Hundred Headless Horsemen is a psychedelic death metal band hailing from Helsinki, Finland. "No Longer Human" is the third single from their first full length, a concept album titled Apokalepsia that will be released on May 21st. Check out the visualizer for the track below.
"What to do when you do not recognize yourself anymore? You fear that others will note what is happening to you. You do everything in your power to hide it from their eyes. But the transformation is oblivious to your will, fears, needs. You already bear its marks for everyone to see."
The band blends together different subgenres from the past and present to create a unique brand of psychedelic death metal. Their musical approach mirrors the narrative of the album, that moves in multiple time and space dimensions based on fragments of articles about a formerly unknown psychoneurological condition.
"We were so sure of ourselves. So sure we were in control that we forgot we all were, first and foremost, biomass. Biomass that consisted of trillions of bacteria inside our own bodies whose sole reason for existence was to continue existing. We should have learned ages ago that we were never unaffected by the needs of what was living inside of us. In fact, how could we tell which of our desires were our own and which of them were born out of the other living mechanisms inside us?
If the larger biomass we all are a part of decided that it was time for us to self-destruct, would we wilfully do so? Although ecosystems do not decide things, they merely strive to survive. Why did we think we were above all these mechanisms, even if turning a blind eye to them proposed a direct threat to our existence?”
Step into the realm of Apokalepsia. HIC SUNT DRACONES."
Apokalepsia was recorded at Sir Näs Studios in Helsinki, Finland and mastered by Magnus Lindberg Productions in Stockholm, Sweden. Check out the band's official Facebook page here.
Germany's Ben Blutzukker has released a new single, "Metalhead", featuring Snowy Shaw (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Dream Evil). Check out the LEGO video below.
Blutzukker: "This is an homage to many cool metal bands, and for this I have recreated more than 20 CD artworks by Megadeth, Manowar, Motörhead and Co. with LEGO and brought them to life!"
The single is available on digital platforms found here.
In April 2020, Blutzukker released a metal cover of Army Of Lovers' 1991 hit "Crucified", feat. Liv Kristine. You can stream and download the single here.
Blutzukker rebuilt and reshot the entire music video with LEGO. Check it out below, along with behind-the-scenes footage.
Cyhra guitarist Euge Valovirta has shared anouther playthrough video, this time show the live arrangement for "Out Of My Life" for two guitars. Check it out below.
"Out Of My Life" is taken from Cyhra's second album, No Halos In Hell, released in 2019.
Loaded with melodic vocal hooks and heavy yet dynamic guitars that stay nailed to the brain for days, Cyhra's No Halos In Hell album proves Jake E (ex-Amaranthe), Jesper Strömblad (ex-In Flames), Euge Valovirta (ex-Shining) and Alex Landenburg (Kamelot) are a band ready to take the world by storm.
No Halos In Hell is available as 2 CD digipak, black vinyl or download. The bonus CD included in the limited digipak includes six additional songs, three of them being exclusive acoustic versions. You can order the format of your choice here.
Tracklisting:
"Out Of My Life"
"No Halos In Hell"
"Battle From Within"
"I Am The One"
"Bye Bye Forever"
"Dreams Gone Wrong"
"Lost In Time"
"Kings Tonight"
"I Had Your Back"
"Blood Brothers"
"Hit Me"
"Man Of Eternal Rain"
Boston-based dark melodic power/thrash group, Let Us Prey, are debuting their new music video, for the song "In Suffering", exclusively via BraveWords. Watch the clip below:
Let Us Prey incorporates numerous sub-genres of metal into their style while still sounding organic. The group's adventurous music sees elements of thrash, death, power and progressive metal meld seamlessly with industrial samples and symphonic keyboards. The drumming is surgically precise and blisteringly fast without sounding mechanical; the guitars mix crushing, down-tuned brutality with dense harmonies and ripping leads; and vocalist Marc Lopes - best known as the front man of Manowar/The Dictators co-founder Ross Friedman's group Ross The Boss - shifts effortlessly from thrash/death metal growls to soaring melodic vocals and searing alford-esque highs with layered harmonies.
After self-releasing their acclaimed debut EP The Saint Of Killers, Let Us Prey signed with M-Theory Audio in 2020 to release their first full-length, Virtues Of The Vicious. Recorded by Pete Rutcho (Revocation, Havok, Bury Your Dead) and Nick Bellmore (Hatebreed, Toxic Holocaust, Five Finger Death Punch), the album includes a number of notable guest musicians, including Jon Donais (Anthrax, Shadows Fall), “Metal” Mike Chlasciak (Halford, Testament), Jimi Bell (House of Lords, Autograph) and the late Oli Herbert (All That Remains).
Tracklisting:
"Above The Vaulted Sky"
"Virtues Of The Vicious"
"In Suffering"
"Halo Crown"
"Murder Thy Maker"
"The Saint Of Killers"
"Ghost Echoes"
"The Cruel Creation Of Me"
"Prey"
"And Hell Followed With Me"
Icelandic black metal formation, Auðn, have released a video for the title track of the studio album Vökudraumsins fangi, available via via Season Of Mist. The clip contains stunning historic images of the band's native Iceland, provided by the National Film Archive of Iceland // Kvikmyndasafn Íslands. The video was edited by Andri Björn Birgisson.
Auðn comment: ""Vökudraumsins fangi" is the title song of our new album and deals with what we perceive to be real until our minds decide otherwise. Waking up in another time, feeling someone else's presence within your being with memories foreign to you, feeling trapped in a perpetual nightmare, you begin to wonder if the life you believe you've led even existed at all."
Czech sophisticated black metal force, Somniate, have spawned a brand new video for the song "In Bone Incorruptible".The track is featured on the band's debut album, The Meyrinkian Slumber, available via Lavadome Productions and Cloven Hoof on CD/LP/MC/Digital formats.
Arcane visuals and the album concept were forged under the influence of Gustav Meyrink's esoteric novel Der Golem (1915). Video was produced by Zdeněk Klekner, the lead vocalist of the band.
The album's five tracks represent a sophisticated black metal flight above the esoteric plot of the writer´s masterpiece. A tale of searching for the ascension through identity shifts, alchemical concepts and suffering, all set in a distorted vision of Prague. Mixed and mastered at the infamous BST Studio (Aosoth, The Order of Apollyon, Totalitarian).
The iconography of the album's cover art was crafted by View From The Coffin:
Tracklisting:
“The Sleepless Stone”
“Rephaim”
“In Bone Incorruptible”
“A Penitentiary Triptych”
“Of Fragrance And Light”
HEART's Nancy Wilson has released a Jeremy Danger Pictures-directed music video for her cover version of PEARL JAM's "Daughter". She originally recorded the track for Netflix's "I Am All Girls", a South African film which shines a light on human trafficking,
Nancy said about the song, and its connection to the film: "I initially recorded 'Daughter' for the film, a powerful story about sex trafficking in South Africa. I was drawn to the global tragedy of human trafficking and the lyrics sung from a women's perspective also mirror the power of the girls' untold stories. This film is a revelation and sheds meaning and light on these realities. Trafficking is a global phenomenon that impacts women around the world. I recorded this version as an anthem to them."
Nancy's version of "Daughter" also appears on her debut solo album, "You And Me", which came out on May 7 via Carry On Music. The LP was recorded primarily in Wilson's California home studio, working with band members and special guests remotely. Most of the tracks are originals, but Wilson decided to include a handful of covers by a few of her favorites, including a stirring turn of SIMON & GARFUNKEL's "The Boxer" featuring Sammy Hagar, and an ethereal cover of THE CRANBERRIES' "Dreams", featuring Liv Warfield (Prince) from Nancy's previous band ROADCASE ROYALE. The first single from the album was Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising", which dropped last fall.
The other eight tracks are originals, mostly acoustic ballads, but there are also some rousing rockers like "Party At The Angel Ballroom" which features a superstar backing band, including Duff McKagan of GUNS N' ROSES and Taylor Hawkins of the FOO FIGHTERS. The album ends with a song that captures the full spectrum of loss, love and redemption in one instrumental coda. Titled "4 Edward", it is Nancy's tribute to Eddie Van Halen, whose 2020 loss still looms large over music.
The title track "You And Me", as with several of the songs on the album, reunites Wilson with longtime collaborator Sue Ennis, who co-wrote many of HEART's classics with Nancy and sister Ann.
With her band HEART, Nancy Wilson has recorded 16 albums, sold over 35 million albums worldwide and has four Grammy nominations. She had previously released one other album with just her name on it, "Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop", which captured her playing a set of covers and new songs in 1999. But Nancy considers this her first true solo album, a positive creative move amid a surreal year of loss; life during lockdown.
Though Stone Sour is currently in the midst of an indefinite hiatus, guitarist Josh Rand is anything but inactive. In fact, he's teamed up with Springfield-based vocalist Casandra Carson for a brand-new creative outlet, The L.I.F.E. Project, reports Sam Roche of Guitar World.
While we'll have to wait until later in the year to hear the duo's debut EP, their first single "The Nothingness" – which arrived in April – offers a taste of what's to come. Check out a newly released guitar playthrough video of that very song, followed by the official video.
Speaking with Behind The Vinyl in May 2020, Rand revealed The L.I.F.E. Project was in the works, although the name hadn't been decided on at the time.
Rand: "It definitely is different than what I think most people would expect. I decided if I was gonna do anything that I wanted it not to sound like tone Sour, because it's going to, to some degree. A lot of them are piano based, and I'm running with it like that. I've also started incorporating all these different instruments - all kinds of crazy percussion and stuff - because I just wanted to have fun and be creative and not try to write the next '30/30-150' or have that pressure of trying to do that."
For further details, visit The L.I.F.E. Project on Facebook.
Progressive metal artist Austin Taft has released a video for his song "Just Above Zero". The track is from his album Skeletons which will be issued on CD on May 28th 2021.
Austin commented: "In my view, songs should reward the listener for listening to the whole thing. If the listener hears one minute of a song and wouldn't miss much in the way of new information by skipping the rest, it feels like a missed opportunity. So with that philosophy in mind, this song (and the album it is sourced from) aims to be exciting, challenging and unpredictable. The lyrics are about how frequently opportunities to improve situations for humankind seem to be squandered, whether at the ballot box or otherwise."
Skeletons artwork and tracklisting:
"Skeletons"
"Endless Sky"
"A Winning Strategy"
"The Ladder"
"Diminishing Returns (All Around)"
"Just Above Zero"
"The Line"
"Unraveling"
"The Road To Happiness"
Josh Rand, multi-instrumentalist, veteran songwriter and long-tenured guitarist of the Grammy-nominated rock outfit STONE SOUR, and his THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT partner, co-songwriter and vocalist Casandra Carson, have dropped a new song, "Ignite". It is the second track to be released from THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut, self-titled EP, which will be released on July 9. Pre-orders are available now exclusively here. Vinyl, CD and cassettes are all hand signed and numbered with an exclusive gold variant available only from Nuclear Blast and an exclusive glow in the dark variant available only from MerchNow.
"Ignite" is accompanied by a lyric video and pays homage to the heavy riffing of KORN thanks to the special guitar Rand used to play the song. In his own words, he says: "'Ignite' is the first time I've written and recorded a song with a seven-string guitar. I got this guitar in a trade with Munky from KORN when we were out on tour with them 2017. I gave the song a KORN-like vibe in the main riff as an homage to the band."
Speaking on the lyrical content of the song, Casandra adds: "'Ignite' is all about allowing yourself to be happy. Personally, sometimes I feel bad about doing well or having success when the people I love are having a rough time."
"Ignite" follows THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut release "The Nothingness" which was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including "Rock Hard" on Spotify, "Breaking Metal" on Apple Music, "Break Through Rock" on Amazon and "Metal Radar" on Deezer. The track was also included on SiriusXM Octane's Test Drive the week it was released.
Nurturing the project from concept to execution, the instrumentation was written, arranged, recorded and produced by Rand in his home studio and mixed by Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, PARKWAY DRIVE). Completing the collaborative effort with the addition of Carson, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT presents an important milestone in an already decorated career for Rand, one that was punctuated with the addition of a one-of-a-kind vocal lead that understood how to compliment the music with her lyrical pen. The resulting introduction of THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a five-track EP that offers a complete presentation of a songwriter asserting his stride after more than two decades steeped in his craft. Building off the sonic stamp he established during his six albums, twenty-year tenure with STONE SOUR, Rand's current iteration holds true to his track record, without relying on it, all while penning a new chapter in his artistic anthology.
Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand's penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy. From the ethereal, cinematic soundscape of the piano-latent ballad in "Worthwhile" to the sonic sledgehammer of "A World On Fire", the broad spectrum resonates as especially impressive. Between Rand's instrumental framework, accentuated by Carson's ability to articulate poignant stanzas, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT remains a passion project culminating in perfect collaboration.
"The L.I.F.E. Project" EP track listing:
01. Ignite
02. Purgatory
03. The Nothingness
04. Worthwhile
05. A World On Fire
STONE SOUR has been off the road and out of sight since completing the touring cycle for its 2017 LP "Hydrograd". Singer Corey Taylor has been working with SLIPKNOT since then, recording and touring behind that group's sixth effort, "We Are Not Your Kind". He also released his debut solo album, CMFT", last October. Rand has been promoting STONE SOUR's new live album, "Hello, You Bastards: Live In Reno", which came out in December 2019.
Last August, Corey said that he was open to doing more recording and touring with STONE SOUR at some point down the line. Asked if there is "a future" for STONE SOUR or if it's "kind of up in the air," Corey told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation Virtual Invasion": "It's kind of up in the air. I'm certainly not mad at STONE SOUR. [My solo album] is just something that has my attention; this is what I wanna do for a while.
"There's been some contention here and there, in the past — nothing that I'm gonna get into too much detail about — but it was just time for me to step away and do [the solo thing] for a while," he continued. "It was time for me to kind of do something different, and do it in a way that doesn't have the connotations of either band, to be honest.
"I'm still friends with everybody in STONE SOUR. Everybody in STONE SOUR is doing their own thing, and if the opportunity arose, I would absolutely do something with STONE SOUR. But for right now, this is really where my energy's at; this is where my focus is.
"I'll never say never, because, obviously, the best way to make God laugh is to announce your plans out loud," he added. "But this is what my focus is right now."
Corey's latest comments echo those he made in June, when he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "Yeah, [STONE SOUR is] kind of [on] the backburner right now. We all kind of felt that we did exactly what we wanted to do on 'Hydrograd' [album] and we're just giving it a minute. I talked to the guys in the band about the solo thing and what I wanted to do, and they were all totally onboard with it. Everybody else has kind of got things going on, so they're all cool. Josh is actually working on a solo thing of his own, which is great. So, yeah, I think STONE SOUR is kind of on hiatus right now, which is fine. If someday we wanna get back together and do some stuff, it'll be bigger than it was. But for right now, we're all kind of focused on kind of doing our own thing. But you never say never in this business."
TIMES OF GRACE, featuring Adam Dutkiewicz and Jesse Leach of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, returns after a 10-year hiatus with its second album "Songs Of Loss And Separation", out July 16 via the band's own imprint label, Wicked Good Records, distributed by ADA worldwide.
Today, the band has shared the video for the new song "The Burden Of Belief". The clip, directed by Nick Hipa, can be seen below.
Churning depths of plaintive sorrow, stark self-examination, and moving soundscapes unfold in TIMES OF GRACE, with flashes of cathartic power and an undercurrent of insistent urgency. It's all a meditation on absence, grief, bewilderment, and rebirth — summoned with harrowing authenticity. "The Burden Of Belief", the opening track on "Songs Of Loss And Separation", is a dark and melodic slow burn that gives an epic sense of what's to come.
"This song is the spark of the oncoming fire," says Leach. "It foreshadows the journey of this album. This song is an unveiling of who we, TIMES OF GRACE, have become after all of these years. This is a testimony of falling apart, losing faith, letting go, and the desire to kill and purge the past. It is the unraveling, the catharsis and the rebirth. So it begins...."
"It almost feels strange finally releasing the songs on this record, especially this one," says Dutkiewicz. "I started writing this song over 10 years ago, so it's been around for quite some time. I really hope you guys dig it, and I hope we will get the opportunity to play it for you guys live someday. Thanks, everyone!"
The band's debut album "The Hymn Of A Broken Man" arrived in 2011, nearly a decade after Leach's exit from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, the pivotal New Wave Of American Heavy Metal band the duo co-founded with friends in 1999. The first music from TIMES OF GRACE materialized during Dutkiewicz's arduous recovery from near-crippling back surgery. A collection of songs the multi-instrumentalist and producer knew would suit his once and future bandmate. The first album earned acclaim from BBC Music, The Aquarian and Rock Sound. It willfully upended expectations, with flourishes of shoegaze and ambiance in its songs.
Now, 10 years after TIMES OF GRACE first surfaced, the eagerly awaited follow-up arrives.
Comfortably stretched beyond the parameters of what came before, without sacrificing an ounce of integrity, TIMES OF GRACE weaves between pensive, heavy, midtempo rock, riffs, and atmosphere. The pair's vocal interplay makes for a rich, dense, and enthralling concoction, powering through various trips through dark nights of the soul and mind-expanding excursions into the wild. "Songs Of Loss And Separation" benefits wildly from the powerhouse performance of ex-ENVY ON THE COAST drummer Dan Gluszak, who toured behind the first album and is now an official member of the band.
The sprawling second album from TIMES OF GRACE, with a stunning album cover painted by John McCormack and album art layout by Tom Bejgrowicz, channels a dissonant, menacing, and unrelenting depression. Haunting romanticism and deep spiritual yearning collide in beautiful melancholy. It's a diverse but singular statement, like the most beloved work of classic bands. "Songs Of Loss And Separation", insistent in its bluesiness, bleeds distortion and emotion, like a nerve, exposed.
"Songs Of Loss And Separation" track listing:
01. The Burden Of Belief
02. Mend You
03. Rescue
04. Far From Heavenless
05. Bleed Me
06. Medusa
07. Currents
08. To Carry The Weight
09. Cold
10. Forever
Last December, Leach said that he and Dutkiewicz were "finalizing" things for the new record's release. He also blamed the album's delay on the fact that 2020 was "a shitshow," in part due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "We just wanna make sure it comes out properly — the way that we want it to be presented, and have some good visual ideas and some good artwork," he explained. "And we found a good home at a label. So all of that is wrapping up."
Back in August, Dutkiewicz told the Metal Blade Live Series that he was "really excited" about the new TIMES OF GRACE material. "There's some pretty mellow vibes on that record, for sure," he said. "It's definitely one of the darkest things I've ever written topically."
In July, Leach told the "BREWtally Speaking Podcast" that the new TIMES OF GRACE album is "leaps and bounds better [than 2011's 'The Hymn Of A Broken Man']. It's more creative, it's more genuine, I feel," he said. "I feel like there was definitely a bleed-in of KILLSWITCH influence on that first record, and how could there not be, with me and Adam working together. And I feel like this new record sort of pulls away from that and really sort of defines us and our sound as TIMES OF GRACE, where I listen back to 'Live In Love' [from the first TIMES OF GRACE album] and certain songs like that, and you can hear the KILLSWITCH influence. And that's cool, and fans, I'm sure, appreciated that, but I'm very happy to pull away from that and do something different for this new record."
Leach went on to speak in more detail about TIMES OF GRACE's musical progression and the band's plans to release a full-length album and a separate EP.
"It's a mixed bag [of musical styles]," he told "BREWtally Speaking Podcast". "There's definitely some of that sort of bluesy [stuff] — definitely a lot of blues, I should say. But it comes in different forms. I'd say there's a mixture of a touch of some stoner vibes going on there. There's definitely a touch of, like, I guess the term would be 'post metal,' atmospheric metal — guitars with a lot of delay and space with big, heavy bass and slow-moving stuff. There's more rock and roll, more indie rock. And there's still traces of the metal that we're known for here and there."
He continued: "I think with the direction we're heading in, and why there's gonna be two releases, this first release we wanted to make sure it sort of didn't really have any of that heavy KILLSWITCH-y vibe to it. So the first record is going to be what I feel is our signature sound that we've sort of embraced, and it just kind of happened through Adam's writing. And then the EP will be a little bit more of the metal that you have come to know and reflect on the first record. So it's a real mixed bag. And I'm glad to say I don't think you can really put a genre on us because of that. We'll see. I'm sure people are gonna still call it metalcore. I don't even know what the fuck that term means anymore. But I'm happy to say that I think that we are no longer going to be called that style of music, because I think we're more of a heavy metal/rock band, if you will."
"The Hymn Of A Broken Man" was released in January 2011 via Roadrunner Records. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 44 on The Billboard 200 chart.
THE DEAD DEADS, the Nashville-based power trio that combines elements of alt rock, punk rock, and metal into a fingerprint-distinct blend, will release its new album, "Tell Your Girls It's Alright", on August 20 via Rumble Records.
To herald the news, the band has dropped the video for "Murder Ballad II", featuring iconic and inimitable SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR vocalist Corey Taylor. The song is a power ballad that builds to gnarly crescendo before fading out and leaving you wanting more. So. Much. More.
"My little brother was teasing me the other day about the juxtaposition of our poorly-attended first gig playing a benefit show of DEAD MILKMEN covers to now releasing a duet with Corey Taylor," says guitarist Meta Dead. "I know most people's question is probably going to be: How did this happen? And the answer is: CMFT is nice as hell, and likes the kind of songs we write."
Bassist Daisy Dead furthers: "It went from, 'Yay, we're on tour with STONE SOUR' to 'Yay, Corey might want to co-write for the new record' to 'Yay, here's a single and a video with CMFT,' and it all felt pretty natural and also a bit surreal. I mean, our band dressed as SLIPKNOT for Halloween once, so, yeah! It's wild."
Taylor himself spoke about the track and working with the band during an interview with Matt Pinfield. He said: "I got turned on to [THE DEAD DEADS] by their album 'For Your Obliteration'... which is such a great album and is some of the best songwriting I've heard in years. We had the chance to have them on some STONE SOUR shows, and me and Tish hit it off as songwriters. She said, 'I've got this idea for a follow-up to 'Murder Ballad', which was essentially 'Murder Ballad II'. Through video, we went back and forth, building this song and working it out. It became something really really cool."
"The song is a continuation of our song 'Murder Ballad' from a previous record," Meta shares. "It was one of Corey's favorite songs of ours, so when he and I were talking about what to write about, the idea surfaced to tell the continuing story of the two lovers from that song. At the end of the other song, they were both dead. This song picks up with them as ghosts. You can take it literally that way, or find your own meaning. Corey and I both really enjoy using colorful language that can be interpreted multiple ways. In fact, our sound engineer had no idea it was even about dead people, so that's a good sign."
Drummer McQueen points to the song's roots rock vibe, saying, "It's a place I can be very at home as a drummer, but Corey's unique arrangement ideas kept it fresh and challenging."
NEON CHRIST, the cult hardcore luminaries featuring William DuVall (BL'AST!, COMES WITH THE FALL, ALICE IN CHAINS), Jimmy Demer (GARDENS OF.., ACCIDENTS), Danny Lankford (GARDENS OF.., GODEVILS, ACCIDENTS) and Randy DuTeau (GARDENS OF), have shared the entertaining new video for "Neon Christ" which features the band's children, and gleefully conveys the appreciation of this music across generations.
The group comments: "We all had a lot of fun making this video with the kids. They did a fantastic job. It was a wonderful full-circle moment. And much hilarity ensued on set."
Southern Lord and DVL Recordings will release a deluxe edition of NEON CHRIST's 1984 sessions on June 12 for Record Store Day. Digital format will also be available via Bandcamp only, and non-Record Store formats will follow at a later date via Southern Lord.
To remaster the original tapes using an all-analog process, DuVall made multiple trips to Nashville to one of the few remaining studios (Welcome To 1979) maintaining the vintage technology to play and process the audio. Side one of "1984" features the original NEON CHRIST seven-inch EP, and side two contains the four songs of the Labor Day session, all on heavyweight vinyl at 45 RPM for maximum fidelity. The package includes a full-colour gatefold sleeve and a 12-page oral history booklet featuring dozens of never-before-seen photographs.
About the remastering process, DuVall reveals: "The studio I went to in Nashville to remaster the audio is called Welcome To 1979, aptly named because it's like entering a time warp in the best possible way.
"It's becoming increasingly rare and miraculous to find a facility anywhere in the world that can do all-analogue audio mastering for vinyl LPs. What's additionally amazing (for all my fellow audio nerds out there) is that Welcome To 1979 also does lacquer plating right there on-site. I know of no other place in America that does recording, mixing, mastering, lacquer cutting, and lacquer plating all under one roof. As if that's not enough, they also manufacture and refurbish tape machines. Pretty incredible.
"Remastering the 1984 NEON CHRIST recordings has been very enlightening and fulfilling. I hadn't listened to that music in a studio atmosphere since back when it was originally recorded. It was nice hanging out with those kids again. I was sixteen writing those songs.
"NEON CHRIST is quintessential youth music from a tumultuous time, both in our own lives and in the world at large. It documents the birth of a new music and culture that would influence everything that came afterward. We loved being a part of that emerging scene. We're even more proud now of the contributions we and so many of our friends made. The energy and emotions we captured remain timeless.
"I had planned to do a proper NEON CHRIST reissue through my label, DVL Recordings, this year. It must have been the right time because, as soon as I'd made up my mind to do it, Greg from Southern Lord reached out about doing exactly the same thing. I suggested we join forces. I admire what the Southern Lord label has achieved. Suffice it to say, all of us in NEON CHRIST are extremely honoured that there's any interest at all in what we did so many years ago."
NEON CHRIST formed in the fall of 1983 with DuVall on guitar, Demer on drums, Lankford on bass, and DuTeau on vocals. They made their debut in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 1984. That March, they recorded their eponymous debut 10-song EP. Released in June '84, the EP's songs exemplify the band's signature musical diversity, from D.R.I.-style thrashers like "Parental Suppression" to the atmospheric improv of "After". A short East Coast tour followed. On Labor Day 1984, the band recorded four tracks in the home studio of Nick Jameson of FOGHAT fame. A few months later, "Ashes To Ashes" was included on the International Peace/War compilation released by MDC's R Radical Records, bringing the band worldwide exposure.
NEON CHRIST shared the stage with legends of '80s hardcore including the DEAD KENNEDYS, CIRCLE JERKS and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. In 1985, the band added Shawn Devine on second guitar, as their sound and songs became slower, heavier, and more melodic. DuVall wrote an album's worth of songs in 1985, but only "Savior (Drawn In)" was ever recorded in what would be the band's final studio session on December 26, 1985 (the master tapes were lost). Returning to the four-piece original lineup, the band played a handful of Atlanta shows and then took a break in March of 1986. A few months later, William moved to Santa Cruz, California to join BL'AST!, and Jimmy, Danny and Randy formed GARDENS OF… William later founded jazz/punk/world improvisers NO WALLS. In 1999, he would form COMES WITH THE FALL and move the band to Los Angeles, where he struck up a friendship and musical collaboration with Jerry Cantrell. William joined ALICE IN CHAINS as vocalist and guitarist in 2006. On February 2, 2008, NEON CHRIST reunited to headline the Ratlanta Punkfest 2.
To this day, the band members maintain a close friendship, as well as a desire to honor the legacy of the group. So when longtime fan Greg Anderson of Southern Lord contacted them about reissuing a deluxe edition of NEON CHRIST's 1984 sessions, "1984" quickly came to life.
Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE), Rob Zombie, John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON) and Tommy Clufetos (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH, ROB ZOMBIE) have joined forces in a new project called L.A. RATS. The quartet came together expressly to record a cover of "I've Been Everywhere" for the soundtrack to the upcoming movie "The Ice Road". "I've Been Everywhere" is a song written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959, and made popular by Lucky Starr in 1962.
When Scott Borchetta called his friend Sixx, he knew he needed something with velocity, power, and speed. Charged with helming the soundtrack for "The Ice Road", the visionary label founder wanted a rocking "psycho-billy" track to anchor an eclectic collection of songs sampling the American roots music tableau. Talking to the full-tilt bass player and songwriter about a dream collaboration between Sixx, Rob Zombie and John 5 possibly writing and executive producing a song for the film, Sixx asked Borchetta to send him an example of the kind of song he envisioned for the soundtrack. Johnny Cash's thumping "I've Been Everywhere" was already earmarked as a hopeful to be included in the film as it really synthesized everything the film was about. Nikki listened and then sent it to Zombie. Both rockers felt the iconic Cash track was the perfect song for them to record. Sixx called Borchetta back and said, "Why don't we just cut this?"
The guys were all in on the song that name-checks cities across the nation — and Zombie had the vocal gnarl to bring that weathered, long-haul tone to the song that spent 22 weeks at No. 1 for Hank Snow in 1962. Opening with an ominous audible cloud and industrial noise, a hellish train beat emerges from the lumbering aural wave. Zombie's voice slices through the ballast, authoritative and churlish. Commanding the ride that begins "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road," his guttural delivery morphs Cash's intensity with drummer Tommy Clufetos's crashing attack.
Laughing, Sixx says of the L.A. RATS and their affinity for this song of hard traveling, "Isn't it ironic? This song that's so rock and roll, that's so country, that's so all of it — it's the traveling circus, city to city, riff to riff, greasy cheeseburger, rinse and repeat. It's poetry based on reality — and it's something every one of us has lived.
"We wanted to bring that fire that's Johnny Cash, but it's also how do we flip it?" he continues. "So John 5 and I brought in this ZEPPELIN-y half-time thing from the beginning with Rob talking on the outro. But I also did some stuff (that suggested the original) like those big walks through the guitar parts upright player style, which is something I don't do in MÖTLEY or SIXX:A.M. We all had that freedom to go other places, and we did."
Collaborating for the track, the union of Zombie, Sixx, John 5, who was raised on "Hee Haw", and BLACK SABBATH/TED NUGENT/ALICE COOPER drummer Clufetos created a chemistry that was more than the sum of their parts. With a frisson that comes from equal parts rebellion, aggression, fierce musicianship and deep respect for the song, "I've Been Everywhere" embodies the intensity of "The Ice Road" and Neeson's performance.
"We all grew up thinking great bands don't follow the rules or drive the speed limit," Sixx explains. "When I called Rob up, he said, 'I've always loved Johnny Cash, and I've always loved this song.' I think that's what we all share: we all play live and know there's this magic (that comes from that); there's the swagger you can feel, that energy you can smell. This song has all that, and that's what we went after."
"I've Been Everywhere" is available on May 21 via Big Machine Records. You can watch the official lyric video for the track below.
Written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, "The Ice Road" premieres in the U.S. on Netflix on June 25. Liam Neeson, Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, Marcus Thomas and Laurence Fishburne bring to life the story of a "big-rig" ice road driver (Neeson), who must lead an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the trapped miners after a remote diamond mine collapses in far northern Canada. Contending with thawing waters and a massive storm, they discover the real threat is one they never saw coming. It was produced by Code Entertainment, ShivHans Pictures and Envision Media Arts.
"The Ice Road: Music From And Inspired By The Netflix Film" track listing:
01. "All I Do Is Drive" - Jason Isbell
02. "Rubber Meets The Road" - Brantley Gilbert, Tyler Hubbard
03. "Eighteen Wheels and A Dozen Roses" - Carly Pearce
04. "I've Been Everywhere" - L.A. RATS
05. "We Got Fight" - Gary LeVox
06. "I’m Movin’ On" - Miranda Lambert
07. "Six Days On The Road" - THE CADILLAC THREE
08. "Don't Come Lookin'" - Jackson Dean
09. "Hurricane" - Luke Combs
10. "Heart Made Of Steel" - THE ASSASSINZS feat. John Carter Cash, Robin Zander
11. "All Coming Down" - Mark Collie, Allison Moorer
12. "Drive" - Tim McGraw
Clufetos was a member of Zombie's band on 2006's "Educated Horses" and 2010's "Hellbilly Deluxe" albums, both of which also featured John 5.
John 5 previously worked with Sixx on the three original MÖTLEY CRÜE songs featured on the soundtrack to the band's 2019 biopic "The Dirt".
FOREIGNER played its first show with guitarist Luis Maldonado last night (Wednesday, May 19) at the Frontyard Festival in Orlando, Florida. Maldonado joined the band as the replacement for longtime multi-instrumentalist Thom Gimbel, who announced his departure from the legendary rock act a day earlier.
Frontyard Festival is taking place in a three-acre area in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Seating comes in the form of hundreds of individual, elevated pods situated six feet apart.
"Everybody was excited," FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson told Ultimate Classic Rock about last night's gig. "You know, the audience were all in those pods, because it's set up for outdoor social distancing. So it was a little more sedate of a reaction than usual."
Pilson called Maldonado a "phenomenal" guitar player who "really gets to play rock guitar like he loves. His enthusiasm is palpable [and] he's also an amazing singer," he said.
Gimbel was known as FOREIGNER's jack-of-all-trades guitarist, saxophonist, flutist and keyboardist. He initially joined the group in 1992 but left to tour with AEROSMITH before returning to FOREIGNER in 1995.
FOREIGNER's last album, "Can't Slow Down", was the only full-length collection of new songs to have been released by the band since Kelly Hansen took over vocals after original singer Lou Gramm left the band for good in 2002. The album entered the Billboard Top 30, driven by the radio singles "In Pieces" and "When It Comes To Love". The band also has released a series of live albums and compilations, including 2016's "In Concert: Unplugged" and 2017's "40".
FOREIGNER's current lineup is rounded out by founding guitarist Mick Jones, Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Chris Frazier (drums) and Bruce Watson (guitar).
Pilson — one-fourth of the classic DOKKEN lineup — joined FOREIGNER in 2004.
At the outdoor Foreigner - Foreigner @ Frontyard Festival! ? ? ???
Frontiers Music Srl has announced the release of the debut album from one of its most exciting new projects, a collaboration between powerhouse Finnish vocalists Noora Louhimo (BATTLE BEAST) and Netta Laurenne (SMACKBOUND), under the banner LAURENNE/LOUHIMO. "The Reckoning" will be unleashed on July 9 on CD/LP/digital. Today, fans can get their first taste of the album with the pummelling grooves of debut single and music video, "Bitch Fire", which features a guest guitar solo by Samy Elbanna from LOST SOCIETY.
Laurenne says: "With this album, I wanted to capture the essence of classic heavy metal and hard rock and combine it with great melodies and lyrics that have value. It was clear from the beginning, having two strong voices on the album, that this album was going to be full of power, energy, attitude and emotion. I envisioned it lovingly kicking everyone's ass, my own included, and I think it does just that. It's pushing us to do better and evolve, yet having great empathy towards the struggles we all face as humans."
Adds Louhimo: "My inspiration was definitely the thought of empowering and the songs giving a feeling of strength and sensitivity. And us interpreting the songs from our hearts and souls with full force, leaving no question about how passionate we are as vocalists and artists."
Serafino Perugino, Frontiers president/head of A&R, said: "I believe Netta is a truly gifted and talented artist, and this is one of a few records besides SMACKBOUND that we will start a fruitful creative and artistic cooperation with her on. To pair her with Noora, who literally blows everyone away with her smashing vocals in not only her main band BATTLE BEAST, but also on MAGNUS KARLSSON'S FREE FALL and HEART HEALER records, is incredibly exciting and an honor."
After Perugino approached Netta about the possibility of some new projects for the label, including a duets album, Netta realized this was the perfect opportunity to fulfill her idea of a collaborative album with Noora. And now, these two incredible singers have put together a storming melodic metal album.
Sammy Hagar's seventh annual "Acoustic-4-A-Cure" concert returned on Saturday, May 15 with a star-studded lineup that delivered unforgettable musical moments and collaborative jams by SAMMY HAGAR & THE WABOS, REO SPEEDWAGON's Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato, TRAIN and Rick Springfield. Following a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefit returned to an intimate outdoor setting at a private estate in Southern California, doubling its annual six figure goal for the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, to also benefit MusicCares, the Festival of Children Foundation and Jesse Rees Foundation this year.
Hagar said: "'Acoustic-4-A-Cure' #7 was so much fun. Everyone gave so much and the small outdoor crowd felt like 20K."
Highlights of the performances, which can be seen below, include Rick Springfield's bluesy rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Red House".
Pat Monahan added: "I've been a part of 'Acoustic-4-A Cure' four times now because of Sammy Hagar's great big heart. Here's a man that doesn't need to be out there raising money for anyone yet he continues to do so in the beautiful form of bringing people together and celebrating music! What a great way to spend your time on stage or in the audience. Let's keep it going."
Cronin, who returned for his second time performing at the benefit said, "Playing live music with friends at Sammy's 'Acoustic-4-A Cure' and raising money for worthy causes like the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, and one of my favorite charities, MusicCares, is the definition of a win/win for me."
Springfield, who also returned for his second performance at the benefit added: "My dear friend Sammy Hagar is doing such good work raising funds for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. It's my privilege to help in any way I can with such a worthy cause."
Dr. Jean Nakamura said: "We are deeply grateful for the incredible commitment of 'Acoustic-4-A-Cure', which continues to power on to create hope and progress for kids with cancer. What Sammy and 'Acoustic-4-A-Cure' has achieved is a lesson about vision, creativity and the energy to make it happen. We need these strengths to cure cancer."
Added Dr. Mignon Loh, chief of pediatric hematology and oncology, UCSF: "The generous support from the 'Acoustic-4-A-Cure' program has provided critical support for our pediatric cancer program to improve access to clinical trials for our most vulnerable populations, ensuring equitable care for all."
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital creates an environment where children and their families find compassionate care at the forefront of scientific discovery, with more than 150 experts in 50 medical specialties serving patients throughout Northern California and beyond. The hospital admits about 5,000 children each year, including 2,000 babies born in the hospital.
UCSF Medical Center is recognized throughout the world as a leading academic medical center that provides innovative treatments, uses advanced technology, fosters collaboration among clinicians and scientists, and employs a highly compassionate team of doctors, nurses and staff.
FATES WARNING and Sebastian Bach drummer Bobby Jarzombek is now playing drums for the legendary country music artist George Strait.
Jarzombek says: "As the newest member of [George's] ACE IN THE HOLE band, last Saturday we played a private event in Austin, Texas and everything was awesome!
"I am so glad to be here! Really looking forward to the future with George and the guys!"
Strait has sold over 68.5 million records and earned 33 platinum or multi-platinum albums, the most in all of country music, and 60 No. 1 singles — the most of any artist of any music genre in history. He is a member of the Country Music Hall Of Fame, holds a Grammy for "Best Country Album" with "Troubadour" and more than 60 music and entertainment industry awards.
San Antonio, Texas native Jarzombek has long been one of the Lone Star state's most respected and admired drummers. Since first making his mark with local metal outfit JUGGERNAUT in the mid-1980s, Bobby's surgical percussive assault has powered legends RIOT, JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Rob Halford's solo outfit and prog wackos SPASTIC INK, among others. A touring pro for over 30 years, Bobby has played on five continents and performed in front of some of the largest crowds in the world, including Rock In Rio and the Wacken Open Air estival. For the past 15 years, he has divided his time between prog metal stalwarts FATES WARNING and former SKID ROW vocalist Sebastian Bach's band. Bobby also continues to do live and studio work with a variety of country music acts.
Bobby issued his "Performance & Technique" instructional drum DVD in 2005 and then teamed up with Platinum Samples for the release of 2011's "Bobby Jarzombek Metal MIDI Groove Library"
After recently signing with Napalm Records and Napalm Events, German based melodic death metal unit, Hiraes, is set to drop its first sonic monster with ultimate strength: Their debut offering, Solitary, will be released on June 25.
Watch the band's new video, for the album's title track, below. Heavy-driven riffs evoke a dark and explosive melodic death metal storm fueled by a fierce growling attack, dropping jaws and leaving a long-lasting impression.
Hiraes impressively combines the full force of all four instrumentalists formerly of Dawn Of Disease (Lukas Kerk, Oliver Kirchner, Christian Wösten and Mathias Blässe) with the powerful vocals of Britta Görtz (Critical Mess, ex-Cripper) to create an exciting new melodic death emergence.
Hiraes already established its own remarkable identity built upon a smashing femme vocal attack, intense melodies and charging guitars, led by guitarist Lukas Kerk as main songwriter. An atmospheric, instrumental intro introduces the album opener “Shadows Break'', whilst showcasing the impressive vocal onslaught of seasoned frontwoman Britta Görtz shortly after. “Grain Of Sand” sets the next exclamation mark while delivering an unrelenting attack of smashing riffs along with an inexorable vocal performance, followed by standouts such as brutal “1000 Lights”, razor-sharp “Eyes Over Black'' and fast-twitching title-track “Solitary”, proving that Hiraes don’t decelerate for a second.
This massive melodic death metal assault leaves no scope for weakness and serves an exciting take on the genre with hymnlike melodies, enthralling drums and guitar riffing as well as breathtaking hooklines. Topped with the distinctive and versatile performance of Britta Görtz, this powerful new formation and its debut, Solitary, is a must have for fans of bands like Insomnium, At The Gates, Arch Enemy and Amon Amarth.
Hiraes say about the album: “Our debut album Solitary is the result of the collaboration of five musicians who burn with passion for melodic death metal. With its incredible emotional energy, it will captivate fans of the genre in no time. Hymn-like melodies and catchy riffing meet versatile drumming and the very varied growls of our singer Britta. The result is a unique blend of the best that melodic death metal has to offer. Rounded off by stunning sound, refined at Fascination Street Studios under the direction of Jens Bogren, and strong artwork by Costin Chioreanu, we are really more than satisfied with our first album. We can't wait to finally present Solitary to the metal community on June 25, 2021!”
Solitary will be available in the following formats:
- 1 LP Gatefold Silver
- 1 LP Gatefold Black
- 1 CD Jewel Case
- Digital Album
After the runaway success of their unique take on the EURYTHMICS' "Sweet Dreams" in 2020, the Miraculous Love Kids / Girl With A Guitar, led by founder Lanny Cordola, have recorded "Fly Like An Eagle" with singers Sammy Hagar (VAN HALEN, THE CIRCLE, CHICKENFOOT) and Chad Kroeger (NICKELBACK). Also featured on the STEVE MILLER classic is bassist Nathan East (Stevie Wonder, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton), keyboardist Rami Jaffee (FOO FIGHTERS, WALLFLOWERS, SOUL ASYLUM), keyboardist Gary Griffin (BRIAN WILSON, THE BEACH BOYS), drummer Kris Myers (UMPHREY'S MCGEE) and guitarist Todd Shea.
In 2020, the Miraculous Love Kids / Girl With A Guitar teamed up with guitarist Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE), keyboardist Rami Jaffee (FOO FIGHTERS), bassist Kathy Valentine (THE GO-GO'S), guitarist Vicki Peterson (THE BANGLES), singer Cherie Currie (THE RUNAWAYS), guitarist Wayne Kramer (MC5), drummer Kris Myers (UMPHREY'S MCGEE), along with singer Inara George and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin of THE BIRD AND THE BEE, to record a version of "Sweet Dreams" with unprecedented depth and dimension.
For 2021, Cordola connected with Hagar, a force of pure rock and roll goodness. On this sonic prayer for a more compassionate humanity, the singer's role in getting the message of the Miraculous Love Kids / Girl With A Guitar movement to the forefront of global awareness is a win-win for everyone.
"I'm proud of what you're doing," the onetime VAN HALEN frontman told the group after completing his vocal track. "Stay strong and fly like an eagle…"
Cordola reflects on why this song was chosen: "The simple yet powerful message behind 'Fly Like An Eagle' has never been more relevant and important, especially in war-torn, poverty-stricken places like Afghanistan. With its urgent call to 'feed the babies who have no food to eat, shoe the children with no shoes on their feet, house the people living in the street,' the eagle surveys the landscape and realizes that none of us can truly be free until we address the most pressing matters of the human condition — food, clothing, and shelter."
The girls featured in this video have all suffered from the wreckage of poverty, war, discrimination and other hardships. They have worked the mean streets of Kabul and witnessed firsthand the debris of human cruelty and indifference. Now, through the power of love and music, there is hope, joy and truth emanating from every fiber of their being.
"Fly Like An Eagle" is dedicated to the nearly 100 Afghan girls who died in a recent school bomb attack in Kabul.
Music at its highest level gives rise to these fundamental human creeds and to the philosophy of the Miraculous Love Kids: "It shouldn't hurt to be a child."
According to the United Nations, over 20,000 children perish every day because of poverty and war. The goal of the Miraculous Love Kids / Girl With A Guitar is to help end this horrible human catastrophe.
The Miraculous Love Kids is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization established by Cordola.
Cordola began his journey through Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq in 2010, collaborating with musicians on a peace-through-music project. "After visiting and meeting many kids who were living in poverty stricken areas and conflict zones, I decided to raise funds on their behalf," the musician recalls.
Since then, he has focused on musical projects aimed at raising awareness, resources and funds for some of the most vulnerable children in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In the wake of his work in these regions, he formed his own non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization called The Miraculous Love Kids, based on the premise that "it shouldn't hurt to be a child" and "that a kid with a melody in their heart has hope, and with hope all things are possible."
On September 8, 2012, sisters Parwana and Korshid were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan. The intended target was U.S. military forces. According to the troops who were there, the sisters sacrificed their own lives to save them.
During a visit to the region in 2014, Lanny met with the sisters' family, including their younger sibling Mursal, who had survived the attack. The family was living in absolute squalor, but when Mursal saw the guitar that constantly accompanies Lanny, she brightened up and asked if he would teach her to play so she could honor her sisters and other girls living in similar conditions. And with that, The Miraculous Love Kids/Girl With A Guitar was born.
In February 2016, Lanny moved to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he and Mursal presently teach guitar, English, and other life skills to hundreds of mostly girls at their Miraculous Love Kids studio.
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