SS-129 :: NIGHTSTALKER – Dead Rock Commandos
Track List
- Go Get Some
- Soma
- Dead Rock Commandos
- One Million Broken
- Promises
- Children of the Sun
- Back to Dirt
- Keystone
- The Boogieman Plan
- The Underdog
Album Info
Don’t try to label Nightstalker, it only makes them mad. Over the years they’ve been saddled with every label under the sun. In the 90’s it was grunge. After that it was Stoner Rock. And never try to call them a Greek Rock act. They play Rock music plain and simple and have been doing so to rave reviews for the past two decades. In a world full of bands that fracture at the first hint of a bad review, that splinter off into side projects and sub bands Nightstalker are what their new album professes, “Dead Rock Commandos.”
Formed in Greece, in late 1989, by singer (and at the time drummer) Argy and made truly stable with the addition of Rotting Christ bassist Andreas in 1992, Nightstalker managed to meld their heavy rock influences with funky rhythms and grungy melodies to create a whole new beast.With all these elements in place they released the first EP in 1994 entitled “SideFx.”With the release of their first full length album “USE” in 1996, the band established themselves and their own trademark brand of dark heavy sounds. 2000 saw a slight
shuffle in membership as well as a new EP, “The Ritual,” which found Nightstalker treading further in to the realms of deepest, darkest Psychedelica. Line-up fully entrenched the ensuing pair of albums, 2004’s “Just A Burn” and 2009’s “Superfreak” garnered the band a new and loyal following across the world.
Which sets the stage for their newest dark masterpiece, “Dead Rock Commandos.” Another albums worth of raw rock ‘n roll simplicity, filled with stunning riffs and electric haze. More heavy sounds, groovy rhythms and intense bass playing all merging with the power of Argy’s vocals, which is the secret to the music of Nightstalker that has kept the band going for more than 20 years and made them one of the most important bands in the history of the European Hard Rock scene. Call it whatever you want, but do so at your own risk.
Recommended if you like: Kyuss, Dozer, Greenleaf, Brain Police, Deep Purple, Sasquatch, Monster Magnet, Clutch, Lo-Pan, Freedom Hawk, Novadriver, Lowrider, Skanska Mord, Dwellers, Roadsaw, 7Zuma7, Kiss, Cactus, Black Sabbath.
Credits
Nightstalker is:
Argy: vocals
Andreas Lagios: bass
Tolis Motsios: guitars
Dinos Roulos: drums
Recorded and mixed at Shakti Studio.
Produced by Nightstalker.
Mixed by Dimitris Douvras and Nightstalker.
Engineered by Simon Bloom.
Mastered by Chris Gooseman at Baseline Audio Labs, Ann Arbor, MI.
Artwork by Alexander Von Wieding.
Published by Small Stone Records (ASCAP).
SS-122 :: DWELLERS – Good Morning Harakiri
TRACKLIST:
1. Secret Revival 05:59
2. Blackbird 06:28
3. Lightening Ritual 03:33
4. Ode to Inversion Layer 05:19
5. Old Honey 09:52
6. Vultures 10:11
REVIEWS:
ALBUM INFO:
If you enjoyed Iota’s 2008 Small Stone debut, “Tales”, then you are going to dig the Hell out of Dwellers. This could be, in part, due to
the fact that it features Iota song writer/guitarist/vocalist Joey Toscano. So yes, you’ll get the heavy, fuzz-soaked, freaked-out,
psychedelic guitar assaults. But, what sets Dwellers apart from the afore mentioned band is a more focused approach to the song
writing. The songs are a bit shorter (if only slightly) and dive a little more into the psych/blues territory. You could say that Dwellers
are a bit more straight forward, but there are definitely many surprises to be had. Open tunings. Psychedelic slide guitars. Vibraphone.
Reverb-drenched fuzz. Sound good so far? We think so!
Completing the band is Zach Hatsis (drums) and Dave Jones (bass). Both of these cats were previously in doom/dark-folk outfit,
Subrosa, whose critically acclaimed album, “No Help for the Mighty Ones”, was released on the well-respected underground label,
Profound Lore. So… imagine, if you will, Hatsis’ and Jones’ supreme knack for thundering, monumental low end, mixed with
Toscano’s guitar freak fest, topped with melodic vocals, and…. well, now you’re getting the picture.
Dwellers’ full length debut, “Good Morning Harakiri”, is set to be released on Small Stone Records in March of 2012, followed by a
Spring tour and stop at SXSW.
For fans of: Iota, Dozer, Led Zeppelin, Greenleaf, Lo-Pan, Pink Floyd, Obiat, Skanska Mord, and Roadsaw.
Released 17 March 2012
Guitar & Vocals: Joey Toscano
Bass: Dave Jones
Drums & Vibraphone: Zach Hatsis
Music: Joey Toscano, Dave Jones, Zach Hatsis
Lyrics: Joey Toscano
Published by Small Stone Records (ASCAP)
Recording and pre-mixing: Andy Paterson @ The Boar’s Nest, Salt Lake City, UT.
Final mixing: Benny Grotto @ Mad Oak Studios, Allston, MA.
Mastered by Chris Goosman at Baseline Audio, Ann Arbor, MI.
Cover Painting: Sri Whipple
Inside Illustration: Brian “Kojak” Koschak
Layout: Joey Toscano
LUDER
Luder is:
Sue Lott: bass and vox
Eric Miller: drums and percussion
Phil Dürr: guitar and leads
Scott Hamilton: guitar and effects
Adelphophagia is their second album.
The title of Luder’s 2009 debut, Sonoluminescence, referred to sound waves reacting on passing through a substance to create light — sort of a long way around to expressing the illumination the four players felt came through their collaborating, but fitting.
Progressive, psychedelic, stylistically intricate, the album was recorded and mixed by Eric Hoegemeyer at Rustbelt Studios and mastered by Chris Gooseman. Comprising 10 songs that effectively blended Luder’s diverse influences, tracks flowed seamlessly from driving dark prog to languid shoegazing, bassist Sue Lott’s vocals tying pieces together with the apparent effortlessness of a virtuoso.
So it is four years later, on Luder’s follow-up, Adelphophagia. Another research-worthy title – this one relating to the phenomenon of one embryo consuming another in utero – and another deeply varied collection of textural, smooth, frequently heavy rock and roll that has as much in common with Portishead as it does with Black Sabbath.
Sue, Phil, Scott and Eric once again recorded with Hoegemeyer (who also contributes piano, backing vocals, percussion, etc.), and as well as boldly taking on David Bowie’s 1997 single, “I’m Afraid of Americans,” the album pushes Luder’s creative breadth further; new, dominant ideas and methods consuming others over a years-long writing period to become the expansive scope of “Dirge” or the grunge-y attitude-drenched kissoff “Never Liked You.” Luder find room to balance their love of classic prog in “KrautJam” with an organic songwriting sensibility – the sweet melodies of its chorus are as memorable as they are exploding with color.
Shows are sporadic, but Luder has shared the stage with Kyuss Lives!, Fu Manchu, Lo-Pan, Freedom Hawk, Lord Fowl, Suplecs, Dixie Witch, House of Broken Promises, Gozu and many others. As Luder come into their own on Adelphophagia, look to catch them on stage periodically and expect to be consumed by their warm and eerily welcome wash.
Press Says:
“Luder are such a potent chemical made up of many elements most of which can be found in the half-light of pop, alternative, trip-hop and of course – the reason why we’re all gathered here today – metal.” – Uber Rock
“Most people will not be expecting an album that, not only sounds like nothing else on the Small Stone roster but is literally incredible from the first note to the last… As sonically diverse and experimental as this album can be at times at its core lies a strong collection of very catchy, memorable and frankly awesome tunes.” – The Sleeping Shaman
“The members of Luder unfurl just enough unorthodox elements from their separate prior musical paths to give those templates some distinction, including classic, psychedelic, and stoner rock elements, metallic riff worship, and even a discreet power pop undercurrent that alleviates the exquisite torment of it all…” – All Music Guide
Copyright© Small Stone Recordings
FREEDOM HAWK
Emanating from the barrier dunes of Virginia, Freedom Hawk’s heavy riffs, rolling groove, and soulful guitar melodies to produce a sound that is distinctly their own. The trio’s brand of heavy rock capitalizes on the best of the heavy ‘70s, but presents a fuzzy take that’s modern and based around quality songwriting rather than style-over-substance retro posturing.
Guitarist / vocalist T.R. Morton, bassist Mark Cave and drummer Lenny Hines made their debut on Small Stone with 2011’s Holding On. The follow-up, and their fourth album overall, is Into Your Mind, which brings a new dynamic to their buttery fuzz with all the stomp and swagger one could ask for after Holding On, but with a more pointed delivery, assured and farther ranging than their last time out, grown more into their style than ever before.
Songs like “Journey Home”, “Lost in Space” and “The Line” push the boundaries of what Freedom Hawk have previously accomplished sonically, bringing in elements of laid back psychedelia and space rock to the band’s otherwise terrestrial song-craft. Veterans already of Roadburn in the Netherlands, Freedom Hawk return to Europe in support of Into Your Mind, playing Germany’s Freak Valley Festival prior to the release with more live dates to follow as they continue to expand their reach both in terms of music and fan-base around the world.
For fans of: Clutch, Fu Manchu, Crobot, Black Sabbath, Grand Funk, Greenleaf, Lord Fowl, Gozu, Lo-Pan, ASG, and all things that Rawk
- Copyright© Small Stone Recordings
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