Weedian presents »Trip To Arkansas« feat. Pallbearer, Rwake, Mammoth Caravan, Deadeyejack and more!

Weedian has jur released a brand new compilation »Trip To Arkansas« featuring bands such as Pallbearer, Rwake, Mammoth Caravan, Deadeyejack, Terminus, Deadbird, Ghost Hollow, Bones Of The Earth, Seahag and more.

Tracklist:
01. Pallbearer – Devoid Of Redemption
02. Terminus – Oh Madrigal
03. Deadbird – Heyday
04. Rwake – Leviticus
05. Ghost Hollow – Crown of Writhing Worms
06. Bones Of The Earth – The Empire Never Ended
07. Deadeyejack – Yeah Yeah Yeah
08. Mammoth Caravan – Frostbite
09. Mud Lung – Smoke
10. Sleuthfoot – Mother Of Flies
11. Apothecary – Fortune Doesn’t Smile On The Damned
12. The Salesman – Pathways
13. Seahag – Jagertooth Tiger
14. Crankbait – Unkind
15. Cowards – Nothing To Show
16. Direwolf – Blood On The Snow
17. Czarus – Stone Jesus
18. Protohive – Blue Collar Conundrum

While on a trip to Arkansas, one thing that is quickly obvious is that everything from the weather and landscape, to the people and culture is a juxtaposition of one extreme and another.

In the Natural State, ice falls from the sky when the weather is near the hundreds. If you drive 5 hours across the state, you can go from the sparse forests of the poverty-stricken Arkansas Delta to the lush riches of WalMart and majestic beauty of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains.

Arkansas’s biggest city is called Little Rock, and despite being predominantly a red state, its most famous citizen is a saxophone-playing democrat.

The state that was once home to Maya Angelou, John Grisham, Billy Bob Thornton, Scottie Pippen and Rudy Ray Moore is also home to the mob dealings of Al Capone and one of the most well-known acts of racism in American history: the Little Rock 9.

Though the Natural State gave birth to Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Ne-Yo and Black Oak Arkansas, it’s also famous for its crushing, unique brand of extreme metal.

Heavy metal roots run deep and carry many forms in Arkansas which has produced bands like Evanescence, Living Sacrifice, Vore and Terminal Nation, but also some of the most important, beautiful and revolutionary stoner doom music ever created.

Without question, the most popular doom band to come out of the state is Pallbearer, whose success was inspired and aided by two of its oldest and most revolutionary acts, Rwake and Deadbird. Crankbait is one of the first doom bands in Arkansas and Seahag is its most ornery.

While the majority of the state’s doom and stoner bands come from central Arkansas including Apothecary and Czarus, the Northern part of the state is also rich in heavy metal history with bands like Deadeyejack, Dirtmother, Sleuthfoot, Bones Of The Earth and Mud Lung.

Though Arkansas doom was created in the mid-90’s, the legacy of the past is still being carried on by bands like The Salesman, Protohive, Ghost Hollow, Stash Hag and Mammoth Caravan.

Arkansas is a state that feels like the fires of hell and has streets encased in ice. A state known just as much for its awe-inspiring natural beauty as it is the unspeakable evil of the humans that call it home.

In this horrific, beautiful place where springs flow bountifully and tornadoes rip mercilessly, heavy metal is king and forever may it reign.

Words by Brandon Ringo (Mammoth Caravan)

Artwork by Banyuaji.

All tracks procured by permission of the bands and/or their record labels.

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well