Crib Notes

Yes men!

… Well if you want to get technical about it, Zoroaster has signed on with E1 Music (formerly Koch), which is one of the largest (if not the largest) indie labels in the country, and is distributed the world over. So it’s just as good as a “major.”

And it’s about damn time, too. The so-called loudest band in Atlanta has been working its tail off by touring relentlessly and self-releasing gorgeously packaged LPs on the group-run Terminal Doom Records for a good long while now.

“As much as we love and want to keep doing things ourselves we keep running into road blocks that signing on with a label might help us overcome,” says vocalist/guitarist Will Fiore. “So we figured fuck it. Let’s do it.”

In the meantime whether or not the vinyl version of their latest album, The Voice of Saturn, will materialize on Terminal Doom Records or somewhere else remains to be determined.

The trio of Fiore, Brent Anderson (bass/vocals) and Dan Scanlan (percussion) is currently on the road with Gojira. The group is slated to enter the studio in early 2010 with producer Sanford Parker (The Gates of Slumber, Pelican) to record their label debut which will most likely hit the streets in the summer of 2010.

“White Dwarf” mp3

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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“Seeing the Dark” and “Spirit Molecule,” the first two cuts from Zoroaster’s The Voice of Saturn, have materialized on the B-side of a split 7-inch with Portland, Oregon’s Aldebaran (Kreation Records).

Both acts are cut from a similar cloth of slow, doom-laden metal riffs, and the vinyl treatment really blows out the bottom end of the dirge. The bass-heavy mix draws out the rich and blackened qualities, and as a teaser to the forthcoming vinyl version of The Voice of Saturn, it definitely leaves you wanting more.

Aldebaran’s side is a growly voiced anthem called “Aldebaran Red,” which fits smoldering guitars and war drums over dueling high/low godlike grumbles. There’s less of a psychedelic bent to Aldebaran’s side of the record. Instead, these Portland tormentors summon a maelstrom of teeth-gnashing, scorched-earth vitriol. 900 copies pressed on black vinyl, 100 on clear/”black haze” vinyl.

Zoroaster’s “Spirit Molecule” mp3

Zoroaster plays the Masquerade Thurs., Sept. Sep 24 with Gojira and Burst and Scale the Summit.  $13. 8 p.m. 695 North Ave. 404-577-8178.

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Atlanta psych metal masters Zoroaster announced last week that they will will be heading out soon for their fall, 2009 “North America is Doomed” tour in support of Voice of Saturn, beginning Sat., Aug. 1.

Then on Mon., Sept. 21 they’ll begin a stint of live shows appearing as the hand-picked opening act for French metal band Gojira, for two weeks during their fall run in support of Metallica and Lamb of God.

When those shows are over Zoroaster and Gojira then head overseas to embark on a month-long European tour with experimental black metal bands Absu and Nachtmystium. This will mark Zoroaster’s first trip to Europe and the shows kick-off Fri., Oct.16 in Darmstadt, Germany.

In the meantime, Voice of Saturn is due out on vinyl via Kreation Records any day now…

“White Dwarf” (feat. Brent Hinds) mp3
“Spirit Molecule” mp3

Click below for tour dates

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On Fri., July 3 the student voice of Georgia State 88.5 FM/WRAS will host its summer fundraiser concert, with performances from Zoroaster tapping into the raw power of the stoned cosmos while the Spooks rattle their garage rock chains from beyond the grave. Thy Mighty Contract plays terse and chiming post-hardcore and Danger Woman, the crime fighting super hero who’s disabled, but able to rock will round out the bill. $10. 7 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655.

(Photo courtesy of the Spooks)

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CL’s Chanté LaGon and Chad Radford chat about upcoming shows around Atlanta, including Zoroaster’s CD release party at the Drunken Unicorn (Friday, March 27), Eva Kennedy at Sugarhill (Saturday, March 28), and the Preakness at the Earl (Saturday, March 28).

Check out this week’s Sound Menu for a more comprehensive list of upcoming shows.

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Mastodon brought the Scion Rock Fest to a crashing finale on Saturday night. Scott Kelley from Neurosis made a cameo at the end of their set tearing through “Aqua Dementia” from Leviathan, “Crack the Skye” from their forthcoming full-length and “Crystal Skull” from Blood Mountain; which was preceded by an announcement from guitarist Brent Hinds that the cops were there to shut everything down.

Indeed they played slightly beyond 11 o’clock, but the show ended without incident.

In Purgatory inside the club, Zoroaster brought their set to a close with a noisy cluster of feedback and chaos after technical difficulties inspired bass player /vocalist Brent Anderson to kick over his entire bass rig. At some point during the melee a drum cymbal stand was propelled upward like a rocket and stabbed drummer Dan Scanlan in the roof of his mouth (which was pretty hardcore).  Afterward he looked dazed, but appeared to be no worse for the wear as he smoked cigarettes and recalled the story. At a metal festival of such caliber there’s bound to be some carnage.

Speaking of carnage, Norwegian black metal band 1349 wrapped up their set across the hall in Hell, shortly after the Zoroaster incident. Rumor had it that they had adorned their stage with severed pig heads mounted on spikes. If they were there the crowd had devoured them before I made my way into the room. At the end, vocalist Ravn lurched at the crowd in full corpse paint and blood stained hands, slapping high fives and grunting a ghastly war cry.

This was the real deal on all fronts. After stellar performances from Neurosis, Wolves in the Throne Room, Boris, Kylesa, Torche and so many others there was a feeling of wasted annihilation in the air, as though Cloverfield had paid a visit to the Masquerade Music Park and left a massive footprint in the dark red mud that stained so many shoes and pant legs of concert goers who filed out with ringing ears and a touch of whiplash.

(Photo by Chad Radford)

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Apocalyptic Visions’ singer/guitarist Sam Cuadra, is one of the artists featured in CL’s cover story this week, Damn Hipsters:  The quest for validation may be Atlanta’s only vice.

With 30 of the world’s most formidable metal bands descending upon Atlanta this weekend, it’s worthy to note that several bands, including including Apocalyptic Visions are locals. Zoroaster, Withered, Apocalyptic Visions and Torche and Mastodon all call Atlanta home. Harvey Milk are Athens Natives and both Baroness and Kylesa hail from Savannah.

It’s needless to say that Georgia is well represented at The Scion Rock Fest. The following list offers just a taste of the sights and sounds to behold this weekend.

Apocalyptic Visions “Move and Appear”
Zoroaster “Spirit Molecule”
Zoroaster “White Dwarf”

Click below to see more videos.

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Criminal Records announced this week that they have added Savannah’s Kylesa to the line-up for their pre SCION Rock Fest in-store that’s taking place on Fri., Feb. 27, the night before the festival at the Masquerade. So for anyone who’s keeping a tab, the line-up for the Criminal in-store now includes Kylesa, Skeletonwitch and Atlanta’s very own Withered.

In other news, this week Zoroaster — who will also perform at the SCION Rock Fest — released another new song from their forthcoming new album, The Voice of Saturn, through Brooklyn Vegan. The song is called “White Dwarf” and it features a searing guitar solo from Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds.

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For today’s Roll Call we call out Dan Scanlan of Zoroaster.

Who are you?
Dan Scanlan, drummer, noise maker for Zoroaster.

Describe yourself in three words.
Pretty Fucking Awesome.

Who — dead or alive — would most you like to meet?
Dick Wolf, Creator/ Executive Producer of Law and Order. I’d like to thank him for giving me a reason to spend every second of my spare time on the couch!!

Who would you most like to slap in the face?
Michael Vick.

What song do you wish you had written?
Happy Together by The Turtles….quite possibly the best song ever!

Elvis Costello or Elvis Presley?
Presley!!

LP, CD or MP3?
LP, but really I like 8-tracks, I’m waiting for their resurrection someday.

If you could start one trend, what would it be?
Canceling American Idol… Does that count? Well it should!!

If you could end one trend, what would it be?
Nickleback, My Chemical Romance, what’s that other really shitty band…? Yeah, that one too!!

With whom would you most like to play a game of spin the bottle?
Megan Estes. Mariska Hargitay, aka Detective Olivia Benson, I really like Law and Order… and Tom Cheshire.

“Spirit Molecule

Zoroaster plays the Clermont Lounge on New year’s Eve. Atlanta’s Withered and Athens’ doom and drone duo Subrig Destroyer also perform. 9 p.m. $10. 789 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-874-4783.

(Photo by Kevin Griggs)

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Atlanta psych metal trio Zoroaster has completed its third album, Voice of Saturn, due out on Match 10th via the group-run Terminal Doom Records.

Voice of Saturn was recorded at The Living Room with Ed Rawls, and carries Zoroaster’s hallucinogenic hybrid of doom-laden metal, drone and dirge to bombastic new places, and even features a guest appearance from Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds on the song “White Dwarf.”

Voice of Saturn track list:

1.) Intro (1:00)
2.) Spirit Molecule (6:10)
3.) Undying (13:43)
4.) White Dwarf (5:42)
5.) Voice of Saturn (5:25)
6.) Lamen of the Master Therion (7:55)
7.) Outro (14:14)

Bassist / vocalist Brent Anderson was recently featured as a guest on MTV’s Headbangers Blog.

Zoroaster will embark on a full North American tour starting in February. In the meantime you can catch them on New Year’s Eve as they headline a bill with Withered and Subrig Destroyer at the infamous Clermont Lounge.

“Spirit Molecule” (live).

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No metal band that’s worth its salt is scared of a little rain. So when talk of moving Corndogorama’s headlining act Zoroaster to the inside stage at Lenny’s spread throughout the crowd Sunday night, the natives became restless. Black clouds rumbled overhead and icy fingers of lighting stretched across the nighttime sky. But rather than tuck tails and seek shelter, Zoroaster raised its fists to the heavens and called down the thunder into a career defining performance.

The Zoroaster experience is not as defined by songs, as it is by the low, gut-pummeling rumble and head-nod rhythms that emanate from the wall of Orange and Sunn amps that wrap around the stage.

In the battle between Zoroaster and nature’s fury, Zoroaster emerged victorious on this night. And in their wake, a battlefield littered with half-eaten corndog sticks and bleeding eardrums were all that remained of “The Year of the Mustard King.”

Not a single drop of rain fell during Zoroaster’s show, and even though the band braved the elements, sadly, not many Corndogorama goers braved it out with them. Last year, Mastodon held down the same closing spot on the bill. It was a historic performance and the place was packed. Homeless people gathered around on the sidewalk across the street to throw their fists in the air and there was hardly enough room in the whole parking lot to accommodate the masses. But this year was different.

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Zoroaster bassist Will Fiore and drummer Dan Scanlan started Terminal Doom Records in the fall of 2007, not as a vanity project, but a business move.

“Me and Dan bankroll the band,” Fiore explains as he rattles off a laundry list of things they’ve paid for, including everything from recordings and equipment to a tour van. “Why spend all that money and energy on everything, and then just hand a finished record off to someone else? Why not see it all the way through?”

Continue reading Spotlight.

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As promised in a previous post, here are some photos of Zoroaster’s amazing show at Lenny’s Bar Wednesday, Sept. 19. The pictures were taken by Jason Reed.

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Last night, Zoroaster gave the equivalent of an arena-sized concert at Lenny’s Bar. And when I say “arena-sized,” I mean it: a column of lights that blew away anyone who stepped into the club, a booming sound system and the band mashing out its grindcore amid smoke that turned the members into silhouettes. The spectacle was so out of this world that dozens of people in front of the stage simply freaked out, headbanging and throwing up their two fingers in the “Satan” salute. Even the dudes in the back of the room raised their Pabst beer cans in tribute.

It’s difficult to describe how amazing Zoroaster’s concert was. I’ll post some pictures soon. In the meantime, check out T. Lagon’s profile of the band from CL’s Sept. 12 issue here.

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