Big In Japan: Japanese microlabel Obliteration has
pressed No Rest for the Wizard, the long-languishing debut by
crusty metal band Necrodamus. It features members of Akron
sludgemeisters Fistula backing Scott Stearns, a Cleveland-based
visual artist and hardcore veteran who played guitar with Integrity
forerunner Die Hard.
Label head Naru discovered Stearns in a 2007 metal-album
gallery show in Oregon. “I liked Scott’s artwork,” says Naru. “His
drawing is very powerful and looks blasphemous.”
Last week, Naru displayed some of Stearns’ gnarly line-art
illustrations in his Tokyo art gallery, Galleria De Muerte. The show’s
opening night doubled as a CD release party. Obliteration pressed 500
copies of the disc and gave Stearns 200 for U.S. sales.
Stearns is working on an art book called The Book of Skulls,
for which Necrodamus has recorded music under the name Ancient
Sickness. He plans to release the music and book as a handmade
combination package, hopefully later this year. Listen to the
ambient-doom tracks at myspace.com/ancientsickness.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum hosts a simulcast
of the 24th annual Rock Hall Induction at 8 p.m. April 4. Since
the event is in Cleveland, two Rock Hall guests will be randomly
selected to receive tickets to the event at Public Hall and taken there
to enjoy it live. Tickets are $5 at Ticketmaster outlets and the Rock
Hall box office.
Integrity has two new tracks available as free downloads. At
a389records.com, the
A389/Chainsaw Safety sampler features the title track from
Integrity’s VValpurgisnacht 7-inch, as well as songs by
Cleveland’s Ringworm and Roses Never Fade (Integrity
mainman Dwid’s arty unplugged project). Deathwish Inc.’s MMIX sampler, at deathwishinc.com/files/mmix.zip,
features “Learn to Love the Lie,” from the group’s upcoming Blackest
Curse.
Youngstown traditional-country chanteuse B.J. O’Malley has
relocated to Nashville, where she just finished recording a new album
which is being mixed by country veteran Chuck Howard, whose
résumé includes Johnny Cash and Hank Williams III.
O’Malley’s backing band includes journeymen Chris Leonardi, Joshua
Black Wilkins and Miles Price. No release date is set; O’Malley hopes
it will be out by summer. Take a listen to unmixed tracks at myspace.com/thebjomalleyband.
Below Jupiter has wrapped work on its second album, Step
Into Home (Act II), slated for April release. “Musically, it
continues the eclectic approach of the first album,” says
singer-keyboardist Josh Emmet. “Two songs are uptempo
piano-rock. Four songs have an Americana folk feel. And four songs have
a strong classical music influence. Some may view three as politically
controversial.” Five unmastered new tunes are posted at myspace.com/belowjupiter.
This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2009.