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Freight Train Rabbit Killer release new album “The Ten Year”

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The Ten Year
The Ten Year

Freight Train Rabbit Killer is a duo made up of Kris Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer). Described as a heavy doom blues American Roots opera, they have been performing since the group formed around Halloween 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri. With a decade of music performing as FTRK, it’s time to celebrate with a brand new album.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer’s third album (and second on Haymaker Records), The Ten Year, releases worldwide on June 6, 2025. The group’s signature doom-blues sound is featured with three original song narratives, a blues classic by Blind Gary Davis, and a B-Side consisting entirely of the 20-minute foggy soundscape Forest of Whispers. Conceived as a celebration of the ten-year existence of the band, the album showcases new unreleased music recorded over three different recording sessions over the band’s musical span.

The album was pressed to vinyl in three limited color variants (red, blue, and yellow) to match the haunting cover image created by Rabbit Killer. There are only 100 copies of each variant and the color pressings of the last album Hammer of Judgment sold out very quickly. As always, digital downloads are included with the album. The album is available for purchase now and will ship soon after the June 6 release date.

The two singles, “Commons Thorns” and “Mule to Plow” (listen below) have been available for streaming and purchase on bandcamp for a while, but very soon the entire album will be up on all streaming platforms as well.

2025-06-06 Freight Train Rabbit Killer Record Release at Lemonade Park
2025-06-06 Freight Train Rabbit Killer Record Release at Lemonade Park

A vinyl release party is planned for Friday, June 6 at Lemonade Park in Kansas City with performances by Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Scott H. Biram and VOLK. The vinyl record will be available for purchase for the first time at this event. It will be a great night of music and reverie, so we hope to see you at the show.

Pre-Order new Freight Train Rabbit Killer Album “Hammer of Judgment”

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Good news. The new Freight Train Rabbit Killer album “Hammer of Judgment” is now available for pre-order. It is available in limited edition opaque blue vinyl [UPDATE: SOLD OUT] and standard black. Both include a two-sided color insert and digital download. MP3s of the album are also available for purchase at this time. If you live outside of the United States and are wanting to purchase this album, we’ll need to work out shipping first – send an email to brenton [at] haymakerrecords [dot] net.

2020 is Here!

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Hay everyone. Welcome to 2020. Quick update here. We’re readying the final details and arranging for the pressing of the new Freight Train Rabbit Killer Hammer of Judgment LP.
It sounds amazing and we can’t wait to share it with you. It’s looking like it will be closer to late March or April for a release date. Those that were part of the recording session for it and ordered advanced copies, you will be the first to receive your copies when they come in. Freight Train Rabbit Killer will be touring extensively in 2020 and we’re all looking forward to the continued spreading of the Freight Train gospel. Look for them in your city. A lot of festival dates are in the works.

HMPH‘s new album HMPH! is available for purchase now. Math Rock Times recently added it to their list of Best Math Rock Albums of 2019.

Stay tuned. 2020 has a lot more in store with Haymaker Records…

HMPH! release new album “HMPH!”

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HMPH! - "HMPH!"

HMPH! – “HMPH!”

HMPH! is the three-piece math-rock outfit of Ryan Lee Toms (RLT), Jonathan Thatch, and Kitten Boggs. As an instrumental group with guitar, bass, drums, looping pedal and effects, the ingredients are simple but the result is not. Using staples of the math rock genre, such as technical patterned guitar riffs, odd time signatures, and herky-jerky start/stops, the songs greet your ears with a jarring wake up call. A unique sense of melody and structure cement a listening experience filled with unlikely anthems.

HMPH!’s second album, the self-titled “HMPH!” releases worldwide on November 15, 2019 and features their signature math-rock sound with a progressive rock and avant-jazz twist. The songs on HMPH! are more sprawling than on 2015’s Headrush, with lots of detours and left turns along the way. Recorded by the band in their home recording studio, the album had time to evolve, and the complicated arrangements materialized through this process. This album also features heavy basslines provided by Kitten Boggs, a significant addition since their first record. This album is a choose your own adventure of abrupt rhythm changes, dissident chords, or even about-face genre-hops into funk, punk, or samba. “HMPH!” is a different kind of album from a different kind of band.

The album features album artwork by Ryan Lee Toms and Kitten Boggs and was pressed on CD and translucent green vinyl with digital download included. The LP includes a bonus re-working of the track “Trudge Dredge” from the first album.

HMPH! Release Parties

HMPH! Release Parties

Preview the album!

Release parties are planned for Friday, November 1st at Farewell Transmission in Kansas City, Missouri (joined by Jorge Arana Trio, Shiny Jets, and DJ Dimesack) and Saturday, November 2nd at Replay Lounge in Lawrence, Kansas (joined by Pale Tongue and After Nations).

Freight Train Rabbit Killer “Hammer of Judgment” Recording Session Tickets

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Freight Train Rabbit Killer - Hammer of Judgment Recording Session Poster

Freight Train Rabbit Killer – Hammer of Judgment Recording Session Poster

Freight Train Rabbit Killer want YOU to be a part of the next album!! Enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the recording of a full length album. Hammer of Judgment will be released in vinyl LP and other formats on Haymaker Records in October 2019. This album will be created from the music captured at four different live recording sessions with the best tracks pressed to vinyl.

There are four different recording session dates that will happen at the new downtown Blue Springs recording studio GFM Modern Recording (1118 W. Main St. Blue Springs, Missouri) the fourth weekend of April [NOTE: This is a venue change from what was stated previously]. This will be an intimate performance with tickets for each show capped at 25 seats and available through this website. Each night’s music will be different with three of the performances featuring the backing band The Hammer of Judgment.

Check out the online shop items below for advance pre-sale ticket options and the four different bundles (featuring limited items and pre-orders unique to this special set of performances).


Outer Reaches 2018

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The music festival Outer Reaches, in its seventh year, emphasizes musical acts experimenting and pushing boundaries. The fest aims to showcase the ‘out there,’ left-of-center, under-the-radar musical acts performing captivating live music. The shows are 18+ and feature acts from a variety of musical genres with accompanying video projection.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Friday, October 26 will also function as the release date for Volume 4 of Freight Train Rabbit Killer‘s “Wake Snake Death Dance” 7-Inch series. This is the final piece of the puzzle for solving the treasure hunt. The 7-Inch record will be available first at the band’s performance at Outer Reaches 2018 with only 100 copies available in blood red.

Friday, October 26
Freight Train Rabbit Killer
Heaven’s Gateway Drugs (Fort Wayne, IN)
Mysterious Clouds
Abandoned Bells
Lesser Pleasures (Lawrence, KS)
JC & the Nuns (Lawrence, KS)
The Guillotine Choir
New Obsessions
Lava Dreams

Saturday, October 27
Cave (Chicago, IL)
Sound of Ceres (Brooklyn, NY)
J Fernandez (Chicago, IL)
Death Bells (Sydney, Australia)
Jorge Arana Trio
Black Givre (Montréal, Québec)
Kee Avil (Montréal, Québec)

Tickets:
Friday Tickets: $15 (Day of Show), $12 (Advance)
Saturday Tickets: $20 (Day of Show), $15 (Advance)
Two-Day Ticket: $25 (Advance)

Outer Reaches 2018

Outer Reaches 2018

Advance tickets available at recordBar venue and website

Be sure to check out Outer Reaches FEST Night 2 at recordBar on Saturday, October 27th.

Outer Reaches 2018 is made possible from the help of Midwest Music Foundation and a grant through the Kansas City Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund. Outer Reaches is happy to be an official Expanded Field Partner of Open Spaces KC, a contemporary art experience with visual creations and performances by local, national and international artists transforming the city for 9 weeks.

Facebook Events:
Friday – https://www.facebook.com/events/233592087326541/
Saturday – https://www.facebook.com/events/536332033490354/

More info:
www.outerreachesfest.com

July 2018 News

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Haymaker Party 2018-07-25

Haymaker Party 2018-07-25

Hay there. Here are a few updates on happenings for the month of July…

Concerts

Releases
Freight Train Rabbit Killer‘s “Wake Snake Death Dance” Vol. 3 is available for pre-order on 7-Inch vinyl from Haymaker Records in black vinyl and limited edition blood red vinyl. The sleeves are hand screen-printed by the band themselves. Orders will ship around the end of July. You can also pre-order the entire four volume 7-Inch bundle of “Wake Snake Death Dance”.

Mysterious Clouds release new EP “My Head is Going Round”

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Mysterious Clouds - My Head is Going Round EP

Mysterious Clouds – My Head is Going Round EP

Haymaker Records releases the EP My Head is Going Round by psychedelic rock group Mysterious Clouds on cassette, CD, and digital media on Friday May 25, 2018. My Head is Going Round is the fourth release for Mysterious Clouds and will be celebrated with release parties in Kansas City, MO and Lawrence, KS. The first album release concert will be held at The recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, on Thursday May 24th at 7PM. Haymaker Records artist Jorge Arana Trio will join the bill and be recording their set for a future live album release. Kansas City band Temp Tats will open the night. Saturday June 2nd, Lawrence will play host with a release party at Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts Street, with CS Luxem and The Beholders.

Mysterious Clouds is the musical work of Kansas City, Kansas musician Dedric Moore with songwriting assistance from his brother Delaney Moore. The group formed in 2015 and includes several members from the brothers’ other band Monta at Odds. Mysterious Clouds was created to explore various forms of psychedelic music and the darker elements of nature with inspirations from 60’s Italian cinema, 70’s British TV action music, San Francisco hippie psychedelic rock, garage rock, and post-punk.

While recording the 2017 album Panic on the Noon Meridian, Delaney Moore (yes, the hidden brother) started feeding the band a steady stream of lost West Coast ’60s psychedelic music. These nuggets helped the band steer through the heavy vibe of the studio and inspired an outlet, a light from beyond, a way to come through this in one piece: the new My Head is Going Round EP.

Taryn Blake Miller, of Your Friend fame, has been an ally of the band since performing at KC Psych Fest II. Random meetings turned into hangouts and discussions about working together. Stars aligned and Taryn took a break from recording her second LP for Domino Recordings, stopped in at Monta At Odds HQ, and immediately became the sister of the guys. She got it! And even better, Taryn added vocals to the summer-vibe songs that take them to that higher atmosphere. Along for the ride are Adam Davies (Janet the Planet, Monta at Odds) on guitar, baritone guitar and vocals; Zach Bozich (Monta at Odds, In the Back of a Black Car) on synths, electric piano, and vocals; Matthew Hayden (Monta at Odds, Found a Job) on drums, Aaron Osborne (Monta at Odds, Expo 70) on percussion, Brian Hodes on bass and guitar; and Delaney Moore (Monta at Odds, Gemini Revolution) on additional synths.

The music on My Head is Going Round works its way through laconic grooves, reverb-drenched guitars, classic extended fuzz solos, mellotron orchestrations, Middle Eastern ragas, and tape echo’ed vocals. The EP is Perfect for driving, relaxing on the beach, low settings on the treadmill, foggy basements, and basking in the sun.

–Thu. May 24, 2018 – Kansas City, MO – EP RELEASE SHOW – The recordbar – Facebook Record Release Event
–Sat. June 2, 2018 – Lawrence, KS – EP RELEASE SHOW – Replay Lounge – Facebook Record Release Event

My Head is Going Round EP is available digitally as well as on cassette and CD-R from Haymaker Records.

Pre-order “My Head is Going Round” EP now.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer 7-Inch Record Series Vol. #2 Update

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Freight Train Rabbit Killer 7-Inch #2 Preview

Freight Train Rabbit Killer 7-Inch #2 Preview

We have an update on the 2nd Volume of the Wake Snake Death Dance 7-Inch Series Volume #2. The official release date is Friday, April 13th with a release party at recordBar in Kansas City, Missouri. Pre-orders will be mailed out Saturday, April 7th. The two new tracks are “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good + Evil” and “Pesky Serpent”. Both songs were written by Ike Sheldon of The Wilders with arrangements by Mark Smeltzer.

Note: As of February 2018, all of the blood red vinyl copies of Vol. 1 are sold out, but we still have some copies of the black vinyl available. The bundle package from this point on will contain the black vinyl issues of Vol. 1 (not red) and the bundle price has been reduced slightly as a result. Congratulations to everyone that snagged a limited edition copy of the blood red, these things have been selling quickly.

Pre-order “Wake Snake Death Dance” Vol. #2 now or pre-order the entire four volumes of the “Wake Snake Death Dance” 7-Inch Series Bundle.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Release 7-Inch Record Series on Haymaker Records

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Haymaker Records releases a new series of 7-Inch records by doom blues group Freight Train Rabbit Killer on vinyl on Saturday October 28, 2017. “Old Man of the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s You” is the first 7-Inch in the “Wake Snake Death Dance” 7-Inch Series and will be celebrated with a FREE release party in Kansas City, Missouri at Stockyards Brewing Co., 1600 Genessee St. #100, Kansas City, MO, on Saturday October 28 th at 8PM.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Freight Train Rabbit Killer is a duo made up of Kris Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer). Described as a heavy doom blues American Roots opera – a shaman of the hills and a vigilante bent on justice, they have been performing out of their hometown of Kansas City, Missouri and on the road for three years. It’s storytelling through music, doom blues with screaming electric guitars, all accompanied by suits and masks. The 7-Inch series is a collaborative effort of Kansas City’s Haymaker Records and the groups’ own imprint Rural Grit Records and will be represented with four separate 7-Inch releases over the next year. The four 7-Inch records are a part of a greater puzzle, assembled by the band and complete with riddles, codes, and maps. The goal of this interactive game is to eventually lead the listener to a trove of artifacts revealed with the final release in the series. The hand screen-printed artwork for each volume will combine to create one larger piece of art. Through a special crowd-funding campaign, the entire four 7-Inch bundle can be pre-ordered and delivered separately at the time of release. An option will also be present for donating money to the trove of artifacts awarded to the winner of the interactive game. “Old Man of the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s You” is the first 7-Inch in the series and will be released on a limited run of 100 blood red hand-numbered copies with a limited number on black vinyl thereafter.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Vinyl Release Party 2017

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Vinyl Release Party 2017

Freight Train Rabbit Killer will be joined by Kansas City punk rock group GASCAN for the Stockyards Brewing Co. release show on October 28th. The release party is a FREE event and will be celebrated with a special Halloween costume party beginning at 8PM. In addition to the release show, Freight Train Rabbit Killer are one of the featured performers the following night, Sunday October 29th at recordBar for SocialHeart’s Rockin’ Halloween benefit for Midwest Music Foundation. Copies of the new 7-Inch vinyl record of “Old Man on the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s Me” will be made available to the public for the first time at these events. Check out the Facebook event page for complete details on the event.

Pre-order “Old Man of the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s You” or the entire four 7-Inch bundle now!