Heathen Apostles – Dark Blues EP Review
“So far here we have reviewed a Folk album, a Punk album and a sort of Bluesy compilation album so none of our usual uptake and that doesn’t change with this review of the latest dark blues EP from Heathen Apostles. They play a sort of Gothic Americana Blues crossed with alternative alternative country. Born By Lightning comes hot on the heels of their recently released album Dust To Dust, their fifth to date, and five new songs of what one reviewer described as “the bluegrass of Bill Monroe put into the woodshed with the Gothic tendencies of Siouxsie And The Banshees”.
Label mates to of one of my all time favourite bands Phantom Of The Black Hills, they tread much the same path but definitely in a more accessible way to yer average Joe. Fiddle and banjo aplenty here while Mather Louth’s beautiful yet powerful voice shines above all else.
Starting off with the slow Country styled Gothic ballad ‘Death Bell Blues’ a tribute to the legendary Howlin’ Wolf before leading into the dark ‘Chosen One’ which shows the Apostles at that catchiest best. The title track ‘Born By Lightning’ sees them back in darker country again with an intense ballad that builds on Mather’s voice with the rest of the band restrained before here. A million miles away from the Grand Ole Opry! The last two songs have a much harder edge, ‘Devil Comes For All Of Us’ is self explanatory while ‘Scarecrow Blues’ take us far away from traditional Country and into the realm of the ‘murder ballad’ with its tale of a social misfit being burned out of his house only for the vigilantes to burn down the entire town while it slinks and slithers to the beat of the blues!
A Country-Bluesy-Punky affair (the band have long wanted to do a Blues style release) and with Born By Lightning they have managed to stay close to their roots and something that would also appeal to more traditional music fans too. Signed to Ratchet Blade Records which specialises in ‘Dark Roots Music’ where you can find out all you need to about this glorious genre.”
You can read the article at London Celtic Punks HERE.
Heathen Apostles “Death Bell Blues” Heavy Blues Music Video
The Heathen Apostles have released a lyric video for Death Bell Blues, the first song on their new dark blues Born By Lightning EP, available now on Ratchet Blade Records. The band went in a heavy blues direction for this release, casting the same dark spells they use on bluegrass and country onto the blues.
The video features footage shot long time collaborator Jorge Jaramillo, who in the past has worked with the Heathen Apostles by directing their Paint The Stars and Deadly Nightshade music videos. You can preview the Born By Lightning EP HERE.
“Whereas DUST TO DUST put the bluegrass of Bill Monroe into the woodshed with the gothic tendencies of Siouxsie & the Banshees, BORN BY LIGHTNING slinks and slithers to the beat of the blues, with plenty of shouts, hollers, and heavy slide guitar.”
Phantom of the Black Hills – Heavy Western Tribute
Here’s a great run down of the 5 Phantom of the Black Hills albums by London Celtic Punks. Their website states: “The London Celtic Punks are a group of people living in or with connections to London. We are dedicated to the promotion of Celtic-Punk music. That’s the traditional folk music of the Celtic nations (Ireland/Eire, Isle Of Man/Mannin, Scotland/Alba, Wales/Cymru, Cornwall/Kernow, Brittany/Breizh, Galicia/Galiza and Astures) mixed with rock’n’punk.” They really get heavy western music, here’s the introduction they wrote for the piece, you can check out the full article HERE.
Phantom of the Black Hills are one of the most innovative bands you will ever hear that has a banjo! This isn’t the Country music of Nashville or the Grand Ole Opry instead its angry polemic over bluegrass banjo, mandolin and upright bass mashed together with raucous punk guitar, blistering drums and dirty, snarling distorted vocals with extreme sound effects and movie dialogue samples. They are one of my favourite bands so I thought I’d attempt to convert a few of you lot too.
The Black Hills are a mountain range in South Dakota famous for the Mount Rushmore memorial of the four presidential heads of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln carved into the granite. It’s also an area where large populations of Scots and Scots-Irish settled which may explain the areas fondness for moonshine. Production of illegal alcohol that is still widespread today. Another possible by-product of the Celtic on the local population is widespread mistrust of all government. Many see themselves as outlaws and in the Black Hills you are unlikely to find a Vegan coffee shop or demand for stricter gun control laws. Phantom Of The Black Hills are a band that shy away from publicity. From the bandana’s that hide their faces in their videos and photos to their Web-Site and Facebook page that are very careful not to give away any clue as to their identities.
