Metallica performed at at Legacy Arena at The BJCC in Birmingham, AL on January 22, 2019. Pro-shot footage of the band performing their classic track, "Battery", can be seen below:
Metallica compiled a list of their Top 25 live pro-shot videos of 2019 on YouTube. Check out the playlist here.
Metallica's next scheduled live performance is on March 28 for the All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction at The Masonic in San Francisco, CA. Find the band's live itinerary here.
LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton has revealed the first video from his new solo EP, "Ether", out today via Rise Records.
Watch the clip for the EP's first single, "All I Had To Lose", featuring Mark Morales (SONS OF TEXAS), who is also a member of Morton's live band, below.
As with Morton's solo debut, "Anesthetic", released last year, the guitarist enlisted the talents of various musicians and vocalists to bring his songs to life. "Ether" features appearances by Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM), Howard Jones (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, LIGHT THE TORCH), John Carbone (MOON TOOTH) and Morales. The EP is made up of three original songs and two covers that once again showcase Morton's diversity as a musician.
Says Morton: "Once again, I've had the great pleasure of working with some amazingly talented artists and friends to assemble this collection of tunes, all of which feature a strong acoustic guitar component. Inspired by the acoustic sets I had the opportunity to perform last spring and summer in support of 'Anesthetic', I began writing some new songs to reflect that more mellow vibe. I'm stoked with the results and I can't wait for everyone to hear what we've been putting together. I'll be debuting these tunes on my upcoming U.K. acoustic tour, so you can hear them live before they're released anywhere else.
"I continue to be honored to have the chance to work with so many incredibly talented people and I remain beyond grateful to the fans that have come along with me and supported these projects. Thanks so much everyone!"
"Ether" track listing:
01. All I Had To Lose (featuring Mark Morales)
02. The Fight (featuring John Carbone)
03. She Talks To Angels (featuring Lzzy Hale)
04. Love My Enemy (featuring Howard Jones)
05. Black (featuring Mark Morales)
"Ether" was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM).
Following his first U.K. acoustic performance at the Download festival last year, Morton will return for a handful of special and intimate acoustic shows in January.
Morton comments: "We had such an amazing time with the acoustic set at Download and I'm really looking forward to expanding on that experience with these upcoming shows. Joining me once again will be Mark Morales on vocals, and guitarist extraordinaire Joe Harvatt. I can't wait to make each show extra special for you all with an evening of stories, acoustic versions of many of the songs from 'Anesthetic', and a few covers of some of our favorite tunes. We'll also be debuting some new original material as well! Look forward to seeing you all."
German trash metal veterans KREATOR will release a new live set, "London Apocalypticon - Live At The Roundhouse", on February 14 via Nuclear Blast. The effort was professionally filmed and recorded on December 16, 2018 at the Roundhouse in London, England.
The London show closed out KREATOR's European co-headlining tour with DIMMU BORGIR. Also appearing on the bill were HATEBREED and BLOODBATH.
The second single and video from "London Apocalypticon - Live At The Roundhouse", for a song called "Violent Revolution", can be seen below.
KREATOR frontman Mille Petrozza states: "Hordes! Welcome to 'London Apocalypticon'! This is the culmination of a long and epic touring cycle in support of 'Gods Of Violence' — over 150 shows, five continents and many amazing memories made! We're very proud to share this amazing piece of KREATOR history with you; three professionally shot shows, plus professionally mixed and mastered audio; all of which has been meticulously laboured over to produce the best-ever KREATOR live release! But if this is still not enough for you…you can witness the real thing this spring when we embark on the 'State Of Unrest' tour with the mighty LAMB OF GOD and POWER TRIP! Respect!"
Track listing:
London Apocalypticon:
01. The Four Horsemen/Choir Of The Damned
02. Enemy Of God
03. Hail To The Hordes
04. Awakening Of The Gods
05. People Of The Lie
06. Gods Of Violence
07. Satan Is Real
08. Mars Mantra
09. Phantom Antichrist
10. Fallen Brother
11. Flag Of Hate
12. Phobia
13. Hordes Of Chaos
14. The Patriarch
15. Violent Revolution
16. Pleasure To Kill
17. Apocalypticon
Live In Chile:
01. Mars Mantra
02. Phantom Antichrist
03. Hail To The Hordes
04. Army Of Storms
05. Enemy Of God
06. Satan Is Real
07. Civilization Collapse
08. Flag Of Hate
09. Phobia
10. Gods Of Violence
11. Fallen Brother
12. Hordes Of Chaos
13. The Patriarch
14. Violent Revolution
15. Pleasure To Kill
16. Apocalypticon
Masters Of Rock:
01. Choir Of The Damned
02. Hordes Of Chaos
03. Phobia
04. Satan Is Real
05. Gods Of Violence
06. People Of The Lie
07. Total Death
08. Mars Mantra
09. Phantom Antichrist
10. Fallen Brother
11. Army Of Storms
12. Enemy Of God
13. From Flood Into Fire
14. Apocalypticon
15. World War Now
16. Hail To The Hordes
17. Extreme Agression
18. Civilization Collapse
19. The Patriarch
20. Violent Revolution
21. Pleasure To Kill
22. Death Becomes My Light
KREATOR played its first show with the band's new bass player, Frédéric Leclercq, on October 5 in Santiago, Chile.
Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until this past August.
Leclercq's first tour as KREATOR's new bass player will be the "State Of Unrest" spring 2020 European co-headlining run with LAMB OF GOD.
KREATOR released its most recent album, "Gods Of Violence", in early 2017.
The Broken Beats has premiered their new video for “Close Your Eyes” through BraveWords!
“Close Your Eyes” is about the small moment when happiness occurs and you try to stop time in order to maintain the intoxication. “Close Your Eyes” is a song written by Kim Munk from The Broken Beats and is about understanding that it is all about right now, right here. In a moment, it's all over, so be sure to enjoy it while you can. A job is good, but you can always think of something else.
The Broken Beats are back with their unforgettable and easy-going sound of whirling power pop. Dreamy, spherical and quite sentimental. The band, with singer, guitarist and songwriter Kim Munk in front, has had no less than 56 members over time. Among other things, The Broken Beats is known for fantastic live concerts (among other things played in slow motion) and the radio hits "Essentials" and "The Rules".
The Broken Beats have returned now and this time they turned up the simplicity of the swirling complex and made the music a focused delight for the ear. With reality at stake and eternity right in the background, The Broken Beats is back with an awful lot to say, both where it does good and where it hurts.
California-based extreme metal titans SUICIDE SILENCE have released the official music video for the song "Two Steps". The track is taken from the band's sixth studio album, "Become The Hunter", on February 14 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, HATEBREED) at The Omen Room and mixed by Josh Wilbur (TRIVIUM, LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA). Ted Jensen (PANTERA, DEFTONES, SLIPKNOT) mastered the album at Sterling Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The artwork for the album was created by Adrian Baxter.
The "Two Steps" clip was directed by filmed by Kevin Martin and Chris Nuietto and edited by Jerry Clubb.
"Become The Hunter" track listing:
01. Meltdown
02. Two Steps
03. Feel Alive
04. Love Me To Death
05. In Hiding
06. Death's Anxiety
07. Skin Tight
08. The Scythe
09. Serene Obscene
10. Disaster Valley
11. Become The Hunter
SUICIDE SILENCE's latest, self-titled album came out in February 2017 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD was produced by Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, SLIPKNOT, LIMP BIZKIT and SEPULTURA, among others, and was mixed by Joe Barresi (KYUSS, MELVINS, TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE).
The controversy over the album's sound — featuring a more melodic and clean singing style, in the vein of acts like DEFTONES and KORN — caused one disgruntled fan to launch a petition to stop the record coming out.
SUICIDE SILENCE's performance at the December 2015 benefit show in support of Mental Health America Of Los Angeles (MHLA) at The Observatory in Santa Ana was released last July as the album "Live & Mental" via Nuclear Blast.
"Live & Mental" was produced by the band while mixing was handled by Josh Gilbert (WOVENWAR, AS I LAY DYING). The cover photos were shot by Jerry John Nicholl.
“Apathy” is the first single from the upcoming album "Haven Of Lies" of young old school death metal band Wayward Dawn from Denmark. The album is produced, recorded and mixed by Jacob Bredahl (Hatesphere) and mastered by Brad Boatright of Audiosiege.
With the release of their critically acclaimed debut album “Soil Organic Matter” in 2018 and more than 40 gigs in Denmark and Germany, young death metal act Wayward Dawn from Skanderborg, Denmark have slowly but surely crawled their way up from the underground to spread the word of their filthy death metal. After the departure of their former vocalist Niklas Lykke (LIVLØS), the band decided to continue as a four-piece with guitarist Rasmus Johansen and bassist Kasper Szupienko Petersen doing the vocal duties.
Now Wayward Dawn will return with their sophomore album Haven Of Lies, set to be released via Mighty Music in April. Recorded and produced by Jacob Bredahl at Dead Rat Studio and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Obituary, Nails, Full of Hell) the nine track long album consist of 35 minutes of gritty, primal and utterly nasty death metal. Haven Of Lies drags you down the deepest abyss of human depravity and assaults the listener with down tuned guitars, grimy bass, cavernous drums, and rotten growls and shrieks. The lyrical theme throughout the record centers on human tendencies during times of crisis. It questions our ability to confront reality in order to cope with the harshness of the situation, thus creating a haven of lies.
"The Fury Within The Fire", the new music video from veteran San Francisco Bay Area metallers SKINLAB, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "Venomous", which was released in October via Art Is War Records, The disc was engineered, produced and mixed by Ulrich Wild, who stated about the effort: "I love working with SKINLAB. This album is heavy and intense. As brutal as it is, it gets very melodic at times, and Steev's [Esquivel, bass/vocals] iconic voice is tying it all together."
Esquivel said: "'Venomous' is the album that best represents SKINLAB in 2019 — heavy, brutal and honest. We feel that we've stood the test of time without losing integrity and chasing trends. We're back stronger than ever."
"Venomous" features 10 tracks recorded over the duration of 2019:
01. The Fury Within The Fire
02. Amerikill
03. Venomous
04. Overcoming
05. Demons
06. For The Fallen
07. Far From Grace
08. Eyes Of Your Enemy
09. End Of Silence
10. The Family
"Venomous" marks SKINLAB's recording debut with new drummer Fabian Vestod, who joined the band in 2018 following the exit of the longtime drummer Paul Hopkins.
Esquivel said: "Fabian, who is no stranger to SKINLAB, has been friends with the band for many years. Fabian came in strong and started recording demos and immediately became the obvious choice that he was our guy."
In 2018, SKINLAB announced the return of guitarist Steve Green, best known to fans as Snake. Snake remains a member of THE DEVIL IN CALIFORNIA, with whom he's been performing since 2015.
Formed in 1994, SKINLAB has released five studio albums: 1997's "Bound, Gagged And Blindfolded", 1999's "Disembody: The New Flesh", 2002's "ReVolting Room", 2009's "The Scars Between Us" and "Venomous".
SKINLAB has had different lineups throughout its history, with Esquivel as the only mainstay.
The band's current lineup is completed by lead guitarist Marcos Medina Rivera.
The Norwegian hard rock/rock 'n' roll outfit Pain City will release its brand new album Rock And Roll Hearts on February 21, 2020 via Massacre Records. First single and video for "Heads Down" is streaming below.
The album was mixed and mastered by none other than Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman. The cover artwork was designed by Ivan Mogilevchik & Morten Nilsen.
Tracklisting:
“Heads Down”
“A Night Out With Your Tail Out”
“Rock And Roll Hearts”
“Born Hard”
“Forever”
“Soul To Soul”
“I Play My Guitar When I Want”
“Fake Suicide”
“High Society”
“Glasgow Kiss”
“Made Of Steel”
“99 Luftballoons” (Bonus)
Finnish melodic metallers AMBERIAN DAWN have released the official music video for their latest single, the title track of their upcoming album, "Looking For You". In a nutshell, this high voltage fusion perfectly represents the upcoming album and its poetic sound.
The "Looking For You" clip aesthetically mirrors the conflict between memories, desires and leaving your ancient life behind. Monumental melodic vocal lines that remind of the Swedish pop giants ABBA pair with strong keyboard-driven '80s pop-influenced sounds and merge with heavy drums and guitar riffs into an impressive genre-fluid creation. This addictive mix can only be described as follows: Finnish ABBA metal at its finest. AMBERIAN DAWN developed its style and spiced it up by entering and creating a new musical universe.
Keyboardist Tuomas Seppälä states: "This is the crown jewel of the album. This song is exactly what so-called 'ABBA metal' is all about. Haunting and dramatic keyboards, strong melodies and tons of vocal tracks. I worked closely with Finnish synthesizer artist Kebu to achieve this wonderful vintage keyboard sound. I let myself go into world of '80s synthesizer music and then my bandmates helped me to arrange the song into an AMBERIAN DAWN song."
"Looking For You" will be released on January 31. AMBERIAN DAWN is navigating into a new style, which is even more melodic, keyboard-driven and not only a sophisticated symbiosis but yet their own style: The new album is packed with well-polished and immaculate songwriting, full of catchy melodies and epic keyboard parts that immediately send shivers down your spine.
The multi-faceted and emotional lyrics provide a suitable background for soaring guitars and elegant classical interludes: a highly addictive cocktail that is topped off by a cover version of ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me".
Frontiers Music Srl has announced that Semblant will release their Frontiers' debut, Obscura, on March 6. Pre-order here. The first single, "Mere Shadow: is available now on all digital music outlets. A music video for the song can be found below.
One of the rapidly rising stars of their scene in South America, Semblant is more than ready for the world stage. The band received international praise from the metal community with the release of the album Lunar Manifesto (2014), with the singles "What Lies Ahead", "Dark Of The Day," and "Incinerate" combining for more than 30 million views on YouTube. Now, Semblant are ready for the next phase of their career with the upcoming release of the highly anticipated album, Obscura.
The band formed in 2006 in Curitiba, Brazil when singer Sergio Mazul and keyboardist J. Augusto joined forces to create music that featured all the dark and aggressive elements they appreciated and loved in metal music. After a few years of changing line-ups, the group established itself with the addition of Mizuho Lin (female vocals), Juliano Ribeiro (guitar), Welyntom "Thor" Sikora (drums), and Johann Piper (bass) to the band.
Vocalist Mizuho Lin says, "It's an honor to be part of such a traditional label like Frontiers. We've been composing and preparing ourselves for at least two years to finally get 'Obscura' ready and we're super excited to begin this new era working together with the label!"
Singer Sergio Mazul adds. "We're really excited to start this amazing new era of Semblant with Frontiers. Besides my doom, gothic, thrash and death influences, I'm a great enthusiast of all kinds of hard rock and heavy metal, having collected a lot of titles released by the label. They've been doing amazing work worldwide with new bands and Semblant will surely figure as a new jolt of energy to Frontiers' roster, with our dark and more extreme influences in our songs. And we're sure that Frontiers will make the same for us, taking the band to another level. 'Obscura' will strike the world in 2020 and we're counting the days to introduce our new album to everyone!"
Tracklisting:
"Murder Of Crows"
"Left Behind"
"Dethrone The Gods, Control The Masters (Legacy Of Blood Pt.IV)"
"Mere Shadow"
"Porcelain"
"The Hunter, The Hunger (Legacy Of Blood Pt.V)"
"Wasteland"
"Barely Breathing"
"Wallachia"
"Daydream Tragedy"
"Insomnia" (Bonus Track)
"Mere Shadow" video:
Lineup:
Mizuho Lin - Fem. vocal
Sergio Mazul - Male vocal
Juliano Ribeiro - Guitar
Johann Piper - Bass
Thor Sikora - Drums
J. Augusto - Keyboards
With their third single, “My Kingdom Comes”, off their upcoming album, The Last Knight, to be released via Napalm Records, Serenity continues the epic journey in the footsteps of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.. The beautiful conceptualized video shows the last knight himself and impressively visualizes the ancient spirit of medieval times.
This powerful hymn highlights another facet of Serenity by adding the deep and forceful growls of Chris Hermsdörfer that lead you directly into the chorus where Georg Neuhauser’s outrageous voice praises the rise of the symphonic kingdom. Andreas Schipflinger’s energetic smashing double bass sound merges perfectly with the sonorous sound of the song and pushes it to the next level - worthy of a kingdom.
“My Kingdom Comes” crowns the memorial Serenity has prepared throughout their lifetime: The Last Knight ain’t just a powerful reminiscence of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. - it has a deep connection to the band itself.
Serenity will release their seventh studio album, The Last Knight, on January 31 via Napalm Records and details the life of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Building on that story, they’ve created a historical, musical concept never seen before. They have captivated their fans and audiences for nearly two decades, and they’re showing no signs of stopping.
For years, the band has been a prime example of epic symphonic and melodic metal, showcasing both distinct heaviness and a lot of heart. Now they’re pushing it to the next level. Serenity has redefined themselves without forgetting their musical roots, becoming a worthy successor for Maximilian’s legacy, ready to conquer the world! Be a part of their grand quest.
"The Last Knight"
"Invictus"
"Set The World On Fire"
"Keeper Of The Knights"
"Souls And Sins"
"My Kingdom Comes"
"Queen Of Avalon"
"My Farewell"
"Down To Hell"
"Wings Of Pride"
"Call To Arms"
"Souls And Sins" (Acoustic Version)
"Souls And Sins" video:
"Set The World On Fire" video:
Lineup:
Georg Neuhauser - lead vocals, backing vocals
Fabio D'Amore - bass, guitar, vocals
Andreas Schipflinger - drums, vocals
Chris Hermsdörfer - electric, acoustic & classical guitars, vocals, growls
Hardline will release a new CD/DVD, Life Live, on February 14 via Frontiers Music Srl. Pre-order the CD/DVD here, and watch the video for "Hot Cherie" below.
Hardline’s performance at Frontiers Rock Festival 2019 was, any hyperbole aside, one of a kind. The band not only performed a superb show, but also saw none other than original drummer Deen Castronovo jump behind the kit to play on selected tracks from the band’s debut album.
Hardline has been consistently touring in Europe the past few years and are a well oiled live machine. The show they put on at the legendary Live Club in Trezzo Sull’Adda has been hailed by many as one of their best in recent memory. With a solid rhythm section featuring powerhouse drummer Marco Di Salvia and Anna Portalupi, the multi-talented Alessandro Del Vecchio on keyboards and background vocals, stellar new guitarist Mario Percudani, and of course the inimitable Johnny Gioeli on vocals, Hardline rocked out hits from their debut album and played a selection of more recent hits from the last three albums.
The band says, "We are so excited to share our Hardline performance that was filmed and recorded live at the Frontiers Rock Festival 2019 We’ve always appreciated our work in the studio, but magic happens when we take the stage. We’ve wanted to capture the true essence and power of this line-up so that fans who can't reach us in person can finally see us in the comfort of their home. “Life Live” speaks to the chemistry, fun and musical power we love to share with our audience. “Life,” our newest album, was released on the same weekend as the festival, which made an exciting preview of the songs in a packed house environment. We were amazed to hear the crowd’s reaction to the new songs and we knew at that moment, we made something special. Sit back, relax and enjoy one of our most memorable shows, and cherish with us a moment in time for all to remember. Hardline… always moving forward… thanks to all the amazing fans around the world."
CD/DVD tracklisting:
"Place To Call Home"
"Takin' Me Down"
"Dr. Love"
"Where Will We Go From Here"
"Page Of Your Life"
"Life's A Bitch"
"In The Hands Of Time"
"Take You Home"
"Everything"
"Hot Cherie"
"Fever Dreams"
"Rhythm From A Red Car"
"Hot Cherie" video:
Lineup:
Johnny Gioeli - Vocals
Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards, vocals
Mario Percudani - Guitars, backing vocals
Anna Portalupi - Bass
Marco Di Salvia - Drums
Deen Castronovo - Special Guest, Drums
Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY have teamed up with American rapper and songwriter Isaiah Rivera, better known by his stage name Wifisfuneral, for a remix of their smash hit "Crazy Bitch". The official music video for "Crazy Bitch (The Butcher Mix)" can now be seen below.
Shot on location in Los Angeles, the "Crazy Bitch" remix video was produced and directed by Mungo Creative Group, which has previously worked with DJ Khaled, Wu-TANG CLAN, SEETHER, Ice-T, THE PRETTY RECKLESS, and many more.
The 2020 version of "Crazy Bitch" was produced by Joe "The Butcher" Nicolo (from the Butcher Bros. team) in collaboration with Tyler Nicolo and BUCKCHERRY guitarist Stevie D. Joe Nicolo and the Butcher Bros. have been nominated 13 times by The Recording Academy and have won nine Grammys to date. They have worked with an array of awe-inspiring artists that include NINE INCH NAILS, THE ROLLING STONES, NAS, and many more. Joe Nicolo also served as co-founder of Ruffhouse Records (FUGEES, LAURYN HILL, WYCLEF JEAN).
Josh Todd from BUCKCHERRY comments: "From the birth of 'Crazy Bitch', it came to me as a hip-hop track and that being said, I always wanted to do a collaboration with a hip-hop artist. Wifisfuneral is super talented and after sifting through potential featured artists he was our first choice and was down for the cause."
Wifisfuneral offers: "It's really relatable. I mean…haven't we ALL dealt with a crazy one somewhere along the way?!"
The original version of "Crazy Bitch" appeared on BUCKCHERRY's multi-platinum third album, 2005's "15". Todd discussed the LP's unexpected success during a recent appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast. He said: "This is when MySpace is happening, and 'Crazy Bitch' was getting all these views or listens... people were playing that song," he recalled. "It was over a million, and we were, like, 'Oh my God — what is going on with this song?' All of a sudden, radio DJs started editing a clean version of the song and put it on the radio. We didn't even ask. We were like, 'Oh my God — this song's taking off on its own,' and we jumped on 'Crazy Bitch'… And it just changed the scope of our career... It almost didn't even make the record. It had been sitting around for a while. We just thought it would be a good crowd tune — like, our core fans would really like it and it'd be fun to play live. We didn't think much of it because of the lyrical content."
In a separate interview with Vegas Rocks! magazine, Todd stated about the inspiration for "Crazy Bitch": "The idea came to me when I was driving around in L.A. at the time. Paris Hilton put out these sex tapes — or, I don't think she put them out; I don't know how they came out. But basically, she launched her entertainment career with some homemade porn, and I just thought that was funny. Then I started reminiscing about my youth, and I had a lot of crazy girls that I had met when I was younger. I just started singing [the] chorus of 'Crazy Bitch', and I just wanted to record it. I think I called my mom, because I didn't have an iPhone or anything at that time. I called my mom to record it on her [answering] machine so I wouldn't forget it. I just said, 'Don't erase this — I want to remember it. We'll talk about it later.'"
BUCKCHERRY is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Warpaint", which was released in March 2019 via Century Media/RED Music. The 12-song record was produced by Mike Plotnikoff, whose previous collaboration with the band was the aforementioned "15".
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS have released the official video for "Fare Thee Well", the debut single from their forthcoming first-ever acoustic album "Perdida".
Directed by P.R. Brown (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, JOHN MAYER, PRINCE), the hauntingly beautiful live performance clip perfectly captures the essence of the song.
"Perdida" will be released on February 10. The band recorded the disc at drummer Eric Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios. STP utilized a variety of instruments that haven't been associated with the group in the past, including flute, alto saxophone, guitarrón, viola, cello and vintage keyboards. STONE TEMPLE PILOTS will also launch an acoustic tour next month.
The second single from "Perdida", a song called "Three Wishes", can be streamed below.
"You have to live it to write it," says guitarist Dean DeLeo. "And this record is a reflection of where we've been recently."
Bassist Robert DeLeo says "Perdida" (Spanish for 'loss') shows how music has helped them process grief, search for meaning and, ultimately, create something beautiful from the pain. "When I've gone through things in my life, I've found that sitting down and having an honest conversation with my guitar is the best therapy."
"Recording an acoustic album like 'Perdida' is something the band has wanted to do for many years," says drummer Eric Kretz. "We performed on 'MTV Unplugged' in 1993, and we usually play acoustic mini-sets on tour, so when Robert and Dean started playing their new songs for us during our tour last year, we knew right away they would be perfect for an acoustic album."
Writing lyrics for an introspective album like "Perdida" meant exposing himself like never before, says singer Jeff Gutt, who joined the band in 2017. "It's an emotionally honest album and I needed to approach it that way for these songs to resonate. I had to let myself be as vulnerable writing the lyrics as Dean and Robert were writing the music."
To record "Perdida", the quartet assembled at Kretz's Bomb Shelter Studios in February 2019. The key to making the album, Dean explains, was finding a way to say more with less. "Everything you hear serves a purpose, from the space in the arrangements to the different instruments. We only added things that served the songs."
As a result, there are instruments on "Perdida" that you don't normally hear on an STP record, like flute ("I Didn't Know The Time") alto saxophone ("Years") guitarrón ("Miles Away") and enough vintage keyboards to make Rick Wakeman jealous. "We've done similar things before — like the trumpet solo on 'Adhesive' from 'Tiny Music' — but never on such a large scale," Robert says. "Working with other musicians on this album was such a joy because it gave us a rare opportunity to hear our songs through someone else's ears."
That approach shines on the title track, where a nylon-string guitar takes the lead as keyboard, violin, viola and cello ebb and flow behind Gutt's soaring vocal on the chorus: "Oh perdida come and go/Stay with me tonight/But in the morning please be gone."
"She's My Queen" is another highpoint on the band's sonic adventure. Built around an Indian drone and carried along by a gently pulsing beat, the song casts a hypnotic spell that's punctuated by background singers, flute and Marxophone — a special kind of hammered dulcimer from the 1920s.
The songs that open and close "Perdida" — "Fare Thee Well" and "Sunburst", respectively — are fitting bookends, Gutt says. "They really capture the emotional journey that takes place on this album. It starts with saying goodbye on 'Fare Thee Well' and ends with a new beginning on 'Sunburst'. It's a melancholy record, but it ends on a hopeful note."
As it happens, those two tracks also spotlight facets of the DeLeo brothers' distinctive songwriting voices. "Fare Thee Well" by Robert pulls you in from the first strum of the guitar and has you singing along after one listen. In Dean's "Sunburst", the melody unfolds gradually, rising and falling multiple times before building to a cathartic guitar-fueled crescendo.
"Perdida" track listing
01. Fare Thee Well
02. Three Wishes
03. Perdida
04. I Didn't Know The Time
05. Years
06. She's My Queen
07. Miles Away
08. You Found Yourself While Losing Your Heart
09. I Once Sat At Your Table
10. Sunburst
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS will also launch an acoustic tour starting on February 5 in Vancouver.
"Some songs are obvious candidates for an acoustic performance," Dean says. "What will be really interesting are the unexpected choices, where we reimagine a familiar song and present in a totally different light."
Kretz says the band is looking forward to not only performing the new songs, but also pulling songs from previous albums into the setlist. "We'll finally get a chance to play songs from our catalog that we've never played live, or in some cases, haven't played live in more than 20 years."
"We've talked about doing this kind of tour for years, and now it's finally happening," Robert explains. "We're excited because it's not only a chance for us to celebrate our new album in a special way, but also everything that's brought us to this moment."
Toronto's Scarlet Sins, who called it quits in 2009 after several years together and only one album (released in 2008), performed two reunion shows in late 2019, on October 19th and November 2nd in Ottawa and Toronto respectively. Video of the band performing "Own Truth", "Reborn" and their cover of Depeche Mode's "Strangelove" at the Bovine Sex Club in Toronto is available below.
Scarlet Sins have re-released their debut album via Bandcamp with the following message:
"Time to be reborn... our album is available on BandCamp. Stream or download."
It is available for streaming and for purchase below.
The tracklist is as follows:
"Let Go"
"Drown"
"Above Ground"
"Own Truth"
"With You"
"Reborn"
"Strangelove"
"Are You Worth It"
"Backstabber"
"Broken"
"Fire Inside"
"Entre"
"No Arguments"
Watch the band's official Facebook page for updates here.
TAYLOR HAWKINS & THE COATTAIL RIDERS were the musical guests on last night's (Tuesday, January 7) episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" They performed two songs — "Middle Child" with Dave Grohl on drums, and "I Really Blew It" with Grohl and special guest Perry Farrell of JANE'S ADDICTION.
"Middle Child" and "I Really Blew It" are taken from TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS' latest album, "Get The Money", which was released in November via Shanabelle/RCA Records. Produced by John Lousteau and Taylor himself, and mixed by Sylvia Massy, the disc follows Taylor's 2016 six-song mini-LP "KOTA" by three years almost to the day, and features a scope far wider than "KOTA"'s takes on suburbia's bizarro underbelly. The new album finds Taylor, Chris Chaney (bass) and Brent Woods (guitar) and Lousteau accompanied by an all-star supporting cast including Grohl and Pat Smear, Roger Taylor, Joe Walsh, Duff McKagan, Nancy Wilson, Chrissie Hynde, Perry Farrell, LeAnn Rimes and more, collectively creating a staggering, epic sprawl that swerves from classic rock to prog and glam and all points between.
Since the Texas-born Laguna-bred force of nature made his Foo Fighting debut on the tour supporting 1997's sophomore opus "The Colour And The Shape", he has been an essential element of the sound and personality of the last great American arena/stadium rock band. He's played on Grammy-winning FF albums, including "There Is Nothing Left To Lose", "One by One" and "Wasting Light", and contributed lead vocals to "Concrete And Gold"'s "Sunday Rain", as well as "Cold Day In The Sun" from 2005's "In Your Honor". Taylor's previous extracurricular output includes two albums from TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS, one with THE BIRDS OF SATAN, the above-mentioned "KOTA" mini-LP that featured Hawkins on lead vocals and nearly every instrument.
On March 6, SILVERSTEIN will celebrate its 20th anniversary with the release of "A Beautiful Place To Drown", the Ontario-based post-hardcore legends' ninth, and perhaps strongest effort to date.
Today, the band share the disc's lead single/video, "Infinite", featuring Aaron Gillespie of UNDEROATH. A blistering cut of aggression and melody, "Infinite" demonstrates SILVERSTEIN's ability to seamlessly blend modern sonics with the evergreen energy of their punk roots.
Watch the official music video for "Infinite" below.
While many bands would take their 20-year anniversary as an opportunity to rest on the laurels of nostalgia, SILVERSTEIN (vocalist Shane Told, guitarists Paul Marc Rousseau and Josh Bradford, bassist Billy Hamilton, and drummer Paul Koehler) sees the landmark as a time to appreciate how far it has come, while also channeling all those years of experience into something new.
Said Paul Marc Rousseau: "The best way to honour the anniversary is to keep doing what got us this far. Being adventurous has always been part of what the band does – we keep focusing on moving forward."
"A Beautiful Place To Drown" finds the five-piece deftly balancing their core sound — an intensely dynamic mix of melody and aggression, rooted in the energy of hardcore punk and the unabashed earnestness of emo — with their natural growth as songwriters and evolving inspirations. Recorded with producer/engineer Sam Guaiana, the album's 12 tracks blend vibrant contemporary sonics with walls of distorted guitars and pummeling drums to create a sound that's stunningly cohesive, and undeniably SILVERSTEIN.
Added Shane Told: "It's harder to gauge success these days but we're still making what we believe is our best music. It's nice to know that we've survived and we did it in a way that feels right."
"A Beautiful Place To Drown" track listing:
01. Bad Habits (feat. Intervals)
02. Burn It Down (feat. Caleb Shomo)
03. Where Are You
04. Infinity (feat. Aaron Gillespie)
05. Shape Shift
06. All On Me
07. Madness (feat. Princess Nokia)
08. Say Yes
09. Stop
10. September 14th
11. Coming Down
12. Take What You Give (feat. Pierre Bouvier)
SILVERSTEIN will tour heavily throughout 2020 with extensive dates in Europe, North America and more. Honoring their entire catalog in the live setting, the band will perform three sets at each show: their seminal 2005 full-length "Discovering The Waterfront" in full, a stripped-down acoustic section, and a careering-spanning batch of fan favorites.
British rockers THE DARKNESS have released the official music video for their new single "In Another Life". The song is taken from their critically acclaimed U.K. Top 10 album "Easter Is Cancelled", out now via Cooking Vinyl.
"In Another Life" is a gargantuan rock opera, celebrating the multiverse theory running through their quasi-concept album, with the song capturing love and loss. The video finds frontman Justin Hawkins banished to hell, only to be redeemed by the power of rock pulsating through his guardian angel bandmates Dan, Frankie and Rufus and model and TV personality Abbey Clancy as an archangel.
Regarding the video, Clancy says: "It was so much fun saving Justin from the fiery gates of hell. I'm a big fan of THE DARKNESS and I'm so happy they asked me to be involved. The guys made the video shoot so easy and we had so much fun on set. It looks amazing, and playing an angel was a heavenly way to spend the day."
Justin says: "These days music videos are too often an afterthought when structuring an album campaign... 'walk towards the camera looking mean... ooh, jump off that... Make it look like that thing is going up your bum,' the director suggests, and like spaniels we obediently do so, at the expense of dignity and self respect. The results are invariably rubbish.
"In Kristy ['Kristy May Currie' ('Hells Bells' co-director)], we have found our savior. She came to us with an entire concept, storyboard, shot list and cast. All we had to do was look fabulous and 'act.' It was like the glorious olden days, when everything we did mattered enough to be done properly. Kristy is brilliant and passionate and I hope we get to work with her again!
"I know from my own experience that when one is as beautiful as Abbey Clancy, there is no obligation to be nice to anybody. There's no obligation for her to do anything at all; the sheer force of her beauty will bend the universe to her will. Nevertheless, she is the living embodiment of grace and kindness. Aside from her brilliant acting and dazzling appearance, she was awesome company and we had a great laugh all day. I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps she is an actual angel. Anyway, I'm a disciple of Clancy and I make no apologies for that. I hereby dedicate my life to her.
"I hope folks enjoy this vid, it was a thrill to make. We all insisted on doing our own stunts so this may be the last THE DARKNESS music video for a while as we explore opportunities in Hollywood.'
"Easter Is Cancelled" is THE DARKNESS's most diverse and exciting album yet, examining the role of the musician in the barbarous culture of the world today. At the heart of the tale is love, loss and heartbreak, where redemption is ultimately found in the brotherhood of band friendship and the power of the guitar.
Released in October, "Easter Is Cancelled" became the band's fourth Top 10 album, having achieved over three million streams on Spotify alone. The album was released to swathes of critical praise while the previous singles "Heart Explodes" and "Rock And Roll Deserves To Die" proved a radio hit on the playlists of BBC Radio 2, Absolute, Kerrang! and more. The hilarious video for "Rock And Roll Deserves To Die" has also individually surpassed one million views.
BLACK STAR RIDERS have released the official music video for their latest single, "In The Shadow Of A War Machine". The song is taken from the band's fourth album "Another State Of Grace", which was released in September via Nuclear Blast.
According to a press release, "In The Shadow Of A War Machine" "describes the condition in which we all currently live in — a world where economical interest prevails over the common good; a world where we are forced to face constant uncertainties.
"As the band say, 'vote for a clown, you have a circus.' The music perfectly reflects the content — the pounding rhythm of each verse echoes the oppression of the war machine, the heavier and more aggressive chorus underlines the frustration we feel rising every day."
The follow-up to 2017's "Heavy Fire", "Another State Of Grace" was recorded in February 2019 at Sphere Studios in Burbank, California with producer Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX, URIAH HEEP). The album was made available on CD, vinyl and vinyl picture disc, limited-edition boxset and limited-edition light green vinyl.
Longtime supporter Joe Elliott, vocalist of DEF LEPPARD, said: "I've been an ardent supporter ever since they started their journey having moved away from being THIN LIZZY and becoming a legitimate band in their own right. For me, this is by far their best effort to date."
Frontman Ricky Warwick said: "This has probably been the most enjoyable experience in the studio I have had making a record. The vibe and commitment the boys brought into this was stellar. Our most anthemic and soulful album to date."
BLACK STAR RIDERS consists of Ricky Warwick (lead vocals, guitar), Scott Gorham (lead guitar) and Robert Crane (bass) along with recent additions Chad Szeliga (drums) and Christian Martucci (lead guitar).
WE CAME AS ROMANS have shared the video for their brand new song "From The First Note". Check it out below.
"From The First Note" and "Carry The Weight" serve as the first tracks that the band released since singer Kyle Pavone's tragic passing in August 2018.
Says guitarist Joshua Moore: "'From The First Note' is a song that celebrates the time that we got to spend with Kyle and acknowledges how truly remarkable of a brother and bandmate he was. Lyrically, I was able to reference 'To Plant A Seed' and 'Tracing Back Roots', which were both written about the start of the band and how we lived together. I was able to take Kyle's recorded vocal from 'To Plant A Seed' and fit it into the bridge of the song, so we can always hear him when we listen and play it."
"We wrote 'From The First Note' as a promise to Kyle to not only preserve the amazing moments and memories we had together, but to continue carrying on the legacy of everything we built together," says bassist Andy Glass. "The video portrays the band playing in a dream-like state, surrounded by beautiful colors and flowers. Our albums throughout the years have had themes of roots, branches, and overall growth. So we felt it was only right to create something that not only captured that essence but persevered it as well."
WE CAME AS ROMANS will embark on an 10th-anniversary tour celebrating its landmark, 2009-released album "To Plant A Seed". The trek kicks off on March 5 in Chicago and runs through April 11 in Pontiac, Michigan, and will feature support from THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, GIDEON and DAYSEEKER.
"To Plant A Seed" was a definitive sonic statement for WE CAME AS ROMANS and remains a fan favorite through this day. It's only fitting that the band commemorate the release.
"We're really excited to announce the 10-year anniversary tour for our first record 'To Plant A Seed'," said Moore at the time tour was announced. "Being able to watch our fans connect with us through music over the last decade has been an amazing privilege, and it all started with 'To Plant A Seed'. Way back in 2009 when we recorded it, we had no idea where it would take us or what we were really even doing, and it's awesome to see that we can play these songs still, and feel that connection with you."
He continued: "But over the course of 10 years, we've released four other albums and we're even working on a fifth! With that being said, we are going to be throwing these songs into the vault of old WE CAME AS ROMANS — and retiring them from all future setlists after this tour. So make sure you grab your tickets and come hear these songs one last time live."
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