SWEAT LODGE: Austin Heavy Psych Act Signs With Ripple Music; New Track From Upcoming Album Talismana Streaming Now On Bandcamp

Austin, TX's heavy psychedelic act SWEAT LODGE has signed with Ripple Music and their new album, Talismana, will be out in early 2015. Keep an eye out for more details in the coming weeks, but for now, you can get a taste of the new album by clearing yourself an area to rock out and streaming the infectiously groovy track "Slow Burn" on Bandcamp.

Listen to Sweat Lodge's new track "Slow Burn" now at THIS LOCATION.

Sweat Lodge are aptly named, as the sound produced by this Austin TX, vibe tribe is best experienced in a dark, smoke filled room. Eschewing modern tendencies in heavy music to rely on brute force, the group combines epic, technical songwriting with enough neolithic heaviness to keep the cavemen happy. Beginning as a bass/drums/vox trio in summer 2010, the band developed a groove-laden sound that relied on Caleb Dawson’s heavy yet nuanced backbeat and the saturated tone of Austin “The Shock” Shockley's gnarled bass-fuzz, laying the foundation for singer Cody Lee's soaring vocals. As heard on their cardinal self-titled 7” recorded the following year with Orville Neeley (OBN III’s, Bad Sports etc.) the tight, dynamic rhythm section and commanding vocals deliver the songs expertly, but their ambition to expand sonically would require the addition of 6-string guitar. Enter guitarist Javier Gardea and permanent addition to the groups lineup,guitarist Dustin Anderson,who play off of one another to create a web of intricate melodic sections matched with one-ton riffs and passages of hypnotic psychedelia. In the two years since,the group’s sound has gotten bigger and better, culminating in the recording of the group’s first LP.

The debut full-length Talismana tackles the ponderous concept of man finding his place in the universe and the many physical and spiritual hurdles one faces in the process. In using the concept of the talisman as protection against evil and vice as well as a catalyst for change in the self and society as a whole, frontman Lee uses his songs as a platform to address the metaphysical and psychological plight of modern man through the lense of ancient wisdom and magical practice. Much like the ceremonial lodge which inspired their name, the music of Sweat Lodge offers enlightenment and purification to those who can stand the heat.

Look for more info on Talismana, Sweat Lodge's Ripple Music debut album, in the coming weeks!

To set up an interview with Sweat Lodge, please contact Cat Jones at southernxpr@gmail.com.

Links:
Sweat Lodge on Facebook
sweatlodgemusic.bandcamp.com
ripple-music.com

STUBB: Exquisite Rock Odyssey Cry Of The Ocean Out Now Via Ripple Music

London, England's heavy psychedelic trio Stubb has released their exquisitely intricate sophomore album, Cry Of The Ocean, via Ripple Music. Some critical acclaim for this exquisite piece of heavy rock:

"Cry of the Ocean is undoubtedly a release of superb heartwarming, hard rocking soulfulness."
- Ninehertz

"For the dedicated music fan, hearing a great new album is rather akin to the feeling that a gourmet gets when introduced to a particularly tasty meal. The pulse quickens, the heart pulses and a sense of excitement. It is just this feeling that strikes when you are introduced to the flaming guitars and psychedelic visions of London’s mighty Stubb.”
- Sonic Abuse

"A more complex offering...and in case you're worried, there's no shortage of fuzz, either."
- The Obelisk

Stream/Purchase Cry Of The Ocean right here:
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/cry-of-the-ocean

Listen to "Sail Forever," which premiered on The Obelisk here:
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2014/10/23/stubb-cry-of-the-ocean-sail-forever/

Cry Of The Ocean can also be purchased at the Ripple Music store on LP HERE and CD HERE.

The power trios of the late '60s and early '70s are the blueprint for Stubb’s loud, hard-driving, fuzzed-up heavy blues rock. The band recorded their first full length album for UK label Superhot Records, and hit the road, gigging with such heavy rock luminaries as the Gentlemans Pistols, Firebird, Cherry Choke, Steak, Sungrazer and The Machine as well as playing to a packed house at Desertfest. Making the trip over to Europe twice with Stone Axe from the USA further cemented Stubb's reputation as a solid live act with some serious chops. Quickly, their debut album sold out and fans of heavy rock have been waiting eagerly for their sophomore effort. Now, Ripple Music is proud to deliver Cry of the Ocean, a blissed-out new album that will cement Stubb’s place in the hierarchy of elite heavy rock bands.

Stubb is:
Jack Dickinson - Guitar and vocals
Tom Fyfe - Drums
Peter Holland - Bass

To speak with a member of Stubb, drop an email to Cat Jones at southernxpr@gmail.com.

Links:
stubbrock.co.uk
facebook.com/Stubbrock
ripplemusic.bandcamp.com
ripple-music.com
Ripple Music Facebook

Ripple Music and GEEZER: New York-Based Psychedelic Blues Trio Announce Worldwide Release of Gage

Though Kingston, NY's blues-based stoner/psych trio Geezer originally released their 2014 EP Gage on VERY limited vinyl through STB Records, selling out almost immediately, Ripple Music is now teaming up with STB to release the worldwide version on February 9th in Europe/UK and February 10th in North America.

More on the tale of Geezer...

In a dark corner of an old dusty metal shop, alongside the menacing blasts of industrial age freight trains, that’s where the sound was forged. Where the rusted steel of a bygone era meets the ancient spirits of legendary mountains, that’s where the reckoning came to be. As a whole greater than it’s parts (and a whole lotta noise along the way), a beacon arose from the valley below and brought forth a new sense of old ways and a recalibration of doctrine.

In other words: Geezer lays down thick heavy grooves rooted in the tradition of pre-war slide guitar blues, while simultaneously breaking boundaries through sonic experimentation and improvisation. Known for their mind-bending live performances, Geezer has shared the stage with some of the heaviest hitters around, including Wo Fat, The Midnight Ghost Train, Lo-Pan, Gozu and Borracho, as well as Volume IV, Order Of The Owl, Kings Destroy and others at The Eye Of The Stoned Goat Festival in Worchester, MA.

Listen to Gage EP in its entirety here:
https://geezertown.bandcamp.com/album/gage

Geezer is:
Pat Harrington - guitar, vocals
Freddy Villano - bass
Chris Turco - drums

“The bass is a leviathan of low end rumble, the blues guitar forging molten riffs of iron and steel, and the drum work massive and purposeful.”
- Heavy Planet

“It's a powerful and soothing expression of nearly a hundred years of music placed upon an altar that a thousand giants built and cherished, and this one may stand the test of time in ways that will continue to define the genre for a long time to come. Yes, it's that damn good.”
- The Ripple Effect

“The whole thing sounds like a peyote trip in the desert. Languid guitar passages swirl visibly like heat rising from a long stretch of highway asphalt. You can taste the sand in your teeth, smell the chopper fumes, feel the urge to finally find solace in a dusty saloon. This shit works.”
 - Vinyl Junkies


LINKS:
geezertown.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/geezerNY
ripple-music.com

MOTHERSHIP: Dallas Riffers Release Mothership II Today; "Holy Massacre" Streaming Now At The Obelisk

Dallas, Texas-based, supersonic, intergalactic heavy rock trio and family unit Mothership have released their thunderous sophomore album, Mothership II, via Ripple Music today. In honor of its release, The Obelisk is streaming the second single from the album, "Holy Massacre," today. The Obelisk comments that "The song’s fluidity, natural tonality, live feel and high-octane delivery speak to many of the strengths at work across the album, and that’s not to mention the strength of the hook at play in its chorus. A bluesy chug emerges as it builds to its stomping apex.”

Turn up your speakers and blast "Holy Massacre" at THIS LOCATION.

If you missed it, you can also stream "Priestess Of The Moon" via Terrorizer HERE.

Mothership II, which was engineered at Dallas' Crystal Clear Studios by none other than Kent Stump of Wo Fat, can be ordered on black gatefold vinyl HERE, digipack CD HERE, and digitally HERE.

"Mothership’s goal is a simple yet admirable one; to carry on the tradition of the classic rock style of the ’70′s, updated and amped up for the modern day. Marrying Sabbath-esque riffs to a kind of ZZ Top swagger, if you’ve got a soft spot for this style of music then you’re going to love this."
- Terrorizer

Mothership is:
Kyle Juett - Bass, vocals
Kelley Juett - Guitar, vocals
Judge Smith - Drums

See Mothership live:
11/14 Dallas, TX @ Curtain Club
11/15 Austin, TX @ The Lost Well
11/20 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Blue Note
11/21 Fort Worth, TX @ Lola's Saloon
12/19 Houston, TX @ End Of The World Festival

For all press inquiries, please contact Cat Jones at southernxpr@gmail.com.

LINKS:
mothershipusa.bandcamp.com
mothershiphaslanded.com
facebook.com/mothershipusa
twitter.com/mothershipusa
ripple-music.com
ripplemusic.bandcamp.com

WHITE LIGHT CEMETERY: Louisiana-Based Heavy Blues Act Signs With Ripple Music; Release Slated For Mid 2015

Lafayette, Louisiana's bluesy southern rock outfit WHITE LIGHT CEMETERY is the latest band to sign with bay-area heavy-riff label Ripple Music. Though an exact release date has yet to be set for the new album, look for an announcement in the coming months.

In 2011 White Light Cemetery released their first EP, Crow Sessions, cementing their sound as a bluesy amalgamation of influences like Lynrd Sknyrd, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Crowbar and Deep Purple. The band has gained a sizable following in Louisiana and the attention of many southern rock/metal fans throughout south, opening for a wide range on national acts, most notably Down, Goatwhore and Crowbar. After the "Band of Brothers on the Bayou Tour" opening for the Kyle Turley Band in the summer of 2013, White Light Cemetery entered the studio and released a full length album followed by a stint with Crowbar as main support for the "Crushing the South" tour.

Past praise for White Light Cemetery:

“White Light Cemetery is a low chugging band of Southern brother-dudes, cranking out dirty metal and corrosion steel...If you like pulverizing riffage, thunder sounds and diamond bags filled with white lightning seeds, you will dig them too.”  -Dege Legg, The Pipeline on The IND

“I have a soft spot for this type of sound, heavy rock in the spirit of Down and Black Label Society, mixing Sabbath riffing with Southern warmth a la Lynyrd Skynyrd. But still, it's a type of music that can be easily done in the wrong way, if it lacks heart and skill, and drop into a simple copy of stuff that's already been played. Doesnt happen here. Where other bands in the same mold seem to have failed recently, White Light Cemetery gives five tracks of great riffs, heavy beauty and warm melodies, balancing the southern touches with that slight smokey, electric despair that Down seem to have matched so well." -Andrea Contanzo, Doommantia

To set up an interview with White Light Cemetery, drop an email to southernxpr@gmail.com.

Links:
facebook.com/WhiteLightCemetery
whitelightcemetery.bandcamp.com
ripple-music.com

ZED: Bay Area Heavy Groovers Ink Deal With Ripple Music; New Album Out In 2015

Today, Ripple Music has announced that it has inked a new record deal with Bay Area heavy rock and roll outfit ZED, who will be releasing their third album in 2015.

Blasting onto the San Francisco Bay Area rock scene in 2007, ZED quickly made a name for themselves with their crushing live shows and incessant grooves. Having played together in various projects since 1998, including releasing an album with the band Stitch for Prosthetic/Metal Blade Records, Guitarist/Vocalist Peter Sattari, drummer Rich Harris and bassist Mark Aceves joined up with guitar wizard Greg Lopes to create a sound that was uniquely their own, a sound whose sole purpose was to rock, with no concern for genres, labels, classifications or rules. Drawing from their varied influences ranging from classic '70s rock, punk/hardcore, metal and old school funk, ZED writes music that grabs you, throws you around and grooves you all at once. The band has been likened to "a pissed off Led Zeppelin with Chris Cornell meets Ian Astbury on vocals," ZED writes songs that linger in your head long after you listen to them.

ZED independently released their sophomore album Desperation Blues in May of 2013, which garnered critical acclaim as well as charting on CMJ throughout the summer. Supporting the album up and down the west coast, ZED has played consistently through the fall of 2014 where they are now focusing on writing their follow up to Desperation Blues which is also their debut for Ripple Music. ZED is excited and proud to be joining the Ripple Music family and look forward to making heads bob and asses shake in 2015.

Listen to 2013's Desperation Blues here:
http://zedisded.bandcamp.com

To speak with ZED, please contact southernxpr@gmail.com.

LINKS:
facebook.com/zedrocknow
zedisded.com
zedisded.bandcamp.com
ripple-music.com
ripplemusic.bandcamp.com

VOLUME IV: Atlanta-Based Biker Doom Trio Starts East Coast/Southern Takeover This Weekend

Atlanta's VOLUME IV may have been quiet as of late, but with a huge year ahead of them and many things to announce in the coming months, they're kicking things off by taking their southern-tinged biker doom riffs on the road and laying waste to the south as well as the east coast.

11/1 Birmingham, Alabama @ The Bottletree
11/4 Atlanta, GA @ The Basement
11/7 Brunswick, GA @ HBGB
11/8 Savannah, GA @ The Jinx
11/22 Montgomery, AL @ Head On The Door
12/4 Spartanburg, SC @ Groundzero
12/5 Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone
12/6 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
12/31 Pensacola, FL @ Handlebar

Listen to Volume IV's skull-shattering 2014 release, Long In The Tooth, right here:
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/long-in-the-tooth

Watch the haunting video for "Awake The Dreamer," which premiered on MetalSucks:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2014/07/22/video-premiere-volume-iv-awake-dreamer/

With equal parts elegant beauty and steamrolling aggression, Volume IV serve up a piece of ear candy for the ages with Long In The Tooth. This first release with Ripple Music is a concise, 36-minute thrill ride of swampy metal heroics, featuring heavy grooves, classic bluesy stoner riffs, and an overall impending sense of doom. These boys bring back the old school attitude of musical sensibility, working hard to master your instrument, and taking pride in creating a wide pallet of musical styles: Thunderous drumming locked tight within the pocket, bass guitar providing a dense foundation for the thick guitar and gritty yet melodic vocals that lay on top. In a world where everything is mechanized, click-tracked and auto-tuned, Volume IV does it the only way, the honest way, straight from the gut.

Individually the members of Volume IV have shared the stage with legendary acts such as Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Danzig, Mastodon, Corrosion Of Conformity and Down just to name a few. Led by singer/guitarist Joe Carpenter and filled out by bassist Blake Parris and drummer Troy King, Volume IV has stunned the metal world with one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

"Volume IV draw from a set of southern, '70s, biker and stoner rock, amalgamating the mix into a very spacious, slow-motion burl that possesses a deep groove."
- Metal Hammer

"What draws us to Volume IV is their willingness to step a bit outside the confines of what you might normally expect from a group of stoner/sludge/whatever beardos and longhairs."
- MetalSucks

“The riff is heavy and the groove is huge, it's biker metal done perfectly. We mentioned this release was highly anticipated, but it surpassed even our expectations.  Definitely a top ten album of the year candidate.”
- Stoner Rock BBQ

LINKS:
facebook.com/VolumeIV
volume-iv.com
ripple-music.com
ripplemusic.bandcamp.com