Great Review of Heathen Apostles Bloodgrass Vol. I in Ox fanzine
A 9 of 10 stars review of the Heathen Apostles Bloodgrass Vol. I EP will be in the next issue of Germany’s Ox fanzine, there will also be an upcoming feature on the band to coincide with their August 2018 tour of Europe. The English translation is below for those who don’t read German:
HEATHEN APOSTLES
Bloodgrass Vol. I
Ratchet Blade • ratchetbladerecords.com • 21:01 • 9 of 10 stars
Blood, horror and passion in the happy the southern heat of America: HEATHEN APOSTLES call their Dark Alternative Gothic Americana Doom Bluegrass sound simply Bloodgrass. On the new EP of the band from Los Angeles, that features former members of THE CRAMPS and THE KINGS OF NUTHIN ‘, there are two cover songs and three brand new ones Original compositions. The dark-hypnotic Bluegrass version of the Gershwin classic “Summertime” opens up the dance, and the soulful reinterpretation of Darrell Scott’s “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” closes it. In between are three of the Heathen Apostles own Gothic Americana songs: The Nick Cave -inspired “Death Came a Ridin’ “, the jazzy “Dark Days” and the driving bluegrass piece “Lady in Gold”. Reviewed by Karin Hoog
Preview the Bloodgrass Vol. I EP HERE.
Heathen Apostles’ “Albatross” Single Review on Gothic.com
The Heathen Apostles latest single Albatross has been reviewed by Viola Noir on Gothic.com, the English translation is below, click HERE for the original review:
Heathen Apostles “Albatross” Single Review in Chain DLK
The Albatross single and video have been reviewed in alternative magazine Chain DLK, you can read the entire review HERE, and preview and order the single HERE.
The Heathen Apostles take a central core of faithful Americana and murder ballad arrangements and give things a slightly stylish, faintly gothic twist. “Albatross” is a one-track single and while their discography has several remixes and electronica elements in it, this is a straight-up three-minute 3 / 4 song featuring slightly Chrissie Hynde-like vocals over a folksy arrangement of violins and mandolins that would appeal to staunch Levellers fans.
Review of Heathen Apostles’ “Fire to the Fuse” on Midnight Calling
A new review of the latest Heathen Apostles studio album Fire to the Fuse has been posted, read the teaser below then click on the link to read the entire review.
Following up their excellent debut album Boot Hill Hymnal, Heathen Apostles draw their musical six guns, and stalk once more through haunted graveyards, dangerous streets, and debauchery-filled saloons. Fire to the Fuse continues the epic Western Gothic journey, and demonstrates that Heathen Apostles are musical desperadoes to be reckoned with.
Click HERE to read the review. Click HERE to preview and purchase Fire to the Fuse.
Heathen Apostles’ “Misery and Gin” EP Reviewed By Midnight Calling
Here’s a great review of the upcoming Heathen Apostles’ Misery and Gin EP by Aiden of Midnight Calling, the EP will be out this Friday July 22nd, and be sure and check out the new video for the title track HERE. Click HERE to read the review.
Heathen Apostles’ “Requiem For A Remix” Review
Here’s the intro and review:
“Hailing from Los Angeles, California and playing what they call “southern gothic outlaw country and dark roots music,” Heathen Apostles are actually nothing of the sort really. The title of their new album, ‘Requiem For A Remix’, should probably give their game away as Uber Rock’s Jason Palmer soon discovers, these bad boys (and a girl) are all about the murder ballads, baby!”
Cick HERE to read the review.
Great Heathen Apostles Review on Alternate Root
Heathen Apostles Fire to the Fuse – The Roots of Heathen Apostles has a dark current that roars through dense gothic tales surround by mountain music, back alley Jazz, murderous Americana, and bone-chilling Folk. The latest release from Heathen Apostles, Fire to the Fuse, lights the primeval blackness of the tales as it slowly ticks out for a Measure of Time, battles rattling whirls to spew words and sound on Death’s Head, and hangs on to the rapid rhythms of Lily of the West. Vengeance, greed, and lust are riding shotgun in the love tales strewn over Fire to the Fuse as fractured chords strum and stutter out the title track and propel Yveline through hushed whisper and frenetic fiddles while Without a Trace thunders a musical force and Evil Spirits scatter on percussive rhythms.
Heathen Apostles profess their faith for Americana by taking the Roots from their long Los Angeles history of blending Goth and Rock, with lineage in bands such as The Cramps, Christian Death, Radio Noir, Nick Curran and the Lowlifes, and 45 Grave. Fire to the Fuse makes use of mountain music backing to stomp out a skeleton-shake on glimmering strings and gypsy rhythms for a version of Cher’s “Bang Bang”. Desert wind blow western dust on the horse-hoof patter of Fool’s Gold as Looks are Deceiving sets the barn dance on fire and Heathen Apostles use the chaotic strum of strings to scratch their way to the surface for a breath in Drowned in Trouble.
Listen and buy the music of Heathen Apostles from AMAZON or iTunes
Read the review HERE
Heathen Apostles’ “Fire to the Fuse” Reviewed On Viola Noir
The second full-length release of Heathen Apostles is the hope for all gothic americana, dark country and southern rock music. The bulk of it could be already well known to their audience by the singles and videos, but this fact didn’t make Fire to the Fuse less surprising.
Opening the release is the mystical tragedy Fool’s Gold, their familiar summer single. It’s a good beginning, because this track is probably one of the most colorful and characteristic in the discography of Heathen Apostles. Drowned in Trouble and Yveline join in this atmosphere, which is carefully woven from sounds of authentic instruments from the South — guitars, violin, banjo, upright bass and powerful voiced Mather Louth. In her voice we hear all — sorrow, anger, love, hate, melancholy and drive. In addition, Yveline has an invisible, but perceptible skin wildly-proto-goth-rock origin. Fist City somewhat reduces the tempo, this track can be attributed to the contemplative, romantic-tragic side of the Heathen Apostles concept . There’s an exciting video for this track — it’s fully in line with the recognizable Heathen Apostles style: fairly bloody, mystical, and presents to us an eternal antagonism between light and dark forces. All this against the backdrop of Southern landscapes and the accompanying paraphernalia. The dark theme continues with a track featuring Jyrki 69, Evil Spirits, familiar from the eponymous EP. Looks Are Deceiving suddenly sounds quite positive and relieves the tension before the blues-track Fire to the Fuse, and then Death’s Head is perceived as epic denouement. Also, a cover of the immortal Nancy Sinatra hit Bang Bang surprised and pleased me. First of all, the fact that Mather wasn’t attempting an exact copied intonation of Nancy, unlike previous versions, but introduced her interpretation of the song. It turned out pretty original and recognizable. Measure of Time — hypnotic ballad with a very heartfelt vocal line slightly expands framework of existing genre Heathen Apostles. The familiar Without a Trace comes with mood of fury , then thelyrical Before You Go and finally with Lily of the West the dark-cabaret veil once again passes through with core emotions, and leaves a pleasant aftertaste. So good, that makes this release coveted for re-listen.
The release is universal in the sense that those, who follow the works of Heathen Apostles, will have the opportunity to listen to the familiar tracks. By one session of the Gothic Americana’s atmosphere. Those who begin acquaintance with the project Fire to the Fuse, immediately get a feel characteristic sound of Heathen Apostles. 8/10
Heathen Apostles Article In love/hate Magazine
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Radar: Heathen Apostles
Out of the City of Angels comes a devilish new band with a dark twist on classic American country, bluegrass and murder balladry. The Heathen Apostles offer a sound that combines gothic and punk overtones with edgy lyrics of murderous love, outlaw crime and damnation. These heathens have been making a stir around Southern California during the past 2 years and just recently appeared at the annual Ink N Iron Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
Now, when you first gets a glimpse of the Heathen Apostles, it is hard not to do a double take. This band casts a dark shadow over the crowd as they enter and appear more closely to funeral entertainment for a 19th century downed gunslinger versus an LA club night with twenty-something hipsters in the crowd pecking away at iPhones. However, with head-to-toe blackness, vintage Victorian-era attire, stern countenance and a wide array of instrumentation, the shear visual of the band can be both alluring and overwhelming. The final blow comes from the diva front woman, Mather Louth (Radio Noir) who normally takes the stage with full funeral head vale, jet black lipstick and pale white skin. Mather out front of this group mystifies the crowd with haunting gazes and enigmatic poses throughout the performances, which transmits both beckoning and threatening signals at the same time.
HA may have roots in many genres, but their combined sound is altogether their own. The band touts familiar names such as Chopper Franklin (The Cramps) on guitar and Stevyn Grey (Christian Death, 45 Grave) on drums, but other band members round out this musically tight and original arrangement including Thomas Lorious (The Kings of Nuthin’) on an upright bass, Viktor Phoenix (Dessau) on both banjo/mandolin and the talented of Luis Mascaro on fiddle.
The songs of HA range all tempos and emotions. From the fast-paced, boot-clicking tunes of ‘Without A Trace’ and ‘Forget Me Not’ down to the somber murder ballads of ‘Before You Go’ and ‘Dark Was The Night’, the listener is not stuck in a monotonous or monochromatic musical experience.
HA has a tight musical delivery, an innovative dark approach and an unforgettable stage performance that stays with you long after the performance is over. The Heathen Apostles are not your typical night out on the town and definitely should not missed, as we might be seeing an ushering in of a new genre with possible copycat bands soon to follow.
Heathen Apostles will be playing various shows in and around Southern California including Hippy Killer Hoedown 2015 in Perris, CA. Please visit the band’s website or follow them on Facebook for more info.
Full length album, Boot Hill Hymnal and 3-song EP, Without A Trace, now available at www.heathenapostles.com.
Read the article online HERE.
Chopper-Produced Phantom of the Black Hills CD Reviewed
The new Chopper Franklin produced Phantom of the Black Hills album Moonshine Bright has been reviewed by The Examiner, it received 4 of 5 stars:
Phantom of the Black Hills, one of the outlaw music scene’s favorite bands of renegade pickers, stummers, pluckers and bangers, is back with a new album on Ratchet Blade Records, Moonshine Bright. Continuing to terrorize the musical wagon trail of the current roots revival with their signature sound of doom country, frontier-core and hellbilly punk, Phantom of the Black Hills’ most recent collection of songs is as powerful and violent as the fiery blast of an old blunderbuss, with each deadly projectile hitting a different mark.
Throughout Moonshine Bright Phantom of the Black Hills lay down some mean distorted chords, plenty of pickin’ and strummin’, hillbilly fiddin’, strong drums, and gritty outlaw vocals. The opening song, which is also the title track, is as dirty and intoxicating and homegrown as the contents of the musical barrel in which it was distilled. “Hellbetties Risin’,” the first single from Moonshine Bright, is a raw cowpunk offering with male and female vocals, is as sharp as the edge of a boot knife. “In Hell” takes a lawbreaker anthem which rides like hell for the horizon, loot in hand, putting some distance between oneself and the hangman’s noose, yet knowing full well that when the times comes hell will be one’s ultimate destination. “The Storm is my Shelter” is about as close to traditional country music as Phantom of the Black Hills get, but it is still pretty far removed from the purist idea of the genre, which is decidedly a good thing. The closer, “A Life for an Eye,” is a little different from the rest of the album in that it is garagey roots rock and dark country punk hybrid.
Moonshine Bright by Phantom of the Black Hills is available from the Ratchet Blade Records webstore here.
by James G. Carlson
The Examiner
read the review online by clicking HERE
Heathen Apostles’ “Without A Trace” 4 Star Review
‘Without A Trace’ by Heathen Apostles
by James Carlson
Rating: 4/5 stars
September 1, 2014
If there is such a thing in the current fringe roots genre as a supergroup, it would certainly be the Los Angeles-based dark roots and alt-country band Heathen Apostles, whose participating artists include ex-members of Radio Noir (Mather Louth), The Cramps (Chopper Franklin), Kings of Nuthin’ (Thomas Lorioux), and Christian Death (Stevyn Grey) in its ranks. That is one hell of a lineup. And their collective musical output is equally impressive.
Heathen Apostles made quite an entrance on to the scene with their debut full-length album, Boot Hill Hymnal. And now, this gothic outsider country and dark roots quintet have written and released a new EP of material on Ratchet Blade Records, titled Without A Trace. This three-song release is a worthy follow-up to Boot Hill Hymnal, even though the three songs go by all too quickly at a little over ten minutes. Quite simply, this is one of those quality over quantity things.
Without A Trace opens with the EP’s title track, moving from wild Irish folk-like fiddle, a beat akin to marching drums, and punctuating strums, to somewhat of a country punk bit, all with Louth’s strong vocals. “Before You Go,” the second track, is a slower gothic country offering, with clear strumming, string picking, a beat that carries the song structure forward, subtle yet effective bass, and Louth’s voice at its most hauntingly beautiful on the EP. The Closer, “Lily of the West,” is a countrified murder ballad and arguably the best song on the release.
Read the review on Examiner.com HERE.
Preview Without A Trace HERE.
The 69 Cats “Transylvanian Tapes” 4 Star Review
Saturday, August 2, 2014
The 69 Cats Transylvanian Tapes Cleopatra 2014
Vincent Price would have loved these guys!
Brent Black / www.criticaljazz.com
Gothic rock meets rockabilly? Music has had strange bedfellows before so why not? Gothabilly is a intriguing hybrid of sound that seemingly falls apart on paper but comes together for a delightful riff on the lighter side of evil. The band has some serious credentials with former Cramps bassist Scott “Chopper” Franklin and Blondie drummer Clem Burke. This is a release that is built on the “spirit” of the music as much as the music itself and includes some excellent covers of some golden oldies and pop favorites. A cult band / super group in the making? Probably!
Some of the more interesting if not incredibly fun covers include Duran Duran’s “Girls On Film” and a grooved out riff on Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London.” The reigning Queen of rockabilly makes an appearance on the Elvis Presley hit “She’s Not You.” A “fun” record that you can actually take seriously, there is some muscle behind the tunes and the arrangements work well and are not near as “cheesy” as something you might here from the Stray Cats. Perhaps the hidden jewel in the release is the cover of “Sweet Transvestite” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” At first you think, “no way.” You walk away loving it.
4 Stars
Tracks: People Are Strange; Sunglasses After Dark; She’s Not You; Runaway; Sweet Transvestite; Edge of Reality; Necromance For Guitar; You’re My Baby; Werewolves of London; Black Cadillac; Girls On Film; 69 Guitars; Bela Lugosi’s Dead.
Personnel: Jyrki69: Vocals; Danny B. Harvey: Guitar; Scott “Chopper” Franklin: Bass; Clem Burke: Drums.
Review of The 69 Cats “Transylvanian Tapes” on Punk Globe
The 69 Cats, consist of the vocalist Jyrki69 (The 69 Eyes), Danny B. Harvey (Rockats, Headcat) on guitar and Chopper Franklin (The Cramps) on bass, emerge with the title single of their first EP “Bad Things”. This is definitely a weird kind of supergroup, let’s see what they have created sound wise.If you are a fan of the band members involved, you may either love this E.P. Or just think it’s wacky, myself I found myself wanting to groove like a cool cat and can’t wait to hear the full album being recorded in 2014.
Heathen Apostles’ “Without A Trace” Review in DYNAMITE Magazine
Americana
Heathen Apostles
Without A Trace
Ratched Blade Records, EP (Download)
4 of 5 stars
The mastermind of the Heathen Apostles is Chopper Franklin (The Cramps, Nick Curran, etc. ). They describe themselves and their music as ” … southern gothic imagery surrounded by haunting, minor-chord melodies, helmed by the voice of a evocative indigo child, unstuck in time … ” Unfortunately there are only three songs on the EP, but they are in a league of their own, Americana at it’s best. Whoever likes Bob Wayne, Hank III and friends, should get these songs.
TS
DYNAMITE Magazine
Germany
Get DYNAMITE Magazine HERE (it’s in German).
Review of the 69 Cats’ Viper Room Appearance
A review of the 69 Cats’ April 21st appearance at the Viper Room in West Hollywood has been posted, it is written by Lizzie Rose and features photos by Lexa Vonn. You can read it in it’s entirety HERE.
69 Cats
The 69 Cats are a Los Angeles and Helsinki based Gothabilly band. The supergroup consists of Jyrki 69 of The 69 Eyes on vocals, Danny B. Harvey of Stray Cats and Head Cats on lead guitar, and Chopper Franklin of The Cramps on bass. Filling in on drums the night of their recent show was Todd T Burr. They returned to their Los Angeles home, The Viper Room for their very first full-set show. I had met and seen the trio onstage on their previous visit back in October 2013, when the band was just starting to fall into place, and I fell in love. Of course, I was not going to miss it this time, so I hopped on the first bus headed to Hollywood.
Why an 8-hour bus ride instead of a 1-hour flight? I’m a hopeless romantic in all aspects of life. Something about hopping on a bus for a show just excites me a little bit more. 8PM finally rolled around, so my friend and founder of The Plastics, Lexa Vonn and I headed on over to the venue. We got there just a few minutes before the boys hit the stage, so we headed backstage to say hello and only found the lead singer Jyrki 69 there preparing to go onstage. We let him do his thing and walked out after him to watch the show from the very beginning. The band got into their own covers of classics such as, Type O Negative’s “Black No.1,” True Blood’s version of “Bad Things,” The Doors’ “People Are Strange” and even a little dark rockabilly cover of Jyrki 69’s own song “Lost Boys.”
It was pretty amazing to listen to their covers. Even a little more interesting was listening to and watching Jyrki 69 sing and dance to Elvis’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” If you’re a longtime fan of The 69 Eyes like myself, you already know what I mean. The man’s voice is hauntingly similar to the King’s, only a tiny bit less sweet. And he’s definitely got moves like Elvis, so it caught me off guard for a moment; I could have sworn it was the King himself singing that song onstage. Finally, they closed the set with their own version of Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” which drove the whole venue wild.
Afterwards, the band allowed fans to enter their backstage dressing room for pictures and autographs. It was a really sweet thing to watch, as not many artists allow such a thing. The after party was held at the Sunset Strip’s world famous Rainbow Bar and Grill. There, fans were able to have a few drinks and converse with the boys. Again, I found that to be really humbling and sweet of them as not many artists do those kinds of things. I personally didn’t really get to spend time with them this time around as I had previously done last time they were in town. I thought the rest of the world deserved to know how sweet these men actually are offstage. Overall, it was a great show and a great night.
You can keep up with the band on their various sites:
Heathen Apostles Record Release Show Reviewed
Heathen Apostles
Redwood Bar and Grill
Los Angeles
By Lucky
Photography by Mila Reynaud
Fifteen hours at the mundane didn’t stop me. Unusual cold weather for Los Angeles didn’t stop me. Killing time in Echo Park didn’t stop me. Six dollars to my name didn’t stop me. Nothing stopped me on this particular Monday’s eve from attending the Heathen Apostles record release party at the Redwood in downtown L.A.
The lot was free and so was the show, so that fit my budget just grand. Apparently the lure of free entry appealed to others as well as there was a damn good
turnout on a night that otherwise could have been a death null. Seems the buzz surrounding Heathen Apostles is sweater than sugar.
Despite being close to the Heathen Apostles’ set time, frankly hoping to dig the show and then go man go, I discovered there was still another band slated before the headliners. Good thing extra added adrenaline surged my veins when I hit the fabled décor. It enabled me to rage. The band was called “Red Rose” and I do recall I liked them more and more as their set progressed. I liked the bass player. She was cute. She walked by me later as the night progressed, and didn’t even take a look. Alas, she doesn’t know I exist.
The period wear sported by various members of Heathen Apostles sparked interest amongst the barflies, kinda of an 1800’s reverend look, a bible in one hand and a gun in the other. All wore black and all meant business. Interest turned to intrigue as Mather Louth took the stage, in regalia that harkens back to times of hardship, blood and pain. Cape, hat, and a black mesh veil that disguised, made heads pivot. It was on as Chopper Franklin strummed the opening chords of “Red Brick Dust”.
Read the rest and comment HERE
69 Cats EP Gets 9.5 in Venia Magazine
Release date: 25.11.2013
Label: Cleopatra Records
Grade: 9.5/10
Grown from the roots of rockabilly with a dangerous dark omen, The 69 Cats, formation consisting of the vocalist Jyrki69 (The 69 Eyes), Danny B. Harvey (Rockats, Headcat) on guitar and Chopper Franklin (The Cramps) on bass, already with the title single of their first EP, the theme from the popular HBO series “True Blood”, whose sample was also available for those of us in the countries where iTunes is simply not working, and has dangerously stirred the rockabilly ground.
And then The 69 Cats spiced up the atmosphere and on November 25th (just in time for the first winter days in our neck of the woods) released their first EP. iTunes was not merciful this time, as well as any other service in which the residents of the United States and some European countries can enjoy in a real rockabilly treat for just under 3 bucks. How this treat came to my ears will be kept as a small, sweet secret with another thanks to the “source”, with the note that a better dose of morning awakening I could hardly have expected.
All those who think they know a thing or two on rock’n’roll know at least the basic definition of rockabilly, and the fascination by it pertinent to these musicians consisting such a lively and interesting trio is also well known, therefore there isn’t much else to do than go on a journey clocking just under 10 minutes which is opened by “Bad Things (As Heard on True Blood)”. Already the idea itself to cover the song, performed originally by Jace Everett and in the past few years came to be one of the most popular television theme songs ever is very bold, and all doubts in the originality and courage of its new version are immediatelly smitten mostly thanks to the colourful voice of Jyrki, which is additionally deepend by the genuine rockabilly sound of the good old rock’n’roll from his best days. And just when you dare to do some over-the-top dance moves in your apartment, or even office, there comes another classic.
Type O Negative – the band everything has been said about, and nothing told. Type O Negative, the legendary gothic metal band from New York, led by the legend and one of the best male baritons that ever walked the planet – Peter Steele (RIP). Besides his colourful voice and hypnotizing green eyes, Peter Steele was known for his “vampire effect” he had on his mostly female audience, and “Black No 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)” is undoubtedly one of the unforgettable traces in the legacy of the band which in many ways changed and shaped the world gothic metal scene. Yes, The 69 Cats have put their version of his evergreen on their EP, no less. Rockabilly, or more precise, darkobilly feeling here is so strong that you get goosebumps while the notes get under your skin. Jyrki is brilliant and in certain moments you get the feeling that he completely merged with the tone of voice of Peter Steele which we got used to while “Loving you – loving you – love love loving you was like loving the dead…” echoes through the room, up until that millisecond when you realise that The 69 Cats have merged with “Black No. 1”, completely naturally and simple, as if it always waited for a rockabilly attire, dark and seductive just like Peter Steele was.
And just when I thought it can’t get more bold and better, there comes “Flaming Star”. It was also the song I anticipated the most, because who can get close to the King anyhow? History writes the pages with golden letters on Elvis Presley, his life and work, through his songs and generation of fans the King lives on, and “Flaming Star” just rose from the ashes. Like the Phoenix. And shined a new shine, slightly darker, more modern, a tad more expressive. All those who know and follow Jyrki’s home band The 69 Eyes, know that he is not only a great admirer of Elvis, but certainly also one fo the rare voices that, if he were alive, would have intrigued the King himself. Always and again unsurpassed, Jyrki has come dangerously close to the always unsurpassed Elvis version (is it just because of my sentimentality and life-long connection to Elvis and his opus, you can judge yourself after listening to this version), and his tone of voice, completed with a rockabilly spirit, certainly makes “Flaming Star” the new flaming star on the pretty dark rockabilly sky.
The 69 Cats are definitely a true refreshment on the world rockabilly scene in all its nuances. Masterful playing is undoubtable, vocal brilliance present, completeness in arrangements clear and pure like freshly washed glass. All this, coupled with a very bold choice of songs that have been brought to the very top of perfection in their new attire, like in their original versions, bring the hunger for more. I hope for an album, I hope for gigs on the European soil. Because The 69 Cats are a must see in every aspect!
Rockabilly fans – open your eyes and take a deep breath – the cats are coming!
Review by: Ivana Sataić – ivana@venia-mag.net
Read the review online HERE
Rave Review For Heathen Apostles’ “Boot Hill Hymnal”
By Aiden
Midnight Calling Magazine
Some time ago, I had the privilege of reviewing Mather Louth’s CD from “Radio Noir” so I was very pleased to see the advent of Heathen Apostles. (Mather is one of my favorite musicians, and I also admire her impeccable fashion sense.) Not only does Heathen Apostles consist of Mather, Chopper Franklin, and Thomas Lorioux, Viktor Phoenix, and Luis Mascaro, all accomplished musicians, but the band also combines two themes very dear to my heart: Goth and the Old West. I have always thought that the Old West teemed with Gothic elements. Here was not the brooding poetry of the drawing room and absinthe fueled dreams , but the open menace of a strange, dangerous, and alien land. The merging of Gothic and Old Western sensibilities only seemed logical.
Several bands have taken this path, and Heathen Apostles are among the foremost. Mather’s wonderful voice and darkly charming demeanor are a perfect fit. The Old West conjures images of vast desolate spaces, grim conflicts, and lonesome death, punctuated by roughshod towns teeming with a disparate mix of sophistication and brutality. It is no accident that Heathen Apostles rises from Los Angeles, that musical Mecca of the Far West, and that their music is steeped in 150 years of history and musical lore.
“Red Brick Dust” starts evocatively with acoustic guitar and low, moaning violin. Electric guitar suddenly punctuates the song like shotgun blasts in the alleyways of old Tombstone. Vocals are pleading, yet dangerous at the same time. Late in the song, violin emerges Paganini-like with a brief, impulsive burst.
Ominous, yet rich violin opens “Dark Was the Night”. Masterful percussion drives the song with a rocky gait, and the mandolin adds a definite western flavor. Vocals are exquisitely layered, sultry and moody.
‘Forget-Me-Not” is a rollicking tune, with sharp, syncopated percussion and edgy banjo, as the violin hovers in the background, only to suddenly rise with the fervor of an assassin. Vocals are strong and confident, yet with an underlying sense of foreboding.
“Never Forever” has a very edgy, evocative intro, with guitars in tandem and violin. They are joined by low-key, yet striking banjo that reminds me of some of Neil Young’s works. Vocals are slow and expressive. The song slowly rises in volume, and vocals drop to an eerie whisper at about 3:06. Then suddenly, some wonderfully cowpunk-ish guitar erupts, and Mather’s superb vocals rise to a crescendo. There is a cool spaghetti western vibe adeptly mixed with ’80′s alternative that makes this is a very compelling song.
‘The Reckoning” ramps things up with Saturday night saloon exuberance and energy. The intro reminded me of the movie “Dead man”, and there is a vague steampunkish element somewhere here amidst the rattling percussion and gypsy flourishes. Brief flashes of fuzz laden guitar add to the demented carnival atmosphere, as Mather’s vocals are both enticing and dangerous.
“The Dark Pines” is one of my favorite songs here. With what I call a ‘Western Cabaret” style, haunting mandolin and menacing violin accompany Mather’s darkly vibrant vocals. Rousing guitar licks and driving percussion propel the song to a very ominous finish.
“It All Came Down” starts with a great little vignette of a tinny Blues song playing as the actions of various firearms are worked and clicked. Then the song launches with syncopated percussion, slow banjo, and low bass that brings a smokey Speakeasy to mind. Guitar is low and menacing, and the organ gives an unsettling edge. This is further heightened by the sardonic, yet sinister male-female vocals that deftly weave around each other.
“Murderer of Souls” is awesome! This is pure Cowboy Gothic for the 21st century. There is some excellent post-punk guitar and sparse, eerie banjo over a gripping electro background. Very edgy violin emerges, then grows stronger as the song progresses. Percussion is as rhythmic and pounding as hooves along a lonely trail. Vocals are smooth, with a nice touch of layering, which heighten the sense of desolation and fatalism that the song evokes.
“Darkness of Dawn” is more Cowboy Cabaret, with Mather’s soulful vocals, wandering violin, and sparse banjo. The percussion canters along, while the guitar adds a darkly expressive touch, especially on the moving, yet dynamic refrain. This song makes me envision a high mountain range on the horizon, with miles of emptiness behind you.
“Lonesome Whistle” is languid and moody, with an ominous carnival-like beginning. Vocals are refined, yet a bit ominous, while the guitar has a definite edge. The backing atmospherics are measured, and inexorably move the song towards a doleful finish.
“Boot Hill Hymnal” is superbly produced, and the arrangements are precise and striking. The band clearly takes their music seriously. The wonderful thing about “Boot Hill Hymnal” is that Heathen Apostles are not bound by the usual boundaries. For example, they are not just a Gothic band that dresses up in Victorian and Old West fashions and makes a few literary references amid the standard doomy droning. They are not a Steampunk band. They are not a Country/Roots band trying to be “authentic”. Heathen Apostles have skillfully created their own innovative sound and vision. There is a delightful variety of musical here, including Gothic, Cabaret, Blues, and Gypsy Jazz, that is deftly bound together by the band’s dark and sometimes brooding sense of a bygone age. This is all filtered through a wholly contemporary level of musical excellency that is both relevant and unique.
This is a very fine work, indeed. I look forward to hearing more from Heathen Apostles.
Read the review HERE
Heathen Apostles’ “Boot Hill Hymnal” 5 of 5 Review on DarkestJack.com
Artist: Heathen Apostles
Album: Boot Hill Hymnal
Label: Ratchet Blade Record
Released: 2013
Website: www.heathenapostles.com
It’s not often a band surprises me with something strange and different, but that is exactly what Heathen Apostles did when I heard the first verse of their debut album “Boot Hill Hymnal”. The musicians here are well known to me with vocals by Mather Louth (Radio Noir) and Chopper Franklin (The Cramps) handling the guitar. However the sound that hit my ears was nothing like this groups individual past projects. Some are calling this “Gothic Country” but I feel this is misleading. When one hears the term country, one generally thinks of modern country of the last say 20 years. Heathen Apostles sound is birthed by the music of the far past. Unlike the music of bands like Fields of the Nephilim that blend a southern country or cowboy image into the Gothic sound, Heathen Apostles transports the listeners into another time frame completely. I personally prefer the label of “Dark Roots” music to describe their morbid melodies.
The album begins it’s morbid journey of murder ballad Americana with the toe taping track “Red Brick Dust”. This song is a great welcome to the band’s sound. It’s a familiar sounding structure while introducing the listener to this new sonic world. It’s the most rock or punk groove on the album and it’s chorus hits vocal melodies that are reminiscent of the Radio Noir song “Desert Woman”. Not to contraindicate my statement from earlier. The album really descends into it’s signature style with the second track, “Dark Was the Night”. Incidentally my favorite cut on Boot Hill Hymnal. This morbid tale of the loss of a loved one quickly transports the listener into the desolate landscape of a western town in the late 1800′s. The somber tone of Mather‘s haunting vocals are at flat out beautiful. The music now filling out the sound with fiddles, guitars, and mandolin. It’s easy to close your eyes and find yourself in a dark and haunted town full of lawlessness and death.
“Forget Me Not” is a toe tapping tune that has a touch of Nick Cave‘s Murder Ballads in it. It’s a ghostly tale that really shows off the incredible song writing this group possess. Which is very evident in the cohesive nature of the whole album. This is not a “Let’s give this sound a try.” type of album. Heathen Apostles throws everything into this album to make a truly authentic experience. My mind floats thorough the dark side of the Wild West and the Civil War while listening. Mather is no stranger to creating different time periods. Her work with Radio Noir invokes a 1920′s/30′s atmosphere.
I am not going to go song by song in this review. Suffice it to say every song is wonderfully crafted and they are all worth a good listening too. However, there are a few stand out tracks for me, in addition to “Dark was the Night”. “Murderer Of Souls” is a powerful track that has a huge sound and, well, just plain rocks. I could easily see this as the theme to some dark western or a Southern horror tale. The albums closer, “Lonesome Whistle”, is a simple yet strong melody that leaves the listeners with a bleak feeling and a want of more. Then there is “The Reckoning”. Returning to the toe tapping beat this song has a huge story and sports an apocalyptic feel. Like a steam train out of control and spewing fire from it’s stack. A killer track that also has a great video, the first video from Boot Hill Hymnal.
This debut from Heathen Apostles is a wondrously crafted album that weaves a world all it’s own. It’s powerful, somber, toe tapping, and dark. This is a group distended to leave an indelible mark on the Dark Alternative scene. I am looking forward to the next offering from these macabre masters of melody. Until then I will set Boot Hill Hymnal on a loop. This is a must have album for just about everyone. Do yourself a favor and get the whole album and get lost in this wondrous world known as Heathen Apostles.
5/5
Reviewed by: Darkest Jack
Read the review HERE
Heathen Apostles’ “Boot Hill Hymnal” Reviewed at Examiner.com
4 of 5 stars
The burgeoning roots revival that has taken hold in recent years has spawned a great many new bands and singer/songwriters. Out of a significant yet heterogeneous faction of them, there are certainly more than a fair number, existing as most worthwhile things do on sacred ground well beyond the borders of the mainstream, whose experimental songs aren’t exactly what a music purist would deem proper roots material. That is due in part to all of the genre and subgenre crossbreeding, or musical hybridization, as it were, by bands and singer/songwriters endeavoring to combine the roots styles of a bygone era with a number of latter-day outsider styles that have since developed throughout the scene. A reasonably new addition to the scene is the Heathen Apostles, a dark roots and gothic country band out of Los Angeles, whose newly released debut on Ratchet Blade Records, “Boot Hill Hymnal,” is a perfect example of this.
Heathen Apostles began when singer/songstress Mather Louth (Radio Noir) and seasoned punk figure Chopper Franklin (The Cramps, Charley Horse), each with a fondness for the darker side of roots-centered music, came together and conspired to develop just such a sound, though based on their very own creative visions and musical ideas. Musician Thomas Lorioux (Kings of Nuthin’) was soon brought into the fold, and baptized a fellow heathen, so that he could contribute upright bass to the project. Together, these three birthed a signature sound built on a foundation of guitar, banjo, mandolin, keyboards, bass, and vocals. Even so, like many other roots artists, the Heathens are fine with employing fellow artists throughout the scene to provide additional instrumentation, just as they had for the album. And…on evidence presented by listening to the album itself, the auxiliary instrumentation by non-members indeed served to lay down layers of sound ornamentation, and, as it were, overall compositional improvement. And that is how such remarkable songs as Red Brick Dust, Dark Was the Night (no, not the Blind Willie Johnson gospel blues masterpiece), Never Forget, The Reckoning, The Dark Pines, and It All Came Down were forged.
Both organic and mechanical, or rather both acoustic and electric, the Heathens’ sound possesses twang and distortion, eerie string arrangements and measured rhythms, finger-picking and foot-stomping, the keen low-end of the upright bass and…a host of other qualities, all of them complemented by the sultry yet haunting female vocals of the lovely Mather Louth. In its way, it is also a rather cinematic sound they have created, evoking both old-timey and present-day imagery. And the dark, fire n’ brimstone poetry of the lyrical content…lines of meaningful words which altogether prove a compass of sorts, its points pausing briefly here and there at dusty desert wastelands to the West, sprawling gray cities to the East, Heaven to the North, and Hell to the South. To get to these musical destinations, there is much in the way of sin and virtue, the saved and the damned, tragic love affairs and that which transpires before the fall, nature and artificiality, pleasure and suffering, beauty and ugliness, sanity and madness, and so on in the way that contraries pull the human heart and soul this direction and that direction. Ultimately where we end up is a mystery, however, a well-kept secret about by the haggard sisters of fate, who sit crooked in their dank and sparsely furnished cells, weave the fabric of life with gnarled fingers on their ancient looms, and to often snip the strings of providence too high or too low.
“Boot Hill Hymnal” can be inserted into the noteworthy category of today’s roots music, beside such comparable artists as Phantom of the Black Hills, Tears of the Moosechaser, Bad Luck City, Sons of Perdition, The Dead Brothers, Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots, Those Poor Bastards, Peter Murphy’s Carver Combo, and the like. Recorded at The Devil’s Doghouse in Echo Park, and produced and mixed by Chopper Franklin himself, “Boot Hill Hymnal” consists of ten all-original tracks of the Heathen Apostles’ dark roots, gothic country, murder balladry, and historic Americana. Some of the songs were composed by Franklin, some by Louth, but in most cases by both of them together…and they did an excellent job in that respect.
While the songs on “Boot Hill Hymnal” are inextricably bound to the present, the modern American South West, but reaches back to long gone years in humankind’s history to come across as a vintage soundtrack to the dusty Depression era, with its filthy faces and empty pockets, its tattered clothes and worn-out shoes, and infertile soil as far as the eye could see; to rattlesnake-handling preachers delivering fevered revival tent sermons while members of the congregation are moved by the spirit and flail about as they speak in tongues; to so many sickbed prayers falling from the dray and cracked lips of those stricken with consumption and nearing their ends; to painted harlots lounging in ornate parlors of brothels on the outskirts of town; to gypsy hexes and acts of six-gun vengeance; to shadowy bounty hunters on horseback, stalking their prey through the moonlight hours; to Johnson Family hobo wanderers sitting around a fire and passing around a bottle of rotgut beneath a rickety covered bridge off a dirt road somewhere in the American countryside; to battered old bibles placed religiously on bedside tables, only a few feet away from the ol’ double-barrel shotgun, and white-robed sinners waiting in line for muddy river baptismal immersions in the Deep South; carrion birds circling overhead, biding their time before descending upon a lover murdered in a violent act of passion; and the like.
That is the Heathen Apostles’ “Boot Hill Hymnal.”
James Carlson – The Examiner
Read the review HERE
Chopper-Produced Phantom of the Black Hills Record Review
Uber Rock recently reviewed the Chopper Franklin-produced, Geza X-mixed cd ENEMY! out on now Ratchet Blade Records, also available on iTunes and Amazon mp3:
Phantom Of The Black Hills – ‘Enemy’ (Ratchet Blade Records)
CD Reviews
Written by Gaz E
You remember how it was when you were a rock kid buying albums with your pocket money, selecting which ones were gonna go home with you purely on their cover art, generally finding out that they sucked all kinds of arse? Well, as the years have gone by, it usually works the other way: I look at an album cover now, sigh, and think of how much time I will waste listening to what lies inside and then trying to write something worthwhile about it, sometimes finding an unlikely gem.
Kinda happened that way with ‘Enemy’, the third album from the mysterious Phantom of the Black Hills.
Masked figures being lynched on the front cover, masked men holding banjos and big fucking knives on the back – this was going to be one of those 45 minutes that I wasn’t going to get back in a hurry, I guessed……but I guessed wrong.
With no clue as to who is actually behind the masks – I’d guess that the band is made up of the members of various other bands but I couldn’t (be arsed to) find out who on the ol’ interweb – I had no clue what to expect when I slipped the disc into my death deck; another of those ‘comedic’ stabs at a country album by someone who should know better was at the top of my list. Thankfully I was wrong again, way wrong.
‘Battle Cry’ opens the album and does exactly what it says on the tin. The Phantom is described as a hellbilly/doom country band and that’s exactly what I got….and a fine example of that curious genre chimera at that. There’s a whiff of the more cinematic moments of Rob Zombie’s newer solo material about the vocals, some Al Jourgensen too, before you remember that Al actually turned in his own attempt at this genre around a year ago; that album by Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters a bit of a mess, truth be told. ‘Enemy’ blows it away, sharp, rather than shit, shooter style.
The follow-up to 2010′s ‘Born To Gun’ album, itself following 2009′s ‘Ghosts’, ‘Enemy’ was produced by Cramps bassist Chopper Franklin and mixed by legendary punk producer Geza X (Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, The Germs), having me thinking once again that these mystery men are players in more than just the doom countryside. But I digress, it mattering little anyway – this is a great album; filthy of tongue, keenly-produced, and hugely impressive.
The album’s dirty dozen tracks fly by, making a mockery of its running time. From the aforementioned opener to ‘Read My Bible’, the album’s closing track, The Phantom and his bad pack mix traditional country instruments – the banjo, fiddle and mandolin, the secretive press release informing me, pushed more to the front than on the album’s predecessors – with distorted guitar and vocals, this album seemingly leaning more heavily on samples and loops: many prime examples of hard-hitting, controversial dialogue permeating the raw, rusty sounds of the record. “Violence is as American as apple pie” – yes, that’s a quote that we’ve heard many times before but here…it just seems right, a tight fit.
Whoever they really are, Phantom of the Black Hills cuts the throat of convention and bleeds out an album cooler than the blade of their frontman’s impressive weapon. The penultimate song on the album is ‘Call Your Bluff’ – sums it up really.
Read the review on the UBER ROCK site by clicking HERE
