Zach Roumaya of Rising Sun Presents goes doom, punk, more for Ears We Trust
During XPoNential Music Fest we ran into our friend Zach Roumaya, Marketing Accounts Manager at Rising Sun Presents. As someone who’s deeply involved in the local music scene, we asked him to jump in for an Ears We Trust.
Despite being a jam band fan, Roumaya leaned into some doom metal, psych rock, punk, garage rock, and more.
Check out his selections below.
Dark Thoughts
Philadelphia punk rock mannnnn! I’ve been relying heavily on Dark Thoughts to keep my own ‘dark thoughts’ at bay these last few months. Great tunes from this group! It’s hard to pick a favorite song, but I think I’ve listened to ‘Fallin Out’ from their self-titled album at least 5,000 times over the summer. Thank you Dark Thoughts.
Favorite album – Dark Thoughts (2016)
JEFF the brotherhood
Shout out to these dudes from Nashville! This band means so much to me and play a pivotal role in my obsession with rockin’ the hell out. Back in my younger days, my brother took me and my friends to see JEFF The Brotherhood at PhilaMOCA, and that experience peeled my teenage brain all the way back in the best way. Fond memories of a backpack full of… umm… light sodas, lots of moshing, and truly living out the punk rock dream as a 16 year old. I’ve been chasing the feeling ever since. They’re back on the road this year and I am stoked!
Favorite album – We Are The Champions (2011)
fIREHOSE
If you know me at all you’ll know that I worship at the altar of bassman Mike Watt. As a bass player myself, he’s churned out Mount Rushmore levels of inspiration. I love Minutemen and listen to them a lot, but I listen to more fIREHOSE, so I’m pickin’ them for this here list. I truly cannot get enough of this weirdo, jazz-punk madness. fIREHOSE is frequently in my musical rotation and has been a staple for me since my college days. This style of punk rock is imprinted upon my soul.
Favorite album – Ragin’ Full-On (1986)
Heron Oblivion
Heron Oblivion is a project from west coast psych-rock mainstays Ethan Miller (Comets On Fire, Howlin’ Rain), Meg Baird (Espers), Charlie Sauffley (Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound), Noel von Harmonson (Sic Alps, Six Organs of Admittance). I’ve been loving Heron Oblivion’s deep, dark style these days. Meg Baird on drums and vocals absolutely sends me to another planet… she’s a Philadelphia OG from Espers (another favorite band of mine) with an incredible voice and range.
Favorite album – Heron Oblivion (2016)
Hell
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to speak about my love of doom. I seem to recall a colleague of mine recommending music to accompany your next trip to the local endless void… and so I offer up my own. HELL, not to be confused with the metal band from the U.K., is an incredibly heavy project from M.S.W. out of Oregon, providing metric tons of desolate, crushing, and devastating riffs. For fans of getting scared!!
Favorite album – Hell (self titled full length) (2021)
