French psychedelic and progressive rock explorers PELEGRIN have joined the Ripple Music roster for the release of their third album in 2026 and vinyl reissue of their previous records, and announce fall shows with Ufomammut, The Necromancers, Appalooza, Witchorious, Deaf Radio and Oaks.
“The songs are huge pieces of work, forever shifting with moments of ethereal beauty, bitter angst, overwhelming cheer, and undying optimism.” It’s hard to beat the UK website Astral Noize when describing the music of the French three-piece PELEGRIN (“pilgrim” in old French). One could try to bring up a few names such as Elder, OM and Colour Haze, but that would not quite cut it.
Indeed, when the band roams the lands of stoner, prog and heavy psych, it is to make a few steps into the unknown. What drives François (guitar/vocals/production), Jason (bass) and Antoine (drums) is the will to play the music that they would have liked to hear. To fill a tiny space that seemed vacant in the ever-expanding galaxy of distorted music. Though they stand separated by a few hundred kilometers across France, the three friends are united by a confirmed taste for mesmerizing ambiance. For melodies soaked with Middle-Eastern influences. For rock-solid riffs. And for unsettling songs, always on the move.
PELEGRIN charted this new path with its first album “Al-Mahruqa” (2019) and prolonged it with its successor “Ways of Avicenna” (2023). Self-produced by the band and mastered in Texas by Kent Stump from stoner legends Wo Fat, both albums received praise from international critics. They have now joined the impressive roster of California’s own Ripple Music, which will release their third full-length in 2026 and reissue their first two studio records on vinyl.
“We are incredibly happy and proud to join the Ripple family. It feels unreal to stand alongside giants like Yawning Man, The Obsessed, Hermano, Wo Fat, and most recently 1000Mods,” the band comments. “Hats off to Todd Severin for tirelessly putting the heavy/stoner scene under the spotlight, and placing his trust in lesser-known bands such as ours. We’re excited to get our music out to a wider audience. We think everyone will have a memorable listening experience, full of surprises and wanderlust.”
In the meantime, after years of creative seclusion, PELEGRIN is about to finally leave the comfort of their home studio. During its Fall 2024 tour, the trio will share stages with some of France’s finest stoner rock acts (Oaks, Witchorious as well as Ripple label mates Appalooza and The Necromancers), along with European heavyweights Deaf Radio and Ufomammut.
About their first-ever tour, the band says: “For the 7 years that Pelegrin has existed, we’ve been almost exclusively absorbed by making and producing our albums. We don’t regret a single minute of it, but it was high time we got out of our home studio, and got up on stage! We’re thrilled to be doing so in such a fantastic way — with fellow Ripple labelmates like Appalooza and The Necromancers as well as European heavyweights Ufomammut and Deaf Radio.”
PELEGRIN French tour 2024:
25.10 – Clisson (FR) Petite Maison Utopique w/ Oaks and Witchorious
26.10 – Angers (FR) T’es Rock Coco w/ Oaks and Witchorious
13.11 – Nantes (FR) Le Ferrailleur w/ Ufomammut and The Necromancers
14.11 – Paris (FR) Backstage By The Mill w/ Ufomammut and The Necromancers
15.11 – Lille (FR) La Bulle Café w/ The Necromancers
05.12 – Saint-Ouen (FR) Mains d’Oeuvres w/ Appalooza and Deaf Radio
06.12 – Amiens (FR) 1001 Bières w/ Appalooza
07.12 – Châlons-En-Champagne (FR) Sacobri w/ Appalooza
François Roze – guitar, vocals
Jason Recoing – bass
Antoine Ebel – drums, percussions
