Category: heavy rock

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: JOVM Mainstays Friendship Commanders Share Stormy “Still Life”

Slated for a September 29, 2023 release, Friendship Commanders‘ Kurt Ballou and Friendship Commanders co-produced third album MASS is a concept album that thematically is about time, memory and frontperson Buick Audra’s personal experiences of leaving Massachusetts, a place she left because she no longer felt comfortable or welcome.

So far, I’ve managed to write about three of the album’s released singles:

  • “Fail,” a grunge-inspired ripper built around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming and enormous mosh pit friendly hooks and choruses paired with Buick Audra’s expressive, Ann Wilson-like delivery. “Fail” manages to simultaneously evoke a cry for help and a desperate attempt to connect with another that just seems to fall a bit short. The duo explained that the song was written to honor the memory of Spore‘s and Sunburned Hand of the Man‘s Marc Orleans, who committed suicide in June 2020. “We chose to make the song energetic, dissonant, and big, just as he would like it. Bit of a departure for us from our usual doomy vibe, but it’s still the same band, we think,” the band says. 

  • “High Sun,” a 120 Minutes-era MTV alt-rock/shoegazey-like single that’s a a bit of a departure from the doom-influenced heaviness that they’re best known for. “When I moved away from Boston, I hauled an enormous amount of shame along with me. I had experienced these weird, high-impact moments that were not only troubling on their own, but the aftermath saw me painted as an outcast in my former social groups,” Friendship Commanders’ Buick Audra explains. “And I was young enough to believe that I was the problem. I had been in one controlling relationship in which being different was treated as disobedient, and I was punished for it—publicly. Being a person who was wired to take on blame, I absorbed it. But now when I look at the story, I see the manipulation, the dynamics that repeated themselves. They were experts at making people feel like outsiders, experts at deflecting responsibility. I wanted to drag it all out into the daylight with this big, fuzzy song. I’ve been waiting a long time to say this.”

  • “Vampires,” an earnest, arena rock-like anthems — with the new single being built around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming, enormous shout-along worthy hooks. Much like its predecessors, “Vampires” is informed by and fueled by deeply embittering and at times humiliating personal experience. And as a result, the hurt and disdain at the core of the song is visceral. “There was a season at the end of my time in Boston where I was being turned into ‘The Problem’ by someone who wanted to control me and couldn’t; it was a moment where I could have played small and gone along with what she wanted, as I had once done,” Audra explains in press notes. “But I didn’t. I played big. I kept what was mine instead of giving it away—which included parts of my identity. And while the result was a scorched earth reality that impacts my sense of self to this day, it also ended the whole thing. I learned a valuable lesson in that season: don’t fuel the narcissists. Keep your power for yourself. It’s what they hate. And if they’re going to drag your character out in front of everyone you know, you might as well burn it all down for the warmth.”

“Still Life,” MASS‘ fifth and final single is a stormy and forceful ripper built around Jerry Roe‘s thunderous drumming, Audra’s towering walls of guitar and her powerhouse vocal, which in this song express hurt, confusion, simmering anger, defiance and pride within the turn of a phrase. The band explains that the song outlines a series of interactions in which one person is told to be quiet about their injuries, to essentially “walk them off,” even when those injuries might be life-threatening.

Directed and edited by the band’s Jerry Roe and stylishly shot by the band’s Roe and Jarad Clement with lighting by Clement, the accompanying video features the band performing the song in a bare studio with the camera circling them in an intimate yet dizzying fashion.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Bristol’s PEACH Shares a Bruising Ripper

Bristol-based desert rock outfit PEACH — founding members Andy Sutor (drums) and Jean-Paul “JP” Jacyshyn (guitar), Tim Cooke (baritone guitar) and No Violet‘s Ellie Godwin (vocals) — can trace their origins back to 2019: Founding members Sutor and Jacyshyn started work on ideas for the band inspired by their shared love of Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Eleven and others. Soon after recruiting Cooke, initial song ideas stared to take shape but progress was inevitably stifled as a result of the pandemic.

PEACH’s lineup was finalized in 2021 when Godwin, who brought along writing and vocal influences like Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley was recruited. Taking their ideas to the rehearsal room, the newly-constituted quartet pulled together a hard hitting set of songs. After a drawn out inception, they believed that material deserved — and needed — to be recorded.

With a handful of singles under their collective belts, the Bristol-based outfit have been championed by BBC Radio 1‘s Daniel P. Carter, Noizze, James Scarlett and BBC Radio Wales‘ Adam Walton. They’ve also earned opening slots for bands like Mclusky, LIFE, Chiyoda Ku, Skin Failure, and CLT DRP — and a set at last year’s ArcTanGent Festival.

The Bristol-based quartet’s Peter Miles-produced nine-song, self-titled, full-length debut is slated for a September 30, 2023 release. Recorded live-to-tape with minimal overdubs in Devon‘s Middle Farm Studios, the album sees the band staying true to their original influences while capturing the raw energy, thunderous drumming, emotive powerhouse vocals and heavy dirge-like guitar riffs. Thematically, the album’s material reportedly sees the band exploring boundaries, comfort zones, change and moments of clarity in relationships with an unvarnished honesty.

The self-titled album’s first single “Already There” is a ripper built around Godwin’s furious, powerhouse delivery, scorching dirge-like, power chord-driven riffs, thunderous drumming and enormous shout-along worthy hooks and chorus. Sonically bringing PJ Harvey, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age and others to mind, “Already There” discusses the awareness of being manipulated and the bitter feelings that come with that relationship — and it does so with the earnest, unvarnished honesty that can only come from personal experience.

“’Already There’ is about a growing awareness of being manipulated – that guttural feeling of unease, exhausted and perplexed thoughts, repeatedly striving to be a better version of oneself,” the members of PEACH explain. “As you move through the circular notion of this song, its growling and sludgy behaviours are profound. ‘Already There’ eventually leads to the intertwining of the spiralling vocals and the jagged guitar solo, projecting the emotion of the track to a pinnacle point of defeat.”

Directed by studio other types‘ Charlotte Gosch and IDLES’ Lee Kiernan, who are also both part of the film production company Holding Hands with Horses, the accompanying video features the band in Brady Brunch-like squares with colored strobe lights singing the song’s hook, split with footage of a romantic couple having a bitter, drawn-out fight. The video captures and evokes the fury and shame at the core of the song.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Friendship Commanders Share An Earnest and Anthemic Ripper

Nashville-based melodic heavy duo and JOVM mainstays Friendship Commanders‘ forthcoming Kurt Ballou and Friendship Commanders co-produced third album MASS is a concept album about time, memory and Massachusetts based on Buick Audra’s personal experiences of leaving someplace one no longer feels comfortable or welcome.

In the lead-up to the album’s release, I’ve written about two of the album’s singles:

“Fail,” a grunge-inspired ripper built around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming and enormous mosh pit friendly hooks and choruses paired with Buick Audra’s expressive, Ann Wilson-like delivery. “Fail” manages to simultaneously evoke a cry for help and a desperate attempt to connect with another that just seems to fall a bit short.

The duo explained that the song was written to honor the memory of Spore‘s and Sunburned Hand of the Man‘s Marc Orleans, who committed suicide in June 2020. “We chose to make the song energetic, dissonant, and big, just as he would like it. Bit of a departure for us from our usual doomy vibe, but it’s still the same band, we think,” the band says. 

“High Sun,” a 120 Minutes-era MTV alt-rock/shoegazey-like single that’s a a bit of a departure from the doom-influenced heaviness that they’re best known for. But “When I moved away from Boston, I hauled an enormous amount of shame along with me. I had experienced these weird, high-impact moments that were not only troubling on their own, but the aftermath saw me painted as an outcast in my former social groups,” Friendship Commanders’ Buick Audra explains. “And I was young enough to believe that I was the problem. I had been in one controlling relationship in which being different was treated as disobedient, and I was punished for it—publicly. Being a person who was wired to take on blame, I absorbed it. But now when I look at the story, I see the manipulation, the dynamics that repeated themselves. They were experts at making people feel like outsiders, experts at deflecting responsibility. I wanted to drag it all out into the daylight with this big, fuzzy song. I’ve been waiting a long time to say this.”

“Vampires,” MASS‘ latest single continues a run of earnest, arena rock-like anthems — with the new single being built around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming, enormous shout-along worthy hooks. Much like its predecessors, “Vampires” is informed by and fueled by deeply embittering and at times humiliating personal experience. And as a result, the hurt and disdain at the core of the song is visceral.

“There was a season at the end of my time in Boston where I was being turned into The Problem by someone who wanted to control me and couldn’t; it was a moment where I could have played small and gone along with what she wanted, as I had once done,” Audra explains in press notes. “But I didn’t. I played big. I kept what was mine instead of giving it away—which included parts of my identity. And while the result was a scorched earth reality that impacts my sense of self to this day, it also ended the whole thing. I learned a valuable lesson in that season: don’t fuel the narcissists. Keep your power for yourself. It’s what they hate. And if they’re going to drag your character out in front of everyone you know, you might as well burn it all down for the warmth.”

Directed by the band, the accompanying video for “Vampires” is split between footage of the band performing the song, the band’s Audra first dancing with — and then killing the vampires that have been terrorizing her.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: BORIS Set to Re-issue 2002’s “Heavy Rocks,” Share Glam Rock Headbanger “1970”

Formed back in 1992, Japanese, experimental heavy rock outfit Boris ((ボリス, Borisu) — currently core members Takeshi (vocals, bass, guitar), Wata (vocals, guitar, keys, accordion and echo) Atsuo (vocals, drums, percussion and electronics) with Mucho (drums) — settled on their current lineup in 1996. Since then, the members of Boris have tirelessly explored their own genre-defying take on heavy music.

The acclaimed Japanese heavy rock outfit released their landmark album Heavy Rocks back in 2002. Its original release only circulated domestically in Japan, leaving listeners globally eager for physical copies. As record pressings were in production, a fire broke out at the plant and the stamper was lost, rendering the album out-of-print for many years — and it quickly became a cult classic. 

21 years after its original release, Third Man Records and Boris will be re-issuing Heavy Rocks (2002) on LP and digital formats for the first time ever, along with a CD re-press. The reissue, which will be out digitally on August 18, 2023 and physically on September 18, 2023 was restored from the original TD master. 

The re-issue of Heavy Rocks (2002) will also coincide with a recently announced Stateside tour with Melvins this summer aand fall. The bands have circled each other with reverence for many years; they first played a show together in 1999 during Melvins’ first time in Japan, and ever since they have deepened their friendship and enjoyed opportunities to play together whenever possible. 

For their first tour together, both bands will be playing a full set of material from their classic and beloved albums: Melvins will be playing material from 1991’s Bullhead and Boris will be playing material from Heavy Rocks 2022. 

 “Could anyone have predicted such an astonishing event, that Boris and Melvins would tour the entire USA together? Since the mid-1980’s, Melvins have had an enormous influence on artists of all genres not only limited to heavy music, and have brought forth a surge of faithful followers over the years,” Boris’ Takeshi says. “Needless to say, Boris is just one of these many bands influenced by the mighty Melvins, and we took our name from a song title off of the 1991 album, Bullhead.”

“40 years as the Melvins!!! What better way to celebrate that unlikely milestone than by setting off on the ‘Twins of Evil Tour’ with our friends Boris!!” Melvins’ Buzz Osbourne adds. “This will be a stone groove!” And as always, tour dates are below.

You can pre-order Heavy Rocks (2002) here. You can also check out a new line of Heavy Rocks merch here.

Last month, the acclaimed Japanese heavy outfit and Third Man Records shared the album’s opening track “Heavy Friends,” a sludgy and stormy dirge built around the sort of guitar solo work that would make Melvins and Soungarden very proud. The re-issue’s latest single “1970” is built around enormous power chords and a bluesy, glam metal-like groove paired with thunderous drumming and the acclaimed Japanese outfit’s unerring knack for a towering, arena rock sound. But unlike most of their other sounds, “1970” is playfully anachronistic with the song nodding at Metallica’s “Am I Evil.”

Play loudly and headbang, y’all.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Friendship Commanders Share “120 Minutes MTV”-like “High Sun”

Today will be a busy day with a lot of running around: First I’ll be heading down to Coney Island for the Mermaid Parade. And then eventually, I’ll be at Clem’s for my second-ever DJ set. But there’s still business and the show must go on as best as it could, right?

So let’s get to it.

Nashville-based melodic, heavy duo Friendship Commanders — Buick Audra (vocals, guitar) and Jerry Roe (drums, bass) — have released two albums 2016’s Dave, 2018’s  Steve Albini-produced Bill and two EPs 2020’s Hold On To Yourself and last year’s Release The Rest, an exclusive vinyl compilation of singles released since 2020, including “Stonechild”/”Your Reign Is Over,” which continued their ongoing collaboration with the engineering and mixing team of Kurt Ballou and Brad Boatright. 

The Nashville-based duo’s forthcoming Kurt Ballou and Friendship Commanders co-produced third album MASS was recorded in Ballou’s Salem, MA-based studio, GodCity.

Last month, I wrote about album single, “Fail,” a grunge-inspired ripper built around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming and enormous mosh pit friendly hooks and choruses paired with Buick Audra’s expressive, Ann Wilson-like delivery. “Fail” manages to simultaneously evoke a cry for help and a desperate attempt to connect with another that just seems to fall a bit short.

The duo explained that the song was written to honor the memory of Spore‘s and Sunburned Hand of the Man‘s Marc Orleans, who committed suicide in June 2020. “We chose to make the song energetic, dissonant, and big, just as he would like it. Bit of a departure for us from our usual doomy vibe, but it’s still the same band, we think,” the band says. 

MASS‘ third and latest single “High Sun” sees the Nashville-based duo adopting a 120 Minutes-era MTV alt-rock/shoegazey sound. While being a bit of a departure from the doomy heaviness they’re best known for, “High Sun” continues a run of a material rooted in lived-in experience with the new single further establishing the album’s overall concept: leaving a place you no longer feel welcome.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: BORIS Set to Reissue 2002’s Classic Heavy Rocks, Share Sludgy “Heavy Friends”

Formed back in 1992, Japanese, experimental heavy rock outfit Boris ((ボリス, Borisu) — currently core members Takeshi (vocals, bass, guitar), Wata (vocals, guitar, keys, accordion and echo) Atsuo (vocals, drums, percussion and electronics) with Mucho (drums) — settled on their current lineup in 1996. Since then, the members of Boris have tirelessly explored their own genre-defying take on heavy music.

The acclaimed Japanese heavy rock outfit released their landmark album Heavy Rocks back in 2002. Its original release only circulated domestically in Japan, leaving listeners globally eager for physical copies. As record pressings were in production, a fire broke out at the plant and the stamper was lost, rendering the album out-of-print for many years — and it quickly became a cult classic.

21 years after its original release, Third Man Records and Boris will be re-issuing Heavy Rocks (2002) on LP and digital formats for the first time ever, along with a CD re-press. The reissue, which will be out digitally on August 18, 2023 and physically on September 18, 2023 was restored from the original TD master.

The re-issue of Heavy Rocks (2002) will also coincide with a recently announced Stateside tour with Melvins this summer aand fall. The bands have circled each other with reverence for many years; they first played a show together in 1999 during Melvins’ first time in Japan, and ever since they have deepened their friendship and enjoyed opportunities to play together whenever possible.

For their first tour together, both bands will be playing a full set of material from their classic and beloved albums: Melvins will be playing material from 1991’s Bullhead and Boris will be playing material from Heavy Rocks 2022.

 “Could anyone have predicted such an astonishing event, that Boris and Melvins would tour the entire USA together? Since the mid-1980’s, Melvins have had an enormous influence on artists of all genres not only limited to heavy music, and have brought forth a surge of faithful followers over the years,” Boris’ Takeshi says. “Needless to say, Boris is just one of these many bands influenced by the mighty Melvins, and we took our name from a song title off of the 1991 album, Bullhead.”

“40 years as the Melvins!!! What better way to celebrate that unlikely milestone than by setting off on the ‘Twins of Evil Tour’ with our friends Boris!!” Melvins’ Buzz Osbourne adds. “This will be a stone groove!”

Tickets for the Boris + Melvins Twins of Evil Tour will go on sale Friday, June 9, 2023 at 10:00am. Tour dates are below.

You can pre-order Heavy Rocks (2002) here. You can also check out a new line of Heavy Rocks merch here.

In the meantime Boris and Third Man Records share the re-issue’s album opening track “Heavy Friends,” a sludgy and stormy dirge, featuring some blazing guitar soloing that would make both Melvins and Soungarden very proud.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Nashville’s Friendship Commanders Share Grungy Ripper “Fail”


Nashville-based melodic, heavy duo Friendship Commanders — Buick Audra (vocals, guitar) and Jerry Roe (drums, bass) — have released two albums 2016’s Dave, 2018’s  Steve Albini-produced Bill and two EPs 2020’s Hold On To Yourself and last year’s Release The Rest, an exclusive vinyl compilation of singles released since 2020, including “Stonechild”/”Your Reign Is Over,” which continued their ongoing collaboration with the engineering and mixing team of Kurt Ballou and Brad Boatright.

The Nashville-based duo’s forthcoming Kurt Ballou and Friendship Commanders co-produced third album MASS was recorded in Ballou’s Salem, MA-based studio, GodCity. The album’s second and latest single “Fail” is grunge-inspired ripper built around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming, enormous mosh pit friendly hooks and choruses paired with Audra’s expressive, Ann Wilson-like delivery. The song evokes both a desperate cry for help and a desperate attempt to connect with another that sadly seems to fall short. The duo explains that the song was written to honor the memory of Spore‘s and Sunburned Hand of the Man‘s Marc Orleans, who committed suicide in June 2020. “We chose to make the song energetic, dissonant, and big, just as he would like it. Bit of a departure for us from our usual doomy vibe, but it’s still the same band, we think,” the band says.

Directed, edited and shot by the band’s Jerry Roe, the accompanying video features Audra, Roe and Daniel Skiver, and is split between the band playing performing the song in a bare loft space and intimately shot footage of a desperate man, who’s at the end of his rope.