Beyond-O-Matic: Revelations at the Borders Between

Trail Records (TR-014)

 

Beyond-O-Matic is an Austin, Texas based “improvisationally birthed, bombastically enhanced, emotionally charged space-prog stadium rock” band formed in 1995. This CD released last year is their first CD since 2010 and includes first new recordings since 2002, so it’s a sort of reform thing I guess. The main theme on the album are the different phases between live and death including human relations and altered states of consciousness. Phew, pretty deep stuff!

The CD begins with a 80s Pink Floyd/Peter Gabriel styled “In the C”. “Tick Tock Rock” is a shorter, more experimental and minimal track, and "Wish" a full-blown, long and slow mind-journey with some more Pink Floyd vibe but heavier guitar. The great, high-pitched vocals are a mix between Phil Collins and Ian Gillan. Before the ten-minute-marker the track gets instrumental, livelier and more progressive. I like it! On another long (12:56) and slow track “In Two Os” the singer sounds even more like Ian Gillan on Born Again and I’m not complaining. Even the track has some dark Black Sabbath vibes although it’s more psychedelic. “Turn, Switch, Trust” starts off peacefully with some airy synth stuff and this is slow, tranquil, dreamy, melancholic and beautiful piece. Fans of early Porcupine Tree or the like will love this. “But the Love” is another slow, dreamy, heady and spacey song that also has some flute and melodica. Very deep, hypnotic and evocative stuff. The longest (15:52) track “Out the C” ends the CD in even deeper and more emotional mode, although the track speeds up at some point before fading out softly in the end. Worth checking out if you are not afraid of some heavy, deep issues and emotions!

www.beyondomatic.com

Kev Ellis: Space Cadet

Self-released CD / download

 

Kev Ellis used to be the singer and harmonica player of a late 80s / early 90s UK psych blues/festival band Dr. Brown that also featured the late Huw Lloyd-Langton (Hawkwind) on their last EP release. Since then Kev has been active in various kinds of music styles like blues, dub, ambient, electronic and space rock. Space Cadet is his first solo album since only now had the technology advanced enough so that he could record the music he heard in his mind by himself. The drums have been programmed, but still sound pretty good. This is a limited edition of just 100 CD copies and already sold-out so the album is now only available as a download.

The first song “Guiding Light” is the only one to feature another musician: Grunty Macnaughton plays some guitar on it. It’s a long, hypnotic and atmospheric mid-tempo space trip with heavy guitar, lots of synths and some Kev’s trade mark blues harmonica thrown in for good measure. The bit lighter and more melodic “Celebrate the Day” reminds me of late 70s Hawkwind or Hawklords and I just love the vibe. There’s also some flute on this one. “Resting Heart” has a mellow, earthly dub mood including bird-song and nice synth melodies. At under two-minutes, “Super Cosmic Space Age Baby” is the shortest track on the CD and rocks out in a punk/post-punk/New Wave style. The harmonica gives its own special bonus kick. “Emerald Eye” is a melancholic, beautiful piece with some cosmic sound effects. Then it’s time for some heavy space boogie with “Sunrise Pagan Bop”. Excellent stuff! Looking through my mind’s eye I can clearly see this been played live at the Stonehenge Free Festival during Summer Solstice… The mellow and airy instrumental “Time Reflection” is more ambient in nature including acoustic guitar, keyboards and synths. The groovy space rock number “Ancient Flight” is one of my favourites, very addictive and catchy. The album ends with the long and glorious “Morning Raga” that has elements of Gong, ambient electronica and Indian music. A very nice way to finish this marvelous album! Kev’s singing is still just perfect, and he has done a great job in all aspects.

www.facebook.com/kevellismusic
 

La Piramide di Sangue: Sette

Sound of Cobra / Boring Machines (BM053)

 

This is the second LP by Torino based septet (two guitars, two basses, one clarinet, one synth, several effects, drums and percussions) La Piramide di Sangue. I fell in love with their first album Tebe that had a mysterious, psychedelic, unique and somehow occult vibe, and Sette continues similar paths with its seven instrumentals. The melodies (especially on clarinet) give the band a bit Eastern folk music mood, but this is often labelled as psychedelic kraut rock. It is hypnotic, otherworldly and psychedelic for sure, but to me closer to ethnic world music than classic kraut rock or kosmische music. Anyway, what really matters is that the music these guys play is really good and has a twist of its own!

“Baciati dall'Acido” starts off the LP in a rather laid-back, magical mode. There some more exploding, rhythmic stuff later on. “Jetem” is a rather heavy, dark and repetitive track that also has some more progressive and experimental elements. “Non e´ mia e´ di Dio” has a nice, energetic groove that somehow reminds me of Lumerians. There are also some spacey effects to add that feel. The end part is slower and dreamier stuff. Then it’s time for the mid-tempo piece called “Aperti alle Sette” that has some cool drum/percussion patterns. One of my favourites is “Reggio Galassia” that has a heavy, monotonic guitar riff that reminds me of Circle. It also has similarities with the more aggressive works of Black Sun Ensemble. “Esoterica Porta Palazzo” is a cool, Eastern-tingled track that brings to mind images of snake charmers or magicians. The over eight-minute long “La Guerra non Finira´” ends the album in a pleasant, mystical and hypnotic way. Very nice! Just get this limited LP before it’s gone.

facebook.com/lapiramide.disangue

The Cosmic Dead Summer European tour 2014

One of my new favourites The Cosmic Dead from Glasgow are heading for an European tour this week! It's a 30 show tour starting June 4th and ending July 15th, in which they hit around 9 countries in total, with a few festivals along the way, including Eindhoven Psych Lab and Paris Psych Fest!


𝟯𝟬.𝟬𝟱 - (UK) 𝘎𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘨𝘰𝘸 - The 13th Note *
𝟬𝟰.𝟬𝟲 - (UK) 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧 - Full Moon
𝟬𝟱.𝟬𝟲 - (UK) 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘰𝘯 - Campbell Road Music Studio...
𝟬𝟲.𝟬𝟲 - (FR) 𝘙𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘯 - Le 3 Pièces Muzik'Club
𝟬𝟳.𝟬𝟲 - (NL) 𝘌𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 - De Effenaar (Eindhoven Psych Lab)
𝟭𝟬.𝟬𝟲 - (DE) 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯 - Jägerklause Berlin *
𝟭𝟭.𝟬𝟲 - (AU) 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘢 - Fluc_Wanne
𝟭𝟮.𝟬𝟲 - (IT) 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘥𝘪 𝘙𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘢 - Hana-Bi *
𝟭𝟯.𝟬𝟲 - (IT) 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘢 - Cascina Degli Angli
𝟭𝟰.𝟬𝟲 - (IT) 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯 - Cox 18 *
𝟮𝟬.𝟬𝟲 - (IT) 𝘊𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘪 - CuevaRock Live
𝟮𝟰.𝟬𝟲 - (IT) 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘪𝘢 - Parco Sant'angelo
𝟮𝟱.𝟬𝟲 - (IT) 𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘯𝘢 - Raindogs House
𝟮𝟲.𝟬𝟲 - (CH) 𝘚𝘵 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯 - Rümpeltum
𝟮𝟳.𝟬𝟲 - (DE) 𝘞ü𝘳𝘻𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘨 - Cairo
𝟮𝟴.𝟬𝟲 - (BE) 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘱 - Het Bos
𝟮𝟵.𝟬𝟲 - (NL) 𝘈𝘮𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘮 - OCCII
𝟯𝟬.𝟬𝟲 - (BE) 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘦 - L'Escalier Café
𝟬𝟭.𝟬𝟳 - (BE) 𝘈𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘵 - Flesh and Bones skatepark *
𝟬𝟮.𝟬𝟳 - (FR) 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘹 - Heretic Club
𝟬𝟯.𝟬𝟳 - (FR) 𝘛𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 - Le Dynamo Café
𝟬𝟰.𝟬𝟳 - (FR) 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 - La Machine du Moulin Rouge (Paris Psych Fest)
𝟬𝟱.𝟬𝟳 - (NL) 𝘏𝘢𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘮 - Patronaat Haarlem
𝟬𝟳.𝟬𝟳 - (CH) 𝘡ü𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 - BOSCHbar
𝟬𝟵.𝟬𝟳 - (CZ) 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦 - Klub 007 Strahov
𝟭𝟬.𝟬𝟳 - (DE) 𝘌𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵 - Stoned from the Underground - Festival
𝟭𝟭.𝟬𝟳 - (DE) 𝘒𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘻 - Circus Maximus
𝟭𝟮.𝟬𝟳 - (UK) 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯 - Corsica Studios
𝟭𝟯.𝟬𝟳 - (UK) 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭 - The Exchange
𝟭𝟰.𝟬𝟳 - (UK) 𝘓𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 - Brudenell Social Club
𝟭𝟱.𝟬𝟳 - (UK) 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 - Soup Kitchen
𝟮𝟬.𝟬𝟳 - (UK) 𝘋𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦 - Non-Zero's (Rock the Tay 2014)

* = Shows with Black Bombaim

Hotlist

Hawkwind: Co-Pilots Of Spaceship Earth (Unofficial)
Vibravoid: Minddrugs (Remastered)
Crystal Thoughts: Kaleidoscopid Drop
Crystal Thoughts: Toxic Phenomena In Kosmic Fields
Crystal Thoughts: White Spidert 7"
Kummitus: Kahdet kasvot
Loop: Heaven's End
Farflung: The Raven That Ate the Moon
Acid Mothers Temple & The Meltin Paraiso UFO: Astrorgasm From The Inner Space
Naam/Black Rainbows/The Flying Eyes/White Hills: 4-Bands Split Vol. 1                                  

Totem Psych Fest in Italy

Heavy Psych Sounds present the TOTEM PSYCH FEST.

This exclusive festival is located one hour north east of Rome, in the small village of Roccasinibalda. It takes place in the courtyard, gardens and underground cellar of a large, scorpion-shaped castle dating back to the 10th century.

About 25 bands – ranging from heavy-psychedelic to space rock, sludge doom, stoner, acid-rock, hard-blues and one-man bands – will be playing live.

Given the capacity of the location, tickets are very limited: but it is possible to purchase a three-day pass or single day tickets. Along the castle there will be shows, food stands and many other events. There will also be free camping – over the next week a list of all the hotels and holiday-farms located close to the castle will be published on the website.

The headliners will be announced one by one starting Wednesday, March 26, following which we will announce the rest of the line up. So watch this space!!! More alerts will follow.

NIK TURNER SPACE GIPSY (EX Hawkwind)
BLUES PILLS
ZU
BALLETTO DI BRONZO
UFOMAMMUT
CHURCH OF MISERY
BLACK RAINBOWS
LENTO
OJM
OVO
MORKOBOT
TONS
SONIC JESUS
ISAAK
SMALL JACKETS
GIOBIA
IN ZAIRE
THE BLUES AGAINST YOUTH
DA CAPTAIN TRIPS
APE SKULL
THE WISDOOM
SPOOKY MAN
VOID GENERATOR
L'IRA DEL BACCANO

Slip Inside This Club Vol. 3: Naam (US) & Warp Transmission!

 

Our Slip Inside This Club returns to Bar Loose in Helsinki on Friday the 26th of September when heavy & psychedelic space rockers Naam (US) play their first show in Finland ever. They will be supported by new psych band from Tampere called Warp Transmission, who released their first 7" some time ago.

 

www.facebook.com/events/564698303642979/

 

www.facebook.com/KingdomOfNaam

 

www.facebook.com/WarpTransmission

 

www.facebook.com/slipinsidethisclub