WIZARD RIFLE arose from the rain and gloom of Portland -- two malcontent twenty-somethings with a bent on creating something exhilarating and progressive amidst a scene of tepid dreamy pop, and redundant revival acts. Drummer Sam Ford is a blur of tom rolls, rapid-fire rim shots, screaming out harmonies amid the flurry. Meanwhile guitarist Max Dameron spews forth tentacles of noise, at times angular yet bizarrely groovy, at times psychedelic ambience, or purely crushing space-rock. The sheer sonic wall created by two is a sight to behold live, both members sharing signing duties and pushing to the limit of their abilities and ears.

With a sound rooted in a reverence for ‘70s psychedelic and punk, and myriad contemporary acts without ever feeling like a throwback, WIZARD RIFLE seeks to push the boundaries beyond reference points and obvious nods to rock idols. Still, they’ve commonly been likened to King Crimson, Lightning Bolt, High On Fire, Misfits, Karp, Melvins, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Sleep and so many others. In 2012 the band released their debut LP Speak Loud Say Nothing to critical adoration on Seventh Rule. Teaming up with Nanotear Booking, they honed their live sound on several US/Canadian tours, sharing the stage with the likes of Yob, Church Of Misery, Black Cobra, Arabrot, Rabbits and Witch Mountain. Last year, the lads relocated to Los Angeles, and immediately started work on the delightful, riff-encased bruiser, Here In The Deadlights.