Philadelphia psych-metal band RUBY THE HATCHET will see its debut album, Ouroboros, issued on deluxe LP April 29 via RUR Records. Recorded three years prior to the group's celebrated Tee Pee Records debut, Valley of the Snake, the 2012 digital-only release -- now presented for the first time on any physical format -- offers insight into RUBY THE HATCHET's formative years and blues-based hard rock sound. The limited edition colored vinyl LP is available to pre-order now at this location.
Today, MetalSucks premieres pro-shot footage of the band performing the track "Holy Father", filmed live, in-studio at the Gibson Guitars' New York Showroom. Videographer Max Frank states, "Not too many bands care about vibe these days — so in a music culture dominated by instantly-recognizable and marketable imagery, a band like Ruby the Hatchet stand out. I didn’t know what to make of the band when I first heard their music, but the more I’ve come to learn about them and their influences, the deeper their music has become for me." Check out RUBY THE HATCHET's "Holy Father" now at this location.
Ouroboros features RUBY THE HATCHET founding members Jillian Taylor (vocals), Johnny Scarps (guitar), Owen Stewart (drums) and Mike Parise (bass). The nine song release was recorded at Retro City Studios in Germantown, PA by audio-engineer Joe Boldizar with assistance from Barry Knob and Sean Hur. Now a full-time member, organist Hur makes his RTH debut here on the tracks “The Lean,” “Holy Father,” and “Good God Damn.” Released on the heels of the band's self-titled debut EP and written mostly as a three-piece (Taylor, Scarps and Stewart), Ouroboros explores what would be the next realm for the band – playing with harmony, tone and overall style.
“With the vinyl release of our 2012 debut, Ouroboros, we wanted to take one of our favorite songs from this era and revive it. Holy Father is such a fun choice for us because it was written spontaneously in the studio and was never originally meant to be a part of the album," comments Taylor. "Typically we would shy away from "Holy Father" live, since it's so pulled back in comparison to our other songs, but for the Gibson video we thought it would be perfect."
Speaking on the LP's long-coming release, she continues, "Ouroboros holds a lot of nostalgia for us and is a fan favorite. This album shows our blues and classic rock beginnings and it is also where organ enters the soundscape, shaping our sound from this point on.”
Track listing:
1.) Taking Sides
2.) Black Tongue
3.) Can't Get Him Away
4.) Strange Hold
5.) The Lean
6.) Holy Father
7.) Wicked Ones
8.) Nowhere
9.) Good God Damn
RUBY THE HATCHET will embark on a slew of east coast tour dates this May and will perform as one of the featured acts at the 2016 Maryland Doom Fest (June 24-26), where the group will share the stage with The Obsessed, Bang, Internal Void and more. The band will debut new material, described as "the sounds of deep space sci-fi horror" as part of the run. The just-announced itinerary is as follows:
RUBY THE HATCHET tour dates:
April 16 Charlottesville, VA Champion Brewing (w/ Ramming Speed)
May 13 Asbury Park, NJ APYC
May 20 Pittsburgh, PA Howlers
May 21 Cincinnati, OH Northside Tavern (w/ Electric Citizen)
May 22 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups (w/ Purson)
June 24 Frederick, MD Cafe 611 (As part of Maryland Doom Fest)
In addition to Jillian Taylor, RUBY THE HATCHET features Johnny Scarps (guitar), Lake Muir (bass), Owen Stewart (drums) and Sean Hur (organ).
About RUBY THE HATCHET
Psychedelic doom-bringers RUBY THE HATCHET are one of heavy music’s finest on-the-rise bands. Evoking a decade’s worth of growth and maturity in just a few short years, the genesis from the band’s 2011 self-titled EP to present day has been nothing short of stunning. Forming after a series of New Jersey basement practices, this doomy quintet strikes a perfect balance between psych density and metal grandiosity, possessing an organ-driven Deep Purple groove, wailing female vocal harmonies and fuzzy guitar and bass tones that are nostalgic, but modern day. Live intensity and tightness is paramount for these in-the-pocket groovers who not only write together, but live together. RTH conjures occult-flavored hard rock with hypnotic and mythical lyrics, resulting in a witchy brew of wild and ominously dark sounds.
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