Southern Lord: The Rest of 2011

Local label Southern Lord is far from done this year.  In the last few weeks, they have released a live record fron Bay Area sludgesters NOOTHGRUSH with radio broadcasts from KZSU in 1996 and KFJC in 1999 and a debut 7" from Atlanta's DEAD IN THE DIRT that have drawn inspiration from HIS HERO IS GONE, DROPDEAD and DEATHSPELL OMEGA.  Be the first on your block with an 11 song 7".  That's right, 11 songs in 10 minutes.  It's the kind of efficiency that made us all take notice of NAILS last year. Brooklyn Vegan is streaming that and the new BLACK COBRA record right now.  Here are the details on what's left to come this year:

In their continued reign of bringing some of the most talented, underground bands on the heaviest end of the musical spectrum to the public, Southern Lord have just unveiled their upcoming schedule for the remainder of the year, including releases from NOOTHGRUSH, DEAD IN THE DIRT, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, BLACK COBRA, CRAFT, HEARTLESS and SUNN 0))).

A record as dynamic as it is devastating, Invernal, the almighty fourth full-length from San Francisco’s BLACK COBRA, will finally bulldoze its way into the hands of North American fans on CD this October 11th, and on gatefold-jacketed LP to be released in the months ahead. Raging with whiplash-inducing time change-ups and wreaking more damage than lineups three times the size of this brutalizing duo,BLACK COBRA will be on the road with Kyuss Lives! in November and December and will be announcing countless more support and headlining tours through 2012, as always proving to remain one of the hardest-working bands on the scene.

Washington’s WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM recently set free their fourth full-length Celestial Lineage on CD September 13th, boasting some of the clan’s most majestic and mammoth black metal magic to date, and bringing their ongoing trilogy of albums to a brilliant finale. Celestial Lineage has been overtaking their fans and the media, bringing hundreds of fans to nearly every show of their ongoing North American tour. The new opus will be presented on 2xLP this October 25th. Following their currently ongoing North American tour, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM will embark on their European phase in support of Celestial Lineage.

On October 25th, Swedish horde CRAFT will once again threaten humanity with their gritty, orthodox style of blackened might via the official North American release of their newest full-length, Void. followed by a 12” vinyl pressing on November 8th. Void delivers a nine-track convoy of black hymns over forty nine-minutes, showcasing CRAFT integrating more black 'n roll vibes and slow-motion suicidal stomps, and ultimately spewing forth some of this hateful Scandinavian crew's swiftest and cruelest punishment to date.

Pittsburgh hardcore warriors HEARTLESS will make their Southern Lord debut this autumn, with the release of Hell Is Other People. HEARTLESS’ sound is exactly what their moniker implies; brutal, suffocating, and void of remorse. Bellowing with sinister, mayhem that diehards of metallic hardcore in the vein of Integrity, Cursed or Nails, rushing with crust/powerviolence intensity. Following a rash of 7” releases via an array of D.I.Y. labels over the past handful of years, the band’s debut full-length Hell Is Other People will see a North American compact disc release on November 8th, and on LP November at a later date to be announced shortly. Stay tuned for continuous updates on this unit into 2012.

Closing out the 2011 release schedule, Southern Lord will proudly reissue SUNN 0)))'s long out-of-print sophomore album ØØ Void, finally finding its proper resting place. Following the duo's Grimmrobe Demosdebut, ØØ Void was initially released in 2000 via HydraHead in North America and Rise Above in Europe, with only a limited reissue via Daymare Records in Japan in 2008, making these hymns virtually out of print for some eight years. Not only featuring the core guitarists Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson, ØØ Void features bass by Stuart Dahlquist (Burning Witch, Goatsnake), as well as guest contributions from Petra Haden (QOTSA, Foo Fighters, The Decemberists) on violins and vocals, as well as Pete Stahl (Scream, Wool, Goatsnake, QOTSA) contributing vocals, and was recorded on 2" tape by Scott Reeder (The Obsessed, Kyuss, Goatsnake). This 2011 reissue features revamped artwork by Stephen Kasner and a layout by Stephen O'Malley. Now this highly sought-after catalog piece for worshippers of the pulverizing SUNN 0))) drone style will be available again via a proper Southern Lord reissue. The reissue of ØØ Void will hit North American streets on November 22nd via CD, with an LP pressing at a later date to be announced soon.