Immortal Guardian has unveiled a music video for “Clocks”, the third single from their forthcoming concept album “Psychosomatic”. The clip, which features footage from the last time the extreme progressive/power metal quartet was together before the Covid pandemic broke out, can be viewed below:
“No matter how hard we try to control our futures, history constantly repeats itself,” guitarist/keyboardist Gabriel Guardian says of the new single. “'Clocks' is a song about trying to break out of cycles that seem to inevitably repeat themselves.”
The video for “Clocks” features footage from the band's early production work on “Psychosomatic”, as well as clips of their experiences at last year’s NAMM convention, which was the last time the band was together prior to the pandemic. Due to subsequent lockdowns – the subject of a song and video the band released last month – “Psychosomatic” ended up being a truly multi-national record, with Gabriel remaining in Las Vegas, vocalist Carlos Zema recording his vocals from his home in Brazil, new drummer Justin Piedimonte contributing from his hometown of Montreal, Canada, and new bassist Joshua Lopez remaining in Immortal Guardian's native Texas.
The song and video for “Clocks” also features a dizzying dual guitar/keyboard solo from Gabriel Guardian. His uncanny ability to play guitar and keyboard simultaneously has been showcased on MTV's “Amazingness,” and his unique dual-instrument covers of classics by the likes of Iron Maiden, Pantera and Guns N' Roses have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. The song also captures the soaring vocal performance of Zema and the power brought to the table by new members Piedimonte and Lopez.
The band urges fans to visit their online shop to pre-order their new album, Psychosomatic, which will be released on February 12 via M-Theory Audio.
Immortal Guardian previously unveiled a music video for “Lockdown”, the second single from their forthcoming concept album, Psychosomatic. The clip, which showcases the group cleverly adapting to the same stay-at-home conditions that are affecting millions of people around the world at this moment can be viewed below.
"Rich or poor, it doesn't matter, every human this year experienced some kind of lockdown/isolation during this insane year,” says guitarist / keyboardist Gabriel Guardian. “We couldn't even just meet up because our borders were on lockdown for international travel. Thank god for the internet, as we were able to still create music and keep each other company online even with thousands of miles between each member. 'Lockdown' talks about all of the same questions we all have been asking ourselves since the start of the pandemic. Where did this all come from? Who's to blame? Is the lockdown saving more lives than it's destroying? We can only keep making music through these crazy times and hope for a better tomorrow."
Tracklisting:
"Psychosomatic"
"Read Between The Lines"
"Lockdown"
"Phobia"
"Clocks"
"Self-Isolation"
"Goodbye To Farewells"
"Candlelight"
"Find The Reason"
"New Day Rising"
After winning over new audiences with their acclaimed 2018 debut full-length Age of Revolution and touring relentlessly alongside fellow shredders such as Marty Friedman, Powerglove, and Exmortus, Immortal Guardian gathered in Las Vegas earlier this year to begin recording their second album. As the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent pandemic began to ensue, each member of the band retreated to their respective hometowns. With shutdowns around the world being enforced, the band completely scrapped the record that they had been working on and were heavily inspired to write and create a new thematic record about their emotions surrounding current events.
The video for “Read Between The Lines” - produced and directed by SBLGA - also saw the members of Immortal Guardian contributing remotely from their respective homes, and shows off the continued refinement of their full-frontal assault of anthemic melodies, technical rhythms, furious shred and high-flying vocals.
Psychosomatic is the next step in Immortal Guardian’s evolution while still capturing the band’s exhilarating trademark melding of melodic power metal with progressive / shred tendencies.
Immortal Guardian is:
Gabriel Guardian – guitars / keyboards
Carlos Zema – vocals
Justin Piedimonte – drums
Josh Lopez – bass
Los Angeles based Zero Theorem are continuing their momentum from 2020 with the release of new EP The Killing II, now available worldwide. The band combines existential lyrics about the human experience with blistering instrumentation. The group follows the lead of bands such as Tool and Primus by creating an entire universe of sound and light for fans to explore. The band teamed with renowned producer Kane Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Ozzy Osbourne, Papa Roach) on the EP and new focus track “Joke”.
Vocalist Caesar says of “Joke”: “The song reflects the illusory nature of the self, both in cyberspace and the physical world. No one is entirely what they may think or claim to be, even the most insightful among us. Moreover, today's technological trends and social platforms seem to have amplified our tendency toward self-delusion."
He continues: "Maintaining a healthy sense of humility and open-mindedness can be challenging under more traditional circumstances. However, the need for critical reflection and honest self-representation is rapidly growing alongside our modern advancements."
"Joke" expands on the band's exploration of what it means to be authentically human, especially at a time in which the lines between organic and artificial reality continue to blur. In the accompanying video directed by Daniel Prothero, Zero Theorem expands its sci-fi universe with the depiction of another mysterious alien world. Here, a childlike being emerges from the ground to wreak havoc on the planet and its unsuspecting inhabitants as Prothero's psychedelic 2D animation takes him on a whimsical journey of destruction and transformation.
Zero Theorem had a breakthrough year in 2020, with singles “Translucent” and “Swarm”, which landed on Hard Rock and Metal playlists on all major streaming services, including Spotify Rock Hard playlist (Swarm for 12 straight weeks; Translucent for 16 weeks and counting) as well as Spotify New Metal Tracks playlist. Both also spent 6 weeks+ on Apple Music Breaking Hard Rock & Breaking Metal playlists; Pandora New Metal Now, New Rock Now & New Music Now playlists and Pandora New Metal, This Year In Metal, New Rock and Hard Rock Radio channels. Zero Theorem has 8.1 million cumulative audio streams of their music.
Tracklisting:
“Translucent”
“Joke”
“The Future”
“Swarm”
“Waiting”
A Killer's Confession, the band led by former Mushroomhead vocalist Waylon Reavis, has released its brand new single, "Remember", via Wake Up! Music Rocks (a division of Wake Up! Music). The single is from the band's third album, coming out later this year.
The song can be streamed here , and a video can be found below.
"Sometimes in life, people are quick to forget the good and the bad," states Reavis. "We all need to be reminded from time to time where the line in the sand is truly drawn.”
Formed in 2016 in Cleveland, OH, A Killer's Confession (AKC) is led by vocalist Waylon Reavis and consists of Morgan Bauer (drums), JP Cross (bass), and Tommy Church (guitar).
The debut album from AKC Unbroken was released in May 2017 via EMP Group, the label founded by Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson. The first single, "A Killer's Confession", featured Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. After the contract term ended with EMP Group, the band self-released their next three singles ("Angel On The Outside," "I Wish," and "Reanimated") all to critical and commercial acclaim, racking up over 2 million cumulative streams on Spotify.
In 2019, Pepper Gomez, the founder and CEO of Chicago and Miami based Wake Up! Music Group signed A Killer’s Confession. The band’s sophomore album The Indifference Of Good Men was produced by Sahaj Ticotin (vocalist for Ra) in Los Angeles, CA. It included the single "Numb,” along with the previously released singles "I Wish,” “Reanimated,” and "Angel On The Outside.” The band is managed by Jeromy Jerome for FM Music Management.
Whether or not Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor were tuned in when their future frontman, Adam Lambert, auditioned for the eighth season of US singing competition American Idol, his performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" definitely launched Lambert's successful singing career.
Watch Adam's performance, which first aired in 2009, below:
Queen + Adam Lambert's latest release, Live Around The World, comes in CD, CD+DVD, CD+Blu-ray and Vinyl formats. Order here, or via the official Queen Online Store here.
The set presents a compilation of concert highlights captured the world over personally selected by Taylor, May and Lambert from over 200 shows they have performed with several featured here becoming available for the very first time. These cover concerts from Rock in Rio, Lisbon, to the UK’s Isle of Wight Festival, Summer Sonic, Japan, selected UK and North America tour dates, and - from one of their very last performances before lockdown - the Fire Fight Australia benefit show. All formats include the band’s entire 22-minute Fire Fight Australia appearance in which they performed Queen’s original history-making 1985 Live Aid set in full: Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, Hammer To Fall, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions. While even Freddie Mercury’s iconic Ay-Ohs feature.
The twenty tracks featured include firm Queen fan favourites like ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ and ‘I Want To Break Free’ as well as rarities such as their versions of the Freddie Mercury penned “Love Kills” and “I Was Born To Love You”. The live album comes in CD, CD+DVD, CD+Blu-ray and Vinyl versions, with the DVD and Blu-ray featuring extra performance footage which include a Roger Taylor ‘Drum Battle’ with drummer son Rufus Taylor, and Brian May ‘Last Horizon’ guitar solo.
CD / vinyl tracklisting:
"Tear It Up" - The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
"Now I'm Here" - Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
"Another One Bites The Dust" - Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
"Fat Bottomed Girls" ft. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - American Airlines Center, Dallas, USA, 2019
"Don't Stop Me Now" - Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
"I Want To Break Free" - Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
"Somebody To Love" - Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
"Love Kills" (The Ballad) - iHeart Radio Theater, Los Angeles, USA, 2014
"I Was Born To Love You" - Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
"Under Pressure" - Global Citizen Festival, New York, USA, 2019
"Who Wants To Live Forever" - Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
"The Show Must Go On" - The O2, London, UK, 04/07/2018
"Love Of My Life" - The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Radio Ga Ga" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Ay-Ohs" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Hammer To Fall" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"We Will Rock You" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"We Are The Champions" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
DVD / Blu-ray tracklisting:
"Tear It Up" - The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
"Now I'm Here" - Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
"Another One Bites The Dust" - Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
"Fat Bottomed Girls" ft. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - American Airlines Center, Dallas, USA, 2019
"Don't Stop Me Now" - Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
"I Want To Break Free" - Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
"Somebody To Love" - Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
"Love Kills" (The Ballad) - iHeart Radio Theater, Los Angeles, USA, 2014
"I Was Born To Love You" - Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
"Drum Battle" - Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia, 2014
"Under Pressure" - Global Citizen Festival, New York, USA, 2019
"Who Wants To Live Forever" - Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
"The Guitar Solo" (Last Horizon) - The O2, London, UK, 2018
"The Show Must Go On" - The O2, London, UK, 04/07/2018
"Love Of My Life" - The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Radio Ga Ga" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Ay-Ohs" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Hammer To Fall" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"We Will Rock You" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
"We Are The Champions" - Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
2021 is destined for heaviness: Sweden's finest stoner rock four-piece, Greenleaf, have just announced their upcoming full-length, Echoes From A Mass, out March 26 via Napalm Records. The successor to their 2018 epic, Hear The Rivers, is poised to disperse their renowned sludgy energy to all disciples of the genre.
Once again, Greenleaf have combined all of the finest stoner metal ingredients for their forthcoming offering - impacting with a prog and psychedelic-laced punch that accents the Swedes’ already motile sonic firmament. Heavy desert riffs, sprawling drums, captivating melodies and grooving rhythms make their new record an absolute must-listen.
Their first single, “Tides”, and its intense official music video, immediately draw the listener into a swirl of guitar driven soundscapes, while Arvid Hällagård’s remarkable voice merges with hypnotizing background vocals, ceremonially inviting the listener into a heavy reverie.
Greenleaf on the new album: “2020 was a shitty year for sure but there was at least a little bit of light in the darkness, Echoes From A Mass was written and recorded! This is an album that we are extremely proud of and we hope you will like it as much as we do.”
Watch the new video for “Tides” below.
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 will be available in the following formats:
- 1 CD Digipak
- 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Cream/Black
- 1 CD Digipak + Patch Bundle
- 1 CD Digipak + Shirt Bundle
"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"
"Tides" video:
Greenleaf are:
Arvid Hällagård - vocals
Tommi Holappa - guitar
Hans Fröhlich - bass
Sebastian Olsson- drums
New Zealand's speed metal overlords, Stälker, returns with a sweat-inducing visual from their 2019 tour across Europe - a nostalgic collection of intense live footage from a pre-pandemic time. Along with the blistering single “Sentenced To Death” cut from their 2020 Napalm Records release Black Majik Terror, Stälker gives us a taste of what we’re in for as soon as live shows are up and running again.
Watch the official music video for “Sentenced To Death” below:
The band's second full-length album, Black Majik Terror, is available via Napalm Records. Order your copy here.
Tracklisting:
"Of Steel And Fire"
"Black Majik Terror"
"Sentenced To Death"
"Stalker"
"Holocene's End"
"Demolition"
"The Cross"
"Iron Genocide"
"Intruder"
Connecticut power thrashers Sacred Oath will release a second single “Hammer Of An Angry God” on January 29 for streaming and download on all digital platforms. The single features cover artwork by Kenny “Thundarr” Evans. BraveWords is hosting the premiere of the lyric video for the new track; check it out below!
“‘Hammer Of An Angry God’ is a more traditional-style metal song than ‘Return Of The Dragon’” says the band’s singer Rob Thorne. “It’s also the first proper introduction of our new three guitar arrangement, guitar solos and all. It’s a fun track and gets right to the point.”
Subsequently, Sacred Oath will release three more singles on February 12, February 26, and March 19. Each single features a new and unique cover painted by Evans. Platforms like Spotify and YouTube will also feature each art piece on video and canvas.
Album art for the full-length cover was also painted by Evans and features a return to the band logo used for albums such as World On Fire and editions of A Crystal Vision.
Preorder for both the deluxe CD and double LP editions will begin on January 29 exclusively on the band’s website. These editions will be limited-edition pressings of 500 copies and LPs will be hand-numbered and signed. The CD will contain a 24-page booklet including all 11 original art pieces, lyrics, and photos.
Digital preorder will begin on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Music on March 19 with instant delivery of all five singles.
Return Of The Dragon is the first studio album to feature the newly officially added 5th band member - guitar and keyboard phenom Damiano Christian. Christian joined the band during the Twelve Bells At Midnight tour in 2017 and appears on the live album that followed in 2019, Thunder Underground – Live from NYC.
Sacred Oath is best-known for releasing A Crystal Vision in 1988, an album that evolved into a cult-classic of the powerthrash-metal genre. It was followed by six more critically acclaimed studio albums, including fan-favorites World On Fire, Sacred Oath, Darkness Visible, and Ravensong. The single “Counting Zeros” from their eponymous 2009 release was chosen as iTunes “Discovery Download of the Week”, and their first live album Till Death Do Us Part (2008) was listed as a Top Ten Metal Album of the year by Apple Music in its year of release. The band appeared on MTV2 Headbangers Ball in its last televised season with a featured interview.
Tracklisting:
“Cthulhu Wakes”
“Last Ride Of The Wicked Dead”
“Return Of The Dragon”
“At The Gates”
“Empires Fall”
“Hammer Of An Angry God”
“The Next Pharaoh”
“Primeval”
“Into The Drink”
“Root Of All Evil”
METALLICA members Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, along with their good friends Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE), Joey Castillo (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, ZAKK SABBATH) and Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES, GOD FORBID), performed on July 26, 2019 at Cosmopolitan Music Hall at Cosmo Music in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Dubbed THE WEDDING BAND, they played classic covers from bands like AC/DC, BLACK SABBATH, Billy Idol, and more.
Newly uploaded professionally filmed video footage of THE WEDDING BAND playing a cover of Billy Idol's "White Wedding" at the event can be seen below.
Kirk told Cosmo Music about THE WEDDING BAND: "It's just really fun jamming with these guys. It's something different. For Rob and I, it's cool, because we get to indulge our love of funk and punk... I was listening to all sorts of crazy music in the '70s — a lot of funk, R&B — so I've always had a real appreciation of the music of that time. When I found out that Rob did, we started playing our favorite songs. Funk from the '70s is so unique, and it's almost a lost art because no one is writing songs like that anymore... We got together and started jamming out tunes, and it sounded amazingly good, and then we started to improvise, and it sounded amazingly good... It's primarily a way for Rob and I just to jam out. We love to jam; we love playing with people; we love to play funk. It's become a little bit of an outlet for us, but it's nothing really serious or anything like that. We're really open to anyone coming and playing with us. I even asked the other guys in [METALLICA] if they want to come by and jam. [We're] always open — this is not a closed-border sort of band situation. Anyone can come in and play, as long as they're good... It's so recreational, but musicians need recreational music as well. They need to play stuff that they don't really have to worry too much about, and that we don't have too much accountability over. It's just a light, cool, fun thing for us, and Rob and I need that, because a lot of times, we put so much into our performance. There's so much intensity, so much riding on having to execute this song and play the shit out of it. You've just got to put a lot of love and care into our band's music, and that's fine, and I love it – I'm super-passionate about it — but it's also fun to just go to Disneyland for a while and play some tunes that are just fun for you to play, inspired you, make you smile, make you sweat and make you go, 'Man, I needed that.' I think everyone needs something like that... It's just so fun. We're something that's not to be taken too seriously, because none of us want to take it that seriously."
Last year, Hammett confirmed that he and his METALLICA bandmates have begun working on the follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album while in quarantine. A year earlier, Hammett said that he had already accumulated "a lot" of "kick-ass, great" ideas for METALLICA's next LP.
The METALLICA axeman famously lost his iPhone containing hundreds of riffs in 2014. About six months later, he told "The Jasta Show" podcast that he "was crushed" when it happened, but still expressed hope that it "might turn up."
Hammett is not credited on any of the songs on "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".
Hammett previously said that losing his phone was a "devastating" experience.
Despite the setback, Hammett said that he was pleased with how "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" turned out.
"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release.
SMITH/KOTZEN, the electrifying collaboration between guitarists and vocalists Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen, will release its self-titled debut album on March 26 via BMG.
The official music video for the disc's first single, "Taking My Chances", can be seen below.
Recorded on the Turks & Caicos Islands in February 2020, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, this nine-track opus is a consummate collaboration between these two highly respected musicians who co-wrote all the songs and also share lead vocals and trade off on guitar and bass duties throughout the record.
Exploding with powerful melodies and harmonies, the album embodies the spirited attitude of 1970s classic rock with a melting-pot of influences ranging from blues, hard rock, traditional R&B and more, blending the pair's backgrounds and life experiences to result in a thoroughly contemporary sound.
Track listing:
01. Taking My Chances
02. Running
03. Scars
04. Some People
05. Glory Road
06. Solar Fire
07. You Don't Know Me
08. I Wanna Stay
09. 'Til Tomorrow
The record features special guest performances by Adrian's IRON MAIDEN bandmate Nicko McBrain on drums for the track "Solar Fire", and Richie's longstanding friend and touring partner Tal Bergman on drums for "You Don't Know Me", "I Wanna Stay" and "'Til Tomorrow", with Richie picking up the sticks on the other five songs.
Smith comments: "Richie and I started working together a couple of years ago. We'd been jamming as we'd been friends for a few years before that. We both share a love for classic rock and bluesy rock, so we decided to get together and start writing some songs and it went from there. Pretty much everything on the album is handled between Richie and myself, including the production. We had developed a really strong idea of how we wanted it to sound, and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. There's a lot of cool songs on there that we are really happy with.”
Kotzen adds: "We had a very fluid process in writing. Sometimes Adrian would send me a riff and I would immediately hear some kind of melody or a vocal idea. And sometimes it was the other way round, so it was a kind of circular motion. We'd get together whenever we could and throw some ideas around and it just evolved, which was great because there was no pressure and nothing other than just a natural course and I think the record really speaks for that."
Smith is best known as one of IRON MAIDEN's principal guitarists, having also enjoyed success as a solo artist. Kotzen is the frontman for THE WINERY DOGS as well as having been the guitarist for both MR. BIG and POISON during his long and acclaimed career, which has to date seen him release more than 20 solo albums. Both artists are also prolific songwriters.
Adrian comments, "I think Richie and I complement each other really well. He's a virtuoso guitarist but he's got a great sense of melody — the whole thing just felt very natural."
Richie adds: "We found common ground in classic and blues-based rock — we both come from that mentality. We've been writing and recording together for the past year and I'm ecstatic with the results."
Smith has spent the last few months promoting his memoir, "Monsters Of River & Rock", which was released in September via Virgin Books.
Last February, Kotzen released his 22nd solo album, "50 For 50", via his own custom label, Headroom-Inc. The three-disc collection is just what the title implies: a collection of 50 previously unreleased compositions produced, performed and written by Kotzen in honor of his birthday. It's the follow-up to his critically acclaimed "Salting Earth" album, which came out in April 2017 via Headroom-Inc.
Favorite Hollywood hired gun, bassist Sean McNabb, took to the studio to record a classic Albert King song, "Born Under A Bad Sign". McNabb brought in some of music's elite to round out this Mississippi blues-driven track.
"I have always loved the blues. It really resonates with me," explains McNabb.
McNabb undertook this blues project with a lot of love and honesty of one of his favorite blues heroes, Albert King.
"I am known as a bassist, but I love to sing and this song spoke to me," he says. "It fits my voice like a glove and I am so honored to sing this track.
"Some of my favorite blues legends are Albert King, Buddy Guy, B.B. King and Eric Clapton."
To make this experience roll smooth, McNabb enlisted friends Gilby Clarke (recording, mixing, background vocals), Toshi Yanagi (guitar, recording, mastering), Cleto Escobedo III (sax), Teddy Zig Zag (keys) and Lenny Roberto (drums). McNabb maintained bass duties and took on lead vocals. His natural whiskey-soaked voice and vocal expression drives home a tasty new version of "Born Under A Bad Sign".
McNabb is best known as a rock and roll bassist, working and recording with such names as DOKKEN, QUIET RIOT, HOUSE OF LORDS, GREAT WHITE and MONTROSE. McNabb has also played and recorded with a diverse array of artists, from Willie Chambers, Don Felder and Edgar Winter to THE MUSIC OF CREAM.
McNabb is also an actor, most recently in "Street Survivors: The True Story Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash" (Amazon Prime, 2020). He's had two supporting roles in movies on Lifetime network, "Dying For A Baby" and "Cheerleader Nightmare", as well as seasons 4-6 of "Sons Of Anarchy" (FX).
You can purchase McNabb's version of "Born Under A Bad Sign" on iTunes.
Drum legend Mike Portnoy is walking you through his latest vinyl collection in a series of eight videos. Episode #7 focuses on new reissues, S - T. Watch below:
Florida rockers Fame On Fire are looking to build upon the success that 2020 brought them. As their reinterpretations of various Top 40 hits brought them widespread attention, their Hopeless Records debut Levels brought their unique sound to the masses. As the band has been working on new songs for a future release, they have created a music video for the album favorite “I’m Fine.” The video was created from an idea by Bryan Kuznitz (vocals), Blake Saul (guitarist), Paul Spirou (bass), and Alex Roman (drums) to showcase the band’s passionate live performance since their touring plans were halted due to the global pandemic. It also visualizes the song’s lyrical message that talks about the internal battle of getting out of that dark place in your head.
Fame On Fire have built a loyal fanbase with the release of their album Levels last September 4. The band gets more than a million streams every month on Spotify and have become favorites at Active Rock radio thanks to their consistency to create infectious melodies over memorable musical beds. Levels was out to prove the band was more than the covers that garnered them global attention. Holding multiple meanings, Levels is both about going through the motions of life, the various levels, ups and downs that all people can relate to, and about the quest to level-up and continue to progress and move forward.
Leaving absolutely nothing on the table, Fame On Fire have set out to prove they are more than just a cover band. The band strives to be genre-defying while pushing the boundaries of the relationship between rock, hip hop, and heavy music, by unapologetically being themselves. Showcasing their musical abilities, Bryan Kuznitz (vocals), Blake Saul (guitarist), Paul Spirou (bass), and Alex Roman (drums) self-produced, tracked, and mixed their debut album Levels on their own, in the studio they built, laboring over every lyric, chord, beat, and riff, and painstakingly polishing every track. Holding multiple meanings, Levels is both about going through the motions of life, the various levels, ups and downs that all people can relate to, and about the quest to level-up and continue to progress and move forward. This dichotomy defines a band that is not willing to stand still or be complacent, but one that continuously tries to evolve their sound and craft.
In a release that’s anything but “Futile,” Canadian rockers Derev harness the intensity of metal with atmospheric progressive sounds, all while incorporating elements of their Arabic and Armenian heritage in this, their propulsive new single is available now.
The freshly pressed debut track for the Toronto-based three-piece features the guest vocals of Adel Saflou (Ambrotype); its video then whisks audiences on a vivid journey through the mind of an individual who is exhausted from a life lived glued to a screen and yearns to return to a more natural way of life.
“Contrary to what one might assume when seeing the music video, it’s not meant to illustrate or predict our future as this ‘doomsday,’” says Syrian drummer and songwriter Michel Karakach. “We’re not predicting the future or saying that our species is going to be dominated by machines or overtaken by this advanced artificial intelligence.”
“Rather, it’s about the present situation and how integrated we have become with this technology,” Armenian guitarist and songwriter Armando Bablanian adds. “We are so dependent on it that we hardly do any activity that does not involve us being behind a screen.”
“Futile” is the first single to land ahead of Derev’s forthcoming EP, Leap Of Faith — available this spring.
“Musically, the album combines the energy and intensity of metal music with the atmospheric feel of old-school progressive rock music,” bassist Liam Horrigan considers. “It’s also filled with mellow sections and solos that trigger emotions and deliver the message of the EP, not only through melodies and lyrics, but also through a personal and intimate experience.
“There’s many peaks and troughs.”
Although Leap Of Faith isn’t slated as a concept album, per se, the common theme is about seeing things from a different perspective. “And taking action to make a change,” Bablanian offers. “Each song aims to discuss a different topic, and we target numerous controversial ones — including social issues our community faces on a daily basis.”
“It starts with a track that talks about questioning things that are culturally presumed as absolute truths: what is moral, what is taboo, the idea of going to war for peace, and so on…” Karakach expands. “The album also discusses personal struggles and hurdles that bring us down, leaving us stumped and overwhelmed with doubt and remorse, rather than taking action and achieving what we set out to do.
“The overall experience of Leap of Faith delivers a message that every listener can relate to on some level, and be moved by.”
Leap Of Faith may be Derev’s newly minted breakout album, but the band’s earliest rumblings could be heard a long time ago.
With Bablanian and Karakach first meeting in high school while living in Kuwait, “we were unable to pursue the project at the time due to the circumstances of living in the Middle East,” they share.
In the meantime, Karakach received his dental degree in Syria before immigrating to Canada, actively drumming and songwriting along the way. For his part, Bablanian received an engineering degree from the University of Toronto while also part of Canadian metal band, Till I Conquer — with whom he released an EP and three singles. Horrigan — also a UofT engineering alum — used to be in the Ottawa-area band Open Season; he’s also released a solo alt-rock offering under @t_ii_f.
Avatar recently launched a series of concert streams, Avatar Ages - An Impossible Concert Experience, that is taking place over the course of January. The four-part concert film experience launched January 9 and features songs from Avatar’s celebrated catalog, starting with a performance of their latest album in full, Hunter Gatherer, out now via eOne.
Watch "Napalm" from the January 23 show, below:
The concerts feature fan voted set lists - chosen by ticket purchasers - with songs from Avatar Country, Feathers & Flesh, Hail The Apocalypse, Black Waltz, Thoughts of No Tomorrow, Schlacht and Avatar. Tickets are now on sale here.
The final Avatar Ages - An Impossible Concert Experience concert stream takes place Saturday, January 30 - Age Of Memories (Thoughts of No Tomorrow, Schlacht and Avatar fan voted set list)
About the performances, frontman Johannes Eckerström says, “Nothing can top the feeling of standing eye to eye with the roaring beast that is a metal crowd, hungry for blood. Instead, what we are setting out to do is a series of shows we could never do on a normal stage. You will see Avatar as you've never seen us before. More music, more madness. We enter this with a game plan like no other, but ultimately the power is yours. This is something we'll create together. We have missed you.”
Concert stream tickets are available for individual shows and as a four-show package. Various ticket bundles are also available, offering exclusive merchandise such as t-shirts, hoodies, vinyl, and a commemorative laminate. A limited number of exclusive virtual Meet & Greets with the entire band are also available. Fans will be able to select their date and time period in advance, and after their personal Meet & Greet, they’ll receive a video file of their conversation, as well as the opportunity to take pictures during the experience. Visit AvatarAges.com for all details and to purchase tickets.
Each livestream debuts on its respective date at 1 PM, PT / 4 PM, ET / 10 PM, CET and remains on-demand for 72 hours.
Genghis Tron make their return with their new album, Dream Weapon. The band’s first new studio outing in over a decade, Genghis Tron’s Hamilton Jordan and Michael Sochynsky are now joined by two new collaborators: vocalist Tony Wolski and Sumac/Baptists drummer Nick Yacyshyn.
Together, the lineup perfects the unique mix of extreme rock and electronic music Genghis Tron has pioneered over their storied career. A melding of hypnotic rhythms and densely layered synth soundscapes, Dream Weapon was recorded and produced alongside long-time collaborator Kurt Ballou at God City Studio in Salem, Massachusetts, with additional production and engineering by Ben Chisolm (Chelsea Wolfe) JJ Heath (Rain City Recorders) and was mastered by Heba Kadry.
Watch Genghis Tron’s new “Dream Weapon” music video, directed by Mount Emult (Dying Fetus, The Pixies), below.
Lyrically and conceptually, Dream Weapon picks up where Board Up The House left off.
“That album’s closing track, ‘Relief,’ was about how humans have become a burden to the planet, and how Earth will endure long after we’re gone,” Hamilton Jordan explains. “There is sadness at the end, but some relief - and beauty - too. Dream Weapon is, loosely, an album-length meditation on that theme.”
From the ethereal, almost robotic vocal phrasings accompanying the industrial attack of “Pyrocene,” to the chaotic, pulse-pounding drumming acrobatics and cyclical guitar patterns in the album’s triumphant title track, Dream Weapon is not just a nod to Genghis Tron’s celebrated past as a metal/progressive/experimental outfit. The new album redefines what these genres, sounds, and musical elements can achieve. Dream Weapon is a record that captures Genghis Tron at a matured, focused state; the ebbs and flows of the album are just as hard-hitting as they are dreamy, soaring, and meditative.
Seasoned Genghis Tron listeners will find Dream Weapon to be both excitingly fresh and reassuringly familiar. “Though it sounds a bit different than our previous albums, I don't think we approached Dream Weapon any differently than the others,” Jordan explains. “Michael and I take years to write and trade demos, with about 80% of our ideas landing on the cutting-room floor. Once we have a rough song idea we both like, we write dozens of drafts of a song over months before we end up with a final demo.”
“I think one difference in our approach for this album was that we had a strong sense from the outset of what kind of vibe we wanted to create,” Sochynsky adds. “Something more cohesive, meditative and hypnotic.”
Through the album’s inventiveness and rejuvenated approach, Dream Weapon marks another bold step forward in the wildly creative career of Genghis Tron, and cements the band's legacy of groundbreaking, genre-defying innovation.
Dream Weapon is out March 26 on CD/LP/Digital. Physical pre-orders via Relapse.com are available here. Digital Downloads/Streaming are available here.
Artwork by Trevor Naud.
Tracklisting:
"Exit Perfect Mind"
"Pyrocene
"Dream Weapon"
"Desert Stairs"
"Alone In The Heart Of The Light"
"Ritual Circle"
"Single Black Point"
"Great Mother"
"Dream Weapon" video:
(Photos - Scott Kinkade, Aaron Jones, Ryan Wagner)
Italian symphonic/melodic metallers, Eternal Idol, have released a lyric video for "Away From Heaven", a track from their new album, Renaissance. Get the album here, and watch a video below.
Featuring Fabio Lione (Rhapsody, Angra) and Claudia Layline on co-lead vocals, guitarist Nick Savio (Hollow Haze), bassist Andrea Burratto (Secret Sphere, Hell In The Club), and drummer Enrico Fabris, Eternal Idol’s sophomore album is an epic maelstrom of symphonic/melodic metal that will delight fans of the genre who treasure intense songwriting and impeccable vocal performances.
Fabio Lione took care of most of the lyrics and vocal melodies together with new co-vocalist Claudia Layline, while Nick Savio worked hard on songwriting and arrangements. The album was produced by Nick Savio and Fabio Lione and mixed by Simone Mularoni (DGM, Sunstorm).
Tracklisting:
"Into The Darkness"
"Black Star"
"Dark Eclipse"
"Without Fear"
"Away From Heaven"
"Not The Same"
"The Edge"
"Flying Over You"
"Lord Without Soul"
"Renaissance"
"Away From Heaven" lyric video:
"Black Star" video:
"Dark Eclipse" lyric video:
"Into The Darkness" video:
Lineup:
Fabio Lione: Lead Vocals
Claudia Layline: Lead Vocals
Nick Savio: Guitars - Keyboards - Orchestral arrangements
Andrea Buratto: Bass
Enrico Fabris: Drums
Classical guitar virtuoso, Thomas Zwijsen, has released a new video, performing a classical fingerstyle guitar cover of Blind Guardian's "A Past And Future Secret", from their 1995 album, Imaginations From The Other Side.
Watch the clip below, and find tabs and video lessons here.
Watch Zwijsen perform Blind Guardian's "The Bard's Song" below:
Carolinas based heavy rock band The L.A. Maybe - fronted by lead singer Alvi Robinson, made famous when he was nearly selected to front AC/DC in 2016 - have released the official music video for their debut single, "Mr. Danger". Directed by Ridge Beck, "Mr. Danger" is the band's first single off of their upcoming, freshman album, Dirty Damn Tricks, due out March 26, 2021.
"'Mr. Danger' is our ode to living fast and loose. As our debut single, it serves as a call to arms for rock n’ roll fans everywhere to stand up, get loud, and to never let the genre die without a hell of a fight." - The L.A. Maybe
The L.A. Maybe is a six-piece rock n' roll band hailing from the southern heat of the Carolinas. If you’re a fan of Guns N' Roses, The Black Crowes, or Van Halen…you will feel right at home adding LAM to your record collection.
Lead vocalist Alvi Robinson (who was one of only four singers to audition to replace Brian Johnson in AC/DC in 2016) lays down gritty, passionate vocals while the rest of the band back him up with slithering riffs, huge catchy hooks, and ripping guitar solos.
LAM firmly plants its feet at the very forefront of the New Wave of Classic Rock movement and you’re sure to have at least one of their choruses stuck in your head at any given moment.
Drawing influence from nearly every style of music, The L.A. Maybe put on an electrifying live show and stand for everything you love about rock music, old and new.
For further details, visit The L.A. Maybe on Facebook.
A DAY TO REMEMBER held a free acoustic livestream event, "A Day To Remember: Live At The Audio Compound", on Monday, January 25. The stripped-down set was broadcast on the platinum-selling band's official YouTube channel and can now be seen below. This was notably A DAY TO REMEMBER's first livestream performance.
For "Live At The Audio Compound", A DAY TO REMEMBER delivered a very special set consisting of fan favorites from its catalog and sought-after deep cuts. Additionally, they debuted "Everything We Need", a brand-new track from their widely anticipated next album, "You're Welcome", set for release March 5.
"Live At The Audio Compound" setlist:
00:54 Mindreader
03:59 I Surrender
07:49 Resentment
11:56 Already Gone
16:18 If It Means A Lot Too You
20:23 Rescue Me
24:50 Take Cover
27:32 Everything We Need
30:41 Degenerates
A DAY TO REMEMBER recently heralded "You're Welcome" with the new single "Brick Wall", which is available on all streaming platforms. Inciting critical applause, Revolver declared, "['Brick Wall'] showcases the group's signature mix of post-hardcore heaviness and pop-rock hooks," while Consequence Of Sound praised the track's "melodic beginning and a crushing ending." Forbes put it simply, "It seems A DAY TO REMEMBER are only just getting started."
Pre-orders for "You're Welcome" are live now featuring exclusive merch bundles and multiple vinyl variants of the LP. All pre-orders for "You're Welcome" will unlock instant-grat downloads of "Brick Wall" as well as the previously released singles "Degenerates", "Resentment" and "Mindreader".
Largely produced by Colin "DOC" Brittain and the band's own Jeremy McKinnon, the 14 tracks on "You're Welcome" represent another major step forward for the acclaimed quintet. Highlights include "Bloodsucker" which ravages with an infectious intensity, while "F.Y.M." spouts punk energy through an unforgettable chorus. "Viva La Mexico" builds to a stadium-sized chant backed by walls of guitars, whereas "Everything We Need" closes out the album with a plaintive melody and acoustic eloquence, once more showcasing A DAY TO REMEMBER's multifaceted songwriting.
A DAY TO REMEMBER preceded "You're Welcome" with the release of "Mindreader" last year. Since then, the track has amassed over 20 million global streams while its accompanying animated music video has generated over two million views. "Mindreader" followed early standalone singles "Degenerates" and "Resentment" which have collectively amassed over 100 million global streams. Billboard praised "Degenerates" as "an anthemic hybrid of post-hardcore and pop," while Kerrang! hailed, "'Resentment' offers a taste of the musical direction the band are heading, and will certainly tide us over until more news arrives."
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