Portland, Oregon-based DIY label Accident Prone Records declares the impending August unveiling of a brutalizing new split between Austin, Texas’ BLK OPS (with ex-members of Kill The Client and others), and San Diego, California’s CAVE BASTARD (with ex-members of Cattle Decapitation and more).
The BLK OPS / CAVE BASTARD split LP features more than twenty-five minutes of purely devastating grinding, explosive and experimental mayhem from two top-tier underground acts, with four tracks by BLK OPS on the A-Side and four tracks from CAVE BASTARD on Side B. Enshrouded with cover art by Varises Otak, the record will see an initial LP run of 300 copies – 200 on black vinyl and 100 on blue/orange vinyl – as well as all digital platforms on August 25th. Watch for audio samples, preorder links, and more info on the split in the days ahead.
Both bands are booking tour dates to take place in conjunction with the split LP. CAVE BASTARD is plotting a nine-city tour through the Southwestern US states from August 24th through September 1st, with BLK OPS joining in on four of the shows. The confirmed dates are listed below, with more shows to be confirmed.
CAVE BASTARD / BLK OPS Tour Dates:
8/24/2017 TBA – Tucson, AZ *
8/25/2017 Rockhouse Bar & Grill – El Paso, TX *
8/26/2017 Faust Tavern – San Antonio, TX #
8/27/2017 The Lost Well – Austin, TX #
8/28/2017 Reno’s Chop Shop – Dallas, TX #
8/29/2017 TBA – Lubbock/Amarillo, TX #
8/30/2017 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM *
8/31/2017 Masters Chambers – Phoenix, AZ *
9/01/2017 Omniscient Fest Vol. II – Moreno Valley, CA *
* CAVE BASTARD only
# CAVE BASTARD and BLK OPS
BLK OPS formed from the magma of the Austin, Texas metal scene in late 2015, comprised of Champ Morgan (ex-Kill The Client) on vocals, noise, and theremin, Mark Key on guitars and backing vocals, and Neil Barrett on drums, samples, and live visuals. Forging a path to a terrifying new sonic landscape drawing from noise metal, doom, grind, and otherworldly audiovisual hallucinations, the trio has already shared bills with the likes of High on Fire, Full Of Hell, The Body, Cattle Decapitation, Infest, Sumac, Yautja, and Magrudergrind. BLK OPS’ side of the record was recorded and mixed by Travis Bonner (Venomous Maximus, Ancient VVisdom).
From beneath the slabs of the subterranean suburbs of San Diego emerges society’s scum: CAVE BASTARD. Heavy, apocalyptic, and loud, the band was formed in 2014 by Troy Oftedal (ex-Cattle Decapitation, Piglife) and Nick Padron (ex-Bridge Jumper) out of a love for everything heavy and loud. They proceeded to search out the rest of the bastards needed to execute their vision of sonic devastation, soon adding rhythm guitarist Chase Ferguson (ex-Bridge Jumper), vocalist Steve Pearce (Gutrot, Ritual Torture), and drummer Steven Reed (Age Of Collapse). The band began writing and honing their tone creating a massively destructive soundscape in preparation for the coming of The Bastard. CAVE BASTARD‘s side of the split was recorded in San Diego at Audio Design, engineered and mixed by Billy Anderson and assistant engineer Jordan Andreen, produced by the band and Billy Anderson, and mastered at Trakworx by Justin Weiss.
BLK OPS/ CAVE BASTARD Track Listing:
Side A: BLK OPS
1. Hallucinogenic Bomb Vest
2. The Temple Of My Own Power
3. Truth Fuckery
4. Suicide-Laced Sugar Cubes
Side B: CAVE BASTARD
1. Vatos Ciegos
2. Hobocide
3. Violent Perpetuator
4. Red Star
![BLK OPS promo 2017 [photo by Nathan Daughdrill]](https://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BLK-OPS-promo-2017-photo-by-Nathan-Daughdrill-1024x576.jpg)
[photo by Nathan Daughdrill]
BLK OPS:
Champ Morgan – vocals, noise, theremin
Neil Barrett – drums, samples
Mark Key – guitars, vocals
![CAVE BASTARD promo 2 [photo by Cari Veach]](https://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CAVE-BASTARD-promo-2-photo-by-Cari-Veach-1024x683.jpg)
[photo by Cari Veach]
CAVE BASTARD:
Steve Pearce – vocals
Nick Padron – guitars
Chase Ferguson – guitars
Troy Oftedal – bass
Steven Reed – drums
https://www.facebook.com/blkopspsywar
https://blkops.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/cavebastard
https://cavebastard.bandcamp.com
https://www.accidentprone.com
https://accidentpronerecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/accidentpronerecords