Maryland Biker Sludge Earthride

Suzuki Weeders Earthride

Maryland doom has become a hallowed institution within the international heavy music scene. Whether it's the crabs, the crime or the salty sea air, whatever the magic ingredient is that inspires so many sweet riffin' bands to form is alive and well within the hairy chests of Dave Sherman and his merry band of bikers. Earthride are fresh from the studio, with a spankin' new record in hand.

With 'Something Wicked,' they more than prove that the proud tradition of Maryland doom will continue on. "I think it's in the water," Sherman told us "And because a lot of the music that comes out of here is inspired by Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General, Pentagram, the Obsessed and Asylum!"

For the band's fourth release, they decided to eschew the traditional route and instead take matters into their own hands, creating Earth Brain Records. 'Something Wicked' was recorded with Chris Kozlowski (Blue Cheer, Pentagram, Spirit Caravan, Trouble) on old-school A-DATS.

Sherman explained, "We decided to release the record ourselves, because we didn't want to involve a middleman. We wanted to be more like a fiercely independent Fugazi! We will get all the profits without anybody dipping their hand in the pot. We've been on Southern Lord in the past, which was awesome, but we're trying to handle it ourselves."

Not only will the record come lovingly packaged from Earthride themselves, but the inside booklet of the CD will include a little something extra for the more morbid (or accident-prone) fans: actual X-rays and MRIs from various injuries sustained by the band's members over the years.

Sherman divulged their origins, saying, "In a fit of adrenaline, I broke my foot jumping off a stage in Germany while on tour with Earthride while singing the Down song 'Bury Me in Smoke.' Eric has a bad back and might have to get an operation, so we have his spinal X-rays there. Rob had an infection in his nose and had to have it operation, so that's an MRI of his head. Kyle broke his hand twice. We're a hurting group of individuals."

It's not too hard to understand why a band that bills themselves as 'biker doom' have gotten knocked around once or twice.

"Earthride has a biker mentality. I own a 1987 Suzuki Intruder chopper. Kyle used to have a Triumph chopper, but it's not about the bikes we own, or have or want, it's about we're all riding on the earth together and mostly everybody that lives on the earth wants the same things in life: a place to sleep, food to eat, and love."