Black Moon Cult is a heavy psychedelic rock band hailing from Toledo, Ohio. The group, founded in late 2021 by lead vocalist and guitarist/synth player Kaleb Riser, also features bassist/synth player Kevin Lewis and drummer/percussionist Jeff Vandebussche.

Their sound draws from a variety of sources, including classic rock icons like early Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Hawkwind, but also incorporates elements from classic prog, neo-psych, desert rock, and jam music. This blend of trippy, dreamy vibes with fuzz-heavy stoner rock riffs and progressive songwriting has led fans to compare Black Moon Cult to bands like Fu Manchu, Earthless, and The Sword. In October 2023, the band released their second single, ‘Supernova,’ on Tee Pee Records. Earlier that year, they independently dropped the psych-punk powerhouse ‘Hollow Traveler’. Black Moon Cult has performed their psychedelic grooves across the Midwest and Eastern U.S., completing several headlining tours throughout 2022 and 2023. They’re planning an East Coast tour for June 2024.

“Black Moon Cult emerged from a desire to explore more progressive, fuzzed-out elements of psychedelia”

When and how did Black Moon Cult form, Kaleb?

Kaleb Riser: Black Moon Cult started in 2021, after the dissolution of a previous band I was in. That band had a Hendrix-psychedelic blues vibe. Black Moon Cult emerged from a desire to explore more progressive, fuzzed-out elements of psychedelia, along with darker sci-fi/occult-based lyrical themes.

Are you a fan of psychedelic music?

I’ve been a massive fan of psychedelic music for as long as I can remember. My grandparents were teens during the height of the ’60s counterculture movement, so I grew up hearing music from that era, like The Beatles, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and Iron Butterfly.

Do you have any favorite psychedelic artists?

Syd Barrett and David Gilmour have had a consistent influence on my guitar playing and songwriting. Besides the classic artists like King Crimson and Hawkwind, I enjoy the neo-psych scene, with bands like Oh Sees, The Black Angels, and Wand. On the heavier side, I’m inspired by bands like Mastodon, Earthless, and All Them Witches.

Tell us about the upcoming tour.

The “Jaded Future Tour” runs from Saturday, June 1st through Sunday, June 9th. It kicks off in Detroit, MI, and goes through OH, PA, and along the East Coast, ending in Baltimore, MD. We’ll be joined by our friends Cherry Drop from Detroit, who bring a mix of Stooges/MC5 proto-punk energy and a Brian Jonestown-esque psych sensibility.

What are your live shows like?

Black Moon Cult shows are high-energy and immersive, creating a heavy psych experience. We keep the crowd engaged with constantly-evolving progressive song structures, shifting between melodic raga-inspired sections, dense walls of fuzz, and catchy hard rock riffs. We sometimes dive into free-form jams, which often become the high points of the night. The energy in those moments, when it feels like the music goes somewhere transcendental, is what playing live is all about for me. It’s that special connection shared by the people in the room.

When did you become interested in music?

Music was always present in my house through my mother and grandparents. The moment I knew I wanted to play guitar was when I saw the first “Back to the Future.” That scene where Michael J. Fox plugs into the massive amplifier, cranks it up, hits a chord, and the whole thing explodes was the coolest thing in the world to a 7-year-old.

What are your future plans and projects?

Black Moon Cult is hard at work on our upcoming debut album. As I’m writing this, we’re about 60% done with the recording process. We’re aiming to finish tracking before we leave for the tour in June. The rest of this year and next will be focused on releasing the album and touring in support of it. In the meantime, you can listen to our two released singles: ‘Hollow Traveler’ (self-released) and ‘Supernova,’ which came out last October via Tee Pee Records!

John Wisniewski

Black Cult Moon Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
Tee Pee Records Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / YouTube