September 27, 2024 will see South Africa’s megalithic Ruff Majik release their brand new studio offering, entitled Moth Eater via SOL Records, the label imprint run by Sound Of Liberation (Desertfest Berlin, Keep It Low, Up In Smoke etc. and booking agency for numerous, high-class artists of the stoner, psych, rock and doom metal / sludge scene).
Following previously-released singles such as “What A Time To Be A Knife”, today, Ruff Majik have unleashed a video clip for the song “Cult Eyes”, featuring a guest vocal performance of GREENLEAF frontman Arvid Hällagård!
“The lyrics for Cult Eyes came about when we became aware of the fact that we had inadvertently started an actual cult based around our music (Yes, the cult is VERY real. No, we won’t tell you where it is or how it started).” The band comments.
“It’s mostly about nonchalantly accepting the role as a cult figure, and then realizing the weight and impact your actions have on your followers, and specifically having to be accountable for those actions. Of course the protagonist in the song doesn’t want to accept any of his own mistakes or take control of anything, just like cult leaders usually don’t, and this selfishness results in death and ruin. It can also be interpreted as an allegory for the modern state of politics and social media influence, where cult leaders spew out nonsense with no accountability.
ArvidHällagård of Greenleaf tracked vocal harmonies for the song back in 2021, but due to an unfortunate sabotage, the original track was lost to the ether. When Greenleaf and Ruff Majik played together in 2023, the bands got to talking, and Tommi Holappa brought up the fact that Greenleaf listens to a lot of Ruff Majik in the tour van. Arvid and Johni spoke about the sadly lost song, and the decision was made to redo it. It’s a bit of a “what the fuck?” moment for us, since we’ve idolized Greenleaf for years – and Johni even tried to hoodwink them into touring with us before anyone ever heard about us. So, a full circle moment indeed.”
Kicking the vibe back to a sepia-toned era where bell-bottoms and fuzzed-out bass were de rigueur, the ‘Majik lads take a well-known template and drench it with their unique attitude and stoner-esque sensibilities. The horned infant known as Ruff Majik emerged from the primordial ooze when the band moved from the historical town of Lydenburg in 2012 to the capital city of Pretoria, where they honed their craft for a few years before finally entering the studio to record for the first time. In 2024 and while they are currently gearing up for the September-release of their Moth Eater on Sound Of Liberation Records, Ruff Majik released a number of EP’s and three lauded albums to date, not to mention the megaton of local and international touring (watch out for new tour dates, to be announced for October 2024 soon)!
All the requisite ‘Majik trope boxes are ticked in thick, bold permanent marker – sludgy, distorted riffs, vast landscapes of sonic abandon, dark imagery that perfectly complements the delicious cacophony, and tasty sound bites that add infinite swathes of colour. This is what is expected from the band, their signature sound and one that never fails.
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Ruff Majik are:
Johni Holiday (vocals & guitar)
Cowboy Bez (guitar & vocals)
Jimmy Glass (bass)
Steven Bosman (drums)
