Edmonton’s power, groove rock/ stoner rock trio Black Mastiff have undergone an “ epic journey” to release their new CD “ Music Machine.”
They carry on in the tradition of dark, heavy, stoner rock grooves forged by bands like KYUSS with their new CD.
“ It’s an epic journey,” said Black Mastiff bassist/ background vocalist Clay Shea who began the band five years ago with guitarist/ vocalist Bob Yiannakoulias and drummer Allan Harding. Before forming Black Mastiff, they had already logged 35 years of roadwork in other bands like Headband, Gasshole (Bobby Yiannakoulias), Thirty Nights of Violence, Passenger Action (Allan Garding) and Choke, Passenger Action (Clay Shea).
The band plays the Slice with local progressive rock trio Lustre Creame, Oct. 20.
They recorded the CD a year and a- half ago in Palm Springs with KYUSS vocalist John Garcia who not only produced the CD , but also sings on “ Power Repeater” and “Pariah.”
“My 19 year old self was pretty blown away by it,” Shea said.
“When we formed the band five years ago, they were definitely one of our influences,” he continued, adding they enjoyed working with John Garcia, who has always been a big supporter of the band.
“He’s really positive dude. He put one our songs ( “Rolling Stoned”) on his solo album,” he said, adding his support has been invaluable to the band at home and overseas in Europe.
They are happy to finally release the CD, Oct. 9.
“It’s been done for a year and a half ,” Shea said.
“It’s been a real process. We shopped it around and the record label (New Damage Records) wanted us to remix it. I had a second kid during that time, which wasn’t planned. So it’s been a real process. There’s been a few snags along the way, but we’re really proud of it. We think it represents the band at its best,” he said.
“It’s more of the same,” he said adding the CD features plenty of longer grooves, bone crushing riffs and the ultra heavy groove the band is known for.
They have been playing quite a few of the new songs live before releasing the CD.
“So people will recognize some of the songs if they have seen us play over the past year,“ he continued.
“So response has been good. We got a message from a guy who said he had a line from a song stuck in his head and was wondering if it was one of our songs. So it’s cool one of our songs subconsciously gets stuck in someone’s head,” he said, adding lyrics are usually their frontman’s contribution to the band.
“I provide the band’s bottom end,” he said.
“ We’re influenced a lot from the cold climate where we’re from,” he said.
They are excited to return to Lethbridge.
“It’s been over a year when we were there at a Love and Records’ after-party,” he said.
“The first time we were there, we played a Monday night in 30 below weather for like nobody. But then the people who were there have come to our other shows, so it was worth it,” he said.
“We’ve played there at least four or five times. We’re playing a Tuesday night this time, so we hope people will still come out. We want to see a lot of familiar faces,” he said.
He said people who haven’t seen the band can expect to see a heavy show.
“It will be soulful, groovy, ’70s influenced rock and roll. And heavy too,” he said.
“We might have new stage production as well, but we’re not sure it will work everywhere we‘re playing, he said.
They are excited to hit the road in support of the new CD.
“We’ve been getting ready get on the road again. We’ve played a couple big shows like Riot Fest in Toronto and another festival in Montreal during a quick east coast tour in September.
There is no cover for the show, which begins at 9 p.m. at the Slice, Oct. 20.
