Thursday, July 31, 2014 0 Engineers

News: Vacation


Going on vacation at last! All submissions will be reviewed, after we get back! Send them at geosaf@gmail.com . Have a good summer everyone!

0 Engineers

Band: Glacier


Band: Glacier
Album: Concave
Label: Self Released
Year: 2013








Tracklist
01. For The Hour To Reap Has Come
02. And We Couldn't Fit Another Soul
03. Good God Almighty
04. Death In The Afternoon
05. Burns What Life It Has Left
06. Eventually All Becomes Routine
Streaming | Download


Band: Glacier
Album: Kirtland EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. You'll Love It Here Forever
02. Kirtland
Streaming


Band: Glacier
Album: Black Beacon EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Black Beacon
Streaming

Glacier is a Boston-based post-rock band that makes band that loves to make music you could listen to on a long drive, with a loved one, or alone in your room after a day that left you defeated.

Official Site
Facebook
Bandcamp
Merch
0 Engineers

Album: Hugar - Hugar


Band: Hugar
Album: Hugar
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Inngangur
02. Upphaf
03. Tími Kominn
04. Úti
05. Aftur Í Tíma
06. Felt
07. Horn
08. Fyrir Norðan
09. Holtið
10. Segull
11. Endalok
Download

Hugar is a duet formed by Bergur Þórisson & Pétur Jónsson. They have been playing together for many years in all kinds of different bands but in early 2012 they decided to go ahead and form a group of their own where they could experiment and take their own direction in music. 

Following the formation of the band they started recording some demos at a friends recording studio. The demos grew in size and number and suddenly they realised that this material could possibly end up being an album. In early 2014, after the slow process of writing the songs and recording the demos, they went all in on making the project into an album and the result can be heard and downloaded for free.

Throughout the process they were very lucky to know some great people who helped them out making this project a reality. Those people gave them access to their studios, recording equipment, musical instruments and ears and they couldn't be more grateful. They are also very fortunate to have some great musicians for friends that were prepared to play on this album and give it their best. 

Hugar are Bergur Þórisson & Pétur Jónsson 

Other instrumentalists are: 
Ólafur Arnalds - Drums 
Pétur Björnsson - Violin 
Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir - Violin 
Guðbjartur Hákonarson - Viola 
Hrafnhildur Marta Guðmundsdóttir - Cello 
Björgvin Ragnar Hjálmarsson - Clarinet and bass clarinet


Official Site
Facebook
Soundcloud
0 Engineers

EP: Got No Soul Project - Got No Soul


Band: Got No Soul Project
Album: Got No Soul EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Cover Me
02. German Pharmaceutical Industry
03. Do You Know It Is The Body Of Christ You Refuse
Download

Got No Soul Project is a sludge, doom, drone, experimental band from Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
For fans of C R O W N.

Bandcamp
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 0 Engineers

The Inquisition: 017.Long Distance Calling


1. How did you came up with the name of the band? 

We were on a festival as fans and were waiting for Tool to play. In the change over break we saw a video on one of the video walls with a song called "Long Distance Call" by the French band Phoenix. At this time we just started the band and were looking for a band name and once we saw this title on the screen we found or band name :) I think the name really fits well to our band's sound. 

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it? 

Well mainly it's really jamming around but sometimes it also happens that somebody comes up with a riff and then we take it from there. So there is no formula, but we are pretty good at jamming I guess. That's why we just did an instrumental live jam EP. We entered the studio with nothing (no riffs, no parts, nothing) and just jammed around and recorded it. The vibe is really cool. The EP is called "Nighthawk" and can be purchased via www.longdistancecalling.de/shop from August 1st on. 

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home? 

That's totally different for everybody in the band. We have a lot of different influences and everybody like different bands, haha. I think we all can agree on Porcupine Tree and Pink Floyd, maybe Anathema and Opeth as well, but we are very open when it comes to influences. The whole life is an influence on everything we are doing of course. 

4. Which is the one album you can't live without? 

For me personal I would say "Mer De Noms" or "Thirteenth Step" from A Perfect Circle or "Lateralus" from Tool. I know it's more than one, haha. 

5. What's the first record you've ever bought ? 

I think it was "Extreme Agression" from Kreator in 1989, I loved the CD even though I don't listen a lot to metal anymore but I still like Pantera, old Metallica and some other stuff. 

6. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with ? 

A Perfect Circle / Tool 

7. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to? 

Definitely. Internet is a great and terrible thing at the same time. All bands lose money because of the download and streaming thing but on the other hand it really helps to spread the name at least. We were really surprised when we played Athens the first time and the show was sold out which we never expected. 

8. Do you support the idea of bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like spotify? 

This is difficult and you can discuss this like forever and you will never find the "truth". Like I said, the payment for music nowadays is pretty poor compared to like 20 years ago, but for example we did the "Nighthawk" jam EP (see above) as a pledge music campaign (crowdfunding), and this is definitely a really cool thing. Of course it's cool that you can listen to music like on Spotify, pretty much all the time but it doesn't help the artist. Buy a CD/vinyl/shirt and come to the show, that really helps a band and you can feel the connection between the band and the fans. If nobody pays for music anymore, there won't be many good bands anymore sometime soon, because you need money to have the freedom and time to focus on your art. 

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

Hopefully on stage :) 

10. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era? 

Totally. Of course it's much cooler if you have a vinyl in your hands, but the album artwork is still part of the whole "package" and the visual aspect of the idea behind the album. The album artwork should be as good as the music. 

11. What is you favorite album cover? 

"Dark Side Of The Moon" / Pink Floyd 

12. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format? 

I am still going for CDs, I am to lazy for vinyl, haha. Yeah, vinyl is increasing pretty well, we also feel this, and I think it's because the people who buy it are the ones who still appreciate art and most of them don´t buy CDs anymore and vinyl instead. Hopefully those people will survive, haha. 

13. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band? 

There's tons of it really. We played a lot of shows during the last 7 years and we had everything from a broken tire on the nightlight, to missing a guy from the tour in a city (because he was staying with a chick), crazy shows in Russia or simply the fact to play with bands that you look up to like Dredg, Opeth, Anathema etc and we appreciate all this a lot!

Long Distance Calling recently released an EP called "Nighthawk" through PledgeMusic and it's going to be up for sale from August 1st.

More info:
Official Site
Facebook
Twitter
Shop
0 Engineers

EP: Vapour Night - The Dirt Sea


Band: Vapour Night
Album: The Dirt Sea EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. The Dirt Sea
Download

Vapour Night is a solo music project of Ali Murray. "The Dirt Sea" EP is an amazing 25 minute long  combination of ambient, drone and noise.

Facebook
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
Tuesday, July 29, 2014 0 Engineers

Album: Glories - Put The Beast Out Of Mind


Band: Glories
Album: Put The Beast Out Of Mind
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014







Tracklist
01. Crowns
02. Of Good Fortunes
03. Just Be Remembered
04. An Unquiet Mind
05. We Will All Go Together
06. Sonoma
07. Not Everything, Not Yet
08. I Can't Stay Forever
09. Lands
Download

A post-rock collective based in Birmingham, Alabama.

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Bandcamp
Friday, July 25, 2014 0 Engineers

The Inquisition: 016.Sleep Maps


1. How did you came up with the name of the band?

There is a type of brain scan which shows neurons firing in the brain during sleep. The result is called a Sleep Map and I thought it was a fitting name for the kind of music I wanted to make.

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it?

Sometimes I have a riff that really stands out, like the main riff of Eternal Wanderer or Telegenesis, and I build a song around that. Other times I will just sit and strum a guitar until something resonates with me. Sometimes its much harder and I'll work on a song for months, refining and editing until its good enough. I usually add samples towards the end of the creative process, after I know what kind of record I am making and what the main themes will be. I tend to think that if a song needs tons of revisions and work that maybe it isn't good enough and should be scrapped. I'll go back and grab parts from songs that didn't make the cut. I think I have released 16 Sleep Maps songs total and I have something like 40 or 50 sitting on my hard drive. Gotta know when to kill your darlings.

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home?

When I was young I listened to tons of classical movie soundtracks. I would go out and get hard to find copies of soundtracks by Basil Poledouris and Jerry Goldsmith and listen to them non-stop. I loved the imagery that would get conjured up as I listened to these scores, and even if I hadn't seen the movie I could associate certain images with certain themes. At the same time I was playing classical music with my school bands and learning about some of the masters. It wasn't until later that I found rock music and wanted to build some kind of bridge between the two.

4. Which is the one album you can't live without?

Its Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins. Maybe a lame answer, but it was the soundtrack to so many important moments for me.

5. What's the first record you've ever bought ?

I remember the first record I ever received. It was Achtung Baby by U2. I listened to it a lot.

6. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with ?

When I saw Mono play I was really stunned at how powerful their show was. I would love to play with them.

7. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to?

The internet lets Sleep Maps reach out to people beyond my friends. I have sent CDs all over the place. I was surprised when I was contacted by someone in Turkey who really resonated with the first record I released and we have stayed in touch since then. Its hard to say what sort of effect blogs have had. There are so many bands all trying to promote themselves that the most you can hope for is really 1 day of converge.

8. Do you support the idea of bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like spotify?

Bandcamp is a direct deposit to the artist. Anyone can release an album on it and people can pay what they like. It is a level playing field and you can discover great artists through it. Spotify is a corporate machine that seems uninterested in giving anything to artists. For the independent artist, Bandcamp is the only choice.

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

I plan on making music as Sleep Maps as long as it interests me. I have several other side projects that come and go, but Sleep Maps is really just me expressing whatever I am feeling at the time. In 5 years I don't think that will have changed.

10. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era?

Yes. I strongly believe in the power of album art and what it can do to shape your opinion of music. I work with Hunter Heckroth (http://www.whattheheckroth.com/) on all the Sleep Maps art and I think we have developed a style that is uniquely ours and adds so much to the whole package. If you look at the cover of We Die For Truth, there is a ton of work and thought that went into that. Its all part of the puzzle.

11. What is you favorite album cover?

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here


12. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format?

In an era of disposable media it's nice to have something to hold in your hands. I love vinyl and think right now its my preferred format for all music. I would love to press vinyl for We Die For Truth and may do so in the future.

13. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band?

I spent 3 weeks in the woods of Delaware when writing Fiction Makes The Future, and it was during that experience that I really discovered how amazing it feels to just let your inner creative person flow out of you. Without any judgement or expectations you can really make something true to yourself.

More info:
Thursday, July 24, 2014 0 Engineers

Video: Maybeshewill - In Amber




From the forthcoming album "Fair Youth".
Wednesday, July 23, 2014 0 Engineers

Album: La Mar - Tides


Band: La Mar
Album: Tides
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Wanderlust
02. Compass
03. Rebelle
04. Light Bearer
05. Jukai
06. Guarimba
07. Oyster
08. Flips
09. Murmurs
10. Diaspora
Download

La Mar is  an instrumental rock / post-metal band from Caracas, Venezuela. On 2012 they released their first record "La Mar"and on July 20, 2014, "Tides", their second full-length record.

Official Site
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Bandcamp
Buy
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 0 Engineers

Video: Hammock - Sinking Inside Yourself


0 Engineers

Album: Fatal Nostalgia - Quietus


Band: Fatal Nostalgia
Album: Quietus
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Quietus
02. Elysium
03. Asphodel Meadows
04. Tartarus
05. Lethe
Download | Mirror

Fatal Nostalgia is a post-rock, ambient, and metal project aiming to capture the emotions of nostalgia, melancholy, and so forth. Themes of nature, youth, romanticism, lost innocence, and others are also explored.

Monday, July 21, 2014 0 Engineers

Video: sleepmakeswaves - Great Northern


0 Engineers

EP: I Am Planet - Silene Stenophylla


Band: I Am Planet
Album: Silene Stenophylla EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014







Tracklist
01. Adelidae
02. Labes
03. Silene Latifolia
04. Silene Stenophylla
Download

I Am Planet is a Slovak musician and composer. I Am Planet plays music based on influences of contemporary classical and minimalism.

Facebook
Bandcamp
Buy
Saturday, July 19, 2014 0 Engineers

Single: Bien À Toi - 0°c


Band: Bien À Toi
Album: 0°c (Single)
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. 0°c
02. 0°c (Ambiant Sequel)
Download

Bien À Toi is a french band founded in Paris in 2011.

Official Site
Facebook
Bandcamp
Friday, July 18, 2014 0 Engineers

Video: Emma Ruth Rundle - Audiotree Live


Wednesday, July 16, 2014 0 Engineers

Video: Blckwvs - Melting Butter Session #11(Live at RAMA Sound)




Tuesday, July 15, 2014 0 Engineers

The Inquisition: 015.Cecilia::eyes


1. How did you came up with the name of the band? 

Christophe: The etymology of "cecilia" means “blind” in French. So, this is how you can feel the music when you close your eyes. For us, music is a matter of feelings and emotions. That's what we wanted to say through this character. 

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it? 

Gauthier: Like you say usually one comes with an idea, an improvisation, and we start creating something from that, but on this record the process was a bit different. Some of the songs were created only from a sample idea (Default Descent, Reign) and then we did build something together on this. Some other songs (like Bellflowers, Loreta and Swallow the key) were started at home with Christophe and myself, then we came with this "first scratch" of a song to the others and we arranged/changed things together with all the instruments. Isolated Shower is in fact the older composition on the album, it was an old song (I think the first recording is from 2010) and we found it interesting to re-work it. 

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home? 

Gauthier: A lot of things but I always come back to shoegaze, noisy things. Actually I'm listening a lot of Slowdive's actual live performances. I also listen a lot of movie soundtracks (Thomas Newman, Jery Goldsmith, Hans Zimmer...) 
Pascal: Yes, a lot of things too... From classic rock to drone music...via shoegaze, of course... the only restriction is the emotion I can feel with... 
Chris: Mostly shoegaze: Slowdive is my favourite band of all time, I love “Tunnel Blanket” from This Will Destroy You, Strata Florida, Hammock, IIiketrains, Cranes, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau twins, Sailors With Wax Wings, The Besnard Lakes, Jakob, Gregor Samsa, Air Formation… Post-rock’s becoming boring: today, all the post-rock bands just clone themselves. After four albums, the public finally realizes that our musical influences lie elsewhere than in the post-rock, sometimes in Pink Floyd for some of us, sometimes in the new wave for others, and for myself exclusively in the shoegaze movement. It is strange that no one noticed that before. When we were teenagers in the 90s, we rather listened to The Cure, Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Ride, only after that we arrived to the first pieces of Mogwai … and today, each of us has a wide range of musical influences that are not at all found in the post-rock. 

4. What’s the first record you've ever bought ? 

Gauthier: The first record I bought with my own money, I think it was "Beat it" - Michael Jackson in 45 vinyl :-) 
Pascal: Hm, I remember my first CD : "Brothers in arms" from Dire Straits. But earlier, I bought some vinyls like "Hit Connection" ;-) 
Christophe: When I was a teenager, I didn’t really bought records, but I listened recordings on audio cassettes. The first record I listen to, was “Disintegration” by The Cure and then I bought their album "Wish” in 1992. I was a Cure fan at that time ;-) 

5. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with ? 

Christophe: Slowdive & This Will Destroy You. We are lucky that we already had the chance to open for incredible bands like Thee Silver Mount Zion, Ilkiketrains, Cranes & Maybeshewill. 
Gauthier: Slowdive, definitively. Ride if one day they're touring again ! 
Pascal: Pink Floyd, if they really release their new album ! Or Sigur Ros, Slowdive, Anathema, The Cure...!! 

6. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were suprised to know your music has reached to? 

Christophe: The social networks and all the tools that offer the possibility to enlarge the audience of an artist or a band can’t be ignored. As a matter of fact, we are very active on a weekly basis (Mailchimp, Bandcamp, Facebook, twitter, last.fm, Spotify). Without these networks, we probably would not have fans all over the world…and if you look at the different origins of our facebook fans, you could be surprised as I am everyday. 
Gauthier: The blogs and Facebook of course. It was surprising to see so much interest from Romania :-) 
Pascal: Yes of course, internet is very important. Blogs to spread the word about our music with reviews, interviews and "services" like Bandcamp, Paypal to be efficient all over the world. Thanks to these tools, our music has reach countries like China, Russia, Japan, Thailand,... It's crazy! 

7. Do you support the idea of bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like spotify? 

Gauthier: I'm a Spotify addict, so I will say yes even if they don't pay the artists that much. Bandcamp is a blessing for band like us, easy to manage and well done, and I have no problem with the "pay what you want" thing. 
Christophe: Bandcamp, is rather a showcase where you can both listen to the material of an artist and buy directly, immediate and on a simple way (Paypal) the albums, without going through an intermediary. It is for me an indispensable tool. This platform has allowed us, for example, to provide a preorder and limited versions of our last album. 

8. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

Gauthier: 5 years should be enough for the next album ! :-) 
Pascal: I really hope it will be enough ! 
Christophe: I’m afraid not :) . Seriously now, always into music experimentations with cecilia::eyes team…and traveling all over the world. 

9. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era? 

Gauthier: Yes, that's why we are trying to propose something interesting each time. With "Here Dead We Lie" we did a nice boxset and for this one we tried to propose a very beautiful vinyl edition. 
Pascal: I totally agree ! Despite music is now more and more dematerialized, some people (like me ;-)) are looking for a beautiful object additionally to the music. 
Christophe: I am personally very attached to to the aesthetic side of things and especially album covers. An interesting and attractive artwork offers the listener a complete work. For me, I think the two elements are inseparable. 

10. What is you favorite album cover? 

Christophe: In the nineties, I loved the work of Vaughan Oliver/v23 who made the artwork of the 4AD covers and especially those of Cocteau Twins. More recently, Farewell Poetry and Gregor Samsa. My favorites of all time are : Cocteau Twins "Victorialand" & Cranes "Wings Of Joy".



Gauthier: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd.


Pascal: I like all the album covers from Pink Floyd too. Another very interesting artwork is that of Tool, especially "10000 days" and I also like "Agaetis Byrjun" by Sigur Ros.


11. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format? 

Gauthier: Crisis time makes people buying less things, but, "better" ones. I'm still buying and listening to vinyls, it's the best way for me to listen & feel the music, but also next to that I'm a big fan of Spotify and I'm discovering lots of bands with it. 
Christophe: The release of a vinyl was just a dream. From the beginning, it was clear to us that this option would be a part of the project. Vinyl is also linked to our musical background. Vinyl brings the listener through pictures, clues and signs. Vinyl just gives sense to emotions and feelings… and you can browse our music through a beautiful object… 
12. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band? 
Christophe: recordings, trips abroad, backstage with Cranes, meeting Slowdive, … feel the happiness that music brings you at every moment of your life. 
Gauthier: Stage stage stage !

Cecilia::eyes recently released their latest album "Disappearance" on CD, vinyl & digital format.

More info:
Official Site
Facebook
Bandcamp






0 Engineers

Video: Remember Remember - La Mayo


Sunday, July 13, 2014 0 Engineers

Video: Slaves - My Soul Is Empty And Full Of White Girls


Friday, July 11, 2014 0 Engineers

Album: Sleep Maps - We Die For Truth


Band: Sleep Maps
Album: We Die For Truth
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. The Life Beyond
02. The Future West
03. Telegenesis
04. Army Of Empty
05. Biologic Trust
06. Death Has Two Faces
07. The World You Wanted
08. See You In A Thousand Years
Download

Over the course of moving from Chicago, to Los Angeles, to New York, multi-instrumentalist Ben Kaplan has developed Sleep Maps from a solo project to a full band in time for the debut album, "Fiction Makes the Future". Sleep Maps tend toward the dark side of post-rock, with spoken word samples.

In 2012 they released an EP called "Medals" and in July 2014 their second full length album "We Die For Truth".

Thursday, July 10, 2014 0 Engineers

Album: The Southern Sun - The Tarnish From Men's Souls


Band: The Southern Sun
Album: The Tarnish From Men's Souls
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014







Tracklist
01. Faded Journey
02. The Shore Recedes
03. Hailey
04. The Amazing Colossal Man
05. Victoria
Download

All songs written, arranged, and performed by The Southern Sun
Alex Helperin, Max Helperin, Mike Roukens. 

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Lee Helperin in late 2013/early 2014. 

Samples: 
The Amazing Colossal Man: "War of the Colossal Beast", directed by Bert I. Gordon, American International Pictures, 1958. 

The Shore Recedes, Victoria: "It Conquered the World", directed by Roger Corman, American International Pictures, 1956.

Monday, July 07, 2014 0 Engineers

Album: An Astronaut - The Longest Winter I'd Ever Known


Band: An Astronaut
Album: The Longest Winter I'd Ever Known
Label: InAutumn Records
Year: 2014







Tracklist
01. In(finite) Time
02. The View From Here
03. Fireworks
04. Old Candles
05. Like Ships In The Night
06. Happiness In Hurricanes
07. How The Story Unfolds
Download

Debut album 'The Longest Winter I'd Ever Known' is an ode to 1990s lofi indie rock. A true DIY effort, it was recorded in bedrooms, kitchens and rehearsal studios and mixed and mastered by Nao Anzai (Laura, Cash Savage, Fourteen Nights at Sea). It is out now via InAutumn Records and available in its entirety, for free download.

Sunday, July 06, 2014 0 Engineers

Album: Rorcal - Vilagvege


Band: Rorcal
Album: Vilagvege
Label: Self Released
Year: 2013








Tracklist
01. I
02. D
03. II
04. V
05. IV
06. VII
07. VI
08. VIII
Download | Mirror

Rorcal sees the light in Geneva (Switzerland) in 2006.  

After four efforts between 2007 and 2008 and more than 100 shows all over Europe, 2010 is marked by the band’s fifth block: Heliogabalus. Highly acclaimed by the public and the critics, this one marks a radical change in the band’s music. Obsessively dark and heavy, this 70 minutes monolithic piece sees Rorcal sink deeper into the abysses of sound.  

After touring all over Europe and working on a couple of collaborative releases, Rorcal is now ready with a brand new set entitled Vilagvege. You have no idea what to expect.  Somewhere between drone, doom and black metal, let yourself go into the bowels of the whale.

Friday, July 04, 2014 0 Engineers

The Inquisition: 014.North


Evan Leek: Bass player/vocalist

1. How did you came up with the name of the band?

I wanted something simple but bold, and for some reason I've always had a fascination with the movie North starring Elijah Wood. Pretty obvious after that.

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it?

We've written songs in various ways but you are right in the sense that we will take a main riff and stem off from that to fill in the frame work. But again, various practices at different times.

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home?

I take a bit of influence from everything but mainly people, places, and experiences. Lately when I'm working around the house or relaxing, I love to put on some blue grass. Something about it just makes everything seem a little more simple.

4. What’s the first record you've ever bought ?

Band Geek Mafia - Voodoo Glow Skulls

Zack Hansen: Drummer

5. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with?

I'd love to go somewhat unconventional and tour with someone like Tim Hecker. It would be such a stark contrast to what we do. I really enjoy the thickness and atmospheres involved in ambient and electronic music, especially Tim Hecker's, it could give us a chance to try and bridge the gap between loud and quiet, even if he is quite loud live. Maybe we could do more drone like pieces as well. It'd be interesting to tour with Pelican as well, we used to be compared to them so much when we first started. Go full circle.

6. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to?

Oh so much, when we first started we were sending out CDs everywhere to try and spread the word. So many great blogs and websites put it up for download and without them we'd probably be nowhere. The exposure provided to a young completely unknown band that comes with the internet is astronomical. I can't emphasize that enough. To this day I get so pleased to send out records overseas. Australia might be the furthest away we've sent records to. It feels like as foreign a place as possible. Southern hemisphere, across the Pacific Ocean. Again, not possible without the internet to help out.

7. Do you support the idea of bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like spotify?

Let me go on the record and say, North loves bandcamp. There was never a real service in place before to help you distribute your music digitally, and I really mean YOU distribute. The revenue sharing model destroys every other streaming/purchasing platform. I despise itunes/spotify/amazon. They are the essence of pure corporate greed. Bandcamp is as DIY as you can get for digital. We released our newest album Metanoia by ourselves, we are the only distributor and I mean the only for digital and physical records. It's not available from anywhere except our bandcamp and a few of our favorite record label's distros (Gilead Media, Halo of Flies, Cavity Records soon). We keep 85% of the sales and it keeps us afloat. Bandcamp is the ultimate leveler against the other services. I could go and on and on about this forever. I don't ever want another record on itunes again.

8. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

That's a very good question, because if you asked me where I would see us in 5 years, 5 years ago, I don't know what I would have said, but I don't think I would have predicted this. We have been through so many member changes, I'd be thrilled for us to have the same lineup in 5 years. Will we be touring more consistently? I certainly hope so. Maybe we won't have to. This will never be our day job unfortunately but I'd love to be touring worldwide (Asia, South America, why not parts of Africa?) and putting out records still as North.

Matt Mutterperl: Guitar Player

9. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era?

Oh, without question. Yes. I don't think there will ever be a part where album art will be overlooked - even very minimalist designs are doing something. However, today there's  the onus to create/make/arrange/capture something that you think will not only represent the music it's fixed to, but having that stand out amongst what I can only imagine to be thousands upon thousands of other album art out there. It ups the ante in what you do since more has been done, which is interesting given that old saying: "good artists create, but great artists steal." On a more personal note, the digital era has forced me to adapt to Photoshop, which I would have never thought possible if you had asked me a few years ago. Photoshop and my busted printer/scanner combo. Interestingly, a significant portion of The Great Silence artwork was all drawn in Photoshop with my finger on the Trackpad. My formative years were spent with a wired mouse and MSPaint, so I adapted it over. I'll most likely never do that again though.

10. What is you favorite album cover?

I have so many, and for different reasons. The cover of Dookie has some excellent artwork - I used to love cartoons as a kid, and that piece is so iconic. It's impressively chaotic, like looking at a Where's Waldo? book for the first time. 


John Dyer Baizley's album covers have become more beautiful and intricate since First & Second came out - I'll have to say my favorites are Red and Blue. The color, composition, and detail of his pieces leveled me when I first began getting into Baroness. 



Don Caballero's What Burns Never Returns is a favorite of mine. 


I love how bleak and depressing Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God looks, too.


11. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format?

I really couldn't tell you why this is happening again, but I will say that I enjoy doing album artwork for vinyls the most for the sake of having more real estate. I grew up with CDs and cassettes, and although I did like rifling through liner notes and staring at album covers, vinyl allows whatever art you're doing to have enough space to breathe.

12. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band?

There've been a lot - one funny story is how the band got started. Evidently, Evan wanted to start a new band, and Zack would only agree to it if he could drop-kick Evan in the stomach. He did. I'm told it didn't hurt. We're all big Tim & Eric fans, and talked to James Quall when we saw him walking down the street in LA when we were on tour. He's absolutely as crazy as you'd imagine, or he's great at always being in character. To be fair, a lot of the funny moments are less objectively funny and more "you-had-to-be-there" funny, in the same way that a lot of band humor is mostly inside jokes.

North recently released their latest album "Metanoia", available on Digital/Cassette/CD & Vinyl.

They are touring the US on August as well:
8.1.14 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
8.2.14 - Santa Fe, NM - Dave Cave
8.3.14 - Denver, CO - Denver Black Sky Fest
8.4.14 - Kansas City, MO - FOKL Center
8.5.14 - Minneapolis, MN - The Triple Rock
8.6.14 - Milwaukee,WI - Quarters
8.7.14 - Chicago, IL - The Empty Bottle
8.8.14 - Toledo, OH - Ottawa Tavern
8.9.14 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Shop
8.10.14 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
8.11.14 - Brooklyn, NY - The Knitting Factory
8.12.14 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
8.13.14 - Raleigh, NC - Slim’s Downtown
8.14.14 - Knoxville, TN - The Poison Lawn
8.15.14 - Murfreesboro, TN - Wall Street
8.16.14 - Birmingham, AL - The Forge
8.17.14 - New Orleans, LA - Hey Cafe
8.18.14 - Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone
8.19.14 - Springfield, MO - Lindberg's
8.20.14 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Conservatory
8.21.14 - Austin, TX - Holy Mountain
8.22.14 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace

More info:
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0 Engineers

Single: Followed By Ghosts - Followed By Ghosts


Band: Followed By Ghosts
Album: Followed By Ghosts (Single)
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Followed By Ghosts
Download

Followed By Ghosts is an instrumental band from Iowa, United States. Drawing influences from post-rock innovators Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky, they have created their own melodic brand of instrumental guitar rock. 

Their debut record ‘The Entire City Was Silent’ (2007) was recorded all in churches, and has had generally positive reception since its release. Including seven tracks ranging from under two minutes to over nine, there is a wide range of emotions and melodies on the album. 

The second release, ‘Dear Monsters, Be Patient’ was released for free in 2008 before their first tour. Although they encourage people to buy it, they do not seem to mind free downloading. This was a change in style from TECWS, and has mostly been positively received. 

Their latest album, ‘Still, Here’ was released in November 2011.

Thursday, July 03, 2014 0 Engineers

News: Rosetta: Audio-Visual Indiegogo Campaign


Background Information 

About the Filmmaker


My name is Justin Jackson and I am a working professional in the film industry. For the past three years I have been independently producing, financing, and directing Rosetta: Audio/Visual, a feature length documentary. 

I have directed short films that have been featured in festivals throughout the United States. I've worked for Samsung, MTV, and have freelanced on commercials for Nickelodeon. I work a day job as a media production coordinator in order to be able to make independent films. My personal website is: www.vol4.com

Why I Chose to Make a Film About Rosetta


I became aware of Rosetta's music and was immediately blown away by their material upon first listen. After visiting the band's website I noticed they had an email address listed. I sent Rosetta an email and stated I wanted to make a short portrait of the band. Halfway into production I realized I had much more than a documentary short profiling the group. There was a real story along with rich subplots set against the backdrop of Philadelphia. I found that not only were the band members great musicians but they were genuine, engaging, and complex. When I learned they have to work day jobs to support their music it really resonated with me. I wanted to convey the struggles musicians go through in order to express themselves through their craft. Through this film I learned that each member of Rosetta tirelessly pursues moments of joy and catharsis no matter the strain it places on their daily lives. 

About the Film



After being on their record label for ten years, Rosetta decides to self-finance and self-distribute their next album, "The Anaesthete,” and the future of the band hinges on the album's results. Featuring: Rosetta, Drew Juergens and Christian McKenna from Translation Loss Records, Eduardo Rivadavia of All Music, Eric Jernigan from City of Ships, illustrator Mike Wohlberg, Jesse Yanniell, Andrew Schneider, and Sean Ingram of Coalesce.

Original score by Rosetta.

What Makes This Film Unique 

As a way of honoring the spirit of Rosetta and the artists who have deeply inspired me, this film will be distributed directly to viewers and fans through a pay-what-you-wish digital format. There will be no set price. Fans and Viewers can pay as much or as little as they want. This distribution method makes “Rosetta: Audio/Visual” a blue-collar, independent, do-it-yourself film.

Indiegogo
Official Site
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Tuesday, July 01, 2014 0 Engineers

EP: Zoo Books - Right Hooks


Band: Zoo Books
Album: Right Hooks EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. 40" Sturgeon
02. Wait... What?
Download

Zoo Books is a post-hardcore band from Cinnaminson, NJ, USA.

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