Back in Iron Fist #11 (Summer 2014) Paul Schwarz met with Bong’s Mike Vest to find out about the beast that was 11 Paranoias. Now back with their latest report from the frontiers of heavy psychedelic rock, the trio of Adam Richardson (Ramesses), Mike Vest (Bong) and Nathan Perrier (Satan’s Wrath) have once more aroused gargantuan riffs from ancient slumber, mustered intangible streams of irradiated noise, and arranged them to form an impressive, overdriven creation that shall see the light of day on October 28 via Ritual Productions. In the run-up to the release of their fourth release ‘Reliquary For A Dreamed Of World’, and with the honour of unveiling a brand new video, we present that interview once again in full.

“When you’re in a band with such inspirational people, you don’t need to tanalyse things too much. Adam and I are always discussing dimensional possibilities, surrealist ideas, music and artwork; out-there concepts and nightmare situations of drug induced states. Our mindset is always strung out beyond the rim.”

Originally a side-project which saw Ramesses bandmates Adam Richardson and Mark Greening team up with guitarist Mike Vest (best known for his work with the droning Bong), 11paranoias have been in flux for two years, have, to date, played five gigs … Read More

Providing the hazy, laid-back, psychedelic rock anthems of the summer, Brooklyn’s The Golden Grass have been on the road since the release of April’s ‘Coming Back Again’ (Listenable Records). Desperate to know what was on their stereo when recording their second full-length (they even told us which songs in particular each song inspired!) and what’s been playing in their van on those long road trips between gigs, the band made us the perfect mix-tape for summer nights.

1. The Move – ‘Lookin On’ 1970 “It’s amazing how HEAVY The Move were! They were one of our main influences when we formed the group and are a constant inspiration to us. ‘Lookin On’ is filled with monstrous riffs, killer guitar harmonies and soaring powerful vocals, not to mention the Eastern-tinged psychedelic odyssey in 5/4 that closes out the tune.” Song of relevance: See It Through

2. Jefferson Airplane – ‘Today’ 1967 “It’s just a love song – which this group was surprisingly adept at – that is both gentle and powerful, with wonderful vocal harmonies and chord passages, particularly on the chorus and at the coda. But the clincher for me is that atmospheric two-note modal flourish that Jorma Kaukonen provides – so simple … Read More

Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, Free, The Faces, “but, at the same time Donny Hathaway, Howlin’ Wolf, Dina Washington, Big Mama Thornton and Muddy Waters. Those are the one who taught me a lot of things about music.” That is the leap-off point into discussing ‘The Vision’, the debut album by Italian doominatrix Virginia Monti and her band Psychedelic Witchcraft. Fronted by the bewitching Monti, the only one in the band that “isn’t classically trained”, this Florence-based blues rock group were only formed a year ago but have already played with the likes of The Vintage Caravan and Dead Lord and have been snapped up by Soulseller Records (Spectral Haze/Demon Eye) for their debut album.

“I started alone, just for fun, posting a song on YouTube,” says Monti of how the band begun. “I wouldn’t have ever imagined the reaction the metal community had. I had so many people asking for more! It took me almost six months to find my bandmates because I was looking for guys that shared the vision of style and music I had in mind. I found was my guitar player [Jacopo Fallai]in my hometown, then I met Riccardo [Giuffrè, bass] in Milan and he moved … Read More

Old Empire & Tidal Concerts have just announced a London show for Finnish Psychedelic folk rockers Hexvessel at the prestigious The 100 Club on April 12th, 2016.

This will be the first show in the capital for the band after the release of fourth album ‘When Are Death’

The follow-up to 2012’s ‘No Holier Temple’ full-length and 2013’s ‘Iron Marsh’ EP, which both came out on Svart Records.

The band recently signed to Century Media and ‘When We Are Death’ is available for pre-order now.

They also launched a Pledge campaign with proceeds going to help save the forests that give them so much of their inspiration

For a band with a reputation for a colossal sounding live show, the first thing about Shooting Guns’ second psychedelic doom opus ‘Brotherhood Of The Ram’ that grabs you isn’t its heaviness, but the pure grime and grit that emanates from its vinyl grooves. Then again, bucking trends seems to fit this instrumental quintet well: their self-released debut ‘Born To Deal In Magic: 1952-1976’ was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize (Canada’s equivalent of the Mercury), and ‘Brotherhood’ sold out its first pressing instantly.

“The tracks dictated volume and filth,” explains guitarist Chris Laramee. “When I got the test pressing home, I thought there was something wrong with my stereo. I’d also dropped it in the road before I got it home. The mastered version was dirtier than the final mixes, which is always a pleasant surprise. The material at hand deserved a rough slap and we gave it as big a shot as possible.”

Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in the middle of the Great Plains and far removed from any like-minded scene, Shooting Guns’ isolation, along with an obsession with doom, psychedelic rock, krautrock and space rock, has yielded a unique hybrid sound, which Laramee is quick to point out is … Read More