Mastermind of experimental metal, Justin Broadrick (founder of Godflesh, Napalm Death and Jesu) recently relaunched his web label Avalanche Recordings. He started the label in 2000 with limited release CDRs and has returned with limited release CDRs that were intended for sale at concerts Broadrick is involved in. But now Avalanche Recordings has its first full release to offer: an album of unreleased Jesu material titled Pale Sketches! Jesu is set to release their newest album, Lifeline, on Hydra Head in October and Justin Broadrick will perform with both Sunn O))) and Jesu for a short tour this Fall!

Pale Sketches on Avalanche Recordings

There will only be 2000 copies of the CD, housed in a full colour 6 panel digipak that will be shipped in October (but available for pre-order now). Pale Sketches consists of 8 songs - some of which were created before Jesu was fully realised - and 4 of which are instrumentals. For vinyl enthusiasts, this album will also be released in 2008 as 180g double vinyl as will a vinyl version of Jesu’s first release Heart Ache both from Avalanche Recordings.

You can hear “The Playgrounds Are Empty” right now on Jesu’s metal$pace.

All Avalanche Recordings are available exclusively from the AR store or concerts that Broadrick is involved in.
Because of the extremely limited pressings, don’t count on any particular release being in stock at the concerts. If you can’t live without an album, definitely preorder from the store.

Jesu has been adding dates to their world tour for the last week and will be announcing a full schedule very soon. US dates including California and other west coast stops will also be announced! Whew… I almost thought they were going to hit Portland and Seattle but skip SF. Not that I don’t love an occasional train ride up north, especially for some cold dark metal…

Hydra Head Records will release the newest Jesu EP - Lifeline - on October 9th.

Jesu Tour

10-06 Tempe, AZ - The Sets with Wolves in the Throne Room
10-10 Austin, TX - The Mohawk with USSA, Weedeater
10-16 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn with Chrome
10-18 Washington, DC - Black Cat with Torche, Fog
10-19 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church with Torche, Fog
10-20 New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre (CMJ) with Torche, Fog
10-22 Wallingford, CT - Wallingford American Legion with Torche, Fog
10-23 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East Downstairs with Torche, Fog
10-24 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa with Torche, Tim Hecker
10-25 Toronto, Ontario - Lee’s Palace with Torche, Tim Hecker
10-27 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle with Torche, Fog
10-29 Sauget, IL - Pop’s with Torche, Fog
10-30 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck with Torche
11-02 Seattle, WA - Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room with Sunn O))), Eluvium
11-03 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre with Sunn O))), Eluvium

Avalanche and Jesu Links

The Avalance Store
Jesu’s metal$pace
Justin Broadrick wiki

Pages about Avalanche Recordings ~ Hydra Head ~ Jesu ~ Justin Broadrick ~ Lifeline ~ metal ~ Pale Sketches ~ Sunn O