Relaxer to Reap Cognitive and Aural Hvok During Ohio, New York Tour Dates
Ohio's Relaxer roll out a few tour dates for late 2019, just in time to ruin your impression that 2019 sucked. On Friday, November 8, the band join Niights and Safe Words at The Happy Dog in Cleveland, Ohio. Then, in December, Relaxer head to Rochester, New York, on December 6 for a show with Great Red, Leus Zeus and Awful Kanaful. The next night, December 7, the band visit New York City for a show at St. Vitus with King's Destroy (members of Killing Time and Breakdown) and Kings of the Fucking Sea (members of Immortal Lee County Killers, Poni Silver, The Ettes and The Parting Gifts), and Borracho. Then on December 8, the band returns to Ohio for a show in Youngstown with Between The Witches and Wild Wings.
Relaxer guitarist Jamie Stillman is also president of U.S. effects pedal company EarthQuaker Devices, and the dates will serve as an EarthQuaker "roadshow" offering pedal stations to try out the product, and sales of EarthQuaker merchandise and goods.
For those unfamiliar with Relaxer, making music for the sake or art or commerce is a multi-dimensional, engrossing prospect. It requires time, tenacity and emotion conjured from conscious and subconscious wellsprings. At some point in their vibrant evolution, Relaxer's sound began to take a mysterious shape, and members of the group tapped into new areas of their triune brain, setting free their once captive lizard group think to reap cognitive and aural havok.
Invigorated the change in direction – from “passive progressive” and cinematic to atom-smashing, Middle Earth-borne, stoned-out frenzy -- the agile, amplifier worshiping Ohio headbangers are poised to bring the heady riffs and changeling rhythms to both the studio and stages across the globe.
Relaxer released a tour split, which included their song "The Endless Slope" with storied Japanese underground metal heroes Boris, Crypt City, and Lisa Bella Donna, before joining them for an EarthQuaker Devices Japanese tour in May 2019. A stream of the split premiered via Brooklyn Vegan in May 2019. "The Endless Slope," was recorded and mixed at EarthQuaker Devices Sound Labs by Relaxer's Jamie Stillman and Joseph Scott in January 2019. The track was mastered at Cauliflower Audio by Adam Boose.
Previously, Relaxer released their seven-song Unreal/Cities LP, which was recorded by engineer Ben Vehorn (Strand of Oaks), in 2016. The collection of psychedelic rippers featured contributions from Steve Clements (Six Parts Seven, Royal Bangs), and was followed by a run of west coast tour dates, including a performance at The Reverberation Appreciation Society’s (members of The Black Angels and friends) sixth LEVITATION music festival in Austin, Texas.
Unreal/Cities was proceeded by the band’s debut LP, 2014’s Lasers, which was engineered by Chris Koltay (Akron/Family, Electric Six, Tyvek) and mastered by Heba Kadry (Slowdive, YOB, Bjork), and a split 7” with Cloud Nothings released via Minds Eye/Square Records on Record Store Day 2013.
Relaxer is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Scott, guitarist Stillman, bassist Corey Haren, and drummer Brad Thorla who previously performed with a variety of celebrated underground acts including The Party of Helicopters, Harriet The Spy, White Pines, Teeth of the Hydra, Sofa King Killer, Drummer (with Pat Carney of The Black Keys), etc.