| Mugwart | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Norfolk, Virginia, USA |
| Genres | Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal |
| Years active | 1998 - 2002 |
| Labels | Shifty, This Dark Reign Recordings |
| Associated acts | Hail!Hornet, Sourvein, Beaten Back To Pure, Lunch, Stank, The Crimson Electric, Hour of 13, King Travolta |
| Website | Archived Official Page |
Mugwart was a stoner/sludge metal band based out of Virginia.
Mugwart started in 1998 in the Ocean View section of Norfolk, VA. Mugwart recorded shit for comps, splits, 7inch, etc.. for various labels (Shifty Records, Devil Doll/This Dark Reign Records, Berserker Records, Acrude Records, etc.. In 2003 Devil Doll/This Dark Reign Records released all that above stuff on CD.[1]
In the Fall of 2002, Mugwart would call it quits, with the following statement: "We all knew this day was coming sooner or later, and it has finally arrived. After extended periods of lethargy and smoking, the chronic underachievers MUGWART have called it a day. Don't look so surprised, those of us who knew them barely batted an eye at the news. Face it, for what little effort that was exerted on their behalf they whipped out some good riffs and songs. They got out of it, 10X more than they put in. What more can you ask. It's not a sad day. I'm sure Charlie is drinking either way. Raise your glasses and rush out to purchase every piece of MUGWART merch you can touch. Brothers in the epidemic and drunks one and all. I'm signing off for MUGWART for the last time. Eat shit." - Ben Hogg[2]
Members of the band would go on to projects such as Lunch, Beaten Back To Pure, Hail!Hornet and Sourvein just to scratch the surface.
Discography[]
- Mugwart (Demo) (1998, Self-Released)
- Stank / Mugwart (Split with Stank) (1999, Self-Released)
- Before You / Fallen (7" Single) (2000, Acrude)
- Crushers Killers Detroyers! (Compilation) (2002, Shifty Records)
- Because Sometimes Two Are Better than One (Split with Fistula) (2002, Shifty Records)
- Discography (Compilation) (2004, This Dark Reign Recordings)
Members[]
Final Lineup[]
- Dan Luper - Bass (1998 - 2002)
- Will Sprague - Guitar (1998 - 2002)
- Charlie Mugwart - Vocals (1998 - 2002)
- Brian Malbone - Drums (2001 - 2002)
Past Members[]
- Rodney - Drums (1998 - 1999)
- Lou' - Guitar (1998 - 1999)
- Big Jim Burney - Drums (1999 - 2000) (Died 2015)
- Kevin Whitley - Guitar, Vocals (1999 - 2001)
- Kevin Owens - Drums (2000 - 2001)
- Greg Bulman - Guitar (2001 - 2002)
Reviews[]
"…grind-rock ripper so good it puts me in mind of a doomful Unsane or a New Orleans version of Britain's Charger. Trashy, real recording with great live as fuck drumming (to keep it gummy - call it the Weedeater blues effect), supporting a mid-tempo power surge as physical as a six-inch blade covered with dried raccoon guts jammed between your forth and fifth ribs. Gritty, harsh rock probably birthed from formative years full of hardcore. Thus giving the members an approach to apply to other tempos and structures whilst keeping the dirt-under-the-fingernails reality this kinda thing needs to keep it from becoming bunk. This is not bunk. It's a keeper." - LOLLIPOP MAGAZINE
..they bend out some heavy chords and are sure to get the head bobbing in the process. They're sure to remain a cult band if Charlie's vocal attack remains so vicious, but that just makes them all the more interesting" - METAL MANIACS
"Dark and dirty grind that takes a nod from bands like Cavity. This Virginia band cranks out some slow bass heavy rage that definitely caught my attention." - MAXIMUM ROCK N ROLL
"..swampy, sludgy, distinctly Southern metallic vomit sound we dig so much around here. Catchy and pretty upbeat and rockin' but heavy as f**k and misanthropic to the core, infected with diseased hardcore aggression - like Buzzov*en's bratty little brother bludgeoning you with a repetitive/pulverizing drugged out riff and feedback assault." - CRUCIAL BLAST
"..one of the finest US bands, who infected this world with a brutal heavy combination of sludgy patterns, southern blues licks and hardcore-tinged aggression." - COSMIC LAVA
"For fans of the so-called sludge scene, Mugwart were a breath of fresh air - a band that stayed true to the roots of the genre while bringing in interesting new influences. The band is set apart by a keen notion of songcraft and melody (whether they knew it or not)….. having imploded in a fog of cheap brew, barbs, and lethargy."
"Virginia's Mugwart makes the Southern dirty-sludge jam a high art form, okay maybe not a high art form. More of a dark and twisted fucked-up kinda art form." - HELLRIDE MUSIC
"Mugwart is definitely sludge, but they have a bluesy, catchy rockin’ feel that makes their music less torturous and more fun than most of the more extreme bands in the genre. But make no mistake about it, this shit is HEAVY." - STONERROCK.COM
"Drop tuned and heavy with a strong rockin' power. Reminds me a lot of Kilara. And that is good cause Kilara were awesome and unique and Mugwart draw on the heavy rockin' power with some of the influence of eyehategod and Buzzov*en but they maintain more of a punk edge and less of the rock club stoner vibe. I really dig this. Their sound has power and punch with heavy distortion. I'm glad to know this band - cause they rock." - SLUG & LETTUCE ZINE[3]