Ukrainian psychedelic rock trio The Heavy Crawls dropped new album »Searching For The Sun« via Clostridium Records and Electric Experience Records
Ukrainian psychedelic rockers The Heavy Crawls stream their new album, »Searching For The Sun«, which just dropped on August 15th, 2022
»Searching For The Sun« is available via Clostridium Records on vinyl and Electric Experience Records on CD and cassette.
Tracklist:
01. Won’t Let You Down
02. Evil Side (Of Rock’n’Roll)
03. Searching For The Sun
04. 1000 Problems
05. Out Of My Head
06. Stoner Song
07. I Don’t Know
08. Take Me Higher
09. Loved By You
The Heavy Crawls is a Ukrainian band that consists of Max Tovstyi (guitars, vocals, bass, keyboards, songwriting), Tobi Samuel (drums, percussion) and Serj Manernyi (bass, backing vocals).
This band emerged from two-piece band earlier known as The Crawls. The history of the band started in 2013 when Max and Dasha Gavryliuk (former drummer) wrote and recorded their first song on the spot in two hours and after that they decided to release it and continue their way to success. Later that year they recorded LP album that was released both on CD and vinyls, released music video and started touring all over the country. Their songs can still be heard on various Ukrainian radio stations, and their music videos and live concert videos can be seen on TV. The Crawls’ songs are also being broadcasted in Poland, France, Germany, Greece and USA.
In 2014 the band starts working on their second LP album, making two new music videos (on was filmed in Paris). In that year the band participated in numerous festivals in Ukraine.
In 2015 the album was released (LP and CD) on Nasoni Records label (Germany). The band had numerous invitations to different countries to play solo gigs and festivals such as Celebration Days (FR) and others, but because of conflicts between the drummer and guitarist they decided to stop playing together.
In autumn 2015, Max asked to join the band his former bandmate Iryna who played with him in his side bands such as Max Tovstyi’s Blues Association and 7 Inch Interstellar Locomotive and new drummer Inessa. This inspired Max a lot to write new songs and after few rehearsals they recorded their debut single and changed the name to The Heavy Crawls. Just in few days they had got lots of invitations from promoters and created the biggest Ukrainian tour in the history of the band.
In 2016 the band finishes their third record and is planning their first European tour for spring 2017. THC signed up to Clostridium Records (Germany) to release new album on 180 gram vinyl and Moon Records (Ukraine).
The bands’ major changes happened in January 2017, when former drummer and keyboardist left the band. But they were quickly substituted by new members and the band was ready to tour and write new songs.
It is necessary to say that the band was mentioned in Polish magazine Metal Hammer having a high mark and lots of other internet magazines like The Obelisk, It’s Psychedelic Baby, Doomed and Stoned, BBC Ukraine, The Temple, Musik Reviews DE, Stoned Union Doomed, Everything Electric, Forkster and others. The album received high marks and good critical acclaim.
The Heavy Crawls played many festivals and played as support for Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions, Electric Sun), Yardbirds, Animals and Friends, Jan Akkerman in Poland.
The band was influenced by such bands as Led Zeppelin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer and modern bands such as Dead Weather, Tame Impala, Black Keys, Dead Meadow, Brian Jonestown Massacre and others.
In 2019 the band line-up changed again with Serj Manernyi on bass and in early 2020 with Tobi on the drums. Because of the pandemic the band didn’t have much gigs though they concentrated on studio work and perfomed online couple of times. In 2021 the band was back on track with the best line-up in its history and playing shows in different cities also performing at two festivals. The fourth album was recorded during 2020-2021 and after 16 months it was finished! Recorded using analogue and vintage gear, Studer B67 and RTS tape it sounds fantastic delivering nice sound for every audiophile! If you want to know every show dates and the news please subscribe to our social media and keep in touch!
“This is our new studio album. The recording started in 2020 and was finished in 2021. It consists of 9 songs, each of them has its own story and background. We hope this 50 minutes will bring you joy and positive emotions.” says the band on »Searching For The Sun«.
The Heavy Crawls are:
Max Tovstyi – Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards, Synths, Percussion, Mellotron
Serj Manernyi – Bass, Backing Vocals
Tobi Samuel – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Backing vocals on tracks (3,5,7,9) by Emmery Brakke.
Organ and backing vocals on Searching For The Sun by Anastasiia Sorokina.
Mixed and mastered by BrokenBricks Studios.
Tape mastering by Slava Kovrygo, Evheniy Zhyti and Max Tovstyi (Studer B67, RTS tape).
Cover art by Nika Fedorova.
Cover design by Serj Manernyi and Max Tovstyi.
All songs written by Max Tovstyi.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well