Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Japan's Gyze have released their new single, "Oriental Symphony". It is the third single in a series they have released to celebrate 10 years as a band. On this single, they combine the aggression from death metal, the energy and speed of power metal, and the melodicism of their native traditional music, into a nine-minute epic.
Lead guitarist / vocalist Ryoji Shinomoto comments: "'Oriental Symphony' is 100% Gyze metal written by me. We used Gagaku's instruments (Japanese oldest music), Erhu (Chinese strings) and this new song is a modern mix with a symphonic orchestra, Far Eastern folk, and cinematic music. Lyrics are really old Japanese poetic. We had to record this song in 430 kHz because of the Gagaku Orchestra. Make sure to listen loud!"
Gyze have earned their cult status through global festival appearances, a joint tour with Battle Beast and the release of three albums (including a Japan Top 10), various EPs, and singles. Highly praised by the Japanese media, the band were recently the cover stars of BURRN! Magazine.
Watch "Oriental Symphony" below along with their two previous 10th anniversary singles, "Voyage To The Future" and "Samurai Metal".
For more information and updates go to the band's official Facebook page here.
Osmose Productions have announced that the third full-length album from Black Metallers Nattverd is set to hit the streets on April 30th. Titled Vandring, it forms the final chapter of the Black Death trilogy which includes the 2019 EP, Skuggen, and 2020's full-length Styggdom.
According to the band, whose lineup is composed of Ormr on vocals and guitars, Atyr on guitars, Sveinr on bass, Antichristian on drums, and Serpentr on guitars,
"Vandring is a more dynamic album than our last, because we have challenged the core that is Nattverd, whilst at the same time staying true to the spirit that is the band. We have pushed some boundaries, which has resulted in more diverse tracks, that touch a lot on melancholy, and is even more aggression, with epic moments."
As a taste of what to expect, a track from the album has been released as a single. "Naar Taaken Fortaerer Alt", which features Geir Bratland (Gerlioz of Dimmu Borgir, ex-God Seed) on piano, can be streamed or downloaded from various digital platforms at this location.
Additionally, a video created by Grupa 13 also makes its debut, and can be viewed below.
"Vandring was recorded during March and April of 2020 at Velvet Recording in Spydeberg, Norway, with producer Christer Krogh who also mastered the album. With artwork by Khaos Diktator Design and Ormr, and with layout by Ormr, Doedsadmiral and Silere Omnia.
Tracklist
"Det Bloer Paa Alt Som Spirer"
"Martyrer Av Kristus"
"Naar Taaken Fortaerer Alt"
"Med Rive Og Lime"
"I Moerket Slumrer Ravnen"
"Gudsmenn, Deres Svik Erkjenn"
"Det Hvisker I Veggene"
"Langt Langt Der Borte I Det Fjerne"
Sweden metallers Manimal have released new single, “Forged In Metal”. Manimal's new single packs the extra punch "Forged In Metal" is a fresh adrenalin infusion to the heavy metal scene – a song which will win over the hearts of Judas Priest- and Primal Fear fans by storm.
The band comments: “Metal heads of the world! Behold the video for the first single off of our upcoming album. This is ‘Forged In Metal’! If you like the video as much as we do we strongly suggest you share it with your fellow metal brothers and sisters. Because we're all forged in metal we need y'all to scream from the top of your lungs: - Metal is Our Destiny - Metal is Our Remedy.”
Crobot and Mascot Records have announced the global release of the Rat Child EP, on June 18. The complete tracklisting features “Mountain” (featuring Frank Bello), “Kiss It Goodbye” (featuring Howard Jones), “Everyone Dies” (featuring Stix Zadina), and “Rat Child”.
Singer Brandon Yeagley shares, “We’ve grown to know the Anthrax dudes pretty well through touring and developed a working relationship in addition to our friendships. We’ve always talked about writing with Frankie because we have a lot of the same influences and that definitely shines through in ‘Mountain.’ Frankie has always lent us his ear and has been a big supporter of ours - it was a treat to work with him on something.”
The recording “Everyone Dies” was co-written by Steel Panther’s Stix Zadina, who performs piano, drums and bass on the track. Yeagley states, “One of the last tours we did was supporting Steel Panther. We hit it off with all of the guys. Stix even got tattooed by Bishop! We kept in touch and he sent us a bunch of ideas he had for songs. We really gravitated towards this piano instrumental he had called ‘Jimmy’s Piano Song.’ We don’t know Jimmy, but Stix must really love that dude...cause that shit brought tears to our eyes. Through a couple of Zoom sessions, we were able to work everything out and that’s how we wrote ‘Everyone Dies.’ We really wanted to venture somewhere different with this one but still pump it full of our personality. This is our attempt to sit at the dinner table with Queen whilst eating a healthy portion of Meatloaf.”
In reference to the collaboration with Howard Jones, Yeagley offers, “Howard was introduced to us through mutual friends. We have always been huge fans of his melodic footprint and his unique melodies. When we heard he would be interested in writing with us, we were beyond excited. He flew down to Austin and spent a few days in a studio with us. We had a such great chemistry with him and wrote ‘Kiss it Goodbye.’ We thought it was a shoe-in for being a track on Motherbrain but for whatever reason, it didn’t make the cut. It seemed like such a travesty to let such a great song sit on the shelf. So, we’re pumped to let the world hear it!”
On the collected body of work released as the Rat Child EP, the band shares, “These Motherbrain leftovers (and new tunes alike), will satiate your tastebuds for some new Crobot riffage. We had the unique opportunity to collaborate with Frankie Bello (Anthrax), Howard Jones (Light the Torch), & Stix Zadina (Steel Panther), with whom we not only value friendship but idolize as well. Whether it’s gritty grooves, ballistic riffs, or that good ol’ Crobot sound you’re yearning for to getcha through, we’ve got just frequencies for ya! Say hello to our lil’ friends...”
The band’s most recent studio album Motherbrain was a global hit. Cumulative streams surpassed 20 million plays, 14 million of which were of the single “Low Life.” The accompanying music video for the track has been viewed over 1.5 million times, while the song was a Top 10 hit at Rock radio in America with a lengthy 29 week run on the Billboard charts. The follow-up “Gasoline” had a strong run on the US charts as well.
Veteran metal band Images Of Eden has released its fifth studio album, entitled Angel Born, via Pavement Entertainment. The album is the follow-up to the band's 2018 album, Soulrise, which was produced by the legendary Bill Metoyer. Angel Born features 11 tracks of innovative metal, as well as a modern cover of Triumph’s inspirational “Fight The Good Fight.”
In conjunction with the release of Angel Born, Images Of Eden is also premiering the music video for “My Promise.”
Director, producer, and drummer Steve Dorssom says, “This song is about dealing with sudden loss of an extremely close loved one and the grief that follows, but more specifically about getting much needed confirmation that the loved one is now in a good place.”
Because of the personal nature of the material, Dorssom found the process of writing the video script emotionally difficult. Dorssom adds, “It hit close to home in a lot of ways. I almost had to bail on the story because I became an emotional wreck, but I pulled it together and was able to finish the pre-production which turned into a fantastic music video! The final video captures how a tragedy can be turned into glorious heights by honoring a loved one's dreams then making them come true! ‘This is My Promise to you.’”
Angel Born artwork and tracklisting:
“Autumn Is Burning”
“Angel Born”
“My Promise”
“Where Dreams Begin”
“If?”
“Killing God”
“Fight The Good Fight”
“War Room”
“Serenity Reign”
“Animation In A Still World”
“Marigold Sun”
“In Memory Of Me”
TOMAHAWK, the band featuring Duane Denison (THE JESUS LIZARD, UNSEMBLE), Trevor Dunn (MR. BUNGLE, FANTÔMAS), Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE, MR. BUNGLE) and John Stanier (HELMET, BATTLES), has just released its first full-length album in eight years, "Tonic Immobility", via Ipecac Recordings. The official music video for the disc's latest single, "Predators And Scavengers", can be seen below. The clip was directed, animated and produced by Diego Cumplido.
Denison states: "'Predators And Scavengers' started out as a general observation on the current ecological climate of our planet. Perhaps it could also be applied to the socioeconomic climate as well?"
"Tonic Immobility" is available in the following formats: digital, CD digipak, and 180-gram LP in textured gatefold packaging. Vinyl variants include standard black, coke bottle clear (indie retail exclusive — 5,000 available), opaque metallic silver (Ipecac webstore exclusive — 2000 available), and crystal clear (Newbury Comics exclusive — 1,000 available).
"'Tonic Immobility' could just be something in the air we're feeling," said Denison. "It's been a rough year between the pandemic and everything else. A lot of people feel somewhat powerless and stuck as they're not able to make a move without second guessing themselves or worrying about the outcomes. For as much as the record possibly reflects that, it's also an escape from the realities of the world. We're not wallowing in negativity or getting political. For me, rock has always been an alternate reality to everything else. I feel like this is yet another example."
"Tonic Immobility" track listing:
01. SHHH!
02. Valentine Shine
03. Predators and Scavengers
04. Doomsday Fatigue
05. Business Casual
06. Tattoo Zero
07. Fatback
08. Howlie
09. Eureka
10. Sidewinder
11. Recoil
12. Dog Eat Dog
2013's "Oddfellows" was TOMAHAWK's first CD in over six years.
TOMAHAWK was dormant for five years after releasing a trio of albums: "Tomahawk" in 2001, "Mit Gas" in 2003 and "Anonymous" in 2007.
Sweden’s finest stoner rock outfit Greenleaf drops its new full-length, Echoes From A Mass, this Friday, March 26 via Napalm Records. The successor to their 2018 epic, Hear The Rivers, is more than ready to spread Greenleaf’s concentrated sludgy energy to all disciples of the genre.
After revealing their album opener “Tides”, followed by blistering second single, “Love Undone”, the thrilling quartet now unveils their final harbinger and third offering, while presenting another spark of their multifaceted universe: “March On Higher Grounds” delivers a dusting of desert-vibes, merging with a truly catchy refrain, and is accompanied by an official music video that authentically presents Greenleaf in their studio surroundings, boiling with stoner rock’s finest ingredients. Their main influences are made of prog and psychedelic impact, adding a rousing vortex to the Swedes sonic offering. Heavy desert riffs, sprawling drum parts, catchy melodies and grooving rhythms make their new record an absolute eye-catcher.
Once again, Greenleaf prove that they dare to think outside the box and deliver a heavy roller comprised of Sebastian Olsson’s rumbling drumming performance, fuzzy guitars, Fröhlich’s haunting bass lines, Arvid Hällagård’s powerful yet ghoulish vocals and undeniable, heavy stoner, southern desert and blues vibes. Echoes From A Mass was recorded at Studio Gröndahl in October 2020 by former band member Karl Daniel Lidén, who also mixed and mastered the record at Tri-Lamb Studios. Lidén is recognized for his work with well-known acts such as Katatonia, Bloodbath, Lowrider and Crippled Black Phoenix, to name a few.
Echoes From A Mass tracklisting:
"Tides"
"Good God I Better Run Away"
"Needle in My Eye"
"Love Undone"
"Bury Me My Son"
"A Hand Of Might"
"March On Higher Grounds"
"Hang On"
"On Wings Of Gold"
"What Have We Become"
Witherfall has released a video for "The Unyielding Grip Of Each Passing Day", from their new album, Curse Of Autumn. The clip, which can be seen below, showcases the stellar technical qualities of the individual members of the band - in particular drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Necrophagist, Jordan Rudess, Kreator) and bassist Anthony Crawford (Chon, Alan Holdsworth, Virgil Donati).
Witherfall talk about the song and video: "Witherfall approaches writing music more like a classical composer would than a common modern metal band. Sometimes the ideas for a composition span more than the logical breadth of one song. A good example is the three song 'Curse Of Autumn' suite. This piece contains within it the songs: 'Curse Of Autumn', 'The Unyielding Grip Of Each Passing Day' and 'The Other Side Of Fear'. If you listen to those songs in sequence you will understand how they were written together. The video features an instrumental play through featuring the monster rhythm section of Marco Minnemann and Anthony Crawford, filmed by Bradley Cooper at Doghouse Studios."
Tracklisting:
"Deliver Us Into The Arms Of Eternal Silence"
"The Last Scar"
"As I Lie Awake"
"Another Face"
"Tempest"
"Curse Of Autumn"
"The Unyielding Grip Of Each Passing Day"
"The Other Side Of Fear"
"The River"
"… And They All Blew Away"
"Long Time" (Acoustic Version)
After much success from their debut album Endless Nights, Mayan power metal band Jet Jaguar planned to release a video for their larger than life track - "No Surrender". But like everything else in this world, things became complicated due to COVID–19. Filming became impossible and production ground to a halt. After some time, opportunity presented itself again and Jet Jaguar pounced. Behold "No Surrender" by Jet Jaguar:
Jet Jaguar was formed in 2014 and hails from Cancún, a city located in the Mayan region of Mexico. The band’s name was partially inspired by the jaguar, a sacred animal for the Mayan civilization and for the areas where the Mayans used to inhabit.
In 2017, Jet Jaguar received worldwide recognition by being the first Hispanic-American band to ever win the Wacken Open Air Metal Battle in Germany.
In 2018, Jet Jaguar performed in Mexico City at the biggest metal festival in Latin America: Corona Hell & Heaven (alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Megadeth, and others).
Jet Jaguar kicked off 2019 by performing at the biggest festival in Costa Rica: Grito Latino. The band dedicated the rest of the year to the production of their debut album, Endless Nights. The album was mixed and mastered by Swedish producer Henrikk Udd (Powerwolf, At The Gates, Hammerfall).
Endless Nights was finally released in July 2020, under German label Pride & Joy Music. In late 2020, the band signed with European booking agency Nick Grima MGT. Future plans for Jet Jaguar include touring throughout Europe and Mexico in support of Endless Nights.
Skindred have revealed a new lyric video for the track "Struggle", which is previously unreleased and is featured on the upcoming re-release of Roots Rock Riot, which will be out on April 23.
The very timely and poignant new song "Struggle" is an acoustic track, and although not the typical Skindred sound, showcases the band’s prowess as powerful songwriters.
Drummer Arya Goggin comments, “The song ‘Struggle’, to me at least conveys a message of hope when your in the battle for love. We have all been there and sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. ‘Struggle’ is about keeping on with the fight as it will be worth it in the end. Life is sometimes a struggle and this year it has really highlighted that. To me it’s as important today as it was when we wrote it over 15 years ago. I’m so pleased it’s getting the chance to be heard and hopefully people will draw a positive message from it.”
It follows the release of "It’s A Crime", which is a rare cut and only previously released on the Japanese version of Roots Rock Riot.
Crafted in a boxing club, recorded in America and laying the groundwork for everything that followed it, Roots Rock Riot is an important piece of Skindred’s history – a piece that this re-release celebrates.
The first record of their discography to feature what would become the permanent line-up of Benji, Arya, bassist Daniel Pugsley and guitarist Mikey Demus, it started its life as that difficult second album. What it became completely transcends that, bookending a difficult period of the band’s existence and boldly kicking down the door to the future of their illustrious career.
Benji remembers delivering the vocals with the same passion he employs in front of a festival crowd, and recalls, “I’m not one of those people who cheers when they’ve finished a record. But I’m always thankful to get to make my art, blending contemporary British music and Jamaican music, with my friends. On Roots Rock Riot I think we did that excellently.”
Mikey meanwhile sees this re-release as an opportunity to examine how he and his band have come on in the years since. “I’m really proud of the record,” the guitarist enthuses. “I had a hell of a lot of fun making it and it features some really important Skindred tracks.”
Producer Matt Squire (Panic At The Disco / Neck Deep) brought the whole album to life and realizes its importance in cementing Skindred as one of the most important bands in the British heavy rock scene. “Longevity is all about being real,” he states. “Times were changing when the album was made, and if the band hadn’t been real in what they did they might have been passed off as a metal band with an innovative singer. Roots Rock Riot presented Skindred as a band with amazing songs. Those songs are made up of a crazy amalgamation of sounds, while remaining absolutely undeniable.”
Available on vinyl for the first time as well as CD, the re-release of Roots Rock Riot features rare cuts and previously unheard music. As well as the complete tracklist of the original, the vinyl version of the record comes with an additional 7” containing two exclusive tracks: the aforementioned "It’s A Crime" and "Struggle", which was never released. The CD release also contains both those tracks and an acoustic version of "Destroy The Dance Floor".
If that’s not enough, the re-release is also accompanied by some exclusive merchandise pre-order bundles. Available in the bundles are three 12” vinyl colour variants (Transparent Orange, Transparent Green and a special 3-colour Red, Yellow & Green), a t-shirt and a turntable slipmat, both of which feature a classic design from the original Roots Rock Riot release.
The Limit have released a video for the song "Death Of My Soul, from their forthcoming new album, Caveman Logic, out on April 9 via Svart Records. Find the clip below.
On new single “Death Of My Soul”, Sonny Vincent from The Limit says: "This song and video is not something warm and fuzzy you can wrap your arms around and feel good about. It represents a deep feeling of alienation, loneliness, a sense of an unchangeable and Doomed timeline of life and world events. If you are looking for a song and video to cheer you up, this is not the one. It represents a deep aspect of desperation and resignation that we all often have deep inside."
"Death Of My Soul" video:
Consisting of members of legendary punk instigators The Stooges, the founders of doom rock Pentagram, legendary NYC punk originators Testors and infamous Portugese metal band Dawnrider, The Limit goes over the edge, to deliver real-deal, soulful rock and roll.
On their new album, Caveman Logic, Bobby Liebling, singer and main-man of Pentagram, one of the originators of early doom rock and an inspiration for generations of heavy rock fans, on vocals, gives the performance of his career, singing like his life depended on it. Sonny Vincent, enigmatic legend of the early NYC punk scene with his band Testors, having been on the road with members of The Velvet Underground, lays down the guitar driven songs, his writing bearing all the hallmarks of ground-breaking rock history in it’s filthy DNA. Phenomenal bass playing from Jimmy Recca, ex-The Stooges, and Ron Asheton’s New Order, gives The Limit the intense and world-class, speaker-destroying bottom end. Joined by Hugo Conim on guitar and Joao Pedro on drums from Portugese band Dawnrider, The Limit fuses star-dust pedigree with an organic incendiary chemistry that’s instantly raw and real. A dream come true to those that know their doom/punk ABC, The Limit brings the past right up to date on Caveman Logic, with an essential, burning passion at the heart of their songs. Seldom has a collaboration of well known stars in music sounded so vigorous and frenzied as The Limit’s caveman-like roar.
The Limit is an astoundingly fresh and hot-blooded shot to the veins that heavy rock needs in this day and age. Conjured forth by stone-age pioneers, Caveman Logic goes to the heart of impassioned heavy rock and punk.
US metal traditionalists, White Wizzard, have released their first new song in three years. The group’s new single, “Viral Insanity”, is now available for streaming through M-Theory Audio (and in Japan via Trooper Music), here.
The song - which sees band founder and bassist Jon Leon joined once again by guitarists James LaRue and Will Wallner - is also the first White Wizzard recording to feature new drummer Jonathan Brown, a longtime fan of the band. Vocal duties for this single, meanwhile, were handled by respected heavy metal veteran Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio Disciples, Royal Hunt, Ring of Fire). The music video for the song can also be viewed below.
“When the band approached me, I wasn’t familiar with them, but after listening, I was immediately hooked by the energy and vibe of the band’s music," explains Mark Boals. “It’s an old-school vibe with tons of energy and movement. A high-speed giant locomotive on steroids!”
“As a kid, Yngwie Malmsteen's Trilogy album was my favorite, and I always thought the vocals and songs on that album were some of the best ever in heavy metal," says Jon Leon. “I wrote a song called 'Viral Insanity' after COVID-19 hit, and one thing led to another and I was put in touch with Mark. I felt the song was perfect for his voice. We all tracked at home, and I sent him my demos and he nailed it. Will and James just kill the leads, and it was a fun quarantine collaboration for us to do with a musical icon and hero of ours. We hope you enjoy it! We have much more to come in 2021 and beyond. Rock on and stay safe.”
Since bursting onto the metal scene in 2007 with the infectious “High Speed GTO”, White Wizzard have consistently and proudly flown the flag high for traditional heavy metal, generating four full-length albums of melodic metal headbangers that are loaded with fast riffs and catchy choruses. The group's most recent full-length, 2018’s Infernal Overdrive, received positive reviews, with critics recognizing a band that was firing on all cylinders with inspiration from an expanded array of influences such as Rush, Led Zeppelin, and Metallica being seamlessly integrated into their existing blueprint.
The current lineup of White Wizzard was provided an extra injection of guitar greatness by the 2019 return of Wallner - who played on the group's 2013 record The Devil's Cut - to the fold, rejoining Leon and fellow guitarist LaRue. “Viral Insanity” also features a standout drumming effort from new member Brown and a vocal performance that reinforces why Boals has been a respected great in the genre for four decades.
More info on White Wizzard's plans for 2021 will be revealed in the weeks to come.
Canadian melodic death metal heavyweights, Kataklysm, unleashed their 14th full-length studio album, Unconquered, on September 25, 2020, via Nuclear Blast Records. Today marks the six month anniversary of the release which garnered the band a Juno nomination.
With the world still in a state of chaos six months later, the message they would like to convey to fans is to become "Defiant" via the music video directed by Scott Hansen / Digital Thunderdome.
Maurizio Iacono comments, “March 25th, marks six months since the release of what we call our quarantine album, Unconquered. There were many songs to pick from but after consulting with our label we both came to the conclusion and agreed that 'Defiant' was the song to pick for this video. The reason is that it's what we need to be at the moment as we face a chaotic and unstable world. It's an intense song that screams out strength in the face of the unknown. 'Defiant' was filmed by acclaimed director Scott Hansen in the Atlanta area and the storyline deals with a soldier dealing with PTSD after experiencing the horror of war. Unfortunately, due to Canada's strict COVID-19 travel rules, bassist Stephane Barbe couldn’t make it to the video shoot so we decided to still shoot some parts with myself and J-F so we could still have some sort of band presence in it. The song is dedicated to the ones who sacrificed everything in order for us to have the freedoms today that so many take for granted."
Get Unconquered in the format of your choice here, and watch the new video below:
"Hardware", the third solo album from ZZ TOP frontman Billy Gibbons, has wrapped recording and post-production and is set for release June 4 by Concord Records. The album was recorded at Escape Studio in California's high desert, near Palm Springs, and was produced by Gibbons along with Matt Sorum and Mike Fiorentino, with engineer Chad Shlosser providing additional production. The album's release is preceded by the release of the single "West Coast Junkie". The video for the track was filmed near Joshua Tree, a stone's throw from the studio.
Sorum, veteran of GUNS 'N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER and THE CULT, also serves as "Hardware"'s drummer and was joined in the album's core band by guitarist Austin Hanks. The same Gibbons-Sorum-Hanks aggregation recorded "The Big Bad Blues", Gibbons's earlier solo effort for Concord and winner of the Blues Foundation's Blues Music Award.
In contrast to "The Big Bad Blues" and "Perfectamundo", Gibbons's debut solo album, almost all of the "Hardware" repertoire is original and rock-oriented with eleven of the album's twelve songs written by Gibbons, Sorum, Fiorentino and Shlosser. The sole exception is "Hey Baby, Que Paso", originally recorded by the TEXAS TORNADOS. The album's title is a tribute to legendary recording engineer the late Joe Hardy who worked with Gibbons and ZZ TOP dating back to the mid-1980s. Sonically, the album was influenced by the high desert circumstance of its recording. Says Gibbons: "The desert settings, replete with shifting sands, cacti and rattlesnakes makes for the kind of backdrop that lends an element of intrigue reflected in the sounds created out there."
"Stackin' Bones", one of the album's standouts, features a guest appearance by LARKIN POE, with whom Gibbons has been familiar and friendly for quite a while. He initially met them through the good offices of Tyler Bryant, husband of LARKIN POE's Megan Lovell; he had toured extensively with ZZ TOP in the past. LARKIN POE also shared a bill with Billy at New York's "Love Rocks NYC" benefit in 2019 and the "Hardware" collaboration grew from there.
While a truly broad spectrum of approaches is notable on the album's hard driving tracks there is, to be sure, no mistaking the remarkable tone and growling vocals that are hallmarks of Billy Gibbons's artistry. Elements of traditional hard rock, neo-metal, country rock, new wave, blues and even surf music make "Hardware" difficult to categorize and it would be a fool's game to do so. In fact, "Desert High", the album's last track, is a spoken-word piece accompanied by a sinewy guitar that evokes the legend Graham Parsons, whose death 48 years ago took place very close to where "Hardware" was recorded.
Billy sums up the album's ecumenical construct: "We holed up in the desert for a few weeks in the heat of the summer and that in itself was pretty intense. To let off steam we just 'let it rock' and that's what Hardware is really all about. For the most part, it's a raging rocker but always mindful of the desert's implicit mystery."
French progressive metallers GOJIRA have released the official Charles De Meyer-directed music video for their song "Amazonia". The track is taken from the band's new album, "Fortitude", which is due on April 30 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2016's "Magma" was recorded and produced by GOJIRA guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio — GOJIRA's Ridgewood, Queens, New York headquarters — and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).
Proceeds from "Amazonia" will benefit the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) who advocate for environmental and cultural rights of indigenous tribes in the Amazon who have suffered immensely — victims of deforestation, land loss, forced labor, violence, and harassment.
Asked in a new interview with Finland's Kaaos TV how the coronavirus pandemic affected the release of the new LP, drummer Mario Duplantier said: "We were very patient, and we knew something so important is happening in the world right now, so we couldn't really complain. We were just a bit worried about when the world will reopen. We took some time off, and actually, it was great to take a little step back from the songs. Because for six months, we didn't listen to the songs — my brother and I. And when we went back to it, it as very pleasant, and we had the confirmation that the album is good for us; we felt great about it. But then I would say it's more around September [and] October, we had to find a solution to take decisions. It was a bit more stressful at this time, because [there was] a lot of back-and-forth with the management and the record company. We had to find a solution to finish everything — the cover, the mixing. So everything accelerated a little bit. But finally we are ready to release it. And [we are] super stoked about it."
Mario went on to say that all the songs were completely written before the start of the pandemic. "We were done with the vocals in January 2020, and we were about to mix the album with Andy Wallace in March — around the 10th," he said. "But we had to cancel the mixing, because Andy was in Florida and we couldn't fly, et cetera, et cetera. But the songs were ready. And I would say the weird thing is, in the band, we thought, 'Oh my God, with this pandemic, the songs [don't] mean anything.' Because talking about the Amazonia [the Amazon rainforest] in this time of pandemic — it's such a huge problem for everyone, so it seems a bit awkward to talk about something else. But finally, after one year or pandemic, we think it's the right moment to release this album, because now the lyrics are actually in [line] with what's happening with the world. The album is talking about strength — it's like a quest of courage — so actually, it's the perfect time to release it now. So there is a second dimension to it."
GOJIRA initially laid the foundation for "Fortitude" last year with the surprise release of the 2020 single "Another World".
The artwork for "Fortitude" was created by Joseph Duplantier and can be seen below.
"Fortitude" track listing:
01. Born For One Thing
02. Amazonia
03. Another World
04. Hold On
05. New Found
06. Fortitude
07. The Chant
08. Sphinx
09. Into The Storm
10. The Trails
11. Grind
"Magma" earned GOJIRA its first-ever Grammy nominations for "Best Metal Performance" and "Best Rock Album." GOJIRA's crushing track "Silvera" received a nomination for "Best Metal Performance", while "Magma" was nominated for "Best Rock Album" at the awards.
BEARTOOTH will release its fourth studio album, "Below", on June 25 via Red Bull Records. The official Wyatt Clough-directed music video for the LP's latest single, "The Past Is Dead", can be seen below.
BEARTOOTH frontman Caleb Shomo commented: "'Below' is by far my favorite album I've made to date. It covers the dark side of dealing with mental strain during the last year. I gave it all I had — musically and lyrically. Is it too dark? Possibly, but it was as honest as I could be about how I felt. I hope everyone is ready to strap in for a wild ride of headbanging and rocking."
Regarding "The Past Is Dead", Caleb said: "'The Past Is Dead' was one of the first songs written for the album. The video is meant to depict the beginning of the journey to the deepest and darkest parts of my mind, which was the fuel used to make 'Below'."
"The Past Is Dead" follows the release of "Devastation", which will also appear on "Below".
"Below" track listing:
01. Below
02. Devastation
03. The Past Is Dead
04. Fed Up
05. Dominate
06. No Return
07. Phantom Pain
08. Skin
09. Hell Of It
10. I Wont Give It Up
11. The Answer
12. The Last Riff
Last July, Shomo told "Mosh Talks With Beez" about the writing and recording sessions for "Below": "I worked on a lot of this album on the road — a whole lot of this record. We honestly could not have been luckier with the way our record cycle laid out.
"The 'Disease' tour in Europe was our last tour of the cycle, and that finished on March 6th, I believe. And then the next week, everything got shut down. So we already planned to kind of take most of this year off. We planned on not taking it all off, like we're probably gonna have to.
"I'd already worked on a ton of the record, just writing out on the road; I brought a studio rig out there. And that was great.
"When it first started, the whole lockdown thing, I just kind of emotionally shut down for a month," he continued. "But then I just kind of caught a second wind, and I've just been ripping through songs. It's pretty cool."
Asked if the BEARTOOTH songwriting "formula" is still present in the band's new material, Caleb said: "I think that something about the BEARTOOTH sound is sort of that formula. BEARTOOTH has a song structure — it's the classic pop structure of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, out. But with this one, I've just been trying to amp up everything. 'Cause with the last record, I really wanted to go for that super-raw, live-rock-and-roll-in-the-old-school-studio and old-school-console sound, and it was rad, and I loved doing it. And it was proving to myself that I can make a real record without computers — well, [without] heavily relying on computers. But I don't know… I just kind of realized, like, you know what? That's what I learned as a producer. I came up in the era of mixing in the box and recording in the box, which means using plug-ins and emulations and things like that. I've just been kind of using that to try and push it a little further. The formula is still there, but I don't think it's in a bad way. I think it's the formula people want from a BEARTOOTH record.
"This one is just jacked," he explained. "Everything is amped up to 11. I am so, so pumped. Obviously, this is what you wanna think when you're making a record, but damn, this is the best one yet. Not even close. This is the heaviest record. This is my best work — the most proud I've been of these songs. It's wild. It's some heavy-duty shit."
Speaking about the musical direction of the new BEARTOOTH songs, Shomo said: "The easiest way I've been trying to explain this record to people without giving too much away is if 'Disease' was AC/DC, this record is BLACK SABBATH. It's a lot more influenced in dark stoner rock, heavy power groove. Obviously, there's still a lot of fast [stuff] and some punk rock and all that, but I've really been exploring with the stoner metal side of guitars and guitar tones and doing different tunings and lots of fuzz and chaos and layering the fuck out of my guitar tracks.
"The whole point, for me, of this mix and the sonics of this record is as big and loud and fucking sonically devastating as I can possibly get it," he said. "So on a breakdown, for example, where on 'Disease' it would just be left guitar, right guitar, bass down the middle, this is literally… That little clip I posted [on Instagram ] is I think eight guitars, three bass tracks. Just experimenting — just doing dumb stoner shit and just trying my fucking best. Yeah, that's the goal — is just sonic devastation, for sure."
BEARTOOTH's latest release was the folk- and country music-inspired "The Blackbird Session" EP, which came out in September 2019.
The band's third album, "Disease", was released in September 2018 via Red Bull Records. The disc was recorded at BlackBird studio in Franklin, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz (DEFTONES, KORN, FOO FIGHTERS).
Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman will release his new studio album, "Tokyo Jukebox 3", on April 16 via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. The record, which was made available in Japan last October, is the third in a series that began with "Tokyo Jukebox" in 2009, and then "Tokyo Jukebox 2" following in 2011. The trilogy presents Friedman's inspired performances to Japanese repertoire he's chosen to cover. He shares: "I've been playing stuff from the first two 'Jukebox' albums live all over the world, and it's taken on a life of its own. Especially in places like North and South America, Australia, Italy, France and even India. My fan base is very dedicated, and what I have found is that lots of new fans have been introduced to Japanese music and culture through me, which is very gratifying. On the tours it seems like aside from the dedicated guitar fans, the Japan fanatics have been noticeably growing, so now felt like the right time to do 'Tokyo Jukebox 3'."
The official visualizer for the song "Kaze Ga Fuiteiru" can be seen below.
Marty said: "While keeping intact the essence of Ikimono Gakari's 'Kaze Ga Fuiteiru' melody that I loved, I tried to destroy it, reconstruct it and create five minutes of new music that might bring a tear or a chill, and decidedly lifts your spirits. Whether I accomplished that or not is entirely up to you, but when I just finished the recording of 'Kaze Ga Fuiteru', someone whose opinion I respect very much called it 'grand and elegant,' so I'll go with that."
Friedman put a lot of energy into selecting the right songs to cover for the album, He shares: "In Japan, you have to get permission to record and release cover versions, and that can be a very tricky and long process. So, the last thing I wanted to do was to ask permission to do a song, only to wind up not recording it for whatever reason. That would be very impolite. I spent several weeks choosing songs and demoing them to see whether I could create versions that I could get pumped up about, before I even approached any publishers. I came up with a short list of 20 songs, and from this chose about 15 that I knew I could really score with."
Friedman has also included "The Perfect World", which he wrote, recorded and originally released in 2018. This is the only track on the album with vocals. He reflects: "Back then I did the song with Jean-Ken Johnny from MAN WITH A MISSION on vocals, and that was used as the main theme for the Netflix series 'B: The Beginning'. On the day of release, the song went straight to the top of the Japanese iTunes chart." This recording is a new, fresh interpretation with Alfakyun, one of Japan's premier female J-pop singers performing the vocals. As Friedman offers: "It's really a self-cover, so it fits in with the idea of this being a covers album."
Friedman has also included "Japan Heritage Theme Song", another of his own compositions on which he worked with the Tokyo Philharmonic orchestra. He reflects: "I was asked by the Japanese government to compose an official song to be played at government sponsored events which celebrate Japanese heritage. This was a huge honor, and it was wonderful to be able to work with such a prestigious orchestra which, rather conveniently, my wife plays cello in. Doing this was a little different from what I am used to, because instead of playing a completed track to record company people, I had to face Japanese government officials. I recall looking at their stony faces after they heard it and sweating anxiously awaiting their reaction. Thankfully, they liked what I'd done. I felt this was a great, uplifting way to close the album."
Much of the recording process was done at Power House Studios in Tokyo, with Friedman, who was also the producer on the project, joined by bassist Kiyoshi and drummer Anup Sastry. He shares: "Kiyoshi has been in my band for about six years now doing all my tours and recordings. She is a powerhouse, and I honestly have never seen anyone hit the bass as hard as she does, especially while keeping up with my kind of challenging music. Anup was a member of SKYHARBOR (an Indian/American progressive metal band) and has been on my last three albums. He is just plain phenomenal as well."
The recording process started in January, 2020 and was due to end in March with a release in May. Then the pandemic struck, and everything was pushed back. Friedman had no firm deadline to finish the album within, and he took advantage of the time, reflecting on executing his vision without limitations. He offers: "I kept reworking the music, and improving everything. In the end, it took several months to get the album completed, but it was time well spent. I believe the music turned out so much better because I wasn't under any deadline pressure." The mixing was handled by Jens Bogren at his own Fascination Studios in Sweden. He's a resource Friedman has the utmost confidence in offering, "Jens has mixed my last three albums and he's one of the best in the business. He knows what I want, and I know he'll get it for me."
Friedman's remarkable attention to detail on this album goes beyond the music. The cover image presents the guitarist dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono, with make-up that honors authentic tradition. He offers: "I have to admit that getting this done was a hellish process. It could easily have just looked like a dude in drag and therefore rather stupid. It does take a very serious attitude and approach to pull this off properly. If you look at the covers for the first two 'Jukebox' albums, I had on kabuki make-up. There was no photoshop used at all and that's precisely why they came out so well. This time I brought on the absolute top professionals in the unique field of wardrobe and make-up, and I believe we've hit the bullseye. I am actually wearing two kimonos in the photo, as well as padding to fill me out a little like a sumo wrestler. You'd never believe I am this skinny rock dude from the East Coast of America!"
Friedman staged a live streaming concert on New Year's Day 2021 to celebrate the "Jukebox" series. Plans to tour worldwide are in his sights, sharing: "Obviously, we have to wait and see what happens with international travel protocol. But I cannot wait to get back on the road again. I have really missed it terribly." In the interim, he hopes the world enjoys the fruits of his labor of love on "Jukebox 3", where Friedman takes J-Pop hits and offers his own charismatic interpretations of contemporary repertoire that includes LiSA's "Gurenge" and Official Hige Dandism's "Shukumei", alongside Da Pump's dance track "U.S.A.", Sekai No Owari's ballad "Sazanka", and the vocaloid hit "Senbonzakura". Japanese old-school standards, Zard's "Makenaide" and Every Little Things' "Time Goes By", are also given Marty's modern overhaul to round out the album's track list to cover the full scope of his take on the Japanese music scene. In closing Friedman offers, "I am so happy with the way this turned out. And I am also grateful for how it's been received so far. The reaction has been fantastic. It was joyful and cathartic to record, and I am delighted it's now giving people such a fun diversion."
Californian rockers THE OFFSPRING have released the official music video for the title track of the band's upcoming tenth studio album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", which will arrive on April 16 via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.
Speaking about the inspiration for the "Let The Bad Times Roll" album title, singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland told Lou Brutus of HardDrive Radio (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We had a song two albums ago [on 2008's 'Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace'] called 'Shit Is Fucked Up'. We wrote that 'cause we thought how terrible things were in the world back then. But it actually got worse. So we had to come up with a new title, 'Let The Bad Times Roll'.
"You can apply it to a lot of things," he explained. "I mean, we're not a political band. Some people would apply it to the last administration. Some people would apply it to things that are going on today, or just how messed up everything is, trying to fix our pandemic and all that kind of stuff."
Added guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman: "But really, it's not just an American-centric thing either, cause you're seeing stuff happening around the world. There's unrest happening literally everywhere — on all continents. You're seeing unrest, and then you're also seeing anti-democratic forces kind of taking power in some places, in which case causes more unrest. So, yeah, the whole world is a little bit of a scary place right now."
Dexter continued: "That's right. Climate change, climate deniers, vaccine, anti-vaxxers — whatever you want, it's out there."
Holland, Wasserman, drummer Pete Parada and new bassist Todd Morse wrote and recorded "Let The Bad Times Roll" in the last few years at various locations, including the band's studio in Huntington Beach, California.
In December, THE OFFSPRING released the official music video for its Rock-produced cover version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", a rock song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 seasonal compilation album "A Christmas Gift For You" from Phil Spector.
Last April, THE OFFSPRING jumped on the "Tiger King" bandwagon by recording a cover version of THE CLINTON JOHNSON BAND's "Here Kitty Kitty", a song made popular by Joe Schreibvogel — better known as Joe Exotic, the "Tiger King" — through the Netflix docuseries.
Two years ago, bassist Gregory "Greg K." Kriesel, who hasn't performed with THE OFFSPRING since 2018, filed a federal lawsuit against Noodles and Dexter alleging trademark infringement and breach of partnership agreement over the rights to THE OFFSPRING name. In response, Holland and Wasserman filed a cross-complaint, denying basically everything Kriesel alleged and asking the court to appoint "three disinterested appraisers to appraise the fair value" of Kriesel's shares of THE OFFSPRING.
THE OFFSPRING has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, won countless awards, and has toured consistently, playing more than 500 shows in the last decade alone. Their music has had a lasting impact across film, television, and video games.
Frozen soil of the North has brought to life a new embodiment of Finnish darkness, gloom and beauty. After working in the background for Wolfheart, it's time for Mika Juhani Kankainen to step into the spotlight with his own solo project, Shade Of Sorrow. The debut single "No Return" is out today and is the first of a series of singles to be released during 2021 via Inverse Records..
"No Return" is available on all digital streaming platforms. Check out the video below.
The song and video were produced by Finnish metal mastermind Tuomas Saukkonen (Wolfheart). He comments:
"Mika has been helping Wolfheart in the studio and video production and it was an honor and pleasure to return the favour and sit into the producer's chair both with music and video. Relentless, talented and strong like a bear. Truly my kind of an artist to work with."
"No Return" was recorded by Esa Uusimaa and vocals produced by Juha Kylmänen (Whiteleaf studios). Mix and mastering by Esa Uusimaa.
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