3/25/2022

The Mary Veils Share 'Esoteric Hex' LP via Pursuit of Dopeness | New LP Out Now via PNKSLM Recordings

The Mary Veils Share Esoteric Hex LP via Pursuit of Dopeness

Read the SPILL MagazineRock at Night, and
Psychedelic Baby Features

New LP Out Now via PNKSLM Recordings
Photo Cred: Rachel Del Sordo

LISTEN/PURCHASE & SHARE: The Mary Veils - Esoteric Hex
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LISTEN & SHARE: The Mary Veils - "Esoteric Hex"
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LISTEN & SHARE: The Mary Veils - "Eyes"
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LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: The Mary Veils - "Bone Blossom Green"
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LISTEN & SHARE: The Mary Veils - Somewhere Over the Rowhome EP
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"I was captivated by the Philly garage-rockers’ use of fuzz, some dirty production, and their ability to lay down great memorable melodies as much as they can just rock out and let the noise take you away"
Pursuit of Dopeness

"A rollicking punk-rock masterpiece"
SPILL Magazine

"If you like the methodical rage of guitar distortion and bass in lockstep with hypnotic vocals skimming like a stone over a gritty wash, then, my friend, you are in for a treat."
Joyzine

"In 'Eyes,' the band gazes lovingly into the windows of the universe’s soul, unleashing a fuzzy exploration of what you see when you finally open yourself. It’s a blissful bit of hardness, a bit of beautiful ugliness to gaze upon. While it’s not related to Valentine’s Day, it’s a fantastic anti-love song for those whose only date for tonight is one with the outer edges of oblivion."
Hollywood Life

"With gritty guitars and wailing, processed vocals, this grungy tune is definitely a must-listen."
Indie88

"The Mary Veils delivers another side of its songwriting prowess, still taking its cues from the thunderous punk outfits that came before it, – continuing to flourish while staunchly staying grounded in the present."
Ghettoblaster

"A fuzz-drenched, rock’n’roll anthem, layered with just the right amount of grit and grime to ensure it’s stuck in your head for days."
Glide

"The song is a fizzy rock ‘n roll tune that slowly slithers in your brain, driven forward by a relentless drum beat. And I’m not sure if glossy, lo-fi riffage was already a thing, but it is now bound to be."
Punk Rock Theory

"Along the way [to their debut LP], their evolution will continue, and it’s trending very much in the right direction."
V13

"Waves of synchronized guitar feedback open the track, reaching a direct crescendo before the rhythm section attacks as guitars make their way within. The quartet is fully in control of the song’s direction, which is held together by its punchy melody and thundering dynamics."
Ghettoblaster

"The track jolts forward with blood-curdling, gravelly wails, frenetic riffery, and reverb-drenched chords, recalling the chaotically scrappy, yet calculated and clean styles of LA alt-indie surf rock outfit Tijuana Panthers or garage-punk powerhouse Frankie and the Witch Fingers."
Glide

"This band sounds like a ‘60s garage rock group that plugged their amps into a socket that’s spewing flames and smoke. "
Scene Point Blank

"The anthemic tune comes packed with gritty guitars and frantic percussion that’s sure to get you thrashing around."
Indie88

"Melted, muted punk"
Brooklyn Vegan

"A glorious, bone-shaking ride over cobblestones; a 3-minute firestorm of punk-joy with lacerating guitar propelling this song from 0-60 like a drag racer that forgot to pack a parachute."
Joyzine

"[The group] delivers a reimagined sound of energy & inventiveness, turning a song about self-realization into one beast of a number."
Ghettoblaster

"The track is a snotty punch to the face with the band’s penchant for eclectic, yet throwback vibes, cool guitars, and in your face punk lyricism."
Ghost Cult

"...chock full of fuzz-inflected, garage grit and a loose, contagious, surf-psych approach that hums along at a comfortable clip, until it’s time to turn up the heat."
The Deli Chicago 

"...tows the line between invention and pure nostalgia, reaffirming the blueprint of garage rock’s seemingly unending revival."
The Deli Philadelphia 

"And while Brian has a way with a hook, he's interested in texture as much as melodic punch"
A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

Today, Philadelphia garage punk four-piece The Mary Veils share their brand new LP, Esoteric Hex, out now via PNKSLM Recordings.

Speaking on the record, frontman Brian Von Uff wrote:

"The songs on Esoteric Hex were made in the first two months as a band. These songs were the result of those first few practices in our extremely small practice room. Funny, now that I think about it, the walls in that space were orange like the album cover. We tracked it live to capture that sound as much as possible. We wanted it to sound like it would if you come see us play live. We wanted it to sound raw. An open wound. In Philly they say we speak what’s on our minds. We wanted that attitude to come across. Know nothing know it alls."

The band is playing PhilMOCA in Philly on April 2Tickets are on sale now.

THE MARY VEILS LINKS
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | YouTube
 
The Mary Veils Bio:

The Mary Veils are finally the band they were always supposed to be. What began as the solo project of frontman Brian Von Uff is now a fully-fledged, incendiary punk four-piece, with drummer Evan Wall, guitarist Drew Mann and bassist Justin Mansor rounding out the new lineup. Von Uff’s debut EP under the Mary Veils name, 2017's Slacker Paint (re-released by PNKSLM last year) so enthused Wall as to tempt him back behind the kit after a break from drumming, and caught the attention of Mann and Mansor of fellow Philadelphia noiseniks Hot Lunch, who quickly followed Wall in jumping on board. “And it’s been like Beatlemania ever since,” laughs Mann.

Such is the shared musical language between the four that their first jams immediately, and almost wordlessly, bore fruit. The furious, freewheeling singles "Home Video" and "Rowboat" were amongst a glut of songs that came together at breakneck pace, and made up half of the first four-track EP from The Mary Veils as a full band, last November’s Somewhere Over the Rowhome“I probably did it the wrong way around,” says Von Uff of the jump from solo project to four-piece. “I wish these dudes were around from the beginning, because they bring so much personality to the songs, and the new material came together really easily.”

If the EP lit the fuse on a new era for the Mary Veils, then consider Esoteric Hex the explosion. The band’s full-length debut is a scintillating ten-track exercise in punk-inflected garage rock, one that takes the raw energy that defined Somewhere Over the Rowhome and uses it as a foundation for Von Uff’s ultimate vision for the group. “We recorded a lot of these songs around the same time as the EP, so there’s a similar feel to them, but I think the songs on Esoteric Hex really fit together. There’s more of a cohesiveness to it. I feel like Somewhere Over the Rowhome was a good showcase of our sound, whereas Esoteric Hex is a complete piece of work.”

The album was tracked swiftly and entirely live, within a few months of the new lineup coming together, over a number of weekends at Jessie Gimbel’s basement studio in Upper Darby, PA. Once Esoteric Hex had been mixed by Cory Hanson and Jeff Zeigler — who between them have worked with the likes of The War on Drugs, Ty Segall and Kurt Vile — The Mary Veils were ready to unleash this mission statement of a record upon the world, only for fate to intervene. “We’ve been sitting on the album since the start of the pandemic,” says Von Uff.

Time has not withered its potency. Taking their cues from the classic punk of New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and The Dickies, as well as more contemporary influences like Osees and Hot Snakes, the Mary Veils’ musical DNA is one rooted deeply in the intersection between riffery and melody; the album walks a tightrope between the rock and roll fizz of opener "Bone Blossom Green" or the spiraling guitar scuzz of "A Tether," and the psych-tinged, hook-driven likes of "Circled Omens" and "Fuzzy." At the centre of what makes Esoteric Hex tick, though, is the band’s hometown itself; as Von Uff explains, this is a love letter to Philly.

“Philadelphia is a very unique place, and while it’s a major city, it’s kind of the forgotten cousin of New York. It’s the abandoned capital of the United States, but we like the abuse. This album is in many ways about Philadelphia, and how the people here are unique and have that fighting mentality. We all want to keep getting better, and we don’t ever quit.”

It’s the city’s storied tradition of mysticism and the occult, meanwhile, that accounts for much of the record’s imagery, as well as its evocative title. “Theosophy itself was born in Philadelphia,” says Von Uff. “The city resides on the 40th Parallel, the same as the old church of Philadelphia in ancient Turkey, that was mentioned in the Book of Revelations. Secret societies, mysticism, the occult — they’re all part of the city’s history, and we wanted to explore that.”

The fact that this lineup’s cascade of creativity was to be stemmed by the global events of the past couple of years means that The Mary Veils are now very much a coiled spring, both as a studio entity and as a live band. Esoteric Hex represents the laying down of a marker, after which there’ll be plenty more to come; not just from the Veils, as Von Uff is quick to point out, but from the city they call home, too. “Before the pandemic, when we wrote these songs, there was a very alive music ecosystem here, and I was nervously awaiting where it would pick up. Two years later, it’s stronger than ever. I know I’m biased, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Philly has some of the best bands in the world right now. This album came from the excitement of being here, in this diverse — dare I say it — ‘scene.'”

Esoteric Hex - TRACKLISTING

01. Bone Blossom Green
02. Jelly
03. Esoteric Hex
04. Circled Omens
05. Elevator
06. Follow Me
07. A Tether
08. Eyes
09. Fuzzy 95
10. The Turnspit


 

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