Former KYUSS frontman John Garcia returns with his next incarnation of Desert Rock, JOHN GARCIA AND THE BAND OF GOLD. The group's self-titled debut album will be released on January 4, 2019 via Napalm. None other than KYUSS and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE producer Chris Goss gave this new groovy piece of dust its finishing touches.
The official music video for the disc's latest single, "Jim's Whiskers", can be seen below.
Garcia takes the next step in his almost 30-year career by combining the strengths of his musical past with the achievements of modern times. It's once again a distinctive John Garcia album.
John told Under The Radar about the lyrical themes covered on "John Garcia And The Band Of Gold": "I'm a family man — I'm a husband, I'm a father — and there's a lot of appreciation and a lot of love and a lot of inspiration that comes from family and keeping your eye on the ball. What's the ball? What's important? Family's important. I don't mean my family, but [Garcia's bandmates] Mike Pigmie's family, Greg Sainz's family. If you've got a family, or if your family's tight. Y'know, I'm not singing about love, as far as 'oh I love my family.' It goes deeper behind that. There's deeper meaning behind some of these lyrics. The theme is keeping your eye on the ball and knowing what's important in life. And two: keeping a simple rock record. Don't get too bitchin'. Keep the drums, keep the bass, keep the guitar and don't finger-fuck this thing. Just make a simple, classic, rock record. And that's what we made out to do... with me singing over this thing. So it's not a love record, it's a rock record stripped down, and sometimes being simple is hard to do. Especially with music. That's the theme."
fter starting the stoner rock movement by establishing KYUSS together with Josh Homme, Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri in 1990, Garcia became one of the most heard voices from the desert in rock history. No doubt that he had massive impact on the desert rock movement by singing in bands like HERMANO, SLO BURN, UNIDA and VISTA CHINO. Since his debut album as a solo artist in 2014 via Napalm Records, he has further established his very own trademarks.
Garcia will embark on a European tour with BAND OF GOLD in late January.
Symphonic deathcore merchants CARNIFEX have released a brand new EP, "Bury Me In Blasphemy". The effort was mixed by Jason Suecof (DEATH ANGEL, CHELSEA GRIN, JOB FOR A COWBOY) and artwork was created by Zack Dunn.
The official music video for the "Bury Me In Blasphemy" title track can be seen below.
"Bury Me In Blasphemy" EP track listing:
01. Bury Me In Blasphemy
02. Head Like A Hole (NINE INCH NAILS cover)
03. The Heretic Anthem (SLIPKNOT cover)
04. Head Like A Hole (GOST remix)
b>CARNIFEX's latest album, "Slow Death", was produced and recorded by CARNIFEX and Jason Suecof and co-produced by Mick Kenney (ANAAL NATHRAKH, BLEEDING THROUGH). It was mixed by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, DEICIDE) at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida. Cover art for the album was created by renowned artist and longtime collaborator Godmachine.
CARNIFEX began carving out a bond with the audience way back in 2005. Over the course of four albums — "Dead In My Arms", "The Diseased And The Poisoned", "Hell Chose Me" and "Until I Feel Nothing" — the band attracted a diehard following. Engaging a hiatus in 2012, they returned a year later with a vicious and vigorous vitality. It's only grown since and is on full display on "Slow Death".
"Under Grass And Clover", the new music video from Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's tenth album, "Hexed", which will be released on March 8, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.
CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman, guitarist, and mastermind Alexi Laiho comments: "'Under Grass And Clover' is the sound of COB on fire and has been my favorite song since it was written. It's fast, melodic, heavy and dark but also short and sweet. Someone told me that it's kinda like old-school DIMMU BORGIR and AWK and that's pretty damn cool in my books, so we must've done something right."
"Hexed" saw the return to Finland's Danger Johnny Studios where COB was reunited with Mikko Karmila ("I Worship Chaos", "Halo Of Blood", "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll") who recorded everything except keyboards and also produced the album with the band. Janne Wirman recorded keyboards at Beyond Abilities Studios. The album was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.
For this album, the band enlisted Deins Forkas to create the album artwork. Bassist Henkka Seppälä (a.k.a. Henkka T. Blacksmith) commented on the cover: "For some years I've wanted to try a different approach with our cover art. We are so used to digital art, so it's really hard to do something else. Doing it completely with a computer is somewhat safe and convenient. This time we all agreed to try going old school. We found this cool dude and gave him simple instructions — the cover has to be purple and the reaper has to be central. Half a year later, we got his work, and with little tweaking, we now have the cover of 'Hexed'. It is very different from what we are used to, even the Reaper looks different, but at the same time very spooky."
b>Laiho said: "People have said that this album is generally catchier. So I started thinking about that; perhaps the song structures are easier to grasp on initial listen. But there's some crazy shit in there — almost progressive or at least technical. There are certain melodies across the album that could have come from jazz songs, although they're completely metal with us, of course. [Laughs]"
"For me, it has always been very hard to describe our new music," commented Seppälä. "In a way, it always feels familiar, but the new stuff also always surprises me. Here we have something that's very BODOM, but somehow we haven't done this kind of stuff, possibly ever. Then again, someone said that there's a somewhat similar vibe to what 'Follow The Reaper' had. I don't know. Anyway, we had a really hard time choosing the songs for the videos. I guess that's a positive problem to have."
"Reason To Believe", the new music video from extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY, can be seen below. The clip was once again directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, AMARANTHE and KAMELOT, among others.
Guitarist and founding member Michael Amott comments on the motivation behind writing "Reason To Believe": "Growing up, I guess I was what would be considered the 'different kid,' the odd one out at school etc. I fled into my own shell and the music that I loved. Not having a lot friends and not being popular made me who I am today. My passion for music is really where I found my identity and also the strength to pull through those not always so easy times as a young teenager. Luckily, I was always obsessed with music, I had a lot of ideas for starting a band even before I hit puberty! When I finally saved up enough money to buy my first guitar at the age of thirteen, I started creating my own songs immediately and started my first band soon thereafter. I haven't stopped since. Music has been with me every step of the way through life and is still, to this day, my best friend and greatest passion. I'm sure a lot of people out there feel the same way. 'Reason To Believe' is a song that was born out of reminiscing about my own youth and also the stories from our fans around the world. This one’s for you... Always keep on fighting, my friends!"
Released today (Friday, December 7) is a strictly limited, hand-numbered seven-inch single and a digital single for "Reason To Believe" through Century Media Records. Both formats, physical and digital, feature the cover song "Shout" (TEARS FOR FEARS) as a B-side.
The seven-inch single is available in the following vinyl colors:
Black vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
* Clear vinyl (limited to 100 copies, only available at CMDistro EU)
* White vinyl (limited to 200 copies)
* Silver vinyl (limited to 200 copies, only available at Nuclear Blast)
* Red vinyl (limited to 200 copies, only available at EMP)
On January 18, 2019, ARCH ENEMY will release a compilation, "Covered In Blood", of all cover songs the band has recorded throughout its career.
This past summer, Amott spoke to Hayley Leggs about the band's decision to record a near-ballad, "Reason To Believe" — complete with clean vocals — for its most recent studio album, 2017's "Will To Power".
"I wrote the music for that song with my brother [former ARCH ENEMY guitarist Christopher Amott], and it was obviously a ballad, and we thought, 'Well, if we use it for ARCH ENEMY, it's gonna be weird to just growl and scream on that music,'" he said. "So I talked to [ARCH ENEMY frontwoman] Alissa [White-Gluz] about it, and we came up with the arrangement and everything.
"But it's actually gone down very well with the fans," he continued. "And it's always been my ambition anyway… I've never been a diehard, 'It's gotta be all extreme or nothing.' A lot of my favorite music… I grew up with thrash and death metal, but also I'm a big fan of SCORPIONS and JUDAS PRIEST. All those great bands — SCORPIONS, JUDAS PRIEST, MANOWAR, BLACK SABBATH — they've all got ballads as well. So I think this makes us more of a complete metal band in a way."
According to Michael, White-Gluz's addition to ARCH ENEMY following the 2014 departure of Angela Gossow has "opened up a few doors for me as a songwriter, because she's got more things she can do with her voice. So now we're gonna explore that a bit," he said.
In a 2017 interview with Revolver, Alissa said that some ARCH ENEMY fans were "really surprised" to hear her sing "different ways. But I've been doing that since high school and in my other bands, [such as THE AGONIST], so that's nothing new to me," she explained. "In the ARCH ENEMY world, it seems like there were only a few people who knew that. When I posted the video I did with KAMELOT for 'Liar, Liar', a lot of people were, like, 'Um, what is going on?' And I was like, 'Wait, you don't know about this? [Laughs] From that point on, a lot of people were like, 'Wow, we want to hear clean singing in ARCH ENEMY, too. And actually, Michael had been dying to write sort of like an extreme-metal ballad. So it was perfect."
Dutch death metallers SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION will release their second studio album, "Humans Are Broken", on March 1, 2019 via Napalm Records. The official music video for the disc's title track can be seen below.
Says the band: "We are very excited to present to you all: The official video for our new single, 'Humans Are Broken'! This song is representative of our new album (also entitled 'Humans Are Broken') in many ways: The mix of brutality, melody and different genres music-wise, and the engagement with issues in contemporary society lyric-wise. The video functions as a visual counterpart to our reflection on who we are as humans, how we interact with each other and our place in this world.
"We are very happy with how this video turned out and hope you guys enjoy watching it as much as we did making it. Special thanks for recording and producing this track goes out to our friend Martin Furia (check out his solo in our vid!), to V.O. Pulver for mixing and mastering, to Gideon Kessler (Kesslr Motion) for again making an awesome music video, Kelly Thans for being a dystopian survivor for a day, and the people at metal business G.v.Gool who indulged all our fancies for recording. And let's not forget a cuddle for our canine buddies in the vid. And thanks to everyone else who helped us out in any way to make this possible."
"Humans Are Broken" track listing:
1. Humans Are Broken
02. Wolves
03. War In My Head
04. The Machine
05. What We Create
06. Liar
07. Little Shits
08. The Next Big Thing
09. Blood On Blood
10. The Objective
11. Burn
12. Every Little Fibre (bonus track)
13. For I Have Sinned (bonus track)
Founded in 2014 in Eidhoven, SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION managed very quickly to establish an amazing live reputation and got lots of invitations from venues and smaller festivals. This was noticed by Eindhoven Metal Meeting, who gave them a chance to present themselves for a bigger audience.
It has always been a dream of vocalist Els Prins to start an all-female death metal band, but she didn't seem to be able find the right group of girls to make this dream reality — that is, until she met guitarist Simone van Straten. They released their first single, "Boundaries", in July 2014 and played their first show one month later.
Regarding what inspires her to write music, Els told Robex Lundgren: "Seeing other bands live and all of my favorite bands, of course. I get inspiration from almost everything in my daily life."
Asked for her opinion on illegal music downloading, Els said: "We will just have to get over that. We can't fight it. Of course, I don't support it, because, in my opinion, it is stealing. But I have done it as well. It has become a part of the modern world. I just hope that true supporters will still buy records from the bands they adore."
The official music video for "Untethered Angel", a brand new song from progressive music titans DREAM THEATER, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming 14th studio album, "Distance Over Time", which will be released on February 22, 2019. The disc showcases a newfound creativity for DREAM THEATER while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band's new label InsideOut Music. The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "Distance Over Time" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.
"During the writing and recording process of 'Distance Over Time', 'Untethered Angel' was known as 'Song 4' to all of us as it was the fourth song written during the sessions," explains Petrucci. "However, there has always been something about this track that just begged for it to be the album opener, even long before all of the songs were written.
"Fear is something that rears its ugly head at some point or another in all of our lives. Fear of the unknown, fear of taking chances, fear of making mistakes. If we are not careful, it can be debilitating and sadly prevent us from realizing our true potential. The world we live in can be a scary place and the thought of an uncertain future a terrifying notion, especially for today's young people. Untethering from that fear and giving yourself up to the future's countless possibilities is what will ultimately set you free."
"Distance Over Time" will be available as: standard CD jewel case, special edition digipak (including one bonus track), 180g gatefold 2LP edition (including one bonus track, an eight-page-LP-booklet and the entire album on CD), limited-edition artbook (including one bonus track, 5.1 mix with video animations, instrumental mixes and high-res files of the album, stems for "Untethered Angel", extended liner notes, additional artwork, including photos from the writing session and additional video content), as deluxe collector's box set (including lenticular cover card, artbook, 180g 2LP gatefold edition with exclusive artwork and exclusive white vinyl, exclusive picture 7", 60 x 60 cm poster, 10 art cards, slipmat, patch, pin and a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity) and as digital album (including one bonus track).
b>"Distance Over Time" track listing:
01. Untethered Angel (6:14)
02. Paralyzed (4:17)
03. Fall Into The Light (7:04)
04. Barstool Warrior (6:43)
05. Room 137 (4:23)
06. S2N (6:21)
07. At Wit’s End (9:20)
08. Out Of Reach (4:04)
09. Pale Blue Dot (8:25)
10. Viper King (4:00) (Bonus)
"Distance Over Time" is available for pre-order at this location.
Says Petrucci: "When I listen back to the album, I can distinctly recall every moment of the writing process; where I was standing in the room, what inspired us in that instant and the meaning behind each song. As a producer, my goal was to try and create the best-sounding DREAM THEATER record we've ever made so that listeners can just be enveloped in the music. I really wanted this recording to truly reflect the spirit, joy and passion that went into making the album and for people to walk away feeling some of the organic nature, personality and raw energy that the band captured while together in the studio. For me, I think it accomplishes that and I hope that other people will feel the same way."
In June 2018, the members of DREAM THEATER secluded themselves in a private location in upstate New York to begin writing for the new record. While spending the summer living together in the property's adjacent residence, the band spent their days and nights crafting the music that would make up the new album in the "Yonderbarn"; a beautiful and spacious barn that had been meticulously transformed into a state-of-the art film and recording studio. Following an intense and extremely productive period of group writing sessions and wanting to retain the magic that was captured in this scenic and inspiring location, they decided to record the album in the very room they had all convened to write together in. Living together during the writing and recording for "Distance Over Time" marked another first for the band's 33-year career. The result is a heavier collection of songs that showcases the early roots of the band while exploring new territory as musicians and as friends.
"It was like going back to summer camp," says singer James LaBrie. "Being around each other the whole time made it that much more of a profound experience. I think the songs reflect the energy. It was a lot of fun to have a situation so powerful at this point in our career."
It has been three years since DREAM THEATER released new music. To announce the details of the brand new album, DREAM THEATER enlisted the help of one lucky contest winner to break the news of the record to the loyal fans of the band. An Alternate Reality Game was launched that encompassed a "treasure hunt" whereby fans were able to search for clues hidden in various photos, videos, social media posts, and more. Ultimately, one lucky winner was given access to content before everyone else including the release date and cover artwork, and the winner would be the one to share the first taste of never-before-heard music.
DREAM THEATER is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The "Distance Over Time" tour of North America was recently announced and kicks off on March 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4, 2019. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found at DreamTheater.net.
On January 25, KING DIAMOND will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, "Songs For The Dead Live", via Metal Blade Records.
There is only one King Diamond, and for more than thirty years the great Dane has been dropping classic albums and putting on shows fans remember for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the only downside to having such a formidable catalogue is that there are just too many great songs to fit into a single set. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who wouldn't want to hear 1987's seminal "Abigail" in its entirety, and "Songs For The Dead Live" captures this, twice, and in very different locales. Boasting eighteen songs per set, each of the two shows — Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015 — features a brace of classic KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE tracks, including "Welcome Home", "Halloween" and "Eye Of The Witch" before launching into "Abigail". The performances of the all-star lineup of musicians, comprising of guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Matt Thompson, are absolutely ferocious, hammering home every single moment.
For a preview of "Songs For The Dead Live", a video for "Sleepless Nights (Live at The Fillmore)" can be viewed below.
* Blu-ray (includes audio digital download of Philadelphia Show)
* special edition box set with 5 discs (2DVD, 2CD, 1 Blu-ray) plus poster, flier, laminate, setlist, ticket, sticker, and guitar pick (limited to 3000 copies)
* opaque blue with white splatter vinyl (U.S. retail exclusive - limited to 600 copies)
* opaque red with black splatter vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
* opaque white with black splatter vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
* pink blue marbled vinyl (Ebay exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
Captured on film by director Denise Korycki for Wild Wind Studios, she worked closely with King on every aspect of filming, and throughout the viewer finds themselves front and center as the shows unfold. This includes some inventive camera placement, such as riding in on the back of the wheelchair as it is wheeled out to "Out From The Asylum" at the start of the show, or looking up from the coffin at the commencement of "Abigail" opener "Funeral", which adds an extra dimension to proceedings. Naturally, the theatricality that has become synonymous with KING DIAMOND is there in full force, making for an even more immersive experience. The gothic stage set and the participation of actors playing out certain scenes tying into the songs definitely increases the drama and the sense of complete disconnect from the trappings of reality, ensuring that the shows remain riveting from start to finish.
While the setlists are virtually identical, the drastic difference in the two venues make for distinctly different atmospheres. The sweeping, epic scale of Graspop and the virtual sea of baying metalheads makes for a particularly thrilling spectacle, King holding them all in the palm of his hand. The Fillmore show is immediately more intimate, and rather than a mixed bag of metal lovers drunk on a weekend of the heavy stuff, the audience is comprised entirely of the KING DIAMOND devout, screaming back every word, their love for their hero bleeding from every frame. "Songs For The Dead Live" gives those who missed out on seeing these shows in the flesh a chance to vividly experience them, offering so much deeper an experience than your run of the mill live DVD.
"Martyrs", the new video from SOEN, the progressive heavy rock group featuring world-renowned drummer Martin Lopez (formerly of AMON AMARTH and OPETH), can be seen below. The track is taken from SOEN's fourth album, "Lotus", which will be released on February 1, 2019 via Silver Lining Music.
Driven by the contrast of different moods, and fuelled by vocalist Joel Ekelöf's powerful vocals, sustained by heavy, progressive, and frantic riffs and, ultimately, bonded by the sturdy and cohesive rhythmic section, "Martyrs" is the perfect way to showcase the whole record in one song. The video fiercely depicts an uncensored portrait of contemporary society, underlining the concept behind both the lyrics and the whole album.
Ekelöf notes: "The video and the song reflects the importance to stand up for yourself and not be trapped in other peoples' expectations of you. People are going to try to push you down and they want you to conform to the prevailing ideals, but as long as you follow your own path, you are never wrong."
In a world filled with brutality, stigma, and indifference, there is still hope, because, as Ekelöf sings, "we are the ashes and the seeds."
aving spent the last six months digging deep into the muddy depths of their emotions, the nine songs comprising "Lotus" are intoxicating, addictive aural therapies, questioning much of today's darkness while juxtaposing them with moments of great escape and hope.
"We are all very fortunate to have this place where we can go and explore thoughts, perspectives and emotions which everyday life maybe does not have the room for," says Lopez, one of SOEN's founding members. "There are definitely things that we say, and places we go, in SOEN which would be very hard to express without us coming together and creating music."
Produced by David Castillo and Iñaki Marconi at Ghostward Studios and Studio 6 between July and October 2018, the album marks the first recorded SOEN work of new Canadian-born guitarist Cody Ford, whilst the center-point of the album remains those trademark, snap-heavy, progressive SOEN riffs. Songs such as "Rival", "Covenant" and "Martyrs" are dissertations on modern societies, fraught with poetic, finitely designed confusion and chaos, yet as the name "Lotus" suggests, there is still strength, beauty, and purity to be extracted from what at times seems like an endless cycle of human regression.
"The world right now is undeniably a very strange, tense place," says Lopez. "I think the songs clearly reflect that, but they also reflect that we must now be stronger than ever in challenging, confronting, and dealing with the pandemonium life throws at us all."
The lavish "Lotus" artwork features nothing other than an enigmatic and engaging copper-reflective pyramid, offering elements of the sixth sense and greater consciousness before gate-folding open to reveal a girl touched by the copper aura.
"We each have our own personal ideas as to what it means," says Lopez, "but we'd much rather discuss what others think, what our audience thinks, what the media thinks... I think it's extremely important that we all communicate with each other and take the time to fully conceive our own meanings and interactions with life and creativity."
"Ultimately," concludes Ekelöf, "'Lotus' is about rising from whatever darkness, or dark places, you might find yourself. And its inspiration comes from a deep motivation to not just settle for the situation you might find yourself in. 'Lotus' is about changing life — both your own and your surroundings for which we must all take responsibility — and make them better rather than letting darkness pacify you and take you down."
"Lotus" track listing:
01. Opponent
02. Lascivious
03. Martyrs
04. Lotus
05. Covenant
06. Penance
07. River
08. Rival
09. Lunacy
SOEN will bring "Lotus" on the road as it tours Europe starting in March 2019.
WEST BOUND is a hard-hitting new rock band formed in the Los Angeles area by vocalist Chas West (RESURRECTION KINGS, BONHAM, LYNCH MOB) and renowned guitarist/producer Roy Z (BRUCE DICKINSON, HALFORD, TRIBE OF GYPSIES), with a lineup completed by Jimmy Burkard (guitar), Jason Cornwell (bass) and Dave "Chilli" Moreno (drums). Additionally, Stephen LeBlanc provides keyboards on the album and Brian Tichy (ex-WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE, FOREIGNER drummer/guitarist) played on and co-wrote two songs with Chas. WEST BOUND offers up its take on the classic hard rock sound with soulful vocals, a touch of the blues, and killer melodies.
West says his "inspiration for WEST BOUND's sound came from "influences from the '70s and '80s classic hard rock, back when music was — in my opinion — real and passionate, from the heart and soul. Bands like LED ZEPPELIN, WHITESNAKE, DEEP PURPLE, FOREIGNER, AEROSMITH, VAN HALEN, etc. were what we grew up on and we went back to our youth when writing the songs for the album."
If you remember the great bluesy hard rock explosion from the late '80s and early '90s with bands like TESLA, CINDERELLA, BADLANDS, TORA TORA and SALTY DOG and enjoy the modern throwback hard rock like RIVAL SONS, MASSIVE WAGONS, INGLORIOUS and the like, you are going to find WEST BOUND right up your alley.
On the first single and video, Chas explains that "the song 'Never Surrender' is one that Roy Z and I came up with in the studio. It's about going through struggles in life and never giving up on your dreams. People can relate to it in their own lives… It's a theme we all know as human beings. Sometimes the tough times can help you define your true character."
b>WEST BOUND's debut album, "Volume I", will be released on February 22, 2019 on Frontiers Music Srl. The band is currently in the midst of planning tour dates to support the album's release. Expect more news on that in the New Year.
The official music video for the song "Breeze" from the German symphonic metal/power metal band BEYOND THE BLACK can be seen below. The track is taken from the group's latest album, "Heart Of The Hurricane", which was released on August 31 via Napalm Records (GSA via Airforce1).
BEYOND THE BLACK singer Jennifer Haben told Distorted Sound about the making of "Heart Of The Hurricane": "We started writing song ideas in summer last year. This time everyone on their own first and after we had a lot ideas, we worked in small groups of two or three people on this ideas or created new ones, it depended on our moods. Then we went to our producers in the beginning of this year and finalised and recorded everything. Most of the guitars and bass alone at home and vocals and drums with the producers. Especially vocals are very important for me to record with Sascha [Paeth] or Hardy (from ELEPHANT). They really know me after all these years and they work so differently. After recordings I always feel like I showed everything I can, from the current status of my vocal skills."
Regarding the songwriting process for "Heart Of The Hurricane", Jennifer said: "Like I said before, we wrote song ideas on our own first — that was an important step for me, cause I wanted to see in what direction the guys wanted to write, how BEYOND THE BLACK will sound in the future and who will be involved the most in songwriting and all that stuff. After that, we worked in small groups, where very good new stuff came up as we worked on that song ideas from before. I think that this process was very important for all of us and will take the process of the next album to another level."
"Heart Of The Hurricane" track listing:
1. Hysteria
02. Heart Of The Hurricane
03. Through The Mirror
04. Million Lightyears
05. Song For The Godless
06. Escape From The Earth
07. Beneath A Blackened Sky
08. Fairytale Of Doom
09. My God Is Dead
10. Dear Death
11. Scream For Me
12. Freedom
13. Breeze
Bonus tracks:
14. Echo From The Past
15. Parade
BEYOND THE BLACK's debut album, "Songs Of Love And Death" (2015) entered the German album chart at No. 12 and was followed by 2016's "Lost In Forever", which landed in the Top 5.
BEYOND THE BLACK has already played countless shows in Germany and other parts of Europe with such bands as SAXON, POWERWOLF and EPICA. They also served as the support act for the SCORPIONS' 50th-anniversary tour.
METALLICA will release a limited-edition vinyl of "Helping Hands… Live & Acoustic At The Masonic" this winter. The double album, mixed by Greg Fidelman and newly mastered for vinyl by Reuben Cohen at Bernie Grundman Mastering, documents the inaugural "Helping Hands" benefit concert held in San Francisco on November 3.
"Helping Hands… Live & Acoustic At The Masonic" features rare acoustic renditions of hits and deep cuts spanning the METALLICA catalog (as well as covers of DEEP PURPLE, NAZARETH, BOB SEGER and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT classics), captured on 140-gram colored vinyl with proceeds donated to the band's All Within My Hands Foundation. "Helping Hands… Live & Acoustic At The Masonic" continues AWMH's mission to fight hunger and to assist in creating sustainable communities through workforce education.
Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "Disposable Heroes" at "All Within My Hands Foundation Helping Hands Concert And Auction" can be seen below.
The album will be available February 1, 2019 at independent and digital retail around the world, all streaming services that feature METALLICA's music, and can be pre-ordered in the METALLICA store. All copies will include a download card.
n addition to the vinyl pre-order, METALLICA's offerings will include a limited-edition etched glass featuring the iconic Pushead artwork for "One", with all net proceeds donated to AWMH.
The first-ever "All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert And Auction" raised more than $1.3 million. Those resources will fund AWMH's efforts with partners at Feeding America and the American Association of Community Colleges.
The METALLICA family and the All Within My Hands Foundation board members are committed to running an organization of the highest integrity where expenses are kept to a minimum and are paid for entirely by the band, the board, and friends who have worked with the band over many years. As such, 100% of all donations from fans and third parties go to the organizations AWMH supports.
The track listing for "Helping Hands…Live & Acoustic At The Masonic":
Disc One / Side A
01. Disposable Heroes
02. When A Blind Man Cries (DEEP PURPLE cover)
03. The Unforgiven
Disc One / Side B
01. Please Don't Judas Me (NAZARETH cover)
02. Turn the Page (Bob Seger cover)
Disc Two / Side C
01. Bleeding Me
02. Veteran of the Psychic Wars (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT cover)
03. Nothing Else Matters
Disc Two / Side D
01. All Within My Hands
02. Enter Sandman
03. The Four Horsemen
04. Hardwired
Bandmembers James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich were joined by a quartet of backing musicians who provided additional percussion, keyboards, strings and vocal harmony.
American/Finnish sensations Tornado have just unleashed a brand new video of the song "Spirit And Opportunity" from their latest album Commitment To Excellence.
With Commitment To Excellence, Tornado continue to do what they do best: writing songs that you can actually remember, with their own original recipe consisting in a blend of thrash, sleazy and glam.
New Zealand-based melodic death metal band, Dark Divinity, presents their new single and music video, "Set In Stone".
The single is the band’s first release to feature new vocalist Jolene Tempest, and is accompanied by a video clip filmed and directed by Amber Beaton.
The opening line, ‘Violence, Chaos, Brutality, Hate and Despair’, sets the stage for the onslaught to follow. Clocking in at nearly 4 minutes and replete with aggressive, hook-laden riffing, double kicks, blast beats & screamed vocals, the track is a nod to early Scandinavian pioneers of the melodic death metal genre.
The video clip features an energetic basement performance by the band, with a cloaked & masked Jolene appearing as a demonic blind oracle.
Formed only a year ago, the band have already made a mark on the underground metal scene, with highlights including playing support for The Black Dahlia Murder and Psycroptic, going viral with an accidental phallic t-shirt, and drawing praise around the web for their August 2018 single "Exegesis".
The recent lineup change marks a new era for Dark Divinity, with Jolene bringing a new and exciting dynamic to the band and a horde of her own fans.
The official video for the song "Wheel Against Will" from NONPOINT can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's tenth album, "X", which was released on August 24. The follow-up to 2016's "The Poison Red" was produced by Fred Archambault, who has previously worked with ATREYU and AVENGED SEVENFOLD, among others.
In a recent interview with Bods Mayhem Hour, singer Elias Soriano stated about working with Archambault: "['The Poison Red' producer] Rob [Ruccia] also worked on this record as well. He not only played bass, but he was mainly the engineer of this record because it's the studio he works out of, the Uptown [Recording], he is their head engineer. He's an amazing friend and dare I say, sixth member of the band.
"We've done a lot of records ourselves and when we get the opportunity to work with somebody with Fred… Originally, it was supposed to be Brian Virtue, which we were really excited about. But, unfortunately, he had a really dire family emergency he couldn't step away from, wholeheartedly knowing he could get a phone call and he'd have to go back home. We understood where he was coming from. The label got on the phone, got people we were speaking to as well as Brian in the beginning. Got them on the phone and had a great conversation with Fred and he jumped right in. It was a great process. He's a real positive dude who loves to work ideas, loves to add layers and really set a mood and add DNA to a song. He just, you know, pretty much, he loves what we were doing with the writing of our music. He just, like he said in the phone call, he just really wanted to make it sound like the most powerful NONPOINT that we've ever put out."
Elias added that "X" ended up being "the fastest record that we've ever recorded because we were so prepared going in. It was really just about tracking it, but I would say [it took about] 25, 26 days. Like I said, the music was written. It was just about making it as sound as great as we could. I mean, like I said, the songs were already written. We went in with the pre-production already done. We had already decided what we wanted. After that, it's just performance and making sure you get the right tones. Fred's a professional, Rob Ruccia is a professional. We're on our tenth record, so we went in prepared."
Kissin' Dynamite are looking back to a very successful year with the launch of their latest album Ecstasy, and a very successful tour in support of Powerwolf which saw them take over arenas all across Europe.
The lads have now released a brand new single and video for the song "Heart Of Stone", it's a new version with an accompanying orchestra! Check it out below:
Kissin' Dynamite will support Powerwolf on their second European run in January:
January
10 - Toulouse, France - Bikini
11 - Bordeaux, France - Le Rocher De Palmer
12 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 1
13 - Madrid, Spain - La Riviera
15 - Lille, France - L'Aernoef
16 - Nantes, France - Le Stereolux
17 - Rouen, France - Le 106
19 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
20 - Glasgow, UK - SWG
21 - Bristol, UK - SWX
22 - Birmingham, UK - Digbeth Mill
24 - Reims, France - La Cartonnerie
25 - Dusseldorf, Germany - Mitsubishi Electric Hall
26 - Nancy, France - L'Autre Canal
27 - Marseille, France - Espace Julien
28 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
29 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
Then, catch Kissin' Dynamite live on their upcoming European headline tour in March and April:
Chicago-based Americana metal outfit, Huntsmen, have released a video for "Atlantic City", a track from their American Scrap album, released earlier this year. Watch the clip below.
American Scrap was recorded at Treehouse Analog Studio in Chicago. The opening, mostly acoustic track "Bury Me Deep", is the perfect first chapter to the album; with its ending of feedback and electric guitar, it foreshadows something heavy, but then swiftly goes into the dark, moody "Pyre". "Atlantic City" starts off in a post-rock fury, sure to tell-tale some catastrophic event while the album's epic closer, "The Last President" with guest vocalist, Aimee Bueno, is the perfect ending to the story.
American Scrap tracklisting:
"Bury Me Deep"
"Pyre"
"Canary King"
"Interlude A - Shipwrecked"
"Atlantic City"
"Interlude B - Insurrection"
"The Barrens"
"The Last President"
"The Barrens" video:
"Pyre" video:
"Bury Me Deep" video:
Huntsmen lineup:
Chris Kang - Vocals, guitar
Marc Stranger-Najjar - Bass
Kirill Orlov - Guitar
Ray Knipe - Drums
Ignore The Sign, built around mastermind Ossy Pfeiffer, was never a political band, but rather one that can take a position if it feels appropriate. This is confirmed by the new single "Silver Wind", released today.
Musically, the band presents its best side: the riff-dominated number is extremely heavy and powerful. Content-wise, Ossy Pfeiffer and Anca Graterol sing about current social phenomena which the band members have been observing for some time: absurd conspiracy theories, ridiculous fake-news allegations as well as the social paradigm of every one against everyone else.
Lines like "Skip all the leaders and all the big brands, dragons are flying, it's all in your hands" can be an incentive for each listener to use his own head. "Be alert! Do not listen to the rubbish from idiots who have only come to power because they spout the words that the frustrated masses want to hear!” - So can the message from Ignore The Sign be summarized, just without pointing the finger.
The ethnic forest atmosphere of the video shot in the "Amazonia" pavilion in Hannover represents a call for a return to nature and family, and being at one with the world in which we live - together, not against each other!
"Sweet True Lies", the new video from BEAST IN BLACK, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's sophomore album, "From Hell With Love", which is scheduled for a February 8, 2019 release via Nuclear Blast.
Comments bassist Mate Molnar: "After the huge success of 'Blind And Frozen', we wanted to come out with something more interesting and original as the second official music video of the band. I believe 'Sweet True Lies' is loveable but also shocking at the same time and I'm sure it will move the hearts of our fans!"
BEAST IN BLACK is the Helsinki, Finland-based metal band led by former BATTLE BEAST guitarist and main songwriter Anton Kabanen.
The follow-up to 2017's "Berserker" was once again recorded in Anton's Sound Request Studio, and true to the motto "never change a winning team," the cover artwork was created by Roman Ismailov, who worked on "Berserker" as well as the first record Kabanen wrote with BATTLE BEAST, "Steel" (2012).
b>Anton comments: "This album was forged with passion, fury, love, dedication and I would even dare to say with maniacal obsession. And once again, the stunning artwork by Roman perfectly captures the essence of what it was made of. This album is truly a creation that will burst from hell with love."
Adds Ismailov: "It resembles a love-hate relationship in things that are part of our lives. Some things are like a beast that is almost impossible to tame. Then there is the love in what you do, which can overcome even the hardest obstacles."
BEAST IN BLACK is supporting NIGHTWISH on a European tour, which kicked off on November 2 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Kabanen told Kaaos TV that BEAST IN BLACK was pleased with the reaction to "Berserker". "We had no expectations, basically," he said. "We felt that, 'Okay, we did a good job,' and were happy with the album and the reviews kept coming in and they kept coming and it was more than we expected. Good and bad, but mostly good. YouTube is a big part nowadays for every band and there, we also kind of took a 'rocket launch' beginning. People are watching the video very much, the first music video we released. That also plays a big role nowadays. One song can matter very much. People don't have that much album listening going on in this world nowadays. They listen to single songs in their playlists, so we've had help with that."
Anton went on to say that he was relieved that BEAST IN BLACK has gotten off to such a strong start. "I remember when we finally released the first song and the feedback started to come. It felt like I was out of jail, so to speak. It's been a long process. When you work on something for quite a long time, you don't know any more what's the reality, is it good or bad, you become blind to your own stuff, but you do. When it was out, the first song, it felt like, 'Yes! It's working. People like it.' We did something that's meaningful and that feels rewarding. It's like an out-of-the-jail feeling, although I've never been in jail, but mental jail, mental prison."
Kabanen was dismissed from BATTLE BEAST in February 2015 due to what was described at the time as "insurmountable disagreements" with the other members of the band.
"You Are So Beautiful", the new video from EMIGRATE, the side project of RAMMSTEIN guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe, can be seen below. The song is taken from EMIGRATE's third album, "A Million Degrees", which is being released today (Friday, November 30) via Spinefarm Records.
The "You Are So Beautiful" clip was shot in Los Angeles with director Bill Yukich and stars Richard's daughter Maxime Alaska Kruspe Bossieux.
If there's a description that, personally and professionally, fits Kruspe like a Savile Row suit, "fired up" would be it… As a member of RAMMSTEIN, the music world's most explosive live act, Kruspe has been part of a ground-breaking global success story that continues to build and to ignite; along the way, he's turned his attention to a number of parallel projects, such as constructing a new studio (and a new home) in his native Berlin, but it's his decision to launch the EMIGRATE setup that has given him the greatest chance to satisfy creative instincts outside of the parent group.
The first EMIGRATE album appeared in 2007 (a self-titled record that went Top 10 in Germany, with single/video "My World" appearing on the soundtrack to the third "Resident Evil" movie); "Silent So Long" followed in 2014, featuring guest vocals from such high-profile artists as Marilyn Manson, Jonathan Davis, Peaches and the legend that will always be Lemmy.
eaturing 11 tracks, a fresh production team plus vocal contributions from RAMMSTEIN's Till Lindemann and BILLY TALENT's Benjamin Kowalewicz, "A Million Degrees" is less a successor to "Silent So Long" and more a re-booted take on the overall concept, continuing Kruspe's desire to craft something personal. He writes the material, including new single/video "1234" (spotlighting Kowalewicz), sings the bulk of the songs (in English) and works hard — sometimes in the face of adversity — to keep everything rubber-stamped as "special," fashioning a body of work that will appeal to both existing supporters and those who appreciate the power of a great song delivered from heart above head…
In this respect, EMIGRATE can't be called either a "side" or a "solo project." A "passion project" might be closer to the mark — a needed extra outlet operating close to the level of therapy for an artist whose energy, vision and quest for perfection are defining factors, keeping him, well… fired up!
"I really want the freedom to collaborate with different people and to explore different kinds of music," Kruspe explains, "to express myself as both a writer and a singer away from deadlines, timelines and other such restrictions. The idea is to keep experimenting and to keep challenging myself. Plus, EMIGRATE works in an organic way, so musicians can come and go, and it's still okay, it's positive…"
After issuing the "Silent So Long" album four years ago, Kruspe considered running with the follow-up sooner rather than later, effectively making it "Silent…" Part 2. He had half a dozen songs up his sleeve, numbers that hadn't quite aligned with the feel of "Silent So Long", and in March 2015, he set about completing these using places and personnel he'd called on successfully in the past…
"I decided to go to Los Angeles to work with Ben Grosse, the mixing engineer on 'Silent So Long'," he recalls, "but for the first time in my professional life I felt that something was missing. I just wasn't inspired, I couldn't give the 120 percent I put into every record I'm involved with, so I decided to stop.
"I had a whole host of issues going on in my personal life, including building the house in Berlin, and then in September 2015 we started thinking about the next steps for RAMMSTEIN…"
Following due discussion, it was agreed that the RAMMSTEIN "kollektiv" would venture back into the rehearsal room; there was no pressure to do anything in particular, just make new music and generally get a sense of how everyone was feeling. Exciting developments for RAMMSTEIN fans, but it meant that EMIGRATE, while never far from Kruspe's mind, had to be temporarily sidelined… and then fate lent a hand…
"In 2016, my house suffered serious water damage; my studio was flooded and half of the equipment, including the hard disk drive, destroyed, so I had to basically start again," he says. "All I had of the songs I'd been working on was my memory."
At the time, this act of God seemed like a major blow; on reflection, however, it gave Kruspe the chance to re-assess the project, to decide just what kind of statement the third EMIGRATE album should be…
"Life gave me a sign!" he laughs.
So… out went the idea of "Silent So Long" Part 2, to be replaced by a bolder, broader view, and the desire to quit any kind of comfort zone. Key to this shift through the gears was the decision to bring in Sky Van Hoff — a young producer / engineer / guitarist from Dusseldorf who had been helping Kruspe to document his RAMMSTEIN ideas. The two found working together both easy and productive, and the result is an enhanced EMIGRATE sound, dripping with detail, that Kruspe describes as "one of the best I've ever been involved with. I'm really proud of it…"
From September 2017 onwards, a re-invigorated Kruspe set about the task of re-writing, re-arranging and re-recording the album tracks, handling the production side himself, with Van Hoff focussing on the engineering and the mix. They used the historic Funkhaus in Berlin's Nalepastrasse (onetime broadcasting base of the GDR) for the drum tracks, with everything else being handled in Kruspe's own studio; the RAMMSTEIN man took charge of the vocals and the guitars, supported by APOCALYPTICA's Mikko Sirén on drums and Arnaud Giraux on bass, both reprising their roles on "Silent…", with Sky also helping out on bass.
Since stepping up to the lead mic back in 2007, Kruspe has been honing his vocals in terms of confidence and power, pushing himself on the presentation side and paying close attention to the lyrics, once again bringing in a friend from the advertising world to act as a sounding board. With fewer guest singers on this new release than its predecessor, his abilities as a performer have ample space to shine, with opening track "War" being a particular case in point…
"I really like the energy, and the heavy, modern, ZEPPELIN kind of groove," he reflects, "and at one point I was taking to Serj [Tankian] from SYSTEM OF A DOWN about fronting the track. He was excited at the idea, then a day later he called me and said that he thought the song was perfect for my voice, he didn't really know what to add, so I left my vocals on there. I took that as a huge compliment."
It's meaningful for RAMMSTEIN fans, and indeed for Kruspe himself, that Lindemann figures on "Let's Go", singing his own lyrics — in German and English — and providing a signature presence; as a performer, he's not known for "extracurricular" activity, which gives this collaboration the feeling of a box being ticked (at last)…
"We've been friends since 1987 and this is the first time we've worked together outside of RAMMSTEIN," confirms Kruspe. "You know, I've had that number for quite a while, and it's about our history and our friendship, which I can sum up like this: I believe I'm the reason he started a career in music, and he's the reason I've witnessed the dark side of life! In two words: beautiful destruction! The song itself is quite different to the world of RAMMSTEIN, though, which I think is a good thing…"
"I have to say, Ben from BILLY TALENT really took things to a new level on '1,2,3,4'," declares Kruspe. "It was my manager who suggested I talk to him; I was more aware of the guitarist in the band, Ian [D'Sa], whose playing I like, but Ben turned out to be an excellent idea, and of course he's in the promo clip, too — along with Ian, Margaux, my friend Joe Letz [COMBICHRIST], who's played drums in EMIGRATE videos before, and myself."
The promos for "1,2,3,4' and "You Are So Beautiful" were shot back to back in Los Angeles by director Bill Yukich, whom Kruspe contacted after seeing a video he made for SHINEDOWN ("Devil"); he was impressed with the flow and the rhythm of the edit, instinctively feeling that Yukich had the range to shoot both the live clip for "1,2,3,4" plus the more expansive, cinematic story he'd put together for "…Beautiful" — a complex piece with connections to Kruspe's life outside of music…
"With that song, I initially had trouble deciding exactly what it was about, then all of a sudden it became obvious," he explains. "It was actually for my daughter. So in the video, which is kind of like a movie, set in the '70s, in the canyons of L.A., I take the role of the father, and you see how relationships can go wrong and how chances to make things better, even for a second time, can be lost.
"Whatever I do with RAMMSTEIN or with EMIGRATE, there's always a bit of my own story in there; there may be exaggerations, there may be extra color added, but essentially it's personal…"
ÑØÀ
John Garcia
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