Lightning Bolt - Sonic Citadel

With Sonic Citadel, the two Brians successfully take Lightning Bolt's sound in a more melodic and accessible direction.

Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire

RI noise rock duo Lightning Bolt is back, continuing to prove they're one of the most standout names in noise rock.

Brian Chippendale and Greg Saunier - Brian Chippendale and Greg Saunier

Of all the team-ups and collabs in recent memory, this has to be among the most chaotic, noisy and boisterous of them all. Greg Saunier and Brian Chippendale are two drummers behind some of the more experimental punk bands of the late 90's and early 2000's, namely Deerhoof and Lightning Bolt. They are regarded as formidable musicians in their own rights, as well as being close friends.

The above album is effectively a half hour of two men playing drums as hard and ferocious as they can, dipping and feeling each other’s style for volume and rhythm dynamics, using each other’s energy to build and drop in crescendo after crescendo of drive, power, and skill. Recommended for anyone into free-improvised percussion music. And if you have time, watch the documentary Checking in at 20, which is paired with the album. It gives some fascinating insight into the two drummers and the project.

- Fin Worrall

Black Pus - "Blood Will Run"

Black Pus, a.k.a. Brian Chippendale, is dropping a new, vinyl-only split LP with Oozing Wound, which is aptly titled Split LP. From what I understand, "Blood Will Run" is the first song to be dropped from it, and it's absolutely nuts. It's not quite as noisy or rhythmically dense as one would expect from a Black Pus.

Actually, it's the lyrics that manage to lead the way on this one. Chippendale shouts these direct, yet, abstract lines about pulling out his gun in response to other people needing to "turn down" their music and opinions. There's even some goofily harmonized singing just before there's noisy freakout of ascending and descending melodies that spiral out of control against Chippendale's steady drumming, too. Definitely one of the more distinct and odd tracks I've heard from this project in a while. Hopefully, the rest of this split runs just as bold.

Look for Split LP via Thrill Jockey on June 17th.

Black Pus In His Hilarious Attic

I might not have been huge on the last Black Pus record, but Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale is still an absolute thrill to watch bang on the skins. He strikes the drums with the force of a gorilla and the speed of a ninja in this new session video, which you can watch vie the embed above. Enjoy!

Black Pus - "1000 Years"

Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale drops a new music video under his Black Pus pseudonym, and the result is violent, stick figure-filled wet dream of a young kid from the 90s--OK, I made a lotta sick figure flip book animation; however, the detail in this particular one makes the stuff I was doing look like crap.

Black Pus' new LP, All My Relations, will be dropping in March via Thrill Jockey.

Black Pus - "1000 Years"

Lightning Bolt's more percussive half, Brian Chippendale, has a new album on the way via his solo pseudonym, Black Pus. "1000 Years" is the first track to drop from this forthcoming album, which is titled All My Relations and looking at a March release date on Thrill Jockey.

It's no surprise, but "1000 Years" is incredibly noisy and rhythmic with it's rock 'n' roll beat. Like usual, Brian's vocals sound muffled, sharp, and manic against his driving, forceful playing. The track is equal parts abrasive, psychedelic, and catchy. Enjoy!

Lightning Bolt- "King Candy"

Thanks for the clarification, Mr. Burns. The most intense duo in noise rock comes out of nowhere and announces a new album--no, really a compilation of sorts--release just around the corner. Lightning Bolt's sixth album, Oblivion Hunter, is gonna come out on September 25th via Load Records.

"King Candy" is the first track to drop from this thing, and it's a bit more lo-fi and improvisational than much of Bolt's most recent material. I'd say the chaotic, rough, and free-form feel of this track is actually taking the duo back to their roots with releases like their self-titled debut. The track really sounds like a live performance.

Who knows what Bolt has in store for the rest of the tracks on this thing, though? Maintaining one single sound for angle for the entirety of an album hasn't ever been the duo's style. Let's see how this pans out. Check the song titles for this new LP below:

Track listing: 1. King Candy 2. Baron Wasteland 3. Oblivion Balloon 4. Fly Fucker Fly 5. The Soft Spoken Spectre 6. Salamander 7. World Wobbly Wide