks, it’s the growth. The last five years have not left Solace the same as they were. Even since their last EP, 2007′s The Black Black, the change is audible in the songs. There are rampant harmonies in the vocals and guitars — of course guitars are a central focus since I’m here with the two guitarists — but as much as we’ve been throwing around dick jokes and one-liners about anal beads, there’s no question the process is incredibly important to these dudes.

It’s worth noting these aren’t to be the final final mixes of the A.D. record. Although the tracks are complete in terms of the recording, there’s more to putting it all together. Jason, for example, still has to okay the vocal mixes, and there will probably be another round of tweaks for the instruments as well. But it’s working out and as odd as it is to think of the words “Solace” and “mature” in the same sentence, musically at least there’s a sense that the long time they’ve taken to make this record happen hasn’t been for nothing.

John Arzgarth was here and gone, but it was good to see him however briefly. A sample of his then-infant son is set to open “Down South Dog.” Plans are to head to a dive bar for drinks later, but that probably depends on how much is left to do with these songs. Time’s always a factor. It’s after 3PM now and we’re back in the control room, but there’s still a ways to go. It wouldn’t be doom if it didn’t take a long time.