Nordic favorites The Vintage Caravan announce the upcoming release of their new full-length album, Monuments, out April 16 via Napalm Records. The band incorporates a fountain of modern influences mixed with retro reminiscences to create an addictive sound all their own.
After countless high-voltage live performances at festivals such as Roadburn, Wacken and Hellfest, and touring with Opeth, the Icelandic band’s new full-length impressively demonstrates that they have matured both musically and lyrically, accented by bold, nostalgic nuance. Virtuosic ‘70s-inspired guitar ruminations encounter an irrefutable mixture of fresh elements and psychedelic, progressive and blues rock trademarks on Monuments, radiating the soul of some larger-than-life bands of the past as these youngbloods breathe new life into a classic formula.
Cut from Monuments, their first new single, “Whispers”, showcases the band’s musical progression without sacrificing the retro-inspired staples they’ve become renowned for. The accompanying video takes its viewer straight into the hearts and studio of the band, connecting with lucid live-music vibes. Above all, the performance video also highlights the band's musical passion and provides an intimate glimpse into their sonic work.
The Vintage Caravan on the new single “Whispers”: “First single is Whispers! It was one of the first things we came up with for the album. We always try to start our albums in a strong and powerful way and it felt fitting as an opener. Hope you like it as much as we do! Enjoy!!”
Watch the “Whispers” video below.
On 11 diverse tracks, these fast-rising musicians from Reykjavik truly cast a spell on fans of bewitching, guitar-driven classic and blues rock influences. The album opener, “Whispers”, clearly showcases the band’s musical progression without sacrificing their tried-and-true, retro-inspired sonic trademark. “Crystalized '' convinces with light blues influences, encircling the listener in enchanting guitar lines and quickly rising to the full extent of its power while evoking anecdotes of retro nostalgia. “Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind” takes its listener on a blistering ride through pounding drums, intense guitar solos and an undeniably catchy chorus, while tracks like “This One’s For You” represent a stunning blueprint in The Vintage Caravan’s musical universe with unconventional, surprisingly calm melodies and Óskar’s gripping, tranquil vocal power. In contrast, bold drumming merges with fast-paced riffs, enveloping an impressive galloping vortex and pronouncing tracks like “Dark Times” and “Said and Done” as top notch rock pieces. The softly plugging, atmospheric sound of album closer “Clarity” symbolizes the crowning culmination of a 60-minute journey through the eternal landscapes of Iceland and the poetic lyricism of the trio.
With their new studio-album, Monuments, and its captivating, stellar arrangements, these rising stars definitely know how to put their very own stamp on the retro rock wave.
The Vintage Caravan on the new album: “We are proud to present to you our new album Monuments!! This one has been long in the making and we truly believe this is our best work so far. We went into a legendary Icelandic studio, Hljóðriti, during the stormiest season of last winter and tracked non stop for 22 days, working around the clock to get as much done as possible. Luckily enough we finished tracking just before the pandemic hit.
"Having worked with producer Ian Davenport on our previous album Gateways we were comfortable and inspired to take the album to new heights in terms of sound, feel and songwriting. We ended up with quite a diverse set of songs through an interesting and in many ways different process than our usual recording sessions. It was a great feeling to get to experiment more with our sound in so many different ways. We hope you'll enjoy the journey through Monuments!"
Monuments will be available in North America in the following formats:
- 1 CD Digipak
- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Yellow/Red - limited to 300 copies
- Limited Diehard Edition - 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Multicolor Splatter + Patch, Slipmat - limited to 200 copies
- Digital Album
"Whispers"
"Crystallized"
"Can’t Get You Off My Mind"
"Dark Times"
"This One’s For You"
"Forgotten"
"Sharp Teeth"
"Hell"
"Torn In Two"
"Said & Done"
"Clarity"
"Whispers" video:
The Vintage Caravan are:
Óskar Logi Ágústsson – lead vocals, electric guitar
Alexander Örn Númason – bass guitar, backing vocals
Stefán Ari Stefánsson – drums, percussion
German power metal institution, Orden Ogan, will release their new album, Final Days, on March 12 via AFM Records. Check out the video for the new single, "Inferno", below, and pre-order the album here.
The record features guest appearances by Firewind guitarist Gus G. and Brothers Of Metal vocalist Ylva Eriksson.
Where to go from the Wild West? Singer and producer Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann explains: "Final Days is a dark-science-fiction-concept-record and it features all Orden Ogan trademarks such as fat and modern riffs, epic chorusses and melancholic orchestral arrangements. On this record you will find the best songs that we have ever written. Gunmen was a strong and important record for us, but Final Days takes it to the next level."
Tracklist:
"Heart Of The Android"
"In The Dawn Of The AI"
"Inferno"
"Let The Fire Rain"
"Interstellar" (featuring Gus G.)
"Alone in The Dark" (featuring Ylva Eriksson)
"Hollow"
"It Is Over"
Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of the The Treatment's new studio album, Waiting For Good Luck, on April 9. Today, fans can get their first taste of the new album in the form of new single and video, "Rat Race". Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save Waiting For Good Luck here.
Waiting For Good Luck is the fifth full-length album from British hard rockers The Treatment. Showcasing an intense sonic power only hinted at thus far, The Treatment is truly firing on all cylinders now. A first listen will instantly reveal hulking riffs and memorable choruses and further listens reveal more and more as the listener delves into this love letter to hard rock. Waiting For Good Luck truly is a classic album in the making.
Produced by UK rock maestro Laurie Mansworth (Airrace) and mixed by Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Black Country Communion, etc.), Waiting For Good Luck is The Treatment’s second album featuring Tom Rampton on vocals (new bass player Andy Milburn joined after the recording of the album). Rampton's raspy, whisky-soaked vocal style suits the band's driving, hard rock style perfectly and the results of him having toured with and gelled further with the band can really be heard distinctly here.
A magnificent slice of groove-laden, fist-pumping, unapologetic rock 'n roll anthems, which showcase a band hungry for more and showing no signs of slowing down, Waiting For Good Luck is the most realized offering yet from The Treatment.
“We honestly all believe this album is a huge step forward for The Treatment and we can't wait for you to hear it. We will be touring as soon as circumstances will allow us and we look forward to seeing all you Treatment troops at our shows next year,” says the band.
Tracklisting:
"Rat Race"
"Take It Or Leave It"
"Lightning In A Bottle"
"Vampress"
"Eyes On You"
"No Way Home"
"Devil In The Detail"
"Tough Kid"
"Hold Fire"
"Barman"
"Let’s Make Money"
"Wrong Way"
"Rat Race" video:
Lineup:
Tom Rampton - Vocals
Dhani Mansworth - Drums
Tagore Grey - Guitars
Tao Grey - Guitar and Bass Guitar
French symphonic death metal band Exanimis have revealed the music video for a new song from their forthcoming debut album Marionnettiste, due out on March 5th via Klonosphere Records / Season Of Mist.
Titled “Cogs, Gears & Clockworks”, this new video was directed by Tom Capron with the editing and visual effects done by Antoine Binet.
Recorded between Boundless Studio and Nine Rings Studios, the band’s debut album Marionnettiste offers up nine tracks that masterfully blend the brutality and technical proficiency of death metal bands like Fleshgod Apocalypse, Septic Flesh and Obscura, the melodies and progressive textures of Dream Theater, Opeth and Devin Townsend with symphonic arrangements and sinister ambiences inspired by great names of film and video game soundtracks like Danny Elfman, Howard Shore and Nobuo Uematsu. Pre-orders are now available at this location.
Tracklisting:
"Prélude Du Songe Avant Le Cauchemar"
"The Wrathful Beast"
"Throne Of Thorns"
"Stampede Of The 10,000"
"Entracte Du Sommeil Pendant Le Cauchemar"
"Cogs, Gears & Clockworks"
"The Slow Flow Of The Spume On The Shore"
"Cathedral"
"Epilogue Du Songe Après Le Cauchemar"
In the first phase of rollout for their new audio / video release titled Live In Lockdown - The Complete Collection, Darkest Hour have delivered the audio version of the album to their Patreon subscribers today. Additionally, the band has revealed a full performance video for the standout single “Demon(s)”. For this track on Live In Lockdown, Darkest Hour was joined by Fella Di Cicco (Dreamshade) for an epic performance.
Filmed on September 26, 2020 as a benefit for Washington D.C.’s legendary venue Black Cat, Darkest Hour invited guest guitarists Fred Ziomek (Darkest Hour), Kris Norris (Darkest Hour), Buz McGrath (Unearth), Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves / God Forbid), Fella Di Cicco (Dreamshade) and Mark Heylmun (Suicide Silence) to join them via satellite as the band performed 11 of their greatest hits (+ 1 cover song) spanning their 26-year-long career thus far.
A download / full video of this legendary concert and limited 12-inch vinyl will be available in the coming months. Darkest Hour will continue to roll out the distribution of the Live In Lockdown - The Complete Collection audio, video, and limited 12-inch vinyl via their Patreon — subscribe now to stay up-to-date, and look for release details to surface very soon. In addition to Live In Lockdown, Darkest Hour will continue to bring their subscribers unreleased demo songs, lost treasures from their vault, exclusive video content and updates about their upcoming 10th studio album.
Live In Lockdown is free and only available to all Darkest Hour Patreon subscribers at this time. Subscribe now to immediately receive a download code for the audio version of the album and be automatically reserved for the future video and vinyl component.
Tracklisting:
"Doomsayer (Or The Beginning Of The End)"
"Knife In The Safe Room"
"Demon(s)"
"These Fevered Times"
"For The Soul Of The Savior"
"An Epitaph"
"The Sadist Nation"
"Tunguska"
"Enter Oblivion"
"Nazi Punks Fuck Off"
"With A Thousand Words To Say But One"
"Tranquil"
Live In Lockdown - The Complete Collection credits:
Mixed by Mattias Nilsson
Directed by Chad Fjerstad
Produced by Darkest Hour
Darkest Hour is:
Aaron Deal - bass
John Henry - vocals
Travis Orbin - drums
Mike Schleibaum - guitar
Japan's Serenity In Murder will release their new album, entitled Reborn, on February 10th. The album is now available for pre-order worldwide via CD Japan here.
The band has released a new single, "Plead For Your Life". Check it out below.
Tracklist:
"The Great Beyond"
"Anthem"
"Plead For Your Life"
"The Titans"
"Sea Of Stars"
"Rain Or Shine"
"Leaves Burned To Ashes"
"Beast In Human Shape"
"The Black Sun"
"The Glow Of Embers"
"The Four Seasons"
SEVENDUST co-founder, guitarist and vocalist Clint Lowery has released the music video for his solo song "Silver Lining". The track is taken from his debut solo album, "God Bless The Renegades", which came out in January 2020 via Rise Records.
Lowery recorded the album with producer and co-writer Michael "Elvis" Baskette (SLASH, ALTER BRIDGE) at Studio Barbarosa in Florida. The drums on the disc were laid down by VAN HALEN bassist Wolfgang Van Halen.
"I had 30 or 40 ideas and frameworks for songs," Clint told Digital Journal. "I brought a lot of those to the table to Elvis, my producer. We went through all of those songs and we tried to figure out which songs best represented the material that I wanted to put out as my first solo release. It was very important to pick the right songs, and still connect with the SEVENDUST fanbase and at the same time, try to expand a little bit, and make new fans."
Regarding the recording process, Clint told Madness To Creation: "The recording process was probably the easiest part. I think coming up with the material and deciding what kind of record I wanted to make was the most tedious part. Here I wanted to do a super-heavy record. I also wanted to do a really organic, Southern singer/songwriter kind of thing, and then it just kind of changed and became this. I think with the recording process I watched Van Halen play bass and drums, and then with Elvis Baskette, which, through SEVENDUST, I already have a relationship with him. The process was just very smooth. We did the whole record in three and a half weeks. And once we decided on the songs, it was just about getting it laid down. Those guys are so pro and so quick, it was a very efficient record. And vocally, going in the booth and singing with Elvis, we talked in between takes. Him and I were just going back and forth and just talking about life between us. There were a couple of times where we would talk about our dads, and that kind of stuff. That was a very true piece of it I went through with him, and I think part of it was just the singer opening up. I left feeling lighter. I'm so glad I got that out."
In addition to SEVENDUST and CALL ME NO ONE, Lowery has been a member of, written, recorded, or performed with DARK NEW DAY, KORN, RED, Tommy Lee's METHODS OF MAYHEM, SNOT, 10 YEARS and DIGITAL SUMMER, among others.
With COVID-19 plaguing the world during 2020, the international heavy metal community came screeching to a near standstill. The silence became deafening. And then one day, like a bolt of lightning, an idea came to Metalreels: What if you brought together a bunch of the heaviest hitters in the world and had them all contribute to just one song? How about, for instance, Biff Byford of SAXON on vocals, Eric Peterson of TESTAMENT on guitar, Jay Jay French of TWISTED SISTER on guitar, powerhouse drummer Hannes Van Dahl of SABATON and, finally, bassist extraordinaire Cecilia Nappo of BLACK MAMBA?
Well, as things turned out they were all happy to go along with that idea, and now Metalreels is very pleased to present the final result, the "Spin The Wheel" project.
"Spin The Wheel" will be available for streaming on all major digital platforms and as an "in the studio" video. There is also a limited-edition physical release on 12-inch gatefold-sleeve black vinyl, exclusively available through the Metalreels.com web site, featuring the following tracks:
1. "Spin The Wheel" (written by Biff Byford and recorded by the mentioned all-stars)
2. "The Devil Rides" - DEMON (taken from the "Soundtrack For The Game")
3. "March Of The Devil" - BLACK MAMBA (brand new track featuring new leadvocalist Linda Daemon)
"Last summer we did an awesome stream called Wacken World Wide," says Sweden's Sabaton. "It was live streamed from a virtual reality studio, and we think it turned out really cool. Here's 'Panzerkampf' from that stream."
"Panzerkampf" is from Sabaton's fourth album, The Art Of War, released in 2008.
Japan's Unlucky Morpheus have released a cover album entitled Loud Playing Workshop, which includes violinist Jill paying tribute to Eddie Van Halen with a cover of the guitar legend's signature instrumental, "Eruption". Check it out below.
Loud Playing Workshop also includes covers of instrumentals from Steve Vai, Dream Theater, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen and more.
Tracklist:
"Far Beyond The Sun" (Yngwie Malmsteen)
"The Dance of Eternity" (Dream Theater)
"Into the Arena" (Michael Schenker)
"Hundreds Of Thousands" (Tony MacAlpine)
"Scarified" (Racer X)
"Eruption" (Eddie Van Halen)
"For the Love of God" (Steve Vai)
"Technical Difficulties" (Racer X)
"17th Century Chicken Pickin'" (Chris Impellitteri)
Rob Zombie has released the second single, “The Eternal Struggles Of The Howling Man”, from The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy album, to be released March 12 via Nuclear Blast.
Watch the new music video below, and listen to “The Eternal Struggles Of The Howling Man” and lead single “The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt Of Preservation And Superstition)” here.
The LP is Rob Zombie’s seventh studio album and marks his first new album in nearly five years. The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy is a classic Zombie album to its core with high-energy rages like “The Eternal Struggles Of the Howling Man” and “Get Loose” to heavy-groove thumpers like “Shadow Of The Cemetery Man” and “Shake Your Ass-Smoke Your Grass.” The new album is produced by Zeuss.
As a rock icon and filmmaker with a unique vision, Rob Zombie has continuously challenged audiences as he stretches the boundaries of both music and film. Rob Zombie is a 7-time Grammy nominee, has sold fifteen million albums worldwide to date, and is the only artist to experience unprecedented success in both music and film as the writer/director of eight feature films with a worldwide gross totaling more than $150 million. His re-imagining of John Carpenter’s Halloween in 2007 debuted at #1 and still holds a Box Office record for Labor Day Weekend.
Pre-order The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy here.
The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy tracklisting:
"Expanding The Head Of Zed"
"The Triumph Of King Freak (A Crypt Of Preservation And Superstition)"
"The Ballad Of Sleazy Rider"
"Hovering Over The Dull Earth"
"Shadow Of The Cemetery Man"
"A Brief Static Hum And Then The Radio Blared"
"18th Century Cannibals, Excitable Morlocks And A One-Way Ticket On The Ghost Train"
"The Eternal Struggles Of The Howling Man"
"The Much Talked Of Metamorphosis"
"The Satanic Rites Of Blacula"
"Shower Of Stones"
"Shake Your Ass-Smoke Your Grass"
"Boom-Boom-Boom"
"What You Gonna Do With That Gun Mama"
"Get Loose"
"The Serenity Of Witches"
"Crow Killer Blues"
“The Triumph Of King Freak (A Crypt Of Preservation And Superstition)” video:
Devil Sold His Soul will release their fourth studio album, Loss, via Nuclear Blast Records on April 9. A music video for the second single, "The Narcissist", can be found below.
Singer Paul Green on the new album: "We're incredibly excited to announce the release of our 4th album, Loss, through Nuclear Blast Records. Loss comes from a dark place for us, life was cruel in the years before and during we wrote this record, this was our fuel for the songs. Loss is an honest snapshot of that time in our lives, and it is our way of paying respect to those we loved and who are no longer with us. We couldn't be more proud of these 10 songs and where they have pushed our songwriting, and we hope they truly connect with the listener. I don't think any of us imagined when we were writing this album, that we would end up signing to the biggest metal label in the world. It's given us that added validation that we've created something special, and we now have the platform to push it to where it needs to be.The belief that the team at Nuclear Blast has shown in the record is truly humbling, we're extremely proud to be a part of this great label, and to be on a roster alongside so many bands we love and respect."
The album will be available in various formats. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Ardour"
"Witness Marks"
"Burdened"
"Tateishi"
"The Narcissist"
"Beyond Reach"
"Signal Fire"
"Acrinomy"
"But Not Forgotten"
"Loss"
"The Narcissist" video:
"Beyond Reach" video:
Devil Sold His Soul begin a new chapter in their highly-acclaimed career, signing to metal heavyweights Nuclear Blast Records. 2021 will see the band release their fourth studio album Loss, their first with the dual vocal attack of Ed Gibbs and Paul Green.
Devil Sold His Soul burst onto the UK underground metal and hardcore scene in 2004 growing a cult following from their first record, Darkness Prevails EP released through Visible Noise in 2005. Their debut album, A Fragile Hope, saw the band take their position as one of the most respected underground bands in the UK with their visceral and captivating live shows. Devil Sold His Soul’s sophomore album, Blessed And Cursed, elevated their sound and audience to new heights.
With Ed Gibbs departing the band early in the year, 2013 saw the first new material featuring singer Paul Green with single "Time", followed by 2014’s Belong Betray EP and 2016’s The Reckoning. After welcoming Gibbs back to sing on the 2017 A Fragile Hope anniversary tour, the band asked Gibbs to continue the dual vocals with Green for the remaining festivals and tours that year, with the lineup then becoming a permanent fixture.
2018 saw the band travel beyond Europe with their first touring in Asia, they also began to put the foundations down on what would become their new record Loss. Written about the struggles faced in recent years, Loss’treads familiar ground and explores exciting new territories for Devil Sold His Soul, including for the first time the dual vocals of Gibbs and Green on record. Recorded, engineered and mixed by guitarist Jonny Renshaw at his UK based Bandit Studios, Devil Sold His Soul have poured heart and sincerity into every atom of this their fourth album, with song writing elevated to new levels.
Devil Sold His Soul is:
Rick Chapple – Guitar, Piano
Jonny Renshaw - Guitar
Alex Wood - Drums
Jozef Norocky - Bass
Paul Green – Vocals
Ed Gibbs - Vocals
TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick has teamed up with ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz to record a cover version of the QUEEN classic "We Are The Champions". A quarantine-style video for their rendition of the song can be seen below.
Regarding how the collaboration came about, Alex says: "Last spring, when lockdown 'challenges' were all the rage, we'd been among more than a dozen musicians and singers answering [QUEEN guitarist] Brian May's call in a wonderful, elaborate all-star video in tribute to first responders ([go] back to last spring to see the full version, with a different vocalist singing each line). For this we created a straight through 'jamming' version, with her voice straight through and remixed by yours truly (not easy, but a fun challenge!).
"This is a special video posted on both of our Patreon accounts (thank you, patrons!) as a gift during the holidays. Now we are announcing it as it is available to view for all. Enjoy!"
Skolnick joined TESTAMENT in 1985 at the age of 16 and stayed with the band for eight years before leaving in 1993 and going on to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He rejoined TESTAMENT as a full-time member in 2005.
In addition to playing with ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO and TESTAMENT, he has worked as a sideman with such artists as vocalist Ishtar of the French band ALABINA and Jewish folk singer Debbie Friedman. He has also guested on an album from RODRIGO Y GABRIELA.
Three years ago, the ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO — comprised of Skolnick, Zebroski and bassist Nathan Peck — released "Conundrum", its first album since 2011.
TESTAMENT's latest album, "Titans Of Creation", came out in April 2020 via Nuclear Blast.
Alissa has spent the last few years working on her long-awaited solo album, to be released via Napalm Records. The effort is expected to include contributions and collaborations with past and present members of ARCH ENEMY and KAMELOT, as well as MISFITS guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein.
Alissa said in a 2017 interview that the idea for a solo project came about as a suggestion from ARCH ENEMY's former lead singer Angela Gossow, who has been managing the band's career for a decade and also oversees Alissa's personal affairs.
Italian metallers Frozen Crown have checked in with the following update:
"Dear friends, as you already know 2020 has been a hard year for musicians and each of us had to take some time to sit down, deal with reality and review his / her own priorities in life. It’s not easy to be part of a band, let alone doing it during a period that doesn’t allow you to live that experience to the fullest and to travel the world playing around, or even to share some time with your bandmates to start with. This is why, in different times during last year, Alberto, Thalía and Filippo decided to leave the band to focus on their personal projects: we wish them all the best for their new ventures and for their lives. We would also like to thank them for the awesome moments spent touring around, and to celebrate our three years together with this last video from Crowned In Frost, portraying the 'classic' Frozen Crown line-up.
As you already know, our third album has just been completed (as the songwriting line-up remains unchanged anyway) and will be announced in the next days, as well as the new members of the band. Be sure to check this page for many updates to come!"
Check out the "Battles In The Night" video below.
Crowned In Frost is the second album from Frozen Crown, coming a year after the debut The Fallen King, which gave the band huge media exposure and brought a deal with international booking agency Nine Lives Entertainment, amongst many other accomplishments.
This time, mastermind and songwriter Federico Mondelli amplified the classic/heavy and power metal components of the band, making Crowned In Frost an aggressive and monolithic album from the very beginning, still keeping the listener engaged with its rich sound and wide variety of songs, including instrumental interludes and outstanding female vocals, brought to life by talented Giada "Jade" Etro.
As with the first album, Federico wrote the music and recorded all guitars and keyboards (being an all-round artist he designed the beautiful artwork as well) for Crowwned In Frost, whilst the drum parts were arranged by drummer Alberto Mezzanotte. Lyrics are once again the result of the joint efforts of Giada and Federico. Production duties have been handled by Andrea Fusini.
Crowned In Frost broadens Frozen Crown’s musical landscape still keeping intact an uncommon taste for melody and catchy refrains. The album was released on March 22nd, 2019 via Scarlet Records.
Tracklisting:
"Arctic Gales"
"Neverending"
"In The Dark"
"Battles In The Night"
"Winterfall"
"Unspoken"
"Lost In Time"
"The Wolf And The Maiden"
"Forever"
"Enthroned"
"Crowned In Frost"
Fractal Universe have released the new video below, along with the following message:
"Watch Hugo and Vince shred through 'Flashes Of Potentialities' with on-screen tabs! That's not all. Sign up to our newsletter to get some 'Flashes Of Potentialities' related free content!
Just enter your email to get:
- Complete tabs for all instruments (Guitar Pro and PDF)
- Backing tracks for each instrument and STEMS
- Wav. file of the song
So now's your turn: grab your instrument, and let us see your covers! We'll make sure to share them on our social medias!"
Supergroup Halloween Jack has released “Trash”, a cover song video by The New York Dolls as a tribute or token of love to the glam/punk band’s Sylvain Sylvain who died earlier this month after losing his battle with cancer.
The New York Dolls, known for their glam rock androgyny and their signature attire including women’s makeup and frenzied, bizarre fashions, revitalized the New York City underground music scene in the '70s foreshadowing punk by half a decade. The Dolls were an anomaly considered to be one of the most influential bands on the planet with their unpolished, chaotic music expression that combined British invasion-influenced rhythm and blues with the guitar distortion and booming backbeat of proto-punk bands such as Iggy and the Stooges.
Halloween Jack combines the talent of Stephen Perkins drummer of Jane’s Addiction, Gilby Clarke former guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, Dan Shulman former bassist of Garbage, Eric Dover guitarist from Jellyfish, and guest guitarist Steve Stevens of Billy Idol, a huge fan of the Dolls. Halloween Jack’s "Trash" video is filled with a texture and color completely reminiscent of the orgasmic, sophisticated anarchy that captured the essence of the kaleidoscopic vibrancy transmitted by the original New York Dolls. Halloween Jack wished to celebrate the memory of Sylvain using the video as a token of love to the fallen icon.
When asked what the New York Dolls meant to him Dan Shulman responded, “It meant freedom. I was a shy kid growing up, so the idea that you could express yourself, and look outrageous, and play outrageous music, and feel that you can communicate with people in that way was huge for me.” He went on to say “The New York Dolls along with KISS, Alice Cooper, and Bowie, sent me the message as a kid that anything was possible.”
Stephen Perkins, drummer of Jane’s Addiction masterminded the idea for a tribute video for Sylvain Sylvain while taking a shower. To Perkins, the New York Dolls represented courage. “The courage and bravery it took to get on stage and be able to play their instruments with such cuts. To dress up with such confidence and to strut. I wasn’t in New York, but it seemed dangerous and dirty and that went right into the music. They were an original New York City band and I love hearing the city in their music. You know Van Halen could never come from anywhere but LA, and the Dolls can only be in New York.” Perkins went on to say, “Even today when listening to the song 'Trash', we had to put our balls on the table to make it sound like the Dolls.”
Steve Stevens, world class guitarist from Billy Idol was actually given his stage name by Sylvain Sylvain when it was suggested that he use his first name twice. “Growing up in New York City I really believe that the Dolls spearheaded not only the punk rock scene, but all of the bands in New York that came after them,” Steven exclaimed. He then went on to say, “The thing about this video is that I really didn’t know what to expect, but the fact that there is original footage of the band that we are all really paying homage to Sylvain. I was really happy that we were able to honor them, and I am really happy to have my name attached in someway to honor them.”
According to former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, “The Dolls were a huge influence on me. I was starting to go down a deep, dark heavy metal hole. Then I found The New York Dolls and that changed everything. They were like my version of the Rolling Stones that I could really relate to. I loved Mark Bolin from T-Rex, I love the Sweet and Bowie, but the Dolls to me were a perfect blend of the glam rock, but still rock ‘n’ roll.”
Sylvain Mizrahi best recognized by his stage name Sylvain Sylvain was the guitarist for The New York Dolls. One of the key architects of rock music, Sylvain was the driving force behind the band and the soul of the clothes, style and thrilling guitar combinations that would be such a profound influence on punk rock. As a precursor to the Dolls, he created the band Actress from a bunch of guys that hung around his clothing store that would later give birth to the Sex Pistols. In 2019, Sylvain announced that he had cancer and he died in his home on January 13, 2021.
The At The Movies project - launched by Pretty Maids guitarist Chris Laney due to the COVID-19 pandemic - caught fire over the course of 2020, and project has now moved on to movie soundtrack covers from the '90s. Check out "The One and Only” from the 1991 Warner Bros. movie Doc Hollywood starring Michael J. Fox.
The core At The Movies players are as follows:
Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork) - lead / backing vocals
Linnéa Vikström Egg (Therion) - lead / backing vocals
Chris Laney (Pretty Maids) - guitars
Allan Sørensen (Royal Hunt, Pretty Maids) - drums
Morten Sandager (Pretty Maids) - keyboards
Pontus Norgren (HammerFall) - guitars
Pontus Egberg (King Diamond) - bass
Nad Sylvan ended 2020 on a rather happy note. He released “You’ve Got To Find A Way” in December 2020, a bonus track on his upcoming album Spiritus Mundi.
Nad is now releasing the first proper album track “The Fisherman” off of said album to the world.
Nad comments: “No one is a prophet in their own land”. W.B Yeats, the famous Irish poet penned the poem The Fisherman in 1914 that this song is based on. At this point in time, he felt misunderstood by his contemporaries, just like I have done growing up in a small minded world. Yeats poems are filled with double and hidden messages. So is this video.”
After concluding the Vampirate’s trilogy, Nad now changes course on his upcoming fourth album by converting poems of WB Yeats into music. The new album is due for release on April 9 2021 via InsideOut Music. The stunning new cover artwork by Robin Damore can be seen below:
QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre will release his debut solo album, "Rejoice In The Suffering", on February 5 via Rat Pak Records. The official music video for the disc's latest single, "Crossroads To Insanity", can be seen below. The clip is set in a mental institution, where a sane man faces the threshold of his own sanity due to the confinement. While the track might seem reminiscent of the work Todd is most known for, the song builds to a fiery guitar solo delivered by Todd's songwriting partner Craig Blackwell where it showcases the sound that is all his own. Sonically different than anything Todd has released from "Rejoice In The Suffering" to date, the song is poised to be an instant favorite for listeners.
Says Todd: "'Crossroads To Insanity' is one of our favorite tracks on the album. With a slow and moody opening and verses, it builds into a full-blown heavy chorus, sliding into a masterful melodic guitar solo. This song not only exhibits another texture, but also provides balance and musical diversity to the album."
The idea for a solo album was always in the cards for Todd. With QUEENSRŸCHE tour dates postponed indefinitely, the world events offered Todd the opportunity to explore his ideas for the effort. Todd teamed up with Blackwell, alongside producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, to create a diverse heavy metal album that draws influence from different styles. These styles will surprise fans who only know La Torre from his previous work with QUEENSRŸCHE or CRIMSON GLORY.
Said Todd: "'Rejoice In The Suffering' was truly a labor of love. It's a pure metal record that certainly showcases a wide range of my vocal abilities. I feel there is something for any true fan of metal on this album. This album is full of groove, dynamics, power, and substance and I can’t wait for people to hear it."
From the album's opening riffs of "Dogmata" to the vocal acrobatics that drive the album closer "Apology", it is apparent that La Torre has a true love of heavy metal. With Todd playing drums and recording the vocals for the album, songs like "Darkened Majesty" and "Critical Cynic" offer an inside look into his musical mind. Blackwell's guitar playing provides the perfect musical accents to La Torre's vocals. Todd even finds vocal wails not heard from him before as showcased on the title track and the punishing "Vanguards Of The Dawn Wall". The deluxe version of the album features three bonus tracks: "Fractured", "Set It Off" and "One By One". Fans can pre-order the album in various bundle configurations here.
"Rejoice In The Suffering" track listing:
01. Dogmata
02. Pretenders
03. Hellbound And Down
04. Darkened Majesty
05. Crossroads To Insanity
06. Critical Cynic
07. Rejoice In The Suffering
08. Vexed
09. Vanguards Of The Dawn Wall
10. Apology
Bonus tracks (deluxe version only)
11. Fractured
12. Set It Off
13. One By One
La Torre previously talked about his plans to release a solo LP in a 2017 interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. He stated about the direction of the material that will appear on the record: "Musically, it is probably, like, FIGHT meets PANTERA meets BLACK LABEL [SOCIETY]. It's definitely got that kind of southern… You know, PANTERA had that certain power groove — not full-fledged [speed], but has thrash elements. And then vocally, I'm singing probably a lot more chest voice, and then I've got some brutal gutteral vocals on it… That'll be a lot more brutal and more thrash, but the vocals are definitely more a power-metal, operatic kind of a thing — very aggressive…"
La Torre joined his first band BLACKWELL as the drummer, performing in high school talent shows and entering into the club rock music scene in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 2009, Todd was suggested to CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Jon Drenning by a mutual friend to help with some vocal rehearsals in preparation for a CRIMSON GLORY memorial concert. This would pave the way for more collaborations with the band, eventually joining as the band’s new permanent vocalist. La Torre was the lead singer for CRIMSON GLORY from late 2010 until resigned from the band in early 2013. In 2012, Todd became a household name in the metal world when he officially became the new lead vocalist of QUEENSRŸCHE. The band immediately began touring globally and started writing new material for the self-titled 2013 album "Queensrÿche". To date, QUEENSRŸCHE has released three studio albums with La Torre: "Queensrÿche", "Condition Hüman" (2015) and "The Verdict" (2019). Currently the band is writing new material for a fourth release for Century Media Records.
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