Saturday, November 18th, 2017 at 12:19 am
THE OBSESSED: Self-Titled Full-Length Reissue Out Now And Streaming Via Relapse Records.

Today marks the official unveiling of the self-titled reissue from doom rock legends THE OBSESSED. Originally released in 1990 and out-of-print for almost two decades, the now-iconic debut album from THE OBSESSED comes completely remastered with previously unreleased bonus tracks, including the highly-sought after four-track Concrete Cancer demo (1984), expanded artwork, never-before-seen photos, and extended liner notes from frontman Scott “Wino” Weinrich. This is a true piece of doom history! The deluxe 2xCD version of the record includes a bonus disc containing the Concrete Cancer demo as well as a full live set from 1985 in Washington, D.C.. The Concrete Cancer demo is also available separately as a limited-edition LP. Rock Shock Pop crowns the collection, “…the definitive take on an album that clearly laid a lot of the ground work for the current doom and stoner rock bands,” while Hellbound raves, “If you’re looking to hear The Obsessed in all its original glory, look no further!”
Stream in full here!
Stream via Spotify HERE.
The Obsessed is available on 2xCD, LP, 2xLP, and digital formats via Relapse Records. Physical bundles and digital orders are available via Relapse Records HERE and streaming services at THIS LOCATION.
THE OBSESSED was formed in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland by legendary guitarist Scott “Wino” Weinrich (Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan). The band spawned in the realm of musicians/artists such as Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, The Dictators, and The Stooges. The earliest lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese, and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over vocal duties and the band became a three-piece to record the Sodden Jackal EP.
The band broke up in the late ’80s after Wino moved to California to join Saint Vitus. At that time, German label, Hellhound Records, and the booking agency that had signed Saint Vitus, released The Obsessed, originally recorded in 1985, prompting Wino to reform THE OBSESSED. After multiple lineup changes, the band signed to Columbia Records in 1994 to release their third and final album, The Church Within. Despite highly acclaimed reviews, THE OBSESSED would breakup following the release, seeing Wino forming Spirit Caravan (then Shine) and other projects.
In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at Roadburn Festival with The Church Within‘s legendary lineup (featuring Wino, Greg Rogers, and Guy Pinhas). The band played a few more reunion shows over the next couple years at Hellfest Open Air 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley.
Wino announced the full-time return of THE OBSESSED in March 2016 and the band’s official signing to Relapse Records to record the follow up to The Church Within. The new lineup originally consisted of Spirit Caravan bassist Dave Sherman and Wino’s longtime friend and former road crew member Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31st, 2016, Wino announced another new lineup change for THE OBSESSED, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar), making that the first time the band had been a four piece in over thirty-five years.
Early this year, THE OBSESSED unleashed Sacred, the band’s first studio album in over twenty years. With renewed energy and purpose, THE OBSESSED sounds heavier and more relevant than ever before. On Sacred, the band doubles down on enormous, heaving riffs and pummeling low-end across twelve tracks of eternal doom. Rounded out by Wino’s lyrical honesty and iconic throaty vocals, Sacred is an album that further pushes THE OBSESSED into the annals of heavy metal history, well worth the two-plus decade wait. The band now performs once again as three piece featuring Wino, Reid Raley and Brian Costantino.

Friday, November 17th, 2017 at 10:24 pm
OBLIVION: The Path Towards Full-Length From Extreme Metal Titans Uniting Current/Past Members Of All Shall Perish, Antagony, The Zenith Passage, And More Out Now And Streaming Via Unique Leader

Today marks the long-anticipated release of The Path Towards… full-length from extreme metal titans OBLIVION. The Path Towards… was recorded and engineered by Zack Ohren (Animosity, Suffocation, All Shall Perish, Cattle Decapitation, Fallujah et al) at Castle Ultimate Productions and features artwork by Daniel McBride (Black Label Society, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Chimera et al).
Stream in full here!
Various physical bundles of OBLIVION’s The Path Towards… are currently available at THIS LOCATION. For digital orders, point your browser HERE.

On the eleven-track The Path Towards…, OBLIVION — featuring within its ranks vocalist/bassist Nick Vasallo (ex-Antagony), guitarists Ben Orum (All Shall Perish, ex-Antagony) and Ted O’Neill (ex-Alchemicon), and drummer Luis Martinez (ex-Antagony, ex-The Zenith Passage) — has manifested a record that’s darker, heavier, and even more eclectic than their critically-adored debut, Call To Rise. Composed by Vasallo early this spring, the recording boasts an all-star lineup of guest artists that includes Karl Sanders (Nile, guest songwriter), Eddie Hermida (Suicide Silence/All Shall Perish, guest vocals), Enrico H. Di Lorenzo (Hideous Divinity, guest vocals), and Carlos Saldana (Connoisseur, guest vocals). The album also marks Orum’s and Vasallo’s first time collaborating on music since Antagony’s debut in 2001. With precise and intricate guitar solo work by O’Neill and legendary performances by Martinez, OBLIVION forges ahead stronger than ever with The Path Towards…

Monday, November 13th, 2017 at 10:25 pm
ZUD: A Wilderness Left Untamed Album By Maine-Based Blackened Metal Cult Now Available Digitally

Following the limited CD release at Shadow Woods Metal Fest in September, A Wilderness Left Untamed, the second album from Portland, Maine’s blackened rock/metal cult, ZUD, is now available for digital purchase.
ZUD‘s A Wilderness Left Untamed was engineered and mixed by Todd Hutchisen (East Of The Wall, Falls Of Rauros) at Acadia Recording Co in Portland, Maine, and mastered by Carl Saff (Grails, RVIVR, Unsane) in Chicago, Illinois, its ten new tracks clocking in with an hour-long journey which will take the listener on a ride from one end of the rock universe to another, the record full of unexpected turns, all the while distinctly always very clearly recognizable as the output of ZUD.
Be it with first-wave black metal, surf, sappy ’80s pop, NWOBHM, classic rock, garage, or psyche of the ’60s and ’70s, hardcore of the late ’90s, or somehow everything at once, A Wilderness Untamedis an album which may trigger memories the listener may not have realized they’d had. ZUDtraverses an insanely hilarious emotional roller coaster ride through the dark subconscious in a chaotic world, trying to make sense of it all, wondering what the point is, always remembering that though there is no argument in that “only death is real.”
Following their set at Shadow Woods Metal Fest and several shows in their native state this year,ZUD has one more live performance confirmed for 2018, headlining a gig in Bangor, Maine onDecember 16th where ZUD‘s proceeds will be donated to their friend Kathy Findlay’s leukemia bills.

Sunday, November 12th, 2017 at 1:12 am
SCOUR: Extreme Metal Collective Featuring Philip H. Anselmo, Members Of Cattle Decapitation, Misery Index, Pig Destroyer, And More Releases Signature Guitar Pedal Via Amptweaker

Following the release of their Red EP via Housecore Records, SCOUR — the extreme metal supergroup featuring Philip H. Anselmo and members of Cattle Decapitation, Misery Index, Pig Destroyer, and more — has collaborated with Amptweaker engineer James Brown to release a signature SCOUR guitar pedal. The pedal is a modeled after Amptweaker’s TightMetal Pro pedal, which is a distortion pre amp with built-in noise gate, effects loops, boost controls, and a special Side Track ™ loop for other effects when the preamp is not engaged.
Prior to this project, Brown also designed Peavey’s original 5150 with Edward Van Halen, the Peavey JSX amplifier with Joe Satriani, the Schecter Hellwin with Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold, the original Tight Metal pedal with Mark Kloeppel of Misery Index, and many more.
Said Brown, “It’s been almost a year since Derek Engemann (SCOUR, Cattle Decapitation) began using Amptweaker TightMetal pedals on tour, including the bass version in Cattle Decapitation, and the TightMetal Pro for crushing guitar tones in his black metal supergroup SCOUR. We built some custom units for the band for live shows, and now you can buy your own custom SCOUR TightMetal Pro for a limited time…only from Amptweaker.”
Comments Engemann, “This is the official live sound of SCOUR…crushing all in its path!”
Purchase the SCOUR TightMetal Pro now and get a free Amptweaker T-shirt at THIS LOCATION.
Stream ‘Red’ in its entirety here.
Stream SCOUR‘s Red EP via Bandcamp HERE or Spotify HERE.
Red is available on CD, digital, and vinyl formats. Physical orders are currently available at this LOCATION. Desirers of the digital edition, point your browser HERE.
Forged in 2015, SCOUR‘s debilitating fusion of black metal, grindcore, and thrash made its debut with the ferocious single “Dispatched.” The band’s debut EP, Grey, was released the following year via Anselmo’s own Housecore label. Just before a crushing performance at Hellfest Open Air, which featured a cover of the Pantera classic “Strength Beyond Strength,” the band recorded their Red EP at Nodferatu’s Lair with Steve Berrigan (Down, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Eyehategod, Haarp, Classhole, etc.) at the helm. The record was once again mixed and mastered by Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation, Cobalt, Khemmis) at Flatline Audio.
