Conny Ochs - "Future Fables" (Album Review)

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 26/02/2016

Label: Exile On Mainstream

This record has the potential to speak to many of us heavy rock fans despite its level of sentiment and sparse use of instrumentation. There’s passion and well-placed emotion that resonates through these songs. They’re deliciously fragile because of it. If that’s your thing; if you can appreciate singers baring their soul with nothing more than an acoustic guitar as accompaniment, then this one’s for you.

“Future Fables” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Hole

2. Piece Of Heaven

3. Killer

4. Spin

5. Wake Up

6. Empire

7. Golden Future

8. Slide

9. No Easy Way

10. Fools

11. Strange Alchemy

12. Make Some Room

The Review:

On “Future Fables,” we have Conny Ochs and his guitar taking a seat next to us on the couch. That’s how close and personal these twelve tracks feel. He has the capability to hush the crowd and demand attention without needing to stomp on a distortion pedal or rip his vocal chords to ribbons. 

There’s nothing psychedelic here and if it’s heavy you’re looking for then you’ll find it in the mood and not the tones. “Piece of Heaven” plays out to a familiar song structure – interchangeable verses and choruses – and uses a full band to do this. “Fools” does the opposite by employing its verses to set the stage for the chorus, and does this successfully with just two guitars and powerful vocals. Ochs’ best qualities come out in “Killer,” a song with finger snapping, light drumming and a bluesy walk around the guitar. Though the song threatens to break out in the chorus, it never does and that’s one of its strengths. “Spin” uses beautiful vocal harmonies to call the listener to “put your hard rock music on,” which hints at Ochs’ underlying influence.

Despite his hard rock soul, these are gentle songs that are soft to the touch and therefore inviting. It’s only once the listener allows himself to be enveloped by Ochs’ voice, lyrics, and overall presence that the melancholy rises to the surface. This puts Ochs firmly into the category “singer-songwriter” but he’s able to stray from the drek that the mainstream pushes our way and thus avoids sounding like a limp dick resting up against your ear. Instead, Ochs flexes his muscles by using his acoustic guitar to tame the beast that is an emotionally wrought songwriter.

This record has the potential to speak to many of us heavy rock fans despite its level of sentiment and sparse use of instrumentation. There’s passion and well-placed emotion that resonates through these songs. They’re deliciously fragile because of it. If that’s your thing; if you can appreciate singers baring their soul with nothing more than an acoustic guitar as accompaniment, then this one’s for you.

“Future Fables” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

Treedeon - ‘Lowest Level Reincarnation’ (Album Review)

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 02/03/2015

Label: Exile on Mainstream

Lowest Level Reincarnation’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

01 Love Turns Liquid
02 Blankapitation
03 Satan’s Need
04 Extinction
05 Wendigo
06 Venus With Teeth
07 Lowest Level Reincarnation
08 Terracide

Review:

On today's playlist, the new album from Treedeon, ‘Lowest Level Reincarnation’ and If that title doesn't give you a hint, the first track ‘Love Turns Liquid’ will kick you into the drag of reality. Going low, sometimes slow, and always heavy, this album isn't just your everyday doom fest.

Treedeon play a very soulful sort of depression, slow, heavy and fuzz laden, with a delicious back beat, and male/female vocals that are dredged from the bottom of a whisky bottle. It's raw breakdown music, for when life hits just a bit too hard. Their riffs are just slow fists to the gut and temple, dragging you down into sonic depths and darkness. There's no speeding them up either. It's like listening to a train coming in pitch darkness. The sound, while somewhat muddy on the rhythm, is very articulate when they throw pieces of molten lead at you.

The drumming is perfect, medium tempo, and exactly right for what they are pumping out. Vocals, both male and female, alternate between ragged yelled singing (it's really hard to describe until you hear it, then you'll get what I am trying to say) and a vicious scream that cannot be pleasant without some nice narcotic help to dull the edge. It's a vicious exclamation point to their sonic manifesto, and is oddly touching to the soul.  My personal pick goes to ‘Wendigo’, #5 on the track list. It has a slowish build up to the explosion of sonic excess, and reminds me of scenes from biker movies, a super gritty low life, needing open country and trouble to find.  I love the groove on this song and frequently find myself fixating on it

Speaking of runtime, these songs do get a bit more traction than most bands like to put in with this much energy, short being 3:28 and long being an excruciating 11:59. They eke out every single piece of energy they can drip into the music, and then wring it out onto the listener, like a Watain show, but with much less showering. The album is all intensity with a backroom honky tonk blues feel.

On the whole this record is pure filth and whilst you won't be thrashing around, sit back and feel the poison creep through your veins. Similar to grabbing a hot electrical wire, ‘Lowest Level Reincarnation is just not easy to let go of.

Words by: Hunter Young

‘Lowest Level Reincarnation’ is available here

For more information:

Like: http://www.facebook.com/TreedeonListen: http://www.reverbnation.com/treedeonLabel: http://www.mainstreamrecords.de

Wino & Conny Ochs - 'Freedom Conspiracy' (Album Review)

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 27/3/2015

Label: Exile on Mainstream

Freedom Conspiracy CD//DD//LP track listing:

01 Drain
02 Sound Of Blue
03 Foundation Chaos
04 Crystal Madonna
05 Shards
06 Time Out Black Out
07 Timeless Spirit
08 Freedom Conspiracy
09 Dirt Floor
10 Heavy Heart
11 Forever Gone
12 Invisible Bullets
13 The Great Destroyer

Review

The partnership between Wino and German singer songwriter Conny Ochs has proved fruitful indeed. With “Heavy Kingdom” a couple of years ago, the duo fused their own styles together. This follow up is an even more confident beast. ‘Drain’ hits the right notes with its melancholy and hooks and even a percussion overdub. ‘Sound of Blue’ is not exactly as you would expect it to sound- wistful, yes, but not entirely desperate or without hope. Lovely guitar interplay on this one and Wino sings well as usual, capably backed by Ochs.

‘Foundation Chaos’ is different again; it boasts nimble double tracking regarding the vocals and weaved guitars. ‘Crystal Madonna’ has an almost familiar guitar refrain- sounding very much like something from Wino's excellent “Adrift” record from a few years back. There are some excellent lyrics here too (story telling and more abstract imagery).

‘Shards’ has a bluesy start, what with its slide guitar, but Ochs takes a melancholy lead vocal that takes the track down a more doleful path than the intro indicates. It is a finely crafted track and highlights the song writing that has gone into this record- stripped of volume and production, the songs have to stand up in the format they are presented. Fortunately, they do and do so admirably. Yes, there is light and shade to the production (electric guitar here, percussion there...) but really, the music does the talking.

‘Time Out Blackout’ is another Ochs showcase, while ‘Timeless Spirit’ is catchy and mellow. The title track has Wino taking the lead and a memorable main riff pressing the refrain into your ear. ‘Dirt Floor’ is almost gospel in its delivery and over the course of its 2mins 22secs is thoroughly charming.

‘Heavy Heart’ goes for a full band arrangement (bass drums, the lot) and adds some further colour. ‘Forever Gone’ is maudlin and effective before Ochs returns to centre stage for ‘Invisible Bullets’. ‘The Great Destroyer’ finishes off this sophomore collaboration with a confident display of song writing and vocal and guitar support.

Overall, I enjoyed this record even more than the debut from this pair of troubadours. I think that it may be a song or two too long, but it is a fine record, filled with light and dark and even some surprises. If you are a fan of either man's work its essential listening.

Words by: Richard Maw

‘Freedom Consipracy’ is available here

For more information:

http://www.mainstreamrecords.de/artists/wino-and-conny-ochs | https://www.facebook.com/ScottWeinrich | https://twitter.com/scottweinrich

https://soundcloud.com/earsplit/sets/wino-conny-ochs-freedom | http://www.connyochs.com/cms/website.php?id=/index.htm

The Sludgelord News: TREEDEON Streams Exile On Mainstream-Bound Debut LP Lowest Level Reincarnation Via The Sleeping Shaman; Preorders Available

Berlin's TREEDEON will release their debut album, Lowest Level Reincarnation, through the fine folks at Exile On Mainstream in North America on April 7th. A more than fifty-minute-long, full-on, rocked-out sludge assault awaits the listener within these eight raw songs, and confrontationally carved out of depression and channeled in to a maelstrom monstrosity of guitar, bass and drums. Ahead of release date, respected underground rock/doom/stoner webzine, The Sleeping Shaman, has unveiled the entire album in an exclusive auditory public intoxication.

Stream all of TREEDEON's Lowest Level Reincarnation now at THIS LOCATION.

Preorders for Lowest Level Reincarnation are now available, the CD in a gloss laminated 4-panel mini-gatefold, and the LP audio having been mastered for vinyl, and pressed on 180-gram black pure virgin vinyl and containing a download coupon. Preorders for both versions are available via Exile On Mainstream HERE and in the US via Earsplit Distro HERE.

TREEDEON's Lowest Level Reincarnation release show takes place at Tiefgrund in Berlin this Friday, March 6th March, alongside Alphatrip. Click here for details, and stand by for additional live dates.

After the almost simultaneous demise of Germany's noise-stalwarts Ulme and seminal crossover icons Jingo de Lunch, Ulme guitarist and singer Arne and Jingo de Lunch singer Yvonne formed an acoustic band named TREEDEON. Their first show was a set at 2012's South Of Mainstream Festival, stepping up to replace the disbanded Ulme, and out of the death of two bands came opportunity, as shortly after, a second gig was booked at Berlin's Schokoladen, where Kaeng-shell punisher Boomer pledged himself as the missing link by offering to play drums. Songs were laid out, written, and rehearsed in a dark cellar, leading to their first demo being released in November 2013. The demo made very clear that the acoustic approach had been revised, overwhelmed by a new (but by no means surprising) monstrous Valkyrie of sheer heaviness, dueling vocals, and screams of emotional terror. A much louder rendition of TREEDEON played a first show in their local hangout, Franken Bar, while their second show brought them to the infamous Roadburn Festival, as part of Exile On Mainstream's fifteen year anniversary showcase. And what an impression they left! The digitally released demo began rolling around among dedicated punters and created quite a buzz for the band, culminating in an invitation to play the Stoned From The Underground Festival in July 2014. From this gig on, the band rooted themselves very much in the conscience of lovers of noise, sludge, and all kinds of heavy pumping riffage.

Source: Earsplit PR

http://www.facebook.com/Treedeon 

http://www.treedeon.com 

http://www.mainstreamrecords.de 

The Sludgelord News: LISTEN TO TREEDEON'S HULKING NEW TRACK 'BLANKAPITATION' NOW; DEBUT ALBUM LOWEST LEVEL REINCARNATION RELEASED MARCH 9TH

   Today we are debuting 'Blankapitation' by Treedeon, the Berlin-based sludge trio whose debut album Lowest Level Reincarnation will be coming out via Exile On Mainstream on March 9th. Down-tuned, mean, and riding on a wave of undulating distortion, 'Blankapitation' weighs in heavy, and with eight songs delivering a full spectrum of sonic rock assault, Lowest Level Reincarnation is raw, rich in diversity and in your face - carved out of depression and channeled in to a maelstrom monstrosity of guitar, bass and drums. You can still listen to the closing track 'Terracide' at The Obelisk here.

LISTEN TO "BLANKAPITATION"

http://www.terrorizer.com/news/streams/listen-treedeons-new-song-blankapitation

 

Read on for more information about Treedeon’s sapling roots…

   After the almost simultaneous demise of Germany’s noise-stalwarts Ulme and seminal crossover icons Jingo de Lunch, Ulme guitarist and singer Arne and Jingo de Lunch singer Yvonne formed an acoustic band named Treedeon. Their first show was an acoustic set at 2012’s South Of Mainstream festival, stepping up to replace the disbanded Ulme, and out of the death of two bands came opportunity, as shortly after, a second gig was booked at Berlin’s Schokoladen, where Kaeng-shell punisher Boomer pledged himself as the missing link by offering to play drums.

   Songs were laid out, written, and rehearsed in a dark cellar, leading to the first Treedeon demo being recorded and released in November 2013. The demo made very clear that the acoustic approach had been revised, overwhelmed by a new (but by no means surprising) monstrous Valkyrie of sheer heaviness, duelling vocals, and screams of emotional terror. A much louder rendition of Treedeon played a first show in their local hangout, Franken Bar, while their second show brought them to the infamous Roadburn Festival, as part of Exile On Mainstream’s 15 year anniversary showcase. And what an impression they left! The digitally released demo began rolling around among dedicated punters and created quite a buzz for the band, culminating in an invitation to play the Stoned From The Underground festival in July 2014. From this gig on, Treedeon rooted themselves very much in the conscience of lovers of noise, sludge, and all kinds of heavy pumping riffage. The band recorded at Studio Wong in Berlin throughout November 2014, putting together this, their debut album; Lowest Level Reincarnation.

  In the words of the Treedeon members themselves…“Music always was some kind of therapy for me. To use the passion to get rid of things that drag you down. Playing in a band where this is possible is a gift.” [Arne], “Definitely the most powerful album I’ve ever been part of. We combined aggression and melody, had a great time writing and recording these songs. I can’t wait to play them live, which is exhausting, but very satisfying.” [Boomer], “Had I known what I was getting myself into with this singing & bass playing at the same time thing, I may have reconsidered….. Now it’s just too late, cause I’m having way too much fun with it…. I get to be twice as loud. Finally” [Yvonne].

http://www.facebook.com/Treedeon
http://www.treedeon.com
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de

Source: Rarely Unable

The Sludgelord News: WINO & CONNY OCHS: Exile On Mainstream Confirms Details For Second Collaborative LP From Iconic Singer/Songwriter Duo

Earsplit Distro To Carry Vinyl Exclusively For The US

[photo by Albert Mojica]

It is with extreme pleasure for Germany's Exile On Mainstream to announce the label's next priority release, with the second collaborative album by one of the most strikingly natural singer/songwriter duos of these troubled modern times, SCOTT "WINO" WEINRICH and CONNY OCHS.

To backtrack a bit, the union of these two gritty, passionate musicians took place in 2010, as American doom/rock legend, WINO (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand) was touring Europe on his own first full solo album, Adrift, which had just been released by Exile On Mainstream. Simultaneously, contemporary German solo vocalist/guitarist, CONNY OCHS, was preparing to release his debut solo album, Raw Love Songs, through the same label which saw the two artists billed together on this European trek. From there, an instant bond was formed, both as musicians as well as just like-minded humans. Instantaneously, musical ideas formed within this new brotherhood, which quickly grew into a courageous collaborative full-length studio album entitled Heavy Kingdom, released by Exile On Mainstream in 2012. The album showcased the organic songwriting skills through an incredibly passionate delivery. Heavy Kingdom elevated both artists as top-notch contemporary singer/songwriters in the eyes of the media and fans alike, and saw the duo taking their songcraft to the road heavily across Europe as well as North America.

That was just the beginning, as, since Heavy Kingdom was just seeing release, the pair had already began talking about "what was to come" in reference to new material they'd began plotting together. The time is now, as the second chapter from WINO & CONNY OCHS has recently been completed, the project actually having remained virtually unannounced and taking place behind closed doors over the past few years. With the artists being based on two different continents and remaining busy with their own solo endeavors, an opportune time to convene for some songwriting time never arrived, and the pair began trading ideas via email. This was not something that at all brought forth the magic and mastery which took place the first time, and after months of writing, the idea was scrapped, and last year,WINO voyaged back to Berlin to rendezvous with OCHS.

Recorded again at Kabumm Studio with producer Thommy Krawallo, as was their Heavy Kingdom LP, the newest collection of ambitious, harrowing and beautiful music created by WINO & CONNY OCHSnot only brings forth the same quality of organically conceived folk/rock fans of the previous album should expect, it simply excels in every imaginable aspect, and now awaits release in early 2015 through their trusted alliance with Exile On Mainstream. Bearing the title Freedom Conspiracy, the record was written and recorded entirely with WINO & CONNY OCHS performing all instruments together, the approach slightly different from Heavy Kingdom as it has been created in a much more organic way with rudimentary ideas brought in by each and then carved into songs by both together. Fusing acoustic and electric guitars and with both artists' standout vocal styles searing through these thirteen well-crafted brand new hymns, the initial recordings of the album date back to over a year ago, but even though the songs were done and recorded, these protagonists felt it had been rushed a bit in the end and final touches couldn't be made with both together in the same room for reasons of other obligations. So it was put to rest and matured several months. Earlier in 2014 both went back in and basically stripped everything down to the bare bones, started from scratch, arranging the tracks differently and all of a sudden it clicked and brought forth forty-five minutes of some of the most refined, dynamic and unforgettable folk/rock music in years.

When asked what the album meant to the artists themselves, CONNY OCHS states: "Freedom Conspiracy means companionship. It means to have each other's back. This album is about losing and finding belief. And fighting for it." Adds WINO on the album: "Shits changin' fast. With war on every corner, political theatre becoming increasingly more offensive, and Big Brother and the Globalists intensifying their slow takeover, we offer sounds and vibrations of love, death, happiness and pain! With this music and verse we hope the songs will inspire and uplift, and hopefully unite our searching spirits."

With cover art by WINO & CONNY OCHS, Freedom Conspiracy will see deliverance on CD, LP and digital download in the US on March 31st, 2015, both LP and CD versions to be available from Earsplit Distro for wholesale and retail purchase (the LP exclusively) The release will be followed by international touring from the duo to be announced throughout the year. Fans of Woodie Guthrie, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, The Black Crowes, Scott Kelly, Mike Scheidt and the like should make sure this duo is on your radar.

Stand by for audio samples and further release/tour info from WINO & CONNY OCHS' Freedom Conspiracy campaign all year.

Freedom Conspiracy Track Listing:

1. Drain

2. Sound Of Blue

3. Foundation Chaos

4. Crystal Madonna

5. Shards

6. Time Out Blackout

7. Timeless Spirit

8. Freedom Conspiracy

9. Dirt Floor

10. Heavy Heart

11. Forever Gone

12. Invisible Bullets

13. The Great Destroyer

http://www.scottweinrich.com

http://www.facebook.com/ScottWeinrich

http://www.connyochs.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conny-Ochs/112536815501097

http://www.mainstreamrecords.de

http://www.earsplitdistro.com

Source: Earsplit PR

Stinking Lizaveta - '7th Direction' (Album Review)

By: John Slaymaker

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: Europe 27/8/12 USA 23/10/12

Label: Exile on Mainstream/Translation Loss

 

 Lizaveta is a Russian girl’s name meaning consecrated to god. Well god is not on this record coz this band remains consecrated to ROCK!  Awesome stuff.

‘7^th Direction’ CD//DD//LP tracklisting:

1). The Seventh Direction (4:18)
2). View From The Moon (4:23)
3). Moral Hazard (3:52)
4). Dark Matter (2:12)
5). The Space Between Us (4:25)
6). Z (5:11)
7). Burning Sea Turtles (3:24)
8). One To The Head (3:14)
9). American Dream (CD only) (2:48)
10). Ten Thousand Hours (4:06)
11). Stray Bullet (CD only) (5:34)
12 ). Democracy vs. The Machine (3:19)
13 ). Johnny Otis (4:42)

Stinking Lizaveta is:

Yanni Papadopoulos | Guitars

Alexi Papadopoulos | Upright electric bass

Cheshire Augusta | Drums

The Review:

This album ‘7^th Direction’ is their seventh full length and is released on Exile on Mainstream in Europe and Translation Loss in North America.  It was produced by the legend that is Sanford Parker.

From the first few notes you just know that this record is going to be a corker. The first and title track, ‘The 7^th Direction’ immediately twists and turns, taking you round the houses in and out of different rooms, like some kind of twisted psychotic estate agent.  So many riffs packed into each song that you cannot imagine that most of this record isn’t improvised. The guitar playing is amazing and the bass and drums lay a great foundation for groove, so tight but they have been doing this together now for the last 18 years.  13 tracks over 50+ mins, this band has enough material on this one record that would last most ordinary rock bands a whole career.

We continue with ‘View from the Moon’, and at only four and a half minutes, this song takes you there and half way back.  ‘Moral hazard’ keeps up the pace with more mega riffs, head banging furiously until the wah induced leads weave in and out.  Great guitar effects, not over used but skilfully applied.  ‘Dark matter’ the shortest song at just 2.14 mins is another manic lick induced trip.  ‘The Space between us’, now this baby is my personal favourite track on the album, a nice clean guitar intro, meandering melodically leading into the most awesome lead break I have heard in a long long time.  Amazing control and use of the tremolo bar into some even more ear blistering solo.

‘Z’ continues with the awesome hypnotising guitar expressions. There are so many different themes on this record, and as an instrumental band, you can try to compare them to so many obvious choices, but there really is no pigeon holing them as they completely own their sound.

Another highlight is halfway through ‘One to the head’ where Yanni Papadopoulos truly excels with the lead work, and it’s just hard to imagine any other guitarist being quite so good.  Stray bullet with its surf guitar intro is the longest track here, but still has lots of exciting ideas going on, and these continue into the 13th track, the mellow closer ‘Johnny Otis’ named in honour, I think, of the famous band leader and Godfather of rhythm and blues who died earlier this year.

Lizaveta is a Russian girl’s name meaning consecrated to god. Well god is not on this record coz this band remains consecrated to ROCK!  Awesome stuff.

You can purchase the record in Europe here and in USA here.

Band info: Official