BLACK GLOVE ZINE issue 2

realizing now that we've been a little silent over here at the SISSTER SSOUND camp. but that doesn't mean there hasn't been a lot going on. issue two of BLACK GLOVE wrapped and went to print almost a full month ago, it's just taken me until now to get around to posting about it. printed in an edition of 100, we're already down to having only about 15 copies left. beyond adding 4 more pages since the last issue, this round features interviews with canadian CBGBM act LYCAON, texas sludge crushers KRVSHR, and the second installment in coach's bootleg patchmaker series with ireland's BELKOT. as well as live photos, reviews covering everything from NWOBHM to death metal to black noise, and a few other surprises. copies are available in the STORE as well as what might still be in distro at ANTHEMS OF THE UNDESIRABLE RECORDS and CROWN & THRONE LTD. logo tshirts and zine packages are also out now exclusively through HOLY MOUNTAIN PRINTING.

BLACK GLOVE ZINE issue 1

beyond being a great writer and friend, coach springer is one of the truest, dyed in the wool, dictionary definitions of what it means to be a metal head. after watching some time of grand schemes and shit talking pass by, we've finally put our collective heads together to release the first issue of our metal fanzine BLACK GLOVE. a departure from the art-centric content and hand-cut collage discipline of previous HATEFUCK zines, BLACK GLOVE focuses more on the word and the music, while maintaining a certain sense of GIVE UP visual aesthetic. issue one is a 24 page, 8.5"x5.5" B&W photocopy zine housed in a black-on-black heavy card cover. featured are interviews with sludge masters CRAWL and new HATRED SURGE off-shoot HOLY MONEY, an interview with bootleg embroidered patch-maker VISIONS OF THE SINISTER PRODUCTIONS, coach's lengthy dissertation on why JUDAS PRIEST's "point of entry" is their best and most overlooked album, as well as live photos and record reviews spanning traditional american metal, hard rock, death metal, black metal, grind, and noise. first printing of 100 is in the webstore now:
http://giveup.bigcartel.com

NINTH INNING

was talking not too long ago with mark from NINTH INNING about some upcoming plans he has. with regard to expanding the kind of traditional, classic baseball look he's built his street wear brand upon. keeping baseball the central focus, but doing collaborations with different artists and different aesthetics. image-wise this isn't too far outside of my wheelhouse so it was a lot of fun to work their existing logo into something i'd probably do anyway. stoked this final design got approved and signed off on. i'm not sure if they've announced a release date yet, but i'm sure you can check the status on their SITE.

DJ WHEEZIE 12"

don't get the opportunity to do design work outside of certain specific arenas all that often (hardcore, metal, skateboarding, etc). but it's exciting to get to apply some art toward something that, by tradition or established scene aesthetic, maybe my "voice" wouldn't necessarily be expected to fit. this is actually the second album i've done for EDM label SOUTHERN BELLE, after also doing their logo. started working on this one what seems like almost a year ago now, just recently got a couple of physical copies in the mail. stoked to have had the chance to work with them again as well as to see how the finished product came together in hand.

ROT IN HELL - live cassette

did the art and layout for this ROT IN HELL "of sorrow black and deep" live cassette last year. the intention was for it to be released by sisster ssound. but i kind of dropped the ball and got overextended and caught up with other things. subsequently causing a handful of scheduled releases to get put on the back burner. the RIH guys went ahead and put it out themselves in the UK. the attention to detail is great. a little hard to read in the photos, but the stock on the jcards is metallic silver. and i really like the consistency between the grey shells for the tapes and the grey boxes.

ON THE MAP poster

a little late in updated anything here. ryan put together this fest that's already come and gone and i'm just now getting around to putting up this poster i did for him. the first (annual?) ON THE MAP fest, spread over 4 days and 3 venues. featuring slapshot, forced reality, oxblood, and so on. click image to enlarge.

ANDRE AND STEPH

our good friends aj and stephanie have decided to request a license from a state sponsored stranger that will enter them into a legal contract allowing him to take ownership of her. we couldn't be happier for them so when they asked me to design and print their wedding invitations i had to say yes. never taken on a project like this before and i'm very excited to be a part of it. although i guess the "voice" isn't that far off from anything i've ever designed in the past. 5 color metallic screen print outer, 1 color metallic screen print inside. hand pulled. arranged by hand from all original photos, color separated on the light box, no photoshop or other computer assistance. click images to enlarge for detail.

BLACK VICE 12"

recently finished the art and layout for the upcoming 'rituals of the anti-cosmic docrtine' lp from BLACK VICE. scheduled to be the first vinyl release from black metal label RED RIVER FAMILY. designed to come housed in screen printed sleeves. as i understand it, covers are already back from the printer. lp up now for pre-order in the RED RIVER FAMILY STORE. click images to enlarge for detail.

PHYTOSOPHIE and THE INVISIBLE MAN at CIVIC TV

designed and printed these posters for dan workman's experimental music project PHYTOSOPHIE and THE INVISIBLE MAN a couple of weeks ago. for their upcoming show at CIVIC TV COLLECTIVE in houston. the performance isn't until november, but i'm pretty proud of these, and happy to have been included in the project, so i'm posting now. four color screen print, 36" x 24" on plain paper. plus band only edition of only 6 with a hand painted background on chip board. click images to enlarge.

caught in the game

coach springer and i have been talking shit back and forth for a little while about starting a metal (etc.) zine. just got back from new york where we had a few sit downs, and it looks like things might actually be moving forward. more info shortly. for now, here's one for coach.

cascio

been a while since posting last. lacking more on time than content. trying to get back into the swing. had the opportuniy to do a quick studio visit with chris cascio recently and got a sneak peek of a new painting in progress.

FAR OUT cassette (SS011)

sisster ssound recordings #11

FAR OUT two-song cassette single. featuring tracks from their upcoming full length lp "UNIVERSE" (scheduled for release spring 2015 on honeygold records).

blending elements of power pop, rock, and punk, the houston based 3 piece defies easy categorization. but whatever you want to call it, they're doing it right. with straight forward, upbeat instrumentation masking the often dark honesty of their lyrical content.

recorded at sugar hill studios and produced by studio monster dan workman. released here in a cassette edition of only 75. with full color jcards and hand stamped shells. includes digital download. available now in the sisster STORE.

cigar box attempt one

inspired by VVLAD and others that are building their own instruments (as well as those that are generating sound via non traditional means of instrumentation) i decided to try my hand at building a cigar box guitar a few months ago. i wish i would have seen that science and mechanics article from a few posts back before starting. i didn't have any plans and kind of made it up as i went, working on assumption. the action ended up much higher than anticipated, with no real means of adjustment outside of building a new bridge. but still plays well enough with a slide. i'd initially planned on making it 2 strings and had already cut the wood for the neck by the time i decided to go 3. making the headstock a little short with relation to the spacing between the tuning peg for the bottom string and the nut. the body is 1/8" birch and doesn't resonate much for size and stiffness to generate much volume. but i mounted a contact mic inside the body under the bridge to act as a pickup. so it can be plugged into an amp and resonates surprisingly well from there. definitely not my greatest achievement, but i'm pretty happy with the outcome and learned a lot for a first attempt.

bogus rendition

just got a copy of the new BOGUS RENDITION zine in the mail. massively thick and loaded personal stories, anecdotes, and interviews about riding freights, travel, touring with watain, etc. contact for ordering through the bogus rendition blog.

vvx

two man norwegian cbgbm feat. vvlad from the sisster ssound split cassette release with horders.

MOUTHEATER 'PASSING KEY' 12"

got the opportunity toward the end of last year to do some more design work for VA's MOUTHEATER. this time for their "passing key" LP through ANTHEMS OF THE UNDESIRABLE records. the front and back cover photos as well as the heart shaped box insert photo were arranged and shot by DAVOOD SALEK. the insert artwork, lettering, vinyl labels, and all layout were then handled by yours truly. really glad i got to work on this one. great label, great guys, and amazing band. definitely one of the best albums of 2014.