THIS ALBUM IS EVERYONES ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!! Maybe not true but hopefully that got your attention…. but GROAN have produced a damn stellar offering and one that has failed to budge off my turntable since receiving last week.

There are so many things that I love about this record and of all the reviews I have read up to now of this masterful release they all generally say the same thing and that is noticing the obvious points like the fact that they are Sabbath inspired, full of riffs blah, blah, blah! Now this IS all true but the main thing that makes GROAN and this album as good as it is, is the sense of humour and the grand spectacle of it all.

The way the record flows is like albums of old and it’s almost as though you have to listen to it in its entirety to get it. I think the best example of what I am saying is the way ‘Sacrificial Virgins’ goes into ‘Magic Man’. The grand rant from Mazz at the end of the first track blasting straight into the powerful pace of the second is just expertly done and its little touches like this that truly make this record as awesome as it is. Another highlights is the EPIC choral singing in the title and last track ‘The Divine right of Kings’ it just raises to such a level that you feel as though you have been part of some ritual at the end of listening and really leaves you on a high.

Mazz’s rock persona is massive and some seem to see his classic rock “wailing” as an acquired taste and I certainly agree with that. But, If you don’t like it you have NO TASTE! END OF…..

BUY IT HERE NOW and get a sexy WITCHY WOMAN shirt whilst your there…

I know this a design not only designed by me but for my own band GURT too BUT i am damn proud of this beauty and think it deserves to appear in my regular feature amongst some of my favorites bits of Merchandise of the year! And after many a mention we have finally got our asses in to gear and got some girls fitted vest tops to boot so girls and boys of all ages, there is something for all of ya…

Should be in stock in the next 2 weeks so get over TO HERE AND PRE-ORDER NOW!

FUCKING HELL its gonna be a weekend to remember with the additions of Liverpool’s finest IRON WITCH as Sunday headliner for the end of the event, on the 2 occasions they have played at a WPC event the place has gone mental and packed out crowds have gone just a little bit rabid for the half hour they played, this time they have longer so better be prepared for the chaos that will ensue!!

We also have the sexy sludge rockers XII BOAR joining us again who ALWAYS prove to be bloody incredible. The banter and riffs are in full flow! and Starting the day are BRIGHT CURSE (Whose EP i reviewed yesterday) bringing their Trippy psychedelic rock and doom to the Windmill’s stage…

All this and still 4 more bands to announce including the Saturday headliner, so much filth for a tenner!!!

TICKETS UP ON SALE VERY SOON AND MORE BANDS TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK!!

FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

This is the first EP from new kids on the block BRIGHT CURSE and what a start it is! Incredibly well produced, this EP is the sort of Psychedelic rock that I favour most. I would consider a lot of it more in the territory of progressive rock bands like TOOL but its this sort of influence that makes it interesting, particularly on tracks like ‘The Hermit’ (they would go well alongside SEDULUS). Long songs but with twists and turns that keep you hooked and certainly make you go back for more listens as each one seems to have a slightly flavour with ‘whats beyond the sun’ feeling very brooding and doomy and ‘Unknown Mistress’ having that real nice 70’s Zeppelin vibe to it.

Although they are heavy in parts I would consider these a lot more accessible than most bands I cover on here and a must for all who read this!

Heres a teaser below:

Oh yes, its true and best of all this will be GURT‘s first time gracing the stage of the Underworld which has always been a dream for the band…

LISTEN THEIR CRACKING TUNES HERE

CHECK OUT THEIR NEW VIDEO HERE

BUY DESERTFEST 2013 TICKETS HERE

Heres a little more from the Desertfest camp:

“London 4-piece Gurt join us for Desertfest 2013. Take a pinch of groovy blues straight out of the 70′s and a handful of gut wrenching sludgy filth, mix together and you get Gurt. The band began their journey in 2010 and originally comprised of Gareth on vocals, Simon/Drums, Jamie/guitar, and John/Bass. Jamie and John have since departed and been replaced by Sedulus guitarist Rich Williams and Dave Blakemore on bass. Despite their urban UK origins, this is a band you could imagine being spawned in the Swamps of Louisanna and Gareth’s high-pitched growling and grunting combined with the band’s down-tuned, down-tempo groove make for a fine blend of southern sludge. Strong influences such as Iron Monkey, Eyehategod, Weedeater can be clearly detected throughout their early releases, ‘Volume 1′, ‘First Steps’, ‘Redwin’, a 7″ split with the much missed Dopefight and November’s release of ‘You ain’t from around these parts?’”

Another very different idea for Merch thanks to the creative hands of Miss Eva Spence of the incredible ROLO TOMASSI .

She has had her own clothing store for some time now and this obviously allows for a lot more creativity when it comes to having stuff to sell for your band. Thinking outside the box is definitely the way forward!!

GET HOLD OF THIS AND MORE HERE

And if you have not checked out their new album yet you should as its by far in my top 5 of 2012, see below for an example of why it rocks so hard:

Thats right folks this WPC Winter Warmer is about to expand into the first ever Weekender… meaning that there will be bands covering both Saturday 2nd February AND Sunday 3rd February and an advance ticket will cost you just £10 for the whole weekend (or £7 per day on the door)

And joining the bands on the Saturday we have the maiden London voyage of the fast and nasty WAR WOLF! Featuring 2/3 of Dopefight and the mighty Oli Irongiant on guitar duties this is going to add a whole new level of excitement to the proceedings and shred those ear drums to shit!

That almost completes the Saturday line-up and i still have Sunday to announce so keep an eye out as tickets go on sale real soon.

MORE DETAILS ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE.

GET INVOLVED people as their is much more amazingness to come…. mark my words!!

BUY THEM NOW HERE!!

For those that missed it the first time round GURT have unleashed an amusing little video featuring some fun loving skeletons from a cartoon made long, long ago!

Remember you can BUY or STREAM AND THEN BUY… the entire EP from those locations.

Here it is in all its glory:

This will be the third Winter edition of WPC since it all began and we have a fair few surprises in store that are yet to be announced (mainly, the headliner!)

But to wet your appetite we already have some absolute cracking bands (that for some reason all have a G in them) First off its the now resident band of the WPC world GURT that shall be opening proceedings once again to ensure you all get off to a appropriately nasty begin to warm those cockles. We have a number of NEW faces first in the form of local boys GHOLD these are a doomy crusty troop that will lower the tone sufficiently for the arrival of SEA BASTARD who after releasing their first self titled album will really be impressing crowds this year with their riffery wizardry!

Then for the latter part of the evening we have for the first time both GROAN and GRIFTER! I am so stoked to have both of these bands as it has been a long time coming but with Groan featuring one of the worlds greatest frontman that regurly gives a solid 5/10 performance (or so he claims) we are sure in for a treat. Grifter have the swagger and the riffs to make even the greatest bands envious.

And whats more, that not it yet… WE HAVE MORE ON THE WAY!!

Come join the FACEBOOK page HERE.

And advance tickets will be £5 this time round so ALOT cheaper than the £7 door tax. TICKETS AVAILABLE COMING SOON