This spring, Ohio’s mighty SKELETONWITCH and Georgia lords (and lordess) of sludge KYLESA will embark on the hessian odyssey that is the “Southern Discomfort” tour, a co-headlining trek that – not counting performances by both bands at the Scion Rock Fest in Atlanta – kicks off March 13 in Charlotte, N.C. Included among Southern Discomfort’s destinations is a stop in Austin, Tex., where both bands will appear at South By Southwest (SXSW). Special guest Black Tusk will lend support nightly with their heavy metal punk ‘n’ roll mayhem.

SKELETONWITCH is currently hard at work on the follow-up to 2007’s much-acclaimed Beyond the Permafrost. The new record is scheduled for a late 2009 release. Meanwhile, KYLESA’s new slab of psychedelic heft, “Static Tensions,” drops on March 17. A new song, “Said And Done,” is currently streaming at http://www.myspace.com/kylesa.

Southern Discomfort’s freight-train of Viking-shred and dirt-dirge will rock, roll and crush its way through the following cities:

Feb. 28 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA (Scion Rock Fest, no Black Tusk)

March 13 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestone

March 14 – Johnson City, TN – The Hideaway

March 15 – Nashville, TN – The Muse

March 16 – Little Rock, AR – Downtown Music

March 17 – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone Cafe

March 18 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada

March 19 – San Antonio, TX – Rock Bottom Tattoo Bar

March 20 – Austin, TX – Red 7 (SXSW Tone Deaf Touring Showcase)

March 21 – Houston, TX – Numbers

March 22 – New Orleans, LA – Candle Factory

March 24 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum

March 25 – Savannah, GA – The Jinx

March 26 – Wilmington, NC – Lucky’s Pub

March 27 – Asheville, NC – Rocket Club

March 28 – Birmingham, AL – The Nick

www.myspace.com/skeletonwitch

www.myspace.com/kylesa