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VA Shows You Must See This Week: November 7 – November 13

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, November 10, 8 PM
GWAR, Municipal Waste, Miss May I, Toxic Holocaust, HAUNT @ The National – $22 in advance/$25 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Folks, it’s time once again that we check in on Richmond’s reigning masters of bloodthirsty metal from outer space. Everyone’s favorite homicidal aliens, GWAR, will return to the National’s stage once again this Saturday night, and it’s sure to be an absolute gorefest, so you know what that means — wear your white t-shirts and get ready to be hit by the cannons of goo that are certain to be unleashed. You know the ones; the ones that throw so much blood and guts all over the place that the National has to drape their balconies in bedsheets just to protect the fancy woodwork. If you think you can be anywhere in the same room as GWAR and stay safe from the splatter, you’re sadly mistaken, but that’s OK — getting covered in slimy stuff of uncertain origin is part of what makes GWAR shows so much fun!

Last year, GWAR released their first new album since the death of founder Dave Brockie. The Blood Of Gods sees the crossover sound GWAR have cultivated over the past several albums giving way to a more over-the-top rock n’ roll sound that sees new vocalist (and originator of the Beefcake the Mighty character) Michael Bishop howling and yowling, Ted Nugent-style. There’s still plenty of thrashing going on with GWAR these days, don’t get me wrong; but the fact that the album ends with a cover of AC/DC’s “If You Want Blood (You Got It)” should tell you something about what you can expect, musically speaking, from GWAR these days.

That said, we all know that the gore-saturated show is the main attraction when seeing GWAR live. But there’s plenty of ass-kicking no-show all-go metal on this bill as well. The main attraction for all of you hoping to spend a few hours focusing on banging your head is the one and only Municipal Waste, who’d been largely dormant for most of this decade but returned to action last year with a beefed-up lineup featuring former Cannabis Corpse axe-slinger Nikropolis on rhythm guitars and their first LP in five years, Slime And Punishment. If you haven’t caught up with the Waste since all that went down, rest assured that they’re gonna fuck you up just like they always have. They’ll do it with the able assistance of their best thrashcore pals, Toxic Holocaust, as well as metalcore mainstays Miss May I and up-and-coming Maiden-esque power-metallers HAUNT. It’s a headbanging bonanza, and it’ll be topped off with a serious bloodbath. Should make for a wonderful weekend.

Wednesday, November 7, 7 PM
Slothrust, Mannequin Pussy, Doll Baby @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Look out, all you rock n’ rollers — the 90s are still back, perhaps more back than ever, and one great aspect of that is the continued ascendance of powerful songwriters with rough, distorted guitars that hit you hard even as their lyrics and vocal melodies make you feel some strong emotions. Slothrust is one of those groups, and singer-guitarist Leah Wellman is showing the world exactly what she has to offer on their brand new LP, The Pact, released a couple months ago on Dangerbird Records. There’s a darkness to songs like “Planetarium” and “Fever Doggs” that if anything harks back to a pre-90s, pre-Nirvana sensibility. These songs should strike familiar chords for fans of the Meat Puppets, or Green River, and do a great job of demonstrating that Slothrust has more to offer than an unabashed reiteration of what bands like Babes In Toyland and L7 did before (though don’t get me wrong, there’s a good bit of that in there too).

Slothrust are joined on this bill by Mannequin Pussy, a Philadelphia punk band who’ve been making a strong impact in Richmond for years now, and have also been growing beyond their noisy punk roots, into a sound that encompasses a variety of genres and combines rage, passion, and melody in an inspiring manner. Their 2016 album, Romantic, moves from roaring blasts of punk fury into moments of breathtaking melody, complete with shoegaze-style guitar swells. One thing that’s present on all of their songs is a strong emotional foundation that singer-guitarist Marisa Dabice communicates with everything from a breathy croon to a frustrated scream. No matter where each moment lands on the spectrum of her vocal range, though, all of them are honest, real, and gripping in their intensity. This isn’t one you’re going to want to miss. Local support by Doll Baby, who have a great deal in common with both touring bands, completes a powerful trifecta. You know what to do.

Thursday, November 8, 9 PM
Roosevelt Collier, Bennett Wales & The Relief, The Bush League @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you love to hear people wail on the electric guitar, this is the show for you. Roosevelt Collier is a pedal steel guitarist with roots in the same “sacred steel” tradition that brought Robert Randolph and his family band into the world, but Collier combines that gospel-soul sound with a Hendrix-ian approach that finds him in high demand with heavyweights like the Tedeschi-Trucks Band and the Allman Brothers. He’s a core member of Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League’s “World Music All-Star Band,” Bokanté, and he’s finally stepped out on his own this year as the frontman for his own group, which he’ll be bringing to the Camel.

Collier and his backing band are on tour in support of his debut solo album, Exit 16, on which he worked again with Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League. The album displays a hell of a range, moving from uptempo workouts to slow, seductive grooves, all with a very heavy bottom end. Collier’s playing is always the star of the show, and the man gets some outstanding noise out of his pedal-steel axe. While instrumental music can sometimes feel a bit bare-bones, you’ll never miss the vocals when Roosevelt Collier is laying waste to his slide guitar. He joins with VA Beach funk-rockers Bennett Wales and the Relief and RVA’s own blues-wailing machine, The Bush League, to tear the roof off the Camel this Thursday, and you should really be there to see — and hear — it all go down.

Friday, November 9, 7 PM
Pale Waves, Miya Folick, The Candescents @ The Broadberry – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
These days when you hear the sort of reverbed guitars and ambient synth sounds that have been a marker of the goth-postpunk sound in vogue at the moment for several years now, you expect to know what you’re getting. Dark moods, downcast eyes, sad lyrics full of desolate imagery that connect strongly with your personal alienation as you sit alone in your room in the dark. But haven’t we all had our fill of that sort of approach to the mid-80s postpunk sound? After a few years, all those 80s goth kids turned into bouncy New Wavers that would rather dance to New Order than cry to the Cure anyway — isn’t it time we found an antidote for our own post-millennial kohl-eyeliner blues?

That’s what Pale Waves is here to offer. The Manchester band may trace their aesthetic back to Siouxsie and the Banshees, but their sound is building on the uplifting synth melodies of recent UK postpunk successes CHVRCHES and adding some of the same glittering guitars and melodic bass lines that the original goth bands excelled at. Recently released LP My Mind Makes Noises hits all the right notes for the kids who still want to wear all black but are discovering the thrill of new love and the promise of sunny days. God knows everything is depressing enough these days… don’t we need our music to lift the veil at least a little bit? If you’re ready to dance with a smile on your face rather than tears in your eyes, come to The Broadberry this Friday night and bounce to the music of Pale Waves. It can’t rain all the time.

Saturday, November 10, 7 PM
Eat Your HRT Out: A Trans Health Clinic Benefit, feat. Toxic Moxie, Madison Turner, Wargo, Dad, Jafar Flowers @ Strange Matter – $15-20 suggested donation
I know, I know, I just wrote about Toxic Moxie like two weeks ago. But what was the rule we established the last time I wrote about them? I do believe it was “you will go see Toxic Moxie whenever they play a show.” We just had an election, but this one wasn’t on the ballot, so it is still very much in force. You want punk rage and disco euphoria? You want serious political views leavened with some good-time party energy? Toxic Moxie have got it all.

And what’s more, they’re bringing it to you this time in support of a very good cause. Planned Parenthood’s Trans Health Clinic is one of the only steady providers of transgender-specific health services in Richmond, and considering that trans people are much more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than the general population, their patients are more likely to face economic strain in finding ways to pay for their medical care. What your donation at the door of this show — which, in addition to the disco party punk of Toxic Moxie, will also feature an always-rockin’ full band set from Madison Turner, some electronic dance sounds from Jafar Flowers, and a good bit more — will go toward is helping ensure that prices for Planned Parenthood’s much-needed medical support for the trans community remain as affordable as possible. Plus you’ll have a great time in the bargain, and who doesn’t need more of those?

Sunday, November 11, 8 PM
Video Shoppe, BUTT, Fat Spirit @ Flora – $?
It’s always fascinating to see how people find ways to do a band despite lacking some seemingly crucial core members. Providence duo Video Shoppe easily found a way around this particular dilemma. No drummer? No problem — just bring in a primitive electronic beat machine, trigger it with foot pedals, and stack TVs and VCRs around you to when you play to make up for the fact that there’s nobody flailing away behind a kit and giving the audience some sudden moves to latch onto.

But that sort of creative problem-solving only goes so far if you don’t have some really cool songs to bring to the world when you play, and Video Shoppe’s latest EP, Nostalgia Trap(s), finds them filling that need in excellent fashion as well. Their pounding drum machine makes for an interesting contrast with their delicate postpunk guitar sound, just as their singer’s moody baritone offers an emotional feel completely different from that presented by their chiming melodies. The result has both power and ethereality, and will glow brightly in the dark room at the back of Flora this Sunday night. Their pairing with local ramshackle garage-rockers BUTT and the glorious grunge fury of Fat Spirit will round out the evening into a blast of rock n’ roll fun you’ll be willing to pay whatever the heck they’re actually charging at the door to get into.

Monday, November 12, 8 PM
Super Unison, NØ Man, Sensual World, Ugly Muscle @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
This is one I’ve been looking forward to. Super Unison recently released their second LP, Stella, and it took their already powerful post-hardcore sound to a whole new level. You may know this group from the fact that singer-bassist Meghan O’Neil previously fronted ripping fastcore band Punch, but from their inception, Super Unison have had a great deal more to offer than O’Neil’s previous group, as they both retain the hardcore velocity of Punch and integrate the sort of driving, noisy energy of bands like Drive Like Jehu (who inspired the group’s name) and Rodan.

Stella finds Super Unison expanding beyond the sound of their 2016 debut LP by incorporating more dynamic shifts within single songs; they’ve also increased the melodic quotient of their guitar riffs, even as O’Neil’s vocals have become harsher and more emotionally-driven. Some might say these guys have been listening to some of the screamo stuff coming out of their home state of California — Vril, say, or Loma Prieta — and I think there’s definitely evidence to support that conclusion. Whether you’re a fan of passionate screamo, hardcore fury, or noisy rock chaos, though, you’re sure to get a lot out of Super Unison’s unrelenting attack. Put yourself in the way of it — you’ll never regret it.

Tuesday, November 13, 6:30 PM
Classical Revolution RVA presents Trey Pollard, Matthew E. White @ The HofGarden – $7 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
This is about as far as you can get from post-hardcore rage, but like they say, variety is the spice of life. It’s also how we keep things interesting here in Richmond, which a lot of people (including me) will tell you is one of the best music cities in the entire country. This Tuesday night sees some tremendously interesting things happening at The HofGarden, as Spacebomb Records head honchos Trey Pollard and Matthew E. White join together with local chamber music collective Classical Revolution RVA in order to present the live premiere of compositions from Pollard’s new album, Antiphone, coming later this month from Spacebomb.

Trey Pollard isn’t the sort of musician we’re used to interacting with here in the indie rock world. He’s a true composer, one who has done orchestral compositions and arrangements for everyone from Spacebomb compatriots Matthew E. White and Natalie Prass to Scottish indie-folk group The Waterboys and This American Life-affiliated podcast S-Town. Now he’s releasing the first album of his own compositions, which was recorded by a 16 piece ensemble earlier this year with Pollard conducting. For the performance at The Hof, a string quintet featuring members of Classical Revolution RVA will play compositions from Antiphone live for the first time. They’ll also accompany Matthew E. White for portions of a solo piano-and-vocal set that he’ll treat us all to, before we dive fully into the bold new works Pollard is bringing into the world. This is an evening for people who love all forms of music, and are most excited to see something unlike anything else out there. If you’re a true music fan, you’re not going to want to miss it.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Thursday, November 8, 7 PM
Fishbone, Jackmove @ Shaka’s – $27 in advance/$32 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Remember how we were talking earlier about the 90s being back? It doesn’t just show through in the return of sounds and styles that were popular back then; it also shows up in all the bands that are getting back together and returning to the road after decades away. Strictly speaking, this doesn’t describe Fishbone — they’ve been together the whole time, with founding vocalist Angelo Moore and bassist John Norwood Fisher sticking around through thick and thin. However, this year has seen the group return to their classic lineup for the first time since the late 90s. Or, well, that’s not entirely true — no one familiar with the whole saga will be surprised to hear that Kendall Jones isn’t back. But other than Jones, the lineup responsible for classic late-80s/early-90s LPs Truth And Soul, The Reality Of My Surroundings, and the unforgettably titled Give A Monkey A Brain and He’ll Swear He’s The Center Of The Universe is back once again and hitting the road to remind us why we loved Fishbone back in the day.

Of course, some of you are going to wonder what the heck I’m talking about. I hear you muttering: “Who is Fishbone, and why does it even matter?” Here’s the deal: back when “funk-punk” was a real, up-and-coming hybrid genre with underground energy and vitality, Fishbone were at the center of it. Never mind Red Hot Chili Peppers (who knew enough to shout Fishbone out constantly on their early albums); tracks like “Party At Ground Zero,” “Bonin’ In The Boneyard,” “Swim,” and “Everyday Sunshine” showed a talented group absorbing everything from ska and soul to hardcore and metal, then spitting it all back out in a wave of talented originality like nothing else out there, then or now. The members of Fishbone are quite a bit older now, but the songs they created in their heyday are still great, and their talent (and singer Angelo Moore’s boundless energy) are undiminished. This show will be both the perfect introduction for the young ‘uns among you and an outstanding opportunity for those of us who know exactly what Fishbone is all about to see the classic lineup in full nutt-megalomaniac form. Hell yeah.

Saturday, November 10, 7 PM
Good Riddance, Bigwig, Ann Beretta, Counterpunch @ Peabody’s – $20 in advance/$22 day of show (order tickets HERE)
And speaking of excellent bands from prior eras returning to demonstrate that they’ve still got it going on… here’s an excellent example of not one but THREE melodic punk bands of the 90s doing exactly that. California’s Good Riddance are at the top of this bill, nicknamed the “Fall Brawl 2018,” and they’ve got the kind of gritty hardcore feel underlying their more melodic moments to back that name up. Of the 90s Fat Wreck bands that cemented the skatepunk genre as the go-to sound for a generation of rebellious high school freshmen, Good Riddance were always the toughest, the dirtiest, the most hardcore. Returning to action a few years ago after almost a decade away, 2015’s Peace In Our Time showed that Good Riddance still had the goods.

New Jersey’s Bigwig haven’t made a new album in over a decade, but they’ve stayed on the road, cranking out their brand of metallically-melodic skatepunk for years now, and they’re still bringing the fire as well. More momentous news for longtime fans of RVA punk has been the return over the past couple of years of Ann Beretta, who were mainstays here in Richmond back in the late 90s but have been out of action since shortly after the dawning of the new millennium. They came back to us this year with Old Scars, New Blood, a new album of old hits rerecorded for the modern era, and the word is that they’re working on another entirely new collection that’ll hit town in the near future. This weekend, though, old-school RVA heads and melodic punk skate rats alike are gonna want to gas up the coupe and head down to Peabody’s, because this show is going to be full of excellent sounds from the past three decades of punk rock awesomeness.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Toxic Boombox: Weekend Playlist by Tony Foresta of Iron Reagan and Municipal Waste

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Every Friday night, RVA Mag drops one scorcher of a playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions. As your witching hour circle pit gains velocity make sure to lay waste with thrash legend Tony Foresta of Iron Reagan and Municipal Waste’s weekend playlist: A playlist tightly packed with all of the essential ingredients needed for a weekend rock and roll fiesta of the highest order.

Be sure to check out and pre-order Iron Reagan’s new five-song EP, “Dark Days Ahead,” on Pop Wig Records, dropping October 12.

Cover Photo by Steve Krandel

 

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

 

Mr. Pickles Thrashtacular Tour Melted Faces at The National Friday Night

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Last Friday, a homecoming parade of sorts filed into The National in downtown Richmond. But instead of trumpets and horns were riffs of deafening guitars echoing into the neighboring streets. Where the marchers normally would stand in their pristine uniforms, a mosh pit of sweaty, gritty berserks fighting to retain glory of the inner circle came together as one.

The attendees, sporting steel-toed boots, leather trench coats and plenty of horns, did not arrive in Richmond to bring city dwellers an average homecoming event. Will Carsola and Dave Stewart, creators of the hit Adult Swim show “Mr. Pickles” unleashed “Mr. Pickles Thrashtacular Tour” on fans with some of metal’s most respected acts melting faces and bursting eardrums.

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With a wild opening by Richmond locals Left Cross, along with veteran thrashers Municipal Waste, the two groups rocked the house; leaving the crowd in a frenzy before California metal band Exodus even took the stage. The band, handpicked by Carsola and Stewart personally, attest to a longstanding friendship with the creators, who even shot their first music video for “Unleash Our Bastards” over 20 years ago.

The tour was to support the animated series’ third season, which premiered on Adult Swim last month. Bringing up several guest musicians from the Richmond scene, it was an open scene unlike any I had ever been to. In the absence of pretentious head bobbers of the alternative indie crowd, the venue took a different flow that night. I felt like I could’ve gone on stage and led a set or two. Carsola and Stewart walked around as a meet and greet with friends and locals, yet hidden enough in plain sight from the average attendee.

Exodus lived up to its well-precedented hype, looming over the audience with a dominant stage presence. Their set showcased Gary Holt’s mastery, providing a fantastic performance.  

The only show displayed up on the half-lit billboard for the week prior to the concert, it’s obvious this show meant a lot to the community. Before venturing out to Los Angeles to work with Hothouse Productions; the creators began their rise to viral fame in Richmond with Day by Day Productions about 20 years ago. The show Mr. Pickles itself is loosely-based on Richmond and several other small towns of Virginia. With a totally metal dog at the center of it all.

Adult Swim offered plenty of fun gags including a photo-op sitting in the profaned Mr. Pickles chair along with plenty of merchandise to please fans. The Thrashtacualr Tour was a night where the bizarre and twisted nature of the off-brand all came together, a congregation of a misfit celebration, a homecoming for the renegades against complacency- and it was worth every penny.

Catch Mr. Pickles on Adult Swim every Thursday night.

Photos By: John Donegan

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Adult Swim’s Mr. Pickles Thrash-tacular Tour Hits The National This Weekend

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This Friday marks a homecoming for Richmond natives Will Carsola and Dave Stewart as they bring “Adult Swim’s Mr. Pickles Thrashtaculor Tour” to The National in support of the animated series new season. The 13-city metal tour kicked off last Thursday, Feb. 22 in Seattle, jumping across fan hot spots until landing in our little city, the advent for the creators of the hit show Mr.Pickles; the event- a celebration of their successes in the world of Old Town.

The show will feature live performances from Richmond metal bands Municipal Waste and Left Cross, who Stewart and Carsola handpicked for the tour. “When Adult Swim had the idea for the promotional tour, we said cool, Municipal Waste are our homies, hopefully, they’re into it,” Stewart said. “We wanted U2, but…  Bono’s kind of a douche.”

Rounding out the festivities is veteran thrashers Exodus so its safe to say attendance at the show is both a must for any Richmond metalhead or Adult Swim fan. 

The show will also feature a photo op with the infamous Mr. Pickles doghouse, a fully stocked “Mr. Pickles” store, and free Adult Swim merchandise for attendees. The creators hinted several surprises lay in wait, but said most have been kept under wraps, even from them. “Adult Swim has some other things planned that haven’t been revealed yet, not even to us, should be interesting,” Carsola said.

Created in 2014, Mr. Pickles follows the eccentric people living in Old Town and is loosely based off of Richmond and several other small towns of Virginia,  offering a humor catered to the very essence of this city, ever since the viral videos of Carsola and Stewart’s Day By Day Productions about 20 years ago. “In particular, Bowling Green, a place trapped in time then and even more so now,” Stewart added.

In its third season which premiered Feb. 25 on Adult Swim, the series follows the Goodman family as they battle zombies, telemarketing plantation owners, and bullies. And the world’s most metal dog will get in on the action as well, taking on memory hackers, ruthless television executives, and military footwear.

Stewart and Carsola’s sense of humor, intermixed with topics otherwise locked away in the void of taboo, complements Adult Swim’s history of promoting a refined taste. “They really let us do what we want. That and they definitely get our weird sensibilities,’ said Stewart. “There’s a lot we probably wouldn’t get away with on other networks.”

Honestly, if Infowars makes the time to assign them a conspiracy, they must be doing something right. 

Adult Swim’s Mr. Pickles Thrash-tacular Tour takes the stage at The National this Fri., March 9. Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $22 ADV, $25 DOS.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

 

Photo Essay: Municipal Waste at the 9:30 Club

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So long as Municipal Waste is still playing gigs, America might survive. They are the only thing standing between us and the full-blown toxic annihilation currently overflowing from the sewers crisscrossing Washington DC. This was the obvious takeaway from their show at the 9:30 Club on Sunday. Amongst the raucous bravado of an amped-up crowd, formed up before a looming backdrop of President Trump blowing his brains out, The Waste delivered. And delivered fucking hard.

I Want to Kill the President

Why is this important? Because only The Waste could show up to the 9:30 Club in Washington DC and call Trump a “shitfucker” before instigating the largest circle pit the nation’s capital has witnessed since 2007. Richmond’s contribution to the national conversation in Washington DC, via The Waste, has not gone unnoticed.

Tony Foresta

Regardless of the sadistic magicians’ penchant for thrash glory, the 9:30 Club remains world famous, and is one of the most renowned independent clubs in the entire US (full disclosure: I worked there as a kid). Over the years everyone from James Brown and Johnny Cash to Fugazi and the White Stripes to Wu Tang Clan has crossed the stage and played to audiences in a setting that is truly reserved for real fans of music, not just the fairweather masses who consume whatever sound is popular at any given moment. The Waste is a huge band that has played some of the biggest festivals in the world; still, seeing them cross the stage at 9:30 Club was a killer experience, especially for those of us from the River City.

Ryan Waste

Some of the best photos of the night can be found below:

Phillip “Landphil” Hall
Nick “Nikropolis” Poulos
Dave Witte

The sonic thrash howled through the indolent Sunday evening, splitting the nation’s capital into quarantine zones; those with The Waste, and everyone else, left to fend for themselves at the fatal feast.

Parole Violators
Bourbon Discipline
Unleash the Bastards

The crowd burned a circle into the hallowed halls of the 9:30 Club. Massive and aggressive, they rode on the wings of wraith-like party gods late to the lunch-hall food brawl.

Radioactive Force
Thrash?! Don’t Mind If I Do
Mech-Cannibal
Excessive Celebration

At the end of the evening, once all the slime and punishment was dispensed in equal measure, everyone realized that, for a brief moment only, America had been saved from itself.

Waste ‘Em All
*All photos by Landon Shroder

Municipal Waste drummer Dave Witte unites with Burnt by the Sun bandmates to form River Black

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If you’re into heavy music and you live in Richmond, chances are you’re already familiar with Dave Witte’s drumming. Witte joined RVA institution Municipal Waste in 2004, and has remained in the band since then. While his history with that band is impressive, he has an extensive and diverse CV outside of it. He was a part of the now-legendary grindcore bands Discordance Axis and Human Remains, and has lent his talents to experimental metal bands like Melt-Banana, Atomsmasher/Phantomsmasher, and Brain Tentacles. Witte most recently formed River Black with former Burnt by the Sun bandmates Mike Olender and John Adubato, as well as Revocation bassist Brett Bamberger. While Burnt by the Sun hasn’t been active in about six years, it’s hard to tell when listening to River Black’s self-titled debut — the album sounds just as bludgeoning as Burnt by the Sun, if not more.

While River Black hasn’t played many shows as of yet, more are on the horizon, and you should make it your mission to take in their intense blend of metal and hardcore when the opportunity arises. I recently had the chance to discuss the long-in development project with Witte, whose laid-back, friendly demeanor belies a packed schedule — after we talked, he had to get back to prepping ingredients for Go Go Vegan Go, an all-vegan food truck that he helps operate (when he’s not on tour) alongside girlfriend April Viar. Witte was generous with his time though, discussing the history of River Black with me, as well as his penchant for participating in multiple bands at once, and how he keeps things fresh regardless of what kind of music he’s playing.

Endres: So Burnt By The Sun’s last album came out in 2009. I’m curious — what inspired getting back together with John [Adubato] and Mike [Olender] for River Black?

Witte: Well, John and I continued after that. We started writing music about six months later, ‘cause we wanted to keep playing, but we wanted to change it up a little bit. So we’ve been working on this since the band split up. We had a few different names and a few different singers. Years later, Mike just happened to be interested, so we brought him back into the fold, and everything just kind of popped into place when he came on board. The stuff that we thought something was missing, or we didn’t have what we thought it needed, all kind of presented itself; Mike made it all work out. We were really comfortable with one another, so we knew what he was capable of, and what we were capable of together. We’re happy it worked out the way it did in the end, but we’ve been working on it for a while.

Endres: That would explain the somewhat similar sound. I listened to the River Black album recently. It’s great — it sounds just as heavy as old Burnt By The Sun. It seems like you guys haven’t lost any steam over the years.

Witte: John and I pretty much wrote most of the material for Burnt By The Sun anyway. Ted would chip in here and there, and then Mike wrote all the lyrics of course — we never wrote the lyrics. We wanted to try and make it more mid-paced, more groove, darker, heavier, less chaotic than Burnt by the Sun was. Burnt by the Sun was its own thing, you know? We wanted to move on, explore John’s riffs a little more, see what I could do with them. That’s what we set out to do immediately afterwards.

Endres: There are some really nice drum moments on the River Black album, especially on the closer “Everywhere.” You’ve been playing heavy music for quite a while now. How do you keep things fresh?

Witte: That comes from playing with a lot of different people over the years, but it mainly comes from John, because John has such an interesting, unique writing style. He makes me apply myself in different ways that other people wouldn’t. His riffs pull more creativity out of me, for lack of a better term; I’m writing something within his riff, to go along with his a riff. It’s a beat, but it’s more complicated. He makes me play differently than everybody else. What I said earlier about playing with a bunch of different people — I’ve always been in multiple bands since I was younger, and I’ve always played with people that were more talented and challenging than I was at different stages in the game. I had to apply myself in all these different ways, and challenge myself, but the cool thing about that is, y’know I’d have these beats that wouldn’t work in one band, and they would work in the other, so I put ‘em over there. Eventually, when you start doing all this stuff, you’ll stumble a newer thing that’ll work in an older thing. It’s kind of like puzzle pieces, in a way. It’s a lot of fun.

Endres: So you’re just trying to serve the riffs that he’s giving to you.

Witte: Yeah. You know, I listened to a lot of hip-hop at one point, and it would be cool to take fill-ins from there and apply ‘em to faster music. I’m working from different drawing boards and influences.

Endres: Relating to you splitting time between projects: You’ve probably met so many talented people over the years that want to make music with you. You continue to be involved in multiple projects. I guess what I’m wondering is, how do you decide what to participate in?

Witte: I guess the two most important things are liking the people and liking what they’re presenting, liking the music. That’s important to me. I’ll barely take a job just to do it. I’ve done it once or twice in the past, but it’s always something that I enjoyed at the same time. I have to be a fan. I’m whittling my list down of people I want to do stuff with. I’m almost done. I’m almost finished with my list. I finally got onto a Dälek record. That’s been on my list for years. I sent them some beats, and they used it, and I was so psyched, ‘cause I love those guys, and I love what they’ve done for years. Finally, when I wore them down after years of bugging them about it, I was quite happy.

Endres: So I know you’re in the band Publicist U.K. with Brett [Bamberger], who is playing bass in River Black. How did you end up meeting Brett? Did you recruit him for River Black? Because he’s the only non-ex-Burnt by the Sun band member.

Witte: Well, Brett’s a good friend of ours, and we’ve known him forever. I’m from New Jersey, and Brett’s from New Jersey. When he was in the Postman Syndrome, Burnt by the Sun and Postman would play shows together every so often. We’d just see him around at practice spaces and stuff like that. We knew each other, but we weren’t super tight yet. The funny part is, we had our instruments repaired at the same place, and just around the time we were looking for someone, Brett left a little note in John’s guitar case, like to be funny. It was like “Oh yeah, why don’t we get that guy to play?” It’s weird, but that’s how it all kind of worked out. We knew one another, but we never really hung out that much. We’d see each other at shows. That little note was the catalyst of all of it. We understood he had a sense of humor. He’s my right-hand man. He also lives in Richmond now with me. Not in my house, but he also lives in Richmond. We’re working on some other stuff that has no name. I’m really comfortable with him, and we work well together. He’s the only guy I do a bunch of bands with.

Endres: You calling him your right-hand man makes sense. The rhythm section for River Black, and the other bands that you guys are in, is very tight. You’re both obviously very proficient players, but you know when to reign it in.

Witte: Yeah, Brett’s super versatile. That’s what I love about him. He knows when to not play, which is equally as important. A lot of people don’t understand that.

Endres: Yeah, that’s super valuable. You said Mike writes all of the lyrics?

Witte: Yeah, that’s his thing. We love ‘em. We stand behind everything he writes. Mike’s one of the most brilliant guys we know. He’s got a lot passion and he’s a smart dude. I just love hearing his take on things.

Endres: Yeah, the River Black album, he sounds really fired up, like he’s got a lot on his mind. Especially on “#Victim.”

Witte: The timing couldn’t have been better. He sounds the angriest he ever has. Mike’s always been a critical, forward-thinking kind of guy. With current events, there’s a plethora of things to vent about, y’know?

Endres: Yeah. So since you’ve been working on this stuff for years now, trying to get the lineup solidified. How have the songs changed? Were you always going for this more mid-tempo, darker sound?

Photo by Scott Kinkade

Witte: Yeah, we set out to do that. We wanted to make it heavier. We wanted to make it as heavy as possible. We had different versions of the songs for different singers, so there were different lyrical patterns. When Mike came in, he wrote everything new from scratch, so he’d get ideas of adding extra verses, or cutting things short here and there. He helped the songs become stronger, just with his input. It was totally like pouring gas on the flames, hearing his vocals. We’re all in our forties now, besides Brett. Mike said it himself, and I agree: the guy’s vocally in the best shape I think he ever has been. He’s able to pull off a minute-long scream in his forties, so it’s pretty awesome. That another part that keeps it fresh — hearing him add his stuff to makes me play even harder.

Endres: I can imagine. So this album came out in July. I’ve seen that you guys have played one or two shows locally.

Witte: Yeah, we played Strange Matter, and then we did Dark Lord, which is a beer festival that Three Floyds has every year at their brewery. Last year we did the New England Metal Fest, up in Worcester, Massachusetts, which is a long-running festival. We played it as Burnt by the Sun a few times back in the day. We have three shows coming up in September: New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. We’re doing what we can right now. Everyone has such crazy, chaotic schedules that plays in other bands. I’m super busy, and so is Brett, and then John and Mike have families and careers that they’re very passionate about. We gotta make it work when we can. We will play more, for sure. It’s just timing right now — everyone that does other bands are having all these records coming out.

Endres: You’re working with Season of Mist on this River Black album. How did that come about? They’ve been putting out some really great stuff over the last several years.

Witte: I’ve always been a fan of Season of Mist, for the choices that they make for music. They’re all about forward-thinking music, and taking chances for people that want to express themselves a little more than modern mainstream metal, which is fine. If you want to do that, it’s great. We have a different agenda. I’ve always liked what they’ve done. Number two, Gordon Conrad works there, who’s a longtime friend of ours, and was kind of running the shop when Burnt by the Sun was on Relapse years ago. He understands us, and he’s a fan, so it all kind of fell into place.

Endres: So is there anything else that people need to know about River Black?

Witte: It kind of speaks for itself. Chances are, if you like Burnt by the Sun, you’ll like this. It’s not too far removed from it. It still has all the angst and energy that that band did as well, and I think a little bit more. I’m looking forward to playing some more shows. We did go back to Trax East, where we did everything with the other band, and we worked with Eric Rachel, who we worked with on the last record, Heart of Darkness. We have a really good relationship with that guy, and I think he was able to capture us at our fullest potential. I love the way the record sounds and I think it turned out pretty good. I think that’s some of the best drum sounds I’ve ever gotten.

Endres: It sounds fantastic for sure.

Witte: Thanks. Phil from Municipal Waste helped us demo a bunch of stuff out in a practice room down here, and I brought that into the recording studio and said “I want my drums to sound like this. I want them to sound natural. I don’t want them to sound like a typewriter.” They’re not over-processed. We went from there, and he was able to capture the root, and just use that, which I was stoked on.

Endres: I know the Waste is more active than you have been in a while, which is nice to see.

Witte: Yeah, it’s fun. We just got home. Now I work on the food truck for the next couple of weeks, before I leave for a short run with Brain Tentacles. We’re doing some shows with Inter Arma and Mastodon, so that should be a lot of fun. Then, I get home, and I leave for a few days for that River Black weekend. I feel like a juggling clown right now [laughs].