North Carolina progressive sludge metal trio Ape Vermin will hit the road this spring for “The Riders of the Damned Tour Part 2,” across the U.S. alongside stoner metal trio Mean Green. The run supports Ape Vermin’s crushing full‑length "Andromedas Colossus," the band’s most dynamic, melodic, and brutally expansive release to date.
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The tour launches May 16 at Bull City Metal Fest in Durham, NC, and storms across the Southeast, Texas, the Southwest, and the Mountain states before closing June 12 in Chattanooga, TN (dates listed below).
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The announcement arrives alongside the release of the band’s new lyric video for “Awakened,” created by filmmaker Kenji Tsunami of Tsunami Films (also bassist for Narcotic Wasteland). The track, an explosive fusion of sludge, thrash, and cosmic devastation, showcases the album’s apocalyptic themes and the band’s sharpened, evolved sound.
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​“‘Awakened’ is my personal favorite. Hell has come back to life. The Colossus is awake. Prepare for your imminent obliteration,” says guitarist/vocalist Brett Lee.

Watch the lyric video for "Awakened" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFKiEXOC0qI​
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Formed in 2017 by Brett Lee, drummer Seth Lynn, and bassist Jared Edge, Ape Vermin has carved out a reputation for no‑frills, high‑volume, amplifier‑worshipping heaviness. Their sound, described by the band as Colossal, Epic, Unique, Exciting, Heavy, pulls from sludge, doom, thrash, groove metal, death metal, and progressive rock.
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With "Andromedas Colossus," Ape Vermin pushes further into a dark, prophetic sonic realm built over a decade of writing. The album’s ten tracks range from the obliterating opener “Obliteration Imminent” to the tribal‑tinged instrumental “Pulse Driver,” the environmentally charged “Mining the Colossus,” and the epic closer “Return to Andromeda.” Lyrically, the record explores outer‑space phenomena, extraterrestrial mythos, prehistoric terror, psychedelic visions, and sci‑fi horror, an entire universe crafted in Lee’s mind.
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“We want to take listeners on an epic sonic journey. This record is extremely dynamic, melodic, visceral, and dark. Fans can expect even more crushing material. We’re already working on the next LP,” adds Lee.

Recommended for fans of High on Fire, Crowbar, Mastodon, Yob, and Conan, check out “Andromedas Colossus” (released May 17th, 2024) at the following links:

Bandcamp - https://apevermin.bandcamp.com/​

Add to your Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/album/1Y5DAyV5AP3hLNSMDfuQkh

"The Riders of The Damned Tour Part 2" w/ Ape Vermin, Mean Green​
5/16 - Durham, N.C - Bull City Metal Fest
5/17 - Winston-Salem, N.C - The Den
5/18 - Atlanta, GA - Boggs Social
5/19 - Savannah, GA - TBA
5/20 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
5/21 - Orlando, FL - TBA
5/22 - Tampa, FL - Brass Mug
5/23 - Lafayette, LA - Freetown Boom Room
5/24 - Denton, TX - Tokeys
5/25 - Corpus Christi, TX - Boozers
5/26 - San Antonio, TX - TBA
5/27 - Austin, TX - TBA
5/28 - Houston, TX - Black Magic
5/29 - El Paso, TX - The Rockhouse
5/30 - Albuquerque, NM - TBA
5/31 - Scottsdale, AZ - Pho Cao
6/2 - Palmdale, CA - Transplants Brewery
6/3 - Las Vegas, NV - The Griffin
6/4 - Salt Lake City, UT - TBA
6/5 - Cheyenne, WY - TBA
6/6 - Denver, CO - TBA
6/7 - Colorado Springs, CO - Whats Left Records
6/8 - Kansas City, MO - The Warehouse
6/9 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
6/10 - Lexington, KY - Als Bar
6/11 - Nashville, TN - TBA
6/12 - Chattanooga, TN - JJs Bohemia

Track Listing:​
1. Obliteration Imminent - 5:12
2. Colony - 7:00
3. Solaruss - 5:30
4. Pulse Driver - 3:47
5. Mining The Colossus - 8:06
6. Signal Transmissions - 2:45
7. Motherlode - 8:32
8. Awakened - 3:17
9. Unearthing the Artifact - 7:43
10. Return to Andromeda - 7:57

Album/Live Band Line Up:​
Guitarist/Vocalist - Brett Lee
Drummer - Seth Lynn
Bassist - Jared Edge

More info: Facebook.com/ProgressiveDoom | Instagram.com/ape_vermin_official​

"North Carolina progressive sludge metal juggernaut Ape Vermin have released a brand‑new lyric video for “Awakened,” the eighth and most explosive track from their latest EP, Andromedas Colossus, released in 2024... Kenji Tsunami’s visual interpretation amplifies the track’s themes of cosmic destruction, ancient forces, and the return of something colossal and malevolent. The lyric video mirrors the EP’s overarching atmosphere, dark, prophetic, and unrelenting, while giving fans a deeper look into the world Ape Vermin has constructed across the record... an epic celestial journey.​" - Decibel Magazine (Awakened - Lyric Video)

"Ape Vermin’s Andromedas Colossus is doom to the core. Though a lot for one sitting, it’ll sustain your attention during a long walk or drive. Fans of the genre will find much to relish, be it individual tracks or the whole, and it’s certainly one of the standout albums of the year so far." - Doomed And Stoned

"Lovers of slow, massive riffs, rejoice! Ape Vermin is here for your daily dose of gnarly Sludge and Doom Metal music!" - Ghost Cult Magazine

"Ape Vermin have delivered a bone-crunching album that pulls no punches with it’s fearless attitude and exploration into SONIC and PSYCHEDELIC manipulation of the highest order." - Outlaws of The Sun

"if you're looking to be transported to another crushingly heavy musical universe, Ape Vermin are worth a listen." - Rough Edge

"These axe-generated discharges alone were the stuff of Tony Iommi’s nightmares, but then the bass-made ferociously fuzz-rich, rhythmic rumbles and intensely explosive drumming sealed the deal. All combined and then topped off with Lee’s caveman-like gutturalized grunting vocals, it was a recipe that could’ve resulted in APE VERMIN being culpable for assault & battery charges." - Riff Relevant