EARTHRIDE vampire circus CD DOOM goatsnake obsessed NEW

EARTHRIDE Vampire Circus CD

Crushing Maryland doom !!! Featuring former members of SPIRIT CARAVAN, INTERNAL VOID, and WRETCHED.

SOUTHERN LORD (2006) NEW / UNPLAYED / SEALED IN SHRINKWRAP

DOMESTIC RELEASE

[PLOT SUMMARY]
DESCRIPTION:
Hell yeah! OK, EARTHRIDE are local guys (hailing from Frederick, Maryland, which is just a few minutes down the road from Crucial Blast HQ), we've seen 'em numerous times, we had them on our Doom Capital compilation we did back in 2004....needless to say, we're big EARTHRIDE fans, and Vampire Circus just delivers more of the crushing biker doom these guys are such f***ing masters of. This album does sound a lot heavier than past stuff though, probably in large part due to the presence of Mike Dean from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY as producer. Featuring members of SPIRIT CARAVAN and INTERNAL VOID, EARTHRIDE is Maryland Doom at its most grungy, dropping dank Black Sabbath meets Lynyrd Skynyrd riffs and fronted by our buddy Dave Sherman, whose gnarly blown-throat growl still resembles Lemmy from MOTORHEAD after smoking a carton of cigs in 20 minutes. Total battering-ram rock. Hell yeah. And dig that killer Hammond organ on "Dirtnap" and "Swamp Witch", courtesy of Mick Schauer from CLUTCH, blasting those tunes with some rich Deep Purple/Edgar Winter vibes. The whole thing reeks of primo 70's dirtbag metal caked in sludge. Totally essential to doom fans and sludge rock cretins.

REVIEW FROM SPLENDID EZINE: The devil's been a busy entity as of late, what with his making deals with every doom metal prophet on the planet, and doing that voodoo that he do with natural disasters and the Christian right. It seems everybody's searching for the bottom-scraping sounds of Sabbath circa Volume 4, and when a Mesa Boogie head and sub-harmonix feedbacker box won't give it to you, there's no choice but to turn to the dark lord. It's going to be a long eternity for the members of Earthride, as guitarist Kyle VanSteinburg clearly gave up his eternal soul for Iommi's tarpit riffage, and lead singer Dave Sherman's pact landed him Lemmy's fierce, post-Hawkwind growl, but was thankfully spared his hideous mole in the trade. The latest offering from the fertile doom ground of Maryland, Vampire's Circus sounds as though it was recorded in a damp basement during the fall of 1974; its a soot-encrusted assemblage of filthy detuned riffing, drunken growling and a pared down clatter courtesy of former Internal Void stickman Eric Little and bassist Rob Hampshire. The album couldn't sound more dated if it were blasting out of your brother's Craig 8-Track player he taped to the dash of his El Camino, but then again, you don't look to Earthride for future-leaning rock 'n' roll, you turn to them when the bong's smoking, the sour mash is flowing, she's half-dressed and all but two of the fluorescent lights in the basement are out. Lead singer Dave Sherman has an impressive pedigree by dirtbag standards, having done time in resin-metal lords Wretched and Wino's Spirit Caravan, and you can hear the years of hard-living resonate in his guttural cry -- a demonic growl filled with pain and remorse, but never the slightest tinge of regret. He wouldn't trade the late nights, bar fights and in-the-van camaraderie for anything, and you can hear the resilience in his voice as he recalls some of his more twisted endeavors during "God's Own Medicine", or wonders aloud how the hell he's escaped with his life on the pensive-yet-bruising "Loss". "Dirtnap" is a sobering brace of molasses-thick riffing and funereal Hammond organ that explodes into a tempestuous cacophony reminiscent of the Sab's "Planet Caravan", while "For Wrath and Ruin" finds VanSteinburg possessed by a host of six-string demons, pumping pure bile out of his 4x12's as the rest of the band struggles to keep up. Cynics may chide Earthride for their throwback sound and classic metal posturing, but in an era where irony has become the status quo, it's refreshing to find a band ready, willing and able to revel in overdriven, beer-swilling punk-metal that thoughtfully acknowledges unfashionable icons like Saxon, Diamond Head and Vardis. Vampire's Circus is a titanic blast of doom metal devoid of overindulgence and artifice, raised on a healthy diet of British Steel and kicked out by that bunch of dudes who hold court next to the jukebox in your favorite dive. This time, the devil didn't know what he was getting himself into.

REVIEW FROM METAL REVIEW: From Internal Void to Spirit Caravan and The Obsessed, Maryland is a breeding ground for quality doom metal. The same could be said about Southern Lord Records, home for many a lost soul in search of heavy music saturated with the mysticism that can only come from one too many hits from the bong. Some will eat this shit up without criticism, as I would like to do, feeling the extended solos like the one found in Vampire Circus’s second track, “Understand,” traveling through their veins like an injected sugar rush. Others will simply find this stuff derivative. Regardless, if you’re in any way attracted to the dirge of doom metal, you can’t go wrong with Earthride’s second full-length. I can’t imagine anyone hating this album. Opening track “Fighting the Devils Inside You” is like the musical version of grandma’s welcome home hug. Not only that, but you find that when you move past that first track, it’s like when you get past that first hug only to find that grandma’s also baked an assortment of your favorite cookies, all collected within one big bowl waiting for you next to that comfortable chair that you fall asleep in listening to stories of her childhood. Now, arguably, I haven’t listened to an insane amount of doom metal albums this year, but this is certainly one of the best I have listened to thus far, and I can’t say I’d feel guilty recommending this to anyone who has shown a consistent interest in doom. What astounds me most is that I don’t get bored at any point on this album. Nothing is particularly samey or uninspired on Vampire Circus. In fact, most songs are played with this almost indescribable energy, such as the album’s last track, “Swamp Witch,” which weaves its merry way through a mid-paced rockerish vibe straight to sugary sweet doom metal goodness, all within three and a half minutes. The riff in the chorus is in my top 5 of ’05, and the developed wankery found on the latter half of the song is fun as hell. “Loss” is another song worthy of mention, as it distinguishes itself from the nine other tracks with a slower, softer sound that nonetheless conveys Earthride’s grasp on the balance necessary between hook and complexity, and the solo beginning at the 3:30 mark is mind-numbingly rad in the same ice-cream induced brain freeze way. Those looking for a particular vibe or sound are honestly fucked. No one is going to do this album any service by describing it in words, but I suppose that’s my job as a writer, so I’ll do the best I can. Think typical Southern Lord, but, and I find myself stretching a little here, more accessible. Inevitably, readers will see that term accessible and think of Sunday morning jaunts to the local bakery, but rest assured folks, this album is by no means a jaunt or a walk through the park. Accessible here means tracks that have been kept at a reasonable length and pace. That doesn’t mean that Earthride isn’t pushing the doom metal norm or isn’t as impressive as the rest of its Southern Lord brethren. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this album finishes somewhere in my end-of-year top 10 list. Laced with awesome solos, tight instrumentation, enough variation to satisfy even the staunchest of doom metal aficionados, and an amazing singing voice courtesy of Dave Sherman, Vampire Circus is a riff-driven masterpiece of doom realized to its near full potential. Mike Dean’s production highlights the warm fuzz.

REVIEW FROM DECIBEL MAGAZINE: From the US Doom capital of Maryland comes the incredibly earthy and fuzzed out warhorse known as Earthride. Fireball Ministry not groovy enough for you? Lemmy’s voice not gravelly enough for you? Electric Wizard and Grief not stoned out enough? Then Earthride is for you. Featuring members of other Maryland doom stalwarts Wretched and Spirit Caravan (singer Dave Sherman) and Internal Void (drummer Eric Little), Earthride is the very epitome of fuzzed out, down tuned stoner rock/doom, to the nth degree with resin caked lungs and wandering, bloodshot eyes. Now, this isn’t something I will listen too often voluntarily as A) I am ADD, so this sort of wafting, grimy low end groove puts me to sleep, and B) don’t partake of the weed, so the appeal is purely musical for me, and that I can appreciate. Armed with Mike Dean production gives the guitars of Kyle Van Steinburg a monstrous presence that are warm yet rumble with hazy intent , and his riffs just slither with a boa like heaviness and pace, that isn’t all slow drones, but inject plenty of thick rock and roll hooks (“Vampire Circus”, “Dirtnap”, “For Wrath and Ruin”, “In The World I Live”, “Swamp Witch”) into the smoky mix, that reminded me a little of Down. Enough so to where my foot was tapping along many times. But of course the album is full of hearty, plodding, mammoth drones (“Understood”, “God’s Own Medicine”, “Fighting the Devils Inside You”) and appropriately mood setting moments of sonic inhalation (“Intelude”, “Loss”). Dave Sherman’s Whiskey dissolved vocal chords sound like a Motorhead single played at 33rpm, and when mixed with Van Steinburg’s chest rattling guitars does make for a more than purely musical experience and I imagine when mixed with a 5th of Jack Daniels or a few choice bowls would make for a fun time for you types that inhale this genre with glee.

REVIEW FROM BALTIMORE CITY PAPER: The Maryland/Washington area has few regional sounds to call its own. There’s Washington go-go, of course, and Baltimore club. But Maryland’s variant on the doom-rock sound has crunched skulls for decades, and Earthride is a fine bearer of that noble tradition. The band is a quartet fronted by Dave Sherman, former bassist for Spirit Caravan. Spirit Caravan, in turn, was masterminded by Scott “Wino” Weinrich, who also led St. Vitus and the Obsessed, two of the three American bands that pioneered the post-Sabbath biker rock under discussion. The third is Pentagram, featuring guitarist Victor Griffin, with whom Wino recently paired up with in Place of Skulls. Those who still remember where they were when Spirit Caravan split can dry their eyes, because Earthride works the same heavy groove: vaguely bluesy, with vocals so harsh your throat aches in sympathy, a rhythm section (including ex-Internal Void drummer Eric Little) that throbs like a thousand Harleys roaring by in low gear, and guitar solos featuring more sustain than actual notes. Understanding the virtues of aesthetic conservatism, Maryland doom stands just to the right of metal; Earthride has more in common with Mot�rhead than Slayer—or even Judas Priest. Vampire Circus was produced by Corrosion of Conformity’s Mike Dean, and Clutch keyboardist Mick Schauer, another Marylander, plays Deep Purple-ish organ on “Dirtnap” and “Swamp Witch,” broadening Vampire’s vision just a little. Earthride is the band Jersey boy Zakk Wylde wishes he was in.

REVIEW FROM LIVE4METAL: All of you herbal connoisseurs out there will know exactly what I’m talking about here. Have you ever gone without cleaning your pipe for awhile? You use it and use it for months or years on end, failing to even give the inside a good scraping. After so long you wind up with this enormous glob of gooey, tar-black resin. Staring at this mess you know that packed inside that sludgy mass is one helluva head change. So what else to do? Well if you are Earthride you hand the pipe over to Corrosion of Conformity bass player Mike Dean and have him press it into a ten-song, red-eyed masterpiece and call it Vampire Circus. Hailing from the doom capital of the world, Maryland, Earthride add a brand new chapter to the book of stoner/doom metal. It should go without saying that Vampire Circus is packed with grooves galore. Drummer Eric Little (ex-Internal Void) bashes out a solid foundation for the overdriven fuzz tone of Kyle Van Steinberg’s 20 foot tall wall of guitar. With a slight southern drawl and the attitude of a shirtless guy on COPS, Earthride sound f***ing monstrous. Topping off this sonic mountain of despair is the Lemmy on (even more) whiskey and dope vocal style of Dave Sherman (Ex- Wretched and Spirit Caravan). The album starts off strong with “Fighting The Devils Inside You,” a wah-laden rocker that flows into a monster groove that will surely set your head a bobbing. The Sabbath vs. Skynyrd vibe of the title track comes across as a plodding behemoth hell bent on aural destruction. Riffs like this stick to your ribs. Clutch keyboardist Mick Shower makes his first of many appearances on “Dirtnap,” as he takes the Earthride sound to new heights with his Hammond B3 Organ. The mood gets a bit darker with the hauntingly beautiful “Interlude,” an acoustic instrumental. Just as the serenity of the aforementioned track begins to lull you into a trance, the crushing “God’s Own Medicine” leaps out and slaps you in the face. The smoke-filled barroom feel of “Loss” features some really cool, laid-back jazzy interaction between the bass and guitar before the song explodes into one of the meatiest hooks of the album. Great tune. Mr. Shower and his soul-filled Hammond Organ return for the retro sounding “Swamp Witch.” The band must have been fondly reminiscing of their Edgar Winter records when they penned this one. I must have listened to Vampire Circus at least a dozen times in the last week or so and I can’t think of a single bad thing to say about this album. Everything you’ve ever wanted on a rock album is here: big guitars, bigger drums, smoking solos and a fiery front man to name a few, not to mention the fact that songs as strong as these are as good a reason as any to down a cold 30-pack. Go pick this up and stop by the liquor store on the way home.

REVIEW FROM PEACEDOGMAN: Crisply produced by COC’s bassist Mike Dean, "Vampire Circus" possesses the kind of speed usually reserved for thick-specked septuagenarians at the wheel. Add to that lethargic pace, the heaviness of a really heavy thing and you have two sentences of the most accurate description ever bestowed upon EARTHRIDE. Fans of doom will rejoice as the quartet blasts and rips through ten songs (counting the short instrumental ‘Interlude’) that accurately follow the path once forged by cult legends such as ST VITUS and PENTAGRAM. Take note: "Vampire Circus" definitely comes off as the real thing. Doom metal can sound like the escape of developing musicians still working to find their sound. What differentiates ‘sh*t’ from ‘good sh*t’, is the writing. In this case, the riff being the most basic structure that will mark whether a band even deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as BLACK SABBATH or not. In the case of "Vampire Circus", guitarist Kyle Vansteinburg provides the spine (and what a very thick moody spine it is!). His riffs seem stuck in the thickest of Louisiana’s mud. Close by, the thumping bass of Rob Hampshire shines darkly especially during solos like that of “Loss”, one of the very best songs in the album, greatly reminiscing COC at its murkiest. Obviously with Dean as a producer, Hampshire has assurance that his instrument won’t be reduced to a mere notation in the liner notes. Drummer Eric Little (INTERNAL VOID) follows closely, mainly limiting his participation at keeping the tunes at mid-pace. Over all this drudge, Dave Sherman (WRETCHED / SPIRIT CARAVAN) sounds like Lemmy in slo-mo. . EARTHRIDE is a doom act, make no mistake. And songs like “For Wrath and Ruin”, “Understand” and “Dirtnap” prove that the genre, though incredibly stoic, still produces good albums, capable of providing one bitch of a sensory beating.

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[CONDITION+INFO]
BRAND NEW, UNPLAYED ITEM STILL SEALED IN SHRINKWRAP. Picture is an actual scan of item.

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